Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 This photo taken on May 22, 2024 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday blocked Japan's Nippon Steel's proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel, citing national security concerns -- a decision that economists say could hurt American steelworkers and the U.S. economy. In response, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Yoji Muto described the move as "incomprehensible and regrettable" in a statement on Saturday. The decision delivered a setback to Washington's relations with its closest Asia-Pacific ally and prompted the companies to threaten legal action, the Financial Times said in a report. So why is Biden against the deal and what could come next? State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code The Islamist takeover of Syria has left Egypt apprehensive and cautiously calibrating future ties, years after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power by toppling the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt backed president Bashar al-Assad until the eleventh hour, and with the Islamists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) now in control in Syria, it worries what impact the change might have. "For Egypt, this creates of course apprehension, especially given the Brotherhood's history in the country," said Merissa Khurma, director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington. Several other Arab states moved swiftly to engage with the new authorities in Damascus, while Cairo has exercised greater caution. Having declared Egypt's support for Assad just three days before his ouster, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty waited three weeks before calling his new Syrian counterpart and urged the de facto authorities to practise "inclusivity". Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani confirmed the call had taken place, and said that the two countries shared a role in "achieving stability and prosperity for region". On Saturday, an Egyptian aid plane touched down at Damascus airport carrying Cairo's first humanitarian aid delivery since Assad's ousting, the Egyptian foreign ministry said. In the days following the overthrow of Assad, Sisi's comments were non-committal. "Those who make the decisions in Syria are the people of the country," he said. "They can either destroy it or rebuild it," he told a gathering of state-affiliated media figures. "Egypt's reaction has been massively cautious," Mirette Mabrouk, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, told AFP. "Here you have non-state actors as well as Islamists which are both Egypt's red flags." Domestically, Cairo has moved against any possibility that events in Syria might inspire unrest at home. According to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a rights group, the security forces detained 30 Syrians celebrating Assad's fall, with three of them facing deportation. The authorities also tightened visa restrictions for Syrians, requiring them to receive security clearance. In the hours after Assad was toppled, state-aligned media hailed Egypt's stability in the face of regional turmoil. It broadcast a montage combining scenes of unrest, military drills and development projects, accompanied by a 2017 speech in which Sisi claimed that forces behind the war in Syria could turn their sights on Egypt. "Their mission in Syria is complete," Sisi said at the time, adding that "their goal is to bring down the Egyptian state." Anger was further stoked by the sharing online of a photograph of Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa posing alongside Mahmoud Fathi, a Muslim Brotherhood figure who was sentenced to death in absentia for the assassination of Egypt's former public prosecutor Hisham Barakat. Lebanese authorities also arrested Egyptian opposition activist Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi on an Egyptian warrant after he celebrated Assad's fall online. Qaradawi had called for a renewal of the 2011 Arab Spring protests that overthrew Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. Mubarak's removal was followed by a democratic election won by the Muslim Brotherhood, until Sisi took power in 2013. Assad's fall has upended the Middle East's geopolitical balance, diminishing the influence of Iran while significantly boosting Turkey. While Iran backed Assad, Turkey had for decades backed Syria's opposition. For Egypt, Turkey's win is cause for concern, given the two powers' long-standing rivalry. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cut ties with Sisi after the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood, and they remained frozen for a decade until a recent rapprochement. "Of course, there's the regional overlay, which is this being backed most closely by Turkey, Egypt's regional rival and a Muslim Brotherhood-aligned regime," said David Schenker a top former US diplomat and senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Despite initial reticence from some, Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar have already established contact with Syria's new rulers. Schenker said Egypt, which sees itself as a regional heavyweight, "will not want to be isolated" in its approach. Any Egyptian support will likely come with conditions, however. Mabrouk at the Middle East Institute said Cairo would like to see a power-sharing arrangement among Syria's various groups. "The bigger picture is of course concerns over the possibility of mistreating minorities leading to domestic instability and then resulting in regional unrest," she said. "For Egypt, everything boils down to security and interests," she added. The decorated Green Beret who died by suicide in a blazing Cybertruck outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas was suffering from post-traumatic stress, investigators said Friday, saying they had found no links to "terrorist" groups. Matthew Livelsberger, 37, a member of the elite US special forces, shot himself on New Year's Day in the rented Tesla vehicle filled with fuel containers and fireworks, which exploded. Seven people nearby in the valet area of the glass-fronted Trump International Hotel were wounded in the blast. "Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues," FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans told a press conference on Friday. Investigators said they were still examining Livelsberger's devices, but that so far they had found two letters on his phone in which he spoke of the "burden" of having taken lives, among other issues. Though the truck exploded outside the Trump-branded hotel in Las Vegas, part-owned by US President-elect Donald Trump's family business, Livelsberger "held no animosity" towards the Republican, Evans said. And he said investigators have "not identified any connection between this subject and any other terrorist organization." He said some personal and family issues may have contributed to the incident. Livelsberger's body was burned beyond recognition, but Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill said authorities had confirmed via dental records and DNA that he was indeed the person who died inside the Cybertruck. He said investigators were still working to establish the exact sequence of events in the Cybertruck, but for now it appeared that Livelsberger shooting himself dead and the blast which ignited the truck were "simultaneous." Evans also said again that investigators have found no link between the blast and the deadly attack in New Orleans which also took place on January 1. In that attack, a US army veteran loyal to the Islamic State jihadist group rammed a crowd of New Year's revelers with a truck, killing 14 before being shot dead by police. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni traveled to Florida on Saturday to meet with President-elect Donald Trump, aiming to strengthen ties with the incoming U.S. administration ahead of Trump's January 20 inauguration. At Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, Meloni received a warm welcome, with applause from members following her introduction by the president-elect, according to videos shared on social media. Her visit comes just days before a scheduled meeting with President Joe Biden in Rome, set to take place from Thursday to January 12. While the specifics of her discussions with Trump have not been disclosed, Italian media reported that Meloni intended to address topics including Russia's war in Ukraine, trade relations, the Middle East, and the case of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran. Meloni is regarded as a strong potential partner for Trump due to her conservative credentials and the stability of the right-wing coalition she leads in Italy. She has also developed a close relationship with billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk, a staunch Trump ally who contributed over a quarter-billion dollars to support his election victory. "This is very exciting. I'm here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy," Trump told the Mar-a-Lago crowd, according to a media pool report. "She's really taken Europe by storm." Meloni's visit follows that of Argentina's President Javier Milei, who was the first world leader to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after his Election Day victory in November. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban have also traveled to Florida for meetings with the president-elect. President Biden is scheduled to visit Rome later this week for meetings with Meloni and Pope Francis. According to the White House, Biden's meeting with Meloni will "highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship" and provide an opportunity to thank her for "her strong leadership of the G7 over the past year." Israel pounded the Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing at least 23 people according to rescuers, nearly 15 months into the war with Hamas Palestinian militants. The latest deaths come after Israel late on Saturday said indirect negotiations had resumed in Qatar for a truce and hostage release deal. An air strike on a house in northern Gaza's Sheikh Radwan area killed at least 11 people early Sunday, according to Civil Defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal. He said the victims included women and children. "Rescuers are still searching for five people trapped under the rubble of the house," he said, adding his crew members were using "bare hands" in the effort. The Israeli military said Sunday it had struck more than 100 "terror targets" in Gaza over the past two days, marking an apparent escalation in its assault. The Hamas-run territory's health ministry said a total of 88 people were killed over the previous 24 hours. In one strike, five people died when the house of the Abu Jarbou family was struck in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, rescuers said. AFP footage from another strike, on Bureij camp near Nuseirat, showed rescuers transporting bodies and injured people to a hospital. In one scene, a medic attempted to resuscitate a wounded man inside an ambulance, while another carried an injured child to the hospital. Relatives cried over the bodies of two men wrapped in white shrouds, the images showed. Several of the strikes targeted sites from which militants had been firing projectiles into Israel in recent days, the military said. The military separately announced that its forced had killed a militant commander in close combat in northern Gaza last week. It said the slain man was a member of militant group Islamic Jihad's rocket array, and had participated in the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war. Last week, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned of intensified strikes if the incoming rocket fire continued. The renewed fire in recent days triggered air raid sirens in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip that were largely destroyed during the Hamas attack last year. Rocket fire had become less frequent as the war dragged on but has recently intensified, as Israel pressed a major land and air offensive in the territory's north since early October. Both warring sides meanwhile said indirect negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal were to resume in Qatar. Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States have tried for months to strike a deal to end the war. The latest effort comes just days before Donald Trump takes office as president of the United States on January 20. "Efforts are under way to free the hostages," Katz told relatives of a hostage on Saturday, according to his office. His comments followed the release of a video by Hamas showing a teenage Israeli soldier, Liri Albag, in which she called on the Israeli government to secure her release. AFP has not been able to verify the footage. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, in an interview with RTL radio, said that "we continue to exert the necessary pressure" to reach a deal. "Unfortunately, it doesn't depend only on us." Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to official Israeli data. Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed 45,805 people in Gaza, a majority of them civilians, according to figures from the territory's health ministry which the United Nations considers reliable. Far from Gaza, Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah have traded accusations of violating a ceasefire that ended their war, which had followed cross-border clashes initiated by Hezbollah last year in support of Palestinian ally Hamas. Israel's Katz said Hezbollah had still not withdrawn "beyond the Litani River" in southern Lebanon, as stipulated in the ceasefire deal that halted the fighting on November 27. "If this condition is not met, there will be no agreement and Israel will be forced to act on its own to ensure the safe return of residents of the north to their homes," Katz said. On Saturday, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement, which the United States and France help to monitor. Qassem said Hezbollah was prepared to act even before the expiry of a 60-day deadline for Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Nearly two weeks ago, UN peacekeepers and Lebanon's prime minister called on Israel's army to speed up its withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Lanesborough to Host a Winter Fest LANEBOROUGH, Mass. The town hopes to gather community members with a winter festival in early February. The Select Board ended 2024 with a brief meeting on Monday. Town Administrator Gina Dario reported that the Community Development Committee is "very proud" to announce the 2025 winter festival on February 2 at the Skyline Antique and Event Center from noon to 3 p.m. "This is an event that's sponsored by the Community Development Committee, also supported by the grant we received from the Massachusetts Cultural Council," she explained. "There will be music, there will be entertainment, children's activities, outdoor activities." Similar to last year's effort with the inaugural Lanesborough Day, the committee is looking to bring people together in the winter months but Dario cautioned "This is nowhere near the scale of Lanesborough Day." "But I think it does sort of anchor both ends of the calendar year, if you will, with an event that gets people involved," she added. A small crew of volunteers is needed for the festival at 405 South Main St., the former Skyline. There will be information posted on the town website and interested parties can contact the Community Development Committee. Chairman Michael Murphy commended the panel and Dario for continuing to hold events for the community. "Hopefully winter will be here by then," he said, as temperatures rose and the Christmastime snowstorm had melted by the end of the weekend. Great Barrington Promotes Police Captain GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. The Great Barrington Police Department has announced the promotion of Adam J. Carlotto to the position of Police Captain. Carlotto, a member of the department since 2006, brings 18 years of service and leadership experience to his new role. During his tenure, Carlotto has served in various capacities, including Patrol Officer, Sergeant, and Deputy Commander of the Berkshire County Special Response Team. He has been instrumental in advancing departmental initiatives such as Accreditation, Advanced Firearms Instruction, Field Training, and the Drone program. "I have worked side by side with Adam throughout his career. Over the past four years, Adam has been second in command for our department. "He has demonstrated the ability to oversee the departments operations in my absence, said Chief Paul Storti. He has the qualifications, leadership skills, and understanding of the needs of our community." As Police Captain, Carlotto will oversee operations, community outreach, and training efforts. He is committed to enhancing public safety, building trust within the community, and mentoring future leaders in the department. "I am honored to take on this new role and grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our community," said Carlotto "I look forward to working alongside the dedicated officers of the Great Barrington Police Department to ensure the safety and well-being of all community members." iciHaiti - Religion : Haitian and Dominican bishops reject abuses against deported Haitians The bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Haiti reject the abuses against Haitians deported following the mass expulsion measures announced on October 3rd, 2024 by President Abinader, with the aim of repatriating up to 10,000 Haitians in an irregular migratory situation per week https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43334-haiti-flashrepatriation-of-10-000-haitians-per-week-the-great-hunt-has-begun-in-the-dominican-rep.html Abinader had assured that these deportations would be carried out "according to strict protocols that guarantee respect for the human rights and dignity of the returnees." "Even if it is up to the authorities of each Nation to strengthen, when necessary, the security and economic systems of their country, the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights do not authorize any State to mistreat foreigners," affirms the Haitian Episcopate, which has asked the Haitian authorities to create "safe living conditions through responsible and committed governance so that our fellow citizens can feel in Peace, harmony and security [...] Our fellow citizens need to see in Haiti, our beautiful country, humane socio-economic conditions that convince them not to emigrate in search of more humane conditions abroad." For its part, the Permanent Council of the Conference of the Dominican Episcopate (CED) declared that it felt the duty to reflect on this delicate question "which challenges our consciences and our faith." Like the Haitian bishops, they began by recognizing the right of each nation "to apply its immigration laws and policies," but stressed that they must be applied "with justice and respect for human dignity." They stressed that the Dominican Republic, as a Christian nation, "must prevent painful situations that affect migrants from arising," including unfair treatment, arbitrary expulsions, and family separations. "Let's remember that we have extended a hand of solidarity to the Haitian people in the face of any catastrophe, so we must maintain this charitable attitude," they concluded. IH/ iciHaiti Saturday 4 January 2025, 09:35 - Last updated: 17:29 Edward Pettifer, a British national, has been identified among the victims of the terrorist attack in New Orleans. According to the Telegraph, he was the stepson of the nanny of Prince William and Prince Harry. Aged 31, he was one of the 14 people killed when a pickup truck crashed into a crowd gathered on Bourbon Street, in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter, on New Year's Day. Who was Edward Pettifer Edward Pettifer was the eldest son of Charles Pettifer, 59, a former officer of the Coldstream Guards, and Camilla Wyatt, 58, the daughter of a racehorse breeder. The couple also had a younger son, Harry, 29, before separating in the mid-90s. Charles Pettifer married Tiggy Legge-Bourke, 59, who worked as a nanny for Princes William and Harry from 1993 to 1999. They had two children, Tom, 22, godson of Prince William, and Fred, 23, godson of Prince Harry. The couple had known each other since their teenage years, and Mrs. Legge-Bourke was Edwards godmother. She was a valuable support for the two princes after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, and has maintained a close relationship with both of them. What Harry and Williams former nanny is doing now She now runs a bed and breakfast at the family home near Crickhowell in Wales, where she teaches guests fly fishing just steps away from Glanusk Park, the 6,000-acre family estate. Like her stepmother, Edward Pettifer was an avid fisherman and skier. He attended Stowe School, the prestigious boarding school in Buckinghamshire. Saturday 4 January 2025, 13:26 - Last updated: 15:53 That Baby Jesus with outstretched arms, carved from olive wood from the Holy Land by Bethlehem's master craftsmen, has now been placed in the nativity scene without the kefiah. In the Paul VI Hall reopened to the public after the holidays (for a private audience with associations dealing with education) the large nativity scene, which had been a Christmas gift to the Pope from the Palestinians, has returned to being just another nativity scene, without the symbolic and political emblem that, in December, caused a diplomatic storm of significant proportions. Two years ago, it was the Lutheran pastor Munther Isaac who first had the idea of placing a Baby Jesus wrapped in a kefiah, on a pile of rubble, in his nativity scene set up in the West Bank, causing an unprecedented uproar. The idea of the Baby Jesus on the symbolic cloth eventually reached the Vatican: on December 7, some nativity scenes were installed in the Paul VI Hall, including the one from Bethlehem. On that day, the Pope had been photographed praying before Mary, Saint Joseph, and the Baby Jesus, placed on a prominent kefiah. The image immediately attracted criticism and caused shock, especially from the Jewish world, for the Pope's decision to honor in the Vatican a Baby Jesus resting on a cloth evocative of the Palestinian struggle. The Palestinianization of the Jewish Jesus is not new in ecclesiastical circles, and this time it takes on a particularly disturbing tone because the Pope introduced it at a moment when we are facing difficulties on many fronts in relations, said Giuseppe Momigliano, the Chief Rabbi of Genoa. Representing Jesus with the kefiah is another step in stripping him of his historical identity, which primarily harms dialogue and "does not help stop antisemitism. Another distortion, he added, is portraying the kefiah as a symbol of universal suffering: It represents at best the suffering of just one part; it's one-sided. This episode further damaged interfaith relations. The dialogue channel with the Italian Episcopal Conference remains open. Of course, the attitudes assumed by the Pope don't help. Both the more explicit and the more symbolic ones. The American Jewish Committee posted on X: We are disappointed and disturbed that such a significant religious tradition has been politicized in this way. Accompanying the Palestinian delegation to the Pope on December 7 to present the Bethlehem nativity scene was Father Ibrahim Faltas, the second-in-command of the Custody of the Holy Land and a trusted interlocutor of Bergoglio on all Palestinian issues, who downplayed the incident. Faced with the controversy, the Vatican later removed the kefiah. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Anita Ekberg was reportedly devastated upon learning that James Bond star Sean Connery had got married. The Swedish film star, who shot to fame after appearing in Federico Fellinis 1960 film La Dolce Vita, died in 2015, aged 83. Her reaction to Connerys nuptials with Australian actor Diane Cilento is one of a number of revelations in a new posthumous memoir, Hollywood on the Tiber, by American couple Hank Kaufman and Gene Lerner. Kaufman and Lerner, who died in 2012 and 2004, respectively, arrived in Rome from New York in 1953 and befriended Hollywood A-listers including Ekberg, Ava Gardner and Shelley Winters. The Guardian reports that along with the glitz and glamour of the scene, the book also shines a light on the film industrys sleazy side, evidenced in Ekbergs response to hearing a director wanted to meet her: What is he, another of those kind who just wants to make passes at me or ogle my body? The famously outspoken star was apparently shocked to learn that Connery had married Cilento, telling Lerner: He told me we would get married Men take advantage. When it comes to real love, Im always duped. open image in gallery Anita Ekberg was reportedly devastated to learn Sean Connery had married Diane Cilento ( Getty ) Ekberg was pictured with the Scottish actor at an afterparty for a screening of Dr No, the first film in the James Bond franchise, in 1963. She also had a small cameo in the Bond sequel From Russia With Love, when Russian agent Krilencu attempts to escape through a window situated in Ekbergs mouth on a wall-sized poster of her 1963 movie Call Me Bwana (also by producer Albert Broccoli). She should have kept her mouth shut, Bond memorably quips. open image in gallery Anita Ekberg pictured in 1960 ( Getty Images ) Ekberg was considered for the role of the first Bond Girl, Honey Ryder, in Dr No, but the part ultimately went to the then-unknown Swiss actor, Ursula Andress. Ekberg and Andress starred together with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra in another 1963 film, 4 for Texas, which received mixed reviews. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Connery and Cilento were married between 1962 to 1973. In her own memoir, Cilento accused her ex-husband of abusing her; Connery himself caused uproar during a notorious 1987 interview with Playboy in which he said he didnt think there was anything wrong with hitting a woman. The James Bond star, who died aged 90 in 2020, said: I dont think there is anything particularly wrong about hitting a woman, although I dont recommend doing it in the same way that youd hit a man. The James Bond star said that an openhanded slap is justified if all other alternatives fail and there has been plenty of warning. If a woman is a b***, or hysterical, or bloody-minded continually, then Id do it, he added. Hollywood on the Tiber is published on 16 January. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ricky Gervais has shared the brutal jokes he would have made if he was hosting the Golden Globes this weekend. The comedian, 63, presented the awards ceremony for three consecutive years in 2010, 2011, and 2012 before returning to compere in 2016 and 2020. He is fondly remembered for making blunt quips at the expense of Hollywoods biggest stars. One day before comic Nikki Glaser becomes the first woman to host the Globes in its 82-year history, Gervais, who has advised the star to be herself, decided to come up with some jokes hed have told in 2025 if he was fronting the ceremony again. Sat in the bath wondering about what I would say if I were hosting the Golden Globes on Sunday. Its been a pretty good year for material, the Office and After Life star wrote on X/Twitter. Gervais, who is embarking on a UK comedy tour later this month, would have started his stint with: Hello, and welcome to the 82nd Golden Globe awards. What a year its been. Hundreds of entertainers jumped at the chance to go to The Vatican to meet The Pope. Many from Hollywood. Obviously they werent content with only being part of the second biggest paedo ring in the world He joked in a follow-up post: Justin Timberlake was convicted of Drink Driving. If hed have gone to jail, hed have heard the words Sexy Back a lot more often. Meanwhile, Gervais would have addressed the Sean Diddy Combs scandal with a joke involving diminutive actor Kevin Hart. Gervais, showing his preference for non-PC wording, wrote: Kevin Hart said that being at one of Diddys parties was uncomfortable, as he wouldnt leave him alone. Eventually he had to shout Imma Midget, not a child. [sic]. Combs was arrested in September on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, with federal prosecutors alleging that the music mogul and his associates threatened, abused and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires. he has denied any wrongdoing. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Among Gervaiss most candid comments during his stint hosting the Golden Globes were jokes aimed at Mel Gibsons DUI and antisemitic rant, disgraced producer and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein, and Angelina Jolie-Johnny Depp stinker The Tourist. Ricky Gervais was known for brutal jokes at Hollywoods expense while hosting Golden Globes ( 2020 NBCUniversal Media, LLC via ) One year before the Golden Globes was boycotted due to organisation Hollywood Foreign Press Associations (HFPA) lack of diversity among its members, Gervais quipped: Many talented people of colour were snubbed in major categories. Unfortunately, theres nothing we can do about that because the Hollywood Foreign Press are all very, very racist. The HFPA has since improved its membership as well as enacted reforms designed to curtail what was described as unethical behaviour. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Jeff Baenas cause of death has been confirmed by officials, after news broke that the indie filmmaker had died aged 47. Baena, the husband of actor and producer Aubrey Plaza, died by suicide on Friday (3 January) in his Los Angeles home near the Hollywood Hills and Los Feliz areas, the Los Angeles County Coroners Office said. His body was discovered by an assistant in the morning; officers arrived at the home and Baena was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.39am. Plazas representatives said: The family is devastated and asks for privacy at this difficult time. Baena achieved recognition when he co-wrote the 2004 film I Heart Huckabees with director David ORussell, receiving a Gotham Award nomination for Best Feature. Among his other credits were the films Life After Beth (2014), The Little Hours (2017) and the Netflix movie Horse Girl (2020). He and Plaza began dating in 2011 and married 10 years later. Baena and Plaza pictured together in 2017 ( 2017 Invision ) In an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Plaza recalled how they were living together during lockdown amid the Covid pandemic when she realised it was their 10-year anniversary. After joking that they could get married to celebrate, Plaza found a website called OneHourMarriage.com and asked if the officiant could come to their home. Baena then went to get a food delivery while Plaza went over the road to her neighbour, Dandelion a practicing witch to ask if she could do a spell for her. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free She went into her house, rummaged around, came out with a rosemary wreath and I created a very quick love altar in my yard, Plaza recalled. And then the man from [the marriage website] showed up in a Hawaiian shirt with a briefcase. I cant remember a lot of it, it was fuzzy. But Im pretty sure its legal. Plaza starred in Baenas horror-comedy film Life After Beth, which was nominated for Sundances Grand Jury Prize. They worked together again on the medieval dark comedy The Little Hours, starring husband-and-wife Alison Brie and Dave Franco. In 2020, Brie and Plaza co-starred again in the biggest commercial hit of Baenas career, Horse Girl, which follows an introverted young woman whose dreams slowly start to take over her reality. Baenas most recent film Spin Me Round, premiered in 2022 and also starred Plaza and Brie. While Plaza has not shared any public statement regarding her husbands death, many of her friends and supporters have left comments on her Instagram posts expressing their condolences. During the 2025 Golden Globes, which were held on January 5, the day after his death, The Brutalist director Brady Corbet shared his condolences with Plaza and Baenas family while accepting the award for Best Director Motion Picture. Model and actor Rain Dove wrote: Aubrey we love you so much and its absolutely devastating to hear the news about your beloved. We truly wish you lots of protection in this time. Take all the space you need to process this. Dont succumb to and pressure to return to work any sooner than feels right. No words can touch this painful time, actor Selma Blair wrote. Only love and strength and support from everyone. I am so sorry. Actor and model Julia Fox wrote: Sending you so much love. 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 the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). 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. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sue Cleaver, who plays the popular Coronation Street matriarch Eileen Grimshaw, has announced that she is leaving the soap after 25 years. In a statement shared on Saturday (4 January), the 61-year-old actor and regular Loose Women panellist announced she is exiting the show to pursue new acting projects this spring. Ive had 25 privileged years of working on Coronation Street, Cleaver said. The door is still firmly open but as I reached my 60th year, I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures and live fearlessly. Cleaver previously took a break from the soap last year to star as Mother Superior in Sister Act The Musical, and in 2022, paused filming on the soap to appear in Im A CelebrityGet me Out of Here! Kate Brooks, the soaps new producer, said the team was sad to say goodbye to the iconic actor and her character Eileen Grimshaw. Over the past 25 years, Eileen Grimshaw has been at the heart of some of the most memorable and iconic Corrie storylines, and her onscreen rivalry with Gail Platt will undoubtedly go down in Corrie folklore. Theres certainly no one quite like Eileen, and her character will be hugely missed on the Cobbles. We wish Sue all the very best as she embarks on her next exciting chapter. Cleavers character Eileen has been at the centre of some of the soaps biggest storylines, including her on-screen rivalry with Gail Platt (Helen Worth), her marriage to serial killer Pat Phelan ( Connor McIntyre), and her son becoming a father in his teens with Sarah Louise Platt. open image in gallery Sue Cleavers first appearance as Eileen Grimshaw in May 2000 ( ITV ) Last year, Cleaver published her first book A Work in Progress, a self-help book aimed at every middle-aged woman who feels newly invisible, silenced, underestimated or diminished. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free The actor previously spoke about how she was learning to embrace new challenges as she entered into her 60s. open image in gallery Sue Cleaver pictured in 2019 ( Getty Images ) The actor said she has been more empowered at the age of 60 to live her life to the fullest. Ive spent a lifetime feeling that Im not enough or I dont belong, she said of the book. Its only now that Im beginning to find my voice. Im also aware that there is plenty for me to learn. Im still a work in progress, but for the first time in my life, I have reached a point where Im no longer hiding, and that feels good. open image in gallery Coronation Streets Eileen Grimshaw and Gail Platt during one of their many argument scenes ( ITV ) Im of that age and Im surrounded by a lot of women, were all going through the same thing but I dont want to just shuffle off, Cleaver told PA in September. I feel like Ive still got a lot to give, and I want adventures. Im not going to let fear hold me back, and Im not going to let society hold me back either absolutely not. I want to forge my own path, and I encourage all women to do the same. Cleaver follows in the footsteps of fellow Coronation Street matriarch Gail Platt who departed the show after 50 years on Christmas day. Worths character Gail holds numerous records including being the series most married-female, having wed six times, one behind Steve McDonald (played by Simon Gregson). She made her mark in one of the most controversial stories of the day when her 13-year-old daughter Sarah (played by Tina OBrien) became pregnant in 1999. Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and is available to watch on ITVX. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Search operations at the site of the Jeju Air plane crash concluded on Saturday, one week after the devastating accident claimed 179 lives. Officials announced that all 179 bodies have been recovered, with 151 already returned to their families along with identified personal belongings. The remaining 25 bodies, excluding those of a family of three, are expected to be returned to their families on Sunday, South Korean media reported. Officials said further discovery of bodies or personal belongings is unlikely. The crash occurred when the flight, carrying 181 passengers and crew from Thailand to South Korea, issued a mayday call before belly-landing and slamming into a barrier. Only two flight attendants survived the incident, which left the aircraft almost entirely destroyed except for the tail section. The cause of the crash remains unknown, but investigators have pointed to several possibilities, including a bird strike, faulty landing gear, and the plane striking a localiser structure an antenna array housed in a concrete wall to help pilots maintain the correct approach path at the end of the runway. South Korean police, which has also been investigating the incident, raided the offices of Jeju Air and the Muan airport operator earlier this week, securing evidence such as the airports localiser and communication records between the control tower and the pilot before the crash. A crane lifts the tail section during the salvage operation of the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 aircraft which crashed and burst into flames at Muan International Airport, in Muan on 3 January 2025 ( YONHAP/AFP via Getty Images ) South Koreas Transport Ministry confirmed that investigators have made progress in analysing the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage which may shed light on the events leading up to the crash. The crash has prompted the South Korean government to order emergency inspections of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by domestic carriers. Investigators are focusing on the landing gear, which appeared to have malfunctioned during the Jeju Air crash. The tragedy has shaken South Korea, prompting the acting president to call for a comprehensive review of airline operations and airport safety infrastructure. The crash occurred at Muan International Airport, where the localiser at the end of the runway is under scrutiny for potentially exacerbating the crashs impact. Jeju Air, facing significant public backlash, has seen a sharp drop in its stock value and over 60,000 flight cancellations. The company is cooperating with authorities as investigations continue. This incident marks one of deadliest aviation disasters in South Korea. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A deadly winter storm slammed the mid-Atlantic and Midwest on Monday morning, bringing major travel impacts and knocking out power for hundreds of thousands of customers in several states. Severe weather that started over the weekend was tied to the deaths of several people in Kansas, Missouri, Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas. In Kansas, an SUV traveling southbound on Interstate 235 spun out of control, the states highway patrol said. While going down the embankment, the vehicle rolled an unknown number of times. Both occupants were unrestrained and ejected from the vehicle. The vehicle came to rest upright, facing Northwest by the KDOT fence, the crash report noted. A young man and woman in their mid-twenties were killed in the incident. They were identified as 24-year-old Nathaniel Boyd and 26-year-old Whitney Almond. open image in gallery Desheria Franklin, who works for the city of Annapolis, shovels snow on Monday in Annapolis, Maryland. Maryland schools were closed due to the inclement weather conditions ( AP Photo/Brian Witte ) In Missouri, the states highway patrol said a 33-year-old man from Neligh, Nebraska, was killed after his vehicle which had been parked on the shoulder of Mound Citys Interstate 29 began to slide down a hill. The man was not identified. Everett Carter, a 61-year-old public works employee who had served Jackson County for 40 years, was struck and killed on Sunday while performing snow removal operations, KSHB reported. A man identified as Timothy Lee Tanner, 32, died around midnight in Wakefield after his truck ran off the road and struck a tree, according to WRIC. Police said he was driving too fast for roadway conditions and wasnt wearing a seat belt, while alcohol appears to be a contributing factor. Cold weather resulted in the death of an unidentified individual in Houston, Texas, according to Fox 26. And in North Carolina, 46-year-old Roshena Lusandra Mason was driving northbound on U.S. 52 when her Kia lost control, went off the road, and crashed into several trees, according to WGHP. The overpass had been slick due to winter weather conditions. Hundreds of crashes were reported in Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, and other states. Police advised residents to stay off the roads, and even President Joe Biden had to change his travel tactics while en route to New Orleans following the New Years Day truck attack. The White House said the administration was monitoring the storm. open image in gallery People throw snowballs on Monday near D.C.s Washington Monument as U.S. flags fly at half-staff in memorial to former President Jimmy Carter. The city will see several inches of snow ( AP Photo/Matt Rourke ) While Biden would drive to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to board Air Force One, major airports across the affected regions were flung into chaos. Tens of thousands of flights were delayed or canceled within, into, or out of the U.S., with the most reported at airports in Maryland and Washington, D.C., tracker FlightAware showed. After losing to the Colts, Floridas Jacksonville Jaguars were reportedly stuck on the tarmac for seven hours at Indianapolis International Airport. There were also disruptions to cross-country rail travel, and police in multiple states reported hundreds of crashes since the weekend. In addition to travel woes, the storm also brought widescale power outages to more than 245,000 customers across multiple states. The majority of outages were reported in Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana, according to online tracker PowerOutage.US. open image in gallery A runner makes his way through a snow-covered street in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Monday. A deadly winter storm was impacting a large swath of the eastern U.S., making travel dangerously tricky ( AP Photo/Michael Conroy ) Feet of snow were reported to have fallen in upstate New York and 18 inches were shown near Interstate 70 in Kansas, according to forecasters. The storm would continue to track through the Mid-Atlantic on Monday, and be followed by dangerously cold temperatures that were spreading across the central and eastern U.S. Schools were closed in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, as well as Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Our priority is the safety of everyone in our city and getting D.C. cleaned and fully opened as soon as possible, Mayor Muriel Bowser wrote in a post on social media. That said, if you dont need to be on the roads tonight and tomorrow, stay home. As many as 12 inches of snow were expected in the D.C. metro area, with up to four inches projected to fall over the Ohio Valley. Freezing rain and light icing will affect both regions by Monday night. On Tuesday, light to moderate lake effect snow will continue downwind from the Great Lakes and into upslope regions of Northern New England, the National Weather Service warned. With reporting from The Associated Press Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hugh Jackman supported rumored girlfriend and former Broadway co-star Sutton Foster by attending her Once Upon a Mattress performance at Los Angeles Ahmanson Theatre on January 4. The 56-year-old actor was joined in the audience by Carol Burnett, who originated Fosters role in the musicals 1959 production. In photos shared by DeuxMoi, Jackman was seen smiling and holding up his phone toward Burnett, 91, who waved and blew kisses to the crowd, their presence met with enthusiastic applause from the audience during the intermission. Jackman and Foster previously co-starred in the Broadway revival of The Music Man, which ran from December 2021 to January 2023. During this time, both actors were married to their respective spouses. However, in September 2023, the Deadpool & Wolverine actor announced his separation from his wife of 27 years, Deborra-Lee Furness. We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage, their joint statement read at the time. Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth. Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness. We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives. They concluded the statement, writing: This is the sole statement either of us will make. Subsequently, in October 2024, Foster filed for divorce from her husband of 10 years, Ted Griffin. The two-time Tony Award winner married the Oceans Eleven screenwriter in October 2014 in Santa Barbara, California, following their engagement in August 2013. The couple shares a daughter, Emily, whom they adopted shortly after her birth in 2016. Prior to her marriage to Griffin, Foster was married to Broadway actor Christian Borle from 2006 to 2009. Rumors of a romantic relationship between Jackman and Foster have been circulating, with some sources suggesting that their connection began during their time together in The Music Man. Sources at the time told PageSix that the two fell in love. They are 100 percent together and are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together, one source reportedly told the outlet. They go out of their way to hide it, but its common knowledge, said another source. A friend of Furness, Amanda de Cadenet, claimed that Jackman left his marriage for Foster after they fell in love during the Broadway production. Despite these speculations, neither Jackman nor Foster has publicly confirmed the nature of their relationship. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy San Francisco Michelin-starred chef Geoffrey Lee stepped down from his leadership roles at three prominent restaurants Ju-Ni, Handroll Project, and the newly opened Hamburger Project on Friday, January 3, following a publicized social media clash with food influencer Kathleen Ensign. According to The San Francisco Standard, the social media showdown began in December after Ensign posted a lukewarm review of Hamburger Project, calling the smashburger good but not great and rating it a 7.2 out of 10. Ensigns critique, shared on Instagram and TikTok, triggered a series of escalating responses from Lee, including personal attacks on her social media posts unrelated to the restaurant. According to Ensign, Lees messages included comments about her weight, appearance, and even a voice memo from his child calling her a dumbface, which she shared on social media. Screenshots also showed Lee referring to Ensign as weird and unstable, and accusing her of having the most annoying Karen voice. She came in within the first three or four days of Hamburger Project being open and made a public review of the restaurant, kind of insulting me and calling them Ozempic burgers for clickbait, Lee told The Standard. A few days later, I mentioned there are a lot of people who like it, and maybe its just you who doesnt? The dispute gained traction on December 23 when Ensign shared screenshots of Lees comments in a viral TikTok post that garnered over 100,000 views. The situation escalated further after Maggie Z, another content creator and friend of Ensign, amplified the story to her 25,000 Instagram followers. Lee began to send angry messages to Maggie Z as well. I find influencer culture to be some of the scummiest in our community, he said in a direct message to Maggie Z. Then, upon uncovering a message shed sent long before, offering to collaborate, he accused her of seeking attention. In response to the backlash, Lee set his Instagram account to private and initially planned an indefinite leave of absence. However, facing mounting criticism and Yelp-bombing of his restaurants with one-star reviews, he ultimately decided to resign from all three establishments. I signed up for therapy to make sense of all this ordeal, Lee told The Standard. Clearly, my opinions do not reflect those of everyone else in the restaurant. When I made the comment, it was me standing up for the rest of the team. open image in gallery Influencer Maggie Z posted screenshots of Chef Geoffrey Lees messages on her Instagram Stories ( Instagram/_itsmaggiez ) I learned a lesson, Lee said. I shouldnt have replied back. But I dont believe that just because Im a chef-owner, my voice should be silenced. What I was trying to figure out is what makes this influencer exempt from my critiques, but shes allowed to come into my house, my restaurant, to criticize my food. In a statement to Eater SF, Lee expressed regret and emphasized that his actions were personal and not representative of the hardworking staff at his restaurants. The opinions and actions I expressed are my own. They are not reflective of the hardworking staff at Hamburger Project, Handroll Project, or Ju-Ni. The staff shouldnt be punished for how I acted. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Joe Alwyn revealed that hes moved on from his relationship with Taylor Swift and thinks others should, too. In a recent interview with The Guardian, the 33-year-old actor addressed lingering public interest in his six-year relationship with Swift, which ended in early 2023. Alwyn co-wrote tracks on her Folklore and Evermore albums under the pseudonym William Bowery. He was also the subject of many of the pop stars tracks, including London Boy. When asked if he wanted to move on, the Brutalist star responded, Thats something for other people to do. Were talking about something thats a while ago now in my life. He added, So thats for other people. Thats what I feel. Alwyn addressed concerns about whether their high-profile romance might have overshadowed his career, saying, I have tried just to focus on controlling what I can control. And, right from the beginning, tried to focus on the things that are meaningful for me: friends, family, work, of course. The Favourite actor explained his strategy for dealing with public scrutiny. Noise outside of that, I think Ive done what lots of people who find themselves in the public eye do, which is just try and ignore it, he said. If you dont, and if you let all of that other stuff in, and if it starts to affect you and your behavior, youre living from the outside in. And then youre pretty f*****. Despite the challenges of staying grounded, Alwyn credits his support system for helping him through. I have great family and friends and real things in my life; those are the things that kept me tethered to the ground, he said. So I dont know how else to say it, its just in a different room. Heading into 2025, the actor expressed optimism. I always feel optimistic at the top of a new year, he shared. No, I feel great, I feel lucky to be in a good place. Alwyn has previously spoken about the difficulty of navigating his breakup with Swift. In a June 2024 interview with The Sunday Times Style, he described their time together as long, loving and fully committed. I would hope that anyone and everyone can empathize and understand the difficulties that come with the end of a long, loving, fully committed relationship of over six and a half years, Alwyn said. That is a hard thing to navigate. What is unusual and abnormal in this situation is that, one week later, its suddenly in the public domain and the outside world is able to weigh in. He continued: So you have something very real suddenly thrown into a very unreal space: tabloids, social media, press, where it is then dissected, speculated on, pulled out of shape beyond recognition. And the truth is, to that last point, there is always going to be a gap between what is known and what is said. I have made my peace with that. Swift and Alwyn ended their relationship in April 2023, coinciding with the start of her record-breaking Eras Tour. Swift has since moved on, confirming her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce in October 2023, following months of speculation. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A man has died after falling 70m (230ft) from a notoriously slippy Lake District mountain ridge amid snowy conditions. The man, who has not been named, fell from Sharp Edge on Blencathra on Thursday afternoon, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team said. His body was recovered and transported to the air ambulance, which then flew to the teams base, the team added. Our first call-out of the year had a tragic ending after a man died in a 70m fall from Sharp Edge, it said in a social media post. A Keswick team member already on Blencathra made his way to the scene above Scales Tarn, along with the crew of Helimed 58, who landed nearby. open image in gallery Blencathra is one of the Lake Districts most popular mountains for hillwalkers to climb ( iStock / Getty ) Keswick team recovered the body to H58 who then airlifted the man to Keswick MR Base. The rescue team said every year people get into trouble on the ridge as it can become notoriously slippy when wet and should be avoided unless experienced or well prepared. Between 1949 and 2018 there were 11 fatalities, and in October 2021 a man died traversing it as part of his preparations to scale Mount Kilimanjaro. Renowned Lakeland writer Alfred Wainwright described Sharp Edge as a rising crest of naked rock of sensational and spectacular appearance. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy An amber health alert for England has been extended to Tuesday as the cold snap is set to continue with temperatures falling to as low as -20C on Friday night. The rare warning issued by the UK Health Security Agency means the cold weather is likely to impact the health service, potentially putting some people at risk. It comes after the UK recorded its coldest night of this winter so far with the temperature falling to -14C in Altanharra, northern Scotland, according to the Met Office. Friday night could see even lower temperatures in parts of Scotland and northern England, with temperatures between minus 15C and minus 20C possible. The Met Office said: Amounts of snow are uncertain probably small and confined to high ground, but there is a risk of icy surfaces in places. Much of the rest of the UK will have another dry and bright day but remaining very cold, with few freezing fog patches lasting all day. Rain, sleet and some snow are set to move into the south west of England on Friday, leading to some icy stretches, a five-day forecast from the Met Office said. Hill snow, cloud and patchy rain will continue into the night. Across the UK it will continue to be cold into the night, with temperatures falling to as low as -20C in northern England and Scotland. Light winds will lead to clear spells, allowing more frost and freezing fog into Saturday, when temperatures will see a maximum of between 1C and 5C. The Met Office said the West could expect some hill snow and rain on Saturday, while the rest of the country will face cold sunny spells and light winds. Sunday will be milder, but will remain cold. open image in gallery The temperatures across the UK on Saturday morning at 6am ( Met Office ) Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick said said: We probably dont really expect many places to get close to minus 20C, but we could see one or two places that could just touch that mark overnight Friday into Saturday. Just because its, again, still conditions, its high pressure, not a lot of wind and under clear skies as well. Especially where theres still snow on the ground across Scotland and northern England, thats sort of a perfect scenario to see those temperatures just plummet from Friday night into Saturday morning as well. open image in gallery The temperatures across the UK on Saturday afternoon at 3pm ( Met Office ) Already, the cold spell has brought heavy snowfall to many parts of the country, as a number of flood alerts and warnings were issued in England to account for heavy rain or melting snow. The Met Office issued five yellow weather warnings for snow and ice until Friday at 10am following days of wintry conditions across the country weather. Many faced travel disruption from the severe weather with major roads closed and railway lines blocked amid flooding this week. Manchester airports runways were closed early on Monday morning because of heavy snow but have since reopened. Hundreds of schools across the country faced closure due to the adverse weather conditions, with nearly 200 schools closed in Bradford alone. In England, the Environment Agency has 95 flood warnings in place, although in the last 24 hours, they removed 65 of them. In the Commons, environment minister Emma Hardy told MPs flooding was a personal priority for her, adding that the Environment Agency was particularly concerned about Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sir Keir Starmer has responded to attacks from US billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk over the Labour governments response to grooming gangs in the UK. Pressure had mounted on the prime minister after safeguarding minister Jess Phillips denied requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation and grooming in Oldham. The tech billionaire triggered an attack on the government on Thursday, as he suggested Ms Phillips deserves to be in prison. He also appeared to place blame at Sir Keirs door, arguing that rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice during the prime ministers time as director of public prosecutions. Responding to reporter questions, Sir Keir said: Those that are spreading lies and misinformation, as far and as wide as possible theyre not interested in victims, theyre interested in themselves. Since the Tesla boss posted his claims on X, several high profile figures including Tory leader Kemi Badenoch have also spoken out calling for a full inquiry into the sexual abuse. Heres what we know about the why Sir Keir is under fire over grooming gang scandal and whether there will be an inquiry: Why did the uproar start? The criticism began after safeguarding minister Jess Phillips formally denied requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation and grooming in Oldham. Ms Phillips said she recognised the strength of feeling for a Home Office-led inquiry, but she told the local council the Government will not intervene. I believe it is for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene, she said. open image in gallery Mr Musk heavily criticised Jess Phillips (Jordan Pettitt/PA) ( PA Wire ) Instead of the Government leading a probe, Oldham must follow in the footsteps of other towns like Rotherham and Telford and commission its own inquiry into historical abuse of children, Ms Phillips said in a letter to the local council. The last Tory government also rejected a similar request from Oldham council for a public inquiry, saying it is for local authorities to commission local inquiries. Why are people calling for a review? In response to Ms Phillips decision, Mr Musk, a key member of US President-elect Donald Trumps inner circle, said: She deserves to be in prison. The businessman, who owns X, has used the social media site to post or repost about child grooming in the UK more than 40 times over the last 24 hours. He appeared to blame Sir Keir for the scandal and argued that rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice during Sir Keirs time as director of public prosecutions. Mr Musk said: In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Services approval for the police to charge suspects. Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013. open image in gallery Elon Musk (L) and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (R). (Evan Vucci AP, Leon Neal PA) In a series of posts on his social media site, Mr Musk described the Prime Minister as two-tier Keir, claiming there was no justice for severe, violent crimes but prison for social media posts. Mr Musk also shared a post asking whether King Charles should dissolve parliament and order a general election for the sake and security of Britain. Senior Tories also sought to put pressure on the Government over grooming gangs. Mrs Badenoch said: The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal. Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots. 2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice. How has the government responded? Home secretary Yvette Cooper has defended her decision to not launch a national inquiry into child sex abuse. Facing MPs in Commons, she announced that professionals who work with children will face criminal sanctions if they do not report child sexual abuse. The home secretary said the measure was part the governments wider work around child sexual exploitation and abuse, criticising the Conservatives record on the issue. Pressed if Mr Musks comments were unhelpful to the Government, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told ITV News that ministers took child sexual exploitation incredibly seriously. He added: Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made, I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but were willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue. So if he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, wed welcome that. open image in gallery Health Secretary Wes Streeting told ITV News that ministers took child sexual exploitation incredibly seriously. ( Rich McCarthy/PA Wire ) Andrew Gwynne, a minister working in Mr Streetings health team, had earlier taken a stronger stance, suggesting Mr Musk should to stick to US politics, where he is set to act as an unelected adviser to the Trump presidency on cutting federal spending. Mr Gwynne told LBC: Elon Musk is an American citizen and perhaps ought to focus on issues on the other side of the Atlantic. After listing the host of investigations which had taken place, the minister added: There comes a point where we dont need more inquiries, and had Elon Musk really paid attention to whats been going on in this country, he might have recognised that there have already been inquiries. Will there be an inquiry? A national inquiry by Professor Alexis Jay concluded in 2022, and probes into Greater Manchester Polices handling of historical child sex abuse cases in Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale have already been carried out. The inquiry looked into abuse by organised groups following multiple convictions of sexual offences against children across the UK between 2010-2014, including in Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Rochdale and Bristol. In November last year, Professor Jay said she felt frustrated that none of the probes 20 recommendations had been implemented more than two years after its conclusion. Mr Streeting said the Government was committed to implementing the recommendations of Professor Jays report in full. The Health Secretary also told the PA news agency that ministers were supportive of an inquiry into the Oldham scandal, but signalled it had to be led locally. There may well be, and we think there is a good case for further inquiries into specific places, Oldham being a good and latest example. We would absolutely encourage and work with Oldham in establishing their own inquiries, he said. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Nigel Farage has launched a defence of Elon Musks incendiary social media attacks on Keir Starmer, claiming that free speech is back under the Tesla tycoons ownership of X (Twitter). The Reform UK leader said that tough things get said in public life after Mr Musk described safeguarding minister Jess Phillips as a rape genocide apologist who should be in jail. And he welcomed Mr Musks ownership of the platform, saying open debate is now possible. open image in gallery Jess Phillips was described as a rape genocide apologist by the owner of X (Twitter) ( PA ) Home secretary Yvette Cooper has defended Ms Phillips as a fearless and formidable advocate for victims who has dedicated her career to tackling sexual violence and abuse. And health secretary Wes Streeting said Mr Musks remarks were ridiculous and ill-informed and not fair on either of their records. As director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer opened up historic cases so that people who got away with it, we went after them, he told Sky News. He added: Im not interested in what [Mr Musk] has to say about this I am interested in what we are doing as a government which is taking the record that the PM and Jess Phillips and home secretary Yvette Cooper have on this issue to deliver the real change victims deserve. But, asked about Mr Musks comments about Ms Phillips, Mr Farage said free speech is back and claimed X now offered a space for proper, open debate. He told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that "tough things get said... by both sides of the debate". He added: "This man happens to be the richest man in the world, but equally, the fact that hes bought Twitter now actually gives us a place where we can have a proper open debate about many things... Free speech is back, we may find it offensive, but its a good thing, not a bad thing." open image in gallery Nigel Farage previously met with Musk, who has shown support for his Reform party ( PA ) The billionaire X owner had said Ms Phillips deserves to be in prison for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham. Ms Phillips said in a letter to the local council that Oldham must follow in the footsteps of other towns such as Rotherham and Telford and commission its own inquiry into historical abuse of children. Mr Musk also continued attacking Sir Keir Starmer, saying the prime minister failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions. The billionaire has in recent weeks voiced his support for Reform UK, amid rumours he is preparing to donate up to $100m to the party. Asked whether he was defending Mr Musk because of the rumoured donation from the billionaire to Reform UK being in the works, Mr Farage said the $100m figure was for the birds. But he said Mr Musk may well give the insurgent populist party money, stressing that its got to be legal and he has to be comfortable with it. Mr Farage said that, more importantly than cash donations, Mr Musk makes Reform look cool with huge numbers of young people, describing him as a hero. Mr Farages defence of Mr Musk comes after he distanced himself from the billionaire over his support for jailed political activist Tommy Robinson. open image in gallery Home secretary Yvette Cooper (bottom left) defended Jess Phillips (top right) ( PA ) The Reform UK leader said Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is not what we need, as his party seeks to challenge Labour in upcoming elections. And, responding to Mr Musks call to free Tommy Robinson, who is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court, Mr Farage said Mr Musk sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs. He added: But of course the truth is Tommy Robinsons in prison not for that, but for contempt of court. Were a political party aiming to win the next general election. Hes not what we need. Last year, Ms Phillips described X as a place of misery and said she planned to use the site less. Senior Tories, including opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, have since sought to put pressure on the government over grooming gangs. In 2022, the then Conservative government also refused a request for a public inquiry into events in Oldham. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Elon Musk has suggested that Reform UK needs to replace Nigel Farage with a new leader amid a row between the pair over jailed far-right political activist Tommy Robinson. The Tesla tycoon said Mr Farage, who founded the party and is credited with its recent surge in the polls, does not have what it takes. His call for change comes as a bitter blow after days of Mr Farage fawning over the worlds richest man, describing him as a hero and claiming he makes Reform look cool. open image in gallery Nigel Farage and Party treasurer Nick Candy have met Mr Musk in the US ( PA ) Just hours after Mr Farage was on TV praising Mr Musk, the billionaire took to his social media platform X (Twitter) to declare: The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes. He then appeared to endorse Rupert Lowe, one of the partys five MPs, as a replacement. I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense, Mr Musk wrote in response to a post asking whether the Great Yarmouth MP and former Southampton FC chairman should take over the top job. Hitting back, Mr Farage said: Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles. Mr Musk had been expected to hand a multi-million-pound donation to Reform to aid its efforts to win the next general election amid a feud with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. It is unclear why Mr Musk has withdrawn his support from Mr Farage, who he met at Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago mansion alongside Reform treasurer Nick Candy just weeks ago to discuss the partys ground game and financing. Mr Farage and Mr Candy described their hour-long meeting as great. But the dramatic U-turn comes after Mr Farage refused to join Mr Musks calls to release Robinson from prison. On Friday night, Mr Farage heaped praise on Mr Musk, calling him a hero figure, especially for the youth. open image in gallery Farage distanced himself from Musk over his support for jailed political activist Tommy Robinson ( PA ) But, after Mr Musk on X shared a call to free Tommy Robinson, Mr Farage said: He sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs. But of course, the truth is Tommy Robinsons in prison not for that, but for contempt of court. Were a political party aiming to win the next general election. Hes not what we need. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court, which began in October. A Washington source told The Independent Mr Musk was having a tantrum because Nigel pushed back on him over Robinson. He does this constantly here, too, the source added. Pollster Luke Tryl, UK director at More in Common, said: Leave aside everything else, this shows Musk has no handle on UK politics. Absent Farage, Reform would have been a postmark in history post-election and likely failed to win seats. Like him or not, and many dont, he has an ability to connect with people most politicians cant reach. And a former Farage aide and Breitbart editor Raheem Kassam responded to Mr Musk saying you are a f****** moron. Despite distancing himself from Mr Musk over Robinson, Mr Farage bent over backwards on Sunday morning to defend the billionaires incendiary X posts about home office minister Jess Phillips and Sir Keir. Mr Musk suggested Ms Phillips deserves to be in prison for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham. He also attacked Sir Keir Starmer, saying the prime minister failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions. Reform UK leader Mr Farage told the BBCs Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme that Mr Musk had used very tough terms but that free speech was back on X under his ownership. open image in gallery Health secretary Wes Streeting defended Jess Phillips and Sir Keir Starmer ( PA ) He said that tough things get said by both sides of the debate, adding that Mr Musks ownership of X makes it a place for proper open debate. Mr Farage said: This man happens to be the richest man in the world, but equally, the fact that hes bought Twitter now actually gives us a place where we can have a proper open debate about many things We may find it offensive, but its a good thing, not a bad thing. By contrast, Labours shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said Mr Musks claims are a disgraceful smear considering the Labour ministers efforts to support victims of abuse. One of Sir Keir Starmers biggest challenges in 2025 will come not from the Conservative Party, or even inside Parliament or the UK, but from the heart of Donald Trumps administration. The prime minister has faced a barrage of attacks from Elon Musk since Julys general election, with the Tesla tycoons fury heating up in recent days over renewed calls for an inquiry into child sexual exploitation and grooming in Oldham. The billionaire has latched onto fury at failings in the handling of historical child sex abuse cases across the country, calling for Sir Keir to be removed from office and saying safeguarding minister Jess Phillips should be jailed. But despite being the worlds richest man, and a core member of Mr Trumps inner circle, Mr Musks tirades against the British government have often strayed into outright misinformation. open image in gallery Elon Musk has been one of Keir Starmers biggest critics since the general election ( AP/PA ) The Independent looks at how seriously Sir Keir should take the threat of Mr Musk, and how much time he should spend hitting back at the billionaires outbursts. Should Sir Keir be worried? Elon Musks support for Mr Trump was a key factor in the former presidents successful bid to return to the White House. With 210 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), not to mention his ownership of the platform, he wields huge influence over public discourse and enjoys particular support among young men. But despite his reach, pollster Luke Tryl, UK director of the More in Common think tank, has said Mr Musks approval rating is underwater. More in Common polling shows Reform UK voters are the only people who have a positive view of Mr Musk, with Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Green supporters all opposing the billionaire. So while Mr Musk has the power to reach millions through his own account, and amplify content to millions more via X, his views, particularly claims that the UK is going full Stalin under Sir Keir, do not resonate with a large majority of voters. Chris Hopkins, political research director at pollster Savanta, told The Independent: On the one hand, the public arent perennially online and really engaging with the narrative Musk is trying to exert, but ignoring it and hoping it goes away doesnt feel like a great strategy either. What should the PM do? A Labour grandee on Saturday called for Sir Keir to establish a Musk rebuttal unit in Downing Street so claims about Sir Keir, Ms Phillips and other top figures do not go unchallenged. When people tell lies about you, you have to tell the truth about yourself and do it in a way that dominates all the channels, Tony Blairs former political secretary John McTernan told LBC. You cant stand back and have slanderous accusations made against Jess Phillips, he added. The government should back her in taking legal action. open image in gallery Elon Musks support for Reform will hurt Labour at the next general election ( PA Wire ) But Mr McTernan cautioned against the PM stooping to Mr Musks level, urging Sir Keir to be above responding to many of Mr Musks criticisms. Mr Hopkins warned that responding to all of Mr Musks attacks risks lending additional legitimacy to the billionaires views. But he also cant be seen to be bullied by someone who could be a key figure in the Trump administration, he told The Independent. Will Musk stop? This appears to be the hope of those in Sir Keirs inner circle, with one pointing out to The Times last week that once Mr Trump has returned to the White House, Mr Musks more controversial posts may have to stop. The insider said: He cant sustain active support for AfD and Reform and be a member of the administration after January 20. Hes in effect declaring war on the main US allies in Europe. The bigger danger for Starmer Mr Musks musings aside, the billionaire poses a much bigger threat to Sir Keir through his financial and social media backing of Reform. Reform has been given a higher verification status than Labour or the Conservatives on X, with the platform deeming it a government or multilateral organisation account as opposed to a political party. Despite Nigel Farage saying a rumoured $100m donation to Reform was for the birds, he confirmed on Sunday that Mr Musk is considering a major handout to the party. Mr Musk has called for Mr Farage to be replaced as Reforms leader, but it is unclear how serious he is or whether this would lead to him taking any funding for the party off the table. But any multi-million-pound funding boost would go towards a relentless online air war against Sir Keirs already unpopular Labour Party, helping Mr Farage sweep up votes across the country. So while he can rise above low blows from Mr Musk on X, Sir Keir must be prepared for a much more serious onslaught from a fully-funded Musk-backed Reform UK at the next general election. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy An Arizona killer who has been sitting on death row for more than 20 years has now asked the state to execute him in just a few weeks. Aaron Brian Gunches' now hopeful execution would mark a resumption of Arizonas use of the death penalty after a two-year pause while it reviewed its procedures. In a handwritten court filing this week, Gunches asked the state Supreme Court to schedule his execution for mid-February for his murder conviction in the 2002 killing of Ted Price. He asked the court to skip the formalities and schedule his execution for earlier than officials had planned. Gunches, who isnt a lawyer but is representing himself, said his death sentence is long overdue and that the state was dragging its feet in asking the court for a legal briefing schedule leading up to the execution. open image in gallery Aaron Brian Gunches has asked an Arizona court to schedule his execution for earlier than officials had planned ( AP ) Attorney General Kris Mayes office, which is seeking Gunches execution, said a briefing schedule is needed to ensure corrections officials can meet execution requirements, such as testing for the pentobarbital that will be used for his lethal injection. Two years ago, Gunches asked the Arizona Supreme Court to issue his execution warrant, saying justice could be served and the victims families could get closure. Gunches had been set to be put to death in April 2023. But Gov. Katie Hobbs' office said the state wasnt prepared to enforce the death penalty because it lacked staff with expertise to carry out executions. Hobbs, a Democrat, had promised not to carry out any executions until there was confidence the state can do so without violating any laws. The review Hobbs had ordered effectively ended in November when she dismissed the retired federal magistrate judge she had appointed to head the review. Gunches pleaded guilty to a murder charge in the shooting death of Price, his girlfriends ex-husband, near the Phoenix suburb of Mesa. Arizona, which has 111 prisoners on death row, last carried out three executions in 2022 following a nearly eight-year hiatus brought on by criticism that a 2014 execution was botched and because of difficulties obtaining drugs for execution. Since then, the state has been criticized for taking too long to insert an IV for lethal injection into a condemned prisoner. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A 71-year-old man was shot dead outside a bingo hall as he confronted a man stealing from his car, and police say they have now arrested his suspected killer. Kenyan Buchanan has been charged with capital murder in connection to the case, according to Fox 4. Roger Smith was leaving a bingo hall in Fort Worth, Texas, early on New Years Day when he confronted Buchanan, according to the report. The suspect was allegedly stealing from the victims truck. During the confrontation, Buchanan shot Smith and took his wallet and phone. open image in gallery Kenyan Buchanan has been arrested in connection to the shooting death of a man outside a Texas bingo hall ( Fort Worth Jail ) A witness saw Smith fall to the ground and the suspect fled the area in a White SUV, according to the report. Police then launched a search for the vehicle. On Friday, Fort Worth police stopped a white Mazda that matched the suspected vehicle. Inside, officers found Buchanan with a passenger, the report stated. Buchanan had cut his hair after the shooting and learned that Smith had died from news reports, according to Fox 4. The suspect was then arrested and booked into Tarrant County Jail. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A U.S. Olympic track and field star is facing charges in Miami Beach after he was tackled by police and tased, bodycam footage shows. However, a lawyer for Fred Kerley, 29, said the police overreacted. The footage captured Kerley, wearing a gray hoodie, having an argument with four police officers that escalated into a physical confrontation Thursday night. The officers wrestled him to the ground before stepping away from him as he was tased in the lower back. Police were involved in an unrelated investigation on 9th Street in Miami Beach when the track star approached officers around 11:20 p.m. with an aggressive demeanor due to concern about his vehicle parked nearby, according to an arrest report obtained by CBS News. Kerley argued with police and his girlfriend, who tried to intervene, the report said. Then Kerley got into a fight with the cops. One cop delivered multiple hammer fists toward the athletes head and elbows. Another reportedly told Kerley as he lay on the ground: Stop resisting! open image in gallery Bodycam footage of Fred Kerley in a confrontation with police in Miami Beach. The Olympian was arrested during the incident ( Miami Beach PD ) The Olympian then replied: Im not resisting, get off of me, bro. Officers tased him, prompting him to collapse onto his stomach, according to the report. Police wrote that Kerley disrupted the flow of pedestrian traffic and caused a crowd on the nearest sidewalk and endangered the safety of the staff and customers at a nearby restaurant. He was arrested on charges of battery, resisting an officer without violence and disorderly conduct, records show. His lawyer, Richard L. Cooper, issued a statement to CBS News. It is clear from all available recordings of the arrest (including police worn body camera) that the police overreacted to an otherwise peaceful interaction with Mr. Kerley, Cooper said. open image in gallery Kerley, a two-time Olympic medalist for Team USA, was arrested on charges of battery, resisting an officer without violence and disorderly conduct ( Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation ) Kerley appeared in court on Friday, where a judge did not find probable cause for the disorderly conduct charge, the network reported. He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Friday. The 29-year-old has since been released on his own recognizance, records show. The police stood by their response. Mr. Kerley battered one of our officers and pushed him in the chest, at which point the officers put their hands on him and tasered him, Officer Christopher Bess told CBS News. The message is very clear that when you see officers engaged in a scene give them some distance. This could have been prevented, Bess said. Our officers tried multiple times to de-escalate but Mr. Kerley kept rushing our officers. open image in gallery A lawyer for Fred Kerley, 29, said the police overreacted ( AP ) His girlfriend, Cleo Rahman whos better known as Dj Sky High Baby, was also charged with resisting arrest. The police report stated that her actions took several officers to divert their attention from assisting the officers to deal with her. In the bodycam footage, she can be heard yelling: Stop! Stop! He didnt do anything! She appeared to have recorded the incident on her phone. He was not aggressive, she told CBS News in a statement. This does not give police the right to push him and be aggressive for no reason. Hes an athlete. He is team USA. It is not like he is playing for another team. He is here. This was so unfortunate. In the aftermath of the athletes arrest, police added additional charges of robbery/strongarm and domestic battery against Kerley, records show. These counts stemmed from a May 7 incident involving an alleged fight with his ex-wife; police told CBS News they were not able to find him at the time. He competed in the Paris games over the summer while the charges in the alleged domestic incident were under investigation. The post-arrest charges resulted from a falsified accusation that has resurfaced because of this new media attention from last nights wrongful arrest, Cooper said. The attorney continued: I can say that Mr. Kerley is a record-breaking athlete who has honorably and successfully represented our nation in the Olympics many times. These charges are false and indicate the brutal police state that Miami Beach has become. Kerley won a silver medal in the 100m at the 2020 Olympics and won a bronze medal in the same race at the 2024 Olympics. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Los Angeles new district attorney has met with family members of the Menendez brothers but remains mum on whether he will back their prison release. Nathan Hochman, who took office in December, said Friday that he had a productive session with the family members, who shared their thoughts with him on whether the brothers should be released. The meeting lasted about three hours. Numerous family members, celebrities and others have pushed for the brothers' release 35 years after the killing of their parents and the duos trial became the focus of American headlines. Brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez were found guilty of murdering Jose and Kitty Menendez in 1989 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Now in their 50s, they began their bid for freedom in recent years after new evidence of their fathers sexual abuse emerged in their case. Their lawyers filed a habeas corpus petition a request for a court to examine whether someone is being lawfully detained in May 2023, asking a judge to consider the evidence. The brothers have the support of most of their extended family, who have said they deserve to be free after decades behind bars. Several family members have said that in todays world which is more aware of the impact of sexual abuse the brothers would not have been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life. open image in gallery The new Los Angeles District Attorney met with the family of the Menendez brothers as they continue to push for their release from prison ( AP ) In October 2024, then-District Attorney George Gascon recommended the brothers be resentenced to 50 years to life, which would make them immediately eligible for parole. Hochman, who was running against Gascon at the time, called it a desperate political move. By releasing it now, Gascon has cast a cloud over the fairness and impartiality of his decision, he said at the time. A judge delayed the brothers' resentencing hearing, originally set for early December, to the end of January. Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic said he needed time to review extensive evidence and give Hochman time to weigh in on the case. Hochman said Friday he was still reviewing thousands of pages of prison records to analyze the rehabilitation aspect of resentencing. Evidence of rehabilitation could include not engaging in illegal activity while in prison, starting organizations that helped other prisoners, and using that time to improve oneself, he said. At the brothers' original trials, their defense attorneys argued that they had been sexually abused by their father. Prosecutors denied that and accused them of killing their parents for money. In the years that followed, they repeatedly appealed their convictions without success. The brothers are being held at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. Their case has renewed interest in recent months with the push for their release and new Netflix series looking at their story. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the Texas man who drove a truck through a crowd of New Years revelers in New Orleans, visited the city at least twice in the months leading up to the massacre, using Meta smart glasses to record a video as he traveled the length of Bourbon Street, later the site of his attack. Following the October and November trips to New Orleans, Jabbar returned to the city ahead of New Years celebrations and carried out his plan, killing 14 people and injuring scores of others. Jabbar was shot and killled by police in the aftermath. Investigators recovered the glasses from Jabbars body at the scene and dont believe he enabled their live-streaming capacity during the truck massacre. The AI-enabled glasses allow users to make calls, take photos, and record videos. Their use may speak to Jabbars tech savvy. The U.S. Army veteran served in information technology roles in the military, and later at the prominent professional services firms Deloitte and Ernst & Young. open image in gallery Investigators said Shamsud-Din Jabbar visited New Orleans multiple times ahead of the French Quarter attack ( Reuters ) Despite Jabbar using high-tech tools to surveil the future scene of the attack, investigators said his inexperience with explosives meant a second phase of the plan, using improvised explosive devices placed around the French Quarter, was not realized. Unable to obtain military-grade detonators, Jabbar planned to use an electric match to set off two coolers containing explosives he put in place ahead of the truck attack, but the Texas man never set them off. He didnt use the right or correct device to set it off, Joshua Jackson, special agent in charge of the New Orleans office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, said during a press conference on Sunday. That is just indicative of his experience and lack of understanding of how that material might be set off. Jabbar was able to legally buy the guns he used in the attack, including a semi-automatic pistol and a rifle purchased in a legal private sale in Texas. open image in gallery Jabbar planned to set off explosives housed in coolers in French Quarter, but never triggered bombs ( Reuters ) Investigators recovered what appeared to be multiple privately made silencers for the weapons, including one found at a New Orleans-area rental home where Jabbar was staying at the time of the attack. The Texas man attempted to set fire to the building as headed out to the French Quarter, but the blaze ran out of fuel and smouldered until firefighters put it out the morning of the attack. Investigators recovered bomb-making materials that matched those found in Jabbars Houston, Texas, home, according to the FBI and ATF. The FBI is scrutinizing Jabbars travels, in addition to the implements he used in the attack. Officials say Jabbar traveled to Egypt for nearly two weeks in June and July 2023, then traveled to Ontario, Canada, that July. Were looking at who he encounters during those trips, who is he meeting with, where has he traveled within those countries, Lionel Myrthil, special agent in charge of the FBI New Orleans office, said during the press conference. open image in gallery Jabbars travels in Egypt, Canada, and within the U.S. have attracted attention from investigators trying to determine whether he had outside assistance ( via REUTERS ) We cant rule out whether he received any type of assistance, Myrthil added, though he noted investigators so far only have evidence Jabbar acted alone. The FBI is also interviewing potential witnesses in the Tampa, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia, areas, investigators said. Bidens visit to New Orleans comes as the city is trying to determine whether it couldve done more to prevent the truck attack, and as it prepares to host high-profile events like the Super Bowl next month. As The Independent has reported, a series of barricades designed to prevent cars from driving down parts of Bourbon Street had been removed and were not in place when the attacker sped into the French Quarter. The bollards, which officials said frequently malfunctioned due to debris like Mardi Gras beads stuck in their machinery, were in the middle of being replaced as part of an infrastructure upgrade to prepare for the Super Bowl. New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell said Sunday she requested assistance from the White House to analyze the citys security infrastructure and bolster any weak points. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy U.S. officials are flaunting the idea of an outright ban on the sales of a popular internet router a device that is sitting in many homes. The investigation comes as concerns have mounted over cybersecurity risks connected with router manufacturer TP-Link Technology Co. The device is listed as a best seller on Amazon, with prices ranging from $50 to $100 for most models. Established in China, but sourced from a California headquarters, the TP-Link router use has sparked several probes into possible Chinese interference through cyberattacks launched from the devices. The U.S. company claims that it unaffiliated with the China company and its products are assembled in Vietnam. It also asserts that its devices are safe for users. Several federal agencies, such as the Commerce, Defense and Justice departments, are investigating the product and the company behind it. All are looking at if the devices pose a security risk and could suggest a ban as soon as 2025, sources recently told The Wall Street Journal. An office within the U.S. Department of Commerce has already reportedly subpoenaed TP-Link for information, added the sources. An analysis launched by Microsoft in October discovered that a Chinese hacking entity was maintaining a large network of compromised network devices most of which included thousands of compromised TP-Link routers, wrote the WSJ. Hackers were discovered to have targeted Western organizations such as think tanks, government organizations, not-for-profits, and defense department suppliers, through the TP-Link network, reported the outlet. The U.S. has expressed concerns with other Chinese-linked products, such as TikTok, which faces a ban in the U.S. starting next month ( AP ) But this is not the first time officials have expressed concerns over Chinese interference orchestrated through TP-Link. In August, U.S. lawmakers, Republican Representative John Moolenaar of Michigan and Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, urged the Biden administration to probe the TP-Link company for potential security risks. The TP-Link router reportedly accounts for 65 percent of the U.S. market and is widely used by homeowners and businesses even federal government agencies, according to the Journal. However, TP-Link officials say their market share is around 12 percent. Though it is not immediately clear whether the ban will come into force, it will likely be handled by the Trump administration in the New Year if found to breach national security. A TP-Link spokesperson provided a statement after hte report. However, contrary to claims of widespread vulnerabilities, comparative data places TP-Link on par with, or in some cases ahead of, other major industry players in terms of security outcomes. For example, public vulnerability data (sourced from recognized security repositories like CVE Details and VulDB) shows that TP-Links rate of vulnerabilities per product is significantly lower than those of other leading manufacturers. While vulnerability severity is important, we consistently address issues promptly. Those same sources show our average CVSS scorean industry-standard metric for vulnerability severityis in line with other leading router and IoT manufacturers, the company said in a statement to The Independent. Fears over Chinese devices and companies backed by the Asian powerhouse are nothing new. Last year, President Joe Biden signed legislation that would ban the use of TikTok in the U.S. if parent ByteDance fails to sell it ahead of January 19. The ban on TikTok came as officials were wary of the Chinese government being able to access sensitive U.S. user data through the app. ByteDance has appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear the case just days before the ban begins. Trump has also targeted China as a threat to the U.S. economy and jobs. He has suggested further tariffs - to the tune of 10 percent on top of what already exists - on Chinas products coming into the U.S. The president-elect has said the tariffs are needed to stop drug flow into the U.S. and help American companies compete with Chinese manufacturers. This article has been amended to better clarify who stated that federal agencies were looking at the routers. The article has also been updated about TP-Links operations and relationship with a Chinese company. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Robert F Kennedy Jr is facing a predictably skeptical reception from senators on Capitol Hill as he pursues a bid to become the next Health secretary for incoming president Donald Trump. His long history of comments and activism against vaccines which he falsely blames for causing autism in children has earned him ideological foes among Democrats and Republicans alike. Now, Kennedy needs to convince some of those moderate Republican senators to vote for his confirmation, even as he faces a barrage of attacks from Democrats. Most of those Republicans are being quiet about their position on his confirmation so far. On Sunday, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy attacked a conservative activist for calling him deranged in response to some of the criticism RFK jr has faced. Robert F Kennedy Jr, Donald Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, on Capitol Hill ( REUTERS ) We don't have to treat conspiracy theorists like RFK Jr. with kid gloves. It's simple. He's spent his career fighting school vaccine programs. If they atrophy, kids will get killed, tweeted the senator. He added: [E]ven if RFK Jr. doesn't legally weaken school vaccine requirements (and he might!), his elevation to HHS Secretary will amplify his conspiracy views. When vaccine rates drop because of RFK Jr.'s conspiracy spreading - kids get killed. As evidence, Murphy pointed to a measles outbreak in Samoa and pinned the blame for the disastrous consequences on Kennedys activism against the measles jab in the island nation in 2018. In 2018 RFK Jr. travelled all the way to Samoa to help local efforts to undermine confidence in children's vaccines. It worked. Measles vaccinations plummeted and a year later 83 were dead and 1800 were hospitalized. Mostly little kids, wrote Murphy. The senator concluded: MAGA wants to shut down dissent by claiming that we are "inciting violence" when we tell the truth about the stakes of Trump's nominees and policies. But the truth is RFK wants to impose policies that will kill our kids. Don't be scared to say what's true. What? We don't have to treat conspiracy theorists like RFK Jr. with kid gloves. It's simple. He's spent his career fighting school vaccine programs. If they atrophy, kids will get killed. 1/ Let me tell you why we need to be shouting this from the rooftops. https://t.co/TzL41nA8JA Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) January 5, 2025 Kennedy has previously denied any responsibility for the consequences of the measles outbreak in Samoa, saying: I had nothing to do with people not vaccinating in Samoa. I never told anybody not to vaccinate. I didnt, you know, go there for any reason to do with that. It remains unclear if Kennedy will make it past the Senate; his focus remains on convincing Republicans to support his confirmation. But a report in The Hill indicates that sources close to the offices of two Democratic senators, Bernie Sanders and John Fetterman, believe that the two and possibly others may be open to giving the controversial Trump nominee a hearing. Sanders is a vocal opponent of over-processing practices in the US food industry, which he and many others (including Kennedy) argue is responsible for chronic health issues in America. That view was echoed by a Republican senator, Bill Cassidy, on Sunday. The Louisiana senator, a physician, told Fox News that he was due to meet with Kennedy in the next few days, while stating that he agreed with the Cabinet nominee on processed foods and disagreed with him on vaccinations. I agree with him on some things, and disagree on others, said Cassidy. Food safety I think ultra-processed food is a problem. Vaccinations; hes wrong on. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has issued a withering response to billionaire Elon Musks endorsement of the countrys far-right party, Alternative for Germany. Scholz said it was important to not feed the troll, referring to Musk, who recently offered support for the Alternative fur Deutschland party a far-right group claiming, only the AfD can save Germany. There are a lot of people on social media who want to attract attention with snappy slogans, Scholz told the German media outlet Stern. I dont believe in courting Mr. Musks favor. Im happy to leave that to others. He added: There are many people on social media who want to attract attention with shrill slogans. The rule is: dont feed the troll. open image in gallery Elon Musk has been by President-elect Donald Trumps side since he won the White House in November ( via REUTERS ) Musk and Scholz have an ongoing feud, with the billionaire calling the chancellor a fool and claiming hell lose in the next election, Politico reports. He has also called for Scholz to step down. Christiane Hoffmann, a spokesperson for the German government, denounced Musks endorsement. It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election through his statement, she said. She added that freedom of expression also includes the greatest nonsense. The SpaceX and Tesla owner faced immediate backlash for backing the AfD. open image in gallery Olaf Scholz, head of Germanys government, had harsh words for the Tesla and SpaceX boss ( AP ) German health minister Karl Lauterbach called his support for the far-right party undignified and highly problematic. Elmar Brok, a former German MEP, called Musks comment, the world domination fantasies of the American tech kings. Musk has scheduled a conversation with AfD leader Alice Weidel for Thursday, according to Politico. This comes as Musk appears to be closely advising Donald Trump. The billionaire has been by Trumps side ever since he won the White House in November. Musk has also been named as co-chair of the new Department of Government Efficiency. Alongside co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk has vowed to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal governments budget in the role. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States, was not an extravagant man. He lived on a property in Plains, Georgia where he died on December 29 at age 100 that was worth a fraction of the average U.S. house price, he shopped at budget stores, and he did not fly privately. The least expensive former president for the U.S. government, Carter and his wife Rosalynn who died in 2023 lived a surprisingly average life after his term ended in 1981. While the Carters lived a public life, they were nothing if not generous with their money. We give money, we dont take it, the former president told The Los Angeles Times in 1989 though his record of charitable donations speaks for itself. While Carter had not publicly stated where his inheritance would go after his death, he and his wife were known for their donations and philanthropic work. open image in gallery Jimmy Carter (left) pictured with his wife Rosalynn Carter (right) outside their Plains, Georgia home in 1988. The Carters lived in a home valued at just $167,000 after they left the White House, the Washington Post reports ( AFP via Getty Images ) Heres what we know about Jimmy Carters wealth and how he spent it throughout his life: How much did Jimmy Carter make? Carters exact net worth is not clear however, we do know some information about how much he made from various income sources. As all U.S. presidents do, Carter received a $221,400 annual pension. The federal government also provides former presidents with allowances for amenities such as travel and office space. He lived in a two-bedroom home in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, valued at $167,000, according to The Washington Post, making his abode worth roughly one-third the average US house price. The former president was also a prolific author who wrote more than 30 books in his lifetime. While many of his works did not reach the level of fame other presidents books did, his 1985 effort Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East is described as a national bestseller. open image in gallery Jimmy Carters hometown of Plains, Georgia, pictured in 2023, is where he retired after leaving the White House in 1981 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Carter reportedly rejected many speaking engagements as well, which is a typical source of income for former presidents. In 1989, he said he would never accept an extravagant payment for an appearance his comments came after Ronald Reagan accepted $2 million for a speaking engagement in Japan. Ive never criticized what Presidents Nixon, Ford or Reagan do with their post-White House years, Carter toldThe Los Angeles Times. But thats not what I want out of life. Given these factors, Carters wealth portfolio may be much less than other presidents. For instance, former president Barack Obama retired from the White House to an $8 million mansion in Washington, D.C., before buying another $12 million property in Marthas Vineyard. Donald Trump, meanwhile, has his Mar-a-Lago estate that could be valued anywhere between $420 million to $1.5 billion. Both the former president and president-elect have earned money through speaking engagements. Meanwhile, Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, reportedly received a $65 million joint book advance in 2017. open image in gallery Jimmy Carter did not spend money on extravagant properties such as Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate, pictured in 2022 ( Getty Images ) How did Jimmy Carter spend his money? Carter and his wife did not spend their money on the usual post-presidential luxuries. The two of them flew commercial rather than private, avoided joining corporate boards like many former presidents, and ate their Saturday night dinner on paper plates, The Washington Post reports. The federal government pays former presidents to maintain their offices and his, The Carter Foundation, is the least expensive to run, according to the Post. Carter did not even take federal retirement benefits or healthcare because he did not meet the five-year employment minimum to qualify after serving only one term as president. The Carters were also prolific philanthropists. In 1984, they launched the first inaugural Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity, a housing nonprofit. Every year since, the organization has hosted a Carter Work week to build housing throughout the world. open image in gallery Jimmy Carter (right) and Rosalynn Carter (left) pictured building a home during the 2003 Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity. The Carter Foundations mission is to raise funds to promote public health and peace ( Getty Images ) Meanwhile, the Carter Foundation lists roughly 100 charities and organizations on their website that they partner with to advance peace and health in more than 80 countries. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Incoming first lady Melania Trump will be the subject of a new documentary directed by Brett Ratner and distributed by Amazon Prime Video. The streaming arm of the tech giant got exclusive licensing rights for a streaming and theatrical release later this year, the company said Sunday. Filming is already underway on the documentary. The company said in a statement that the film will give viewers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at Melania Trump and also promised a truly unique story. The film marks the first project that Ratner has directed since he was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women, including actor Olivia Munn, in the early days of the #MeToo reckoning in November 2017. Ratner, whose lawyer denied the allegations, directed the Rush Hour film series, Red Dragon and X-Men: The Last Stand. The former and now future first lady also released a self-titled memoir late last year. Her husband takes office on January 20. The film is the latest connection between Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Donald Trump. The company in December announced plans to donate $1 million to the President-elects inauguration fund, and said that it would also stream Trumps inauguration on its Prime Video service, a separate in-kind donation worth another $1 million. The two men had been at odds in the past. During his first term, Trump criticized Amazon and railed against the political coverage at The Washington Post, which Bezos owns. But hes struck a more conciliatory tone recently as Amazon and other tech companies seek to improve their relationship with the incoming president. Melania Trump with her husband on New Years Eve. She has tended to avoid the limelight ( Getty Images ) In December, Bezos expressed some excitement about potential regulatory cutbacks in the coming years and said he was optimistic about Trumps second term. Bezos in October did not allow the Post to endorse a presidential candidate, a move that led to tens of thousands of people canceling their subscriptions and to protests from journalists with a deep history at the newspaper. This weekend, a cartoonist quit her job after an editor rejected her sketch of the newspapers owner and other media executives bowing before the president-elect. Fernando Sulichin, an Argentine filmmaker, is executive producing the film, which began shooting in December. Melania Trump's best moments Melania Trump, Donald Trumps third wife, has been an enigmatic figure since her husband announced he was running in the 2016 election. She had sought to maintain her privacy even as she served as first lady, focusing on raising their son, Barron, and promoting her Be Best initiative to support the social, emotional, and physical health of children. While she appeared at her husbands campaign launch event for 2024 and attended the closing night of the Republican National Convention this summer, she has otherwise stayed off the campaign trail, though the demands of again being first lady may dictate a higher public profile after Inauguration Day. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy House speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi discussed the ongoing threat of political violence and the dangers posed by Donald Trumps 2020 misinformation campaign in an interview Sunday on Face the Nation. The former top Democrat in the lower chamber said that her husband, Paul Pelosi, still faces medical issues resulting from a violent attack he suffered in 2022, when an intruder in their home attacked him with a hammer. The suspect, David DePape, was convicted of the violent attack and found to have been consumed by far-right conspiracy theories promoted by various figures aligned with MAGA Republicanism, including the 2020 stolen election conspiracies promoted by Trump himself. After the January 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021, Pelosi claims Trump called out to these people to continue their violence, arguing that her husband would be the victim of an attack stemming from the presidents same rhetoric a year later. It didnt end that day, she told CBS. My husband, being a victim of all that. And he still has injuries from that attack. So it just goes on and on and on. It isnt something that just happens, and then its over. Pelosi points out that Trump didn't stop inciting violence after January 6, pointing out the attack on her husband pic.twitter.com/lDGPpzE8Xo Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2025 She was asked by Margaret Brennan about Trumps continued assertion that he was the rightful winner of the 2020 election, and what effect that has on the county. Brennan pointed out that Trump in recent days screened a documentary disputing the election results at Mar-a-Lago. Pelosi responded that it was sad for the president-elect to still be fixated on his defeat four years ago. Its almost sick... He should be triumphant about [winning the 2024 election], Pelosi said. So for him to be trying to fight a fight that he knows he lost is really sad. .@SpeakerPelosi says she doesn't believe the American people disregarded the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol attack by voting to reelect Donald Trump, but "they just had a different view as to what was in their interest, economically and the rest." Trump's continued efforts to falsely pic.twitter.com/km4MOA8SGp Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) January 5, 2025 Pelosis party will spend at least the first two years of the second Trump presidency in the minority in both chambers of Congress. In the House, however, the Republican Party will only control a single-digit majority. Speaker Mike Johnson will be forced to unify a chaotic and unstable caucus to pass any legislation. Republicans in the House and Senate are already seeking to temper the incoming presidents expectations while maintaining the appearance of full-throated support for his political agenda. Paul Pelosi suffered severe injuries after being attacked by an intruder searching for his wife The speaker emerita has long been a focus of some of the most intense hatred from the far right of any politician. Brennan separately noted during her interview with the first female speaker (a title which fueled much of that hatred on the right) that the House that rioters who besieged the Capitol complex on January 6 openly made threats against her life, as they did with Vice President Mike Pence after the latter refused to interfere in the election certification process and cause a constitutional crisis. She stepped down from the role after the 2022 midterm elections, passing on the role of House Democratic leader to Hakeem Jeffries. Last week, she was awarded the presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy On the campaign trail, Vice President Kamala Harris warned American voters against Donald Trump, calling him a fascist, a petty tyrant, and a threat to democracy - in days she will have to certify his election victory. Four years after rioters cheered for the hanging of then-Vice President Mike Pence and tried to block the certification of the election that Trump lost, Harris is set to fulfill her duty as president of the Senate by certifying her own election loss and declaring Trump the winner of the 2024 election. Federal law states that Congress must hold a session on January 6 at 1 p.m. to open each states certificates of their electoral votes. The president of the Senate, meaning the vice president, opens the certificates and presides over the session as bipartisan members of both chambers read aloud the results. After an official vote is counted, the president of the Senate declares a winner. Its the job of every vice president, but it may not be an easy one. On Monday, Harris will join the ranks of Pence and Al Gore, who also had to certify the election results for their rivals. open image in gallery Vice President Kamala Harris shakes hands with Donald Trump during a presidential debate. She will have to certify his election victory on January 6, after months of warning American voters that he was a threat to democracy ( AFP via Getty Images ) The upcoming certification stands out namely because the 60-year-old Democrat has to now certify the election for the man she spent much of her 107-day bid warning against the danger he posed to democracy, the country, and the world. She warned that he was a threat to reproductive freedoms. She called him unstable. She predicted that as president he wasgoing to sit there unstable, unhinged, plotting his revenge, plotting his retribution, creating an enemies list. America: this is not a candidate for president who is thinking about how to make your life better. This is someone who is unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance and out for unchecked power, Harris said in one of her final speeches during the campaign. Look, we know who Donald Trump is, Harris said. He is the person who stood at this very spot nearly four years ago and sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol to overturn the will of the people in a free and fair election an election that he knew he lost. Harris will now have to certify Trumps win despite her constant blasting him and painting him as a threat to democracy. It comes just four years after a violent mob attacked the Capitol in an effort to block the election certification for Joe Biden. Trump served as the central cause of the riot, a House select committee investigating the riot found. open image in gallery Four years after a mob of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, Harris will certify the election for Trump ( AP ) In the nearly four years that followed, 1,561 individuals have been criminally charged in connection to the attack. The president-elect has left open the possibility of pardoning some of them; hes called them unbelievable patriots and promised to help them the first day we get into office. The federal criminal case against Trump for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results has been dismissed. Ahead of this years certification, the Department of Homeland Security said it will be providing additional security as it marked January 6s events as a National Special Security Event for the first time in history. National Special Security Events are events of the highest national significance, said Eric Ranaghan, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Services Dignitary Protective Division. The U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners are committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive and integrated security plan to ensure the safety and security of this event and its participants. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy When President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Bidens belongings are swiftly removed from the White House during President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration, one thing that will leave with them will almost certainly not be replaced a White House pet. Unlike the official residence of the British Prime Minister, there is no chief mouser for the Executive Office of the President who remains in office from administration to administration. Thats because in America, presidents come and go, and their pets always come and go with them. When the Biden administrations time in office expires on January 20, their one remaining pet a tabby domestic short hair called Willow after Jill Bidens hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania will depart, leaving the residence empty of feline or canine activity. Of the three Biden-owned German Shepherd dogs, one (Champ) passed away in 2021, and two (Major and Commander) were exiled from the White House after multiple biting incidents that left staff and Secret Service personnel injured. While President Harry Truman once famously remarked that the only sure way to find a friend in the American capital was to get a dog, President-elect Trump has chosen to keep his White House among the 55 percent of American residences that dont have a canine companion among them. The former turned future president has never been a dog lover, and when he first entered the White House in 2017 that brought to an end decades of uninterrupted pitter-patter of four-legged furry friends around the hallways of the West Wing and the Executive Mansion. In fact hes the first in more than 100 years to not have some type of pet as his side. open image in gallery Trumps rhetoric often features the phrase like a dog but carrying negative connotations ( Getty Images ) Trumps rhetoric has always been peppered with canine references, usually suggestions that a person he doesnt like has done something negative like a dog. Sometimes, hes gone further, such in a 2018 tweet when he called out former staffer turned tell-all book writer Omarosa Manigault Newman following the release of her White House memoir, Unhinged, writing: When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didnt work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog! He also compared Utahs outgoing senator and 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney to mans best friend, suggesting that the ex-Massachusetts governor choked like a dog in his general election contest with then-president Barack Obama. For their parts, Obama and Romney are both known dog lovers, with Obama having owned two Portuguese Water Dogs, Sunny and Bo, during his time in the White House. Romneys history with dogs is a bit more checkered, with his treatment of his late Irish Setter, Seamus, becoming an issue during his past presidential runs. Trump has also used dog comparisons for vanquished enemies in the national security realm, such as when he famously claimed that slain ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had died like a dog after being chased down by American special forces soldiers including a military working dog called Conan, in late 2019. Conan, who was injured during the mission when al-Baghdadi detonated an explosive suicide vest, briefly captured the nations attention in the wake of that military victory, and the then-president later welcomed that courageous canine to the White House for a brief ceremony to present Conan with a medal and a plaque, allowing the Belgian Malinois to be handled and pet by then-Vice President Mike Pence just outside the Oval Office. open image in gallery Numerous recent presidents, including Obama, have had pets in the White House ( Getty ) Trump, always attuned to the importance of celebrity status, told reporters at the time that Conan was right now probably the worlds most famous dog. Conan did a fantastic job. Were very honored to have Conan here, he said, adding later that Conan (whose gender later became the subject of a spat between the White House and Pentagon) was very special. But aside from hosting Conans White House appearance (which at the time was derided by critics as an attempt to distract from his looming impeachment), Trump has rarely been seen in canine company during his time as a political figure. He did have a habit of hosting the winner of each years Westminster Kennel Club dog show at his eponymous skyscraper for publicity, and he has raised money for animal-related charities in the past. But the public record of his life makes clear that Trump is not a dog person. Its an oddity for an American president, with the U.S. Presidential Pet Museum noting that hes the only president since Andrew Johnson to not have any kind of animal companion at all. His late first wife, Ivana Trump, confirmed his distaste for dogs in her memoir Raising Trump, writing that he was not a dog fan and recounting how he omplained constantly about excessive barking from her poodle, Chappy. She revealed that she never really got why he didnt like dogs, writing: How can you not love a dog that acts like hes won the lottery for life just because he sees you walk through the door? At a 2019 campaign rally, Trump attempted to explain away his glaring doglessness after discussing the unbelievable skill with which the German Shepherd can sniff out drugs along the US-Mexico border. You do love your dogs, dont you? he said, adding: I wouldnt mind having one, honestly, but I dont have any time. Continuing, he asked: How would I look walking a dog on the White House lawn? Would that be right? I dont know. Feels a little phony, phony to me. A lot of people say, Oh, you should get a dog, Why? Its good politically. I said, Look, thats not the relationship I have with my people, he said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Saturday he will resign in the coming days after talks on forming a new government failed a second time. The announcement came after the Peoples Party and the Social Democrats continued coalition talks a day after the liberal Neos partys surprise withdrawal from discussions. Unfortunately I have to tell you today that the negotiations have ended and will not be continued by the Peoples Party, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer from the conservative Peoples Party said in a statement on social media. He said that destructive forces in the Social Democratic Party have gained the upper hand and that the Peoples Party will not sign on to a program that is against economic competitiveness. Social democratic leader Andreas Babler said he regretted the decision by the Peoples Party to end the negotiations. This is not a good decision for our country, he said. Mr Babler said that one of the main stumbling blocks had to do with how to repair the record deficit left by the previous government. I have offered to Karl Nehammer and the Peoples Party to continue negotiating and called on them not to get up," he told reporters Saturday evening. The next government in Austria faces the challenge of having to save between 18 to 24 billion euros, according to the EU Commission. In addition, Austria has been in a recession for the past two years, is experiencing rising unemployment and its budget deficit is currently at 3.7 per cent of Gross Domestic Product above the EUs limit of 3 per cent. The talks had dragged on since Austrias president tasked the conservative chancellor in October with putting together a new government. The request came after all other parties refused to work with the leader of the far-right Freedom Party, which in September won a national election for the first time with 29.2 per cent of the vote. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Russian and North Korean forces suffered significant losses in intense fighting in Russias southern Kursk region, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said. Speaking during his nightly video address on Saturday, Mr Zelensky cited reports from top Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, saying battles near the village of Makhnovka, close to the Ukrainian border, resulted in the loss of up to a battalion of Russian paratroopers and North Korean infantry troops. This is significant, Mr Zelensky said, without providing further details. A battalion typically comprises several hundred soldiers. However, the claims could not be independently verified. Ukrainian and Western assessments suggest that around 11,000 North Korean troops are stationed in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have occupied swathes of territory following a mass cross-border incursion in August. Mr Zelensky previously reported heavy North Korean losses in the area and accused Russian forces of failing to adequately protect their North Korean counterparts. He also alleged that North Koreans were being executed by their own commanders to prevent surrender. He said fierce battles along the entire 1,000km front line were ongoing, describing the situation near the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk as particularly difficult. Russian forces continue to expend vast numbers of their own personnel in assaults, he said. A Ukrainian military spokesperson said earlier that Pokrovsk remains the hottest frontline sector. Russian troops have reportedly launched fresh attacks in an effort to bypass the city from the south and sever supply lines to Ukrainian defenders. Pokrovsk, a strategic logistics hub and a key supplier of coking coal for Ukraines steel industry, had a pre-war population of 60,000, of whom around 11,000 remain. Ukraines air defenses intercepted 61 of 103 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack on Sunday. The air force reported that an additional 42 drones were lost due to electronic countermeasures. There were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties. Russian aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia temporarily suspended flights at several airports in central Russia on Sunday morning, citing safety concerns. Operations resumed by midday, but the closures followed recent Ukrainian drone strikes in the region, including a 21 December attack on Kazan. In Ukraines northeastern Sumy region, a Russian guided bomb attack on Saturday injured 10 people, including two children, and caused extensive damage in the village of Svesa. Mr Zelensky shared video footage of rescue operations and described the destruction of an entire block of a residential building. Similar strikes hit the neighboring Kharkiv region, underscoring the ongoing toll of Russias full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022. Both sides have continued to exchange heavy blows as the war grinds into its fourth year. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy By the time February 2025 arrives, marking three years since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the situation on the front line could look very different. Currently, Russian forces are advancing in the east, slowly but surely, and they are shrinking Ukraines partial hold of the border region of Kursk. That the Russians havent been more successful is a testament, above all else, to the resilience of Ukraines troops on the ground, many of whom have been fighting continuously for years. Dysfunction in the Russian military, with Mr Putin as its de facto commander-in-chief, is another. But US president Joe Biden has sent the final military package of his tenure to Ukraine, ending the support (for now) of Kyivs most heavily-armed ally. US president-elect Donald Trump will soon re-enter the White House on the promise of ending the fighting altogether, even if that potentially means rewarding Mr Putin for his illegal land grab. Each inch of territory lost or gained could prove vital in future negotiations. Below, we look at the current flashpoints of the roughly 640-mile front line. Kursk Ukraine captured a chunk of the Russian border region of Kursk after a daring cross-border attack in August. They have held onto some of that territory ever since, though advancing Russian forces are shrinking the Ukrainian-held zone. Senior Ukrainian official Mykhailo Podolyak revealed to The Independent a week after the attack that the assault was a military tool of coercion to force Russia into the negotiation process. Kyiv will hope that what remains of their captured territory in Kursk when Mr Trump returns will prove vital in possible negotiations. Russian forces have recently shifted more towards infantry-led assaults in the area, having tended towards mechanised, vehicle-heavy attacks in their initial attempts to reduce the Ukrainian-controlled territory. Casualties are high. Bolstered by between 10,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops, however, they have continued to squeeze Ukraines perimeter. North Koreas forces, for their part, have already suffered upwards of 1,000 casualties, according to Ukraine, the US and South Korea. Russia has advanced into the northwestern side of Ukraines assault as well as to the southeast of Sudzha, the main city held by Kyivs troops in Kursk, located on the other side of the attack. open image in gallery Medics provide care at a first aid post in Kupyansk ( Getty ) Kupyansk Russian forces are conducting attacks to the north of the city of Kupyansk in the northeast Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, but they have gone months without a major breakthrough. Recently, according to the Centre for Defence Strategies (CDS), a Ukrainian security think tank, the Russians were also forced to retreat from the northeastern outskirts of Kupyansk to fortified positions around the nearby village of Petropavlivka. In a swelling offensive to the south, though, they have captured several villages, the most significant of which is Lozova, made up of around 15 homes. It fell two weeks after the Russians surrounded it on three sides. Chasiv Yar Ukraine and Russia have been fighting in the streets of Chasiv Yar, a city in the Donetsk region, since July, when Kyivs troops withdrew from the eastern Kanal neighbourhood, establishing the waterway there as the new front line. Despite fears, at the time, that this could lead to the fall of the strategically valuable Chasiv Yar, which sits on high ground, Russian forces have yet to stage a significant breakthrough. Viktor Trehubov, a spokesperson for Ukrainian forces fighting in that area, said on 30 December that Russian forces are attempting to attack the Refractory Plant in central Chasiv Yar, a key Ukrainian defensive position in the settlement. He added, however, that Ukrainian forces continue to control the facility. open image in gallery Members of Ukraines Khyzhak Brigade prepare to fire a mortar at Russian troops on a front line near Toretsk ( Reuters ) Toretsk The Russians are pushing through the centre of Toretsk, another city in Donetsk, but have been held by Ukrainian forces for months, some of whom have been defending that area for years. Mr Trehubov stated on 29 December that street fighting continues within Toretsk. He added that lightly armoured Russian forces have been spotted picking up anti-tank mines and then throwing them at buildings in the Toretsk direction. Pokrovsk This appears to be the ultimate objective of the Russian forces advancing in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region. Sitting on logistical routes connecting the rest of the region, Pokrovsk is a linchpin of Donetsks defence. Since the Russian capture of the city of Avdiivka in February, Moscows troops have advanced around 30 miles to the outskirts of Pokrovsk, seizing around 400 square miles of the region in the process. That advance looks like a swollen bulge protruding from the front line. Their success in the direction of Pokrovsk is clear as the Russian forces push towards the western outskirts of the city. Like in Kursk, they appear to have shifted towards small, infantry-led assaults after months of costly mechanised attacks. Ukraine estimates Russian vehicle losses in that area alone to be upwards of 2,000 in recent months, which includes tanks and armoured personnel carriers. The situation of Ukrainian Defense Forces continues to deteriorate, writes CDS. The enemy is gradually expanding its penetration south of Pokrovsk. open image in gallery Ukrainian soldiers of Skala Battalion load anti-tank mines into an armoured vehicle near Pokrovsk ( AP ) Senior Ukrainian officers have blamed the disastrous defence of the Pokrovsk area partially on poor management and communication between generals and those fighting on the ground. Kyiv hopes to fix this issue in 2025, having appointed a new land forces commander. In his latest update, Ukraines military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi described the fighting in Pokrovsk as the hottest of the roughly 640-mile front line. Russia is suffering high casualties, he added, as it carries out continuous meaty assaults. Kurakhove Roughly 15 miles southwest of Pokrovsk lies Kurakhove. It sits in the bottom left-hand corner of Russias bulging attack towards Pokrovsk. Russian forces have had success in this area, pushing along the northern outskirts of Kurakhove along the Vovcha reservoir. They have reached the outskirts of the village of Shevchenko beyond the reservoir and behind Kurakhove, according to DeepState, a Ukrainian war tracker with close ties to the military. Some of Ukraines troops, meanwhile, have retreated several miles back from Kurakhove, around Shevchenko, to defend the advancing Russian forces. Fighting within Kurakhove, however, is ongoing. Velyka Novosilka After the capture of the town of Vuhledar in October, Russian forces have advanced around 18 miles towards Velyka Novosilka, a town that sits near the Donetsk border with the Zaporizhzhia region. The town has served as a key assembly area for both offensive and defensive operations in the area, says Frontelligence Insight, a Ukrainian war tracker. It is also a key route linking towns further east to the rest of unoccupied Ukraine. Its capture could afford Russia multiple options for further advances, the group adds. Velyka Novosilka is almost surrounded on three sides by Russian forces. The main thrust of recent Russian attacks has been on Velyka Novosilkas western flank, but Moscows troops have also pushed towards the town of Novyi Komar to the east, as well as from the south. A representative of a Ukrainian brigade operating near Velyka Novosilka said that Russian forces are attempting to bypass and seize Velyka Novosilka to reach the junction of the three regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Dnipropetrovsk. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hamas has approved the release of 34 hostages it says were suggested by the Israeli government as part of a potential ceasefire agreement, an unnamed official with the militant group told the Reuters news agency. Its unclear which hostages were on the list, or whether they were living or dead. Israel said it had not received any list of potential hostages for exchange from Hamas. Contrary to what was claimed, Hamas has yet to provide a list of hostages, the Prime Ministers Office told CNN. Further hostage and prisoner exchanges have eluded both sides, as negotiations in Doha for a wider ceasefire remained stalled with little progress. Meanwhile, both Israel and Hamas have ratcheted up pressure on each other in the final weeks before Donald Trumps January 20 inauguration in the U.S. is expected to change the strategic calculus around the war and introduce further uncertainty. open image in gallery Israeli families are pushing Netanyahu administration to reach a hostage deal ( AFP/Getty ) Israeli strikes killed 14 people across three attacks on Gaza on Sunday, bringing the weekend death toll to 102, according to Palestinian medics. The attacks this weekend took place in the Nuseirat camp, Jabalia, Khan Younis, and Gaza City. At least 45,805 people in Gaza have died in the fighting, according to the Gazan health ministry. Over the weekend, Hamas released a video showing hostage Liri Albag, 19, one of the roughly 250 Israelis kidnapped during the militant groups October 7, 2023, cross-border attack. The video of Albag, who was taken from Nachal Oz military base, dismayed her family, who called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the release of all the hostages, some of whom are believed to already be dead. open image in gallery War in Gaza has killed over 45,000 people, as winter cold puts further strain on food-deprived civilians ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) This is not the daughter and sister we know, Albags family said in a statement. She is not well her severe psychological distress is evident. You must not miss this current opportunity to bring them back, the family added. All of them. In addition to the hostages remaining in the territory, the civilians of Gaza, already facing famine-like conditions and mass internal displacement, have also been battered with flooding, rains, and bitter cold, conditions putting children at high risk of injury and death. It is so cold now in winter that ... there have been three newborn deaths just in the last week because of the tents and the lack of foods available for them unfortunately, Dr. Mimi Sayed, an American emergency physician volunteering at the Al-Aqsa hospital, told NBC News this week. The Biden administration notified Congress this week its planning a new $8 billion arms package for Israel. The conflict, now over a year old, has been deemed a genocide by international observers including Amnesty International. Virginia state officials have declared a state of emergency and local leaders across Central Virginia are preparing to keep roads and runways clear ahead of the snowstorm rolling in Sunday night. The advice from all sides is to settle in comfortably at home so the professionals can get their work done safely. The Charlottesville-area forecast calls for the storm to roll in Sunday night and stay through Monday morning, dropping 3 to 6 inches of snow, topped by a tenth of an inch of ice, before ending in rain, freezing rain and sleet Monday afternoon. The worst will be gone by noon Monday, Travis Koshko, chief meteorologist at CBS19, told The Daily Progress. The roads are certainly going to be tricky Monday. Koshko called the incoming inclement weather an old-fashioned snowstorm with some ice on top. He said that snow is expected to start at about 8 or 9 p.m. Sunday and last until sunrise Monday, changing to an icy mix early Monday morning. Little or no additional accumulation is expected from Monday afternoons precipitation, he said. Its been some time since the Charlottesville area has seen a snowstorm of this size. Last winter, the largest storm brought roughly 3 inches to the region. The winter before that, there was less than an inch of snow in Charlottesville for the first time in recorded history. This winter looks to be snowier: Already, on Friday, a snow squall briefly dropped a few flurries on the city. Whatever the storm clouds bring, the local crews who clear the mess are ready for action this weekend. We are brining starting Saturday morning, Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Sharon Ketcham told The Daily Progress. She said that VDOTs road crews, which take care of local roads in Albemarle, Culpeper, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Madison counties, also have chemicals standing by in case freezing rain enters the weekend picture. Ketcham said that the best way people can help is to make sure emergency kits for their vehicles are complete, finalize safety preparations at home and plan to stay there until the storm is over. She recommended visiting vdot.virginia.gov for tips on what to include in an emergency kit, items such as cellphone chargers, blankets, jumper cables, water and shelf-stable foods. Those who must travel, Ketcham says, should buckle up, honor speed limits, allow plenty of distance between vehicles and be sure to have refreshed supplies in their emergency kit. The safest place is inside, Ketcham said. Those who do venture out, she said, should be sure to stay informed on the weather forecasts and pay close attention to the drivers sharing the road with you. Jonathan Dean, public service manager with Charlottesvilles Public Works Department, told The Daily Progress that the citys snow crew includes about 70 people from Public Works and other departments who are preparing for different weather scenarios. We could start pretreating as early as Saturday night, Dean said. The start time for the precipitation is sort of up in the air. Depending on the forecast, you generally start 12 to 24 hours ahead of the storm. In addition to staying on top of forecasts, Charlottesvilles snow team is prepping its fleet of 29 designated plow trucks, which includes 14 larger vehicles and a host of pickup trucks and other vehicles retrofitted with equipment to clear roadways. Dean said that city residents can make the crews job easier by driving thoughtfully on Sunday and staying home once they get there. If you dont have to go out, stay in. It makes our jobs easier and safer, Dean said. Minimize your travel if you do have to go out. Dont drive like its a regular sunny day out there. The city also has canceled Saturdays planned leaf drop-off in anticipation of precipitation and to keep city workers free to respond to it. At Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, three teams will stay busy around the clock keeping runways and taxi areas clear; maintaining safe sidewalks, steps and grounds; and making sure the terminal area stays safe from slip-and-fall hazards from precipitation tracked indoors. Airport spokeswoman Stewart Key told The Daily Progress that team members have been training since October, familiarizing themselves with the equipment again after warmer seasons away. We brine early, usually, she said. We plan as efficiently as we can. CHOs snow desk keeps everyone organized, keeping rotations running smoothly and making sure crew members get the food, breaks and sleep they need. They all know what to do, Key said. Any decisions about flight delays and cancellations will be made by CHOs three airlines, American, Delta and United, as flight conditions warrant, and not by the airport itself. As an airport authority, we manage the grounds and facilities for the airport, Key said. We cant make any of these decisions; we wait to hear from them. Key recommends downloading an air carriers app well before leaving home to stay informed about delays and other developments and avoid some travel stresses. That way, theres no need to juggle emails and paperwork. If you have your airline app downloaded, they will let you know, Key said. Even if there isnt bad weather, its all there in the app. If any flights end up being delayed, CHOs terminal team will be working through the storm to make sure any passengers are cared for, Key said. Travelers also can stay up to date by checking gocho.com. Koshko said that, judging by the feedback he has received, a lot of people are ready for a snow, likely in part because students in several public school divisions in the area already have Monday off for a teacher workday. Charlottesville City Schools and those in Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Nelson and Orange counties will be closed Monday as scheduled. Nelson County schools already are scheduled to reopen Wednesday after the divisions winter break. In Louisa County, where a local state of emergency has been declared, schools also will resume classes on Wednesday, observing Monday and Tuesday as teacher workdays. However, this schedule change was made to accommodate Tuesdays special election for the vacated Senate District 10 seat and not the storm. Large parts of the UK are facing heavy snow and freezing rain, which is likely to cause disruption, after two amber weather warnings came into force. Runways at Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon airports were temporarily closed on Sunday (5 January) due to heavy snowfall, causing flight delays. Overnight, heavy snow covered north Wales, the north Midlands and stretching across all of Northern England. The coldest temperature was recorded in Loch Glascarnoch in Scotland at -11C. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a Cold-Health Alert (CHA), warning of an increase in risk to health. Technology The tech monitors self-service checkouts, with the company working with large grocery chains across the world. Photo: Stock image/Getty Everseen, the Cork-based tech firm helping retailers use AI to identify theft, has cut losses by almost 10m after a large surge in sales. Founded in 2007 by entrepreneur Alan OHerlihy, Everseen develops video-camera technology that uses artificial intelligence for bricks-and-mortar retailers. The company works with large grocery chains across the world, including 11 of the top 20 global retailers. Its technology also uses AI to improve efficiencies at self-service checkouts, such as spotting issues like items not scanning and potential theft. In its results for 2023, Everseen recorded sales of over 37m, a significant jump of 10.1m on the previous year. Helped by the surge, Everseens loss before tax was 17.3m last year, down by 9.6m. In the directors report, Everseen said it had gone through a significant growth phase in recent years. In 2023, Everseen closed a 65m Series A funding round led by Crosspoint Capital Partners The group has expanded its customer base in both its primary markets but also geographically into new regions and customers, the directors wrote. The group has also evolved its investor and financing base and has benefited from its relationship with Crosspoint Partners. They plan for revenue to increase across new markets and geographies and also to bring new technology offerings to the market as it continues to grow. The business seeks to continue to be a world leader in the application of computer vision and artificial intelligence to retail businesses with further potential outside of retail. In 2023, Everseen closed a 65m Series A funding round led by Crosspoint Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Boston that focuses on cybersecurity, privacy and infrastructure software. In the summer of 2021, Crosspoint invested an undisclosed amount in the Cork start-up to support the expansion of its technology. An analysis of Everseens turnover showed how significant international markets are for the Cork-based company. The rest of the world accounted for 36.79m, over 99pc of total revenue Ireland only accounted for 33,500 in sales in 2023, while the rest of Europe was worth 224,200. The rest of the world accounted for 36.79m, over 99pc of total revenue. Sales in the rest of the world were 26.75m in 2022, highlighting Everseens development into new markets. The average monthly number of Everseen employees fell in 2023, from 1,148 in 2022 to 1,059. Staff numbers in R&D and analysts fell in the year. Last year, Everseens tech was used in over 8,000 stores, by global clients such as Kroger, Meijer, and Woolworths. The new Irish government will come into office just as Donald Trump returns to the White House. A lot of people including many in the world of business are worried about the second Trump term, but I am not pessimistic. We know from the last time Trump was president that he doesnt follow through on many of the crazy, and frequently deeply unpleasant things he says. Kerry community to the rescue of visitors stranded in the snow They rallied around us It had been a wonderful weekend away in Dingle for Sophie OKeeffe and her friends but their weekend break was to turn into a somewhat of a nightmare after extremely heavy snowfall halted their journey home and left them completely stranded in a village in Kerry they had never even heard of. Sophie had travelled with six friends to Dingle in two cars and on Sunday morning last, January 5, there was absolutely no snow in West Kerry as they set off home for East Cork. We had been celebrating a friends birthday. We were aware of the weather but all around was fine there was no snow and we had checked with family at home and it was fine so we set off, Sophie told The Kerryman. But about 30 minutes into the journey the situation changed drastically and it started snowing heavily so much so they could barely see the roads. They ended up taking a detour through Firies village after missing their turn-off a place they had never even heard of but it was soon to become a place they will never forget. "We shouted out the window to people who were standing outside the pub asking for directions, said Sophie. Minutes later they were forced to abandon the car outside the village in heavy snow. They knew it was no longer safe to continue. "The wheels couldn't get traction and other cars were abandoned around us. We pulled in off the road. "We knew we had to go back, to the village, it was snowing heavily, and the service was intermittent. We didn't even know where we were, explained Sophie. So the four girls trekked back to Fires and the pub they had previously passed Butlers to seek help When we got there the snow was up to our shins, recalls Sophie. She said they were in a bit of panic and worried but trying to stay calm and just get help they needed. They certainly got that help and much more as the community in Firies rallied around the girls following their ordeal and welcomed them for the night. "We knew the pub was open as we had passed it but the shop and cafe were closed so we hoped they could find us a B&B. The people behind the bar were the people we had shouted out to before and they remembered us. And the community got into action went above and beyond to ensure the safety of the girls from Ballycotton and Garryvoe. With little accommodation anywhere in the vicinity of the village local couple Michelle and Brian who own Central Stay Airbnb, which was closed for the winter, re-opened their accommodation when they heard of the girl's plight. They got it ready and warm while the girls were given warm drinks in Butlers bar. And in another kind gesture Brian and Michelles children made cream cakes for the four lost Cork girls. "They were just so welcoming, it was so lovely and cosy and in a gesture that melted our heart the kids had made cream cakes, we were nearly in tears, said Sophie. Michelles mother also made scones too so the girls were well looked after during their unplanned stay in the village which they will forever remember. Sophie said they never imagined they would end up in the situation like this when they left for Dingle but they are eternally grateful they found themselves in Firies where the community helped them so much. "We never thought we would get stuck and we did have an hour of stress but once we spoke to the locals in Butlers we knew we would be safe," The girls stayed in the Airbnb overnight and were even given breakfast in Michelles home and some-one also towed their car up to their accommodation and thankfully conditions improved enough to get out the next morning. "If we hadnt left then we would have been there for the week. "We are so grateful to everyone we met and who helped us. You wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world when something like this happens, the Irish hospitality kicked in, said Sophie thanking everyone who helped them especially Butlers Pub and Michelle and Brian. "It is a story we will tell for years to come. Stephen Fernane A business partner of Conor McGregor has claimed CCTV footage from his civil case will be released this month that will change the publics view on the MMA fighter after a civil jury verdict from last November found McGregor had assaulted Nikita Hand. How one phone unlocked secret Irish network of young, aspiring graduates acting as money mules for global Black Axe crime gang Leading detective warns against allowing accounts to be used by scammers: You will be caught Explainer: Who are the Black Axe gang? Maeve Sheehan Sun 5 Jan 2025 at 03:30 In May 2020, detectives armed with a warrant arrived at an apartment in north Dublin in search of a mobile phone. As demand for doctors increases with population growth, new figures lay bare extend of general practice exodus The lack of GPs is particularly acute in rural areas. Picture: Getty Up to 30pc of newly trained GPs in Ireland emigrate to Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the UK annually, according to a new study. General practice is described as the cornerstone of primary care in the first study of its kind to examine the overall stock of Irish-trained doctors working in general practice in the four main key destination countries for GP emigration, along with the numbers emigrating annually. Ireland is experiencing a general practitioner workforce crisis, facing an ageing workforce, a growing population with increased life expectancy, and increased complexity of patients, medical researchers warned. Their research discovered how GP emigration is adding to the shortage of family doctors in Ireland. While the Irish College of GPs says there are currently 4,370 GPs working in practice in Ireland, the new study found a significant stock of Irish-trained GPs abroad with 1,077 Irish-trained doctors registered as GPs in the United Kingdom and Australia and New Zealand. The authors, which include Dr Holly Rose Hanlon, researcher with the GP Retention (GP-R) project at the RCSI, found the outward migration of GPs trained in Ireland can appear relatively small as stand-alone figures but are more noteworthy when examined alongside the overall number of GPs trained in Ireland annually. GP emigration from Ireland to Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada from 20122021 was determined by examining medical registration and immigration or visa data to gauge the total number of GPs registered in a country in a given year, along with the number of GPs entering a country in a single year. Between 2021 and 2022, they found 42 Irish-trained or Irish citizen GPs emigrated to Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the UK in the same year, 144 GPs completed training in Ireland. There are 704 Irish-trained GPs currently in the UK This level of GP emigration relative to the level of GP training is significant, as it indicates that 30pc fewer GPs than expected entered the Irish healthcare system in that year, the researchers said, adding: The net increase to the stock of GPs in Ireland based on the number of new trainees was 30pc lower than expected, as it was offset by the emigration of 42 GPs in the same period. Between 2022 and 2023, 33 GPs emigrated to Australia, Canada or the UK while data from New Zealand is not available. In the same period, the researchers said 182 GPs completed training in Ireland, representing 18pc fewer GPs in the Irish system than expected for that year. The medical researchers found there are 704 Irish-trained GPs registered with the General Medical Council in the UK, although it decreased from 990 in 2012. The lack of GPs is particularly acute in rural areas. Picture: Getty The authors speculate that this may relate to historical patterns of migration between the UK and Ireland and the recent reduction in numbers may indicate an Irish-trained GP workforce now reaching retirement age. There are 313 Irish-trained doctors registered as GPs in Australia, although the numbers emigrating every year have fallen since 2019 thought to be due to increased availability of GP work in Ireland and a period of increased investment in general practice in Ireland. Meanwhile, Canadian data shows 120 Irish-trained doctors obtained working visas between 2012 to 2023 from as low as five per year to a high of 21 in a 12-month period although there was no data available for the overall stock of Irish-trained GPs. In a pre-budget submission last year, the Irish College of GPs described the scale of the GP shortage crisis in Ireland. With the population now at over 5.1 million (an increase of 7.6pc since 2016), and with people living longer, they pointed out there had not been a similar increase in the GP workforce to deal with the increasing challenges. They said nearly a quarter of the countrys GPs are aged over 60 and are due to retire within 10 years. They submission added that 14pc were aged over 65 years and are therefore due to retire within five years. In the new study, published in the BMC Health Services Research journal, the researchers said: The GP workforce crisis poses a significant risk to the Irish population in terms of their access to healthcare. They said the GP workforce crisis is particularly severe in rural Ireland, where retiring GPs are struggling to recruit replacements, and practising GPs are unable to find locum cover to enable them to take annual leave or sick leave. Irelands GP workforce crisis has also been shaped by the austerity policies and health budget cuts which followed the 2008/2009 economic crash, the authors said. The data presented in this paper illustrates only part of the picture of GP emigration They stressed that the crisis also threatens Irelands aim to transform into a primary-care-centred system of universal healthcare with the proposed Slaintecare reforms which will rely on a strong GP workforce. It has been recognised that the GP workforce needs to be expanded. Although GP training places have been increased and the GP retirement age extended, to strengthen the GP workforce, and adapt to the increased demands on primary care, Ireland must also improve GP retention. They added: This requires a better understanding of the underlying causes of the GP workforce crisis in Ireland, and how the crisis is playing out, via emigration, early retirement, attrition and less than full-time working. The data presented in this paper illustrates only part of the picture of GP emigration from Ireland, and highlights the need for better data collection at the point of exit, rather than relying on data from the destination countries. Its a lousy thing to do, say crime victims. But I feel sad for them karma is real Burglars who stole Christmas presents from under the tree of a Co Wicklow home will suffer karma, while the affected families have been left overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from their local community. On December 20, burglars entered the home of Dominique Van Oosten and Fiona McMurray in Bray, Co Wicklow. The South African women and close friends share a home together in the seaside town alongside their two daughters, who are both young adults. When they were all out on December 20, burglars entered their home and helped themselves to wrapped Christmas presents under the tree. The opportunistic thieves did not steal anything else from the house. The women believe that, as neither of their cars were in the driveway, the burglars spotted the gifts visible from the window. They gained entry to the house through the side gate and then the back door, which was unlocked. To whoever you are, I am so sorry that you felt the need to do this Among the gifts stolen was a childs Minecraft watch, a perfume for an elderly relative that is no longer being produced and a number of specially selected gifts purchased by both women on a recent trip to Rotterdam. The monetary value of the gifts amounted to around 400, the women explained, but it wasnt about the money. Most of these gifts were irreplaceable. Its not about the cost, it was really a shock that a person or persons would come in and steal presents from under our Christmas tree. "To whoever you are, I am so sorry that you felt the need to do this please know that karma is a real thing, Ms Van Oosten said. In the aftermath, friends and neighbours of the two women rallied around them to offer support. The positives have been phenomenal. The empathy and community spirit here in Bray and even further has just been unbelievable and we really appreciate it, Ms McMurray added. A woman who lives in Blackrock had a spare bottle of the perfume that was stolen from me it belonged to her own late mother and she dropped it out to us. It has blown us away how kind people can be. It has been a bit triggering for our daughters Other neighbours and friends dropped in packages of Christmas treats and gifts. The mothers said their two daughters have been affected by the invasion of their home, with neither wanting to stay alone in their Bray home at the moment. It is difficult, when someone comes into your own space. We come from South Africa, which is a far more dangerous country than Ireland, so it has been a bit triggering for our daughters. But they will be all right. "We are putting better security measures in place now, including cameras. Our message to people is that you can never be too aware of security in your home because burglars can be very opportunistic. We love the community here in Bray and feel very much a part of it, now more than ever. We would like to thank everyone for their kindness. Our Christmas was not ruined and no one was hurt, Ms Van Oosten added. Asked about their feelings towards the thieves, both the women said they feel sorry for them. What they did, it feels mean. Its a lousy thing to do. But I do feel sad for them too. It wont sit comfortably with them. Karma is real. A new book lifts the lid on the Irish in Paris and the contributions they made to life in the French capital Dancers of the Bluebell Girls dance troupe (Maureen, Christine, Darna, Bobby, Colleen, and Kay) high-kicking under instruction from choreographer Margaret Kelly, founder of the dance troupe, during rehearsals in London, England, 5th February 1966. The trou The Bluebell Girls dance troupe take instruction from choreographer Margaret Kelly, founder of the dance troupe, during rehearsals in London in 1966. Photo: Getty What is it they say about Paris city of dreams, city of lights, city of love? It has been all these things and more to the hordes of Irish, soldiers, nobles, priests, writers and vagabonds who came and went over the centuries. Like moths to the light, they were attracted by the citys riches as well as its glamour, royalty and squalor. For many, Paris was also a city of broken dreams, especially for the conspirators who were attracted to the city because the authorities harboured the same anti-British sentiments and tolerated their plotting for Irish freedom from afar. Now a Paris-based writer, Isadore Ryan, has chronicled the stories of Irish people who left their mark on the city, from the fleeting visit of bank robber Chicago May Duignan from Longford, to the writer Samuel Beckett, who lived the better half of his life in the city, to Margaret Kelly, the famous founder of the Bluebell Girls dance troupe. The Irish have kept coming to Paris for reasons other than tourism. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, a steady trickle of colourful figures continued to be drawn to the French capital, some to plot the road to Irish independence, others to soak up the citys brilliance, Ryan writes in his new book Irish Paris. He is not sparing in his opinions either. Is it not strange that two of the most fervent (and least likeable) Irish republicans were not Irish at all, he says, introducing Maude Gonne, who was born in Aldershot, England, and her son Sean MacBride, who was born in Paris and baptised Jean Seagan. Ryans book on the Irish who passed through Paris or made the city their home is littered with glorious details such as those about Richard Cantillon, who was acquitted of plotting to assassinate the Duke of Wellington, and was rewarded with a legacy of 10,000 francs in the will of Napoleon Bonaparte. Then there is John Leonard, from Spike Island in Cork harbour, who arrived in Paris in 1829 to study French for a year and died there 55 years later a long-time stalwart of Irish nationalism, cropping up at almost every manifestation of it during his long exile in the French capital. But like a good Corkman, his remains were buried back home when he died. The Bluebell Girls dance troupe take instruction from choreographer Margaret Kelly, founder of the dance troupe, during rehearsals in London in 1966. Photo: Getty Another Paris-based Irish revolutionary, Frank Byrne, a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), was implicated in the notorious Phoenix Park murders of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Thomas Henry Burke by the Invincibles. Despite the best efforts of the British authorities to get their hands on him, Byrne eventually made it to the USA where he was reduced to selling cigars to earn a living until his death in Rhode Island. But while many of the Irish who made Paris their home were welcome in the city, the same could not be said of the more than 1,000 soldiers and their camp followers who arrived in the city as part of the so-called Wild Geese. They were described at the time as people expert at begging and light-fingered and good at making children and from their entourage has Paris been overrun. Settling around the Pont Neuf, they became such a problem that attempts were made to round them up and either send them to America or back to Britain and Ireland. What exactly happened remains lost in the mists of time, but there is a belief that two boats eventually landed them back in Waterford. A happier story was that of Margaret Kelly, nicknamed Bluebell by a Dublin doctor when she was born. She married a Jewish musician who led the house orchestra in the famous Folies Bergere and carved out an important role in the citys cabaret scene. Interned by the Nazis because she was a British passport-holder, she was released when Count Gerald Edward OKelly de Gallagh et Tycooly, aka Gerald OKelly, convinced the authorities that she was Irish and therefore from a neutral county. Although questioned by the Gestapo about her Jewish husband she survived the ordeal without giving him away. When she died in August 2004, she was buried beneath an impressive tomb in Montmartre cemetery, but a bronze bust placed on her headstone was stolen four years later. Among the more disreputable Parisian residents were Irish soldiers who fought with French armies and as such were given refuge in the famous Les Invalides, which is a famous city landmark, but was then a home for old soldiers. Bernard Reilly, from Drogheda, and Philip Reddan, from Limerick, were shown the door for being much given to wine and for being seditious and incorrigible. There is also the curious tale of Chevalier James FX Whyte, born in Dublin, whose claim to fame is that he was one of those liberated from the Bastille at the start of the French Revolution on July 14, 1789. Paraded through Paris as a hero, to celebrate the event, it soon transpired that he was a certified lunatic and was locked up a few days later in an asylum where he spent the rest of his life. Dublin born William Gibson, the second Baron Ashbourne, is probably better known as the brother of Violet Gibson, the woman who shot Mussolini (although, a little like the more recent event with Donald Trump, she only wounded him slightly.) Lord Ashbourne was a fervent Irish cultural revivalist who spoke Irish, wore a kilt and converted to Catholicism. He fled his imposing Paris residence to avoid the invading German army and died in 1942 and is buried beneath an impressive Celtic Cross in the hamlet of Chevincourt. Of the many Irish painters who visited France and Paris, Roderic OConnor, from Co Roscommon, had the longest association with the city, where he was part of an artistic circle that included Paul Gauguin. He lived in Montparnasse, an area then described as a dingy suburb enlivened by English and American painters. OConnor died at his home in the Loire Valley in March, 1940. Among the artistic set, Eileen Gray is among those celebrated today, but during her lifetime she was unknown in Ireland, even though she was born in Enniscorthy. After the war, Eileen Gray lived relatively secluded and forgotten in her Rue Bonaparte flat, until her death in 1976, writes Ryan. Although her ashes were placed in Pere Lachaise cemetery (where Oscar Wilde is buried), nobody renewed the lease on niche 17616 and the authorities took back control of it in 1998 and her last mortal remains were lost forever. Her much sought after furniture lives on in museums in France and elsewhere. Irelands main diplomat to France after the establishment of the Free State was the aforementioned OKelly, from Portumna, Co Galway. Although purged by De Valera, he continued to represent Irish interests during the German occupation from his wine business in the Place Vendome and was supposedly instrumental in securing a tea supply for Ireland during the war. The current Irish embassy, beloved of taoiseach Charles Haughey, on the Avenue Foch, was acquired in 1954 and is one of the most impressive embassies in the city. We also learn that Paul Leon, James Joyces literary factotum rescued most of the authors papers in 1940/41 after he and his wife Nora fled their apartment in Rue des Vignes. Leon was arrested in 1941 and died in Auschwitz the following year. Most of the papers he saved are now in the National Library of Ireland. Author Samuel Beckett in Paris in April 1984. Photo: Ulf Andersen/Getty Samuel Beckett, who kept an apartment on Boulevard Saint-Jacques with his wife Suzanne Dechevaux-Dumesnil, insisted on having two entrances, so that he could bring in his lovers without disturbing her. In the early 1960s with friends Peter Lennon, John Montague, and others, he was a regular at the Falstaff, the Rosebud and other drinking dens, like the Petit Cafe at the PLM Hotel. Beckett also bailed out Brendan Behan after he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and was alleged to have painted a sign for a cafe in the Latin Quarter which read the best f**king bar in Paris. These are just some of the cast of characters who passed through Paris, some left their mark while others are only half-remembered until their deeds and misdeeds were chronicled in this new book. Irish Paris is the result of four years in libraries and archives says Ryan, starting with Saint Fiacre in the seventh century and ending with John McGahern and Michael Farrell. Irish Paris: Stories of Famous and Infamous Irish people in Paris through the centuries, by Isadore Ryan, is available on Amazon and from Dublin bookshops Alan Hannas and Hodges Figgis One of the takeaways from the recent general election was that the so-called far right failed to make any significant electoral inroads, leaving Ireland in a unique position in Europe in having no party with representation that is expressly hostile to immigration. New Fianna Fail Deputy Michael Cahill is calling for the roll out of medical services in the county similar to the Manor Medical Centre in Tralee. Deputy Cahill said reports from constituents in Tralee stated that Manor Medical Centre has low waiting times, excellent health outcomes, and good accessibility. Deputy Cahill now wants a similar model put in place for the rest of the county. He believes that duplicating this medical service in other towns would benefit patients and decrease pressure in certain sectors of the health system. I have received reports of patients receiving excellent health care in a time efficient manner at the Manor Medical Centre over Christmas and New Year, he said. Deputy Cahill stated this service took place at a time when not all medical practices are open and visits to Accident & Emergency could take up to 48 hours, or longer. He stressed that if this medical model is working well, there should be no reason why centres in Listowel, Kenmare, Cahersiveen, Dingle and Killarney could not be established. "We are all aware that the rise in respiratory illnesses has put huge additional pressures on the emergency departments at University Hospital Kerry, he said. I am aware of a number of cases whereby individuals living half an hour from Tralee went to Manor Medical Centre, were seen by a doctor, received their prescription, went to a pharmacy and got their prescription and were back home within an hour and a half from the time they left the family home" said Deputy Cahill. Best practice models should be duplicated where possible in order to deliver the best possible outcomes for our sick and vulnerable. Your health is your wealth, he added. Deputy Cahill said once the Dail resumes later this month, he will be prioritising University Hospital Kerry, a Minor Injuries Clinic for Killarney, a Primary Care Centre for both Cahersiveen and Killarney, including other issues. The Enniscorthy Lions branch did their best to give back this Christmas by raising 855 for St Vincent De Paul Enniscorthy. St Vincent De Paul is Irelands largest charitable organisation that actively supports individuals facing poverty and disadvantage. Each year, they hold a Christmas appeal to help support families struggling during the festive season. To support this cause, members of the Enniscorthy Lions club braved the chilly weather on Saturday, December 14 to collect funds. As a result, they were able to present a cheque for 855 just in time for Christmas. "Thank you to the generous community who donated to our appeal. Its great to know that whatever is raised locally is being used locally, they said. The Enniscorthy branch of the club was established in 1985 and made history in October of this year by electing its first non-national president in the history of the club. Olga Bodnaruk, a Ukrainian national, was elected by a unanimous decision following a nomination by outgoing president Eric Barron. Olga has a long history with the organisation, having been involved in a number of social activities and fundraisers for those affected by the war in Ukraine. In a brief address on the night, she said her priorities going forward included increasing membership of the club and making it more inclusive for minority groups. Our beauty expert brings you the lowdown from the French Alps on the latest creams, dental products, make-up and masks Bonjour from the French Alps, where a big gang of us from Schull go every year. Its so much fun for my children, Maxi and Mini, as their cousins and friends all go to ski school together. We all need a bit of post-Christmas cheer, right? Needless to say, Im broke, which is typical when so many amazing new products have launched for 2025. Here are some that caught my eye. Caudalie Premier Cru La Creme, 98, caudalie.com To help combat the Christmas excesses, try Caudalie Premier Cru La Creme (98, caudelie.com). The French skincare brands cream contains tightening sugars for an immediate natural tightening effect, which is visible after three minutes and lasts for up to six hours. I swear I havent considered rubbing it to my tummy and thighs! Anyhoo, it corrects signs of ageing deep wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots and adds firmness, volume, elasticity, hydration and radiance. Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream, 19, boots.ie Im currently protecting my skin with Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream (19, boots.ie) a lightweight and moisturising vegan sunscreen that protects, soothes and hydrates skin without any white cast or greasiness. It contains heartleaf extract, which is well known for its anti-inflammatory, soothing effect on skin. A great newbie Ill definitely be repurchasing. Burst Nova Sonic Toothbrush, 12.99, hickeyspharmacies.ie If youve vowed to upgrade your dental routine in 2025, check out Burst Oral Care. The brand arrived with a bang last year garnering loads of attention online due to its superb oral care innovation. I am a fan of the Burst Nova Sonic Toothbrush (12.99, hickeyspharmacies.ie), which will be available later this month. It features super-soft tapered bristles to whiten teeth and reduce gum bleeding and has a four-week battery life that delivers an incredible clean. Benefit Mighty Fine Brow Pen, 24.45, lookfantastic.ie When it comes to brows, most of us could do with a little help. Benefit is the go-to brand for me usually, so I was delighted to see the newly-launched Benefit Mighty Fine Brow Pen (24.45, lookfantastic.ie) a fine-tip brown pen with a long-lasting formula that ensures a smooth, even pigment flow for colour that lasts for 24 hours. Im happy to report, it does exactly what it promises. Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask, 20.50, boots.ie Korean beauty brands are the darling of TikTok and one of the really exciting ones to arrive here is Beauty of Joseon. For the perfect mask to give your skin a New Year pep, try Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask (20.50, boots.ie). It combines makgeolli lees (a byproduct of traditional Korean rice wine) with natural rice hull powder and honey to deeply hydrate, refine skin texture and calm inflammatory skin conditions like acne. With all of these great products on board, youll definitely be a new you this month. Save on beauty products by availing of the refill option Trick Reap the rewards of refills Did you know that the cost of packaging a product impacts the price? Thats why refillable products are a great option if you want to save money. Product refills are often much cheaper since theyre made with less packaging, so keep an eye out for them during Broke January. From make-up and moisturisers, youll be surprised at how many products are refillable. Tom Ford Bois Pacifique, 126 for 50ml, brownthomas.com Treat Tom Ford Bois Pacifique, 126 for 50ml, brownthomas.com New year, new fragrance? This brand new one from Tom Ford has signature wood notes of sandalwood, cedar and oakwood and is designed in golden amber to look like the suns warming rays. Youll detect the fresh, aromatic spice note of turmeric over a woody-spicy blend that instantly conjures sensuality, vitality and endless freedom. Biologique Recherche personalised bespoke facial, 185, beautyone.ie Treatment Biologique Recherche personalised bespoke facial, 185, beautyone.ie Biologique facials are known to marry a holistic therapeutic facial massage with advanced skincare science. In the new Dublin 4 Beauty One, they are used to treating various skin concerns and tailoring to your skin condition using a range of products with high concentrations of botanical and marine extracts. Triona McCarthy gives her top tips for a fresh visage from the French Alps Trionas skincare saviours Colin Farrell accepts the award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy award for "The Banshees of Inisherin" at the 2023 Golden Globes. Photo: Getty Irish actors Colin Farrell and Andrew Scott will go head to head tonight at the Golden Globe Awards, where they are both nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television. Farrell is up for his role in The Penguin and Scott for his role in Ripley, and the two Dubliners are expected to be in attendance tonight at the ceremony in Beverly Hills, California. Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley in 'Ripley'. Photo: Netflix The Golden Globes will return on Sunday with major star appeal thanks to a slew of big name nominees, including Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig, Denzel Washington, Ariana Grande and more. Nominations for the 82nd awards ceremony were announced last month. The show will be televised by CBS and streamed on Paramount+ beginning at 8pm Eastern Time (1am Irish time) on Sunday. The ceremony airs on CBS in the US and will be livestreamed internationally on Paramount +. Irish viewers without this service will have to wait until RTE airs highlights on Monday evening. Here are key things to know about the ceremony: Comedian and actor Nikki Glaser was chosen to host next years ceremony. Glaser has made a name for herself as a riotously sharp wit, especially at roasts, including recently for Tom Brady, who she needled for his complex love life and his one-time advocacy of crypto. She earned an Emmy nomination for her latest special, Someday Youll Die for HBO, which dealt with everything from offering to pay for her friends abortions to her darkest porn habits. Glaser cited Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Ricky Gervais as inspirations. Shell follow last years host Jo Koy, who was slammed by critics for a fumbled opening monologue and a rushed pace throughout. Glaser began her roasting at the red carpet rollout on Thursday, taking aim at the Globes broadcaster: Were on CBS, which has a show called 60 Minutes, because thats the remaining lifespan of many of its viewers. But she said that while shed push the boundaries a little bit, she didnt aim to offend: I dont want to ruin anyones evening at home or in the audience. Jacques Audiards audacious musical Emilia Perez, about a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender affirming surgery, leads all nominees with 10. That put it ahead of other contenders like the musical smash Wicked, the papal thriller Conclave and the postwar epic The Brutalist. The Apprentice, about Donald Trump as a young man, also landed nominations for its two central performances, by Sebastian Stan as Trump and Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn. The Bear leads all television nominees with five. With his 11th nomination, Denzel Washington is the most-nominated Black performer at the Globes. Steve Martin is nominated for the four straight year in the best television actor in a musical or comedy series category for Only Murders in the Building. The nomination marks his ninth overall and could be his first-ever Globes win. There are 26 first-time nominees including Grande, Dakota Fanning, Glaser, Seth Meyers, Zoe Saldana and Pamela Anderson who surprisingly earned a nod for The Last Showgirl." The embattled Globes, which are no longer presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are still in comeback mode after years of scandal and organizational upheaval. You can see a full list of nominees here: https://apnews.com/hub/golden-globe-awards A ton of starry people: Andrew Garfield, Anthony Mackie, Anthony Ramos, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ariana DeBose, Aubrey Plaza, Aulii Cravalho, Awkwafina, Brandi Carlile, Catherine OHara, Colin Farrell, Colman Domingo, Demi Moore, Dwayne Johnson, Edgar Ramirez, Elton John, Gal Gadot, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Coolidge, Kaley Cuoco, Kate Hudson, Kathy Bates, Ke Huy Quan, Kerry Washington, Margaret Qualley, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Keaton, Michelle Yeoh, Miles Teller, Mindy Kaling, Morris Chestnut, Nate Bargatze, Nicolas Cage, Rachel Brosnahan, Rob McElhenney, Salma Hayek Pinault, Sarah Paulson, Seth Rogen, Sharon Stone, Vin Diesel, Viola Davis and Zoe Kravitz. The Globes are the first major ceremony of the awards season. Theyre not exactly an Oscar bellwether, but theyre known for a few things: being a boozy, sometimes irreverent party and a glamourous gathering of the biggest television and film stars. A Globes win can help build momentum for a movie or actors Oscar campaign. As the first televised awards show of the year, they get ahead of similar ceremonies like the Screen Actors Guild and Critics Choice Awards and are nearly two months before the Oscars, which this year will be held on March 2. Stan, Kate Winslet and Selena Gomez are all double nominees. Gomez is up for both best performance by a female actor in a supporting role for Emilia Perez" and best performance by a female actor in a television musical or comedy series for Only Murders in the Building. Winslet is nominated for both best performance by a female actor in a drama for Lee and best performance by a female actor in a limited anthology series for television for The Regime. Stan earned a nod for both best performance by a male actor in a drama for The Apprentice and best performance by a male actor in a musical or comedy for A Different Man. Viola Davis will be honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for her decorated career, starring in an array of powerful roles from Fences to The Woman King. The actor has won praise for a string of compelling characters in films such as The Help, Ma Raineys Black Bottom and Doubt, while captivating TV audiences through the legal thriller drama How to Get Away with Murder. The DeMille Award has been bestowed to 69 of Hollywoods greatest talents. Past recipients include Tom Hanks, Jeff Bridges, Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, Meryl Streep, Barbra Streisand and Sidney Poitier. The Golden Globes are raising a glass to former Cheers star Ted Danson by naming him the Carol Burnett Award honoree. Danson, a three-time Globes winner, has been a fixture on TV since he broke out as Boston bartender Sam Malone on NBCs comedy Cheers. His other credits include The Good Place, Mr. Mayor, Fargo, CSI and CSI: Cyber, Damages and Becker. Danson currently stars in Netflixs A Man on the Inside, which earned his first nomination since 2008 and 13th overall. The Carol Burnett Award was inaugurated in 2019 and is presented to an honoree who has made outstanding contributions to television on or off screen. Past recipients include Norman Lear, Ryan Murphy and Ellen DeGeneres. The first was Burnett herself. Danson and Viola Davis will be praised at a gala dinner Friday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. For the first time, the Globes will host a separate event dedicated to both awards. The Golden Globes, known as the party of the year, will bring back the celeb-beloved Nobu Restaurants group. Chef Nobu Matsuhisa returns with several signature dishes, highlighted by The Gold Standard Roll sushi that includes king crab inside, topped with salmon, gold flakes and caviar, and yuzu sauce on the side. The dish is served in the restaurant for $77. Other dishes from Matsuhisa include seaweed tacos, yellowtail jalapenos, sashimi salad, black cod and three pieces of tuna, white fish and salmon sushi. This is kind of like harmony with the caviars and, jalapenos," said Matsuhisa, who served signature Japanese food at the ceremony last year. The Indo Daily: Why is even the mention of water charges like playing with fire for politicians? Former US president Jimmy Carter, who died last Sunday aged 100, had a challenging time in the White House where he served a four-year term at the end of the 1970s and wasnt re-elected. However, his work afterwards at resolving conflicts around the world won him the Nobel Peace Prize. Carter visited Dublin with his wife Rosalynn in June 2007 and, in an interview with the present writer at Farmleigh, the state guesthouse and former Guinness family residence in the Phoenix Park, he described the peace process leading to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 as an example for the rest of the world. Pharmaceutical SMEs in India Gain Time to Meet Enhanced GMP Standards Under Revised Schedule M Indias Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has announced its decision to grant small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies an additional year to upgrade their facilities in compliance with the revised Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The revised Schedule M establishes enhanced quality standards and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for pharmaceutical manufacturers, aiming to improve overall manufacturing quality, safety, and regulatory compliance across the sector. Indias central government has granted a one-year extension for small and medium-sized pharmaceutical units with an annual turnover of less than INR 2.5 billion (US$28.77 million) to comply with the revised Schedule M standards, which set quality benchmarks and good manufacturing practices. In response to requests from small and medium manufacturers seeking additional time to upgrade infrastructure, train personnel, and secure financial resources, the Union Health Ministry announced the decision to extend the compliance deadline. These manufacturers must submit an upgrade plan in Form A to the Central License Approving Authority (CLAA) within three months from February 11, 2025. The initial deadline for submitting Form A under the revised Schedule M was March 31, 2025. However, the pharmaceutical manufacturers will now have to submit the form by May 11, 2025. Form A refers to the official document that small and medium pharmaceutical manufacturers must submit to the designated authority to outline their plan for infrastructure upgrades, personnel training, and compliance with the new Schedule M standards. This form serves as a declaration of intent from manufacturers, detailing how they plan to meet the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and equipment requirements within the extended timeline. Earlier in January 2025, India established December 31, 2025, as the deadline for approximately 8,500 pharmaceutical units classified as MSMEs to implement these updated standards. As a major exporter of medicines to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), India must meet WHO GMP certification requirements. Currently, around 2,000 MSME pharmaceutical units in the country hold this certification, while the remaining units must expedite their compliance efforts. Extended deadline for revised Schedule M compliance On December 28, 2023, the central government introduced updated Schedule M requirements, broadening good manufacturing practices to include good manufacturing practices and requirements for plant and equipment for pharmaceutical products. Manufacturers were categorized into two groups: Large manufacturers with a turnover exceeding INR 2.5 billion (US$28.77 million) were given six months to comply. Small and medium manufacturers with a turnover of INR 2.5 billion (US$28.77 million) were granted a 12-month compliance period. The revised Schedule M requirements took effect for large manufacturers on June 28, 2024. Manufacturers that fulfill this requirement will have their implementation deadline extended to December 31, 2025. Failure to meet the revised standards may result in penalties, including potential factory closures. Audits will be conducted three months after registration to assess progress, and appropriate action will be taken if the required upgrades are not implemented as committed. Overview of revised Schedule M The latest update to Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, was notified by Indias Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on December 28, 2023. The revised guidelines include upgrades in physical infrastructure, air handling systems, machinery, and more. Additionally, it introduces a comprehensive regulatory framework to align Indias pharmaceutical sector with global GMP standards. These changes focus on improving the quality, safety, and efficacy of drugs produced domestically, ensuring compliance with both national and international benchmarks. New guidelines and requirements The revised Schedule M is titled Good Manufacturing Practices and Requirements of Premises, Plant, and Equipment for Pharmaceutical Products. It encompasses critical principles such as: Pharmaceutical Quality System (PQS). Quality Risk Management (QRM). Sanitation and hygiene. Qualification and validation. Complaints and adverse reactions. Product recalls. Change control. The implementation timeline for the revised guidelines is phased based on the size of the pharmaceutical companies: Large manufacturers, with turnover exceeding INR 2.5 billion (US$29.14 million), are required to comply with the revised Schedule M by June 28, 2024 Small and medium manufacturers, with turnover up to INR 2.5 billion (US$29.14 million) or less, are required to comply with the revised Schedule M by December 28, 2024. Infrastructure upgrades and improved operational methodologies The updated guidelines call for substantial enhancements in pharmaceutical infrastructure and operational methodologies. These include the preparation and submission of detailed product development reports, rigorous validation of processes and methods, and the implementation of advanced pharmacovigilance and post-marketing studies. Adhering to the new regulation may prove necessary for domestic companies for securing and maintaining manufacturing licenses, underscoring its significance for uninterrupted operations in the pharmaceutical sector. Conclusion The revised Schedule M marks a shift in Indias pharmaceutical regulations, reflecting the evolving landscape of global manufacturing standards. By implementing these changes, India aims to enhance its reputation as a trusted pharmaceutical exporter while ensuring the safety and efficacy of drugs for domestic and international markets. (US$1 = INR 86.86) (This article was originally published on January 3, 2025. It was last updated February 13, 2025.) Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light OTT was recently released on Hotstar in amid significant public demand, and it had a profound effect on viewers. Starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon, and others, All We Imagine as Light is a tale of self-discovery, life's challenges, and the unspoken. The film's narrative and casting choices not only earned excellent reviews but also numerous international awards. If you have watched the movie and if the ending has given you a thinking mind, then heres All We Imagine as Light ending explained for you. (Spoilers ahead, you know what to do) All We Imagine as Light ending explained Does Prabha get her closure? Who was the strange man at the end? The movie tells us that Prabha's husband resides in Germany and hasn't called her in over a year, so she doesn't know what he is up to. Prabha, who is completely unaware of anything, is merely seeking closure and a means of communicating with her husband so that she can learn the truth about what is happening. As the film progresses, Prabha says she wishes her husband would ask her to move in with him one day, but that never happens. When Prabha saves a drowning man in the film's closing minutes, she discovers that he has little memory of the past in his life. Even though the villagers believe she is the wife of that man, Prabha manages to achieve closure for herself. To answer your question, no, the man Prabha saved was not her husband. However, in order to get closure, she talks to or imagines talking to him in the same manner that she would have with her distant spouse. Prabha declares she doesn't want to see her husband again after sobbing heart out. Kani Kusruti is so great in "ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT" should be in serious consideration for awards. pic.twitter.com/vw9N9O18yS Amit (@ThatCinemaaGuy) January 3, 2025 In the scene, she demonstrates how she frees herself from the burden of her spouse, who hasn't even made an effort to communicate with her in a long time. What happens to Anu and her relationship with Shiaz? Anu and Shiaz had been dating for some time, but many obstacles prevented them from formally announcing their relationship. Shiaz was a Muslim, which is why Anu's parents and society won't accept it. In addition, her parents were already attempting to arrange for her to get married as soon as possible. Following months of meeting in secret and Prabha's discovery of their relationship, Anu and Shiaz were able to finally present themselves as a couple. After Prabha finds closure, she asks Anu to introduce her to Shiaz. Prabha makes Shiaz feel at ease and expresses her acceptance of their relationship. All We Imagine as Light (2024) dir. Payal Kapadia pic.twitter.com/EuiBh2yXWF The Cineprism (@TheCineprism) January 3, 2025 All We Imagine as Light review All We Imagine as Light is a meticulously created and thought-provoking film that makes you stop and reflect. It makes you consider how someone could continue to struggle inside and how crucial it is to let go when the time is right. If you want to see a movie that simultaneously makes you feel good and sad, you should definitely see All We Imagine as Light. For those who can read between the lines and consider in-depth films to be their preferred genre, this exquisitely crafted film is ideal. The actors in Payal Kapadia's film are so amazing that words cannot express how wonderful they are and the movie is both visually and narratively fantastic. You can stream All We Imagine as Light on Disney+Hotstar (Don't miss it). For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. When the Stars Gossip OTT Release Update: If this Netflix show got you hooked with its unique love story between a space tourist and an astronaut, youre probably looking for more shows that deliver a similar vibe. As the first-ever Korean Earth-to-space romance, it combines the thrill of uncharted adventures with heartwarming romance. Heres a list of 10 similar shows to binge-watch on OTT. 1. Crash Landing on You (Netflix) Like When the Stars Gossip, this series focuses on love blossoming in the most unlikely situations. A South Korean heiress accidentally ends up in North Korea and meets a kind yet disciplined soldier. Their story is a mix of tension, warmth, and romance which will surely keep you hooked till the end. 2. My Love from the Star (Netflix) If you enjoyed the space element in When the Stars Gossip, youll love this romantic tale about an alien and a superstar. An alien stranded on Earth for centuries falls in love with a self-absorbed actress as he prepares to return to his planet. 3. The King: Eternal Monarch (Netflix) Like space in When the Stars Gossip, this show takes you to parallel worlds, where love defies boundaries. A king from one world crosses into another universe and falls for a no-nonsense detective. The mix of fantasy and romance will keep you hooked on OTT. 4. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (Netflix) For those who loved the heartfelt moments in When the Stars Gossip, this show offers a similar emotional warmth. A city dentist moves to a small seaside town and finds unexpected love with a jack-of-all-trades local. What happens next is worth streaming on Netflix. 5. You Are My Glory (Viki) This Chinese drama also revolves around a connection between Earth and space, with a love story that spans years. A famous actress reunites with her high school crush, who is now an aerospace engineer. Together, they explore their feelings and ambitions. 6. Her Private Life (Netflix) Like the leads in When the Stars Gossip, this shows characters juggle their public roles and personal desires. A professional art curator secretly fangirls over her favorite idol, until her new boss discovers her secret world. 7. Touch Your Heart (Viki) If you enjoyed the lighter, humorous side of When the Stars Gossip, this ones a great pick. A famous actress works as a secretary at a law firm to prepare for a role and ends up falling for her boss. 8. Love Between Fairy and Devil (Netflix) Like the Earth-to-space romance in When the Stars Gossip, this fantasy drama dives into love between two beings from different worlds. A devil and a fairy are bound together by fate, learning to overcome their differences to protect each other. 9. Something in the Rain (Netflix) The slow-burn romance and emotional storytelling will remind you of the heartfelt moments in When the Stars Gossip. A woman falls for her younger brothers best friend while dealing with societal norms and her own fears. 10. Business Proposal (Netflix) If you loved the mix of romance and comedy in When the Stars Gossip, this show has plenty of both. A young woman goes on a blind date pretending to be someone else, only to discover her date is her boss. Sparks and hilarity ensue. If When the Stars Gossip left you wanting more stories of love that cross boundariesbe it space, time, or expectationsthese shows are your next binge. So, clear your schedule, grab some snacks, and dive into these heartwarming tales. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Your favourite show Shark Tank India Season 4 is just around the corner and you wont have to wait very long to witness the madness! It is the Indian version of the American television program Shark Tank. It features entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to a group of sharks or investors who then make a decision about whether or not to fund their venture. This season will be double the fun since there have been many new additions on the Sharks panel. In one of the shows promo, fans spotted Gaurv Taneja aka Flying Beast pitching for his venture which built the anticipation. So if you are waiting to watch the reality show, then before it releases on SonyLiv, heres all you need to know about Shark Tank India Season 4. All you need to know about Shark Tank India Season 4 Release date and platform Shark Tank India Season 4 will start streaming from 6th January 2025 on SonyLiv. New episodes will drop from Monday to Friday at 8pm. Judges The sharks aka judges of Shark Tank India 4 are: Aman Gupta: Co-founder and CMO of boAt. Namita Thapar: Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals. Peyush Bansal: Co-founder and CEO of Lenskart. Vineeta Singh: Co-founder and CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics. Azhar Iqubal: Co-founder and Chairman of Inshorts. Anupam Mittal: Co-founder and CEO of People Group. Varun Dua: Founder and CEO of ACKO. Kunal Bahl: Co-founder of Snapdeal and Titan Capital. Viraj Bahl: Creator and Managing Director of Veeba/VRB Consumer Products. Hosts Comedian Ashish Solanki and social media star Sahiba Bali will host Shark Tank India 4. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Thandel OTT Details: Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi are ready to roar in theatres with their upcoming Telugu film which is scheduled to release on 7th February 2025. While the big day inches closer, we have got you the OTT details of this thriller. According to Wikipedia, Netflix has brought Thandels OTT rights for a whopping price with its satellite rights going to Zee network. Thandel cast and crew Other than Naga and Sai, this actioner also stars Sundip Ved, Kishore Raju Vasistha and Shiva Alapati among others. Thandel is presented by Allu Aravind with Bunny Vas producing it under the banner of Geetha Arts. This DSP musical has been written and directed by Chandoo Mondeti. Shamdat (ISC) has cinematographed this saga under the editing of Navin Nooli. Thandels story Thandel is based on real events that happened in 2018. It tells the story of fishermen from Srikakulam who accidentally drifted into Pakistani waters while on a regular fishing trip. Normally, they travel to Gujarat, get their boats, and go fishing. But during one trip, they ended up in Pakistan's territory and were captured by their forces. The film follows their tough journey, spending a year and a half in jail, and how they eventually manage to come out. Naga Chaitanya recently spoke about the film to ZigWheels and said, Thandel is a film I have been working on for quite some time; its a very special film for me. Firstly, Ive never attempted this kind of character or texture before. Its an inspiring story of their struggles and survival. Two tracks of the film - Bujji Thalli and Namo Namah Shivaya have been released so far. Are you excited about Thandel? Tell us @indiatimes. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Ram Charan, one of the biggest names in Tollywood, is gearing up for the release of Game Changer. The action drama, slated to hit the screens on January 10, has created a great deal of buzz in the industry as it marks the mass heros first collaboration with Shankar, the director of blockbusters such as Indian and Endhiran. This is likely to help Game Changer emerge as Telugu cinemas highest opener of the Sankranti season. The record is currently held by Mahesh Mabus Sarirelu Neekevvaru. Will Ram Changer break Mahesh Babus record with Game Changer? The Mahesh Babu-led Sarileru Neekevvaru, which hit the screens in 2020, collected an impressive Rs 45.70 crore (nett) on its first day to register the highest opening for a Tollywood movie in India during Sankranti. Game Changer has the potential to break the record as it is released in multiple languages. That said, Shankars maiden Telugu film will still need to make nearly 34% more than what Vinaya Vidheya Rama had earned to secure the honour. The Boyapati Srinu-helmed actioner had made Rs 34 crore on its first day when it hit the screens during Sankranti 2019. Vinaya Vidheya Rama featured Ram Charan and Vivek Oberoi in the lead. It was released amid much fanfare but ended up being a flop. About Game Changer Coming back to Game Changer. It is a political action drama that features Ram Charan in the role of an honest IAS officer with anger issues. He also plays Appanna, the protagonists father. The cast includes Kiara Advani, Anjali, SJ Suryah, and Brahmanandam. Game Changer, directed by Shankar, is set to hit the screens on January 10. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. An Indian-origin technology executive is the world's highest-paid employee, earning Rs 17,500 crore a year. According to a report in the Times of India, Jagdeep Singh, creator of QuantumScape, a top electric vehicle (EV) battery company, makes Rs 48 crore every day, which is more than many notable companies' annual sales. His outstanding remuneration package includes stock options worth about $2.3 billion. Singh is a Stanford and Berkley alumni Jagdeep Singh, the founder and former CEO of QuantumScape, has made headlines globally by becoming the highest-paid employee in the world. Singh earned an extraordinary annual salary of Rs 17,500 crore. Indian talent on the global stage. pic.twitter.com/WMvMo0FRlc R Subrahmanyam (@RSubrahmanyam8) January 4, 2025 Singh has a BTech degree from Stanford University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. He began his career with well-known companies such as HP (Hewlett-Packard) and Sun Microsystems before founding several businesses, including AirSoft in 1992. Singh started QuantumScape in 2010, after more than a decade of experience in several organisations. Since then, the company has focused on breakthrough developments, particularly in battery technology. QuantumScape creates solid-state batteries for electric vehicles. These vary from ordinary lithium-ion batteries in that they do not use liquid electrolytes. This makes them safer, enables faster charging, and boosts energy density. These enhancements serve to address critical challenges for electric cars (EVs), such as range anxiety and long charging periods, making batteries a better alternative for the future of EVs. Singh stepped down as CEO of QuantumScape 2024 Credit: LinkedIn Singh stepped down as CEO of QuantumScape on February 16, 2024, and was succeeded by Siva Sivaram. Sivaram joined the company as President in September 2023. Jagdeep Singh continues to serve as Chairman of the Board. According to his LinkedIn profile, he also serves as CEO of a "Stealth Startup". Also read: Indian-origin CEO doesn't do dishes because his 'time is worth $5,000 per hour', faces flak To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. China is currently facing an outbreak of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), after five years of COVID-19 that triggered prolonged lockdowns and caused millions of deaths, as per the buzz on social media. According to reports circulating on the internet, the virus is spreading rapidly, with some visuals indicating that the hospitals and crematories are overwhelmed. Videos of overcrowded hospitals raise the alarm, with some people complaining that multiple viruses, including influenza A, HMPV, mycoplasma pneumonia, and COVID-19, are circulating. Although there have also been reports on social media that the Chinese authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) have not declared a state of emergency yet. The rise in infections is currently being examined, especially because it coincides with the winter season, the time when respiratory diseases see a typical jump in cases. Hospitals in China strained by pneumonia and 'white lung' cases Amid the circulating information on social media, a social media post on X under the name 'SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19)' mentioned that China is facing a surge in multiple viruses, including Influenza A, HMPV, mycoplasma pneumonia, and Covid-19, overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums. BREAKING: China Declares State of Emergency as Epidemic Overwhelms Hospitals and Crematoriums. Multiple viruses, including Influenza A, HMPV, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and COVID-19, are spreading rapidly across China. pic.twitter.com/GRV3XYgrYX SARSCoV2 (COVID-19) (@COVID19_disease) January 1, 2025 On the other hand, the department of children in hospitals is strained by rising pneumonia "white lung" cases." But what are white lungs? How dangerous is it? What is white lung? White lung" isn't a formal medical term, but it often describes pneumonia in children where lung tissue appears white on X-rays, suggesting fluid or inflammation. Pneumonia can be particularly dangerous for young children, especially those under the age of 2, due to their developing immune systems and smaller airways. In children, the condition can progress quickly and result in more severe symptoms, explains Dr. Nishant Bansal, consultant paediatrician & neonatologist at Motherhood Hospitals, Noida. One of the most concerning effects of pneumonia in children is rapid and difficult breathing. According to Dr. Bansal, Their smaller lungs are filled with fluid much faster so that these youngsters suffer from shallow breathing, wheezing, or even a bluish tint to the skin in acute cases; oxygen is not being drawn into the body. Another symptom of pneumonia is high fever, which becomes difficult to manage and leads to dehydration if left unchecked. Moreover, children with this illness experience persistent coughing, primarily while taking deep breaths, and chest pain. Fatigue and paleness are common symptoms; children may become listless and lose their appetite and thirst, further exacerbating dehydration. In some, pneumonia leads to serious complications, for example, in those with an already depressed immune system or associated medical conditions such as asthma or congenitally present birth defects, such as those born prematurely. How does white lung syndrome occur? White lung, or silicosis, is a concerning lung condition that is seen due to prolonged exposure to silica dust, found in industries like mining and construction. When silica particles are inhaled, it will be shocking to know that they can take a toll on the lungs and damage them. This further can cause scarring and reduced lung function, says Dr. Sandeep Kadian, Sr. Consultant Pulmonologist and Intensivist, AIMS Hospital, Dombivli. CHINA DECLARES HEALTH EMERGENCY! HOSPITALS OVERWHELMED! pic.twitter.com/poUDOsnz4v Lips (@Cornelius_Lipka) January 5, 2025 Complications of white lungs? Complications include sepsis or respiratory failure. Dr. Bansal explains, Because pneumonia symptoms can mimic other illnesses in young children, early diagnosis by tests such as chest X-rays or blood tests is essential. Treatment often involves antibiotics for bacterial infections, antiviral drugs for viral pneumonia, and antifungal drugs if required. In extreme cases, hospitalization may be required for oxygen therapy and intravenous fluids. Given the risk of life-threatening complications, prompt medical attention is crucial for ensuring the best outcome for children with pneumonia. Hola @JMilei te acordas cuando le recomendadas al HDRMP de @alferdez Que fuera mas duro con los "boludos" que no acataban las "medidas de SEGURIDAD para el COVID ? Que tiempos aquellos eeeeeehhh Tendrian que estar TODOS presos ustedes https://t.co/heBaDtzxjx THE EQUALIZER (@DiegoCalif91808) January 5, 2025 The risk factors are dusty environments without proper protective equipment and long-term exposure to silica. Symptoms of this are shortness of breath, cough, and fatigue. To prevent this condition, one should wear protective gear, reduce dust at worksites, and have regular health checkups to detect lung damage and initiate timely intervention. For more on lifestyle, astrology and health from around the world please visit Indiatimes Lifestyle. A Bengaluru court yesterday granted bail to Atul Subhash's wife and in-laws in an abetment of suicide case against them. Atul Subhash committed suicide on December 9 after alleged persecution from his wife and her family. Subhash's wife, Nikita Singhania, her mother, Nisha Singhania, and brother, Anurag Singhania, had applied for bail before the Bengaluru session court. They had already petitioned the Karnataka High Court to direct the session court to decide their bail petition. The High Court directed the session court to rule on the plea today. On December 14, Nikita Singhania was seized in Gurugram, while her mother and brother Anurag were apprehended in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The 34-year-old had left behind a video and a 24-page statement documenting his marital problems, harassment, and attempts at extortion by his divorced wife, her relatives, and an Uttar Pradesh judge. He accused his wife and her relatives of driving him to suicide with "false" cases and "persistent torture". He further accused his wife of seeking Rs. 3 crore to settle the issue. Internet is not happy with the court's decision After the news came to light on the internet, people on the internet were left disheartened. Many questioned the Indian judiciary, journalist Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj wrote in a post, "No one killed Atul Subhash." Here's how some other sad users on social media reacted. Atul Subhash Suicide Case: Court Grants Bail to All Accused, Including Nikita Singhania, Nisha Singhania and Anurag Singhania Indian Justice System is a JOKE!! Justice is like joke in India Will Atul Subhash ever get Justice?#NikitaSinghania pic.twitter.com/eCOx1RnBfh Sumit (@SumitHansd) January 4, 2025 NIKITA SINGHANIA & HER ENTIRE FAMILY HAS GOT BAIL IN #ATULSUBHASH SUICIDE CASE NO ONE KILLED ATUL SUBHASH Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) January 4, 2025 Turns out Nikita Singhania and her whole family got bail in the Atul Subhash suicide case. Joke's on those who trust Indian courts. Even after millions of men united to get him justice, nothing happened. What can one man do? venom (@venom1s) January 4, 2025 Bharat Mata Ki Jai #NikitaSinghania who forced her husband to finish himself got unconditional bail from court. This never happens with men who are accused of dowry de*th of wives. Safest country for men pic.twitter.com/pJCjKumWDA Moksh Of Men (@mishrag47) January 4, 2025 Justice is like joke in India #NikitaSinghania pic.twitter.com/bk4hiPs7oq RADHE (@Iamradhe_p00) January 4, 2025 Now she will file maintenance case on father in law with help of wicked lawyers and judges.#AtulSubhashSuicide#AtulSubhashcase #nikitaSinghania https://t.co/mz3ONKYT6q pic.twitter.com/WufFig5oxH ShaheedAtulBhai (@mTatyaVinchu) January 4, 2025 Subhash and Singhania were married in 2019. They welcomed a son in 2020. The techie's parents have sought custody of their four-year-old grandson, alleging they do not know where he is. Earlier, Atul Subhash's lawyer claimed that the accused wife should not be permitted to use the child as a ploy to obtain bail. Also read: Delhi restaurants touching tribute to Atul Subhash sparks nationwide justice campaign To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. Nigerian music sensation Burna Boy has honoured his promise to gift $30,000 to Bethel Okechukwu, a man claiming to be the alleged younger brother of popular socialite Cubana Chief Priest, whose real name is Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu. The generous gesture comes after a highly publicized online feud between Burna Boy and Cubana Chief Priest. Advertisement The drama began when Burna Boy shared a post that many believed was aimed at the socialite. During the heated exchange, Burna Boy announced on his Instagram story that he would be gifting $30,000 to Cubana Chief Priests alleged brother, who had introduced himself in a viral video as a phone technician. READ MORE: Cubana Chief Priest Shades Burna Boy On Social Media, Says Diddy Oil Leads To PTSD In a heartwarming turn of events, Burna Boy fulfilled his pledge, as seen in a post shared by the grateful recipient. The accompanying video showed the two at a club, where Cubanas alleged brother emotionally expressed his gratitude. Taking to his Instagram page on Sunday, he wrote, God is real.Odogwu @burnaboygram, God has used you to pull me out of poverty, I will be forever grateful.Please please please thank him for me . SEE POST: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEZifbNIzO9/?img_index=1&igsh=amN1YzBmNTVuc3F2 https://www.instagram.com/p/DEbA_9rNXDh/?igsh=Ym81YjdtdG80MTJu The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested a woman, identified as Khadija Ali, for allegedly abandoning her newborn baby. Ali was said to have dumped the baby along a bush path near Crush Rock, behind the uncompleted Red Bricks Market in Mpape, Abuja. This was contained in a statement on Sunday by the Commands Spokesperson, Josephine Adeh. Advertisement She said that the arrest by operatives of the Mpape Division followed a distress call by residents that a newborn was found in the area. Adeh stated that the infant, was wrapped in a cloth, rescued and taken to the Mpape Primary Health Care Centre for medical evaluation. The statement partly reads: On 3 January 2025, at about 10:00 a.m., police operatives from Mpape Divisions Juvenile and Women Care Section responded to a distress call and found the baby wrapped in a cloth. The child was promptly rescued and taken to Mpape Primary Health Care Centre, where medical evaluation confirmed the baby is in stable condition. READ MORE: Kogi: NSCDC Apprehends Mother For Dumping Newborn Baby In Drainage Following a tip-off from the community, the babys mother, Khadija Ali, was arrested. During interrogation, she confessed to abandoning the baby, citing her inability to care for the child following her husbands abandonment. The FCT Police Command vehemently condemns this act of child abandonment and reassures the public of its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of society. The rescued baby will be handed over to the Department of Social Welfare for proper care, while the mother will face prosecution according to the provisions of Sections 14 and 16 of the Child Rights Act, 2003, upon the conclusion of investigations. President Bola Tinubu has expressed his commitment to leading Nigeria towards a prosperous future, stating that he has the capacity to build a great nation. Speaking in Enugu State on Saturday, Tinubu said, I asked for this job, believe in my capacity. I know what it takes. I believe in myself and I believe I can gather a very good team and build a nation. Advertisement During his visit to Enugu, Tinubu commissioned several projects executed by Governor Peter Mbah, including the Enugu International Conference Centre and a state-of-the-art command and control centre. READ ALSO: Tinubus Visit To Enugu Shows FGs Attention To SEast Development Gov Soludo He emphasized the importance of hard work in building a nation that Nigerians can be proud of, saying, It is our country. We have to work really hard for it; to build a nation that we can be proud of. Change the narrative. Tinubu also addressed the issue of subsidy removal, stating that it was necessary to prevent bankrupting the nation. He acknowledged that people may resist the change, but expressed confidence in his ability to lead the country forward. At least two suspected kidnappers have been killed, following a raid by operatives of Imo State Police Command in Umuokanne, Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area of the state. It was gathered that the operation was carried out by officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command on Friday. Confirming the development on Saturday, the Commands Spokesman, Henry Okoye, noted that four victims were rescued from the kidnappers hideout. Advertisement He said: The operation, which took place on Friday, began when a distress call was received at around 12:00 pm, reporting the abduction of three women and one man in Umuokanne, Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area. Acting swiftly on intelligence gathered, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit located the criminals hideout. READ MORE: Lets Work Together Regardless Of Our Political Differences Imo Gov Begs Residents Upon arrival, a gunfight ensued between the police operatives and the kidnappers. During the operation, two suspects were neutralized. The four victims, Carolyn Didia (42), Ego Odu (48), Apollonia Ezekwe (40), and Godwin Ezekwe (37), were successfully freed. In addition to rescuing the victims, the police recovered one AK-47 rifle, 21 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and a magazine from the criminals. However, two of the rescued victims sustained gunshot wounds from the kidnappers bullets during the confrontation. The Imo State Police Command has assured the public of its ongoing commitment to safeguarding residents. Investigations are currently underway to apprehend any remaining members of the criminal syndicate. Kano State Censorship Board has suspended a popular Kannywood actress, Samha M. Inuwa, from appearing in all films for one year. In a statement on Saturday by its Information Officer, Abdullahi Sani, stated that the actress was temporarily banned over indecent dressing, vulgar content posting, among others. Sani added that Samha had been repeatedly warned about her actions but she continued to flout the boards regulations. Advertisement He added that the decision was in response to multiple complaints it received from the public and concerned citizens in Kano regarding the actress conducts. READ MORE: Kano Hisbah Declares Jigawa Commissioner Wanted Amid Adultery Allegation The statement reads: The board has also revoked her liaison and stopped censoring any films in which she appears. Kano State Censorship Board is empowered by law to ensure that all videos, writings, and other forms of expression align with the states religion, culture, norms, and values. This suspension is part of the ongoing boards efforts to maintain moral standards in Kannywood Film industry and ensure all boards rules and regulations are followed. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, has arrested a Lagos socialite, identified as Alhaja Aishat Feyisara Ajoke Elediye, with a truckload of illicit drug consignment from her staff. It was gathered that Mrs. Aisha was apprehended on the 1st of January, 2025, in her mansion at Okota area of Lagos State. In a statement by NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the socialite, is also known in the drug underworld as Iya Ruka. READ MORE: NDLEA Seizes 1,960kg Of Illicit Drug At Lagos Beach, Apprehends Six Foreigners Babafemi said: The lid was however blown off her invincibility on Wednesday 1st January 2025 when NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a white Izuzu truck carrying 44 jumbo sacks containing 1,540 kilograms of imported cannabis and driven by one of her staff, 41-year-old Abideen Adio. Thereafter, the operatives stormed her hideout at 33 Adebayo Oyewole Street, off Ago Palace way, Okota, where they arrested her. On the surface, Alhaja Ajoke is a businesswoman who imports fabrics and shoes from China but beneath is a massive illicit drug trade. She is also recognized as the Iyalaje of Blessing Sisters, an influential club of society women in Lagos. Similarly, an ex-convict, Sodade Sunday Eniola, who was arrested by operatives of the Tincan Command of NDLEA in June 2024, for drug trafficking, prosecuted and sentenced to four years in prison has been arrested again by officers of the MMIA Strategic Command of the Agency for passport racketeering. When he was convicted by a Federal High Court in Lagos on 14th June 2024, the trial judge gave him an option of paying N750,000 fine, which he paid and was let go. The Odeda Division of the Ogun State Police Command has arrested one Akintoye Waris for allegedly stealing and slaughtering a Savannah he-goat valued at 200,000 for his childs naming ceremony. On Saturday, Omolola Odutola, the commands spokesperson, disclosed that Waris and his accomplice, Ajayi Yusuf, were apprehended on January 2, 2024, in the Odeda Area of the state. The suspects allegedly targeted a farm in the area to steal the goat after confirming that the farm owner, referred to simply as Mark, had taken the cattle for grazing on December 25. Advertisement Odutola disclosed that when he returned, he discovered that one of the goats had gone missing, prompting a community search. READ MORE: Accident On Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway Leaves Eight Injured During the search, the police revealed that villagers had spotted the two suspects on a motorcycle with the missing goat, heading towards Olodo town. Odutola stated, During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime, explaining how they stole, transported, and later slaughtered the he-goat on December 27, 2024. They disclosed that the goat was used to prepare food for the naming ceremony of Akintoye Warriss daughter, which was held at Olodo. The suspects are currently in custody and undergoing further investigation at the Divisional Crime Branch. She promised the concerned locals that the suspects would be prosecuted in court once the investigation was completed, and that any further developments in the case would be communicated in due time. No fewer than four persons have been rescued by Imo State Police Command, following a gun battle with some kidnappers in Umuokanne, Ohaji Local Government Area of the state. It was gathered that the incident occurred on Saturday, after the command received a distress call reporting the abduction of four individuals. In a statement by Force Spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, on Sunday, disclosed that the police operatives swiftly swung into action, locating the criminal hideout and engaging the kidnappers in a fierce gun-duel, during which 2 of the suspects were neutralized. Advertisement Adejobi added that the success of the operation led to the rescue of the 4 victims and the recovery of 1 Ak-47 rifle, 1 Ak-47 magazine and 21 rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition. He said: In a remarkable display of courage and commitment, Police Operatives attached to the Imo State Command successfully executed a daring rescue operation that led to the safe liberation of 4 kidnapped hostages. READ MORE: Katsina Police Thwart Kidnap Attempt, Rescue 18 Travellers The operation was carried out on Saturday, January 4th 2025, after the operatives received a distress call reporting the abduction of 4 persons in Umuokanne, Ohaji LGA, Imo State. The police operatives swiftly swung into action, locating the criminal hideout and engaging the kidnappers in a fierce gun-duel, during which 2 of the kidnappers were neutralized. The success of the operation led to the rescue of the 4 victims and the recovery of 1 Ak-47 rifle, 1 Ak-47 magazine and 21 rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition. The Force reaffirms its resolute devotion to combatting heinous crimes such as this, and assures members of the public that efforts to rid off criminal elements from our society will continue relentlessly, ensuring the safety and security of all residents. The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has urged the Nigerian government to privatize the Warri and Kaduna refineries to improve their efficiency and reduce government spending. PETROAN made this recommendation on Saturday in a statement titled Retrospect of Nigerias Oil and Gas Downstream Sector in 2024, signed by its National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, Secretary, Adedibu Aderibigbe, and spokesperson, Joseph Obele. According to PETROAN, privatizing the 125,000 barrels per day Warri Refinery and 110,000 barrels per day Kaduna Refinery would ensure a successful 2025 in the downstream sector. Advertisement Privatize Nigerian-owned refineries, such as the Warri and Kaduna refineries, to reputable private companies to improve efficiency and reduce government spending, the statement reads. READ ALSO: NNPC Rejected Dangotes $750m Offer To Manage Nigerias Refineries Obasanjo Reveals PETROAN also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration to consider its request for N100 billion in intervention funds to prevent filling stations from shutting down over harsh economic realities. PETROAN requests a grant of N100 billion from President Bola Tinubu to help prevent the closure of 10,000 marketers businesses, the statement added. This recommendation comes amid claims that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) rejected Dangotes offer to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries in 2007. The NNPCL recently disclosed that the Warri Refinery has resumed operation after rehabilitation, while the Kaduna Refinery is undergoing a total overhaul. PETROANs call for privatization is also supported by the need to improve transparency, competition, and operational efficiency in the downstream petroleum sector. The association emphasized the importance of making crude oil available for local refineries to boost Nigerias refining capacity and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products. Lawmakers from Nigerias southern region have rejected calls to withdraw the contentious tax reform bills, instead advocating for concerns to be addressed through legislative debates and public hearings. The tax reform bills, introduced in October 2024, aim to reform Nigerias tax system, but have sparked intense debates, particularly among northern governors who oppose changes to the derivation-based Value Added Tax (VAT) distribution model. House of Representatives member, Bamidele Salam, representing Ede North,South/Egbedero/Ejigbo constituency, Osun State, emphasized that withdrawing the bills would be counterproductive. Advertisement I do not support those calling for the withdrawal of the bills. That would be akin to throwing out the baby with the bath water. There is no issue in the bills that cannot be corrected during public hearings and the subsequent legislative stages. READ ALSO: Controversial Tax Reform Bill Will Destroy Nigerias Unity Kano Gov Warns Tinubu We should not delay this important reform as we did with the Petroleum Industry Bill, only to lose golden opportunities for two decades, Salam said in a chat with Sunday Punch. Another member, Oluwole Oke, representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Osun State, noted that the fate of the bills ultimately lies with federal lawmakers. In a democracy, the minority will have their say, and the majority will have their way. The representatives of the Nigerian people in Parliament will determine the fate of these four executive bills, not bystanders, Oke said. President Bola Tinubu has also declined the National Economic Councils recommendation to withdraw the Proposed Tax Reforms Bill from the National Assembly. The tax reform bills include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill. Nigerian human rights activist Deji Adeyanju has shared his thoughts on Burna Boys recent gift of $30,000 to Bethel Okechukwu, a man claiming to be the alleged younger brother of popular socialite Cubana Chief Priest. In a Facebook post on Sunday, Adeyanju questioned Cubana Chief Priests alleged brothers financial wisdom, stating that if he is not disciplined, people will soon wonder if he truly received the money. Adeyanju drew from his personal experience, recounting a time when he gave someone millions of naira to start a business, only for the individual to squander the funds on frivolous items. Advertisement READ MORE: Cubana Chief Priests Alleged Younger Brother Expresses Gratitude As Burna Boy Fulfils $30,000 Promise He cautioned that Chief Priests alleged brothers newfound wealth may be short-lived, saying, Life is in stages, but today, you see people who want to live their future today. The activist further expressed scepticism about the $30,000 gift, hinting that it could be audio money, a popular slang term used to describe exaggerated or non-existent financial claims. He wrote, By this time next year, people will be wondering if that guy truly got $30k if hes not a disciplined guy. There was a time I could afford to buy $1k shoe but I dare not even buy $100 shoe. Life is in stages but today, you see people that want to live their future today. That is if the $30k is not audio money ooo. I once gave somebody millions to start business some years ago, the first thing he did was to buy a big phone. How did I know? He started viewing my WhatsApp status. This guy had a torch light phone only. Then came back disturbing me later. I blocked him permanently. In another post, Adeyanju pointed out that the person who gave the $30,000 for clout probably has more poor people in his extended family than Cubana Chief Priests family. He added, The person that gave $30k for clout has more poor people in his extended family than those in Chief Priests family. And the guy is not even Chief Priests brother. But assuming hes even his brother, do you know why he has refused to help him? Giving money to some folks is waste. SEE POST: Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, has hailed President Bola Tinubu over his visitation to Enugu State on Saturday. Soludo said that Tinubus visit to the Coal Citys State showed Federal Governments attention to development in the South East. Recall that INFORMATION NIGERIA had earlier reported that the former governor of Lagos State, visited Enugu State to commission some projects on Saturday. Advertisement Reacting to the development in a statement, by his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, disclosed that the Anambra State Governor congratulated Governor Peter Mbah, of Enugu State on his developmental strides. He said: The visit signposts President Tinubus attention to the development of the Southeast region. Governor Soludo also congratulated Governor Mba of Enugu State on his developmental strides, stating that they are similar to the infrastructural and transformational advancements taking place in Anambra State. READ MORE: Tinubu Inugurates Smart Green Schools, Roads, 150 Patrol Vehicles During Visit To Enugu Other projects that were commissioned by the President include the 30 completed and equipped Enugu Smart Green Schools out of 260 under construction across the 260 wards in the state, 60 completed and equipped Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres out of the 260 under construction across the 260 wards in the state. Tinubu also commissioned some of the completed rural roads during the one-day visit on Saturday. Senator Solomon Adeola, representing Ogun West Senatorial District, has stated that its premature to discuss the 2027 governorship race in Ogun State. Adeola, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, made this known on Saturday during the annual New Year thanksgiving service held at the Unity Cathedral of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Ilaro, Ogun State. When asked about his potential interest in succeeding Governor Dapo Abiodun in 2027, Adeola said, I dont think it is time for that now, we are still involved in trying to bring back the dividends of democracy to the people as senator elected for Ogun West. Advertisement READ ALSO: Senator Solomon Adeolas Aide Shot Dead In Lagos Adeola emphasized his commitment to delivering on his campaign promises as a Senator and noted that the future would determine his next political move. He also expressed gratitude to God for his support and to his constituents for their cooperation. Looking ahead to 2025, Adeola promised a more rewarding and responsive leadership, with a focus on developmental projects, empowerment programs, and contributing to national issues on the Senate floor. He further called for support for the All Progressives Congress-led federal government, praising President Bola Tinubus efforts to restore the countrys economic growth. In a gesture of appreciation, Adeola donated N50 million to the completion of the Unity Cathedrals ongoing construction project. Serbia acquired Elbit Systems' PULS multiple launch rocket systems, Opex360 reports citing Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The order was placed back in November 2024, as announced when Israel disclosed a $335 million deal with an unnamed European country for PULS systems and Hermes 900 reconnaissance drones. Delivery of these systems is expected within 3.5 years. This decision raises intriguing questions about what motivated Serbia to become a customer of Israeli missile systems, especially given their growing popularity as a competitor to the U.S.-made M142 HIMARS, with the volumes of orders secured closing on the American rival. Opex360 provides some context, highlighting the complexities of Serbia-Israel relations. In 2021, Israel established diplomatic ties with Kosovo in 2021, a state unrecognized by Serbia. This move likely caused a rift between the two nations at the time, making Serbia's decision to purchase strategic weapons from Israel somewhat surprising. Furthermore, Serbia has traditionally relied on its own defense industry for the national military needs, making the import of critical weapons systems an exception. For instance, Serbia publicly introduced the domestically produced LRSVM Tamnava dual-caliber MLRS in 2019. Tamnava boasts a range of up to 70 kilometers with 262-millimeter rockets and 40 kilometers with 122-mm rockets. Despite its availability, there's been no reports of any orders from Serbian armed forces. LRSVM Tamnava / Photo credit: Yugoimport The PULS system, in turn, offers a notable leap in capability over the Tamnava. It supports a variety of munitions, including 122-mm Accular rockets with a range of 35 kilometers, and their 160-mm variant with a range of 40 kilometers, Extra guided missiles with a 150-km range, and Predator Hawk missiles capable of striking targets up to 300 km away. However, the specifics of the ammunition Israel will provide to Serbia remain undisclosed, raising important questions. The first is whether the supplied munitions will include the full range of PULS capabilities. Moreover, if any restrictions will be imposed on Serbia's use of these systems, particularly against NATO members like Croatia. How Israel managed to persuade Serbia to acquire PULS also remains an open question, but the deal signals a significant shift in Serbia's defense procurement strategy. Khamis Haruna, the 29-year-old groom who was allegedly poisoned by his 14-year-old bride in Jigawa, has spoken out about the incident. Haruna claimed that he and the teenager had been in a relationship for two years before getting married. Advertisement We were married for love. She loved me. I loved her too. Since she was still a small girl, we were in love for two years before our marriage, Haruna said in chat with The Nation published on Sunday. According to Haruna, the incident occurred on December 22, 2024, two days after their wedding ceremony. He alleged that his bride was given poison by her ex-lover, who instructed her to put it in the food. Haruna recalled that he and his two friends, Muhammad Alfah and Isyaku Adamu, had eaten some jollof spaghetti presented to them by the brides friends. READ ALSO: Jigawa Police Arrest Two Suspects As Bride Allegedly Poisons Wedding Guests However, they soon became suspicious after noticing a harmful substance in the meal. Noticing that, we became suspicious and stopped eating. We all became uncomfortable and scared, Haruna said. The groom stated that his friends and he were rushed to Jahun Hospital after falling ill, where Alfah died while Haruna and Adamu were treated. Im really surprised. We were married for love. She never showed any worries about our relationship and never displayed any sign of ill feeling before she carried out the evil act, Haruna said. The incident has raised concerns about child marriage in Nigeria, particularly in northern states where the practice is prevalent. The Childs Right Act 2003 prohibits child marriage for persons under the age of 18 years, but the legislation has been criticized for not being effectively enforced. A father was expected to be charged with shooting his son during a domestic dispute Saturday night in East Mount Airy. Read more A father shot his adult son during an argument Saturday night in Philadelphias East Mount Airy section, according to police. Officers responding to a report of a person with a gun on the 200 block of East Phil Ellena Street just after 8 p.m. found a 24-year-old man nearby on the 6700 block of Musgrave Street who had been shot multiple times, police said. Advertisement He had gunshot wounds to the left arm, left flank, right thigh and buttocks, and was transported to Albert Einstein Medical Center and was listed in stable condition Sunday afternoon, police said. Police said the victims 67-year-old father was taken into custody and was expected to be charged with aggravated assault and related offenses. The shooting is believed to be the result of a domestic dispute, police said, declining to provide identities of the father or son. Police Inspector D.F. Pace told reporters at the scene Saturday night that investigators did not know if the victim also had a gun at the time he was shot. A., who the Inquirer is identifying by the first letter of her first name for safety reasons, stapled two paper plates to the range for her target practice. Read more On a brisk Saturday afternoon, A. crouched in a boxers stance, knees bent, one hip forward, raised her new Ruger Security-380 pistol aloft with both hands, and pulled the trigger. Spent gold casings clinked to the ground as a paper plate across the range filled with bullet holes. Next to her, a row of men in sweatshirts and earmuffs affably shot their own marks. A., whom The Inquirer is identifying by the first letter of her first name because of safety concerns, is new to the world of shooting ranges and target practice. As a trans woman who lives in Philadelphia, she began seriously considering armed self-defense this summer, as she saw Texas uphold a ban on gender-affirming care for minors and Florida prohibit nurse practitioners from prescribing hormones to transgender people. She watched with increasing dread as Republicans spent nearly $215 million on network TV ads portraying people like her as a dangerous threat to the country. Advertisement Three months before the election, thats when the alarm bells started to ring, A., who is 24 and speaks carefully and thoughtfully, said recently. When she mentioned wanting to learn how to fire a gun to friends, they stared at her blankly. But she felt she couldnt have been more rational. On Nov. 2, she bought her first gun, at Delias Gun Shop in Northeast Philly. Minorities that are armed are more difficult to legally oppress, she said. She was reassured by the idea that in the event of hate crimes or terrorist attacks, knowing that, OK, Im personally armed and I can protect my property and people that are close to me. She is applying for a concealed-carry permit in Pennsylvania, though she doesnt plan to carry the gun with her every day. By the end of her practice at the outdoor range at French Creek State Park, bullet casings littered the ground near her backpack and water bottle, which was decorated with rainbow hearts and a Protect Trans Kids sticker. If I cant protect myself, who will? Since Donald Trumps reelection in November, nontraditional gun groups across the city and country have seen a flood of interest. The national Liberal Gun Club said it has received thousands of training requests since the election, more than in all of 2023. A spokesperson for the group estimated that roughly a quarter were from LGBTQ people. In Philadelphia, in the waning weeks of the year, residents peppered local queer Facebook groups with questions about guns and training. The local chapter of the Socialist Rifle Association, a leftist analogue to the National Rifle Association, said it saw a surge in paid memberships; its regular classes about gun safety filled up immediately, so it added more. The head of the Delaware Valley chapter of the Pink Pistols, a longtime gay gun group with the slogan Armed Gays Dont Get Bashed, said he received a sudden flurry of emails inquiring about gun training. Theres definitely a feeling among a lot of LGBT individuals: If I cant protect myself, who will? said Madeline Shearman, a trans woman based in Glen Mills who runs a casual and growing 2A social group in Pennsylvania. I feel that way myself. In Pennsylvania, overall gun sales were down in 2024, according to figures from the state police: 666,759 firearms were lawfully purchased or privately transferred through the end of October, a drop from the 2020 record high of 1.1 million. Its difficult to track rises and falls in LGBTQ gun ownership because there are few published studies about the relatively small population, said David Yamane, a professor of sociology at Wake Forest University and author of the book Gun Curious. READ MORE: Gun sales and permits surged during the pandemic in Philly and Pennsylvania But in general, Yamane argues that American gun culture has dramatically shifted in recent years, away from a focus on hunting and recreation and toward a focus on self-defense, the core of what he calls Gun Culture 2.0. As the culture has shifted, people who own guns have become far more diverse. He pointed to 2020 as a pivotal year. It was a period of tremendous social unrest and social uncertainty. And a large number of people in the United States, under those conditions, look to firearms to reestablish some sense of safety and security, Yamane said. He added that racial and gender minorities led the way in terms of new gun ownership rates in 2020 and afterward. READ MORE: Gun ownership boomed during the pandemic. Meet some of the reluctant firearm owners. Yamane also pointed to other political moments that have fueled gun interest in the LGBTQ community. Pink Pistols, which has more than two dozen chapters across the country, was founded in 2000 after the writer Jonathan Rauch proposed in a Salon article that homosexuals should embark on organized efforts to become comfortable with guns, learn to use them safely and carry them. They should set up Pink Pistols task forces, sponsor shooting courses and help homosexuals get licensed to carry. The devastating mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Florida in 2016 was another catalyst. Thats when Matthew Thompson, who lives in Oakland, N.J., purchased his first gun. A gay man and custom leather worker, Thompson often travels to leather and bear events on the weekends, and feared what might happen. He began practicing drills at home setting a timer on his phone, wearing his unloaded gun around the house, and drawing it quickly when the timer went off. Days after the presidential election, he began pursuing his concealed-carry permit in New Jersey. He is also organizing other LGBTQ people to practice at a local gun range. The people Ive been seeing on the left and the gay people who are out purchasing guns for the first time, its all about self-defense and fear, said Thompson, who is 36. Were not looking to arm up and storm the Capitol. We just dont want to be put in concentration camps. Gun safety with the Socialist Rifle Association In mid-December, the Socialist Rifle Associations local chapter held its monthly Gun-damentals class. A dozen people gathered in a ramshackle room at the Lava Community Center in West Philadelphia, where a range of unloaded firearms was displayed on the front table. Many of the attendees said they had little or no experience with guns. The organization, founded nationally in 2018, tries to take a community-based approach to defense, organizers said. Once a month, its volunteers distribute food and medical supplies to people living on the street in Kensington, and the group also leads first aid and de-escalation training classes. The recent gun-safety class was earnest and efficient: Two organizers led the group through an information-packed PowerPoint presentation, explaining the legal landscape in Pennsylvania, the process of purchasing a gun, and basic safety tips, using a laser pointer to emphasize certain points. Despite peoples hopes about increasing their safety, researchers have found that higher rates of gun ownership and access are correlated with higher rates of gun-related homicides, suicides, accidental deaths, and injuries. In an effort to reduce that danger, the SRA said, it focuses on teaching responsible firearm ownership and safe storage. An organizer wearing an Eagles cap and a black sweatshirt lingered on a slide about mental health. So guns are weapons, and theyre really good at what they do, which is killing things, he said, as some attendees nodded and took notes. 85% of suicides attempted with firearms lead to death. So you have to be mindful, if this is something that you do want to bring into your life, that youre aware of your own mental health going into it. Doug, a therapist who asked to be identified solely by their first name to maintain professional privacy, joined the SRA after the election. They had been in the Boy Scouts growing up, had shot BB guns at camp, and gone to the shooting range occasionally with friends. But they had never owned a gun. They attended the gun-safety class. Then in early December, they purchased their first gun, an AR-15. Doug was partly motivated by the fact that their official identifications are gender nonspecific, which could alert authorities to the fact that they are nonbinary. They feared they might not be able to buy a gun in the future. This country is not, I wouldnt say, on very solid footing, Doug said. As a Boy Scout, Id rather be prepared. A man rides his bike and walks his dog on Main Street Dec. 21 2024, in Honesdale. Read more HONESDALE, Pa. The Wayne County Arts Alliance walls are painted Guggenheim white, and were awash in local landscapes and abstract paintings during a gallery sale on the Friday before Christmas. Next door, behind the glow of a giant, neon happy face, a South Philly man was getting a Star Wars tattoo. The gallery and Happy Tattoo, which opened in 2021, were both visible from Honesdales newest Airbnb across the street, a simple, chic loft with hardwood floors and white linens. The loft is owned by a man who opened the new wine, charcuterie, and nonalcoholic wine shop around the corner, across the street from a new brewery. Advertisement Philadelphia Magazine described Honesdale as accidentally cool in 2020 and today, on the cusp of 2025, its certifiable, stamped by the type of businesses yoga studios, plant shops, coffeehouses, breweries, and galleries that can terraform a sleepy rural town into a place tourists want to visit, alongside Wayne Countys longtime draws like Lake Wallenpaupack and the Delaware River. It has only gotten better here, said Damian Grzejka, 30, owner of the Airbnb loft and Pocono Provision. Its still up-and-coming, too. Grzejka grew up in Honesdale, about 150 miles north of Philadelphia, and splits his time between the town of 4,438 and New York City. The urge to leave small, rural towns is almost a cultural cliche and many of Honesdales newest and most popular businesses, like the restaurant Native, or Get Flexy Yoga & Stretch Studio, were founded by people who grew up there and felt the urge to explore, only to be pulled back. I definitely wanted to get away, said Alexandra Johnson, co-owner of Native. If you told my younger self that I would be back here in Honesdale, opening a restaurant, I would have laughed. Stacy Brown, owner of Get Flexy Yoga, spent almost four decades away from her hometown, living in Chester and Berks Counties, along with Minnesota. She wasnt sure shed have enough clients to open a studio in Honesdale, but with virtual training and a steady group of in-person practitioners that grows in the summer, shes made it work. I grew up there and my grandparents were dairy farmers and we used to deliver milk with them before school, Brown, 59, said. Brown said she contemplated opening a studio in Lititz, a quaint town with a thriving main street in Lancaster County. It was called the No. 1 small town in America, but I think thats Honesdale now, she said. The entire vibes been lifted. On the Friday before Christmas, Native had a full house, with diners at the bar and by the open kitchen ordering rib eyes, craft cocktails, butternut squash agrodolce, and, perhaps in a nod to Wayne Countys deeply embedded outdoors culture, venison tartare. Johnson, who co-owns Native with her husband, Caleb Johnson, left Honesdale for Temple University and worked in restaurants in New York City and Philadelphia, including Lolita and Little Nonnas. We moved here eight years ago when we had our first child and decided we would bring what we learned in the city and apply it here, like the open-kitchen concept, Johnson, 36, said. Younger couples having children and opening a business, like the Johnsons, are exactly what rural Pennsylvania needs, particularly the Poconos. A 2023 study by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania predicted major popular declines for rural counties in the state from 2020 to 2030. The state is growing older, officials with the nonprofit said, and fewer children are being born. The Poconos, including Wayne and Pike Counties, were expected to have some of the steepest declines, though officials there say the COVID-19 pandemic saw real estate booms that still havent subsided. I do see the population being flat and it may not increase dramatically, but I dont see it declining by the predictions theyre saying, Wayne County commissioner James Shook said. Theres actually a bit of a housing crisis and we need about 1,500 more homes in the next five years. The pandemic did bring city residents, particularly New Yorkers, into rural Pennsylvania. Some stayed temporarily, grappling with the states notoriously spotty broadband coverage while they worked and their children took online classes. Artists found the real estate prices mind-boggling (in a good way) compared to traditional retreats in Upstate New York and bought homes, hotels, and schoolhouses there, turning them into residencies, rentals, and studios. Its one of the reasons the Wayne County Arts Alliance, which has a gallery on Main Street, has continued to grow. Debby Pollak, a painter and ceramic artist, spent 35 years teaching art in Philadelphia before moving to Wayne County. The weekend before Christmas was the alliances $100-and-under art sale and Pollak, the gallerys cocurator and the alliances education coordinator, said the nonprofit serves an even higher purpose for the region, introducing both children and the elderly to art. People who dont normally get a chance to see art in museums can come here, Pollak said in the gallery. Caitlin Cowger was looking for homes outside New York around 2014, particularly in Monticello, in the Catskills. Her attention wandered south, over the border and into Wayne County, where prices were cheaper and A-frames abounded. She closed on her first home in Honesdale in 2015 and Camp Caitlin became a refuge. It was sort of like a summer camp for me and my friends, Cowger said. I think I got addicted to people telling me how cute it was and I put it on Airbnb and it blew up. Cowger has six Airbnbs in the area and a coffeehouse/plant shop on Main Street in Honesdale. She lives above the store now, with her partner, Lucas Green, and their son, Hunter. People make fun of us because we moved from the city and instead of moving into a country house we built like a New York City apartment, she said. Cowger said shed like to transition into long-term rentals and is scouring listings for a home for her mother in the Honesdale area. She finds herself on Zillow a lot. Its like online dating for houses, she said. The dating pool for hidden property gems in Wayne County is expansive too. About 10 miles south of Honesdale, on the edge of Lake Wallenpaupack, the town of Hawley is almost a twin city, itself on the cusp of transformation. Theres a newer, large brewery there, along with a playhouse, antique shops, and American House, a tattoo studio that could double as an art gallery and museum of oddities. Owner Dan Santoro bought a second home in Hawley in 2013, and moved there several years ago, from Brooklyn. He also opened a fly fishing shop in town. Its usually the artists who come first, Santoro said. They come to places like this. But on the other hand, I moved here for the outdoors, and I dont want that to go away. Across the street from Santoros studio, a quintessential American diner sits shuttered. Santoros betting on a visionary chef investing in it. A North Philadelphia man whose attempted-murder conviction was vacated in the fall after he spent nearly 19 years in prison has sued the city and two police officers, alleging that he was wrongfully convicted based on evidence police knew was false, improbable and unreliable. Raheem Collins, 44, was arrested days after the 2006 high-profile shooting of 6-year-old Jabar Wright, which left the child paralyzed from the neck down. He was one of three men who were convicted of attempted murder, among other charges, following a 2007 trial. A judge gave each the maximum sentence: 62 to 125 years in state prison. Advertisement The prosecutions star witness was the then-wife of Jabar Wrights grandfather, who was with the child when he was shot. She identified the four men. Collins had an alibi witness, whom police didnt believe, his lawyer said. Prosecutors also downplayed surveillance footage that showed that Donte Rollins, Collins codefendant and cousin, was shopping at the Gallery mall in Center City roughly 80 minutes before the Strawberry Mansion shooting and on South Street 20 minutes after, undercutting the reliability of the eyewitness testimony. READ MORE: From 2016: Was wrong man convicted in '06 Strawberry Mansion shooting that paralyzed boy? The case against two of the men unraveled over the years, and in 2016 Pennsylvanias Superior Court vacated Rollins conviction. It took eight more years before Collins was free. In 2022, the star witness recanted her testimony, saying I now realize I was wrong, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. Collins was released from prison in November after a judge vacated his conviction and the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office dropped the charges. His lawsuit, filed Dec. 31 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, accuses the city and the officers working on the case of deceiving the jury by hinging the prosecution on the testimony of one witness, despite video evidence undercutting its credibility. The complaint also says that the prosecution failed to disclose or pursue evidence that could have helped Collins prove his innocence. The most important part of Raheem Collins case is that he had an alibi from day one, said Kevin Harden Jr., an attorney with Ross Feller Casey who represents Collins. They interviewed that alibi witness and no one believed him. Harden called the shooting an absolute tragedy and said police in the high-profile case rushed to judgment about Mr. Collins. The federal complaint accuses the police officers of falsely testifying that DNA evidence was available and of misrepresenting the time police stopped Rollins the night of the shooting to discredit his alibi. Police also failed to thoroughly investigate the case, according to the complaint, leaving evidence including alibi witnesses, video footage, store receipts, and phone records that could have contradicted the sole eyewitness undetected. A spokesperson for the citys law department declined to comment on the active litigation. Collins filed his complaint less than a month after another wrongfully convicted man, James Kelly, sued the city after having spent 29 years in prison. READ MORE: A Philly mans murder conviction was overturned after 29 years in prison. Now he is suing the city for allegedly withholding evidence from his lawyers. The convictions of 49 people have been overturned since District Attorney Larry Krasner took office in 2018, according to his offices data. Civil lawsuits have followed and so have large jury verdicts and settlements. In April, a jury handed the largest payout to an exoneree in city history, awarding $16 million to James Dennis, who spent 25 years on death row. Philadelphia settled three unrelated wrongful-conviction cases in 2023 for a combined $25 million. Harden said the lawsuit is a means to provide some justice for Collins, who missed nearly the entire childhoods of his two children. He will have to restart life in middle age, when some in the community could still believe that he is guilty. To actually reduce gun violence, the attorney and gun violence survivor said, we have to get it right. Pro-Trump supporters pose for a selfie outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Unlike the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the domestic terrorism of Jan. 6 has long been characterized by two competing narratives, A.J. Bauer writes. Read more Where were you on Jan. 6? This question has become a sort of send-up a way of mocking someone for expressing a right-wing sentiment, insinuating that they participated in the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot that briefly postponed the certification of Joe Bidens election as president. Asked sincerely, it serves to cultivate a shared historical memory of collective, vicarious trauma. Advertisement That day, thousands of Trump supporters converged on Washington, D.C., to Stop the Steal, a slogan based on an unfounded conspiracy theory that the 2020 U.S. presidential election, which Donald Trump lost, had been riddled with fraud. Thousands stormed Congress, attacking and injuring scores of Capitol Police officers and causing millions of dollars in property damage. In the years since, Jan. 6 has become a journalistic and political shorthand for threats to democracy by Trump and his ilk. Yet, as we approach its fourth anniversary, democracy itself has returned us to the precipice we faced that day. Trumps reelection in 2024, following a campaign where he promised retribution against his opponents and the mass deportation of immigrants, raises the ominous specter of authoritarianism in the United States. Like each new historical development, Trumps return to power calls for a reconsideration of what came before including what Jan. 6 meant, and how we ought to remember it now. Unlike the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 which have often been remembered as a moment of national unity in defiance of foreign opponents the domestic terrorism of Jan. 6 has long been characterized by two competing narratives, the result of an asymmetrically polarized media system that enclaves the political right from the rest of our information environment. According to the narrative proffered by right-wing media, Trump and the hundreds of other riot participants who faced criminal charges for their activities that day did nothing wrong. They are victims of the same deep state conspiracy that they had gathered to oppose on Jan. 6, or political prisoners of an illegitimate Biden administration. For the rest of us, Jan. 6 has been a cautionary tale. The Final Report of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol highlights the cracks and loopholes in our legal system, as well as right-wing organizing efforts, that dovetailed to threaten the ongoing integrity of our electoral system. Remembering that day has meant remaining cognizant of these vulnerabilities while taking solace in the failure of Trump and his mob to prevent a Biden presidency. Like the famed star-spangled banner, Jan. 6 has thus far been a symbol of our democracys fragile resilience. But Trumps return to power didnt come through exploiting institutional flaws, like our deeply antidemocratic Electoral College, or wielding the support of right-wing militias. It came by way of the very democratic institutions that we thought would save us. This time, Trump won the popular vote. Jan. 6 was still a canary. We just misconstrued the coal mine. It wasnt an example of democratic institutions holding in the face of growing authoritarian impulses on the right. It was the high watermark for the stubborn fiction that our institutions are truly democratic at all. If you look at polling on many hot-button issues, including abortion and climate change, youll note a disconnect between U.S. public opinion and government policy. While our political system does involve elections, gerrymandering, voter suppression, and lobbying by moneyed interests are more determinative of political and policy outcomes than anything approximating the popular will. Like the famed star spangled banner, Jan. 6 has thus far been a symbol of our democracys fragile resilience. For the vast majority of U.S. history, federal and state laws have resulted in nominally democratic institutions with blatantly authoritarian outcomes. When we narrate the United States as a democracy, we make exceptions for the countrys long-standing disrespect of its treaties with Indigenous tribes, for example, not to mention long-standing political, cultural, and social discrimination against women, queer people, immigrants, and racial minorities. The outlawing of de jure Jim Crow laws in the mid-20th century has been bolstered by persistent de facto racial segregation. The United States has the highest incarceration rate of any democracy on Earth, an embarrassment underwritten by decades of bipartisan support for draconian criminal punishments. Our collective memory of Sept. 11, 2001, is also instructive here. Far from a moment of national unity, the attacks on that day ushered in a patriotic fervor that stifled religious and political pluralism and ran roughshod over civil liberties. A new domestic security apparatus emerged, reflected in the establishment of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Initially targeting Muslim Americans, domestic surveillance achieved national scale in the years that followed. While some civil libertarian guardrails were added in the wake of Edward Snowdens expose in 2013, vestiges remain as do legal precedents that give presidents considerable executive authority under periods of crisis. When Trump takes power later this month, this already extant and well-established system of state repression will be subjected to his authoritarian whims. It wont be the first time. Immigrants, people of color, women, and leftists have long borne the brunt of this countrys persistent repressive streak. If Jan. 6 initially seemed to justify the importance of our democratic institutions, Trumps reelection recasts that moment as revealing the extent to which our institutions democratic character is merely customary. Whether our federal government is wielded toward authoritarian or democratic ends depends on who is doing the wielding. If we desire a return to the institutionalism idealized in our initial collective memory of Jan. 6, well need to undertake the long-neglected work of reconstructing our institutions to make them truly democratic. A.J. Bauer is a historian and assistant professor of journalism at the University of Alabama. The national conversation around criminal justice and public safety tends to focus on extreme perspectives that are far removed from the day-to-day experience of those living in dangerous neighborhoods. Do you want to defund the police, or do you support the thin blue line? Are progressive prosecutors a breath of fresh air, or are they pied pipers for disorder? Are community programs or policing better at reducing violence? Advertisement For Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, Director of Public Safety Adam Geer, and Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, however, these kinds of heated debates are a luxury they cant rightly afford. Faced with a city where violence surged to a record 562 homicides during the pandemic, these city leaders instead opted for a balanced approach to criminal justice, making clear they would use every tool in the toolbox in order to keep residents safe. And the early signs of the effectiveness of that strategy are promising. READ MORE: Challenges remain, but the decline in gun violence is reason to celebrate | Editorial In 2024, the city ended the year with 268 homicides, a reduction of 35% over last year; the number of shootings also declined by the same percentage. Thats not to say the city still doesnt have more to tackle with regard to crime and public safety. After all, Philadelphia still has more shootings per year than New York City, despite having a fifth of that citys population. Shoplifting has contributed to pharmacies permanently closing in much of the city, and while 268 homicides represent a significant decline over the recent past, it is still far too much death. The citys universities, employment centers, and transit agencies have all been forced to spend additional resources on public safety measures after high-profile incidents. Still, Bethel has the police department on the right track. While they have yet to match pre-pandemic numbers, officers have taken important steps to improve traffic safety by pulling over more vehicles for moving violations and issues like missing or falsified license plates. The police department also has upped foot and bike patrols, directed officers to check in on local businesses and transit stations, and has them log each activity, making their impact more measurable over time. And in a climate marked by widespread concerns about the fairness of stop-and-frisk policies searches and questioning of pedestrians have not increased under Bethels watch. But policing, while necessary, cannot produce sustainable change by itself. Fighting crime in Philadelphia will take continued attention to challenge the decades of disinvestment and decline in public safety that have led to the citys status quo. According to gun violence statistics compiled by former Mayor Michael Nutter, 2024 represented one of only three years with fewer than 270 homicides since the end of the Johnson administration, and the city hasnt had fewer than 200 homicides since 1966. Without more substantive change in the neighborhoods most impacted by violence, last years reduction could easily fizzle. Fortunately, Mayor Parker is not relying solely on policing to produce change. The city has also invested millions of dollars in community intervention programs. These programs have sometimes come under criticism for a lack of accountability, with some grant recipients clearly unqualified, and other deserving programs missing the cut. Despite those examples, advocacy organizations like the Civic Coalition to Save Lives credit intervention programs including efforts that rely entirely on private funding for helping to spur the reduction in violence. READ MORE: By decrying the dangers of guns, the surgeon general takes a fraught, but necessary step to save lives | Editorial The mayors balanced approach even extends to the citys chief prosecutor. Larry Krasner, who is running for reelection this year, was blamed by many for the citys rise in gun violence because his office pursued fewer prosecutions for some offenses. Now that shootings have declined, Krasner and his supporters might feel justified in asking why he shouldnt get credit for that, as well. While Parker hasnt embraced the infamously cantankerous Krasner as an ally, she also has not spent much, if any, time as an adversary. Instead, she has prudently worked alongside his office as needed, settling any disputes behind closed doors and out of the public eye. In Geer, the head of public safety, Parker has even added a former Krasner assistant district attorney to her team. Thats not to say the mayors team doesnt have room for improvement. While a new focus on Kensington is welcome, so far the city has only succeeded in moving around the drug trade and its associated danger and disorder, rather than ending it. For Kensington and other city neighborhoods that have long suffered from gun violence, lets hope the progress continues. On Jan. 20, Donald Trump will return to the White House. A notable part of his campaign was his promise to deport the estimated 11 million people who are in the country without legal authorization, end temporary immigration protection programs, disregard asylum law, and curtail legal immigration. Luis F. Carrasco, deputy opinion editor, spoke with Sabrina Vourvoulias, senior editor for commentary, ideas, and community engagement, about what the future may hold for immigration under Trump. Vourvoulias grew up in Guatemala and Carrasco in Mexico. Both are U.S. citizens. Advertisement Luis F. Carrasco: I am not prone to hyperbole, but I am deeply worried. Not only about what will happen during Trumps second term, but what is likely to happen the day hes sworn in. His campaign promised two big things: bring down prices, and mass deportations. Since hes already walked back doing anything about Americans grocery bills, that leaves immigrants as the target (yet again) of his shock and awe Day One posturing. Now, even if he could swing the logistics of it, I dont believe he will ever get to deport millions of people if voters arent swayed by families being torn apart, perhaps crashing the economy will do it but how many will suffer from even a perfunctory attempt to fulfill his xenophobic campaign promises? Sabrina Vourvoulias: I try to limit my hyperbole and catastrophizing to the fiction I write, but I, too, am deeply worried. Trumps proposed border czar Tom Homan is already prepping the ground for separating parents from their U.S.-born children and holding families in detention in soft-sided tents (conjuring images of Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaios Tent City jail). And over on Fox News, Stephen Miller, the incoming White House deputy chief of staff for policy, is reiterating that deportations are Trumps No. 1 priority. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have never stopped casing certain neighborhoods particularly in the early morning hours when people are going to work or taking their kids to school in order to apprehend folks they suspect are undocumented, but I imagine that activity will escalate exponentially with any Day One directive from Trump. Carrasco: Homan has said the administration will initially focus on immigrants with a criminal history and those with open deportation orders (probably the closest Trump will ever get to being compared with Barack Obama). Im sure thats part picking the low-hanging fruit and part generating goodwill, but I doubt it will end there or that plenty of other immigrants wont be caught up in any roundup. Theres also the caveat of criminal history. To Obamas credit, enforcement under the so-called deporter-in-chief did focus primarily on those convicted of serious crimes. I get the feeling that under Trump, the bar will be, Well, they already broke the law by being here. Now, most immigrants would come here legally if they could (and a country should be able to control its borders), but the system is broken. America needs immigrants to thrive, but the politics make dispassionate legislation impossible. During the campaign, we already saw JD Vance say he was still going to call them [Haitians] an illegal alien, even though they are in the country legally under the Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, program. Vourvoulias: Trump has said he wants to revoke TPS designation for Haitians, but it is unclear whether he can legally do so. The current TPS for Haitians expires in February 2026, and while federal regulations permit a designation to be terminated before the predetermined expiration date, that hasnt happened since TPS was first established back in 1990. The regulations also require 60 days notice of termination, so its definitely not a Trump on Day One thing. However, 16 nations are currently designated for TPS, and Trump can decide not to extend their TPS designations when they expire. Those impacts could be felt as early as March when the designation for El Salvador expires, or April when the designations for Ukraine, Sudan, and Venezuela expire. But, back to your first point, I have no reason to believe the Trump administration will focus only on what is popularly imagined as criminal immigrants in its deportation efforts since so often, already, just being undocumented itself is treated as a crime. Unauthorized reentry (Section 1326 of Chapter 8 of the U.S. Code) is a felony violation, for example, and though it may well be unconstitutional as administered, it can (and probably will) be used to justify the deportation of people who have not been criminally involved in any other way. Is a father or mother of U.S. citizen children who was deported after a workplace raid, and then reenters the country without authorization to rejoin them, really criminal? When I put myself in their shoes, Id probably make the same choice in order to get back to take care of my loved ones. Carrasco: As you mention putting yourself in others shoes, in a way I am heartened by the fact there is a real disconnect between what people think they want and what they will actually tolerate but it seems that it takes being confronted with reality for that empathy to set in, which by then is a little late for the immigrants caught up in the system. I was chilled with poll results last year that showed around half of Americans support mass deportation (it was closer to 75% for Republicans). Yet, some of those same polls saw a drop in support for deportation once those immigrants were humanized even a tiny bit (Theyve been here a long time, they have a job.). Or look at family separation during Trumps first term, when even Republican support eroded once kids crying out for their parents became the face of the administrations hard-line immigration policies. But again, by the time people start seeing the kind of Monkeys Paw resolution to their wish of getting rid of undocumented immigrants, bad things have already happened to too many people. Vourvoulias: Absolutely. The way many ICE arrests took place during the first Trump administration is that agents went into workplaces looking for one undocumented person, and not finding them there, took in others on suspicion of being undocumented, as well. The justification for suspecting someone of being undocumented could range from looking nervous, as the link above cites, or being ethnically profiled at a workplace, as in a case that came before a Pennsylvania judge in 2018. And being associated with someone with an immigration retainer could land you in trouble with ICE. Ive heard from undocumented folks that they will not enter undocumented friends into the contact lists on their phones since phones are one of the first things ICE agents confiscate and comb through to find more people to bring in for interrogation. Grassroots activists often advise undocumented folks not to open their doors to ICE agents unless they have a judicial warrant for a named individual for fear that if they do open the door, not only the person opening it but everyone else in the house may be taken in for interrogation on suspicion of immigration violations. Carrasco: You know, I couched it initially as saying I was deeply worried, but the truth is I am afraid. I am afraid not only that families will see their lives upended, but also that things could escalate very quickly into violence. Part of the Trump plan is to use sheriffs (who in a lot of places are almost cartoonishly right-wing) and other local law enforcement to round up immigrants. He has also floated using the military. Those are an awful lot of guns with emotions running high. I think Trump can miscalculate, see this as some sort of macho challenge, and charge headlong into a dangerous confrontation as communities rise up to protect their own. Once it hardens down to those defending law and order and those protecting the vulnerable, it could tap into all the self-righteous anger and tribalism thats out there. Heres that hyperbole again, but I seriously think a worst-case scenario could tip this over into civil conflict. Vourvoulias: When I was growing up in Guatemala (during the undeclared civil war), American kids who would come to visit were always astonished and horrified at the number of guns out in the open; everyone was armed and uneasy. I cant believe were now imagining the tables turned. But, I am trying to take a cue from immigrants in terms of not diving headfirst into the panic-about-what-will-happen rabbit hole. Ginning up the fear level is Trumps easiest and most effective Day One policy. Fear makes people hide, disengage, cower. But the immigrants Ive heard from arent cowering or disengaging. Theyre focused on reinforcing and strengthening existing relationships with business owners, religious leaders and congregations, local officials, and their neighbors. El pueblo salva al pueblo, thats what I keep hearing. Carrasco: Well, I hope the people will save the people. I will try and remain hopeful that communities will stand alongside immigrants through peaceful civil resistance, if necessary. That the current clash between Elon Musk and some very vocal xenophobic right-wing activists makes it clear to those who still dont get it that it was never about illegal immigration at all. That the industries that depend on immigrant labor realize their self-interest now means they must protect those they are willing to exploit. I hope that out of Trumps fearmongering and promised overreach comes a true reckoning that takes us beyond the easy platitude that we are a nation of immigrants, and to the hard truth that we must defend immigrants if we want to continue being a nation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 5. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has congratulated the country`s Orthodox Christian community on Christmas, Trend reports. I cordially congratulate the entire Christian community of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the Holy Christmas and wish you all good health and happiness, the head of state said in his message. In Azerbaijan, Christians have lived together with representatives of other nations and religions in an atmosphere of friendship, peace and tranquility for centuries. The preservation of ethnic-cultural diversity, rich traditions of tolerance in our country, providing support for the development of intercultural and interreligious dialogue on a global scale are among the priority directions of our policy. The principles of democratic, legal statehood, progressive state-religion relations have been established in our society. In Azerbaijan, which is recognized as a place of exemplary multiculturalism, everyone enjoys equal rights and freedoms, regardless of language, religion, and ethnicity. Our Christian compatriots are keeping their traditions alive by freely performing rituals and ceremonies in accordance with their beliefs, are closely involved in the social-political, socio-cultural life of Azerbaijan, and fulfill their civic duties honestly, the President said. Christmas, which is a symbol of renewal, faith in the future, feelings of kindness and compassion among people, is solemnly celebrated in Azerbaijan every year. May this bright holiday bring joy and happiness to your families, and blessings to your tables, President Ilham Aliyev added. The brother of a Belfast man believed dead after going missing in Spain has made a plea for any information after a Northern Ireland rescue team travelled to Alicante to search with dogs and a drone. John George, also known as John Hardy, had been holidaying in Alicante and was last in touch with his family on December 14. The 37-year-old was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight home to Northern Ireland. John George, left, also known as John Hardy, with his brother Darren (Family handout/PA) His family believe the father-of-two is dead. His brother, Darren, is in Alicante helping in the search with their parents, Billy and Sharon, and sisters, Courtney and Caitlin, along with up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland. Members from K9 Search And Rescue NI, a volunteer canine search team, joined the wide-scale operation to find Mr George and officers from the PSNI are liaising with the family and authorities in Spain. Darren George told PA news agency: A lot of people are over showing us their support. John would never have missed Christmas with his boys We also can see the support from back home, which is fantastic, and thats whats giving us the energy and the strength to actually go forward. But the searches can be very frustrating as were getting no answers at the end of them. Its very frustrating and we are being left very angry. Someone knows where John is. They need to give it up, and they need to give the location, whether its done anonymously. This isnt going to stop and certainly were not going to go away until we get Johns body. We get Johns body, were on the next flight out of here. Somebody has answers and we will not leave Spain without Johns body. He added: John was happy-go-lucky guy. John would have rang you at any time of the day or night. So when we didnt get the phone call from John within two days, we knew something was wrong. He was a very good boxer when he was younger, and was an all-Ireland champion. Hes a normal, average guy. Dont get me wrong, John had his troubles: John was a drug addict, it took over Johns life. Members of the search team at work in Alicante (K9 Search and Rescue/PA) Darren George said his two young nephews are asking for their father. John would never have missed Christmas with his boys, he added. My parents are completely broken people. My dads had a heart attack and my mums has had two strokes. Theyre just two broken-hearted parents looking for their son. Its absolutely hateful. We are a normal family. Its torture. Mr George spoke to his father by phone on December 14. His family said he sounded distressed, and he was urged by his father to travel home immediately. Darren George also spoke of his anger at what he said is people taking pleasure in his familys suffering after malicious comments were posted online about his brother. He also rejected claims his family are under death threats from paramilitaries in Northern Ireland. This was in a brand new climate that was new to all of us. That did come with its own own challenges. The heat was definitely one. We're not used to working in that type of heat and it did put a lot of strain on us, particularly on the dogs Members of the K9 team travelled back to Northern Ireland on Sunday following a five-day search in the Alicante region. Seven search technicians and their Labrador retriever Rocko had taken part in the operation. Team member Gabriel Walker said they were joined by a Portuguese-based search and rescue team, including their dog Lobo. Mr Walker said there was a huge amount of planning and preparation ahead of their search. The search area was a mixture of rural and urban areas, and that included the likes of scrubland, forestry, gorges and water, Mr Walker said. Those were all searched by our search technicians on foot, as well as the two dogs and the drone. That was searching in the heat, from dusk till dawn during those four days. Missing person searches are bread and butter, so we utilised the exact same approach and skills that we would use to the missing person searches that we attend locally, but this was in a brand new climate that was new to all of us. That did come with its own own challenges. The heat was definitely one. Were not used to working in that type of heat and it did put a lot of strain on us, particularly on the dogs. It is a different type of terrain, but we just defaulted to our training, and it served us really well. He added: The fact that we were able to bring a professional, specialist search capability to add to the search for John brings an extra reassurance to the family and that everythings being done to find John. The family and friends were out on the ground searching shoulder to shoulder with us at times. To have such a strong support from the Northern Irish community who flew out out to Alicante was really amazing. We were totally bowled over by the support that we and Johns family are receiving. A spokesman for the PSNI said: Following a report to the Police Service of Northern Ireland on Wednesday December 18 that a 37-year-old man from Belfast, holidaying in Spain, was missing, the Police Service of Northern Ireland have been liaising closely with the missing mans family and other law enforcement agencies. Dedicated family liaison officers have been appointed to provide support to the family at this time. While the investigation must be progressed by Spanish police, the PSNI have made an offer of assistance to police in Spain and will assist with any local enquiries as requested by them. We would ask anyone who believes they may have information which could assist the Spanish investigation team with their investigation to contact us on 101. Guardia Civil has been contacted for comment. Donations to K9 Search and Rescue NI can be made through their website https://www.k9searchandrescueni.org/. In the mid-1980s, the battles in Irelands moral civil war (a term used by journalist Gene Kerrigan) were intensifying, pitting a reactionary Catholic Church against reformist forces in Leinster House. In Irish society, the demand for change in areas of sexuality and human reproduction had been gathering momentum since the historic ruling by the Supreme Court in December 1973. The judges found the ban on the importation of contraceptives was unconstitutional, and May McGee had the right to limit the number of her children by artificial means. Now the battle lines were drawn. Sooner or later irrespective of Church teaching the State would have to give legislative effect to the ruling in the McGee case. But it would take until 1985 before this was fully realised. During the interim, Fianna Fail returned to government in 1977 with a whopping 20-seat majority. The taoiseach, Jack Lynch, announced the governments intention to introduce family planning legislation, and the task went to the new minister for health, Charles Haughey. HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading Mr Haugheys legislation now memorably, if risibly, remembered as an Irish solution to an Irish problem was called the Health (Family Planning) Act 1979, and it provided for the sale of contraceptives only at chemists and only on prescription. It was indicative, according to historian Diarmaid Ferriter, of the timidity of politicians in the face of pressure from the Catholic right. Two Cork politicians played central roles in distancing the State from the Churchs moral teaching and in redefining the relationship between Church and State in 1985: Barry Desmond and Peter Barry. As minister for health in the Fine Gael-Labour coalition government headed by Dr Garret FitzGerald, it would fall to Mr Desmond to introduce the Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Bill 1985. The bill aimed to legalise the use of condoms, which were to be sold without a prescription to anyone over the age of 18. Today, when condoms are so widely available in all sorts of outlets, including pubs, this seems terribly quaint. Nevertheless, even though Mr Desmonds bill, as Chrystel Hug has recounted in her book, The Politics of Sexual Morality in Ireland, was mainly the regularisation of what was happening anyway, the law passed with only a majority of three deputies, and met the virulent opposition of Fianna Fail and the Catholic Church. During the debate on the bill in Seanad Eireann, Catherine Bulbulia was emphatic in her support for the wider availability of contraceptives: This bill has as its backdrop the Kerry babies tribunal, the tragic case in Granard, the Eileen Flynn case and, laterally, the discovery of the body of a tiny newborn baby girl in a plastic bag in Galway. Births outside wedlock have risen from 2.7% of all births in 1971 to 6.8% in 1983. The government had won an important trial of strength. The loyalist newspaper the Belfast News Letter translated this in to a bold headline, announcing Garret beats the bishops. In his book The Crozier and the Dail, John Cooney summed up what was at stake: There had been no doubt in anyones mind that Church and State were locked in to a public debate on the question of sovereignty in the sphere of morality. Another trial of strength was looming on the horizon: This time on divorce, and this time the bishops and the Catholic right would have an emphatic victory. From the outset, the government was ever mindful of what some ministers recognised as the ingrained conservative ethos of the Irish electorate. So the first divorce referendum was doomed. There was an immense determination by conservative forces in Irish society, notably in the convergence of Fianna Fail and the Catholic hierarchy, to defend traditional values, recorded Mr Desmond. Thus, the government faced in to the 1986 divorce referendum with Padraig Flynn declaiming that divorce was like a Frankenstein stalking the land. The 1980s were a time of great unease and uncertainty here. The economy was in recession, and there were fears for the future of constitutional nationalism in the aftermath of the hunger strikes of 1981 and the rise of Sinn Fein. Deep-seated misogyny The national angst led to the bizarre phenomenon of the moving statues in 1985, and one could detect in the Kerry Babies tribunal of the same year traces of a deep-seated misogyny with religious roots. But the currents of reform were also stirring. And with the afterglow fading from the papal visit of 1979, the Catholic bishops found themselves increasingly on the defensive. Yet, as the 1986 divorce referendum demonstrated, the Church remained a powerful force in the Republic. Its ability to rally support to prevent society going in a direction contrary to its doctrines had already been unmistakably manifested in the 1983 abortion referendum. In September 1957, a committee on homosexual offences, established by the British government, issued its findings. The Wolfenden Report examined the relationship of religion, morality, and the law, and one of its key recommendations was that homosexual acts done in private between consenting adults should cease to be criminal offences. The report said there were areas of private morality that were none of the laws business, making a crucial distinction between sin and crime. In time, this would form the cornerstone of the challenge in the High Court in Ireland by David Norris to two laws outlawing homosexuality. The laws banning homosexuality were inherited by the Irish state from the reign of Queen Victoria, said Chrystel Hug. They were passed in 1861 and 1885 by the British parliament, whose concern was to regulate sexuality. The 1861 and 1885 British laws were automatically taken over by the Irish Free State, like all British common law and statute law, and kept on since nothing invalidated them in the 1937 Constitution. The issue was never debated in the Irish parliament. Mr Norriss challenge to these laws failed in the High Court in October 1980, and his appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected in April 1983. Mr Norris then took his case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, and eventually, in October 1988, the court ruled in his favour. Now, with the necessity for change imposed by the ECHR, the Irish government would have to act, in spite of Church opposition. The changing relationship between State and Church was to be the subject of a major speech by the minister for foreign affairs, Peter Barry, at a lunch in Iveagh House in September 1985 in the presence of Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, Vatican secretary of state, and senior members of the Irish hierarchy. Mr Barry spelled out two principles that appeared to have been accepted by the Irish bishops in their submission to the New Ireland Forum in 1984: (a) It was the duty of the Church to preach its message, but (b) it was the duty of elected members of the Oireachtas to legislate in accordance with their conscience in the best interests of the Irish people. That speech sent a clear message to Rome that the special relationship between Church and State in Ireland had formally come to an end, wrote Professor Dermot Keogh, of University College Cork, in his book Ireland and the Vatican. Ireland was moving at last from Church and State to State versus Church. The country ground is in the grip of a "multi-hazard" weather event involving snow, sleet, heavy rain, sub-zero temperatures, power outages, road closures, public transport cancellations, and school closures. While a new Irish study from climate scientists last week predicts a lot less frost and snow between now and 2030 in Ireland, other climate scientists focus on the high probability (95%) that the Gulf Stream is in danger between 2025 and 2095 if carbon emissions are not reduced. This has the potential to push Irish winters into something akin to Iceland. The future of Irish climate has become increasingly uncertain with potentially huge impacts on all aspects of society and the economy. Yet, policy discussions on fossil and agriculture-fuelled climate change continue to occupy a position that many in Government and society would prefer to ignore. As TDs prepare to return from their Christmas break on January 22, all eyes will be on the programme for the next Government. Proposals on housing, health, education, defence, justice, foreign affairs, and cost-of-living will be scrutinised with a fine toothcomb. While climate change is becoming increasingly precarious, discussions may prove challenging as neither of the main government parties had Cabinet ministers in climate and energy a role occupied by Eamon Ryan since 2020. Despite the now certainty of the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on global temperatures, the recent general election all but ignored the issue focusing on the realities of an acute housing crisis, an overwhelmed health service, and the cost-of-living The Green Party is the only party in Government over the last decade that has been brave enough to be honest about the necessity for transformation of every aspect of the economy in order to face the climate and ecological challenges we now face. For that, the party got annihilated. The key issue here is that the public is not behind the Government in going hard on climate as if we had a choice whether to engage or not engage with the inevitability of climate change. Many have closed their eyes and suggest that we have other more pressing matters to attend to first. Like housing. And health. And the economy. Climate change is not an esoteric notion it matters for very practical reasons. For some, it means navigating roads subject to more frequent flooding, according to Catherine Conlon. Picture: Andrew Harris. Why does climate change matter anyway? Despite widespread awareness of the issue, many people in Ireland continue to struggle to answer this question. Some feel that climate change is too abstract to really grasp. Many think "it doesnt really affect me" and isnt something Ireland needs to worry about. Others see it as one concern among many including homelessness, poverty, unemployment, addiction, terrorism, and war. With so many competing concerns, it is easy to put climate further down the list and assume that "technology will sort it out". Some still consider climate change a hoax' Many others recognise the problem but feel overwhelmed with the enormity of it, convinced that is too big an issue and that any action they take such as eating less meat or flying less often will have an impact so miniscule that it is not worth even trying. Climate change is not an esoteric notion it matters for very practical reasons. For some, it means navigating roads subject to more frequent flooding. For others, it means immediate threats to livelihood, health and wellbeing, with impacts on food production, water supplies and housing security. If allowed to continue unabated, it will have potentially catastrophic consequences across the world including Ireland in terms of the disappearance of coastlines, stresses on agricultural and water resources, and population displacement. Climate scientists have warned that economic sectors and infrastructure systems are affected by climate change. Picture: Niall Carson/PA In Climate and Society (2024), climate scientists Robin Leichenko and Karen OBrien outline the reality of what this will mean: "Climate change affects the functioning of economic sectors and infrastructure systems which are generally designed for stability and predictability. "Importantly, climate change means that the past can no longer serve as a reliable guide for the future. "In sectors such as logistics, engineering, and construction, decisions ranging from where to site new warehouse facilities and how to plan new roads, bridges, and other major infrastructure projects are complicated by uncertainties about future rainfall, flood heights, wind speeds, and sea levels. "For the property industry, more extreme weather events and a changing climate mean increased costs and less predictability about future damage payouts which, in turn, mean higher premium rates for customers or withdrawal of coverage altogether. Changes in the fundamental rhythms of nature have consequences for agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, tourism and many other sectors of the economy These scenarios are already playing out in Ireland, but our response has been reactive and emotional as opposed to the objective, calculated, even ruthless approach needed for long-term gain. A new report from the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHC) in the University of Galway states much more precisely than usual what climate change will mean for Ireland in the next decade. This includes increasing floods, droughts, storms, and a lot less frost and snow between now and 2030. In most cases these will be even more intense. Confidence in projections The study was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, Met Eireann, and the Marine Institute. Lead author Paul Nolan is succinct in describing how likely these floods, droughts, and storms are to arise and how prepared the Government and society can be to deal with them. The "updated high-resolution climate projections increase confidence in climate projections for Ireland which, if realised, will impact Irelands economy, society, and environment in dramatic ways", Mr Nolan said. What might all this mean to the Irish economy? For farmers, reliance on predominantly grass-grown beef and dairy farming will become increasingly challenging and expensive. Decisions on when to plant crops or when to apply fertiliser and irrigation are rooted in expectations about weather and climate. For fishermen, a warming ocean can affect what types of fish are available, when to catch them, and how much to harvest. For manufacturers, more frequent coastal storms can damage port facilities and disrupt global supply chains. The reality of this is playing out in Holyhead Port with all ferry services between Dublin Port and Holyhead suspended until at least the middle of January, throwing the distribution of Christmas packages into chaos. While, in many ways, life has never been better, recent years have seen society lumber from one crisis to the next Economic bubbles, financial downturns, civil unrest, adversity, a pandemic, war, and climate and ecosystem collapse. People are afraid, discouraged, and angry slaves to impulses and instincts they have never questioned. However, every disaster is an opportunity to move to a better place both individually and collectively. The climate crisis is no exception. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael can start this process with the formation of a new programme for Government that focuses on the enormous opportunities that a green and just transition presents. This includes investing in green renewables, public transport and active travel, and a shift in focus in agriculture towards plant-based proteins with realistic supports for farmers to transition to sustainable crops that simultaneously address climate, health, and food security challenges. Despite the pending return of Donald Trump and his likely move to step away from the Paris Agreement and reinforce short-term gains from investment in fossil fuels, there is a global and accelerating surge in green power and predominantly plant-based foods. Ireland needs to be much bolder in taking courage to be right at the heart of it. Like it or not, that is the future. Catherine Conlon is a public health doctor in Cork. The European Commission has stripped 1.04bn in aid from Hungary in the latest phase of an ongoing political struggle with its errant member state. The amount of money lost is a blow for Hungary, but the decision also has wider economic and geopolitical implications. Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has consistently flouted EU standards and democratic principles. The question now is whether he has run out of options. The EU mobilises and redistributes a vast amount of collective funding to its poorer countries and regions. Since the 1970s, a complex set of funding instruments has emerged under the banner of cohesion policy. For the 2021-27 budgetary period, the EU has allocated 392bn for cohesion policy, supplemented by 750bn in grants and cheap loans from the Next Generation EU programme. These funds can be used for the development of infrastructure, environmental protection, and support for the private sector (in particular for the green economy). No other regional institution does anything like this. For poorer countries, these funds can amount to a significant proportion of GDP, and distributing such a large pot of money gives latent power to the Commission. The EU is also noteworthy as an institution in that it makes support for democratic values and the rule of law a prerequisite for membership. It considers itself a bulwark of liberal values and constitutionalism: there is not supposed to be any room at the table for authoritarians. However, the EU was slack in enforcing this rule with Orban. After he came to power in 2010, the Hungarian prime minister began to institute various repressive and cronyist measures that boosted his personal power and that of his governing party (Fidesz). Orban was even accused of directly using EU funds for these purposes. He was protected for some time by membership of the powerful European Peoples Party (EPP) in the European parliament and developed his own form of populist Euroscepticism, while raking in money from Brussels. Eventually, he went too far and alienated his erstwhile allies (leaving the EPP group in 2021), as the commission began to take measures against him. In 2020, the European Commission introduced the rule of law conditionality mechanism, which made it much easier to suspend or withdraw funds from member states if there are concerns about their commitments to democracy. This was used against Poland and Hungary in 2022. Just to give an idea of the stakes, the former had a total of 136bn unblocked when its new government agreed to Brussels terms. Hungary also had over 30bn frozen over the same period. A game of cat and mouse continued, with Orban threatening and occasionally using his national veto to frustrate EU action in support of Ukraine. In December 2023, 10.2bn of cohesion funds were unfrozen, in a rather tortuously worded decision, just before a crucial vote on Ukraine aid and accession. Another 20bn plus was still withheld, however. After he came to power in 2010, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban began to institute various repressive and cronyist measures that boosted his personal power and that of his governing party (Fidesz). Picture: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP A commission report on the rule of law in Hungary in July 2024 noted that Orbans government had made some reforms (under pressure) but still noted systemic problems around issues such as judicial and media independence. At that time, Hungary also held the EU presidency (which rotates every six months). Orban was using this position to promote himself on the world stage, visiting Moscow and Beijing to sell a different European view and further annoying the EU leadership. Next moves It should be noted that the decision to strip Hungary of its 1.04bn is in some sense a technical issue. Funds are automatically withdrawn two years after the suspension starts. But it is nevertheless highly significant as it implies that the status quo will not continue. Without change, Hungary could lose the rest of the funds permanently. The implications of this are manifold. The EU had been accused of tolerating authoritarians in its midst, but this is clearly changing. However, it is changing at a time when more and more nativist populists are coming to power in the EU. Can the commission maintain its rigorous approach or will pressure from governments soften it up? Donald Trump is a warm ally of Orban, but its not certain that he would be willing or able to help Hungary in this form of dispute. If he does try, that would be a sign that there is some substance to the idea of a global nativist populist alliance. Orban himself has reacted angrily to this loss of funds and has threatened to use his national veto more aggressively which he has threatened to do in the past. Hungary is in an economically fragile position so it is not clear how much of a confrontation he can afford. Meanwhile, opposition to Orban is growing within Hungary and the rising opposition leader, Peter Magyar, has declared that he can unlock the billions of EU funds still due. This could be a potent election slogan (the next ones are due in 2026). It would also amount to the EU entering Hungarys domestic political sphere in a very tangible way. Patrick Holden is Leader of the Online Masters in International Relations: Security and Development at the University of Plymouth. This article appeared in The Conversation, a news and analysis website written by academics. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike last year while inside the militant groups war operations room, according to new details disclosed by a senior official. A series of Israeli air strikes flattened several buildings in Beiruts southern suburbs on September 27, killing Nasrallah. The Lebanese Health Ministry said six people died. According to news reports, Nasrallah and other senior officials were meeting underground. The assassination of Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for 32 years, turned months of low-level strikes between Israel and the militants into all-out war that battered much of southern and eastern Lebanon for two months until a US-brokered ceasefire took effect on November 27. His Eminence (Hassan Nasrallah) used to lead the battle and war from this location, top Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa told a news conference on Sunday near the site where Nasrallah was killed: His Eminence (Hassan Nasrallah) used to lead the battle and war from this location. He said Nasrallah died in the war operations room. He did not offer other details. Lebanese media had reported that Safa was a target of Israeli air strikes in central Beirut before the ceasefire but appeared unscathed. During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to move its fighters, weapons and infrastructure away from southern Lebanon north of the Litani River, while Israeli troops that invaded southern Lebanon need to withdraw all within 60 days. Lebanese army soldiers are to deploy in large numbers and alongside United Nations peacekeepers be the sole armed presence in southern Lebanon. Hezbollahs current leader, Naim Kassem, said in a televised address on Saturday that its fighters could strike Israel if its troops do not leave the south by the end of the month. Safa said Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who negotiated the ceasefire deal with Washington, told Hezbollah the government will meet with US envoy Amos Hochstein soon. Mr Hochstein had led the shuttle diplomacy efforts to reach the fragile truce. Sloths were not always slow-moving, furry tree-dwellers. Their prehistoric ancestors were huge up to four tonnes and when startled, they brandished immense claws. For a long time, scientists believed the first humans to arrive in the Americas soon killed off these giant ground sloths through hunting, along with many other massive animals such as mastodons, sabre-toothed cats and dire wolves that once roamed North and South America. But new research from several sites is starting to suggest that people came to the Americas earlier perhaps far earlier than once thought. These findings hint at a remarkably different life for these early Americans, one in which they may have spent millennia sharing prehistoric savannas and wetlands with enormous beasts. There was this idea that humans arrived and killed everything off very quickly whats called Pleistocene overkill, said Daniel Odess, an archaeologist at White Sands National Park in New Mexico. Palaeontologist Thais Pansani stands in front the reconstructed skeleton of a giant ground sloth at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC (Mary Conlon/AP) But new discoveries suggest that humans were existing alongside these animals for at least 10,000 years, without making them go extinct. Some of the clues come from an archaeological site in central Brazil, Santa Elina, where bones of giant ground sloths show signs of being manipulated by humans. Sloths such as these once lived from Alaska to Argentina, and some species had bony structures on their backs, called osteoderms a bit like the plates of modern armadillos that may have been used to make decorations. The decorative artefacts from Santa Elina are roughly 27,000 years old more than 10,000 years before scientists once thought that humans arrived in the Americas. Originally researchers wondered if the craftsmen were working on already old fossils. But research strongly suggests that ancient people were carving fresh bones shortly after the animals died. University of Sao Paulo researcher Mirian Pachecos findings, together with other recent discoveries, could help rewrite the tale of when humans first arrived in the Americas and the effect they had on the environment they found. Theres still a big debate, Ms Pacheco said. Scientists know that the first humans emerged in Africa, then moved into Europe and Asia-Pacific, before finally making their way to the last continental frontier, the Americas. But questions remain about the final chapter of the human origins story. Thais Pansani and Kay Behrensmeyer analyse a giant sloth rib bone from central Brazil, in the Smithsonians National Taphonomy Reference Collection in Washington, DC (Mary Conlon/AP) Clovis is a site in New Mexico, where archaeologists in the 1920s and 1930s found distinctive projectile points and other artefacts dated to between 11,000 and 13,000 years ago. This date happens to coincide with the end of the last Ice Age, a time when an ice-free corridor likely emerged in North America giving rise to an idea about how early humans moved into the continent after crossing the Bering land bridge from Asia. And because the fossil record shows the widespread decline of American megafauna starting around the same time with North America losing 70% of its large mammals, and South America losing more than 80% many researchers surmised that humans arrival led to mass extinctions. It was a nice story for a while, when all the timing lined up, said paleoanthropologist Briana Pobiner at the Smithsonian Institutions Human Origins Programme. But it doesnt really work so well any more. In the past 30 years, new research methods including ancient DNA analysis and new laboratory techniques coupled with the examination of additional archaeological sites and inclusion of more diverse scholars across the Americas, have upended the old narrative and raised new questions, especially about timing. Really compelling evidence from more and more older sites keeps coming to light Anything older than about 15,000 years still draws intense scrutiny, said Richard Farina, a palaeontologist at the University of the Republic in Montevideo, Uruguay. But really compelling evidence from more and more older sites keeps coming to light. In Sao Paulo and at the Federal University of Sao Carlos, Ms Pacheco studies the chemical changes that occur when a bone becomes a fossil. This allows her team to analyse when the sloth osteoderms were likely modified. We found that the osteoderms were carved before the fossilisation process in fresh bones, she said meaning anywhere from a few days to a few years after the sloths died, but not thousands of years later. Her team also tested and ruled out several natural processes, such as erosion and animal gnawing. The research was published last year in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. One of her collaborators, palaeontologist Thais Pansani, recently based at the Smithsonian Institution, is analysing whether similar-aged sloth bones found at Santa Elina were charred by human-made fires, which burn at different temperatures from natural wildfires. Her preliminary results suggest that the fresh sloth bones were present at human campsites whether burned deliberately in cooking, or simply nearby, is not clear. She is also testing and ruling out other possible causes for the black markings, such as natural chemical discoloration. The first site widely accepted as older than Clovis was in Monte Verde, Chile. Buried beneath a peat bog, researchers discovered 14,500-year-old stone tools, pieces of preserved animal hides, and various edible and medicinal plants. Monte Verde was a shock. Youre here at the end of the world, with all this organic stuff preserved, said Vanderbilt University archaeologist Tom Dillehay, a researcher at Monte Verde. Other archaeological sites suggest even earlier dates for human presence in the Americas. Among the oldest sites is Arroyo del Vizcaino in Uruguay, where researchers are studying apparent human-made cut marks on animal bones dated to around 30,000 years ago. At New Mexicos White Sands, researchers have uncovered human footprints dated to between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago, as well as similar-aged tracks of giant mammals. But some archaeologists say it is hard to imagine that humans would repeatedly traverse a site and leave no stone tools. Theyve made a strong case, but there are still some things about that site that puzzle me, said David Meltzer, an archaeologist at Southern Methodist University. Why would people leave footprints over a long period of time, but never any artefacts? While the exact timing of humans arrival in the Americas remains contested and may never be known it seems clear that if the first people arrived earlier than once thought, they did not immediately decimate the giant beasts they encountered. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 5. The preliminary investigation report into the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane in Kazakhstan, which occurred in late December 2024, will be published 30 days after the accident, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kazakhstan says, Trend reports. "The preliminary report in accordance with the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the requirements of Annex 13 of ICAO will be published within 30 days from the date of the accident. At the same time, in accordance with Appendix 13, the Commission plans to complete the investigation within 12 months," the ministry said. To note, the wrecked Embraer 190 aircraft of AZAL, operating flight J2-8243 from Baku to Grozny, had 62 passengers and five crew members on board, totaling 67 individuals. The tragedy resulted in 38 fatalities and 29 injuries. Black box of the plane has been found, and procedures are being carried out to analyze it in accordance with international aviation conventions. At the moment, an investigation into the causes of the crash is underway. Final conclusions will be made after all necessary research and data analysis is completed. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel According to Palestinian medics, Israeli military strikes in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 70 individuals within the past day, as mediators have initiated a new effort to establish a ceasefire and bring an end to the ongoing 15-month conflict. Of those killed, at least 17 lost their lives due to airstrikes targeting two homes in Gaza City, with one strike hitting the residence of the Al-Ghoula family during the early hours, according to medics and local residents. We were awakened around 2am by a massive explosion, reported Ahmed Ayyan, a neighbor, noting that approximately 14 or 15 people were inside the house at the time. The majority of them were women and children; they are all civilians, and none were armed or affiliated with the resistance, Mr. Ayyan informed Reuters. The Israeli military contended that all individuals targeted in the strike were engaged in terrorist activities, including the exploitation of humanitarian aid corridors, asserting that the operation was conducted a safe distance away from aid trucks and did not hinder the ongoing flow of humanitarian assistance. Read: Latest Middle East stories Earlier that day, the military reported that a projectile launched from Gaza landed in the vicinity of the Erez Crossing, resulting in damage to both the crossing area and nearby humanitarian truck compound. Later that day, another strike on a house in Gaza City resulted in five additional fatalities, as reported by the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service, indicating that at least 10 individuals were feared trapped beneath the rubble. The Israeli military previously stated that its forces continued operations this week in Beit Hanoun, located at the northern edge of the enclave, where they have been active for three months, destroying a military complex previously utilized by Hamas. According to medics, at least six other Palestinians were killed due to Israeli strikes in Jabalia in the north, as well as near the central town of Deir Al-Balah. With Saturdays casualties, the death toll has risen to 70 since Friday, as reported by Palestinian health officials. We need your consent to load this rte-player content. We utilize rte-player to manage additional content that may set cookies on your device and collect data regarding your activity. Please examine their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences Renewed ceasefire push A renewed effort is currently underway to establish a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as to secure the release of Israeli hostages before US President-elect Donald Trump assumes office on January 20. Israeli mediators have been sent to revive discussions in Doha, facilitated by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, while the US administration under President Joe Biden, which is assisting in the talks, urged Hamas on Friday to agree to a resolution. Hamas has expressed its commitment to reaching an agreement promptly, though it remains uncertain how close both parties are to a consensus. The armed group released a video yesterday featuring Israeli hostage Liri Albag reported by local media to be a soldier who called on Israel to make greater efforts to ensure the hostages release. She indicated that their lives were at risk due to Israels military actions in Gaza. Ms. Albags family stated that the video had torn our hearts to pieces. This is not the daughter and sister we know. Her severe psychological distress is clear, read a family statement, appealing to Israels government and global leaders not to miss the chance to ensure all remaining hostages return home safely. In response to the video, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israel was relentlessly working to bring the hostages back home. Anyone who dares to harm our hostages will be held fully accountable for their actions, he asserted. Israel commenced its military action in Gaza following a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, where militants infiltrated border communities from Gaza, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of around 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. The military campaign, aimed at dismantling Hamas, has devastated large areas of the enclave, displacing most residents, and has resulted in 45,717 Palestinian deaths, as reported by the Gaza health ministry. South Koreas political leadership found itself in unfamiliar territory when the sitting president defied arrest following a failed martial law decree, just days before the warrants expiration. In a dramatic turn of events on Friday, Yoon Suk Yeols presidential guards and military forces protected the former star prosecutor from investigators, who eventually halted their arrest attempt due to safety concerns. The South Korean president was impeached and suspended last month following the botched martial law declarationa political move that was quickly overturned by parliamentwith a separate warrant later issued for his arrest. There was a standoff. While we estimated the personnel blocking us to be around 200, there could have been more, an official from the investigation team shared on Friday under the condition of anonymity. Mr. Yoon is facing criminal charges of insurrection, one of the few offenses not covered by presidential immunity, which could lead to a prison sentence or, in the worst-case scenario, the death penalty. South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol (File image) If implemented, the warrant would mark Mr. Yoon as the first sitting president in history to be arrested. Since his impeachment, Mr. Yoon has remained secluded in his presidential residence in the capital, Seoul, refusing to appear for questioning on three separate occasions. The unprecedented confrontationwhich reportedly involved clashes, but no gunfireresulted in investigators being left in limbo as the court-ordered warrant is set to expire on Monday. Officials from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is looking into Mr. Yoons martial law declaration, indicated there may be another attempt to arrest him before the warrant lapses. However, if the warrant expires, they will need to seek a new one from the same Seoul court that issued the original summons. The Constitutional Court has scheduled 14 January for the commencement of Mr. Yoons impeachment trial, which will proceed in his absence if he does not attend. Former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye never attended their impeachment trials. Mr. Yoons legal team condemned Fridays arrest attempt as unlawful and invalid, vowing to initiate legal actions. Experts noted that investigators might await further legal grounds before making another attempt to arrest the suspended president. It may be challenging to carry out the arrest until the Constitutional Court rules on the impeachment motion and revokes his presidential title, remarked Chae Jin-won from Humanitas College at Kyung Hee University to AFP. Stable path South Korean media reported that CIO officials aimed to arrest Mr. Yoon and take him to their offices in Gwacheon near Seoul for questioning. If this had occurred, he could have been detained for up to 48 hours under the existing warrant, although investigators would have needed to secure another arrest warrant to prolong his custody. Despite the political stalemate initiated by his December 3 decree, Mr. Yoon remains resolute. He assured his right-wing supporters this week that he would fight to the very end for his political survival. By the time investigators endeavored to execute the warrant for his arrest, Mr. Yoon had fortified his presidential compound with hundreds of security forces to avert it. Read more: South Korea investigators say attempt to arrest president halted South Koreas president reverses martial law effort after lawmakers reject it Approximately 20 investigators and 80 police officers were significantly outnumbered by some 200 soldiers and security personnel who linked arms to obstruct their entry into the presidential compound. A tense six-hour standoff unfolded until early Friday afternoon, when the investigators retreated to avoid potential violence. The ongoing political turmoil has jeopardized the countrys stability. South Koreas key security ally, the United States, has urged the political elite to pursue a stable path forward. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reaffirmed Washingtons commitment to sustaining bilateral relations and readiness to respond to any external provocations or threats. Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is slated to engage in discussions in Seoul on Monday, focusing on the political crisis as well as concerns about the nuclear-armed neighbor, North Korea. Six days of funeral tributes for former US president Jimmy Carter are currently underway as a motorcade carrying his remains passed by flag-waving mourners and made its way to Plains, Georgia, for a final visit to his childhood home. After a service in Atlanta later, the 39th president, who passed away last month at the age of 100, will lie in repose, allowing mourners to pay their respects. Carter will be transported to lie in state at the US Capitol in Washington on Tuesday. Since Carters death on December 29 at the age of 100 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, flags nationwide have been at half-mast. The motorcade carrying his remains will pause at Carters childhood family peanut farm, where a farm bell will ring 39 times in tribute to Americas 39th president. Following this, his body will be brought to Atlanta for a brief stop at the Georgia Capitol, where he served as a state senator before becoming governor, allowing for a moment of silence. Subsequently, Carter will be taken to the Carter Presidential Center, where he will lie in repose from 7 PM (12 AM Irish time) to 6 AM (11 AM Irish time) on Tuesday for public visitation. Joe Biden has ordered flags to be flown at half-mast for 30 days. Carters remains will be flown on Tuesday morning from a military base in Georgia to Joint Base Andrews outside Washington on a US Air Force plane known as Special Air Mission 39. A motorcade will then transport the former commander-in-chiefs body to the US Navy Memorial. Carter, who graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1946 and served on submarines, will be transferred from a hearse to a horse-drawn caisson for the funeral procession to the US Capitol. Military pallbearers will carry his flag-draped casket to the Capitol rotunda, where he will lie in state until 7 AM (12 PM Irish time) on Thursday, surrounded by an honour guard of service members. Carter will be the 13th former US president to lie in state in the Capitol; Abraham Lincoln, who was assassinated in 1865, was the first. A national funeral service is set to take place on Thursday at the National Cathedral, an Episcopal church in the nations capital that also hosted state funerals for former presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, and George HW Bush. All four living former presidentsBill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trumpare anticipated to attend. President Joe Biden will deliver the eulogy for his fellow Democrat, who served as president from 1977 to 1981. Mr. Biden has declared Thursday a national day of mourning, and federal government offices will be closed that day. He has also ordered flags to be flown at half-mast for 30 days in accordance with tradition, which means this will occur during Donald Trumps inauguration on January 20. This drew criticism from the president-elect, who expressed on Truth Social that no American can be happy about having flags at half-mast during his inauguration. After the cathedral service, Carters remains will be transported aboard Special Air Mission 39 back to Georgia for a private funeral service at the Baptist church in Plains where he taught Sunday school. A final motorcade will take Carters body through his hometown to a burial plot at his residence. US Navy jets will conduct a flyover in his honour before he is laid to rest beside his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 96. Stepson of Former Royal Nanny Killed in New Orleans Attack British authorities have identified one of the casualties from the New Years Day incident in New Orleans as Edward Pettifer, whose stepmother previously served as a nanny to Prince William and Prince Harry. King Charles III of Britain is reportedly deeply saddened by the revelation that Mr. Pettifer, aged 31, was one of the victims of the tragic truck-ramming incident that claimed 14 lives in New Orleans during the early hours of January 1. Mr. Pettifers father, Charles, a former officer in the British army, wed Tiggy Legge-Bourke in 1999, shortly after she ended her tenure as the nanny for Prince William and Prince Harry. It has been understood that the King was deeply saddened, and he has reached out to the family to offer his personal condolences, according to a report from the UKs Press Association news agency. In 1993, Charles hired Tiggy Legge-Bourke, now known as Pettifer, who had longstanding connections with the royal family, as a nanny for William and Harry following his separation from Princess Diana. The entire family is devastated by the heartbreaking news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew, and friend to so many, the Pettifer family expressed in a statement. We will all miss him profoundly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost loved ones in this dreadful attack, they added. Prince William conveyed that he was shocked and saddened by the news of Pettifers passing. In a personally signed message shared on the Kensington Palace social media platforms, he stated: Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Pettifer family and all those innocent individuals who have been tragically affected by this horrific attack. W. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 1. On January 5, 2025, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Radoslaw Sikorski made a phone call to Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov, Trend reports. The Polish Foreign Minister once again expressed condolences over the tragic crash of the passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL). It was stated that the Polish side is ready to provide all possible technical support to investigate the causes of the tragedy. Then, the priority issues of Poland's presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) for the next six months, Azerbaijan-EU relations, as well as the future prospects of the Eastern Partnership were discussed in detail. It was noted that relations between Azerbaijan and Poland in the political, economic, alternative energy, humanitarian and other spheres have great prospects. During the phone conversation, the ministers also discussed issues of regional and international security. Update. Israeli intelligence spirited the soldier out of Brazil to avoid prosecution. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) According to Junio Silva at the Brazilian newspaper Metropoles , on December 31, Federal Judge Raquel Soares Charelli directed the Federal Police to open an immediate investigation into an Israeli soldier vacationing in Brazil who is alleged to have perpetrated war crimes in Gaza. The court was petitioned by the Hind Rajab Foundation, an organization based in Belgium and operating globally to expose crimes against humanity, war crimes, and human rights violations in Palestine. The foundation and other sources provided 500 pages of legal documentation connected to the case, gathered through open-source investigation. A lot of Israeli soldiers have posted videos to Telegram and other outlets boasting of their atrocities, which allow organizations like the Hind Rajab Foundation to build a case. The foundations petition included a plea for the detention of the Israeli national lest he flee the country. Junio writes that the accused Israeli national is alleged to have participated in demolishing a residential complex in the Gaza Strip with explosives in November 2024. This act reportedly occurred outside an active combat zone. The demolished homes had served as refuge for internally displaced Palestinians within the enclave following the onset of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Junio quotes the Hind Rajab Foundations attorney, Maira Pinheiro, who clarified that the decision leverages the Rome Statute, a treaty that Brazil ratified. The Rome Statute established the International Criminal Court (ICC) and has been in effect since 2002. Pinheiro said, Since Brazil is a signatory to the Rome Statute [Como o Brasil e signatario do Estatuto de Roma], universal jurisdiction also applies within Brazilian territory [vale tambem em territorio brasileiro a jurisdicao universal]. This means any member state must act to ensure crimes outlined in the Statute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide are investigated and prosecuted. Based on the extraterritoriality principle in Article 7 of the Brazilian Penal Code, Brazil has jurisdiction to investigate criminal offenses committed abroad when they arise from international treaties and the perpetrator enters Brazilian territory. Rio de Janeiro, 2009. Juan Cole. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Camila Franca at Brasil 247 notes, The decision is considered a landmark in the application of international law within national territory. She notes that a similar case is unfolding in Chile, where 620 attorneys have filed a case against a member of Israels 749th Combat Engineering Battalion who was vacationing in Chilean Patagonia. Lawyer and former ambassador Nelson Hadad in Santiago also called for the immediate arrest of that individual. She writes that the complaint is supported by Chilean Senator Francisco Chahuan, who said that the Public Prosecutors office was in receipt of mounds of evidence, including videos and photos from the accuseds Instagram account, which allegedly depict his involvement in the destruction of neighborhoods, civilian infrastructure, and cultural sites in Gaza. She notes that Senator Chahuan alleges that these actions violated the Geneva Conventions and constitute war crimes and genocide. An episode recently aired of the Korean drama series "When The Phone Rings," has led to a host of controversy above all in its treatment of some delicate geopolitical realities. In the episode aired on January 5, a scene many took as a satirical depiction of the Gaza war and hostage crisis sparked backlash on social media. THIS WASN'T NECESSARY #WhenThePhoneRings Izmail & Paltima with Korean hostages? It's a mockery of ongoing Genocide in GAZA. WTH was that even.#WhenThePhoneRingsEp12 pic.twitter.com/BFj7TSKyFg Mommy (@urbandesimom) January 4, 2025 X (formerly Twitter) users took to sharing their frustrations, and some even inquired about the point of the scene with the villainous duo Izmail and Paltima. User Mommy (@urbandesimom) said it was "offensive and tone deaf" and added: "It's a mockery of the ongoing genocide in Gaza." Even the episode's translation has come under fire, as some viewers claim translation inaccuracies played a role in the drama. Update to Izmail Paltima Controversy scene in WTPR Is it due to TRANSLATION flaws?#WhenThePhoneRings #WhenThePhoneRingsEp12https://t.co/Y1PIZaPmxu Mommy (@urbandesimom) January 5, 2025 On X, user Trusfrated Noona (@KontentChingu) urged MBC Drama to clarify the situation, emphasizing the sensitivity of the issue for both international and Korean audiences. The episode sparked outrage, with dozens of users posting online for producers of the show to apologize. Most lamented the accountability of executives, actors, and screenwriters who participated in the production. As one viewer suggested, "The screenwriter indeed is wrong but the actors who played the scene could've said anything if they found it wrong!" Another said, "Should we boycott the highly rated show?" Here's what other users have to say: They're talking about Korean hostages but what about people like Dr Hussam Abu Saffiah who isnotreal even denied that they have a prisoner has that name... Shameful that Kdrama is taking the wrong side of this story!!! Rheinna Avianti (@rhe26120) January 5, 2025 So we spreading zionist propaganda now @mbcdrama @mbcdrama_pre What a huge let down. It's 2025. Wake up and stop supporting genocide. Nasha (@lunyx_luminyx) January 5, 2025 Everything related to this series should be boycotted. including the actors and actresses #WhenThePhoneRings nur (@MinaMir909090) January 5, 2025 In the meantime, MBC Drama has yet to answer inquiries around the controversy, along with if any plans will be initiated to mitigate the aforementioned issues of interest from their viewers. Sunday, January 5, 2025 It appears President William Rutos Cabinet is split right in the middle over the ongoing abductions. While others seem to be totally okay with the abductions of Kenyans who speak ill of Ruto and other leaders, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development Justin Muturi has taken a different path. This is after he condemned the government for acting casually about the ongoing abductions in the country and assuming their occurrences. Speaking in Embu, the CS challenged the government to own up to its efficiencies in all sectors, including the cases of abductions. "There can never be a situation where the government says it does not know what is happening. We must own up to our efficiency where they have been pointed out or where they have occurred," the CS said. Pointing out the recent cases of abductions where six youths went missing during the Christmas holiday and are yet to be found, Muturi condemned the government for alleging that it does not know what is happening and who is behind it. "We cannot be here and talk about young souls that have been taken away all over and allege we do not know who has taken them. We cannot say we don't know. We are the government," the CS continued. Ever since the onset of the abductions, there have been cases of finger-pointing and blaming among leaders and relevant stakeholders. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Sunday, January 5, 2025 - A man was reportedly trailed by thugs and robbed of Ksh 500,000 after withdrawing the money from a bank in Malindi. In the CCTV footage that captured the robbery incident, one of the suspected thugs is seen alighting from a Probox and heading straight to the parking lot where the victim had left his vehicle. The suspect, who wore a cap to conceal his identity, used a master key to open the car and stole the money that was stashed in an envelope. The victim had parked his car outside a business premises to run errands when the robbery occurred. Reports indicate that the teller who attended to the victim is the prime suspect. Watch the footage. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Sunday, January 5, 2024 - Controversial political activist and Thika Town Parliamentary aspirant, Francis Gaitho, has revealed what killed Kenya National Commission for Human Rights (KNCHR) Chairperson, Roseline Odede. Commission Vice Chairperson Raymond Nyeris in a statement on Saturday said Odede died on Friday, January 3 after a short illness. "It is with shock and deep sorrow that KNCHR informs you all of the demise of Roseline Odhiambo Odede, Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), that happened yesterday, Friday, January 3, 2025 after a short illness," the statement said. "Her untimely death is a big blow to the Commission and the Nation at large. As a Commission, we had the privilege of serving with Roseline Odede as the Chairperson at the helm of the KNCHRs leadership," Nyeris said in the statement. Reacting to her sudden death, Gaitho who is a fierce critic of President William Rutos administration, said it was the Head of state who killed Odede. Here is a screenshot of what Francis Gaitho wrote. The Kenyan DAILY POST. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 5. Former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Tigran Khachatryan has been arrested, Khachatryan's defense team said, Trend reports. According to the information, Tiran Khachatryan has been charged with negligence during martial law. The defense noted that, due to military secrecy, it would not be able to provide detailed information at this stage. Sunday, January 5, 2025 - Young Kenyans and human rights activists are planning a mother of all demonstrations on Monday to demand the release of six Kenyans who have been abducted by security forces for criticizing President William Ruto and his administration. According to a post seen by The Kenyan DAILY POST, the demonstrators, angered by the increasing cases of abductions, plan to block key roads such as Uhuru Highway, Mombasa Road, Waiyaki Way, Thika Road, Jogoo Road, Langata Road, Ngong Road, Kiambu Road, and Limuru Road. The protests, set to coincide with the reopening of schools for the first term of 2025, are expected to be the year's first major demonstration, signaling a challenging start to the New Year for President William Rutos administration. Protesters have vowed to block all transportation until the abducted individuals are safely released. Among the missing Kenyans is 24-year-old Billy Wanyiri Mwangi, who was abducted outside a barber shop in Embu Town on December 21, 2024. His mother, Regina Wairimu Mwangi, was hospitalized soon after due to emotional distress. Other victims of the ongoing abductions include Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Gideon Kibet, Rony Kiplagat, Steve Kivango, and Kelvin Muthoni. Monday, occupy all the major roads. Shule hazifunguliwi (schools will not open) Monday. Why should some children go to school while others are missing or have been abducted? asked Osama Otero in a post on X. Oduok, another activist, encouraged protesters to take action from Sunday night. We are doing it for Kibet and other abducted comrades, he said. The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, January 5, 2025 - Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji has exposed Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah, revealing the disease that he is allegedly suffering from. This follows his outburst against Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya during the burial of Speaker Moses Wetangula after he accused President William Ruto of abducting Kenyans critical of his administration. In his jibe against Ichung'wah, Gitonga observed that the Kikuyu lawmaker is overly excited whenever he is in the presence of the president, hence his outbursts on the critics. According to him, Ichung'wah carries himself in that manner in order to please and endear himself to the president. "The majority leader suffers from a disease. The disease is caused by extreme pressure and anxiety to impress your senior so that he/she can see and love you. "The disease cannot be treated. Visible symptoms are excitement in front of your boss, leading to one saying anything from his head, believable or not, to make the boss feel good," noted Mukunji. In his outbursts, Ichung'wah accused the governor of playing saint over the matter of the abduction, yet he (Natembeya) has previously abetted such atrocities. According to the Kikuyu lawmaker, Natembeya, during his tenure as Rift Valley Regional Commissioner and Coordinator, authorized the abduction of civilians whose bodies were later dumped in Kerio Valley and River Yala. The MP went on to accuse Natembeya of incitement and asked him to assist the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in solving the abduction cases if he had any information about the perpetrators. The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, January 5, 2025 - Music Corporate Society of Kenya (MCSK) CEO Ezekiel Mutua took to social media and flaunted a multi-million house that he built for his parents in the village. Mutua said that his parents comfort has always been his priority. We left home to change home. My parents' comfort was my priority and they live in dignity in their own compound where they are now resting, he posted. Mutua revealed in a past post on social media that he made a decision to build his parents a decent house when he was 10 years old. He disclosed how a neighbour had gossiped about his parents poverty at the time, saying that his fathers progeny would amount to nothing. Mutua said that their home was like a symbol of shame and want but the neighbours curse stuck in his mind and he made a point that he would reverse it one day. So when I was a young boy (I think about 10 years) I overheard a neighbour gossip about my parents - how we were poor and how my father's household would never amount to anything. That time things were thick and my dad's compound was like a symbol of shame and want, he revealed. There was nothing to call a home really although by the standards of the village that may not have been a big deal. "But that comment by our neighbour really got me offended. It stuck in my mind and all through life as I grew up I prayed that God would help me reverse that curse, he added. See photos of his parents house. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Sunday, January 5, 2025 - President William Rutos Economic Advisor, Moses Kuria, has lectured Embu County residents for rejecting the Head of State's condolence message on Friday. The incident occurred during the burial of former Embu Senator Lenny Kivutis son in Kanyuambora, attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Public Service Cabinet Secretary, Justin Muturi, who was set to read the Presidents condolence message was shouted down and forced to hand over the message to Kivutis family without reading it in public. Reacting to the incident, Kuria criticized the mourners for refusing to listen to the President's condolence message. He explained that in Mt. Kenya culture, a condolence message is never rejected, not even from ones worst enemies. "Messages are read publicly for the comfort of the bereaved family. It's the reason prayers are held in public including prayers for the family (Otherwise, the clergy would retreat with the family and pray in privacy," Kuria said. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Sunday, January 5, 2025 - The family of 27-year-old Ian Sing'oei, whose body was discovered in a river in the Mwiki area of Nairobi on January 4, is calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of his death. Singoei, son of Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner John Korir, had been missing since New Years Eve until his body was discovered five days later. Korir, in a statement to media houses, confirmed that preliminary post-mortem results indicate his son died by drowning. Further investigations, including the analysis of some samples for any toxicity, are ongoing, he said. The family has strongly refuted speculation circulating in the media linking Ians case to abduction or political activism. We as a family have entrusted the police to conduct in-depth investigations into this incident and wish to categorically disassociate the demise of our beloved Ian from the speculations, rumours, and innuendos being circulated, Korir stated. He described his son as a law-abiding young professional. For the avoidance of doubt, our son has never been an activist nor inclined to politics. Those behind these erroneous publications are hurting the family a lot more since it is our honest contention that our son's demise has no relationship with the cases being referred to. Sing'oeis death comes amid a troubling rise in cases of abductions and enforced disappearances in Kenya blamed on the government. The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, January 5, 2025 - Sirisia MP John Waluke has dismissed reports of abductions in the country, describing them as baseless propaganda. Speaking in Bungoma County, Waluke denied the existence of any abductions, accusing detractors of using the issue to discredit the government and tarnish President William Rutos name. There is nothing like abductions. This is propaganda aimed at tarnishing the name of the government, our country, and your name as the President," the MP said. Additionally, Waluke offered advice to Ruto, urging him to adopt a more pragmatic approach to running the government. Running a country is not something easy. We know you believe in God, but sometimes you have to put the Bible down and run the country as it is supposed to be run," he added. This comes days after another Kikuyu MP and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, claimed that some Kenyans were faking abductions by hiding in Airbnbs with their lovers. The Kikuyu MP stated that the government had no business in abducting individuals based on their social media posts. Despite the claims by the legislators, the country has been witnessing and experiencing widespread abductions. The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, January 5, 2025 - Laikipia University students are mourning following the untimely death of one of their colleagues, who was reported missing a few days ago. The deceased student, identified as Pivon Nyanchoka, went missing under mysterious circumstances and his body was later found dumped by the roadside. He was a 4th Year Biomedical Science student. Police collected the body and took it to the mortuary as investigations commenced to ascertain the cause of his death. Nyanchokas death comes at a time when cases of abductions and mysterious murders are on the rise in the country. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Sunday, January 5, 2025 Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has come under fire for openly supporting the ongoing abductions of Kenyans. Speaking in Bungoma during the burial of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangulas mother, Kingi remarked that indiscipline had increased, citing instances of online users attacking leaders. He noted that criticism of the government was okay. However, personal attacks against leaders were unacceptable; a clear indication that he supported the abductions of Kenyans talking ill of President William Ruto. "Indiscipline has increased in our country and we are boosting that it is democracy. You can criticise this government but you cannot get personal," he stated. However, Kingis remarks were met with criticism from some Kenyans, who accused him of betrayal. In a statement, Narc Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua opined that the Speaker was an embarrassment to the legal fraternity after he called for action against those misusing social media. According to Karua, the current laws are adequate, further noting that the recent abductions were unlawful. "Absolute madness. Amason Kingi you are an embarrassment to the legal fraternity any person suspected of having committed an offence should be dealt with in accordance with the law not abducted or tortured," she wrote. The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, January 5, 2025 - Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has remained steadfast, asserting that he will not be silenced for speaking the truth. Natembeya rattled President William Ruto and his allies on Friday during the burial of Speaker Moses Wetangulas mother after he called out the state operatives over the recent spate of abductions. In a tweet yesterday, Natembeya vowed to continue facing the holders of power with truth and calls for accountability. Natembeya said he would not be intimidated into submission. "I shall stand and speak for the people. I will not be cowed," he said. In his speech, the county boss faulted the government for brutally going after young Kenyans for their conduct. He noted that young citizens were being abducted and others killed for alleged insults against senior government officials. The governor petitioned Ruto to intervene and sanction an end to the extrajudicial acts perpetrated against civilians. National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah was among the leaders who criticized Natembeya for his remarks. Ichung'wah accused the governor of playing saint over the matter of the abduction, yet he (Natembeya) has previously abetted such atrocities. According to the Kikuyu lawmaker, Natembeya, during his tenure as Rift Valley Regional Commissioner and Coordinator, authorized the abduction of civilians whose bodies were later dumped in Kerio Valley and River Yala. The MP went on to accuse Natembeya of incitement and asked him to assist the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in solving the abduction cases if he had any knowledge of the abductors. The Kenyan DAILY POST BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 5. Houthis from Yemen's Ansar Allah rebel movement attack Orot Rabin power plant in northwestern Israel, Houthi militia spokesman Yahya Sariya said, Trend reports. According to him, the attack was carried out using a hypersonic missile. "The Armed Forces' Rocket Forces <...> carried out a military operation, attacking the Israeli enemy's Orot Rabin power plant with a Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile," he said. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. NewstalkZB reports: Police have restrained more than $2.5 million in assets, including four properties in Gisborne, after a discovery of undeclared tobacco was intercepted at the border. It comes after Customs intercepted 110kg of loose tobacco and more than 230,000 cigarettes approximately 10,000 packets concealed in Chinese tea packets in November last year, bound for residential and business addresses in Napier and Gisborne. The black market is already very active in New Zealand. The last Governments plans to gradually prohibit tobacco would have just seen it grow even more rapidly. Prohibition has failed for alcohol and cannabis, so it is strange to see people so upset that this Government dropped Labours plans to prohibit tobacco. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 5. The Israeli Air Force has attacked more than 100 military facilities in the Gaza Strip in recent days and killed dozens of Hamas members, the statement of Israeli military forces said, Trend reports. According to the information, the attack was carried out in response to the ongoing rocket attacks on Israel from the Palestinian enclave. Last weekend, the Hamas terrorist organization fired several rockets and missiles from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. In an intelligence-led operation, the Israeli Air Force struck more than 100 terrorist sites in the Gaza Strip and killed dozens of Hamas terrorists, the information notes. Weather Alert ...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON FRIDAY TO 1 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...South winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. * WHERE...Portions of south central, southwest, and west central Illinois and central, east central, northeast, and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...From noon Friday to 1 AM CDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution. && Discussions on solutions to polarization drowned out by impeachment proceedings By Jun Ji-hye The income gap between the top and bottom 10 percent of households in Korea last year exceeded 200 million won ($136,000) for the first time, while the disparity in assets between these groups grew to over 1.5 billion won, according to Statistics Korea, Sunday. Polarization has continued to intensify each year, but discussions on policies to address it have been sidelined due to ongoing political turmoil. This instability began after President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, which occurred just three weeks after he had identified tackling polarization as a key priority for the nation. The Statistics Korea data showed that the annual average income of the top 10 percent of households stood at 210.5 million won last year. This represents an increase of 13.04 million won, or 6.6 percent, from the previous year. This also marks the first time the figure has exceeded 200 million won since the statistics agency began compiling such data in 2017. Meanwhile, the annual average income of the bottom 10 percent of households was 10.19 million won, an increase of 650,000 won, or 6.8 percent, from the previous year. However, this increase was insufficient to narrow the income gap. The income disparity between the top and bottom 10 percent reached 200.32 million won, surpassing 200 million won for the first time since 2017 and setting a record high. The widening income gap is attributed to the growing wage disparity between large corporations and smaller enterprises, as well as rises in property income, such as interest and dividends, among high-income earners. The income disparity has also resulted in an increasing polarization of assets. Last year, the top 10 percent of income earners held assets worth 1.62 billion won, more than 1.5 billion won higher than the bottom 10 percent, whose assets totaled 128 million won. Despite the growing polarization, there are still no policies in place to address the issue. On Nov. 11, Yoon declared resolving income and education inequality as a key priority for the second half of his term. However, just three weeks later, he unexpectedly imposed martial law, throwing the political landscape into turmoil and prompting the National Assembly to pass an impeachment motion against him. As impeachment proceedings are currently underway, discussions on solutions to narrow the gap have been completely sidelined and the governments economic policy direction for 2025 ultimately failed to include any substantial measures to address the issue. Amid escalating political and social conflicts, the domestic market has slowed, causing the incomes of self-employed individuals and small business owners to stagnate. Increased political uncertainties also led companies to scale back investments, inevitably resulting in a decline in wages. Experts warned that worsening polarization could threaten social stability in the long term. It is an urgent task to create safety nets, particularly for low-income and vulnerable groups, said Kim Kwang-seok, head of economic research at the Institute for Korean Economy and Industry. Postponing structural and long-term issues will eventually render them unsolvable. While addressing political risks and urgent external matters is important, we must also continue to tackle structural challenges through a balanced approach. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has picked an aide, who was involved in planning summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his first term, as a senior White House official, his transition team said Saturday. The team issued a statement on the incoming president's decision to appoint William Beau Harrison as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for operations, noting that Harrison played a "critical" role in the planning of in-person meetings with the North Korean leader. The decision came amid expectations that Trump might seek to revive his personal diplomacy with Kim after taking office on Jan. 20. During his election campaign, Trump repeatedly boasted about his ties with Kim, saying he "got along very well" with the reclusive leader. "During President Trump's first term, Mr. Harrison served as the liaison between the operational elements of the Executive Office of the President and was charged with the coordination and execution of all presidential travel, including dozens of complex international visits," the team said. "He has participated in and led multiple U.S. delegations across the globe in countries such as North Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan and played a critical role in planning each of the historic summits with DPRK leader Kim Jong-un," the team added. DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Last month, Trump named former Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell as his presidential envoy for special missions that he said covers "some of the hottest spots" around the world, including North Korea. Trump has also named Alex Wong, who was engaged in working-level nuclear talks with Pyongyang during his first term, as his principal deputy national security adviser. Some observers said his selection of Grenell and Wong bodes well for the resumption of U.S. diplomacy toward Pyongyang, though skepticism lingers over whether Pyongyang would accede to any diplomatic feelers from Washington given its deepening partnership with Moscow. In December, North Korea declared its "toughest" counteraction strategy toward the United States during a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, presided over by Kim. While in office, Trump had three in-person meetings with the North Korean leader, including the first summit in Singapore in 2018. Since the no-deal summit in Hanoi in 2019, meaningful nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled. (Yonhap) Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun plans to visit the United States this week to discuss bilateral economic exchanges with business and government officials ahead of the launch of the second Donald Trump administration, his office said Sunday. Ahn plans to leave for the U.S. state of Georgia on Monday to meet with Gov. Brian Kemp and seek the state's support for Korean businesses operating in the region, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The minister will also visit the production line of SK On, the battery unit of SK Group, and hold a conference with Korean businesses operating in Georgia to discuss ways to address business challenges and bolster bilateral cooperation in cutting-edge industries. Ahn's planned trip to the U.S. comes amid growing uncertainties in global trade ahead of the upcoming launch of the second Donald Trump administration, which has signaled protectionist trade policies, including the imposition of sweeping tariffs of at least 10 percent on all goods. "The upcoming trip to the U.S. will focus on ensuring a stable business environment for Korean firms in the United States and seeking to enhance cooperation with the new U.S. government in areas that include industry, trade and energy," Ahn said. After spending two days in Georgia, Ahn will fly to Washington to meet with U.S. lawmakers and request their support for the stable investment and business operations of Korean companies in the world's largest economy. Ahn will also meet with officials from U.S. business organizations and think tanks to exchange ideas on promoting bilateral cooperation. (Yonhap) Experts urge safety review as 8 new airports are being built By Jung Da-hyun The deadly Dec. 29 Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport has raised concerns about the safety management at many regional airports, according to experts, Sunday. They warn that the construction of local airports without proper safety protocols, sufficient manpower, or adequate management could lead to similar accidents in the future. The efficiency, economic viability and safety measures of these airports must be thoroughly reassessed, even if it means delaying their opening, experts added. The aviation industry is expressing concerns over the struggles of underutilized airports, where low demand has resulted in inadequate budgets and poor management. This financial instability has created a vicious cycle, leading to chronic shortages of equipment and staff, which in turn further undermines operational efficiency and safety. At Muan Airport in South Jeolla Province, the site of the countrys deadliest aviation disaster, which claimed 179 lives, safety deficiencies are prevalent. Over the past six years, the airport has reported 10 bird strikes but lacks essential equipment, such as radar and thermal imaging devices. Additionally, only four staff members are tasked with bird control. Other regional airports face similar challenges. Yangyang International Airport in Gangwon Province operates without a control radar, while Ulsan Airport has a runway spanning only two kilometers the shortest among domestic airports. Concrete navigation aid facilities, identified as a factor in the high death toll of the Jeju Air crash, are often installed at regional airports. Airports in Muan, Yeosu, Gwangju and Pohang-Gyeongju are equipped with concrete structures, whereas major hubs like Incheon International Airport and Gimpo Airport use steel structures, which are considered safer and more resilient. This disparity has prompted calls for the reassessment of ongoing projects to build new regional airports. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, construction is underway on eight new regional airports Gadeok Island Airport, Jejus second airport, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport, Saemangeum International Airport, Ulleung Airport, Heuksan Airport, Baengnyeong Airport and Seosan Airport. Discussions on these projects began as early as 2011, with Ulleung Airport and Heuksan Airport slated to open in 2027. Notably, only Gadeok Island Airport and Jejus second airport are designed with longer runways 3,500 meters and 3,200 meters, respectively while the remaining airports are expected to have shorter runways measuring just 1,200 meters. Experts are calling for stricter evaluations of supply and demand before constructing new regional airports, emphasizing the need to ensure their economic viability and safety. "The purpose of an airport is not just to improve transportation for local residents, it should also contribute to the national and local economies," said Kim Kwang-il, professor of Department of Aeronautical Science and Flight Operation at Silla University. "Airports that fail to contribute to the national economy should not be built, and those primarily serving local residents with insufficient demand must undergo further review." He also stressed the importance of involving not only the land ministry but also outside experts, including international specialists, in assessing airport safety. Lee Gun-young, professor of the Department of Aeronautical Science and Flight Operation at Korea National University of Transportation also raised concerns about money-losing airports and their inadequate infrastructure. "Budget constraints often result in shorter runways and limited safety measures, while local governments push for airports without properly assessing passenger demand," he said. "The operation of airports requires genuine expertise, which is lacking in the current system." President to attend impeachment hearing at appropriate time, his lawyer says By Lee Hyo-jin The nation's two main political parties are clashing over the opposition bloc's decision to exclude insurrection charges as grounds for President Yoon Suk Yeols impeachment at the Constitutional Court, lawmakers and political watchers said on Sunday. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) argued that the revision was necessary to expedite court proceedings while the ruling People Power Party (PPP) criticized the change, claiming it highlights the legal flaws in the impeachment motion and thus the motion should be nullified. At the second preparatory hearing at the Constitutional Court on Friday, legal representatives of the National Assembly's impeachment investigation committee, which acts as the prosecution in the trial, announced they would withdraw the insurrection charges as a key factor in Yoon's impeachment. Instead, the committee decided to focus on whether Yoons declaration of martial law violated the Constitution. Yoon's legal team objected, insisting that "evidence regarding the treason charge must be thoroughly examined, as it is the focal point of public attention." The court is expected to discuss whether insurrection will remain part of the impeachment trial during a meeting on Monday. It will mark the first gathering of all eight justices after two new members Jeong Gye-seon and Cho Han-chang took office on Thursday. The first formal hearing for Yoon's trial is set for Jan. 14, with additional sessions scheduled for Jan. 16, 21, 23 and Feb. 4. Yoon is required to attend the hearings. Yoon's lawyer Yun Gap-geun said Sunday that the president "will attend a hearing at an appropriate time and express his views," without specifying when. The president is on trial after the National Assembly impeached him on Dec. 14 for his brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. The impeachment motion, filed by the opposition bloc, accused Yoon of "committing insurrection that jeopardized national peace by staging a riot." It also argued that his deployment of the military and police forces during the martial law incident threatened the Assembly and the public's safety, and that the declaration of emergency military rule itself violated the Constitution. PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong criticized the oppositions decision to remove the insurrection charges, saying, "The court should dismiss this hastily prepared impeachment motion and require the Assembly to reconvene and vote on a properly drafted one." The word 'insurrection appears 38 times in the impeachment motion, and the first listed reason is insurrection-related criminal acts, Kweon said on Saturday. Insurrection allegations were the alpha and omega of the impeachment motion. Without it, the motion is meaningless. The DPK refuted Kweons claim, calling it "delusional." "The PPP is clearly mixing up reality with a fantasy," DPK spokesperson Rep. Han Min-soo said on Sunday. "The grounds for impeachment had to be adjusted so that the court can focus on constitutional violations, rather than criminal charges, in the impeachment trial." Han also noted that Kweon, who led the Assembly's impeachment committee during former President Park Geun-hye's impeachment trial in 2017, had made similar revisions by excluding bribery and coercion charges in reasons for her removal to simplify the court proceedings. Park Chan-un, a law professor at Hanyang University, argued that the impeachment trial is fundamentally a "disciplinary trial" focused on whether Yoon violated the Constitution, and thus withdrawing the insurrection allegations is a logical move. "The Constitutional Court is not a criminal court; it decides whether to remove Yoon from office. Technically, a ruling to oust him can be made even if the treason charges are not proven. The court will focus on whether he made Constitutional violations in regard to his martial law declaration, and decide whether his actions were serious enough to justify his removal," the professor wrote on Facebook. Park added that the PPPs objections likely stem from concerns that the proceedings will move forward swiftly if criminal allegations are exempted from review. Yoon's legal defense team has faced growing criticism for allegedly attempting to delay court proceedings. During the second preparatory hearing, the court pointed out that the defense had not yet submitted documents explaining the rationale behind Yoon's martial law declaration. The lawyers claimed that the case's broad scope was the reason for the delay in providing the necessary documents. Yoon's legal team to file complaint against CIO chief, police By Kwak Yeon-soo As the deadline to execute a warrant to detain President Yoon Suk Yeol fast approaches, it remains uncertain how investigators will proceed with his detention amid strong resistance from his security service and supporters, according to political watchers, Sunday. They say the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the police may make a second attempt to execute the warrant before the Monday deadline expires. With the warrant, investigators can detain Yoon for questioning for up to 48 hours. If they want to arrest him, they have to ask the court to issue an arrest warrant. Yoon faces charges of leading an insurrection and abusing power regarding his Dec. 3 martial law decree that was later lifted by the National Assembly. On Friday, investigators called off the warrant execution after hours of confrontation with the Presidential Security Service (PSS) and Yoons supporters who blocked their efforts. The joint investigation team of the CIO, the police and the defense ministrys investigation unit summoned PSS chief Park Chong-jun, who denied entry to investigators, for alleged obstruction of justice. However, Park defied the request and the police again requested Park and his deputy Kim Seong-hoon to appear for questioning on Tuesday. Yoons lawyer Yun Gap-geun said Sunday that he will file a complaint with the prosecution this week seeking an investigation into some 150 law enforcement officials, including CIO chief Oh Dong-woon, for attempting to execute a warrant to detain Yoon. Disobeying security orders is a serious matter that undermines the foundation of the presidential security system essential to national security, Yun said. We aim to hold those who committed illegal acts accountable under relevant laws. Yoons legal team has repeatedly argued that the warrant issued by the court is illegal and invalid, pledging to take further legal action against it. It filed an injunction with the Constitutional Court to suspend the warrant, as well as a separate objection to the Seoul Western District Court over the order. However, the Seoul Western District Court on Sunday dismissed Yoon's objection to executing the warrant to detain him. After the arrest failed, the CIO asked Acting President Choi Sang-mok to get the PSS to cooperate in executing the detention warrant on charges of insurrection and abuse of power. If Choi orders the PSS to cooperate, chances of Yoon being arrested before the Jan. 6 deadline will increase. But the acting president is confronting challenges including a severe backlash from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) for appointing two of the three Constitutional Court justices. On the other hand, the PSS has said that the CIO unlawfully intruded into the presidential residence and said it would hold the investigators legally accountable for their actions. The PSS chief said Sunday it would be dereliction of duty to cooperate in the execution of the detention warrant. "We exist solely for the absolute safety of the president. Cooperating with the execution of a warrant against the president means giving up protecting the president," Park said in a statement. If investigators fail to detain Yoon before the deadline, they could seek a new warrant that would allow them to detain him longer than the 48 hours allowed under the current court order. Meanwhile, rival parties butted heads over the CIOs failed attempt to detain Yoon. Citing the safety of citizens, police, military and security personnel, the ruling party requested the CIO to suspend its attempt to execute the warrant. It also demanded the CIO to transfer the martial law case surrounding Yoon to the police, saying the corruption investigation organ lacks legal authority to investigate the case. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) strongly criticized the presidential security, which blocked the warrant execution. It also pressured the CIO to immediately execute the warrant again as soon as possible. We issue a stern warning to the PSS. Blocking the warrant execution amounts to an act of rebellion. Oh Dong-woon, the chief of CIO, must not evade his responsibility and promptly execute the warrant to detain Yoon, said Rep. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the DPK. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court said it would expedite the impeachment trial due to the seriousness of the case. It plans to hold five court hearings for Yoons impeachment trial until early February on Jan. 14, 16, 21, 23 and Feb. 4. Yoons lawyer said the embattled president will testify at his impeachment trial regarding his short-lived declaration of martial law. Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Sunday urged government officials to take "extra caution" to prevent injuries to both civil servants and citizens during law enforcement activities. "In such challenging situations, injuries to civil servants carrying out public duties should never occur," Choi said in a brief statement issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The acting president also emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of both citizens and public officials during the enforcement of the law. Although Choi did not refer to a specific case, there was a physical clash between members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the police the previous day. KCTU members attempted to march near President Yoon Suk Yeol's residence, but they were blocked by police. Over the course, two were detained for allegedly assaulting police officers. (Yonhap) By Jung Da-hyun Temperatures will drop significantly across the country this week, following heavy snowfall, with Seoul expected to experience lows of minus 11 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the Korea Meteorological Administration said Sunday. Heavy snowfall blanketed Seoul and Gangwon Province on Sunday, prompting authorities to escalate the weather alert level and prepare for potential disruptions. On Monday, morning lows are predicted to range from minus 4 to 4 degrees Celsius, with daytime highs reaching 3 to 12 degrees Celsius, slightly above seasonal averages. However, starting Wednesday afternoon, a sharp temperature drop is expected, with the cold wave intensifying on Thursday. Strong winds are anticipated to accompany the freezing temperatures, making the cold feel even more severe. Forecasts say that Seoul will see its morning temperatures plunge to minus 11 degrees Celsius on Thursday, with even colder conditions expected in other regions. Paju in Gyeonggi Province is predicted to hit minus 15 degrees Celsius, Chuncheon in Gangwon Province minus 14 degrees Celsius and Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province minus 12 degrees Celsius. Many other areas across the nation are also expected to experience lows ranging between minus 11 and minus 10 degrees Celsius. Daytime temperatures will remain below freezing in most regions. Highs in Seoul, Incheon, Suwon in Gyeonggi Province and Chuncheon in Gangwon Province are forecast to hover around minus 4 degrees Celsius. The week began with heavy snowfall on Sunday, blanketing the greater Seoul area and Gangwon Province with up to 8 to 10 centimeters of snow. In response, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety raised the national crisis alert level from "attention" to "caution" and activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters to Level 1. The snow in Seoul and its surrounding areas is expected to subside by Monday, with clearer skies prevailing nationwide. However, starting Tuesday, Chungcheong Province and the southwest region, as well as Jeju Island, will likely experience snow again, while dry conditions are expected to persist along the east coast. By Mark Peterson As a specialist in Korean culture, not Korean politics, it is things like shamanism that attract my attention. I havent studied political science, or political theory, but I have studied Korean religions, including the underlying granddaddy or them all, as they say, but in Korea, since shamanism is often more in the female domain, should I say the grandmother of them all. I need to thank my old friend and colleague, Laurel Kendall, a true authority on shamanism, for helping me to see shamanism as a real religion, not an outcaste set of superstitions. Laurel and I met in Korea when we both were working on our Ph.D. theses, and I visited her village she is an anthropologist and I met her teacher-shaman several times. With the recent news that the current president has been consulting a spiritual adviser or, really, a shaman, it brings the issue to the front again. Again, because we saw the case of Choi Soon-sil, the shaman or spiritual advisor to Park Geun-hye, who ended up with a 20-year prison sentence for corruption." Will Yoons adviser meet a similar fate? Park was impeached and removed from office and sent to jail. Yoon is halfway down that path already, but will he end up in jail. I wrote a piece here I say I dont do politics, but on the sad misfortune of Korean presidents. I titled the piece Presidential Cannibalism implying that Koreans eat their presidents meaning they mostly end up in unfortunate situations impeached, imprisoned, forced to suicide, assassinated, or fleeing the country. Here we go again. On the one hand, Ive said elsewhere that the highest form of democracy, meaning the peaceful transfer of power, is not the election of a new leader, but impeachment. Thats much more difficult to conduct peacefully, and democratically. The critical feature here, is not just the failed attempt to impose martial law, but, perhaps, as in the Park-Choi case, the issue of shamanism. And lest one point the finger at Korean presidents as being particularly vulnerable to superstitious advisers, remember Ronald Reagan had his in-office spiritual adviser as well. As luck would have it, several weeks ago, before the press released stories of the current presidents shaman adviser," I was thinking about my YouTube channel, and was looking down the road, thinking of interesting Korean cultural issues, and I thought I should prepare a piece or two on shamanism. So, I set out a survey on the community page of my YouTube channel, and asked two questions about shamanism not in any way thinking it would become an issue of national importance. It was supposed to be my quiet but quirky look at Korean culture. I asked two questions and received about 1,500 responses for each survey as follows: #1. Concerning the popularity or importance of shamanism these days A. It is greatly declining 48 percent B. It is about the same as before 27 percent C. It is I increasing 25 percent #2. Also concerning shamanism A. I or someone I know has visited a shaman in the last year 15 percent B. If not this year, the last five years, I or someone I know has visited a shaman 24 percent C. I nor anyone I know has definitely not visited a shaman 62 percent Im not a professional pollster, but 1,500 people is a goodly sample. The age and gender factor may be skewed my YouTube channel viewership is mostly males (80 percent) and mostly older (50s and above, mostly), which may mean the numbers in my sample will be higher for not including as many young people. But the numbers may be lower if more women are into shamanism. At any rate, its not a scientific survey, but still it says something. Frankly, I was surprised at the numbers. Around half think shamanism is holding its own or is increasing. And a slightly smaller number admits knowing someone who has visited a shaman in the last five years. The comments that were volunteered by people were similarly revealing. Some said that shamanism is an invalid superstition youd expect that. But others said a mother or someone consults with a shaman as a regular client monthly. In my younger days, like in my 60s, I found myself leading seminars and field trips in Korea on a regular basis, once or twice a year or more, for students, textbook writers and high school teachers. Only the high school teachers were interested in meeting with a shaman to seek good advice. They had heard that Korean shamans were good before they came to Korea. And I facilitated the visit on several occasions and acted as a translator. Some of the readings were remarkable, revealing and embarrassing. Many were mundane. But it showed me that the interest in spiritual guidance was strong in America and Korea. American radio in recent years is advertising California Psychics that you can call on the phone. Whether one gets impeached for consulting a shaman or one disregards the whole bit as superstition, it makes for an interesting day for the student of Korean and American culture. Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is a professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah. Back in 1962, the Kyiv authorities were planning a major development of the subway, which had already been operating for several years. Back then, they wanted to build only two lines. ADVERTISIMENT The old photos were published on the Facebook page of the kievriddles community. The Kyiv subway started operating on November 6, 1960. "1962," reads the map's caption. In the published photo, we can see that the stations of some subway lines were planned to be built a little differently. In particular, this concerns the blue line - after Kontraktova Square, the next station was supposed to be Spartak Stadium, not Taras Shevchenko. At that time, there were no plans for a green line, let alone a line to Troieshchyna. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! South Korea faces risks in alliance, North Korea issues By Moon Chung-in South Korea is undergoing a serious polycrisis. While domestic politics is embroiled in an uncertain process of presidential impeachment, military tensions with North Korea have heightened to an unprecedented degree. To make matters worse, the advent of Trump 2.0 signals bad omens for South Koreas national security and economy. Trump-phobia is widespread in South Korea. It is feared that Trump 2.0 might disrupt or weaken the South Korea-U.S. alliance by demanding too much for defense cost-sharing and even threatening the reduction or withdrawal of American forces in South Korea. Trump has already expressed his displeasure with a recent settlement of the Special Measures Agreement on defense cost-sharing for American forces in South Korea in which Seoul agreed to pay $1.1 billion yearly. He argued that being a money machine, Seoul can pay at least $10 billion, a ninefold increase. After taking office on Jan. 20, he may try to renegotiate the terms of cost-sharing by using such bargaining chips as the suspension of joint military exercises and training and the deployment of American strategic weapons. He may also deliberate on changing the overall mission of American forces in South Korea. South Koreans are extremely worried about such possibilities. Divergent threat perceptions toward China will be another source of contention. Trump 2.0 is likely to intensify U.S. hard-line policy on China, and the mission of American forces in South Korea might be restructured to focus on deterring China rather than North Korea. For South Korea, however, deterrence against North Korea will continue to be its top priority and it will be reluctant to join the American strategy to encircle and contain China proactively. This discrepancy in goals will strain relations between the two countries. Trumps interest in doing a direct deal with North Korea could trouble Seoul-Washington relations. Trump seems confident about being able to reboot dialogue with Kim Jong-un through summit diplomacy. Seoul would be concerned about two fallouts from such Trump 2.0 summit diplomacy, if that were to occur. First, he may enter nuclear arms reduction negotiations with Kim not on denuclearization but on exchanging Pyongyangs suspension of nuclear and missile activities and a reduction of nuclear facilities, materials and weapons for the relaxation of sanctions and diplomatic normalization. This would be tantamount to recognizing North Korea as a de facto nuclear weapons state. South Korea, which adheres to the principle of CVID (complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement), cannot accept such a deal. Second, an approach that sidesteps participation by South Korea so-called South Korea passing in the process of Trump-Kim bilateral talks would be a disaster for Seoul, particularly from a domestic political point of view. Trade pressures by Trump 2.0 could also damage the South Korean economy that relies heavily on U.S. export markets. Imposition of universal tariffs, termination of subsidies to South Korean companies that have invested heavily in the U.S., and other types of nontariff barriers including quantitative restrictions would certainly deepen Seouls anxiety. These possible Trump curses cannot be cured by simply showing loyalty or raising ones voice. South Korea needs new thinking that goes beyond transactional dealings. To cope with the defense cost-sharing issue and the divergence in threat perceptions, South Korea might need a structural readjustment. The Trump 2.0 America First doctrine will not tolerate South Koreas free riding any longer, and the continuing presence of American troops cannot be taken for granted either. Like Europe, South Korea might have to seriously consider reducing its dependence on the U.S., while seeking greater military self-reliance. Transfer of wartime operational control from the U.S. is essential in this regard. Seoul must make every effort to change its security environment by improving ties with North Korea, China and Russia. In preparation for weakened American commitment or disengagement, Seoul needs to deliberate on building a new security architecture in Northeast Asia that could replace an American-centered collective defense system based on the current alliance. A collective security system through inclusive multilateral security cooperation could be an option, which includes all the nations in the region under the rubric of common security. Trumps direct deal with Kim Jong-un does not have to be necessarily a curse. On the contrary, it could be a blessing. As Sigfried Hecker has long argued, if Trump can persuade Kim Jong-un to halt North Koreas nuclear and missile activities, roll back its nuclear weapons and missiles, and dismantle its nuclear programs incrementally, even at the expense of sanctions relaxation and diplomatic normalization, that would open a new horizon for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. One precondition is that such efforts should be linked to improved inter-Korean relations, a formal end of the war and the transformation of the armistice agreement into a sustainable peace regime, a regional nuclear arms control regime, and the creation of a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone in Northeast Asia. It will be difficult for South Korea to avoid short-term damage caused by Trumps trade protectionism. To cope with protectionist pressures, however, South Korea needs to enhance its competitiveness through innovation and partner diversification. It should also take advantage of open regionalism by hastening the finalization of the trilateral free trade arrangement with China and Japan, while enhancing the Regional Comprehensive Partnership and joining multilateral efforts to revitalize the World Trade Organization. Arnold Toynbee once said, Civilizations come to birth and proceed to grow by successfully responding to successive challenges. Challenges imposed by Trump should not determine our destiny. We should overcome them with creative responses. When we do this, the Trump curses can turn into new blessings. Moon Chung-in is a James Laney distinguished professor at Yonsei University and served as special adviser to former President Moon Jae-in for national security and foreign affairs, 2017-2021. Yoon, CIO must uphold rule of law Lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) expressed deep discontent with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) after its first attempt to detain President Yoon Suk Yeol ended in failure on Friday. Rep. Park Sung-joon of the DPK warned that the failed attempt could harm Korea's international reputation. "Im afraid Korea may be seen by other countries as a nation incapable of enforcing a warrant," he said on Saturday. He called for the CIO to make another attempt to arrest Yoon, who was stripped of presidential powers after the National Assembly passed a motion to impeach him for his short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. Rep. Park underscored that the CIO should carry out its responsibilities effectively and properly. Rep. Noh Jong-myun of the DPK proposed that the CIO should hand the case over to the police, emphasizing that the search and detention warrants remain valid until Monday. The CIO faced mounting criticism after its first failed attempt to arrest Yoon. On Friday, a team of dozens of CIO investigators, backed by around 150 police officers, entered the presidential residence compound in Seoul to carry out the arrest. However, they were met with resistance from approximately 200 soldiers and members of the presidential security team, who blocked their advance within a few hundred meters of Yoon's residence. The tense standoff lasted five and a half hours before the CIO ultimately decided to call off the arrest attempt. Yoon became the first sitting Korean president to face a detention warrant and it was also the first time that two authorities the CIO and the Presidential Security Service confronted each other over the arrest of an incumbent head of state to detain him. The hours-long confrontation was broadcast live nationwide and received global media attention, with outlets such as CNN and BBC covering the CIO's efforts to arrest the president. Korea has found itself at the center of international attention, but unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. Some media outlets have expressed concerns that the globally televised standoff could damage the nation's credibility. Yoon, a former prosecutor, is accused of exploiting legal loopholes to avoid prosecution. He did not cooperate with investigators when they requested his presence three times prior to the arrest attempt, responding through his attorneys that he would prioritize the impeachment trial underway at the Constitutional Court. His attorneys argued that there was a procedural flaw, claiming that the CIO did not have the authority to investigate Yoon on charges of insurrection. They argued that the search and arrest warrants were unlawful, asserting that jurisdiction over insurrection cases falls under the authority of the police. As president, Yoon must address any allegations against him and, if necessary, appear before investigators to answer questions. No one is above the law and the rule of law must be respected. Yoon should honor his previous commitment to fully cooperate with the investigation. The CIO has also come under fire, facing accusations of deliberately selecting a favorable court to obtain the search and detention warrants for the president. Critics noted that the warrants were requested at the Seoul Western District Court, an unusual choice given that investigators typically seek warrants for high-profile figures from the Seoul Central District Court. Experts pointed out that the judge at Seoul's Central District Court has consistently been and remains hesitant to issue detention or search warrants for the president. The judge believes such warrants should only be granted for a sitting president if there is clear evidence of insurrection. While Yoon faces accusations of insurrection, investigators have yet to secure sufficient evidence to support these claims. Despite these concerns, a judge at the Western District Court issued the warrants and even nullified clauses of the Criminal Procedure Law that prohibit searches of facilities containing military secrets. The presidential compound is one such facility. This decision has sparked controversy. Legal experts argue that judges should apply the law, not shape it, and criticized the justice for allegedly abusing his power. Flawed methods cannot justify the intended outcome. Questions arise over Trump's stance on Korea's situation By Park Jae-hyuk Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed his interest in Koreas political chaos once again, responding to posts on X about supporters of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who protested the state anti-corruption agencys attempt on Friday to arrest Yoon over insurrection charges related to his short-lived imposition of martial law. The American entrepreneur, who owns the social media platform, commented Wow, thats a lot of police officers on a post with a video clip showing Yoons supporters waving the national flags of Korea and the United States. The post stated, Supporters of South Korean President Yoon show up with American flags in front of the presidential residence, trying to help a military unit stop the 3,000 police officers from arresting the president. However, the police officers were actually mobilized to prevent clashes between Yoons supporters and opponents, during the investigators attempt to detain the impeached president. Additionally, those who thwarted the arrest attempt were Yoons bodyguards, not soldiers, who opened the gate to the presidential residence upon the request of the defense ministry. While the use of the U.S. flag in the pro-Yoon rally baffled many non-Korean internet users, Musk also commented Wow on another post uploaded a few hours later with a photo of one of Yoons supporters holding a picket that reads Stop the Steal. Yoons supporters have adopted the slogan, popularized by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's supporters after his reelection loss in 2020. The post stated: Crowds gathered in front of the South Korean presidents residence today to support the military unit that blocked the police from arresting President Yoon. Its likely that they will mobilize larger numbers on Monday if there will be another attempt to arrest him. Considering Musks support of right-wing politicians in Europe and his nomination to lead the proposed Department of Government Efficiency under Trumps presidency, Yoons supporters saw his latest comments as a sign that the incoming U.S. administration intends to oppose the Korean presidents impeachment. However, Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin told reporters last month that Musk was not interested in Koreas situation, when asked about what he talked about with the Tesla CEO during his visit to Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, at the invitation of Donald Trump Jr., the president-elects oldest son. Chungs remarks went against many peoples expectations at that time, given that Musk has repeatedly shown his interest in Korea. When Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3, and the National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution to lift the military rule around two hours later, Musk commented on the fiasco with posts saying, Wow and This is shocking. Israel confirmed on Saturday that negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal had resumed in Qatar, as rescuers said more than 30 people had been killed in fresh bombardment of the territory. The civil defense agency said a dawn air strike on the home of the al-Ghoula family in Gaza City killed 11 people, seven of them children. AFP images from the neighborhood of Shujaiya showed residents combing through smoking rubble. Bodies including those of small children were lined up on the ground, shrouded in white sheets. As the violence raged, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that indirect negotiations with Hamas had resumed in Qatar for the release of hostages seized in the October 2023 attacks. The minister told relatives of one of the hostages, woman soldier Liri Albag, that "efforts are under way to free the hostages, notably the Israeli delegation which left yesterday (Friday) for negotiations in Qatar", his office said. Katz said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given "detailed instructions for the continued negotiations." He was speaking after Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, released a video of Albag in captivity in Gaza. In the undated, three-and-half-minute recording that AFP has not been able to verify, the 19-year-old conscript called in Hebrew for the Israeli government to secure her release. In response, her family issued an appeal to Netanyahu, saying: "It's time to take decisions as if it were your own children there." A total of 96 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the latest video was "firm and incontestable proof of the urgency of bringing the hostages home." Hamas had said late on Friday that the negotiations were poised to resume. The militant group, whose October 7, 2023, attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war, said they would "focus on ensuring the agreement leads to a complete cessation of hostilities (and) the withdrawal of occupation forces." Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been engaged in months of effort that have failed to end nearly 15 months of war. In December, Qatar expressed optimism that "momentum" was returning to the talks following the US election of Donald Trump, who takes office in 16 days. But Hamas and Israel then accused each other of setting new conditions and obstacles. As the clock ticks down to the handover of power in Washington, the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden notified Congress of an $8 billion arms sale to Israel, a source familiar with the plan said on Saturday. "The department has informally notified Congress of an $8 billion proposed sale of munitions to support Israel's long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defense capabilities," the official said. The United States is Israel's largest military supplier. 'Everything was shaking' Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal said the Ghoula home in Gaza City "was completely destroyed" by the dawn strike. "It was a two- story building and several people are still under the rubble," he said, adding Israeli drones had "also fired on ambulance staff." Contacted by AFP, the Israeli army did not immediately comment. "A huge explosion woke us up. Everything was shaking," said neighbor Ahmed Mussa. "It was home to children, women. There wasn't anyone wanted or who posed a threat." Elsewhere, the civil defense agency said an Israeli strike killed five security officers tasked with accompanying aid convoys as they drove through the southern city of Khan Yunis. The Israeli army said the five had been "implicated in terrorist activities" and were not escorting aid trucks at the time of the strike. Rescuers said strikes elsewhere in Gaza killed 10 other people. AFP images showed Palestine Red Crescent paramedics in Gaza City moving the body of one of their colleagues, his green jacket laid over the blanket that covered his corpse. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said a total of 136 people had been killed over the previous 48 hours. On Sunday, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen in the latest of a series of attacks. Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have been firing missiles and drones at Israel as well as at ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in what they say is a solidarity campaign with Palestinians during the war in Gaza. The Hamas attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 45,717 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry which the United Nations considers reliable. (AFP) U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has notified Congress of a proposed $8 billion arms sale to Israel, two U.S. officials said, with Washington maintaining support for its ally whose war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands. The deal would need approval from House of Representatives and Senate committees and includes munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters as well as artillery shells. The package also includes small-diameter bombs and warheads, according to the sources. One source familiar with the package said Biden had been clear that Israel had a right to defend its citizens "consistent with international law and international humanitarian law," and that the U.S. would continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israel's defense. Some of the munitions deliveries could be furnished through current U.S. stock, while the majority would take up to several years to deliver, the source said. The package includes AIM-120C-8 air-to-air missiles to defend against drones and other airborne threats, 155mm artillery shells, Hellfire AGM-114 missiles and $6.75 billion in other bombs and guidance systems, one of the U.S. officials said. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment. Protesters have for months demanded an arms embargo against Israel, but U.S. policy has largely remained unchanged. In August, the United States approved the sale of $20 billion in fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel. The Biden administration says it is helping its ally defend against Iran-backed militant groups like Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. Facing international criticism, Washington has stood by Israel during its assault on Gaza that has displaced nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population, caused a hunger crisis and led to genocide accusations that Israel denies. The Gaza health ministry puts the death toll at over 45,000 people, with many additional feared buried under rubble. Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to end the 15-month-old Israeli war in Gaza that was triggered by an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on Israel that killed 1,200 and in which about 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Washington, Israel's biggest ally and weapons supplier, has also previously vetoed U.N. Security Council resolutions on a ceasefire in Gaza. Democrat Biden is due to leave office on Jan. 20, when Republican President-elect Donald Trump will succeed him. Both are strong backers of Israel. (Reuters) Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will again call on allies to boost its air defenses at this week's meeting in Germany, as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes over later this month with a vow to end the almost three-year war quickly. Zelenskyy said that dozens of partner countries will participate in the meeting of the Ramstein group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday, including those who can help boost our capabilities not only to defend against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aviation. We will discuss this with them and continue to persuade them, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Saturday. The task remains unchanged: strengthening our air defense. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin will attend the meeting. Biden was originally scheduled to attend the October summit in Ramstein but it was postponed because of response to Hurricane Milton that battered the U.S. In its last few weeks in office, the Biden administration was pressing to send as much military aid as possible to Ukraine before Trump is sworn in Jan. 20. Trump claimed during his election campaign that he could end the war in one day and his comments have put a question mark over whether the United States will continue to be Ukraines biggest and most important military backer. Zelenskyy said last week that Trump is "strong and unpredictable, and those qualities can be a decisive factor in his policy approach to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, and capitalized last year on weaknesses in Ukraines defenses to slowly advance in eastern areas despite high losses of troops and equipment. The wars trajectory isnt in Ukraines favor. The country is shorthanded on the front line and needs continued support from its Western partners. Zelenskyy said Saturday that Russian and North Korean troops had suffered heavy losses in the fighting in Russias Kursk region. In battles yesterday and today near just one village, Makhnovka, in the Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroopers, Zelenskyy said. This is significant. Zelenskyy said last month that 3,000 North Korean troops had been killed and wounded in Kursk, where Ukrainian forces launched an incursion in August, dealing a blow to Russias prestige and forcing it to deploy some of its troops from a slow-moving offensive in eastern Ukraine. The incursion didnt significantly change the dynamic of the war, and military analysts say Ukraine has lost around 40% of the land it initially captured. In other developments, nine people were wounded in a Russian guided bomb attack on the border town of Semenivka in Ukraines northern Chernihiv region on Saturday evening, local officials said. Moscow sent 103 drones into Ukraine overnight into Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraines air force, 61 drones were destroyed and 42 were lost likely due to electronic jamming. Russias Defense Ministry said that 61 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight into Sunday in five regions of western Russia. No casualties were reported but Rostov regional Gov. Yuri Slyusar said residential buildings and cars had been damaged by falling drone debris. (AP) On the night of January 5, a massive drone attack was reported in the Rostov region of Russia, which Russian air defense forces allegedly successfully repelled. The local authorities admitted only minor damage to the property of citizens. Still, there were more than 30 explosions in Taganrog. ADVERTISIMENT According to the available information, a military airfield was hit in this city. However, Rostov Telegram channels and the acting governor of the region, Yury Slyusar, said otherwise. In particular, at around midnight on Sunday, the official wrote on Telegram that air defense forces means were "repelling an enemy attack" in the north of Rostov region. He claimed that UAVs had already been destroyed in Millerovsky and Tarasovsky districts. Later, the Russians were informed about the alleged fall of drone debris in Taganrog and the village of Novobessergenovka in Neklinovsky district. As a result, windows in houses were smashed, and roofs, walls, and cars were damaged. According to the official, "there are nor injuried neither fire." ADVERTISIMENT In the morning, the so-called governor said that Russian air defense "shot down 37 UAVs" in Taganrog, Millerovsky, Tarasovsky and Belokalitvinsky districts overnight. For their part, Ukrainian monitoring channels indicate that in Taganrog, the drone attack lasted more than two hours and more than 30 explosions were heard there. "The biggest impact was recorded near the military airfield in the village of Novobessergenovka, Neklinovsky district. There was a massive 'debris fall.' Sources also report that the military airfield itself was hit as well (47.195383, 38.867938)," the statement said. As reported, on January 4, drones targeted the Baltimore military airfield in Voronezh. Also, the largest Baltic sea trade port of Ust-Luga, located in Russian Leningrad region, came under attack too. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Bhubaneswar, January 5: Sneha, a Spanish citizen, has returned to India in search of her biological mother, who had abandoned her and her brother 20 years ago. However, 21-year-old Sneha is running out of time as she has to return to Spain on Monday for her educational commitments. The researcher in children's education wanted to trace her roots and reached India with scant information about her past. Her Spanish parents Gema Vidal and Juan Josh supported her in her quest and Gema accompanied Sneha to her home state Odisha. They had adopted Sneha and her brother Somu in 2010 from an orphanage in Bhubaneswar, where they were sheltered after their mother Banalata Das abandoned them in 2005. "The purpose of my journey from Spain to Bhubaneswar is to find my biological parents, especially my mother. I want to find her and meet her. I am fully prepared for the journey even if it is difficult," Sneha told PTI. Maharashtra Shocker: Man Kidnaps Lovers Son From School, Kills and Throws Body in Abandoned Well in Sangamner; Later Dies by Suicide. Asked if she would chide her biological mother for abandoning her, Sneha remained mum. She was only over a year old, and her brother was just a few months old at that time. Sneha said her Spanish parents have given the siblings everything in life and never made them feel like they were adopted, ensuring the best education and freedom to make their own choices. "They have given us unconditional love," she said. Accompanied by Gema, a yoga teacher in Zaragoza city of Spain, Sneha arrived in Bhubaneswar on December 19 last year and they have been staying in a hotel. Somu, however, could not come as he was busy with some work in Spain. If they do not find Sneha's biological mother by Monday, they will come back in March for a longer stay. "We have to return to Spain as Sneha has joined a training programme which should not be discontinued. If we do not get Banalata in the next 24 hours, we will come back to Bhubaneswar in March," Gema said. Banalata had abandoned Sneha and Somu at their rented house in Nayapally area in Bhubaneswar in 2005. Banalata's husband Santosh, who worked as a cook in a private firm, had earlier abandoned his family, which comprised his wife, and four children, including Sneha and Somu. Later, Banalata also left the rented house with another son and daughter, leaving behind Sneha and Somu. The house owner later informed the police and they were shifted to an orphanage. Sambhal: Abandoned Radha-Krishna Temple Found in Sarai Tarin, Cleaning Efforts Underway (Watch Video). In 2010, Sneha, then around five years and nine months old, and Somu, over four years old, were legally adopted by the Spanish couple. "Sneha is very responsible and educated. She is the joy of our house. She is our life," Gema said. Gema had earlier revealed to Sneha and Somu about their roots in Odisha and that they were adopted. "She is well educated and conducting research, so she decided to locate her biological mother and I accompanied her to this place," Gema said. "I told Sneha that her Indian mother and father are surely nice people because you are good," she said. Recalling her experience during the legal adoption of Sneha and her brother, Gema said that they had to wait for three months to adopt the siblings. "When we reached the orphanage to adopt Sneha and Somu, she was waiting for us with a flower in her hand. From that very moment, the siblings became a part of our life," she said. During their frantic search in Bhubaneswar, Gema and Sneha came across a retired teacher of Rama Devi Women's University, Sneha Sudha Mishra, who helped them find out the names of her parents. "We found out about her parents' names from the house owner in Nayapally and later the names were verified with the police and the orphanage," Mishra said. Gema and Sneha were monetarily exploited by some people during their initial days in India. "In fact, Sneha's mother cried in front of me, seeking help to locate Banalata. Together, we searched for her parents before approaching the police for help. Gema is a noble and affectionate woman having an in-depth understanding of Indian culture and philosophy," Mishra said. Mishra said language was a major problem for Gema to communicate with locals but she has been helping the mother-daughter duo. With the help of Mishra, Sneha and Gema met city Commissioner of Police Dev Datta Singh, who assigned the job of locating Banalata Das and Santosh Das to two police personnel Anjali Chhotray and Gangadhar Pradhan. "We have found out that Banalata Das and Santosh are from Badamba-Narsinghpur area in Cuttack district. We have engaged police and panchayat functionaries to locate them," Inspector Anjali Chhotray said. "People here, especially the media and police, have helped us a lot," Sneha said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ajmer, January 5: A delegation of Pakistan pilgrims will arrive on Monday in Ajmer to attend the annual Ajmer Urs. "As per the schedule, they (Pakistan pilgrims) will arrive on January 6 and return via train on January 10 around pm. Around 100 people will come," Gajendra Singh Rathore, Additional District Collector Ajmer told ANI. "They will be accompanied to the Dargah in the presence of full security," he added. Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday visited the revered Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer on the occasion of the 813th Urs. Following his visit, he posted a tweet on Post X, stating, "On the very auspicious occasion of the 813th Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, I had the privilege of visiting the revered Dargah Ajmer Sharif. On behalf of Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, I offered the sacred chadar, a timeless gesture of faith, unity & peace that inspires millions." Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday presented the Chadar that would be offered on his behalf at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah on the Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti on the occasion of 813th Urs. PM Narendra Modi Sends Chadar to Ajmer Sharif Dargah Marking 813th Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti; Kiren Rijiju To Offer It Today. The chadar was presented to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju and BJP Minority Morcha President Jamal Siddiqui. On Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Chadar offering on behalf of PM Modi at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Syed Naseruddin Chishty, Chairman, All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council had said, "It is a tradition that PM Modi sends a Chadar on the occasion of 'Urs'. Today Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju came to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah with the Chadar. All of us gave him a warm welcome. And then he presented the Chadar at the Dargah. After that, he read out PM Modi's message in the 'Mehfil Khana'... PM Modi's message showed how everyone, belonging to any religion in our country, is united... Everyone should listen to that message..." This 'Chadar' is offered at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah on the occasion of the Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. PM Modi has been sending a 'Chadar' to the shrine annually to mark the occasion. Since assuming office as Prime Minister, Modi has offered a 'Chadar' to Ajmer Sharif Dargah ten times. This will be the 11th time he has participated in this tradition. Last year, during the 812th Urs, the 'Chadar' was presented to the shrine by then Union Minister Smriti Irani and Jamal Siddiqui, along with a delegation representing the Muslim community, on behalf of the Prime Minister. The chadar, which is laid over the shrine (mazar-e-akhdas) of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz, symbolizes devotion and respect. During urs festival offering a chadar is considered a powerful form of worship, seen as a means to receive blessings and fulfill vows. The Ajmer Sharif Dargah is one of the most revered Sufi shrines in India. Every year, millions of devotees from all over the world gather here to celebrate the Urs festival, a significant event that commemorates the death anniversary of the Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty. Syed Naseruddin Chishti, Ajmer Dargah Chiefs Successor, Welcomes PM Narendra Modis Chadar, Emphasises Message of Sabka Samman. The 813th Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti commenced on December 28, 2024, and is observed with great reverence. The annual event attracts devotees from across the country and beyond, who come to pay their respects and seek blessings. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 5 (ANI): India's foreign exchange reserves continue to decline, extending downhill journey for three months now. In the week that ended December 27, the country's foreign exchange kitty declined by USD 4.112 billion to USD 640.279 billion, data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed. Also Read | US Layoffs 2025: Job Cuts Coming to United States This Year As Companies Adjust Their Workforce to Prepare for Market Shifts, Says Report. India's forex reserves have slumped twelve out of the past 13 weeks, hitting a fresh multi-month low. The reserves had been falling ever since it touched an all-time high of USD 704.89 billion in September. Effectively, they are now about 10 per cent lower from the peak. Also Read | Will Virat Kohli Play in Ranji Trophy 2024-25? Know Possibility of Star India Batsman Making it to Delhi Playing XI. The reserves have been declining likely due to RBI intervention, aimed at aggressively preventing a sharp depreciation of the Rupee. The latest RBI data showed that India's foreign currency assets (FCA), the largest component of forex reserves, stood at USD 551.921 billion. Gold reserves currently amount to USD 66.268 billion, according to RBI data. Estimates suggest that India's foreign exchange reserves are sufficient to cover approximately one year or nearabout of projected imports. In 2023, India added around USD 58 billion to its foreign exchange reserves, contrasting with a cumulative decline of USD 71 billion in 2022. In 2024, the reserves rose by a little over USD 20 billion. Without the latest decline, the reserves would have been much higher. Foreign exchange reserves, or FX reserves, are assets held by a nation's central bank or monetary authority, primarily in reserve currencies such as the US Dollar, with smaller portions in the Euro, Japanese Yen, and Pound Sterling. The RBI closely monitors foreign exchange markets, intervening only to maintain orderly market conditions and curb excessive volatility in the Rupee exchange rate, without adhering to any fixed target level or range. The RBI often intervenes by managing liquidity, including selling dollars, to prevent steep Rupee depreciation. A decade ago, the Indian Rupee was among the most volatile currencies in Asia. Since then, it has become one of the most stable. The RBI has strategically bought dollars when the Rupee is strong and sold when it weakens, enhancing the appeal of Indian assets to investors. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ratlam, January 5: An 11-year-old girl was killed and two others sustained injuries when an electric motorcycle charging outside a house caught fire in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam on Sunday, police said. The blaze broke out around 2.30 am in a colony in the Industrial Area police station limits, an official said. The electric motorcycle was kept for charging outside the house of one Bhagwat Maurya when it caught fire, and the flames spread to another vehicle, said VD Joshi, the in-charge of the Industrial Area police station. Telangana Road Accident: Bike Catches Fire After Being Run Over by Tipper Lorry in Medak, 1 Injured; CCTV Footage Surfaces. He said the family went to sleep after plugging in the vehicle for charging, and they suddenly woke up to smoke billowing in the house. They called the fire brigade and managed to come out of the house, but Maurya's granddaughter Antra Choudhary was left behind, and she died of suffocation, the official said. He said Bhagwati Maurya and Lavanya (12) were injured and are undergoing treatment. E-Bike Catches Fire: EV Gutted in Blaze After Battery Blast in Maharashtra's Karad, Video Surfaces. The official said Antra had come to stay at her grandfather's house with her mother and was supposed to return home in Vadodara (Gujarat) on Sunday morning. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway, he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Gurugram, January 5: A 26-year-old man was stabbed to death by his colleague following a dispute over the quality of work, police said on Sunday. The accused, Arjun Shavtal (22), a native of Assam, was arrested and the knife used in the crime was recovered, they said. Police said they received information on Saturday evening that a man was stabbed to death at Hello Guest House in Sector 53. A police team rushed to the spot and dog squad and forensic experts inspected the scene. Gurugram Shocker: Drunk Man Throws Crude Bombs Outside 2 Clubs Located in Sector-29 Area, Arrested. The victim, Dalip Kumar hailing from Bihar was working as a housekeeping staff at the guest house, a police officer said. An FIR was registered based on the complaint lodged by the victim's brother following which the accused was arrested on Sunday, he said. During interrogation, Shavtal revealed that he bore a grudge against Kumar as he used to constantly berate him about the quality of work and would also threaten and beat him, the officer added. Delhi Shocker: Man Allegedly Smothers Woman to Death in Paschim Vihar Hotel Before Dying by Suicide on Railway Tracks in Gurgaon, Investigation Underway. The accused told police that enraged by the constant berating he took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed the victim to death, the officer said. Further investigation is underway, the police said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati (Assam) [India], January 5 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on the second day of his Mumbai tour on Sunday, met Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and his son Neville Tata, expressing gratitude for the Trusts' investment in Assam. He also invited them to the Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit. Also Read | Maharashtra Accident: Couple Killed, 2 Injured in Car Accident on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Palghar. During his visit, Sarma also met Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra and invited him to partner with the Assam government in its industrial development efforts. Holding the meeting with Anand Mahindra over lunch at Gateway Building, Steven Street in Mumbai, Chief Minister Dr Sarma while hailing Anand Mahindra's passion for industrialisation and his intellectual prowess, expressed the State government's keen interest in partnering with the Mahindra Group to expedite the pace of industrialisation in the state. Also Read | Chandigarh Fire: Blaze Erupts at Haryana's Mini Secretariat Building in Sector 17 (Watch Video). He also invited the Mahindra Group Chairman to the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit to be held in Guwahati on 25 and 26 February 2025. Chief Minister Dr Sarma also met CEO L&T S.N. Subramanyam and invited him to the Investment and Infrastructure Summit. CM Sarma said that with several high-value ongoing infra projects in the state, Assam is a magnet for infra companies. Therefore, L&T can partner with the Assam government and aid to government's bid to make Assam a hub for investment. Dr. Sarma also discussed aspects relating to adopting sustainable and new-age technology in construction. Chief Minister Dr Sarma also held a meeting with the Chairman of Welspun Group BK Goenka and highlighted the wonderful opportunities Assam offers in the heavy industries and textile sectors. He also drew the attention of the Welspun Industry Chairman to the Government of Assam's investment plans in the state. Earlier in the day, CM Sarma held a meeting with the CEO of HDFC Bank Sashidhar Jagdishan. During the meeting, Sarma elaborated on the efforts the State government is undertaking to formalise Assam's economy, particularly by prioritising DBT. With a skilled and disciplined workforce in place, Assam also offers several opportunities to Bharat's growing banking industry, the Chief Minister exhorted. Dr. Sarma also discussed potential collaborations that the State government has with HDFC across various sectors. He also invited him to be a part of the upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0 summit to explore further avenues for Assam's growth. Chief Minister Dr Sarma during the day also met Rohit Jawa, Dev Bajpai and Yogesh Mishra from Hindustan Unilever. He held discussions with them about ways to further boost Assam's tea industry. He also invited the group to consider expanding their footprints in the State and the group's participation in the upcoming Advantage Assam summit to explore new possibilities for investment. Chief Minister Dr Sarma as a part of his series of meetings with top industry players also met the MD, of Luxmi Tea Rudra Chatterjee, and invited him to the upcoming Investment and Infrastructure summit. Dr. Sarma also had a meeting with the Director of Adani online Jeet Adani, and expressed the group's keen interest to explore opportunities in the infrastructure, power and defence sectors in Assam. He also assured the State government's interest in addressing prominently the Group's expansion plan. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) The Congress Sunday demanded an apology from BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri for his remarks that he would make roads in his constituency which are like Congress leader "Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks", and said the statement reflects the "cheap mindset" he and his "mentors" in the RSS have towards women. "This rudeness does not only show the mentality of this lowly man, it is the reality of his masters. From top to bottom, you will find the values ?of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in these lowly leaders of BJP," Congress leader Pawan Khera said. Also Read | Jalore Road Accident: 4 of Family Killed As Speeding Dumper Hits Motorcycle in Rajasthan. Another Congress leader, Supriya Shrinate, said Bidhuri's remarks show the real face of the ruling party. "THE BJP is extremely anti-women. Ramesh Bidhuri's statement regarding Priyanka Gandhi is not only shameful but also shows his disgusting mentality towards women What else can be expected from a man who abused his fellow MP in the House and did not get any punishment? This is the real face of BJP," she said in a video statement. Also Read | Pratishtha Dwadashi Festival: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath To Perform Ram Lalla's 'Abhishek' in Sanctum Sanctorum on January 11. Shrinate asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda, Women Development Minister Annpurna Devi and women leaders from the BJP would say anything about "this cheap language" and thinking. "In fact, the father of this anti-women language and thinking is Modi ji himself - who uses words like mangalsutra and mujra - so what else will his people say? He should apologise for such cheap thoughts," she said. Congress leader Manickam Tagore said in a post, "Less than 24 hours after @narendramodi ji announced #RameshBidhuri as Delhi CM candidate, he attacks a woman's modesty. Will the PM replace him, or does Modi support this anti-woman agenda promoted by @JPNadda ji ?". Congress candidate from Kalkaji and Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba lashed out at Bidhuri, accusing him of "insulting" women once again in his "usual indecent language". Led by Lamba, Mahila Congress workers torched an effigy of Bidhuri. Bidhuri, who has courted controversies in the past too with his statements, initially remained defiant over his "roads like Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks" remarks, pointing to similar statement by RJD leader Lalu Prasad on actor and BJP MP Hema Malini. However, he later posted a message on X expressing regret if his comments hurt anyone and stated that his remarks had been misconstrued by some for political gains. "Lalu said in Bihar that he would make roads like Hema Malini's cheeks, but he lied, he could not do it. "I assure you that just as we made the roads in Okhla and Sangam Vihar, we will make all the roads in Kalkaji like Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks," Bidhuri is heard saying in a purported video, which went viral on social media. Congress leader and party's candidate from Wajirpur seat, Ragini Nayak hit out at the BJP, saying Bidhuri's "low grade comment" was a reflection of his party's mindset. "The women of Delhi have to consider what would be BJP's thinking about them, if they make such indecent remark against a woman leader," She said. AAP's national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar also condemned Bidhuri for his "indecent remark" against the Congress leader. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Two-time Olympic champion Dmitry Vasiliev became a laughingstock online after he expressed confidence that Russian athletes would be allowed back into international tournaments following Donald Trump's order. The former biathlete reacted in this way to a new statement by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) regarding the impossibility of allowing athletes from the Russian Federation to participate in international competitions until the war in Ukraine ends. ADVERTISIMENT "This whole suspension will end after the end of the war (as Russia shamefully calls its aggression against our country - Ed.) As soon as this happens, Trump will tell them what to do from above. It will be in the form of an order, and they will quickly go to the IBU and other federations to follow the instructions. I am sure that this will happen," Vasiliev said. Readers of the Sports.ru portal reacted to these words with causticity. They suspected the ex-biathlete of derogatory remarks about the Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin and pointed out the discrepancy between Vasiliev's statements and propaganda cliches about the greatness of the Russian Federation. ADVERTISIMENT "And why doesn't he hope for the president of another huge and powerful country in which he actually lives?", "How low did you have to go to make all hope for solving internal problems be associated with the president of another country", "Why does the character praise Trump so much and belittle the Russian president? Is he a foreign agent?", "Well, here we go again with the hope for Trump. And what about multipolarity?", "Why does everyone listen to Trump and not Putin?", "We sit and shit on America on TV, but we hope that their president will solve our problems", "Vasiliev directly said that everything in the world - from oil prices to the admission of biathletes - is decided by the US president. Something like that," the comments read. ADVERTISIMENT As reported by OBOZ.UA, Dmitry Vasiliev predicted "complete paralysis" for Russian biathlon due to sanctions. In addition, he said that Europeans and Germans in particular should "endlessly kneel" before the Russians. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Kolkata, Jan 5 (PTI) The Congress is still grappling with the consequences of Mamata Banerjee's expulsion, which weakened its position in West Bengal, former state president of the party Pradip Bhattacharya said. Bhattacharya, a former MP, said the then Congress state president Somen Mitra had expelled Banerjee in 1997 following instructions from the then party chief Sitaram Kesri due to her comments against the party line. Also Read | KT Rama Rao Slams Revanth Reddy-Led Government for Betraying Telangana Farmers, Announces Statewide Protest on January 6. He claimed that he had advised Mitra against the decision but said the pressure from the high command was immense. Bhattacharya made the comments on Saturday in Kolkata at the unveiling ceremony of a bust of Mitra, who died in 2020. Also Read | Rajasthan Shocker: Man Kills 5-Month-Old Son and Wife With Sharp Edged Weapon in Hanumangarh. Speaking to PTI on Sunday, he said, "The expulsion weakened the Congress, and we are yet to recover from it. But to regain strength, we must stay united and follow the direction of our central leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Mallikarjun Kharge." Bhattacharya, who was the state president of the Congress from January 2011 to February 2014, said the party must focus on rebuilding its base. Banerjee, who is now a three-term chief minister, formed the TMC in 1998 after being expelled from the Congress and led it to power, uprooting the 34-year government of the CPI(M)-led Left Front in 2011. Bhattacharya's comments triggered a political row, which also affected the state Congress's internal dynamics. Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury questioned the timing of the comments, apparently hinting at its link to the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the state. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, "He is correct. The Congress in the state was aligned with the Left Front, which contributed to its decline." (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 5 (ANI): The Delhi Police on Tuesday apprehended a 17-year-old, minor accused in connection with the recent murder of a 16-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in the Timarpur area of the national capital. According to the police, the accused and the deceased had a heated argument, which led to the stabbing. Also Read | Kolkata Fatafat Result Today: Kolkata FF Result for January 5, 2025 Declared, Check Winning Numbers and Result Chart of Satta Matka-Type Lottery Game. The police had further recovered a blood-stained knife and clothes worn by the accused at the time of the incident. Following his apprehension, the accused was produced before a Juvenile Justice Board, which sent him to an observation home. The police are continuing their investigation into the case. (ANI) Also Read | Bastar Encounter: 1 Head Constable Dead, 4 Naxalites Neutralised in Gunfight Between Security Personnel and Naxals in Chhattisgarh. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jamshedpur, Jan 5 (PTI) Jharkhand State Minority Commission (JSMC) on Sunday said the panel would form a probe team soon to enquire into the alleged mob lynching of a man in Seraikela-Kharswan district on December 8 last. JSMC has taken cognizance of the incident after the spokesman of All India Minority Welfare Front Sarfraz Hussain in a letter demanded a judicial enquiry into the alleged mob-lynching of Sheikh Tazuddin in Adityapur. Also Read | Jalore Road Accident: 4 of Family Killed As Speeding Dumper Hits Motorcycle in Rajasthan. Hussain also demanded stringent action against the culprits and adequate compensation to the family of the deceased. Tazuddin was seriously injured after allegedly being beaten up by a group of people in Sapra under Adityapur police station. Later, he succumbed to his injuries. Also Read | Pratishtha Dwadashi Festival: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath To Perform Ram Lalla's 'Abhishek' in Sanctum Sanctorum on January 11. JSMC Chairman Hedayatullah Khan said the Commission has taken cognizance of the incident soon after receiving the letter from Hussain. On December 26, JSMC sought action taken report from the Superintendent of Police of Seraikela-Kharswan district in this regard but no was yet to receive any response, Khan said. He told PTI that JSMC will form a probe team to look into the case and visit the spot, gather details of the incident from family members of the victim as well as the district police about the action taken so far in this regard in a day or two. District SP Mukesh Kumar Lunayat said Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Seraikela is investigating the case and his report would be submitted to the panel. However, four accused have surrendered under mounting pressure from police, which swung into action soon after a case was registered in this regard, he said. The SP said Tazuddin died in course of treatment in a hospital about a week after the incident. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Jan 5 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Technical Education Minister Ashish Patel on Sunday accused his rivals of orchestrating a conspiracy against him and his party Apna Dal (S), and claimed some officials were trying to harm his and his wife Union minister Anupriya Patel's political career. Ashish Patel's sister-in-law Pallavi Patel, who was elected to the assembly on a Samajwadi Party ticket, has alleged corruption in the appointments of department heads in the Technical Education Department. Also Read | Tripura Bus Fire: Picnic Bus Engulfs in Massive Blaze After Generator Blast, 13 Students Injured (Watch Video). She has accused officials of bypassing current service rules to manipulate appointments. Pallavi Patel had staged a protest in the Assembly over the issue. In a long post on X on Sunday, Ashish Patel said slowly the "conspiracy" against him is getting exposed. He also alleged that some senior government officials including one in the Information Department were involved in spreading false news about him. Also Read | Maharashtra Accident: Couple Killed, 2 Injured in Car Accident on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Palghar. On the allegations against him, Ashish Patel said promotion-related Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) was constituted under the leadership of M Devraj, an officer he described as the "most honest" in the state. He said he had no role in the promotion process as a minister. He also defended the DPC, highlighting that the majority of those promoted (138 out of 177) were from the deprived and OBC categories, suggesting that the motivations behind the accusations were rooted in political rivalry. In a long post, he went on to accuse his former OSD, Raj Bahadur Singh, of being involved in a conspiracy to harm his and his party's political interests, including an attempt to undermine the candidature of his wife, Anupriya Patel, in the Lok Sabha elections. Anupriya Patel is a Minister of State in the union government. Ashish Patel also alleged the role of senior official of the Special Task Force (STF) in trying to harm his and his wife's political career. Patel also alleged state resources and media were being manipulated to tarnish his reputation. But, he said he would not back down from defending the truth. He ended the post by reaffirming his identity as a "descendant of Sardar Patel, the Iron Man". (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kochi (Kerala), Jan 5 (PTI) A passenger was booked on Sunday for allegedly causing disturbance on a flight from Doha while under the influence of alcohol, police said. The Nedumbassery police registered the case against Sooraj (24), a native of Thrissur, under Section 118(A) of the Kerala Police Act, they said. Also Read | Tripura Bus Fire: Picnic Bus Engulfs in Massive Blaze After Generator Blast, 13 Students Injured (Watch Video). Sooraj, who arrived from Doha on an Air India Express flight in the early morning, allegedly created a ruckus in an inebriated condition, according to the police. The case was registered following a complaint from the flight attendants who said that Sooraj's behaviour caused inconvenience to fellow passengers. Also Read | Maharashtra Accident: Couple Killed, 2 Injured in Car Accident on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Palghar. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hyderabad, January 5: Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao on Sunday accused the Telangana government of betraying its commitment to farmers of the state and announced to hold a protest on January 6 demanding the Congress to raise the assistance to Rs 15,000 per acre as initially promised. Speaking to ANI, KTR said, "It is a travesty and truly atrocious breach of promise by Congress party in Telangana to deceive and betray farmers of Telangana...Congress party had made a promise, a categorical farmer declaration in Warangal and Rahul Gandhi was here in Telangana. They made a categorical commitment that Rythu Bandhu would be enhanced and each farmer who was getting Rs 10,000 for two crop cycles in Telangana would be given an additional Rs 5000." Revanth Reddy Led-Telangana Government To Implement Rythu Bharosa Investment Support Scheme for Farmers From January 26. "Unfortunately, today they feel betrayed...I hope Rahul Gandhi will intervene and instruct Revanth Reddy Government not to betray the farmers because they promised a delivery in 100 days. But today, it has been more than 400 days. So, as BRS, we have decided that we will protest across the length and breadth of state tomorrow supporting farmers and demanding that the Congress party keeps up its promise made in the farmer declaration, Rythu declaration, and demanding that Rs 15,000 be given per acre as was promised," the BRS leader added. KTR Urges BRS Cadre to Intensify Fight Against Congress Misrule in Telangana. Earlier on December 12, 2023, Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy ordered officials to release amounts under the Rythu Bandhu scheme into the farmers' accounts. "CM Revanth_Anumula directed to start the process of depositing 'Raithu Bandhu' funds in their accounts to all the farmers in the state from today," the Telangana Chief Minister's Office said in a post on 'X'. As per his government's promise, the Chief Minister ordered the top officials to prepare an appropriate action plan to waive off the loans of Rs 2 lakh to the farmers of the state, the CMO said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dehradun, Jan 5 (PTI) In a setback to the Congress ahead of the urban local body polls in Uttarakhand, several senior party leaders, including state unit vice-president Mathura Dutt Joshi, joined the BJP. Joshi was said to be sulking after the party high command denied his wife the ticket for the mayoral seat in Pithoragarh. Also Read | What Is Brushing Scam? How To Identify and Protect Yourself From Fraudsters Targeting Online Shoppers? All You Need To Know. Other leaders who crossed over to the BJP are former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) vice-president Bittu Karnataka and two-time former district panchayat president Jagat Singh Khati. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Pradesh BJP president Mahendra Bhatt welcomed the leaders into the saffron fold at the party's state office here on Saturday. Also Read | SBI SCO Recruitment 2025: Applications Open For 150 Trade Finance Officers Posts at sbi.co.in, Know Steps to Apply. Describing the leaders who crossed over as hardworking and capable people, Dhami expressed confidence that the BJP would benefit from their energy and experience in the civic elections. There is no value for capable and good people in the Congress, the chief minister said. Bhatt said the BJP would take care of the new leader's self-respect. The common reason offered by the leaders who crossed over was the Congress' inability to give due respect to dedicated party workers. Joshi said he joined the BJP as there was no appreciation for honest party workers in the Congress. "I worked with full honesty and ability in the Congress but there is no appreciation for all this. So I have taken membership of the BJP. I will continue to serve the party with full dedication for the rest of my life," he said. Urban local body polls in Uttarakhand are scheduled for January 23. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jaipur, January 6: A man allegedly murdered his wife and five-month-old son in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan on Sunday, police said. The incident happened in Hathiyawala Bas area in Bhadra this morning. Prem hit his wife Radhika (22) and son with a sharp edged weapon, they said. Karauli Shocker: Woman, Her Brother Arrested for Killing Her Son, Daughter-in-Law in Rajasthan. According to the police, the couple had an argument last night. The accused has been detained and being interrogated to ascertain the cause of the murder, the police said. The bodies were shifted to the mortuary of a local hospital for postmortem. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Seoul, January 5: Three people died after a fishing boat carrying 22 struck rocks off South Korea's southwest coast Saturday, officials said. According to Yonhap News Agency, the Coast Guard and other authorities reported receiving a call around 10:30 am about the boat crashing into rocks near Gageo Island in Sinan, South Jeolla Province. South Korea Political Crisis: Yoon Suk Yeol Seeks Probe Into CIO Chief, Police Officers Over Attempt To Execute Warrant for His Detention. The other 19 people were rescued by the Coast Guard and a nearby vessel, and were not in any life-threatening conditions. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Taipei [Taiwan], January 5 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior (MOI) on Sunday discovered that several borough chiefs held Chinese citizenship and called upon them to give up their citizenship, Taiwan News reported. Further, the Ministry clarified its directive to five borough chiefs requiring them to relinquish their Chinese citizenship is based on Taiwanese law and does not constitute any 'political persecution'. Also Read | New York Rolls Out Congestion Pricing Plan Covering Lower and Midtown Manhattan, Making First City in US To Do So. The ministry on Thursday issued letters to their respective district offices, instructing them to address the matter in accordance with the Nationality Act and the Household Registration Act, as per Taiwan News. According to the MOI statement, "Public officials in Taiwan are obligated to demonstrate loyalty to the nation." Also Read | Hyundai Motor Group Posts Record Sales in United States in 2024 Driven by Popularity of SUVs, Minivans and Eco-Friendly Models. The Nationality Act mandates that elected officials renounce any foreign citizenship before taking office and complete the renunciation process within one year, it added The ministry further explained that individuals from China who cancel their Chinese household registration under the Cross-Strait Act and obtain Taiwanese citizenship are recognized as Taiwanese nationals. If they assume public office, they must comply with the Nationality Act by renouncing any foreign citizenship after being elected or taking their position. Meanwhile, Taiwan has been detecting Chinese aircraft and naval vessels around its territory every day for some time. On Sunday, they detected five People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and six People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels. In response to the PLA's activities, the MND initiated war-preparedness drills at strategic locations across the island and is closely coordinating with the Coast Guard Administration to implement appropriate countermeasures. The Taiwan-China issue is a complex and longstanding geopolitical conflict centred on Taiwan's sovereignty. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), operates its own government, military, and economy, functioning as a de facto independent state. However, China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and insists on the "One China" policy, which asserts that there is only one China, with Beijing as its capital. This has fuelled decades of tension, especially since the Chinese Civil War (1945-1949), when the ROC government retreated to Taiwan after the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, took control of mainland China. Beijing has consistently expressed its goal of reunification with Taiwan, using diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to isolate Taiwan internationally. Meanwhile, Taiwan, supported by a significant portion of its population, continues to maintain its independence. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Being an English teacher is quite profitable today - the number of the relevant vacancies reaches several hundred. At the same time, some employers are willing to pay such specialists more than UAH 40,000 ($900). ADVERTISIMENT For example, an IT company is looking for an English teacher offering from UAH 27,800 ($600) to 44,500 ($1,000). You will have to teach children aged 4 to 13. A company organizing English language courses is ready to pay from UAH 15,000 ($350) to 52,000 ($1,200) to a teacher. Among the requirements: English proficiency level not lower than Advanced Experience in teaching adults The Center for Foreign Languages is looking for an English teacher with a salary of UAH 20,000 ($470) to 50,000 ($1,100). To work, among other things, you need: Advanced/Proficiency level of English Ability to plan and conduct classes A completed higher education (philologist, teacher, translator) A high level of language proficiency and the ability to teach ADVERTISIMENT 50 new positions have appeared in Ukraine Meanwhile, 50 new positions have appeared in Ukraine. Among them is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist (deminer). At the same time, it is already possible to find highly paid vacancies for deminers in both the military and civilian sectors. According to the Ministry of Economy, new professions have appeared in medicine. And also: the judicial system prosecutor's office media other areas of activity. In particular, in addition to the deminer, it is noted that the profession of nutritionist, a specialist capable of determining the individual menu of each person in accordance with the characteristics of theu immune and other systems, has also appeared in Ukraine, as well as: medical statistician ADVERTISIMENT SES operator station agent sports activity manager specialist in the protection and resilience of critical infrastructure facilities. At the same time, it should be noted that there are quite a few vacancies for deminers on the market today, and not only in the military sphere. The job is highly paid - some companies, according to a major HR portal, offer salaries of UAH 42,000 ($900), 61,000 ($1,200), and even 72,000 ($1,700). In the defense sector, deminers can earn much more. In particular, you can find offers with a salary of UAH 190,000 ($4,500). As reported, neither a sharp increase in vacancies nor a surge in layoffs is expected in the main sectors of Ukraine's economy. However, still there are companies that intend to change the number of employees. And these expectations are negative: they may fire employees much more often than hire new ones in all key areas. You can find only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Islamabad [Pakistan], January 5 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and spokesperson for the government negotiation committee Senator Irfan Siddiqui said on Saturday that ongoing dialogue with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could face significant challenges as the Imran Khan-founded party has not submitted its demands in writing as initially agreed, ARY News reported. In his remarks at an interview, Siddiqui noted that there has been minimal progress over the past 12 days. He said that PTI's negotiating team had facilitated a meeting with the party chairman to build trust. However, he said that uncertainty remains over whether the 'Charter of Demands' will be provided in writing despite prior commitments from the two sides. Also Read | Balochistan Terror Attack: Suicide Bomb Blast Kills 5 Security Personnel in Turbat Province; BLA Claims Responsibility. During the meeting on December 23, Imran Khan's party promised to present its demands in writing, a promise reiterated in the joint statement. Siddiqui said that the demands were not submitted by January 2. During the meeting, the government negotiating team was told that PTI needed another opportunity to hold talks with their chairman to finalise their written demands. The government had agreed to PTI. However, the party did not present a written 'Charter of Demands' during the third meeting, potentially complicating the negotiation process. Also Read | Lionel Messi to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Highest Civilian Honour, From US President Joe Biden. On the issue of political prisoners, Siddiqui stressed that being a political prisoner is defined by the nature of the crime and not the identity of the person. He said, "If I, as a member of the Senate, commit murder and end up in jail for it, I would never be considered a political prisoner," according to ARY News report. PML-N leader noted that even the country's president does not have immunity in such matters. He said PTI has raised several demands, including the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and other prisoners, establishing the judicial commissions and the tracing of 45 missing persons. When PTI was asked about names, addresses and identities of these missing persons, Imran Khan-founded party said that no such list exists. When asked whether the government could find people without any information, Siddiqui said that the government negotiation team did not make any demands of PTI nor they asked the party to withdraw its call for civil disobedience, ARY News reported. In response to another question, Siddiqui said that the government or any other institution has given no offer to transfer Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to Bani Gala or elsewhere, according to ARY News report. He further said that there were no parallel or behind-the-scenes negotiations taking place and added that PTI would set the date for the third negotiation meeting. The second round of talks between the government and PTI could not make significant headway, as the party's leadership has demanded frequent meetings with Imran Khan to finalise their list of demands, Dawn reported. The government and PTI will meet again possibly next week. Notably, PTI has publicly talked about his two demands, which include a judicial commission to probe the May 9 and November 26 violence and the release of political prisoners. Imran Khan-founded party has already given an ultimatum that talks should conclude by the end of the ongoing month. Before the talks began, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that the demands would be presented during the meeting. Following the meeting, Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, while addressing a press conference, said, "During the last meeting, it was decided that PTI leaders will give a written list of demands, but today they again requested more time for the finalisation [of demands] as they need to consult Imran Khan." He noted that the meeting took place in a pleasant setting compared to the last meeting, adding that the next round of talks would be held next week. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London, Jan 5 (PTI) Britain's Opposition Conservative Party is leading calls for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to scrap government plans for an official definition of Islamophobia over fears it would restrict free speech and action against wrongdoing. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said this weekend that a "false label" of Islamophobia had hampered investigations into the child abuse grooming gang scandal involving men of Pakistani heritage. Also Read | New York Rolls Out Congestion Pricing Plan Covering Lower and Midtown Manhattan, Making First City in US To Do So. It comes as The Daily Telegraph newspaper claims that the Labour Party government is considering a formal definition of anti-Muslim discrimination. The government should drop its plans for such a deeply flawed definition of Islamophobia, Jenrick told the newspaper. Also Read | Hyundai Motor Group Posts Record Sales in United States in 2024 Driven by Popularity of SUVs, Minivans and Eco-Friendly Models. Throughout the grooming gang scandal the false label of Islamophobia was used to silence people. It appears that the government has learnt nothing and is determined to press ahead with a definition that will have a chilling effect on freedom of speech, he said. In a social media post, the Tory MP elaborated that for decades the most appalling crimes from predominantly British-Pakistani men were legalised and actively covered up to prevent disorder. The rule of law was abandoned to sustain the myth that diversity is our strength, destroying the lives of thousands of vulnerable white working class girls in the process, he noted. The shadow minister blamed the onset of mass migration for the scandal, brought back into focus by Tesla chief Elon Musk posting severely critical remarks on his X platform over the British government's handling of young girls' sexual exploitation across a number of towns and cities in England more than a decade ago. The foreign nationals responsible must be deported no ifs, no buts. And the officials that covered up must be sent to jail for their appalling cowardice. Even that won't be enough for the victims, added Jenrick. His intervention comes as sources in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), led by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, were referenced by The Daily Telegraph to claim that officials were considering whether to introduce a formal definition of Islamophobia. Such a definition, though not legally binding, would require organisations to adopt it. Back in 2018, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims had defined Islamophobia as a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness. Fiyaz Mughal, the founder of Tell Mama, which stands for Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks, is among those who is warning against the APPG definition. He is quoted by The Daily Telegraph as saying: Bad behaviour wherever it is, in whichever religious group, needs to be called out. This does not mean that all Muslim or all Pakistani men are bad. But when there is a concentration of issues within a certain group, we must hold the line in defence of our core values. There is a real danger that if they get the definition wrong, it will become the Achilles heel of Labour. Last year, the Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) wrote to Rayner to caution against the government incorporating into law this flawed unofficial definition of Islamophobia as it would jeopardise the factual discussion of the history of the Indian subcontinent and persecution of religious minorities around the world. The NSO letter said: Adoption of this contested definition into law would have serious implications on free speech, not least the ability to discuss historical truths... targeting criminality with a flawed definition of Islamophobia', would be counterproductive and there is no evidence it would reduce anti-Muslim hatred in any case. Faith Minister Lord Wajid Khan had replied to acknowledge that the definition proposed by the APPG is not in line with the Equality Act 2010, which defines race in terms of colour, nationality and national or ethnic origins. At the time in September 2024, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Faith, Communities and Resettlement in the MHCLG also admitted that defining Islamophobia is a complex issue and something ministers are approaching in a more holistic way. We want to ensure that any definition comprehensively reflects multiple perspectives and implications for different communities. This government is actively considering our approach to tackling Islamophobia through a more holistic lens, and will provide further information on this in due course, he said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kiev, January 5: President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked to increase sanctions on Russia after he claimed that Ukraine was attacked by 103 Shahed drones and over 600 drone strikes in the last week along with several guided aerial bombs and missiles which comprise of over 50,000 components sourced from across the world. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said, "Almost every day, we defend our skies against Russian missiles and drones. Just last night, Ukraine was attacked by 103 Shahed drones, which contained 8,755 foreign-made components. Over the past week, Russia has used more than 630 strike drones, approximately 740 guided aerial bombs, and nearly 50 missiles of various types - totaling over 50,000 sanctioned components sourced from around the world." Russia-Ukraine War: US President Joe Biden Announces USD 1.25 Billion to Ukraine for Critical Security, Defence. He noted that the sanctions pressure on supply chains for foreign components remains insufficient and said that "Russia continues to acquire the components and manufacturing tools it needs- almost globally - and uses them in the weapons it employs to terrorize Ukraine." He gave a call for continuing to strengthen cooperation with all the partners of Ukraine on sanctions, air defence systems, long-range weapons, and support for the Ukrainian soldiers. "These priorities will help protect our cities, villages, and positions on the frontline. I am grateful to every partner helping us with this", the post concluded. The post also comprised of a video which showed the areas of Ukraine which were subjected to attacks in the last week. These included Kiev, Chernihiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Kherson, Kharkiv and Dnipro. The video reiterated the message which the Ukrainian President has emphasised time and again, that is to increase support and air defence for Ukraine. Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden on Monday announced additional security assistance support to meet Ukraine's critical security and defence needs, a statement by the US Department of Defence said. The package includes authorization of a Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package, which has an estimated value of USD 1.25 billion, to provide Ukraine additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs, including missiles for air defence; munitions for rocket systems and artillery; and anti-tank weapons, as per Department of Defence. Russia-Ukraine Prisoner Swap: Hundreds of Soldiers Freed in Latest Prisoner Exchange, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Thanks UAE for Helping Negotiate Exchange. In a post on X, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, "As part of the surge in security assistance for Ukraine that President Biden announced in September, the United States is providing USD 1.25 billion in weapons and equipment today for Ukraine's self-defence. The United States and more than 50 nations stand united with Ukraine." (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai, January 5: With Pongal, Tamil Nadus biggest festival, set to be celebrated on January 15, the State Transport Corporation will operate 15,000 special buses for travellers heading to their hometowns for the holidays. The service will be from January 10 to 13. To curb the exploitation of passengers by omnibus operators charging extra fares, the Tamil Nadu Transport Department has formed 30 inspection teams. These teams will begin statewide inspections this week. In cases of violations, they have been authorised to impose penalties, seize buses, and temporarily revoke permits as punitive measures. Out of the 15,000 special buses planned, 12,000 will run from Chennai to various destinations, supplementing the 2,092 buses that already operate daily. Passengers can board these buses from the termini at Kilambakkam, Koyambedu, and Madhavaram. Tamil Nadu Government Holiday List For Pongal 2025: State Govt Employees to Enjoy Extended Holiday, Check Dates and Other Details Here. As the festive season approaches, all trains departing from Chennai to southern districts are fully booked, and bus reservations are rapidly increasing. Officials report that over 75,000 reservations have already been made, with numbers expected to rise significantly starting January 6. Public holidays for Pongal have been declared from January 14 to 16, creating a six-day break, including the weekend on January 18 and 19. A meeting led by Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar on January 6 will finalise plans for the special bus operations, with a formal announcement expected afterwards. Pongal, one of Tamil Nadus most significant festivals, also sees the state government distributing gift hampers to ration cardholders. These hampers typically include dhotis, sarees, and essential items to help families celebrate without financial strain. Makar Sankranti 2025 Calendar: Know Dates of Pongal, Magh Bihu, Lohri, Khichdi Parv and More To Celebrate the Harvest Festival in India. This years gift hamper is expected to include Rs 1,000 in cash, one kilogram of rice, sugar, tamarind, and sugarcane, along with 21 essential festival items. To address inefficiencies in past distributions, the government is considering direct bank transfers for the cash component. If bank transfer challenges arise, funds will be distributed through ration shops as done traditionally. Special tokens will be issued to ration cardholders to avoid overcrowding during the distribution. Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 100 crore for the production of 1.77 crore dhotis and an equal number of sarees. These will be distributed to ration cardholders and beneficiaries under the Old Age Pension Scheme. The government has also decided to use cotton yarn for the 2024-25 production cycle and introduce polyester yarn for the 2025-26 cycle. This initiative benefits 63,000 powerlooms across the state. Compared to last years production of one crore dhotis and 1.24 crore sarees, this year will see an increase of 77 lakh dhotis and 53 lakh sarees. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2025 01:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). British 'danger tourist' Daniel Pinto, 27, made history by visiting remote indigenous tribes in Papua New Guinea. Over three weeks, he immersed in tribal life, ceremonies, and untouched cultural experiences. Mumbai, January 5: Daniel Pinto, a 27-year-old British 'danger tourist', has made history as the first tourist to visit several indigenous tribes in Papua New Guinea. Pinto, who has already visited 138 countries, spent three weeks in the Pacific island nation last month. He meticulously researched the tribes before arriving and, once in Papua New Guinea, connected with locals who guided him to remote regions to immerse himself in tribal life and culture. Before arriving in Papua New Guinea, Pinto thoroughly researched the countrys tribes. Upon landing, he connected with locals who guided him to various tribal regions. During his three-week stay, Pinto had the unique opportunity to live with 10 different tribes, including the Skeleton Tribe, the Crocodile People, and the Spirit Birds. Iranian Tourists 'Mistakenly' Perform Namaz at Temple Near Gate of Taj Mahal in Agra, Issues Apology After Objections Raised (Watch Video). During his three-week stay in Papua New Guinea, Daniel Pinto lived with 10 different tribes, including the Skeleton Tribe, the Crocodile People, and the Spirit Birds. Pinto took part in various tribal ceremonies, attended a wedding, went hunting, and even stayed in local homes and guesthouses, fully immersing himself in the cultural experiences. He described Papua New Guinea as the last frontier, expressing amazement at visiting tribes that had never before encountered tourists. He found the tribes incredibly friendly and welcoming as he visited their villages. Papua New Guinea Celebrates New Year 2025: Country Becomes One of the First After New Zealand and Australia To Ring In the New Year. Pintos travels are driven by a deep curiosity for areas often deemed dangerous and off-limits by others. Having already visited countries like Libya, Iraq, and Syria, he is keen on exploring places where few tourists venture. He believes Papua New Guinea is one of the last places where one can experience things that others have never done, adding to the uniqueness of his journey. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2025 01:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga has said that sanctions against Russia can be made more effective. In his opinion, this can be done by strengthening law enforcement agencies, closing loopholes for the aggressor country, and increasing pressure on Russia. ADVERTISIMENT The Minister of Foreign Affairs wrote about this in his post on platform X. He said that among the areas in which pressure on the occupying country should be increased are the shadow fleet, metallurgy, LNG, frozen assets, nuclear energy, military industry, IT, etc. Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that the European Union intends to impose restrictions on the Russian "shadow tanker fleet". Russia uses it to circumvent international sanctions. This is the EU's response to the damage to power and data cables in the Baltic Sea by a ship from this fleet. The European Commission said in a statement that there is no threat to energy security in the region. As a reminder, the U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on Iran and Russia for interfering in the U.S. presidential election. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Corks own Chris Kent returns with a brand new show Offline. He tries to give up the internet and navigate life without asking his phone what to eat, where to go or how to get home. He longs for a simpler time of playing Snake and constructing emojis himself. Now that he has hit 40 years of age, he wonders if he can ever go back to thinking for himself. Join him on a journey that will either make him or break him. The Irish Times says Kent is a master storyteller while Dubliner Magazine describes his show as carefree comedic bullseye. Tommy Tiernan gives his own verdict. He really makes me laugh and I think his stuff is so smart, he would be one of the best comics that I would have seen. Hes fantastic, he says. Chris Kent brings his show, Offline to the Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge on February 6. The show starts at 8pm and tickets cost 25. Check out www.riverbank.ie for further information. Met Eireann has predicted temperatures dipping as low as -10 degrees next week amid a prolonged Arctic cold snap. The coldest temperatures will follow snow this weekend which could sit along with frost and freezing fog over many areas. Met Eireann has delivered its final verdict on a snow bomb hitting Ireland this weekend amid a raft of Status Orange and Yellow warnings and predictions of 15cm of snow in some places. Their first weather warning is a Status Orange rain and snow warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford. It says: "Heavy rain transitioning to sleet and snow with significant accumulations expected." READ NEXT: Track the snow as it heads towards Ireland amid severe weather warnings The warning is valid from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. A similar Status Orange snow-ice warning has been issued for Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary with Met Eireann warning of "significant snowfall accumulations expected." This warning too is valid from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. Met Eireann has also issued a Status Yellow rain warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford. It warns of "heavy rain transitioning to sleet and snow" and it's valid from 1pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. There is also a Status Yellow snow-ice warning for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath and all of Connacht. READ NEXT: Track the snow as it heads towards Ireland amid severe weather warnings "Falls of sleet and snow with snowfall accumulations" are expected in these counties. This 24-hour warning also runs from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. The final warning from Met Eireann is a Status Yellow rain and snow warning for Wexford. Heavy rain there will transition to sleet and snow. It too is valid from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. Impacts for all warning include as "very difficult travelling conditions, poor visibility, travel disruption delays to public transport likely (air, rail, bus), difficult conditions underfoot and animal welfare issues." A weather map on the Met Eireann website pinpoints next Wednesday morning as possibly the coldest day of the week with temperatures dipping to -9 or even -10 in parts of the south midlands. Their commentary on the cold spell says: "An area of low-pressure bringing precipitation will track north-eastwards across the country Saturday afternoon, through Saturday night, clearing into the Irish sea during Sunday afternoon. As the mild moist air meets the cold Arctic air, the rain will turn to sleet and snow in many areas. "The cold weather will continue well into next week as a cold Arctic northerly airflow become established from Sunday night. Lying snow will persist in some areas with frosty and icy conditions countrywide. An Advisory has been issued countrywide for Monday (6th of January) through to Thursday (9th of January)." Deputy Head of Forecasting Liz Coleman says: A lot of people will be returning home from the festive holidays this weekend. We want people to take heed of the warnings and plan in advance as there will be some really tricky driving conditions out there for a near 24 hour period. "This rain sleet and snow will be coupled with blustery east to northeast winds which could lead to some drifting snow for as time as well. "Stay up to date with the forecast and also with your travel provider as there are likely to be travel disruptions too." Liz continues: "The cold Arctic air will return on Sunday evening and stay with us right out into next week. It will be bitterly cold next week with some lying snow, widespread severe frost and ice and scattered wintry showers. There could be further complications with freezing fog at times, so we ask people pay attention to the weather forecasts and be prepared." LIAM Woulfe has officially stepped down from his position as managing director of Grassland Agro after two decades. The Ardagh native led the soil, plant, animal nutrition, and sustainable fertiliser business for the past 22 years, after his Freshgrass Group first acquired Grassland Fertilisers in 2002 from Greencore. Mr Woulfe informed staff at Grassland Agro in November that he would step down from his position as managing director at the end of December to facilitate the evolution of the leadership at the company. Enda McDonald, who currently serves as group sales manager for the company, will take over as general manager of Grassland Agro, based on the Dock Road, from January. He first joined the business more than a decade ago in 2010 as a regional sales manager. As part of the leadership transition, Mr Woulfe will continue to support Mr McDonald and the wider Grassland Agro team on a full-time basis until the end of March 2025, after which he will assume a senior advisor role and continue as a director of the company. Commenting on his retirement as managing director of Grassland Agro, Liam Woulfe, said the past 22 years managing Grassland Agro and overseeing its growth and success has been hugely satisfying. Over that time, Grassland Agro has evolved from a traditional fertiliser provider into a multifaceted agribusiness that provides crucial sustainability and agronomy services to the Irish farming industry. But now the time has come for me to hand over the baton. I want to wish Enda McDonald, his management team and all the staff at Grassland Agro every success for the future. I will continue to remain involved in the Irish agribusiness sector through a number of board directorships that I hold, and I look forward to seeing the industry continue to adapt and evolve to meet the sustainability challenge, said Mr Woulfe, whose four brothers Jim, David, Michael and Richard are all synonymous with the agri sector as well. READ MORE: Limerick IFA to host Women's Christmas lunch in Adare Mr Woulfe started his career in the agribusiness industry more than four decades ago working for dairy companies such as Aurivo, Golden Vale and Kerry Group until he opted to lead Grassland Fertilisers. In 2013, he negotiated a "game changer" joint venture between Grassland Fertiliser and Timac Agro Ireland, a subsidiary of the French agri supplies, research and technology business Groupe Roullier, to form Grassland Agro. This joint venture deal created one of the largest fertiliser suppliers in Ireland, which today is significantly focused on sustainability and agronomy services and products, while at the same time holding its position in the traditional fertiliser sector. Grassland Agro's staff count has increased from 54 staff in 2012 to more than 150 today. In addition to evolving away from his position at Grassland Agro, Mr Woulfe will remain active in the agri-food industry, continuing in his role as executive chairman of his Freshgrass Holdings Group, which holds a 50% stake in Drummonds Agribusiness as part of a joint venture partnership with Fane Valley Co-op. Alongside this, Mr Woulfe will continue to hold a number of other non-executive director roles such as director and chair of the Agricultural Trust, the publisher of the Irish Farmers Journal, non-executive director at Teagasc, the state agricultural research body, and chair of Drummonds Agribusiness, in addition to a number of others board positions. CORBALLY resident Piotr Mach from Gliwice, Poland became an Irish citizen in September. A proud Piotr contacted the Limerick Leader to share his excitement and offered us all a timely reminder about all that is good about Limerick. In 2007, Piotr and his wife graduated from the Silesian University of Technology in Poland with a degree in Architecture and Town Planning. During their final year, a student returning from Ireland posted a job advert for positions in Limerick on the notice board. When we saw it, we felt it was a sign that our big dreams were about to come true! said Piotr. READ MORE: Limerick songbird living the dream with new single Initially, our plan was to move to Ireland for about two years to explore its beauty, gain work experience in an architectural practice, save some money, and then return to Poland. However, we fell in love with Ireland, the breathtaking landscapes, Celtic culture, rich history, and wonderful people, he told journalist Kayley Hardiman. He spoke passionately about the welcome he received in Limerick. I have never felt like a foreigner here. Theres a place for anyone who wants to work, be part of the community, and integrate. One of his favourite outings is to The Curragower Bar & Restaurant. I might be a bit traditional, but nothing beats fresh Irish seafood served with homemade chips and a pint of Guinness, especially with a view of the River Shannon and King Johns Castle. As we face into the first real cold snap of 2025 this weekend, experts have revealed if and when it is too cold to go to work. Met Eireann has said "significant snowfall" is likely on Saturday afternoon and evening with temperatures likely to dip to -7 degrees early next week. Their first weather warning is a Status Orange rain and snow warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford. It says: "Heavy rain transitioning to sleet and snow with significant accumulations expected." It list impacts as "very difficult travelling conditions, poor visibility, travel disruption delays to public transport likely (air, rail, bus), difficult conditions underfoot and animal welfare issues." The warning is valid from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. A similar Status Orange snow-ice warning has been issued for Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary with Met Eireann warning of "significant snowfall accumulations expected." This warning too is valid from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. Met Eireann has also issued a Status Yellow rain warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford. It warns of "heavy rain transitioning to sleet and snow" and it's valid from 1pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. READ NEXT: Met Eireann update on 15cm snow bomb amid severe weather warnings There is also a Status Yellow snow-ice warning for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath and all of Connacht. "Falls of sleet and snow with snowfall accumulations" are expected in these counties. This 24-hour warning also runs from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. The final warning from Met Eireann is a Status Yellow rain and snow warning for Wexford. Heavy rain there will transition to sleet and snow. It too is valid from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. With that in mind, Dublin-based office brokers Click Offices have put together a list of cold weather working myths, confirming or debunking these to inform workers of their rights: There is a legal temperature when it is too cold to work - False There is no legal temperature for when it is too cold to work across Ireland, however there are loose guidelines to help workplaces determine what safe levels look like. HSA advises a range of 18 to 23 degrees celsius as an acceptable temperature but this depends on factors like the working conditions, PPE and levels of physical activity involved. Workplaces should provide uniform for cold weather - True HSA advises that workplaces should provide proper personal protective equipment for jobs, this extends to clothing when workers are required to work in cold temperatures such as outdoors in winter. For staff working outside in the cold this may include coats, hats, boots and protective eyewear. It is the employers responsibility to ensure workplace provided clothing fits properly and the employee has received training for proper use of any PPE. My work can make me pay for weather-protective uniform - False As mentioned, your workplace is responsible for providing suitable uniforms which meet safety standards in enabling you to undertake your job role. The Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 outlines that employers cannot transfer any financial costs related to safety, health and welfare duties onto employees. They may not request payment from employees for the provision of PPE, whether as a deposit or otherwise. You will still be paid if you dont work due to adverse weather - False According to employment law experts, employers are not legally required to pay staff who fail to turn up for work, even if they are physically unable to travel to the workplace.There have been past reports of some employers threatening disciplinary action if employees do not attend. Whilst there is less legal protection, it is in the interest of both employee and employer to find a balanced resolution to support staff when the weather makes it difficult to commute. Conversations around discretionary pay, using holiday entitlement and working from home where possible can help mitigate financial losses from being unable to attend work. I still have to drive in bad weather if my job requires it - False It is never recommended to drive in unsafe conditions, whether that means making it to your shift or not. Workplaces have a duty of care to staff and should not be asking them to risk their safety in order to make it into work. Employment law advises employers to review and monitor weather conditions to ensure the health and safety of their employees. This consideration should always be balanced with business and operational needs. Employers should take a reasonable approach, such as allowing employees to leave early, depending on weather conditions and the distance they need to travel to and from work. Employers should also consider more leniency for lateness for staff who may have made a longer than usual journey to work due to disruption to transport. READ NEXT: Track the snow as it heads towards Ireland amid severe weather warnings I can request flexible working arrangements if my childs school is closed due to the weather - True Irish law dictates a right to request flexible working for those with parental or caring responsibilities, meaning employers have to consider reasonable adjustments where it can be accommodated by the business. Both the employer and employee should make effort to reach a reasonable arrangement in the event the employee needs to prioritise childcare arrangements at late notice. This can include adapting working hours, changing days of work or allowing leave to be used to take further time off for parental responsibilities. Ignoring womens and mens different temperature requests could be discriminatory - True Mens higher proportion of body mass means they produce more heat involuntarily, making them less susceptible to feeling cold compared to women. A 2015 study found that women are typically more comfortable at a temperature that is 2.5C warmer than men, preferring a range between 24-25C versus men's range of 21.5-22.5C. When you additionally factor in DEI protective factors such as menopause and pregnancy, a case can be made for discrimination if women are subjected to lower temperatures to suit the preference of male staff. Workplaces should take a balanced approach to provide comfortable working for both sexes and if you have a health condition that is more affected by cold temperatures, you should make this known to your workplace and discuss adjustments for your safety. MASS-goers and other commuters in Limerick are battling treacherous road conditions this Saturday evening, with some cars skidding on roads as they try to navigate the tricky and dangerous conditions. At least three cars outside the Ss Peter and Paul Church in Kilmallock were witnessed skidding, and cutting out, as they tried to manoeuvre their way through the rising fresh blanket of snow which formed very quickly from 7pm. Mass-goers returned to their cars to see over an inch of snow already lodged on top. There are reports of similar treacherous driving conditions in other parts of the county this Saturday evening as Mass takes place and the general public go about their own necessary business. Treacherous road conditions out there now, folks, in parts of county as snow begins to accumulate. Scene in Kilmallock now. More on https://t.co/WN7tpghbpa soon pic.twitter.com/YXBJ5VwN1B Limerick Leader / Limerick Live (@Limerick_Leader) January 4, 2025 A status orange snow-ice warning came into effect for Limerick at 5pm this Saturday and is valid until 5pm on Sunday. Limerick City and County Council are urging commuters to exercise extreme caution. Status Orange Snow/Ice warning in effect for Limerick. Snow falling in West Limerick. N21 being ploughed and treated. Exercise extreme caution.@MetEireann for latest forecasts. Report issues to @LimerickCouncil 061 417833 Templeglantine pic.twitter.com/wrmwMIxoiz Limerick Council - Comhairle Luimnigh (@LimerickCouncil) January 4, 2025 A virtual National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) meeting was held this Saturday morning to prepare for the potentially disruptive weather forecasted across the country. Keith Leonard, National Director of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, emphasised the safety advice for the public saying: We are going to see difficult travel conditions for much of the country in the coming days. Driving conditions will be hazardous, even where roads are gritted so I urge people to slow down, drive with caution, be aware of other road users and allow extra time for your journey. Its important that drivers travelling longer journeys are aware of conditions right along their route, as the weather may vary significantly across different parts of the country. READ ALSO: ALERT: Drivers warned one bad habit could lead to crash amid Met Eireann snow warnings "Footpaths can also be extremely hazardous and slippery due to ice so please take extra care while walking. Public transport may also be affected by this spell of wintry weather, so Id advise people to check with service operators for the latest updates in their area." Heavy snow impacting roads in many parts of County Limerick. Carrigkerry to Athea R523, Devon cross to Dromcollogher R515 and Dromcollogher to NCW R522 being ploughed and treated. N21 Newcastle Westhttps://t.co/wBy1KjZMnH pic.twitter.com/cBbhO8rDf2 Limerick Council - Comhairle Luimnigh (@LimerickCouncil) January 4, 2025 While commuters cautiously navigate the snow-covered roads, children are already embracing the winter wonderland, joyfully tossing snowballs and building snowmen. Send us your snow photographs (children building snowmen / snowy scenes) with the names of those photographed and location to news@limerickleader.ie and we will endeavour to use them online and/or in print over the coming days. Stay safe. The number of cases of HMPV, a respiratory illness with flu-like symptoms, is on the rise in China. Photos and videos of overcrowded hospitals appear on social media. The media in Indonesia, India, and Japan have already warned their citizens to monitor the situation and take the necessary measures. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by NDTV. The sudden outbreak reminds people of a similar case with COVID-19. However, Beijing has downplayed the events of the past few days and said it is an annual winter phenomenon. Despite the warnings of international reports, China assures that it is safe to travel in the country. "Diseases seem to be less serious and spreading on a smaller scale compared to the previous year," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. She also urged citizens and tourists to follow the guidelines issued by the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention of China. "I can assure you that the Chinese government cares about the health of Chinese citizens and foreigners coming to China," she added. The publication reported that HMPV is a respiratory virus that causes infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract. Flu-like symptoms can occur, which can lead to serious respiratory problems. It is especially dangerous for children and vulnerable groups. HMPV is spread through the air or touch and leads to cough, fever, sore throat, and congestion. Complications may also occur, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that in the Australian state of Queensland, scientists lost hundreds of vials of deadly viruses. They disappeared in 2021, but investigators confirmed the leak only in August 2023. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! MET EIREANN has extended its status orange snow/ice warning for Limerick as the current cold snap is set to continue for several days. There was heavy snowfall in parts of the city and county overnight with accumulations severely impacting travel in several areas while while more than 10,000 homes, farms and businesses across the city county are without electricity. In an update, issued this Sunday morning, Met Eireann says further falls of sleet and snow are likely in Limerick and several other counties this Sunday evening. A new status orange snow/ice warning for Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wicklow, Laois and Offaly will come into effect at 5pm and remain valid until 8pm. READ ALSO: Mass-goers and other drivers see cars skid as they battle snowy roads in Limerick Potential impacts include very difficult travelling conditions, poor visibility, travel disruption and delays to public transport. Senior officials from Limerick City and County Council attended a briefing by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management on Saturday and the local authority's Severe Weather Assessment Team (SWAT) is monitoring conditions locally. A number of roads - particularly in west Limerick are impassable due to snow accumulations and the local authority has deployed snow ploughs and crews across the county. #Limerick remains under a Status Orange Snow/Ice warning until 5pm. There are heavy snow accumulations on many roads.@LimerickFire were called to a number of incidents overnight where people's vehicles had broken down or become stuck. Ploughing and gritting is ongoing. The pic.twitter.com/fN7aFpfmk8 Limerick Council - Comhairle Luimnigh (@LimerickCouncil) January 5, 2025 Met Eireann, which has also issued a status yellow low temperature/ice warning for all of Ireland, says there will be difficult conditions underfoot and that animal welfare issues are also likely. IT HAS BEEN a long time coming. Assuming there are no last-minute delays, then in the next few days Blue Origin, a firm run by Jeff Bezos, Amazons founder, will make the first launch of its New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida. If everything goes smoothly, then almost a quarter of a century after it was founded, Blue Origin will reach orbit for the first timeand the private space industry may have another contender. That is quite a big if". Getting all the way to orbit with a brand-new rocket is a rare feat. Blue Origin also hopes to recover the rockets first stage by landing it on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Doing that on a maiden flight would be unprecedented: that kind of partial reusability was pioneered by SpaceX, Elon Musks rocket firm, and it required several attempts before eventually sticking the landing in 2016. (In a nod to those long odds, Blue Origin has named the booster So Youre Telling Me Theres A Chance.) Admittedly, Blue Origin will not be starting entirely from scratch. Since 2021 the firm has been flying tourists (including Mr Bezos himself) above the Karman Line, the 100km boundary that marks the edge of space. The New Shepard rockets that power those missions are capable of landing for later re-use. But going into orbit is much harder than crossing the Karman Line. It requires not only flying much higher, but also accelerating sideways to around 28,000 kilometres per hour. New Glenn is, therefore, far bigger and more capable than New Shepard (see diagram). At 98 metres tall it is just two metres shy of one commonly used definition of a skyscraper. Only three rockets currently flyingSpaceXs Starship and Falcon Heavy vehicles, and NASAs Space Launch Systemproduce more thrust. New Glenn is designed to carry 45 tonnes to orbit, roughly double the capacity of SpaceXs workhorse Falcon 9. But amid all the excitement, many observers will be wondering what has taken Blue Origin so long. The firms motto is gradatim ferociter, or step by step, ferociously." In contrast to Mr Bezoss hard-charging management style at Amazon, at Blue Origin the gradatim has been much more visible than the ferociter. The firm was established in 2000. Contemporaries such as SpaceX (founded in 2002) or Rocket Lab (2006) have been flying to orbit for yearsmore than 400 times in SpaceXs case, which has established itself as the planets most capable space organisation. The problem is not lack of ambition on its owners part. In 2019, two years before he stepped down as Amazons CEO, Mr Bezos gave a presentation advocating the construction of giant space-going cities, of the sort proposed by Gerard ONeill, an American physicist, in the 1970s. (Mr Bezos went to Princeton University, the institution where ONeill taught.) Moving humans and their industry off Earth, said Mr Bezos, would allow the population to grow to a trillion people. That would mean a thousand Mozarts and a thousand Einsteins", he said in 2023, and allow Earth to be run mostly as a nature reserve. Blue Origin was founded to provide the cheap access to space necessary to make that idea a reality. The tortoise and the hare One reason for the subsequent slow progress might have been that Mr Bezos was too busy with his day job at Amazon to pay close attention to his rocket company. Many of the managers he hired to run Blue Origin were from the sleepy Old Space" establishment. Blue Origins approach was to say Well hire the best in the business," says Simon Potter at BryceTech, a firm of analysts. SpaceX, he says, started from the assumption that the whole [aerospace] business was broken anyway", and so did things its own way. Caleb Henry of Quilty Space, another firm of analysts, thinks Blue Origin might have been too well-funded for its own good. Mr Bezos was already a billionaire when he founded the firm, and has made regular donations over the years. By contrast Mr Musk had to run SpaceX on a comparative shoestring, at least at first, with the firm almost going bust in 2008. Even now, says Mr Henry, SpaceX retains a scrappy, high-pressure start-up culture. I think the work-life balance at Blue Origin is attractive to many people," he says. But it has perhaps meant less progress than the boss would have liked. Mr Bezos himself has admitted that Blue Origin has been too slow, and has said he quit as Amazons chief executive partly to speed things up. In 2023 Bob Smith, Blue Origins CEO, was replaced by Dave Limp, an Amazon executive. Mr Limp has been trying to inject some vim and urgency. A much-delayed contract for Blue Origin to supply engines for the Vulcan-Centaur rocket operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, seems at last to be running smoothly. And, on paper at least, Blue Origins plans for New Glenn are now ferocious indeed. They are talking about maybe ten launches [in 2025] and 24 the year after," says Mr Henry. That kind of ramp-up for a new rocket is, he says, simply unheard-of". Assuming New Glenn makes it into space, one question will be whether it can take some market share from SpaceXs cheap and reliable Falcon 9, which dominates the commercial-launch business. Blue Origin has not disclosed pricing, but one industry-watcher talks of seeing a contract that put a launch at $68m. That is roughly the same as a Falcon 9, despite New Glenn offering double the payload. The firm already has a minimum of one customer. In 2022, alongside ULA and Arianespace, a European firm, Blue Origin won a slice of the biggest launch contract in history, awarded by Amazon to fly the more than 3,000 satellites needed by its Kuiper project, which plans to provide fast internet access anywhere on Earth. (Complaints from Amazon shareholders eventually led to SpaceX being awarded a few flights as well.) Catch-up on the high frontier Blue Origin has other products in the pipeline, too. New Glenns test flight was supposed to carry a pair of probes to Mars, but delays to the rocket mean those will have to wait until spring 2025 to launch. The payload will instead be a Blue Ring" spacecraft, a space-going tugboat designed to ferry satellites to their desired orbits, refuel them and even function as a sort of orbital computing platform, services for which Blue Origin hopes there will one day be a big market. The firm has plans for a private space station called the Orbital Reef, and has been asked by NASA to build a crewed landing craft for the agencys Artemis Moon missions. Blue Origin has not officially said when New Glenn will make its debut. Federal Aviation Administration notices suggest early on the morning of January 6th, British time, although bad weather or mechanical problems could see things slip. Meanwhile, the competition is not standing still. Rocket Labs diminutive Electron rocket is due to be joined by the mid-size Neutron at some point in 2025. SpaceXs enormous Starship, presently being tested, is designed to undercut everything else on the market. Still, if Mr Bezoss firm can at last bring some ferocity, then the space industry may get a big new competitor. 2025, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com Preliminary data indicates that Indias services exports exceeded its goods exports for November 2024. Services exports clocked in at $35.7 billion this monthabout $3 billion more than goods exports. If confirmed by the final figures, and if this trend continues, it will mark a historic shift, one almost three decades in the making. At the global level, while Indias goods exports have been one of missed opportunities, services exports have an undertone of opportunity taken, driven by IT and software services. Indias share in global services exports has consistently exceeded its share in global goods exports since at least 1998. While the latter flattened after the 2008 global financial crisis, ranging from 1.25-1.90%, the share in service exports continued its upward climb, to 4.2% by 2023. Also Read: Services offer a fast and reliable path to economic development China is a study in contrast to India. Its share in global good exports took off around 2002, increasing to about 13.7% in 2023, according to World Bank data. Interestingly, Chinas share in services exports peaked in 2002, which is also when its goods exports took off. Since then, it has declined, and last year, fell below Indias for the first time. While Chinas success in goods exports has generated millions of new jobs, the effect the services export boom has had on Indian employment has arguably been weaker in terms of numbers. Still, in post-1991 India, services exports have been a big success story, building businesses, fostering entrepreneurship, generating jobs and creating wealth. Hard on software Indias success is partly because of the second big shift that has occurred within services exports. By 2022-23, two sectors, software and business services, accounted for about three-fourths of Indias services exports. In fact, exports of so-called business services (broadly, back-office services), global capability centres (GCCs) of multinationals and consulting services rose at a faster pace than software exports. These kinds of businesses seek highly skilled labour, which a relatively small proportion of the labour force has. In contrast, Chinas success in manufacturing exports has been more broad-based. It has ranged from relatively low-skilled textile manufacturing to high-skilled manufacturing of mobile phones and computing devices for companies like Apple. For India, in services exports, travel and transport services, the other traditional type of services exports, have steadily lost ground, with their combined share in Indias service exports falling from about 34% in 2000-01 to around 19% in 2022-23. Also Read: Indias trade braces for an action-packed 2025 IT services dominance A break-up of the biggest exporters of services from India does not exist on its own in the public domain. However, companies report their foreign exchange income in their financial accounts. Using data from the ProwessIQ corporate database, it is thus possible to extract the forex income of all services-sector firms, though these figures may also include income from other sources such as overseas investments and even exports of goods in some cases. As expected, for 2023-24, IT services majors like TCS, Infosys and Wiprowhose staff are mostly located in India, mostly servicing clients in foreign countriesdominate the list. But just outside the list are subsidiaries of multinationals that dont have a diversified client base and, wholly or principally, service their parent. Data for 2023-24 was not available for some of these, but some are bigfor example, Amazon Development Centre ( 21,000 crore in forex income in 2022-23), and JP Morgan Services ( 18,359 crore in 2022-23). Nineties children In the services sector, the top 10 Indian companies by forex incomeall from the IT services and software sectorsaccounted for about 43% of forex income of Indian services companies in 2022-23 (full data availability). In 2023-24, excluding IT and software, the list of top 10 services exporters from India comprises a mix of airlines, shipping companies and commodity traders. The total forex revenues of these 10 companies amounted to about 66,500 croreless than 35% of the forex revenues of TCS, the top services sector forex earner. This skew also underscores how the IT sector has shaped the Indian services export story, beginning around the turn of the century. Liberalisation opened many sectors. It lowered barriers to trade, business and movement. It unshackled entrepreneurship. It modernised capital markets and eased access to it. India Inc built on that, and the flip between Indian services and goods exports is one outcome of that. www.howindialives.com is a database and search engine for public data Read more: How the Indian economy fared in 2024, in 9 charts Neil Warburton was finishing up his breakfast of porridge and local honey when the armed soldiers converged. The Australian veteran mining executive had flown to southern Ethiopia in 2023 to check on progress at his lithium mine. One of the largest undeveloped lithium projects in the world, it was supposed to start production in late 2024, selling spodumene concentrate that would end up in batteries for electric vehicles and other products. That plan has gone seriouslyand perhaps irreversiblyawry. The mine, with around $2 billion at stake, is among a number of projects around the world caught in an increasingly tense geopolitical struggle for valuable metals and minerals. Two world superpowersthe U.S. and Chinaare bankrolling much of the investment to power their economies, which in turn is leading developing countries where the mines are located to push for a greater slice of the profits. At about 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 16, 2023, Warburton was dining with the mine site manager and geologists when an army colonel arrived and ordered all expats off the site, citing a security issue. Warburton spied machine guns cradled in soldiers arms and mounted on white pickup trucks. Dozens of soldiers flanked the dozen or so expats, then drove them away from the mine to a nearby town. It was scary," said Warburton, executive chairman of an Abyssinian Group company. They were army soldiers with automatic weapons. And if they say move, you move." A unit of the Abyssinian Group had been exploring the area since 2021 in a joint venture with a state government-backed mining company. Under the terms of the agreement, the Abyssinian Group would bear the costs of the exploration and get 51% of the projects profits, with the rest going to its local partner. But now the government was asking for cash outside the bounds of the agreement. Abyssinian offered to pay tens of millions of dollars to resolve the spat if the government satisfied certain conditions, but its exploration license was revoked in August. In October, its country director, Ali Hussein Mohammed, was summoned by the government to Addis Ababa, Ethiopias capital, ostensibly to continue the discussions. Instead, he was taken to a detention center, where he remains. The government says Mohammed mined lithium and exported it without proper authorization, a claim his lawyer and the Abyssinian Group deny. His lawyer says the detention is unlawful as no formal charges have been brought against him. This situation is extremely frustrating," said Stephen Miller, an Abyssinian Group company executive, who added that the company had been invited to deploy its money and expertise in Ethiopia in part to benefit the country. Were now being pushed to one side. This is a unicorn of a project." Racing for resources The Abyssinian Groups experience is just one of many examples of resource nationalism that have cropped up around the world, from Mexico to Mongolia to parts of Africa. While host governments and miners have sometimes been at odds in recent decades, lawyers and executives say they have never seen arrests and nationalist actions at this level. Risk analysis firm Verisk Maplecroft said last month that 72 of the 198 countries it tracks in a resource nationalism index have recorded a significant increase in interventionist policies and protectionism over the past five years. Helaina Matza, a U.S. State Department official, said while countries should expect fair investments into their mining sectors, the U.S. is concerned about the increasingly aggressive actions" toward Western investment in some markets. Investors worry about pouring big sums of cash into mines that can cost billions of dollars to build, only for governments to later shift the goal posts, said John Ciampaglia, senior managing partner of precious metals and critical materials-focused Sprott. Toronto-based Sprott manages roughly $33 billion in assets. It is common for governments to try to wring more from miners when commodity prices rocket and fatten company profits. And it is now generally understood that a larger percentage of benefits should flow to local communities, many in countries that were previously exploited for their raw materials. These days, many governments are strapped for cash after borrowing surged during the pandemic, and are looking for ways to replenish their coffers. In addition, host countries are seeing just how important these minerals are to the U.S. and China," said Jeffery Commission, a director at Burford Capital, a legal finance company that has funded companies involved in mining disputes. Yet industry participants say there is a difference between bilaterally rejiggering mining rights and a government using intimidation to wrest more control. The tactics being used are different than in the past and are borderline criminal at this stage," said Damien Nyer, an international disputes partner at law firm White & Case. People getting arrested and held as hostages, as bargaining chipsits something I havent seen in my career." Sprotts Ciampaglia said his team has become much more cautious backing companies in some places, particularly in West Africa. Panama stunned the global copper market little more than a year ago when a court ruling forced the closure of First Quantum Minerals Cobre Panama mine, which accounted for roughly 1.5% of the worlds copper production. Cobre Panama is a really good example," said Ciampaglia. You thought you were investing in a copper mine in Panama but, in reality, you were investing in a political party in Panama." Global shift In Mali, the Russia-allied military government has recently netted almost a quarter-billion dollars in payments from international mining companies including Canadas Barrick Gold. Mali last month issued an arrest warrant for Barrick Chief Executive Mark Bristow. In September, it briefly detained four Barrick employees, releasing them only after the company agreed to a payment of $85 million to resolve outstanding disputes." Since then, several employees have been imprisoned on unfounded charges, Barrick said. Barrick said that gold shipments have been blocked and, if that continues, it will be forced to suspend its operations in the country. Australias Resolute Mining recently agreed to pay the Malian government $160 million after authorities detained the companys chief executive and two other employees for nearly two weeks. The Democratic Republic of Congo recently froze some assets of commodity giant Glencore amid a royalties dispute. The freeze was lifted in recent months, a person familiar with the matter said. Searching for recourse Miners are turning to international arbitration to get compensation for the seizure of their mines or licenses. Since the pandemic, mining cases have exploded at a division of the World Bank that oversees investment disputes. The Abyssinian Group and Barrick are submitting cases to that body. The Abyssinian Group will petition for a multibillion-dollar claim, corresponding to the value it places on its lithium reserve, people familiar with the situation said. Miners have been heartened by outcomes in some recent cases. Bronwyn Barnes, executive chair of Australian exploration company Indiana Resources, filed a case in 2020 after Tanzania changed its mining code, yanked her companys operating license and seized the spot where a potential nickel mine would go. The company was awarded more than $100 million to cover its sunk costs on the project. Tanzania and Indiana Resources last year agreed to a settlement of $90 million. Government officials in Ethiopia, Mali and Tanzania didnt return requests for comment. Abyssinians Warburton spent chunks of his earlier career working on projects in Africa, including in Mali. The lithium project in Ethiopia was intended to be the swan song of a more than four-decade career. Certainly, Im never going back there," he said. Write to Julie Steinberg at julie.steinberg@wsj.com and Rhiannon Hoyle at rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com WICHITA, Kan.Donald Trumps exact plans to raise tariffs remain a mystery, even to Phil Ruffin, a close friend and business partner to the president-elect. Increased tariffs could boost business for Harper Trucks, a small hand-truck manufacturer Ruffin has owned for more than four decades, or end up raising costs of parts the factory imports from China. (A hand truck, sometimes called a dolly or a hand trolley, is a small, wheeled cart used to move heavy objects.) Tariff policy could be critical for American manufacturers like Harper, fighting to survive. Harpers sales volumes have fallen in recent years, which Ruffin blames on cheap hand-truck imports, largely from Vietnam. Tariffs stand to make Harpers made-in-America products more attractive by making foreign goods more expensive through a tax paid by importers. Thatll make us more competitive," Ruffin said of tariffs. But will that get us any more business? I dont know, Im not sure about that." Trump on the campaign trail proposed a 10% to 20% tariff on all imports and a tariff increase on China to at least 60%. More recently, he threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports. Tariffs, which are meant to help U.S. manufacturing, among other goals, also raise an even larger question for the American economy: Are lower-wage manufacturing jobs worth fighting for? Harper, like many manufacturers, already struggles to hire workers. And the range of outcomes it faces shows the complex and often contradictory ripple effects of tariffs for American manufacturers enmeshed with global supply chains. The hand-truck factory in Wichita, Kan., is an outlier in Ruffins empire of casinos and hotels. Ruffin, 89 years old, bought Harper, which has been around almost as long as he has been alive, in 1981long before he became a billionaire. Ruffin owns Treasure Island on the Vegas Strip and co-owns the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas with the president-elect. Harper, he told the Wichita Eagle in 2019, is a pimple on my butt." Harper is wholly owned by Ruffin. I do all my stockholders meetings in bed," he quipped. He declined to share how much money he makes from the hand-truck factory, but put it this way: If I depended on Harper for a living, Id be in big trouble." Still, he feels an obligation to keep his factory running. Some of Harpers employees have worked for him for decades. He has watched them buy houses and put their children through college. Its kind of a personal thing," said Ruffin, who grew up in Wichita and still visits every week or so. Harper employs about 120 people. On a mid-December day, the roughly 400,000 square-foot factory is chilly. The breakroom is filled with holiday decorations, and the staff is looking forward to a Christmas lunch the next day catered by Strouds, a local restaurant known for its fried chicken. Some workers arrive at the factory each day around 3 a.m., a schedule they adopted to deal with intense heat in the summertime. Signs throughout the factory are written in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Workers use machines to shape steel and aluminum into the components of the hand trucks. The pieces make their way through welding, painting and assembly, then are packaged for shipping. Products leave the factory with red, white and blue stickers saying Made in the USA with pride." Domestic manufacturers remained the largest supplier of hand trucks to the U.S. through 2014, according to U.S. International Trade Commission reviews. But by 2019, imports from countries outside of China, primarily Vietnam and Taiwan, overtook domestic producers in market share. In recent years, Vietnam emerged as a major winner in Trumps first trade war, becoming a magnet for Chinese manufacturers looking to get around tariffs. That explains why the bosses at Harper are cautiously optimistic about Trumps proposal to add tariffs on all imports. I would take a tariff on Vietnam if it made the playing field equal," said Harpers senior vice president and general manager, Chris Squires. A mug in his office reads, Dont blame me I voted for Trump." He doesnt think a 10% tax on imports from Vietnam is likely to move the needle. But a 20% tariff might make Harper more appealing to the retailers that buy hand trucks. Harper recently lost a contract with Lowes, which Ruffin attributed to a shift toward cheaper models imported from Vietnam. Lowes didnt respond to a request for comment. Overall in 2024, Harper sold about 290,000 units, down from around 410,000 units in 2023 and about 560,000 the year before. Advocates of tariffs say duties can help bolster U.S. industries, respond to other countries trade practices and bring in revenue for the government. They say tariffs can help make the U.S. economy less reliant on other countries. A U.S. International Trade Commission report found that Trumps 2018 tariffs on steel and aluminum reduced imports, increased U.S. production of those products and were followed by the announcement of new domestic investments by steel and aluminum companies. The same report found that production fell for downstream manufacturers that use steel and aluminum. Some studies found that higher costs for parts and retaliatory tariffs hurt domestic producers, outweighing the benefits of tariffs to other parts of the manufacturing industry. I worry about the unintended consequences," said Mike Rose, Harpers controller. Harper imports wheels and casters from China and buys other pieces of small hardware sourced abroad, so it anticipates those costs to go up if tariffs increase. It is in the process of switching some of its wheel purchases to a U.S. maker, but doesnt expect to be able to source all of its parts domestically. It also bought a Chinese manufacturer called WelCom Products in 2013 that produces lower-end folding carts, which make up a smaller portion of the companys sales. Squires, the general manager, expects that higher tariffs on China would significantly curb that line of business for Harper. Harper raised prices when tariffs from Trumps first term increased costs, and is prepared to do so again to meet its target profit margin if Trump lifts tariffs further. One model that can carry 600 pounds sells for around $80 at Home Depot. Another model that can be converted into a four-wheel cart goes for about $130 at Walmart. Some economists say increased trade with the world has helped lower costs for American consumers and has allowed U.S. businesses to offload lower-skilled production overseas, while focusing on research, innovation, design and marketing domestically. U.S. manufacturing employment peaked nationally in 1979 at nearly 20 million workers, representing 22% of nonfarm employment, according to Labor Department data. As of November, roughly 13 million people were employed in manufacturing, about 8% of nonfarm workers. Do we want to be using resources to redirect workers and capital towards a job that can be done equally well by a low-skilled worker in Vietnam?" said Teresa Fort, a professor at Dartmouth Colleges Tuck School of Business. We have to ask, how much more expensive are we willing for our goods to be in order to have those jobs back?" Even if tariffs bring more jobs, U.S. manufacturers will likely have a hard time filling them. About 60% of respondents to the National Association of Manufacturers third-quarter outlook survey said attracting and retaining a quality workforce was a primary business challenge. Harper has struggled to fill its ranks, with the unemployment rate in Wichita hovering around 3% for much of the past few years. At times, Harper has turned to temporary staffing agencies and having employees work overtime. Just finding good employees has been very challenging," said Rose, the controller. Most employees make between $16 and $22 an hour, according to Rose. Other costs, including for medical insurance and electricity for the factory, keep climbing. In some ways, Harper has been slow to adapt to technological changes. It only recently hired a sales manager focused on e-commerce and is just starting to experiment with using social media to market its products. The company didnt switch its record-keeping from paper to digital until about six years ago. But Harper is also trying to patent novel designs to stand out and drum up business. The companys vice president, engineering manager and assistant plant manager, Jose Mendoza, designed a five-in-one hand truck that switches positions with a press of a button, which Harper is rolling out and hoping could be a new bestseller. We try to innovate. Thats one of the ways that we are competing," said Mendoza, who immigrated to Wichita from Honduras when he was 16 and started working on Harpers factory floor after high school more than two decades ago. But its getting harder and harder." Ruffin said he talks to Trump often, but doesnt weigh in on policy issues. In addition to being a business partner, Trump was Ruffins best man at his 2008 wedding to former Miss Ukraine Oleksandra Nikolayenko. Ruffin has been a steadfast supporter and donor to the president-elect and said he was with Trump on election night. Hes a very brilliant businessman," Ruffin said of Trump. Im really, really excited to see what hes going to do." Write to Hannah Miao at hannah.miao@wsj.com Mumbai/Bengaluru: At the turn of the century, Ketan Vinaychandra Parekh, then 38 years old, was known as the Pied Piper of Dalal Street. If the stock market is one of the movers of the new Indian economy, Parekh is one of the prime movers of that marketlegend has it IPOs are filed with Parekh before they hit the market," an India Today article from February 2001, stated. Later, he was implicated for orchestrating the 2001 stock market scam that caused a market crash and banned from participating in the securities market for 14 years. Last week, Parekh made the headlines yet againhe has been accused of facilitating manipulative trades using insider information. People involved in the alleged scam profited 38.7 crore. Additionally, a Singapore-based trader, who provided non-public information to Parekh, earned 27.07 crore in commission fees from two Indian financial firms, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), Indias market regulator, said. Sebi is now seeking the return of this money, 65.77 crore in total, from 18 executives involved. It is unclear what prompted Sebi to initiate this investigation. But probing Parekh, his network, and his trade was no easy taskit took 30 months. Heres a detailed dive into how a mesh of phone numbers, chats, traders, and brokerages was slowly untangled. Text from Bhabhi Between 22 and 24 June 2023, Sebi conducted searches at 17 different locations13 places in Kolkata and four in Mumbai. It meticulously evaluated the bank accounts and mobile phone identification numbers, including the International Mobile Equipment Identity (a number for identifying a device) from seized phones. In addition, the regulator examined WhatsApp messages as well as chats on Bloomberg Terminals belonging to several traders. It matched Parekhs call records with those of his alleged accomplices, during his stays at five-star hotels across the country, including in Jaipur, Vadodara, Kochi, and Kolkata, between 2021 and June 2023. Sebi next sought information from Singapores financial regulator. Throughout this cat-and-mouse game with the regulator, Parekh employed various tactics to cover his tracks. Now 62, he utilized 10 different mobile numbers to communicate with his associates. Eight of these numbers belonged to six different people from Ahmedabad and Mumbai. According to Sebi, none of the numbers were in Parekhs name, and he used mobile numbers registered under multiple people to disguise his identity". Many people who interacted with him saved his name under pseudonyms such as Jack, John, Boss, Well-wisher, and Bhabhi. View Full Image Sebis investigation culminated in an 188-page interim order. (Reuters) Interestingly, Parekh also devised a clever method for making paymentsthrough a trusted network of couriers known as angadias, a Gujarati term that refers to individuals who transport goods. Sebis extensive investigation culminated in an 188-page interim order, which concluded that Parekh had orchestrated a scheme to front run" stock sales and profit from non-public information. An interim order is a temporary decision by Sebi to address immediate concerns or prevent further loss during an ongoing investigation. It remains in effect until the regulator reaches a final decision after hearing all parties involved, including those it has issued show-cause notices to. Long and short This is how the alleged fraud played out. An unnamed US-based fund house (called big client by Sebi), actively investing in Indian securities, routed its trades through two intermediariesNuvama Wealth Management Ltd and Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd. The two firms had a a referral agreement with a company owned by Rohit Salgaocar, a Singapore-based trader. Traders executed orders based on the instructions of Salgaocar. However, non-public information regarding impending large trades by the US-based fund house was allegedly relayed from Salgaocar to Parekh, who then directed six front-runners to execute trades in advance. These front-runners took positions in specific scrips ahead of the big clients large orders. When these orders were placed, the front-runners executed counter positions designed to match the big clients trades. This strategy allowed the front-runners to either square off their initial positions or create excess long or short positions in the scrip, which they would then close during the same trading day, generating undue profits in a short span. View Full Image How the alleged fraud played out. (Sarvesh Kumar Sharma/Mint) The consultant The interim order, issued on 2 January and signed by Kamlesh C. Varshney, one of Sebis eight board members, stated: Noticee no. 1, 2, and 10 shall be restrained from buying, selling, or dealing in securities or associating with any intermediary registered with Sebi, either directly or indirectly, with immediate effect." Who are these characters? Parekh is noticee no. 2, while his old accomplice and broker, Ashok Kumar Poddar, is noticee 10. Poddar faced a ban during the 2001 stock market manipulation as well. Noticee no. 1 is Rohit Salgaocar. Not much public information is available about Salgaocar, and there are no photographs of him online. According to some filings with the Singapore Stock Exchange, Salgaocar began his professional career at the now-defunct investment bank Bear Stearns, followed by brief stints at Credit Agricole Securities (Asia) Limited, Religare Capital Markets (Hong Kong), and BTIG Hong Kong Ltd. In 2016, he founded Strait Crossing Pte Limited (SCPL), a Singapore-based firm, where he serves as the managing director and sole director. As SCPL is an exempt private company", the firm has fewer compliance requirements. Unlike most private or public companies registered in Singapore, an exempt private company by shares does not have to file annual financial statements. In early 2021, Salgaocar, through SCPL, inked a memorandum of understanding or a referral agreement with Motilal and Nuvama for revenue sharing of the brokerage earned on trades of the big client referred by SCPL. Under this agreement, Salgaocar earns 75% of the net brokerage fee from the trades of the US-based fund. This referral agreement between SCPL and Motilal/Nuvama is arguably the most surprising part. Why? Im unsure if Rohit Salgaocar or Strait Crossing Pte are registered in India," said the head of a brokerage firm on the condition of anonymity. The other important point: Why does the US-based fund need a broker when it already has Motilal to help execute the trades? This referral arrangement is more common for high-networth individuals and not for institutions or funds," the executive added, noting that typically, the referral fee is between 5 and 15%. Agreeing to part with 75% of the brokerage income is, therefore, uncommon. We will circle back to the issue of referrals in a bit. Meanwhile, traders from the two brokerages consulted Salgaocar before placing orders for the US-based firmthis armed him with insider information on stocks. Salgaocar shared this information with Parekh, who then executed trades through a Kolkata-based cabal of brokerages and executives. Dealer of the big client provides me with the name of the stock they are interested in. I will check the availability with different market participants, including foreign funds, Indian funds, other holders of the shares etc. and lastly with Ketan Parekh. After confirming the availability from the counterparty, I get back to the dealer of the big client with the quantity and price on offer," Salgaocar told Sebi. Upon confirmation from the dealer of the big client, the deal goes through. The big client dealer sends the deal ticket to the broker in India. After the execution of the trades, an Indian broker used to confirm me on Bloomberg chat. Sometimes, I used to get confirmation from big client dealers as well," said Salgaocar. Traders from the two brokerages consulted Salgaocar before placing orders for the US-based firmthis armed him with insider information on stocks. Salgaocar shared this information with Parekh. How did Salgaocar know Parekh? My ex-father-in-law, Dev Ahuja, introduced me to Ketan Parekh sometime in the late 1990s," Salgaocar told Sebi. Dev Ahuja, or Devendra Ahuja, was a banker who promoted the erstwhile Centurion Bank, according to two executives. Before Ahuja passed away in 2010, multiple authorities probed him over his ties with Parekh. This included Ahuja appearing before a joint parliamentary committee in October 2001. Ahuja was never convicted of any wrongdoing. Ahujas daughter Munisha was married to Salgaocar before they separated. I re-contacted Ketan around 2 1/2 -3 years ago for trade in some illiquid stock of the big client. Thats how I started contacting him for blocks," Salgaocar told Sebi. Salgaocar shared the US-based firms trading approach for six companies with Parekh between 2021 and June 2023, the regulators probe alleges. These six companies are HDFC Ltd, Titan Ltd, L&T, PB Fintech Ltd, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Co. Ltd, and Tube Investments of India Ltd. Parekh next engaged his six front-runners to execute the orders before the US-based firm could buy or sell them. Mint could not reach Parekh and Salgaocar for comments. Pack of six According to the probe, the front-runners include two brokerages (GRD Securities Limited and Salasar Stock Broking Ltd), two individuals (Ashok Kumar Damani and his nephew Anirudh Damani) and two companies (APR Properties Pvt. Ltd and Basukinath Properties Pvt. Ltd). Together, they made 38.7 crore from the alleged scam. APR Properties Pvt. Ltd and Basukinath Properties Pvt. Ltd count Rachit Poddar as directors. Rachits father, Ashok Kumar Poddar, is a close associate of Parekh, Sebi said. Ashok, a Kolkata-based broker, provided broking services to Ketan Parekh, and both were banned from the securities market in the aftermath of the stock market scam of 2001. According to the interim order, Ashok told Sebi that Parekh used to provide trade-related instructions to him over WhatsApp calls and messages. Subsequently, Ashok relayed this information to Rachit, who bought and sold stocks through the trading accounts of APR Properties and Basukinath Properties. I am of the view that the FRs (front-runners) were fully aware about the nature of the fraudulent trading activity being committed through their trading accounts since they were aware that the trading instructions received from Ketan Parekh were based on some non-public information relating to the scrips in which they were executing trades," wrote Varshney, Sebis whole time member, in the order. Sebi has implicated Priya Saraf, an independent director at GRD Securities, and Pradeep Kumar Saraogi, an independent director at Salasar Stock Broking. Even though independent directors do not oversee a companys daily operations, Sebi has said that there is direct evidence of their involvement in the scam. Sebi has made the independent directors Priya Saraf and Pradeep Kumar Saraogi prima facie guilty as their physical computer systems were used for trading. If found guilty, they should be made personally liable," said Tushar Ajinkya, managing partner at ThinkLaw, a Mumbai-based law firm. Emails sent to Salasar Stock Brokings directors (Kiran Kumar Sonthalia and Shyam Saraogi), Rachit Poddar and Anirudh Damani did not elicit a response. Are referrals wrong? So, was the agreement between SCPL and Motilal/Nuvama wrong? This question arises as Sebi has called the 8.06 crore and 19 crore commission income earned by Salgaocar from Motilal and Nuvama, respectively, unlawful gain". The referral arrangement per se is not illegal. Sebis issue is that the dude doing the referral was then front-running that information," said the founder of a portfolio management services company on the condition of anonymity. Front-running is illegal." Sebis focus here is on the intent and source of the revenue rather than the legality of the referral agreement itself," said Sumit Agrawal, founder of Regstreet Law Advisors and a former Sebi officer. When asked why Sebi did not issue notices to Motilal and Nuvama, Agrawal said that it was probably because based on the available evidence, there is no direct link suggesting that the brokerages knowingly facilitated misuse of non-public information. The referral agreements themselves may not violate Sebis norms, but how the Singaporean citizens company executed them could have led to unlawful gains. Without evidence implicating the brokerages in these activities, Sebi would be cautious in taking regulatory action against them," said Agrawal. A detailed questionnaire sent to Motilal and Nuvama went unanswered. Whats next? Sebis final decision may modify, withdraw, or confirm the interim order. Legal experts say that in a complex case like the current one, the process to arrive at the final order could take over a year. During this period, Parekh and others named can appeal to the Securities Appellate Tribunal, the High Court, or the Supreme Court for a stay, challenging the investigation and the show-cause notice. Sorry, this is not the right time to comment on this matter as it is sub judice, but we will be filing an appeal with the appropriate authority against this order next week," said Bimal Drolia, co-founder of GRD Securities, in response to a detailed inquiry sent on Friday. Meanwhile, some lawyers say there is a case for harsher punishment, like a lifetime ban, for repeat offenders. But that could lead to a constitutional challenge for violating the fundamental right to practice a trade and profession, Chirag M. Shah, a senior securities lawyer, said. In such a case, even if someone begins to deal with the securities market indirectly, Sebi will not be able to keep a tab," Shah said. After multiple calamitous events such as the mass protests against the then-government in 2022 fuelled by the worst economic crisis in the country and the looming shadow of the 2019 Easter bombings, the tear-shaped island is showing signs of rebound. For tourists, nowhere is this more pronounced than the nations burgeoning F&B industry. It is emerging as a dining destination to serve diverse palates. The countrys bar scene is still at a nascent stage, but there are world class menus with a burst of local flavour driven by an infectious spirit of reclaiming their nations glory days. Here are five drinking places in Sri Lanka that you must add to your itinerary. 1. For toddy nights: Raa Imagine sitting on the edge of the Indian Ocean, lulled by the soothing waves while the staff at Raa pours freshly tapped toddy as a welcome drink. Located in the surfing bay at the tip of the beach Hiriketiya, Raa, which means toddy in the local language, is a brand-new arrack and toddy bar and kitchen run by the team behind Sri Lankas top bar Smoke & Bitters. Raa, headed by Stephan Martinesz, draws you into the story of preserving the tradition of toddy tapping and the importance of arrack, a natural spirit made from the coconut flowers sap. It is considered one of the oldest spirits in the world and finds mention in the renowned thirteenth century travelogue, The Travels of Marco Polo. Start off with fresh toddy obtained every day from the coconut trees lining Raa, and served in a salt and pepper rimmed glass with ice. Then move to the refreshing Sweet Pepper with clarified arrack, fermented guava, bird eye chilli and citrus. Other recommendations include Sea Almond Toddy with toddy, spiced arrack, kottamba (Sri Lankan almond) orgeat, angostura and lime and Kopi Kade made with caramelised peanut arrack, raa coffee liqueur, Lankan black coffee, kithul (palm) treacle and coconut arrack ice cream for a regional spin. Pro tip: Go in the early evening to watch the toddy tappers in action and drink freshly tapped raa. 2. For hipster vibes: Junglekade It is a mad scientists dream come true. Run by Ashwel Handy who is known in the country through his bartending consultancy company Drunken Lankan, this kade (a colloquial term for an eating place) is an elevated beach shack serving vegan bites, some crazy drinks and Handys weekly cocktail menu where the bartender admittedly goes mad". With slight trepidation, I ordered The Great Wave from the weekly menu with contrasting flavours that include gin, watermelon, sriracha, nori and bitters. Only for the brave," the caption reads at the end. Handy leaves the crowded kade, goes behind the bar to whip it up and wins me over with the first sip that balances the sweetness of the watermelon with the slight heat of sriracha and a mild bitter aftertaste mixed with the gins botanicals. Next up, I try the Pol-roni with coconut arrack, spiced bitters and vermouth. The Manhattan-inspired drink is served in a coconut. Then theres the experimental Kiribath with vodka, cracked rice, lunu miris (a spicy Sri Lankan condiment with fish), completely justifying its caption, weird but good, just try it". Pro tip: Check the weekly menu to see if something catches your eye before moving to the regular menu. 3. For the well-heeled: Cloud Wine During my visit last month, I was surprised to find wines havent yet caught up in Sri Lanka with most locals stopping at A and B arrack and beer. Hence, it was refreshing to meet Wellington Muromba, one of the few sommeliers in the country, at the wine bar Cloud Wine in the luxury hotel Cinnamon Life in Colombo. He has been tasked with building one of the best wine cellars in Sri Lanka. Since landing in the country in April, he has put together a portfolio of over 350 wines from around the world at Cloud Wine. As a keen wine educator, Muromba also began offering wine flights explaining the wine regions and taste profiles that has since become fairly popular. Pro tip: Book the wine flight and then ask for expert recommendations from Muromba and his team to make the most of your wine night. 4. For the arrack lover: Ropewalk When it opened last year, Ropewalk quickly became popular for being Sri Lankas first arrack-speciality bar. Add its charming location inside the UNESCO World Heritage Galle Fort complemented with some superb cocktails and the place became the talk of the country. Today, its still the premier place to get familiar with arrack and taste it neat with a flight consisting of regular, strong, limited edition and aged options, as well as in cocktails starting with their signature sour called Ropewalk with 45-day-old spice-infused arrack, sous-vide ginger, lemongrass syrup and fresh lime juice. My preferred drink was aptly named Good Things Come To Those Who Wait, a stout cocktail made with arrack, stout reduction and balsamic shrub that went together beautifully. If youre feeling adventurous, you could also try Only Nabeel Likes This, a creamy concoction with banana, pineapple, coconut cream, masala tea and kithul treacle. The name is inspired by head mixologist Nabeel Kenny who loves the drink. Spoiler alert: I didnt. Thankfully, all the other cocktails were on point. Pro Tip: Do not leave without sampling a flight of arrack tasting to understand the spirit in its truest sense. 5. For the list ticker: Smoke & Bitters If youre into cocktails, visit Smoke & Bitters that made headlines after becoming the first bar in the country to rank at #86 in the Worlds 50 Best Bars list this year, and was named the Best Bar in Sri Lanka. The vibe sets in as soon as you enter the open space opposite Pehebiya beach in Hiriketiya. Smoke & Bitters celebrates local ingredients such as bael (Aegle marmelos) flowers, halmilla (Trincomalee) wood, silver tip tea, among other regional treasures. The bar is also a favourite with top Indian drinking spots such as The Bombay Canteen and Ekaa in Mumbai, ZLB23 in Bengaluru, Hideaway in Goa who did guest shifts at the space last year. Their cocktails are inventive, flavourful and easy to drink. Recommendations include Silvertip White Negroni that uses silvertip tea-infused vermouth, Cherry Cola with white rum, butterfly pea, hibiscus, house cola, bitters and coconut foam. Then theres the crowd favourite Pepper Potts with gin, spiced orgeat, pineapple, spices and hellfire bitters. Pro tip: Reserve in advance for the evening slot for the best sunset and drinks experience. Priyanko Sarkar is a Mumbai-based writer covering the F&B industry. Also read: Go on a tour of tea farms in Sri Lanka The draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules are finally with us and the long wait has for the most part been worth it. There is enough detail in the rules to give businesses the clarity they need, but not so much that compliance becomes cumbersome. That said, there are two areasdata breaches and the obligations of significant data fiduciarieswhere I believe the government has exceeded its brief. It has in the process greatly increased the burden on data fiduciaries. Rule 6 provides a definition of the term reasonable security measures" mentioned in Section 8 of the DPDP Act. As a result, data fiduciaries now have to put in place at least seven distinct types of measures to safeguard against data breaches. While I have no argument with as many measures as are necessary to protect data, why all data fiduciaries must implement these seven measures is beyond me. Section 8 only required data fiduciaries to take reasonable security safeguards. The government should have left well alone and allowed individual data fiduciaries to determine what is reasonable in their own context. By insisting that everyone has to put in place all these measures, it is disproportionately increasing the burden on small data fiduciaries. Also of concern is the manner in which the rules have extended the data breach notification obligations. While the Act requires data fiduciaries to provide notice in the event of" a personal breach, the rules state that intimation must be made as soon as the Data Fiduciary becomes aware of it." As anyone whos been involved in a breach incident will tell you, knowledge accumulates incrementally during such situations, and while it is easy to identify that something is going wrong, it is usually hard to tell whether this is because a hacker has broken into the system or on account of some other malfunction. Even after it is clear that its a breach, it is hard to say with certainty precisely which data principals have been affected. If data fiduciaries have to notify a breach as soon as they become aware of it, most of them will over-report rather than risk being found non-compliant. This sort of reporting could cause panic among data fiduciaries who will have been told their data was compromised, even though it was not. The more this happens, the less likely they are to pay heed, as they may assume after a point that all notifications are false alarms. Whats worse is that the Data Protection Board will be so inundated with breach notifications that it will simply not be able to take action where required. The government had an opportunity to reframe how a data breach could be handled. Not only has it squandered that opportunity, it has placed such a burden on data fiduciaries and the board that its made matters worse. This brings us to Rule 12(4) and the sneaky way in which it is bringing data localization back into consideration. Ever since Justice Srikrishna first included the concept in the 2018 draft of Indias data protection law, I have argued against this insistence on the physical storage of data in India. Thankfully, each subsequent draft of the law has diluted this concept, and the DPDP Act all but did away with it. With Rule 12(4) suggesting that significant data fiduciaries may have to localize certain categories of personal data, it feels like the government is sneaking in a provision that we all believed wed seen the back off. We tend to conflate location with accessassuming that if data is physically situated in the territory of India, it will be easier to access. This is not the case, just as it is wrong to assume that merely because data happens to reside in a foreign jurisdiction, Indian law enforcement authorities will never be able to access to it. Rather than requiring businesses to incur the considerable cost of building domestic data centres, the government would be well advised to negotiate treaties with as many jurisdictions as it can to secure faster and more effective data access. After all, no matter what laws we put in place, it is likely that some data we really need will be lying somewhere outside our grasp. Despite these concerns, the rules have shone a light on many aspects of the DPDP Act. There was confusion over what consent managers were expected to do. They had been defined in the law, but details were scant. The rules now make it clear that this term has been introduced to align with the countrys data empowerment and protection architecture, and consent managers should be treated as such. Similarly, we now have much-needed clarity on age-gating and how the obligations under the law can be met. Regular readers know that Ive been making a case for age tokens. If coupled with privacy-preserving techniques (such as zero-knowledge-proof), this will allow data fiduciaries to comply with the requirements under Section 9 of the Act without having to process personal information. Rule 10 has provided a legal basis for just such a framework, and I am glad to see that data fiduciaries can now reference virtual tokens mapped to identity and age. All we need is for some entity (like the Unique Identification Authority of India) to issue age tokens, and data fiduciaries will be able to use those to ensure they only process the personal data of a child with parental consent. This is one of the most advanced concepts proposed in the rules. If implemented, this could become the age-gating example for the rest of the world to adopt. The past century has been one of relentless innovation. But in the West the humble toilet is a curious exception. By the early 20th century, free-standing flush toilets with U-bend plumbing were being installed in homes on both sides of the Atlantic. Americans and Europeans seem to think that the model is still more or less good enough. Not the Japanese. Electronic toilets are standard in homes and hotelsand a marvel to visiting Westerners. Toto, by its own estimation the worlds largest maker of bathroom fixtures, has led the technological vanguard. Its washlet", first sold in 1980, features directed jets of water and air (pick your temperature), heated seats and deodorisers. The firm is listed in Tokyo, valued at 779bn ($5bn). Toto, which still makes about two-thirds of its sales at home, is keen to bring foreign toilets up to date (or at least into the Japan of 40 years ago). But like other Japanese firms, it is encountering two big difficulties. The first is Japans Galapagos syndrome": many goods developed and sold there go no further. The worlds fourth-largest economy is big enough to support all sorts of indigenous products, from phones to toilets. But stagnating incomes and a declining population make it an unreliable market. On October 28th Totos third-quarter results undershot investors expectations. The company cut its sales forecast for this fiscal year from 750bn to 730bn. Its share price fell by 13% the next day. The second difficulty relates to China, which at the end of 2022 yielded 17% of Totos sales, but provides just 10% today. It now looks like a busted flush. The freefall in Chinese property investment, down 10% so far this year, after similar declines in 2022 and 2023, means fewer new buildings and bathrooms. Domestic rivals have also appeared. There is light at the end of the U-bend. Sales are up in South-East Asia and India. And revenue from the Americas soared by 34%, year on year, in the six months to September, accounting for a tenth of the companys total. Totos toilets face some blockages in America, though. The most acute, notes James Lin, founder of BidetKing.com, an online marketplace, is electricity for the seat. Most American bathrooms have a power source near the sink, but not near the cistern. Even new homes are not always suitably equipped. Still, the flow is in the right direction. During the pandemic fears of toilet-paper shortages, worries about hygiene and the growth of DIY gave the market a jump-start. Returning tourists may also help. Americans made more than 2m trips to Japan in 2023, up from 1.7m in 2019. Another record is likely this yearadding to the convenience-converted. 2025, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com Russian Colonel Oleg Timoshin has probably been killed in the Russian Kursk region. This war criminal is responsible for the death of dozens of Ukrainian civilians - he ordered the attacks on the shopping center in Kremenchuk and on a high-rise building in Dnipro. ADVERTISIMENT This was first reported by Ukrainian partisans, and later confirmed by investigative journalists from Bihus.Info. However, it should be noted that there have been no official reports of Timoshin's death. According to the information currently available, Timoshin probably died in late December as a result of a strike on Lgov in Kursk region - there were reports that a number of Russian soldiers were killed too. Later it became known that Lgov at least six Storm Shadow missiles were used to attack the location. Eight Russian servicemen were killed on the spot, and 22 others were injured and hospitalized. Who is Oleg Timoshin? Colonel Timoshin Oleg (born 21.06.1971) is the commander of the 52nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment of the Long-Range Aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces (military unit 33310). ADVERTISIMENT He was responsible for a series of missile attacks on the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine - the Security Service of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Office of the Prosecutor General, put together all available evidence against the commander. In total, enemy shelling carried out under his orders resulted in 88 dead and 240 injured civilian Ukrainians. Timoshin also ordered a strike on a residential building in Dnipro on January 14, 2023. This shelling killed 46 people and injured 79 others. He was also involved in a missile attack on a shopping center in Kremenchuk on June 27, 2022. At the time, it killed 21 people and injured 77 civilians. ADVERTISIMENT The investigation also found that, on his instructions, the Russian occupiers fired missiles at the Riviera shopping center in Odesa and the city's house of culture in Lozova, Kharkiv region, in May 2022. And in July 2022, Timoshin ordered a strike on a multi-story residential building and the Goji recreation center in the village of Serhiivka, Odesa region. The shelling killed 14 people and seriously injured 30 others. "Russian Tu-22M3 bombers with X-22 and X-32 cruise missiles were used for a series of strikes," the statement said. Based on the SSU materials, the commander of the Russian air regiment was was served with a notice of suspicion under Part 1, 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war) in absentia. The maximum punishment for such crimes is life imprisonment. As reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported significant losses of Russian occupation forces in the Kursk region. According to him, almost an entire infantry battalion consisting of both North Korean soldiers and Russian marines was destroyed over the past two days. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Sort through old photos. Its that to-do list item that keeps getting pushed down to make room for tasks that arent so overwhelming. Who even knows where all those digital files are? There are tens of thousands of images in your iCloud. And more in your Google and Facebook accounts. And your dusty old hard drives. And even those old photo CDs you got from Walgreens a million years ago. But youve got to start somewhere, and now is the time. Plan to download photo files from wherever they might be stashed. Set up a systemsuch as a spreadsheet or sticky notesto keep track of all the places youve checked, advises David Shor, co-founder of Tidy Haus, a home- and digital-organization company based in Fort Worth, Texas. You want to have a little bit of project management in place so you dont mess up," he says. Heres a checklist for making sure you dont miss anything as you get started. Search your Mac or PC Think all your photos are stored in that folder neatly labeled Pictures? Think again. Odds are high that images are lurking in a Downloads folder or other random corners of your laptop. On a Mac, you can search by kind and select image" or even specific image file types, including JPEG, TIFF, GIF, PNG, BMP and HEIC. (You can also search for movie" files.) On Windows, you can search inside the taskbar, and can narrow down your query by specific file types. Download from Google accounts If you use the Google Photos app on your phone or computer, its easy to download the stored files using Googles Takeout tool. On your computer, open a Google webpage and click your picture in the top right corner. Choose Manage Your Google Account," then select Data & privacy." Choose Download your data," select what items you want to receive and how you want to receive them (such as a download link). Youll get a zip file you can then open and sift through. If you select Google Drive in the tool, youll also download all other files you saved there. It might be too much. If you think you have images hiding in Google Drive, skip Takeout and just look around by filtering your search to Photos & images." Collect iCloud photos If you have an iPhone, you almost certainly have photos saved in iCloud. You can see and download them by going to iCloud.com/photos and signing in with your Apple ID. You can also find them in the Photos app on your Mac, if you have iCloud photo sharing turned on. Check Facebook Many of us have had Facebook accounts for over a decade and probably shared photos from old cameras we no longer own. Navigate to Metas Accounts Center to download your photos. Choose Your information and permissions" from the left toolbar and then select Download your information." Choose which account you want to download (for instance, Facebook and/or Instagram), then decide how much data you wanteverything available or specific types of information. Photos isnt a download category of its own. You have to select Posts to get images, then choose the time frame and media quality you want to download. Look at old accounts Did you ever keep photos in Flickr, Shutterfly, Dropbox or a similar storage service? If you havent logged in lately, those photos may be purged, so log in and check. In the case of Shutterfly, if you dont make a purchase every 18 months, your photos will be archived. You can still see them and buy prints, but you cant share or download photos until you make a purchase. Shutterfly-owned Snapfish has the same policy. Flickr limits free accounts to 1,000 items and 50 nonpublic images. If you uploaded more than that back when Flickr was more widely used and had higher free-storage limits, the excess images are probably gone. Hunt through old drives and CDs You probably have an old hard drive, flash drive or stack of CDs and DVDs somewhere with photos from your wedding, the birth of your first child or the birthday of a long-gone loved one. Most laptops today dont have CD drivesor even the older USB-A ports. You might need to invest in a dongle adapter and an external CD/DVD drive. Luckily, neither of those will break the bank. In some cases, you might find a dead hard drive or even an old phone or tablet that you cant turn on but you suspect might contain some precious memories. If irreplaceable images are on the line, you may want to visit a tech repair shop. Once you have all your digital photos in one place, backing them up to an external drive or cataloging them in your Photos app will be a lot easier. Then you can start worrying about all the photo prints you have stuffed in boxes in the attic. Write to Shara Tibken at shara.tibken@wsj.com Camlin Keys Festival held a lovely Grand Christmas at the Piano with Danna Davis, Andrew Yau, Niall Mannion, and local young talent, Kyle Togbe of Longford Variety Group, on Sunday, December 22, in St John's Church Longford, Battery Road. Danna, Andrew and Niall are key members of the Camlin Keys Festival committee, each accomplished in music performance and education. Danna is a renowned figure in Irish musical theatre and opera having performed in productions such as The Wizard of Oz and Oliver! produced by Festival Productions, and The Mikado produced by Lyric Opera Ireland. Danna trained at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, at Herbert Berghof (HB) Studios and Michael Howard Studios in New York City. Additionally, Danna has lent her talent to animation and has voiced Miss Harbottle in Zombie Hotel (2005-2007), Greta in Rabbit Academy (2022), and Jill in Luis & the Aliens (2018). Andrew Yau and Niall Mannion are leading musicians whose performance experiences range from gracing the stage of the National Concert Hall, Dublin, Ireland multiple times, to performing on Spanish television for the Spanish Ambassador. Each are graduates of the Bachelor of Music programme in Maynooth University and share their knowledge and skills by supporting the development of new musical talent through Music Generation Westmeath and private tuition. Members of the audience included Longford Men's Shed and Granard Women's Art group who were treated to festive seasonal favourites including the ever popular O Holy Night. Musical fans heard songs from The Sound of Music, Les Miserables and many more! To close the evening everyone, including the audience gathered around the piano to sing favourite carols together, a very cosy start to Christmas week. Camlin Keys would like to express our gratitude to the Longford Arms Hotel for supporting the event and Photographer Michael Croghan, who called in to enjoy the concert and took a few photos while he was there. Camlin Keys chairperson, Joanna Pearman, took the opportunity to announce the dates of the 2025 Camlin Keys Festival as the May Bank Holiday weekend, so a date for the diary, better get practising! 2025 will see the introduction of a Camlin Keys Youth Panel, where we invite the musical young people of Longford and beyond to give their input into what workshops and classes they would appreciate as part of the festival, a jazz piano workshop has already been suggested and we would love to hear more ideas. To get involved in any way, email camlinkeys@gmail.com. Twenty-five years ago, Steve Jobs took the stage at Macworld Expo in San Francisco and unveiled Mac OS X, ushering in a new era for the Mac and the world of desktop computing at large. That sounds like hyperbole, but after watching the keynote for a second timethe first time was from the front row, thank you very much!its remarkable what an enormous moment this was for Apple and the Mac. Its funny. Whats remarkable about the moment is actually how uneventful it seems. When I watch the video back, its almost surreal how Steve Jobs keeps doing utterly normal, boring things in Mac OS X while the crowd completely loses its collective mind. Viewed by someone without any historical context, it would seem like a cult being whipped into a frenzy by its leader. But I was there, and I can tell you that it wasnt that. This was the moment, after 16 years of classic Mac OSand lets face it, the last five of those were pretty roughwhen all the failings of the Mac were swept away and replaced with something modern, ready for the challenge of the 21st century. How did that work out for Apple? The keynote seems so weird now because almost everything in it is just how the Mac works, even 25 years later. Yes, interface styles have changed over time, but that moment on stage in January 2000 redefined the Mac for 25 years and counting. The thick of it Let me provide a little of that historical context. The original Mac OS, released in 1984, was revolutionarybut its underpinnings were from the earliest era of personal computers. Its revolutionary graphical interface was famously black and white, and it ran one program at a time. Fifteen years later, it was clear that modern operating systems should have protected memory, solid multitasking, and powerful graphics functionalitybut the classic Mac OS had been unable to achieve any of that. Apple had tried a few different OS update projects, but theyd all failed. The final Hail Mary was buying Steve Jobss NeXT, which was strugglingbut owned an operating system, NeXTStep, that had all of the features that the Mac didnt. And hey, Steve Jobs gets to work with Apple again! Not a bad package deal. Worth every penny, if you ask me. NeXTStep wasnt Mac OS, though. It had some features youd recognize today as being Mac-like, but for the most part, its interface seemed quite alien. It was built for a super niche audience, unlike the broad Mac audience that would need to be migrated over for the transition to be successful. During the three years between Jobss return and the unveiling of Mac OS X, Apples software effort was devoted to squaring the expectations of Mac users with what could be done with NeXTStep. At the same time, there was a culture clash, with former NeXTStep developers not necessarily understanding what those expectations were. The developers and designers at Apple had to go through every feature of both operating systems and decide what would happen: do it the Mac way, do it the NeXT way, let users choose from those two ways, or choose an entirely new path. Each of those decisions had huge consequences. If things werent familiar enough for Mac users, switching to Mac OS X would be as alien as switching to Windowsand during the late 1990s, Apple couldnt afford to give any of its customers an excuse to join the rest of the world in giving in to Microsoft. But Apples development team couldnt reach the finish line if it didnt re-use large portions of what NeXT had built. Those decisions would affect the path of Mac users for the next quarter of a century. Lick it One of the design goals was when you saw it, you wanted to lick it. And so we call it Aqua. And this is the architecture for Mac OS 10. Steve Jobs Apple managed to introduce Mac OS X numerous times, from the first Steve Jobs appearance on stage at Macworld 1997 through to the ship day of Mac OS X 1.0 in the spring of 2001. That makes it hard to celebrate an anniversary date, but the introduction of Aqua on January 5, 2000, is a pretty good one. So much of what we take for granted today is there in that initial Steve Jobs demo, getting rapturous applause. The Dock made its debut that day, complete with the genie effect for minimizing and maximizing windows. Of course, that Dock was kind of a messyou could drag files into it, and they disappeared from the Desktop! And you could drag them back off, and theyd reappear on the Desktop. (Files actually lived in the Dock folder in your user folder! But that Dock was rewritten a bunch before it ever shipped.) The OS X Finder itself was unveiled that day, as well. Some consider this a day that shall live in infamy, but its definitely the same Finder we use now! It offers the classic Mac icon and list views, as well as a column view imported from NeXT and favored by Steve Jobs. Jobs loved the new feature that let you navigate through your filesystem in a single window, rather than having every double-click of a folder spawn a new window, as well as the addition of a web browser-style back button. Its a bit of a head trip to watch Jobs explain how windows now have three buttons in the top left corner, colored like a stoplight, with symbols that appear when you roll the mouse pointer over them. Those buttons have become as much symbols of the Mac as the menu bar itself, but this was the first time anyone saw them. The list goes on. Jobss favorite NeXTStep app was an email client, and that explains his glee in introducing Mail, a brand-new (cough) Apple app that would be included free with Mac OS X. He seems especially giddy about the fact that the app knows who youve emailed with and will suggest names as you type, something else weve taken for granted the last 25 years. And, of course, underpinning all of this was the open-source Unix base that still runs the base of all of Apples platforms. Jobs got applause for things like dropping a menu while video continued to play and running a badly behaved app that crashed without bringing down the whole system. The audience gasps in amazement when a The app has unexpectedly quit alert appears, something that today would be a minor inconvenience at best. (Also, an amazing bit of trivia: the QuickTime movie Jobs uses to demo Mac OS X is the trailer for Mission Impossible 2. How does Tom Cruise do it?!) The original Mac OS X was a groundbreaking advancement of the Mac thats still felt today. Apple Its also worth noting the new, mind-boggling features that Jobs introduced that day that went nowhere. There used to be a button on the far right edge of a windows title bar that entered you into single-window mode, to simplify using the Mac. While modern Macs have a full-screen mode that performs that task, placing that mode on a windows title bar was weird and the feature was removed before OS X 1.0 shipped the following March. And then theres the strange case of the Apple logo. In Jobss demo, and indeed in the Mac OS X Public Beta released later that year, there was an Apple logo in the center of the menu bar. It didnt do anything. But by the time Mac OS X 1.0 arrived in 2001, the Apple menua standard of classic Mac OShad been revived and placed at the far left of the menu bar. However, the new Apple menu was not like the original one. (In the latter days of classic Mac OS, it was essentially a folder full of whatever you wanted to put there.) The new Apple menu more closely resembled the old Special menu in the Finder, which was where you could shut down or restart your Mac. Its pretty much the same to this day. 25 years later, macOS Sequoia still has elements of the first Aqua revealthough the Apple logo is no longer in the center of the menubar. Apple Welcome to the future Its hard to believe that Mac OS X has been with us for a quarter of a century, a way longer run than the original Mac OS. From the interface design to the technical underpinnings, the longevity of OS X and all the operating systems it has spawnedmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS, even watchOS and tvOSis a tremendous endorsement of the decisions Apple made in the late 90s and early 2000s. This is our foundation for the next decade of Macintosh operating systems, and we are thrilled with it, Jobs said on stage 25 years ago. He undershot a little bit. What he introduced that day is still the foundation of the Mac and almost everything else Apple does. No matter what comes next, no matter where Apple and the tech industry go from here, theres no doubt that Mac OS X has exceeded all of the expectations we had for it back on January 5, 2000. In the village of Svesa, Sumy region, rescuers continue to restore the site of an enemy air strike. Rescuers are clearing the rubble from a five-story residential building where Russians dropped a bomb. ADVERTISIMENT The attack destroyed the entire entrance of the high-rise building. This was reported by the press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. According to rescuers, one of the building's entrances was completely destroyed as a result of the attack. At the scene, SES employees are helping civilians evacuate their property and valuables. They are also delivering construction materials for reconstruction work. Two stationary indestructibility points are operating near the impact site. As a result of the airstrike on the residential building, 10 people were injured, two of them were children aged two years. In addition, it is known that the occupiers launched two bombs at the five-story building, one of which caused significant damage. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, on January 4, the troops of the aggressor country Russia conducted an air strike on the village of Svesa in Shostka district of Sumy region. The enemy's air bomb hit a multi-storey building. Earlier it was reported that in the evening of January 4, the occupiers dropped four guided aerial bombs on the border town of Semenivka in Chernihiv region. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! On a cold evening in late December 1993, the rich aroma of fried chicken and mashed potatoes wafted through a Dorchester familys home. Clementina Chery had spent the day making her 15-year-old sons favorite meal, as per his request earlier that morning. Though she had hesitated, not wanting to spend the rest of the day smelling like grease, Chery eventually caved. Boston police are investigating the death of a man who was found shot in a parking lot Saturday night. Officers responded to 140 Main St. in Charlestown shortly after 10:30 p.m. for a report that a pedestrian had been hit by a car, police said in a press release. At the scene, they found a man lying on the ground in the parking lot. Officers soon discovered that the man had been shot, police said. First responders declared him dead at the scene. The Boston Police Departments Homicide Unit is actively investigating the mans death, the department said. Anyone with information is strongly urged to contact the unit at 617-343-4470. You can also send Boston police anonymous tips by calling 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word TIP to CRIME (27463). The Boston Police Department will stringently guard and protect the identities of all those who wish to help this investigation in an anonymous manner, the department said. A Bedford, New Hampshire, police officer who was shot during a struggle with a suspect early Saturday morning has been released from a hospital and is recovering at home. We are very thankful that his injuries werent life-threatening and that hes now at home recovering. We will continue to support him during this time, Bedford Police Chief Daniel Douidi said in a press release Sunday afternoon. On Saturday, the officer was shot in the leg while trying to arrest 40-year-old Jared Masseur, police said previously. The incident began shortly after 12:50 a.m. when two Bedford officers noticed a suspicious vehicle parked in a lot near Country Inn & Suites on South River Road. The officers approached the vehicle and attempted to identify the driver, but he got out of the car and ran away, police said. A woman who was a passenger in the car remained in the car. The officers tried to arrest the driver who was later identified as Masseur, but he physically fought them to resist arrest, police said. During the struggle, Masseur tried to take one of the officers service weapons. As a result, the gun went off, and the officer was shot in the leg. Eventually, the wounded officer gained control of the weapon, and the other officer called to his K-9, who helped them arrest Masseur, police said. Masseur was medically assessed and treated before being released back into Bedford police custody. The officer who was shot was taken to a Manchester hospital for treatment. The officers charged Masseur who was last known to live in Nashua with second-degree assault, attempting to take a gun from a police officer, resisting arrest and possession of a dangerous weapon as a felon, police said. Masseur also had outstanding warrants on gun and drug charges in other communities. In the Ministry of Defense of the aggressor country Russia recognized the beginning of a new offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region. There said that the Ukrainian defenders carried out a counterattack allegedly to stop the Russian offensive. ADVERTISIMENT In particular, the Russian Ministry of Defense claims that Ukrainian forces "launched a counterattack" on Sunday, January 5, around 9 a.m. (8 Kyiv time). The AFU assault group allegedly included two tanks, a demolition vehicle and 12 armored combat vehicles with paratroopers. The attack was carried out in the direction of the farm Berdin, the Russian Defense Ministry said, and its goal was allegedly to stop the Russian offensive in the Kursk direction. At the same time, the Russian ministry claims that the "North" group of troops allegedly defeated the AFU assault group, destroying tanks, a demolition vehicle and seven out of 12 UBMs. ADVERTISIMENT As OBOZ.UA reported, Russian propagandists on Sunday began complaining about the breakthrough of Ukrainian troops in Kursk region. According to them, the AFU used armored vehicles, EW, mine-clearing and REB means, which makes Russian UAVs ineffective. According to Z-war correspondents, the Ukrainian defenders attacked the Russians in several directions, and the goal is to capture Kurchatov and the nuclear power plant. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov arrived in Kursk to help the Russian army. The Russian Federation claims that his visit is supposedly a planned one. Only verified information from us in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! A man and a woman were seriously injured Sunday morning when the car they were riding in crashed into a tree in Bridgewater, according to police. Bridgewater police and firefighters were called to the single-car crash near 357 Pine St. around 7:20 a.m., police said in a press release. At the scene, first responders found a Chevrolet Cruze with severe damage and debris blocking the roadway. Authorities initial investigation indicates that the car veered off the road and struck a tree head-on, police said. First responders took the man who was driving the car to Boston Medical Center with serious but not life-threatening injuries. A woman who was a passenger in the car is believed to have life-threatening injuries, police said. She was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton and later transferred to Boston Medical Center. Bridgewater police are still investigating the crash. No further information, including the identities of the man and woman, has been released. This is a biweekly column about all things skiing and snowboarding in New England. The ski season in New England is bringing more energy-efficient snowmaking and new lesson offerings, along with two new independent owners taking over ski areas, bucking the corporate trend. In December, Rutland firefighter Patrick Sullivan felt as if the world stopped as held his beautiful newborn twins for the first time. But on a cold Saturday in January, Sullivans world was filled with grief as he solemnly stood next to two urns painted pink and blue and one large black urn, shaking hands and hugging a long line of friends and family. More than 100 people gathered at the Miles Funeral Home in Holden on Saturday to say their goodbyes to Sullivans wife, Ciara Sullivan, of Rutland, and their two twin babies. The Miles Funeral Home in Holden was where the wake of Rutland mother Ciara Sullivan and her two babies were held.Adam Bass A long line wrapped around the funeral home as attendees wiped away tears from their eyes, offered their condolences and hugged members of Sullivans family. Pictures of Ciara Sullivan and her two twins, James Michael and Elizabeth Joanne, were placed around the room for people to see, while a slideshow on a television screen showed pictures of Ciara Sullivan and her husband, Patrick Sullivan, on their wedding night. In the middle of the room were the three urns with bouquets that featured letters of condolences attached to them. On their left stood Patrick Sullivan, the man who made the heart-wrenching choice to take his wife and two newborn children off life support. Ciara Sullivan had suffered a medical emergency on Dec. 16, resulting in her being put on a ventilator along with her twins, who were delivered prematurely via C-section, Patrick Sullivan previously told MassLive. Doctors told Sullivan that his wife and children would need to stay on ventilators. Believing this was not the life his wife and children would want to experience, Patrick Sullivan made the decision to take all three off life support. The mother and two babies died on Dec. 27. Family and friends are holding onto the memories they have of Ciara Sullivan closely. Cirara Sullivan was the hardest worker Patrick Sullivan had ever met, the Rutland firefighter previously told MassLive. She graduated from Canton High School, Class of 2012, before attending Assumption College in Worcester, where she earned a bachelors degree in organizational communication, according to her obituary. She then went to Northeastern University in Boston, where she graduated with a masters degree in Homeland Security with a concentration in Emergency Management and GIS, the obituary reads. She served as a 911 dispatcher for the Shrewsbury Police Department and then as an emergency management specialist in Region One for FEMA for the past four years. She was great at her job and still somehow managed to have time for us to go on day trips, Patrick Sullivan said. Ciara Sullivan was also an avid reader and a fan of detective novels and mysteries. She liked to read the Mr. Mercedes books by Stephen King, her husband recalled. Ciara Sullivan was also a lover of dogs. Patrick Sullivan told MassLive that she did not grow up with dogs, and when she visited his apartment for the first time, she had brought a dog toy for his eight-month-old puppy so that the puppy would like her. Together, they become owners of a German Shepherd named Mia and a Labrador mix named McKenna. She was my soulmate, Patrick Sullivan said. We were perfect for each other in every single feasible way. And I think a lot of that has to do with that we are both first responders and we just understood each other completely. Thomas Sullivan, Patrick Sullivans brother, told MassLive he fondly remembers the baby shower held for Ciara Sullivan and recalled how there were a lot of people who attended. Its a lot of waves, Thomas Sullivan said. A lot of ups. A lot of downs. Like remembering the good times and dealing with the current situation. Members of local fire and police departments also appeared at the wake, showing respect and compassion to their fellow firefighter. Joe Flanagan, the Boylston fire chief who spoke on behalf of the Rutland Fire Department, said that over 100 firefighters from across the state appeared at the calling hours earlier in the day. Flanagan told MassLive he heard about the tragedy of the Sullivan family from Rutlands fire chief. Its really unmeasurable, Flanagan said. Its hard to put it in perspective. 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solutions and sustainable livingDepression tropicale a lEst-Nord-est[Document] Debats parlementaires du 20 decembre 2024[Document] The Special Allowance Act 2024[Document] The Employment Relations (Amendment) Act 2024Maurice et lAfrique du Sud veulent renforcer leurs liens culturels en 2025[Video News] Message de Noel de Mgr Jean-Michael Durhone[Video News] Message de Noel de Mgr Stelio Andre[Video News] Message de Noel de Dharambeer Gokhool[Video News] La combinaison gagnante du Loto et Loto Plus du 25 decembre 2024 Met Eireann has issued orange and yellow warnings as "multi-hazardous" severe cold snap set to hit the country. The Minister for Agriculture and the Minister of State with special responsibility for Farm Safety has urged farmers to prioritise their safety during the current cold spell of weather. The Minister of State, Martin Heydon, said: Farmers must always prioritise safety. Every year, there are many serious and fatal incidents on Irish farms. While farming is a high-risk occupation, the risks can be managed to minimise these incidents. So, I urge all farmers to assess the risks as they go about their work. It is only by identifying the risks in advance that steps can be taken to ensure jobs can be completed safely. The mobile phone is an essential safety tool and farmers should always keep it with them, particularly when working away from the farmyard." Trips and falls are common incidents during freezing conditions but can be minimised and ideally avoided, by keeping yards tidy and maintaining taps, pipes and drainpipes to avoid icy patches as a result of drips. Salt for gritting will help minimise slippery conditions around the farmyard, according to a press release. "Farmers should avoid working at height during frosty weather. Roof repairs should only be carried out when weather conditions are suitable and using the appropriate equipment," Minister Heydon added. READ NEXT: LIVE: Track the snow as it heads towards Ireland amid severe weather warnings Minister for farming, Charlie McConalogue, has said: "I am urging all farmers, fishers and everyone in rural areas to be extra careful during the current cold spell of weather. While farmers always make every effort to look after livestock during poor weather, they must prioritise their own safety and the safety of those working and living in rural communities. "Livestock are resilient during cold weather once they have access to adequate feed and shelter. It is important that farmers have measures in place to ensure outwintered and housed livestock have access to fresh water during freezing conditions. Supplies of drinking water should be checked daily, and surface ice broken on troughs twice per day," Minister McConalogue added. "It is important that taps are not left running to prevent freezing. Where needed, farmers should check that reserve storage tanks are full of fresh water. Herding out-wintered livestock should be carried out during daylight hours," he added. The Minister for Agriculture added, "by planning ahead, the workload can be managed to minimise stress and the risks to safety. It is important that farmers ensure that they have adequate stocks of feed and supplies to avoid any shortages during poor conditions. Check out these essential winter farm safety tips to keep you, your workers and your equipment safe! Create a winter preparedness plan. Monitor weather conditions. Gear up with the correct clothing. Store and inspect unused equipment.https://t.co/o681KQKbw2 pic.twitter.com/Iqi1ODrZm3 Elec Co-ops of Ark (@ElecCoopsArk) January 2, 2025 "Everyone in rural communities is urged to check on elderly neighbours and those living alone. Christmas and the New Year can be particularly lonely for some people, and it is important to keep in regular contact with neighbours over the winter," Minister Heydon said. For animal welfare issues connected with severe weather, please keep in touch with your agricultural advisor or contact the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Animal Welfare Helpline on phone: 01 607 2379 Learn more on how to stay safe at: www.gov.ie/WinterReady. by Ray Schultz , January 5, 2025 Individuals with minor criminal offenses on their record are able to have news accounts about them deleted at some publications. For example, the Plain Dealer has since 2018 pursued a right to be forgotten policy that allows individuals to apply for removal of old stories that do not involve sex offenses, crimes of violence, crimes against children, corruption or wrongdoing by police officers, The Guardian reports. Generally, the incidents are at least four years old. Typical cases might include people who made a mistake as teenagers, but have had a clean slate since then. Other newsrooms doing the same include Boston Globe, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Bangor Daily News in Maine, the Oregonian and New Jerseys NJ.com, the Guardian adds. This is an important benefit for people who made a single mistake when young and are now applying for jobs or housing. advertisement advertisement In the old days, you put a story in the newspaper and it quickly, if not immediately, receded into memory, says Chris Quinn, editor of the Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com, according to The Guardian. But because of our [search engine] power, anything we write now about somebody is always front and center. Past news accounts of crimes often included the suspects home address, a practice that seems to have gone out of favor. Of course, legal records might not be expunged. And some journalists might argue that accurate coverage of any sort should not be removed from the record. But Quinn argues that removal of stories is warranted in these instances People would say: Your story is wrecking my life. I made a mistake, but Ive changed my life, the Guardian reports. Tiny FPV drones have made large-scale tank attacks by the Russian army virtually suicidal along the entire active front line in the 35-month war in Ukraine. The propagandists themselves admit that every time Russian regiments try to attack with armored vehicles, "the result is zero." ADVERTISIMENT But this does not mean that the Russians cannot advance: they leave the equipment behind and go on foot to make "meaty" assaults. Journalist David Axe writes about this in an article for Forbes. "In fact, they are advancing - especially south of the fortress city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine and along the edges of the 400-square-kilometer ledge that strong Ukrainian forces carved out of Russia's Kursk Oblast in August," the article says. The author quoted a Russian blogger in a post translated by the Estonian analyst WarTranslated. In the post, the propagandist said that Russian "infantry, supported by artillery and drones, is slowly but surely taking line after line of forest." "The Russians are leaning toward the new infantry doctrine primarily in part to cut down on equipment losses, but also because of their general inability to overcome a trained Ukrainian defense backed by pervasive intelligence and drone strikes," explained Michael Coffman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. ADVERTISIMENT According to analysts, scattered infantry is more difficult to attack than long lines of vehicles, so the occupiers are resorting to small group assaults. However, some Russian commanders continue to try to attack with tanks, armored personnel carriers, and improvised combat vehicles, including ordinary vans, cars, and buggies. "But 'no one reaches the goal, no soldier is in a hurry, and the enemy is not crushed by the fire of auto guns,'" Forbes recounted the complaints of a Russian blogger who sarcastically called the Russian army officers behind these "suicidal races" of the occupiers "geniuses." "By sending vehicles and their crews on senseless "banzai attacks" along a neutral strip patrolled by drones, Russian tank commanders gain nothing, lose everything, and provide inspiring content for the Armed Forces, whose drones record the destruction of every Russian column," the author of the publication emphasized. As OBOZ.UA previously reported, military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko noted that in 2024, the Russian army suffered the largest losses in its existence. This includes both personnel and military equipment of the aggressor country's forces. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! 2025 is off to a banging start with Akshay Kumars Sky Force slated for a Republic Day weekend release. The films trailer was released today and fans are convinced that this movie will mark Akshays successful comeback on the big screen. Apart from Akshay Kumar, Sky Force also stars Sara Ali Khan and Nimrat Kaur. It will also be the debut film of Veer Pahariya, brother of Shikhar Pahariya, Janhvi Kapoors boyfriend. Maddock Films The film is based on Indias counterattack on Pakistans Sargodha Airbase during the 1965 war. On September 6, Pakistan attacked Indian airbases at Pathankot and Halwara. In response, Indian pilots struck back the next day, targeting Sargodha, which was one of the strongest airbases in Asia at the time. Despite the heavy defenses, India managed to cause significant damage. This story is special because its the only time the Indian Air Force posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra to one of its pilots Squadron Leader. Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, played by Veer Pahariya in the film. Nimrat Kaur is paired opposite Akshay Kumar while Sara Ali Khan is paired opposite Veer Pahariya in Sky Force. The trailer had several intense aerial stunts and Lata Mangeshkars Ae Mere Watan ke Logon sets a patriotic theme throughout. It seems to be the perfect Republic Day watch as people shared their excitement on seeing Akshay Kumar once again in a patriotic avatar. Heres how they have reacted to the trailer so far. YouTube/Maddock YouTube/Maddock Instagram/Maddock Stree 2 was one of the biggest hits of 2024. While everyone expected Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor to wow fans of the franchise with their performance yet again, it was Akshay Kumars cameo that took everyone by surprise. Akshay played a descendant of Chandra Bhan, the infamous patriarch of Chanderi who was responsible for the deaths of Stree and her husband. In Stree 2, he was shown to be residing in a mental asylum, tracked down by Vicky and his friends. Will Akshay Return For Stree 3? Maddock Films Though he only made a cameo in the film, Akshay Kumar might just have secured a more permanent role for himself in the horror comedy universe. During the trailer launch of Sky Force, another film by Maddock starring Akshay Kumar, the actor and producer Dinesh Vijan discussed the future of Stree films. When asked if Akshay will be returning for Stree 3, the actor replied, "What can I say? Dinesh and Jyoti (Deshpande; producer) will have to decide that. Theyre the ones to pump in the money. Aur Amar Kaushik ko direct karna hai (And Amar Kaushik has to direct it)" Dinesh Vijan responded to this by saying, Of course, hes a part of the universe! Hes our Thanos (laughs)." Future of Stree Films Unlock the Hidden Potential: How HuaweiMate 10 Pro Works on verizon? (Will the Huawei Mate 10 Pro Work on Verizon?) Are you curious to know if yourMate 10 Pro smartphone will work seamlessly with your Verizon network? This curiosity is now answered with an intriguing twist! In this blog post, we delve into the ins and outs of how HuaweiMate 10 Pro connects withVerizon to provide a seamless user experience. Firstly, its important to note thatMate 10 Pro is compatible with both AT&T and Sprint networks. However, the exact compatibility of your device with each network may differ depending on factors such as carrier frequency bands and data plans. In general, AT&T offers faster speeds than Sprint due to its wider frequency band coverage, while Sprint has slightly lower speeds but offers more affordable data plans. To connect your HuaweiMate 10 Pro to aVerizon network, youll need to follow these steps: 1. Download and install the appropriate apps for your device from the respective carriers app store. For example, if youre using AT&T, you can download the Huawei AppGallery app from the Google Play Store. 2. Activate your device on your preferred carriers network by following the instructions provided by the carrier. 3. Sign in to your or create one if you havent already. 4. Once logged in, navigate to the Device Manager option within the Huawei Account app. 5. Select your HuaweiMate 10 Pro device from the list and click the Connect button. 6. If your device is already connected to aVerizon network, you may see a message indicating that your device is being synced with your account. Follow the prompts to complete the synchronization process. (Will the Huawei Mate 10 Pro Work on Verizon?) In conclusion, the compatibility between HuaweiMate 10 Pro and Verizon networks is largely determined by carrier frequency bands and data plans. While AT&T offers faster speeds than Sprint, Sprint has slightly lower speeds but offers more affordable data plans. To connect your HuaweiMate 10 Pro to aVerizon network, simply download and install the appropriate apps, activate your device on your preferred carriers network, sign in to your account, and then connect to the desired network via the Device Manager app. With these simple steps, you can enjoy a seamless user experience with your HuaweiMate 10 Pro on your favorite wireless network. Inquiry us if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. ([email protected]) Some of Michigans biggest companies in automotive, health care and agriculture laid off hundreds of workers last year due to economic headwinds, bankruptcy and other factors. Below is a list of some of the most high-profile layoffs of 2024 in the state of Michigan. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - January has begun, and you may thinking 2025 is finally your year. As a way to reset after holiday celebrations, many people participate in Dry January and abstain from drinking alcohol all month. While you may be going alcohol-free to start the year, that doesnt mean you cant jazz up your non-alcoholic drinks. Theres plenty of places serving a mix of non-alcoholic and zero-proof mocktails in cities like Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Saline. Check out these five great places in Washtenaw County whether youre participating in Dry January or just prefer to sip on unique, non-alcoholic drinks. A custom neon sign hangs over the stage at North Star Lounge, 301 N. Fifth Ave. in Ann Arbor on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com North Star Lounge North Star Lounge is offering a chance to soberly sip on a fancy drink in Ann Arbor. Its menu features a variety of options whether youre craving citrus or something spicy. North Star Lounges Slow Burn is made with jalapeno infused agave, grenadine, lime juice, turbinado syrup and soda water while its Sandman features pomegranate juice, grenadine, tart cherry juice, lemon juice and soda water. Related: New Orleans-inspired vegan bar opens in Ann Arbor The New Orleans-inspired jazz club also features vegan bar food options, including salads, sandwiches, wraps, entrees and appetizers like buffalo cauliflower wings, tater tots and Chikn fried tofu fingers, according to its website. North Star Lounge, 301 N. Fifth Ave., is open 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Find it online or on social media. Outside Lowertown Bar and Cafe, 1031 Broadway St. in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Lowertown Bar and Cafe Lowertown Bar and Cafe is a place for coffee, cocktails and plenty of non-alcoholic drinks in Ann Arbor. Related: Morning coffee, cocktails later make Lowertown Bar and Cafe a go-to spot on Ann Arbors North Side The business at 1031 Broadway St. has been open since November 2023 and offers an extensive non-alcoholic cocktail menu. Customers can find options for some of classics, which include a Mock Mule, Phony Negroni and Hot Apple Toddy. The mix of a bar and cafe is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Find it online or on social media. Inside Vertex Coffee Roasters, 307 N. River St. in Ypsilanti on Thursday, April 11 2024.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Vertex Coffee Roasters Give a couple of zero-proof cocktails a try at Ypsilantis Vertex Coffee Roasters. Related: Gluten-free food is what Vertex Coffee is all about in Ann Arbor & Ypsilanti The business began in Ann Arbor but opened its second location in Ypsilantis Depot Town at 307 N. River St. in March. The companys Ypsilanti space is the only location offering zero-proof cocktails. Vertexs zero-proof cocktail menu features a few drinks, including its Refresh-mint made with grapefruit, lime and mint syrup as well as its Unexpected Friends made with fennel, orange, espresso and cola. The location is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Learn more about Vertex Coffee Roasters online or on social media. Mash Ypsilanti Ypsilantis Mash is the spot to go for non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits. The bars zero-proof menu includes the Mash Buck, made with Free Spirits bourbon, ginger beer, lime and candied ginger, along with The Boardwalk made with that same bourbon, Lyres Italian Orange, Lyres Aperitif Rosso and an orange peel. Related: Michigans Best Local Eats: Ypsi Boxcar, Aperol Spritz on cocktail menu at Ypsilantis Mash The bar also has a variety of menu items to order like its charcuterie board, wings and skillet corn bread. Mash, 400 N. River St., is open from 6 p.m. to midnight Thursdays, and 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays to Saturdays and Saturdays to Sundays. Find it online, on social media or by phone at 734-441-6200. Salt Springs Brewery, 117 S. Ann Arbor St. in Saline on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Salt Springs Brewery While Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti seem to have plenty of options, Salt Springs Brewery has something for Saline. Related: Michigans Best Local Eats: Salt Springs Brewery brings more than just beer to Saline The restaurant has its own mocktail menu that features a range of drinks including its zero-proof Tropical Breeze made with mango, caramelized pineapple, lemon juice and orange bitters. There are also other non-alcoholic options like its Vanilla Cream Cold Brew and its Cranberry Elixir made with cranberry, blood orange, pomegranate, simple syrup and tonic. Salt Springs Brewery, 117 S. Ann Arbor St., is open 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday as well as 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Find it online, on social media or by phone at 734-295-9191. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. JACKSON COUNTY, MI - Whether its by helping families find resources or assisting kids through mental health issues, Jamie Langley works tirelessly to ensure students are prepared for the classroom. Langley, 49, has served East Jackson Community Schools as an in-school social worker since 2019, though her service throughout the Jackson community dates back nearly 27 years. A Class of 1993 graduate of Lumen Christi Catholic School, Langley received a bachelors degree in social work from Northern Michigan University, graduating in 1997. Langleys first foray into the field of professional social work was an 11-year career with Jacksons Head Start preschool program, which provides no-cost education to children from low-income families. She followed that with another 11-year stint working as a home visitor for the Jackson County Health Department. Though she was not looking for another job at the time, several of Langleys friends who worked for East Jackson convinced her she would be a good fit when a social worker position opened up. After two-and-a-half years at East Jackson Elementary School, Langley started substitute teaching high school students, and took a liking to working with the older age group. In her current position at East Jackson High School, Langley supports students in any way she can, whether thats through ensuring kids are being mindful of their mental health or referring families to resources and educational aids throughout Jackson County. On top of all that, Langley is still pursuing her own education as well, receiving a masters degree in social work from Walden University in 2024. Langley sat down with MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot to discuss the work she does every day to make sure East Jackson students and families feel at home in their community. Jackson Citizen Patriot: Was there a specific moment or experience that inspired you to get into social work? Jamie Langley: When you become a social worker, you dont have to take college math. So that was my original motivation, but Im a helper by nature - I just like to help others. JCP: Why was teaching in the field youre in such a calling for you? Langley: When I see my clients that I worked with years and years ago out in the community now, or students that have graduated and moved on, Im super proud to see how theyve enriched their own lives and advocated for themselves. If I can play a tiny role in that, Im so grateful. I find joy in seeing other people be successful. JCP: Is there a specific moment from your career that you would consider to be the most rewarding? Langley: I currently have a student that weve spent a lot of time with and he really struggled in class. I see him now as a high schooler being so successful, and I was part of the team that helped him be successful. Hes part of that team, his parents, teachers and advocates are too, but the fact that I served a tiny part in that success really is great. Im so proud of him when I see him - he really has come a really long way. JCP: The field of education has changed and evolved in several ways in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic -- in what ways, if any, have you changed or evolved in your position in the past few years? Langley: I think COVID has highlighted the mental health of students, and its highlighted the students' abilities to advocate for themselves. Both of those things are great, but I think it has inundated the system with mental health concerns, and theres just not enough staff to meet the needs. Students being in tune with their needs is so important - those are skills theyre going to take with them for their entire lives, into adulthood. Kids that are struggling with mental health arent going to be as successful in the classroom. We need to meet our most basic needs before we can be successful in other areas of our lives, so I see relationship building and meeting those basic needs as a very important piece to the puzzle of the whole child. Online (learning) has been great for some students - its really given some flexibility that we didnt have in the education system before. Theres been some good things that have come out of COVID, but I also think that some of those students havent been able to make up that learning loss, so as an education system we need to continue to evolve to meet every students needs. JCP: What is your favorite aspect of your job? Langley: I work with some pretty amazing people, and I say that in both the staff and student regard. Our students are super resilient, theyre funny and honest and theyre enjoyable to be with. I think too that most of the staff here that I work with are equally compassionate and try to meet the kids where theyre at. Coming to work every day is a joy! If you know a K-12 educator in Jackson County who might make a good subject for the weekly Meet the Teacher series, send an email with their contact information to mkukulka@mlive.com. If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Jackson daily newsletter. KALAMAZOO, MI Jon Reeves died in the early hours of Dec. 15, 2024, after a year-long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor. Eight hours later, his wife Jutta Wilberding was back at their forge at Combat Ready Art, 436 N. Park St. Studio 123 in Kalamazoo. She was leading a blacksmithing class for a group of Wounded Warriors. I (told) them what happened, and it was like every wall that might have been between us just came crumbling down, and we were really able to bond, Wilberding said. That group was important to Reeves, she said. The son of a Green Beret in the Korean War, he grew up on military bases with a sniper for a nanny. A memorial service for Reeves is planned for Monday, Jan. 6 from 1 to 2 p.m. at Langeland Family Funeral Homes, 3926 S. Ninth St. He was 62 years old. Its likely because of Reeves mom that he became a teacher in his own right. In Germany, she taught all the wives on base to drive because she thought they needed to know. In northern Wisconsin where Reeves grew up, his mom taught nuns to knit and chaperoned his band gigs at local bars. Portrait of Jon Reeves and his partner Jutta Wilberding at Combat Ready Art, located in downtown Kalamazoo on Tuesday, July 20, 2020. Wilberding has been working with Reeves at the studio for the past 2 years. (Photo by Carlin Stiehl) Carlin Stiehl | MLive.com Reeves and Wilberding met seven years ago when Wilberding brought her son in for blacksmithing classes. She was nicknamed the other worker, helping schedule classes, promote the business and photograph pieces. When she didnt know how to use a tool, Reeves would tell her she had to learn. Reeves learned the craft from an old, angry blacksmith in the renaissance fair community, according to his obituary. Teaching classes and even just being in here is incredibly therapeutic, and it it always has been, Wilberding said. One of the many skull-themed art pieces in Combat Ready Art located in downtown Kalamazoo on Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Much of the artwork in the studio is produced by Raven Wynd of Tattoos By Raven. (Carlin Stiehl | MLive.com) Carlin Stiehl | MLive.com Teaching lessons picked up in the last seven years, Wilberding said. Reeves appeared on the History Channels Forged in Fire competition in 2023, and the business got really busy. Blacksmithing can be intimidating, Wilberding said. Theres fire, sparks and new tools. Reeves didnt expect perfection, but he expected people to try. He knew performing on stage or creating your own sword is empowering, Wilberding said. That sense of accomplishment, of overcoming a fear, translates into every other aspect of peoples lives. Jon would let you make mistakes, but he wouldnt let you fail, Wilberding said. Metal is very forgiving, kind of like him. You can make a mistake, but it doesnt mean that its ruined. Jon Reeves, owner of Combat Ready Art in Kalamazoo, works at his forge in his studio located in downtown Kalamazoo on Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Reeves has been smithing for over 40 years and teaches students of ages 9 and up who wish to learn the craft of blacksmithing and metal work. (Carlin Stiehl | MLive.com) Carlin Stiehl | MLive.com He was a natural teacher, she said, despite never studying education formally. Reeves taught stagecraft at Kalamazoo College, lit dance performances and concerts and built sets for nearly every theater in the area. At the college, he delighted in a notoriously challenging knot-tying final exam, Wilberding said. No one ever failed the class he just loved hands-on learning. Reeves worked with kids as young as nine at the forge and in theater, Wilberding said. He trusted them and treated them with respect. He didnt treat them like kids, Wilberding said. And apparently, if you were a short female, he put the biggest sword in your hand and had you do the fiercest fight choreography. Unlike adults, kids werent intimidated by him, Wilberding said. He wore all black and had tattoos, but it wasnt hard to make him smile or get to know him. He loved connecting with people, Wilberding said. Reeves would grab a guitar from his collection and go annoy the neighbors on the Kalamazoo Mall after work, she said. When he died, she had a long list of waiters, contractors, suppliers and neighborhood regulars to call, since they were all close to him. He didnt care about his resume, or how many plays he did, Wilberding said. It was about how many connections you made and how you treat people. No experience was off the table for him, she said. But he did hate the beach. Thats why he moved to Kalamazoo to work for the Civic Theater instead of a Shakespeare program in Florida, Wilberding said. Jon was authentic, she said. And Kalamazoo, at its core, is authentic. They just accidentally found each other. Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter. BAY COUNTY, MI A judge in Bay County sentenced a Grand Rapids for sexually assaulting a dog. Meanwhile, records show how much Bay County commissioners will make in 2025 after getting a small raise. Those headlines and more are included below in this weeks roundup of news you may have missed. Grand Rapids man gets jail time for sexually assaulting dog in Bay County A Bay County judge has ordered a Grand Rapids man to spend more time in jail for sexually assaulting a dog, a crime captured on video. In doing so, the judge exceeded the recommended sentence, saying the defendants criminal history was among the most substantial hed ever seen. His head freshly shaved of its previous mohawk, a shackled 62-year-old Terry D. Kirkland on Monday, Dec. 30, appeared before Bay County Circuit Judge Joseph K. Sheeran for sentencing. Read the full story here. Heres how much your Bay County Commissioner will make in 2025 Bay County commissioners across the board will make more money in 2025 than they did in 2024. Wages for Bay County commissioners effective Jan. 1 will begin at $12,791.57, according to data obtained by MLive/The Bay City Times through a Freedom of Information Act request. Committee chairs and the board vice chairperson will make $14,710.31. The commission chairman will make the highest salary at $15,349.89. These numbers are up from 2024, when commissioners made $12,419, the committee of the whole chairman and vice chairman made $13,219 and the commission chairman made $13,419. Read the full story here. Couple welcomes first baby born at Bay City hospital in 2025 A faint line on a pregnancy test midway through 2024 was one of the first indications of what was to come for Julia Tribble and her fiance, Matt Taylor. She told him of the news while they sat together in their car, Tribble just months removed from delivering her second child. Three days later, the line developing on the tests grew darker. Nine months later, the couple stood together in a recovery room at McLaren Bay Region, staring down at their newborn son. Read the full story here. Breaking Bread Villages final Bay City show to focus on The Greater Good The final show of The Breaking Bread Village will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and founder Erin Patrice is urging anyone interested in hearing from a diverse panel to attend. We create spaces for different points of view to come together and have conversations, Patrice said. The Breaking Bread Village is ending its second year of hosting the talks, which took place in Bay City in 2024. Read the full story here. Top 100 photos that showcase the life and times of Bay and Saginaw counties in 2024 Another year has come and gone, and thousands of images were taken throughout 2024. The year brought the Saginaw, Bay and surrounding communities several festivals, campaign event and so much more. MLive photojournalists Kaytie Boomer, Jake May, Julian Leshay Guadalupe and Nico Mendoza were there capture the many moments. Read the full story here. Snowflake Soiree Winter Bridal Event coming to DoubleTree in Bay City DoubleTree by Hilton Bay City Riverfront hosts its fair share of brides and grooms over the course of the year as one of the more prominent wedding venues in the area. But this weekend, the spot will be the destination of numerous brides and their friends, visiting the site for a popular event connecting brides with a plethora of wedding resources. Bay Citys DoubleTree venue will host its Snowflake Soiree Winter Bridal Event from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5. The event will take place at the hotel and event centers Grand Ballroom, which will play host to bridal professionals, including caterers, photographers, florists, make-up artists, bridal salon shops, and others. Read the full story here. Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free 3@3 daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw. FRANKENMUTH, MI A Byron man who went missing after a family gathering in Frankenmuth shortly after Christmas has been found dead. The body of Robert Loren Bacon, 52, was found at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan.4 by dive teams searching the Cass River near Heritage Park in Frankenmuth, according to the Frankenmuth Police Department. The preliminary cause of death appears to be drowning, but a final determination will be made by the Saginaw County Medical Examiners Office, police said. Bacon was reported missing Dec. 30 by his family who reported last seeing him attending a family gathering Dec. 27 at the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth, not far south from where his body was later located, police said. An extensive investigation and search efforts were conducted over the past five days, involving the Bavarian Inn Lodge administration and numerous police search and rescue teams, police said. The Frankenmuth Police Department, the Frankenmuth community, first responders and the Bavarian Inn Lodge extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Robert Bacon during this difficult time, the Frankenmuth Police Department wrote in a news release. The incident remains under investigation. Assisting in the search were the Frankenmuth Fire Department Drone/ATV Unit, Saginaw County 911, Michigan State Police Technical Services Unit, Lapeer County Search and Rescue, Michigan State Police K-9 unit assigned to MSP Dive Team Unit, Southeast Michigan Dive Group, the Saginaw County Sheriffs Office, Mobile Medical Response and the Saginaw County Medical Examiners Office. In the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, the Ukrainian Defense Forces attacked the military of the aggressor country in several directions. Russian propagandists complain about the advance of Ukrainian defenders on armored vehicles and their advance near Sudzha towards the village of Velyke Soldatske. ADVERTISIMENT The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Kovalenko, confirmed the offensive actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kursk region. According to him, they came as a surprise to the Russians. "In the Kursk region, the Russians are very worried because they were attacked in several directions and it came as a surprise to them. The defense forces are working," Kovalenko wrote on his official Telegram channel. The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, also commented on the events in Russia. He said that there is good news in the Kursk direction: "Kursk region, good news, Russia is getting what it deserves." ADVERTISIMENT Thus, on the morning of Sunday, January 5, several Russian Z-channels announced the beginning of a new offensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kursk region. According to the "military commanders," the Ukrainian military advanced from the direction of Sudzha toward the village of Velyke Soldatskoye. The offensive, according to the Russians, involves armored vehicles, demining vehicles, and electronic warfare equipment that effectively counter Russian UAVs. The goal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is allegedly Kurchatovo and the seizure of the nuclear power plant, the "military commanders" write. Moreover, this is allegedly not the main strike of the Armed Forces, and the occupiers are waiting for a strike in other areas. According to the Z-propagandists, Belgorod region should also prepare for the Ukrainian offensive and be "ready for anything." ADVERTISIMENT The Russian Federation has not officially commented on the Ukrainian offensive, but it is known that Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov arrived in Kursk. The Russian Defense Ministry said that at 9 a.m. Moscow time (8 a.m. Kyiv time) on Sunday, the Ukrainian Armed Forces counterattacked in the Kursk direction, allegedly to stop the Russian offensive. At the same time, Ukrainian sources write that Ukraine's defenders have advanced in three directions in the Kursk region, but there is a lot of work to be done there, as the occupiers are actively throwing DPRK troops onto the battlefield. It is also reported that the occupiers in the Kursk region are simultaneously conducting offensive actions towards the border with Ukraine. So far, they have not made significant progress, but there is a tendency to increase their efforts. ADVERTISIMENT ADVERTISIMENT As OBOZ.UA reported, in its morning report on January 5, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine informed that the Kursk direction is currently one of the hottest on the front. The Defense Forces repelled 30 attacks there over the past day. At the same time, the enemy launched nine air strikes with 19 drones and carried out 265 artillery attacks on Ukrainian positions and settlements. On the evening of January 4, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that up to an infantry battalion consisting of DPRK and Russian marines had been destroyed in the Kursk region over the past two days. The enemy suffered the greatest losses near Makhnovka. The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian special forces in the Kursk region occupied a village held by North Korean military together with Russians. The soldiers of the Special Forces cleared the village of enemy forces. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The occupying army of the aggressor country Russia is advancing at the front in Ukraine at the fastest pace since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Moscow's biggest advantage in the war is manpower. Although the Russians suffer extremely heavy losses on the battlefield, sometimes, according to Ukrainian soldiers, it seems that their numbers are unlimited. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by the American newspaper The Washington Post. "As Trump's next presidency approaches, Ukraine's army is on the defensive," the article's headline reads. According to the newspaper, journalists talked to Ukrainian defenders from six different brigades fighting in eastern Ukraine. According to the military, there is a shortage of weapons, but it is the brutal attacks of manpower that have proved most effective for Russian forces, which exploit the vulnerability of "Ukraine's increasingly thin defense." Russian casualties are very high, but repeated attacks, backed by powerful artillery shelling and drones, continue, pushing Ukrainians back to a small area of territory, the military said. The occupiers have advanced to within three kilometers of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, jeopardizing key logistics and supply routes that pass through the area to other parts of the front line. ADVERTISIMENT "You kill one Russian and two seem to pop up in his place. You get the feeling that there are an unlimited number of them," said Valentyn, an infantryman with the 35th Marine Brigade of Ukraine. Ukrainian troops can usually repel the first waves of an offensive, soldiers say. But the Russian strategy is based on overwhelming the enemy with large forces, only to eventually break through once their intelligence identifies where Ukraine has gaps in its defense. The 68th Brigade tank commander, "Physicist," called the Russian strategy "pure insanity," as the Russians probably realize that their chances of survival are slim and push forward anyway. ADVERTISIMENT "Maybe one person from the third group reaches his goal. They dig in there, establish communication and coordinate the others. They gradually accumulate a critical mass of people in one place, not far from our positions. They hold out - they are hit by mortars, everything imaginable is aimed at them. They are suffering heavy losses, but they continue to fight," he said. Moving in small groups on foot, the most commonly used tactic, also allows the Russians to secretly build up their forces one or two people at a time before the next attack. Armored vehicles are rarely used in offensives, soldiers say. "You think everything is fine because you haven't seen many enemies, and suddenly ten people run out of one basement. This happened to us recently. Where did they come from?" said Taras, a deputy commander fighting near Pokrovsk. ADVERTISIMENT At the same time, the ranks of the Ukrainian military are "increasingly thinning and unable to repel the Russian onslaught"; those on the front lines "describe exhaustion and a drop in morale," according to The Washington Post. And the military, which has said it believes in fighting until the last occupiers are pushed out of Ukraine, is increasingly supporting President-elect Donald Trump's call for negotiations to end the war, the article says. The lowering of the minimum conscription age to 25 came too late, when units were already experiencing serious shortages after months without replenishment, the newspaper writes, citing military officials. "When I first joined the army, the situation was bad. But now, for a new person, the situation is so bad that I do not condemn anyone who deserts," said Oleksandr, a 27-year-old infantryman with the 35th Brigade. ADVERTISIMENT While former Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhny called for 500,000 people to be mobilized in 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected this figure as too high. Ukrainian and Western officials estimate that about 200,000 recruits have been called up so far. Zelenskiy also rejected White House proposals to further reduce the draft age to 18, the American newspaper recalls. "I'm not giving you numbers, but it's terrible. People are being called to fight, but unfortunately, we have losses, and these losses need to be replenished. And this is really not enough," said Taras, a deputy commander of a battalion fighting near Pokrovsk. Some soldiers said they have also come to terms with the reality that Western arms support is dwindling and likely to continue to decline. Without the flow of this aid, Ukraine will not have the military resources to push the Russians back, soldiers on the front say. ADVERTISIMENT Russia maintains artillery superiority and now uses new self-destructing drones that fly using fiber optic cables, making them particularly deadly; they are largely invulnerable to electronic interference because they are controlled through long, thin coils rather than radio waves. Several Ukrainian soldiers said they feared that the Russians would continue to push the front line westward toward the major city of Dnipro, which has a population of about 1 million. Many of the soldiers interviewed by journalists were skeptical that dictator Vladimir Putin would agree to a ceasefire while his forces appear to have the initiative. They fear that Zelenskiy will have to make painful concessions. Others expressed concern that even if the fighting stops this year, Russia could attack again in the future. ADVERTISIMENT "Let's be honest, the situation is worse now than at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. What can we agree on now? We can only nod our heads and agree to their demands, and what they will demand will obviously be something we will not like," said Taras, 33, a captain and company commander with the 35th Brigade. The most acute shortage of personnel in Ukraine is among the infantry, as soldiers are needed to stand on the front lines. Last year, Ukraine copied one of Russia's best recruitment tactics: It released convicts who agreed to fight in high-risk assault units. But they did little to plug the gaps, commanders say. One officer spoke to reporters and expressed regret that Kyiv had waited so long to recruit prisoners after Moscow did so in the early months of the war. Volodymyr, a 33-year-old man serving a prison sentence for beating a man to death, was one of the first to join the 93rd Mechanized Brigade's convict battalion. He has already conducted five assaults on Russian positions. ADVERTISIMENT "No one forced us to fight - we volunteered - so maybe we are more motivated than those who were drafted from the street," he says. Ukrainian soldiers say that losses in defensive positions are higher than in the offensive. Drone surveillance has allowed both armies to track any movement on the battlefield, and the biggest danger now is a direct hit on a position. Taras said that driving any vehicle without an electronic warfare jammer to repel drone attacks rarely happens because the risks are too high. "The worst thing is when the guys don't even have time to get to the position. When you are on the front line and get wounded there, it is understandable. But there are situations when people go on a combat mission for the first time in their lives, and this happens," he said. The Russians' move to drones controlled by fiber optic cables up to 19 kilometers long means that jamming is not always effective. ADVERTISIMENT Oleksandr, from the 35th Brigade, said he noticed the cables on tree branches, but could not risk trying to cut them with a knife. If he had been spotted, he would almost certainly have been killed by another drone, he said. "After a mission with all these drones, you get very paranoid. Every sound, every movement, you identify as a drone and try to hide from it," he said. According to the article, in his New Year's address, Volodymyr Zelensky focused on a "just peace" - a "different tone from previous calls for the complete defeat of Russia and the restoration of Ukraine's 1991 borders." Zelensky said that Ukraine could end the "hot phase" of the war this year and then try to return the occupied territories diplomatically. "Everything points to a ceasefire. Many things were influenced by the US elections and Trump's rhetoric," said Serhiy Filimonov, commander of the Da Vinci Wolves battalion. As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, The Telegraph said that Ukraine is preparing for a possible reduction in US aid and is actively developing its own weapons, including modernizing the Trembita missile, which could become the cheapest long-range missile in the world. Kyiv also plans to use Ukrainian long-range weapons to strike Moscow. We are talking about thousands of such missiles, the publication writes. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Its a rainy Monday in Madrid. Grupo Frontera a Mexican-American band is meeting EL PAIS at a luxurious hotel in the Spanish capital. When they enter the room, they introduce themselves one by one, yawning. There are five band members: Carlos Guerrero, Juan Javier Cantu, Alberto Acosta (known as Beto), Julian Pena Jr. and Adelaido Solis (known as Payo). Theyre tired and jetlagged after a 10-hour-long flight from the United States. You can see dark circles under their eyes. However, theyre constantly joking around and teasing each other. They should be on vacation, but their manager suggested they come to Spain, and they didnt think twice. Before the interview, they were preparing for their concert at the Starlite Theater. And, before they left the United States, they won the Latin Grammy for Best Nortena Album. Three years ago, had you described to them what theyre currently experiencing, they wouldnt have believed it. Back in 2022, they started out as a group of friends making Mexican regional music. Their version of No Se Va, by Colombian band Morat catapulted them to success on social media, especially on TikTok. After that, they released their first album: El Comienzo (The Beginning). This featured one of their first big collaborations: un x100to with Bad Bunny. A defining moment, the song now has more than one billion plays on Spotify. Theyve now released their second album Jugando a Que No Pasa Nada (Pretending That Nothings Wrong) and 35 million people listen to them every month on the streaming platform. Although they perform regional music, their outfits resemble those typically worn by rappers: Prada or Balenciaga, oversized t-shirts, and baggy pants. Theyre a meeting point between the old and the new. They play traditional music, certainly, but they collaborate with artists such as Shakira, Peso Pluma and Arcangel. They also find themselves in a clash of two realities: theyre American citizens, but they all have a connection with Mexico. They come from the border between the two countries, hence their name. Theyre whats known as Tex-Mex. While theyre culturally more Mexican, they also reside in the United States. When we named our band Grupo Frontera, we didnt think about that: we just chose frontera because we felt like it. We constantly going back and forth on the name, explains Juan Javier, the bands second lead vocalist. We still cant believe everything thats happening to us. We got together thinking that we were going to play at weddings, Adelaido Solis jokes, as they sit down to begin the interview. Alberto Acosta is practically asleep, with his neck tilted downwards. Question. As a band, youve had a meteoric rise. At what point did this become something serious? Answer. We still see ourselves as a bunch of friends who wanted to form a band and play our own music. We realized that we could make a living from this after the song No Se Va came out, two or three months after we got together. People as well as several record companies started seeking us out. Thats when we realized what we could do with our lives. Q. You just won the first Latin Grammy for Best Norteno Album and Best Regional Mexican Song. How have you processed this? A. We still cant believe that we just won a Grammy our first Grammy and, hopefully, one of many. Its something really cool, we didnt think we would get to this point. Q. You maintain the essence of traditional Mexican music, yet you also collaborate with the biggest reggaeton stars. Why do they want to work with you? A. When we started, everybody was listening to No Se Va. Afterwards, our friend, [Mexican guitarist] Carin Leon, helped us out. There were many bands that wanted to collaborate with us. Cumbia nortena or urban music was what worked best at that time. I feel that everyone wanted to hop on the bandwagon. Even though our music was familiar to us, many artists thought it was something new. Q. Youve collaborated with Shakira, Peso Pluma, Nicki Nicole, Bad Bunny whos your favorite? A. [The band members look at each other and answer at the same time:] Bad Bunny. Without a doubt. [Juan Javier]: Bad Bunny is the most special, because [working with him] was something that I feel was a turning point in our career. It was the leap to becoming international. Q. Would you like to collaborate with any artists from Spain? A. We really like Rels B. Also C. Tangana. With Alejandro Sanz, theres something coming soon we can already anticipate that but thats salsa, not cumbia. Q. You often say that part of your success comes from collaborating, being creative and working as a collective. This is unusual today, when it seems that there are more and more individual artists, rather than bands. Whats your creative process like? A. [Julian]: Our producer Edgar Barrera gets involved with us to write and produce. But when it comes to music, he sends us a demo of the song. If we like it and say ok, Beto adds his style on the guitar, Juan on the accordion, Carlos on the drums, Payo gives his points when it comes to mixing the music. When we get into the instrument everyone knows what to do, but it has always flowed well. We like to record live, all together at the same time. Q. You compose very cheerful rhythms, but the lyrics are usually sad, about heartbreak. Do you like to play with that contradiction? A. [Payo:] Its something weve done from the beginning, really. Our genre isnt new. We play it and we give it a different, more personal touch, with our instruments and our own flow, so to speak. But its not a new style. Cumbia is danceable, but the lyrics are sad. We do the same thing, but with modern lyrics. In other words, the new generation the younger folks can also feel those sad lyrics, but with a dance vibe. Q. In fact, theres a specific lyric My Instagram felt more like yours than mine in your song Ay Mama. Is that what you mean? A. Yes, totally. Since No Se Va came out, we started to focus on that. Again, the big change is also in our song x100to, where we wanted to use very current lyrics. We sing: I have 1% of battery left on my cell phone and I want to talk to you. [Julian:] In the past, in the songs that our parents listened to, we heard about sending love letters. Now, we send a DM. As artists, we have to adapt to this change, in order for people to identify [with our songs]. Q. You talk a lot about feelings in general. Is it important for you to do that, as men? Even more so now, when theres so much talk about new masculinities. A. Men also cry. Its okay. Many artists touch on this subject, like Peso Pluma, Gavito, Fuerza Regida their songs also touch on a mans feelings. And how he feels about someone he loves leaving him, when he loves someone and that love isnt reciprocated. Music talks a lot about feelings. The members of Grupo Frontera, photographed in Madrid for EL PAIS. Ayub El Kadmiri Q. In Spain, musicians are returning to their roots. The most mainstream artists may be Rosalia and C. Tangana, but this phenomenon is happening around the country. Its also happening in Latin America, when you listen to the albums put out by many artists. Why do you think this is the case? A. All artists reclaim their roots, but with their personal touch. Rauw Alejandro just did it. Thats the cool thing about music. Before, someone made reggaeton and everyone made the same kind of beat. Now, everyone brings their own flavor. All genres are becoming very modern. All artists have roots and we like to reclaim our culture and show [our audience] where this new concept came from. Now, for example, we can connect the culture of regional Mexican music with Puerto Rican music. Q. In contrast to your lyrics, Mexican corridos or narrative ballads are very popular. Theres a lot of talk about violence, money, weapons what do you think about that? And why dont you touch on these issues? A. Dude, corridos have always existed. They tell a story. For Mexicans, theyre like rap. They have their storytelling element. But lately, theres been a change, in that corridos can talk about parties, love and other topics. Q. Despite these new forms of corridos that you mention, traditional ones are still being made. Peso Pluma, for instance, has been banned in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Former Mexican president Lopez Obrador has said that he prefers that music not be censored but what do you think? A. [Beto]: Weve grown up with them and its part of our culture but there are things that are acceptable and others that are not. There are certain states in Mexico that dont accept them, but at the end of the day, many corridos are stories about fictional people. [Julian]: Todays corridos are new. They have a new style, but its something that has always existed. Our parents listened to them when we were little. Its the music that you would listen to when you grilled your meat and opened the bottle of tequila. Q. So, its even more strange that the authorities want to censor them. A. Well, there are corridos that incite and talk a lot about violence. Some are very powerful. If they reach small children, there are things [in the lyrics] that can be harsh but not all of them are like that. Q. Tell me more about your connection with Mexico. A. [Payo]: We live five minutes from the border, in the Rio Grande Valley. We always say that the Valley isnt Mexico because its on the American side but all of us who are here have a relationship with the country, whether through family, friends, work... I swear that 95% of us speak more Spanish than English. Our lives are half and half. I went to school in the United States, so I was in the US during the week and in Mexico on the weekends. And not just me, everyone I grew up with. Q. In the United States, Trump has just been re-elected as president. His proposals regarding the border with Mexico have been very controversial, going as far as wanting to put up a wall. As border dwellers, how do you see this issue? A. [Juan Javier]: We rarely get involved in politics. Its very controversial for us and we just want to make music. But weve always supported immigrants. Last year, we went to visit a [community] center: we donated toys for the children. Its our neighborhood, after all. [Beto]: We respect the laws that the country has, but we support immigrants as best we can. We do things for the community. We donate toys for the children of the migrants who are there and who are being detained [by the authorities]. Q. From what I understand, you dont agree with the idea of a border wall. A. [Beto]: No but at the end of the day, theres no wall. [Julian]: Yes, there is, but only halfway. They never finished it. And thats where we live. As Bill Burr the American comedian said: at the end of the day, whoevers president isnt going to put food on your table. So keep going, guys! Q. Since 2023, February 16 has been declared Grupo Frontera Day in Edinburg, Texas. Whats that like? A. Its cool, but weve forgotten about it! [laughs]. They dont have a party or anything. They gave us the key to the city we asked what it opened and they told us: nothing. So, like, whats the benefit of having a day? Q. You formed the band just over two years ago. Where do you see yourselves in another two years? A. We hope to be even more international. To be listened to more in Europe. Cumbia has never been global maybe now, a little more. We love being able to expand it. [Juan Javier]: And Brazil! Its a Latin American goal. Q. Do you want to mention anything else? A. [Beto]: I want to offer a public apology. Ive never traveled for so long and I fell asleep [during the interview]. [The flight to Europe] was about 10 hours and, because of jet lag, Im falling asleep. Sorry. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition A human brain-on-a-chip sounds like something from a science fiction film, a gadget powering its cyborg villain. But chemical and biological engineer Dr Raquel Rodrigues at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) in Braga, Portugal, believes that such a device will be key to developing more effective treatments for serious neurological disorders, such as Alzheimers. The brain is a very complex and puzzling organ, said Rodrigues. We need electronic monitoring of cells and experimental parts so we can learn how it works. Your brain on a chip Thanks to research funding from the EU, Rodrigues and fellow researchers at the INL were able to build a unique brain-emulating microchip as part of a two-year research effort called BrainChip4MED that concluded in February 2024. The research included a 12-month secondment to Brigham and Womens Hospital, part of Harvard Medical School and pioneers in the development of organs-on-a-chip (OoC) and biosensors. The ingenious, thumbnail-sized device developed by the researchers looks similar to chips in computers or smartphones, but is much more complex. The brain-on-a-chip simulates the way the human brain works, using a combination of chemistry, engineering and biology to create a complex micro-biosensor system for the real-time screening of new nanotherapeutics. Using a technology called microfluidics, the chip features multiple micro-channels with sizes of tens to hundreds of micrometers through which fluids can run. This makes it possible to analyze very small quantities of a product and test many samples at the same time, reducing the overall cost of testing. Protective brain barrier A central goal of the researchers was to address the problem of how to develop medicines able to cross the so-called blood-brain barrier. This tightly locked layer of cells helps protect the brain from toxins, germs and other harmful substances that could be present in the blood. Only the very smallest molecules can get through the blood-brain barrier. Although this plays a very important protective role, it has also hindered efforts to develop drugs for the treatment of neurological disorders. Any medicine meant to treat the brain needs to go through this membrane to reach its target. But short of testing on humans, there are few good ways to determine how well a drug will be able to penetrate into the brain itself. Today there are only four commercially available Alzheimers drugs, and none of those actually treat Alzheimers, they just work on the symptoms, said Rodrigues. Thats because pharmaceutical companies need to invest large amounts of funds in drugs they are unsure will pass the blood-brain barrier. So they dont, she said. A pharmaceutical company might spend millions developing a drug, only to find that it cannot get across the blood-brain barrier. The EU funding for the new brain-emulating chip developed at INL resolves this problem. Imitating life on a chip The research team recreated the blood-brain barrier membrane on the chip using bioorganic material. Thats what sets our work apart, said Rodrigues. We use a bio-membrane that more closely resembles the barrier in our brain. Other devices use physical barriers, made from polymeric components. We think a biological one is superior. With this new and improved brain-on-a-chip, researchers will be able to inject medicine under development into the chip to monitor its effects and see how well it is able to penetrate the brain. The aim is to change the way these kinds of medicines are developed. Today, this type of testing is mostly carried out on animals, but that comes with a range of ethical and practical downsides. These organs-on-a chip microchips offer a potential alternative to traditional animal testing. The brain of an animal is different from the brain of a human, said Rodrigues. Thats why a lot of medicines under development fail. Animal testing doesnt necessarily reproduce for humans. The stakes are high. Brain disorders are one of the greatest health challenges faced today. It is estimated that around 165 million Europeans are living with a brain disorder. One in three people will suffer from a neurological and/or mental disorder at some point in their lives. The global cost to European healthcare budgets is estimated to be 800 billion ($820 billion) per year, and this is expected to increase with an aging population. This includes well-known neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease. It also covers other disorders like epilepsy, depression, stroke, migraines, sleep disorders, traumatic brain injury, pain syndromes and addiction. Serious step forward INL is a leading European research institute co-funded by the national governments of Portugal and Spain. It is also supported by the EU and by industry. Dr Manuel Banobre-Lopez, leader of the Nanomedicine Research Group at INL, supervised the work on the new chip. At INL we have extensive expertise in microfluidics, the field that studies the kind of chip we made in BrainChip4MED, said Banobre-Lopez. Still, we might need to wait a bit longer for the brain-on-a-chip to be ready for use, he cautions. Even though the prototype is ready, further refinement is needed. It will also have to undergo rigorous testing to make sure it can be used for medicines that will eventually be administered to human patients. That process alone will take years. Nevertheless, the researchers are optimistic. We need to combat Alzheimers, its one of the most problematic neurological diseases in the world, said Rodrigues. And to do that, we need to find new drugs. Our technology is a serious step forward in that direction. Research in this article was funded by the Marie Skodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The views of the interviewees dont necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. This article was originally published in Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Neha Mewari USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Vivek Oberoi lived in a slum for three weeks - here's why Palak Vij USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept MSME pharma companies get additional one year to upgrade facilities under Schedule M 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Anishaa Kumar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Chhabi Kala USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Clash of titans: Delhi's Kalkaji to see mega contest among Atishi, Lamba, Bidhuri in 2025 assembly polls Manjiri Patil USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Arishaa Izaj USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 'It's a new Ayodhya!' How Ram Lalla gave an economic blessing to the city Armaan Bhatnagar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept No welfare scheme to be shut if BJP comes to power in Delhi, will weed out corruption: PM Modi Arishaa Izaj USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept ISLAMABAD, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and 32 others injured in an explosion in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province on Saturday, local media and officials said. The incident happened in Turbat district of the province, where a convoy was attacked and a bus in it was struck during the assault, officials told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. A senior police officer and his family members were injured in the attack and shifted to a nearby hospital, local reports said. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army claimed the attack in a post on social media, while the Pakistani authorities have not confirmed the attack. Tamal Nandi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Arindam Roy USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 82% workers who use AI at work are unhappy, finds study: 'Much of my education is now worthless' Ankita Sengupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Fish as big and heavy as motorbike sold for Rs 11 crore in Tokyo market Ankita Sengupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Biden administration was one of most pro-India administrations in decades: Expert 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has called for thoroughly studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at a meeting attended by publicity officials across the country, which was held in Beijing from Friday to Saturday. Cai stressed efforts to provide solid ideological guarantee, powerful inspiration and favorable cultural environment for building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. The CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has placed cultural development at the forefront of governance since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, yielding significant achievements, he said. The most significant achievement, according to Cai, is the establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, which serves as the cultural banner of the Party in the new era. Cai stressed the need to advance the solid implementation of the Party's innovative theories, foster a mainstream public opinion that rallies people to work together in unity, enhance the supply of cultural services and products, energize artistic creation and production, and promote the systemic preservation of cultural heritage, among others. He also emphasized promoting the high-quality development of tourism and expanding cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. Cai underlined strengthening the Party's overall leadership to continuously open new horizons in the work related to public communication and culture. Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, outlined key tasks, emphasizing the need to ensure their effective implementation with a strong sense of political responsibility. Ukraine will ask allies to boost its air defences at meeting in Germany, says Zelenskyy 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Why cases of child abuse by 'Pakistani rape gangs' not a bigger issue for UK media, asks Elon Musk Arindam Roy USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept SANAA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- A U.S.-led navy coalition launched three airstrikes on Yemen's northern province of Saada on Sunday morning, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported. The strikes targeted a military site of the Houthi group in the city, residents said on social media. The U.S. military has yet to comment on the claim. The U.S. Central Command said Tuesday in a press release that U.S. forces had conducted multiple precision strikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen's capital to degrade their "effort to threaten regional partners." The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been launching regular rocket and drone attacks against Israel and disrupting "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023 in support of Palestinians. A Kung Fu nun demonstrates her skills during the reopening of the nunnery for the first time since the Covid-19 closure at Druk Amitabha Mountain Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal, Dec. 30, 2024. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close OPINION Truth 80: A New Year of Reforms (or) the Same-O Same-O for 2025! VIENNA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said Sunday that he would meet leader of the far-right Freedom Party Herbert Kickl on Monday to discuss the formation of a new government. The move came after the collapse of three-party coalition talks among the People's Party, the Social Democratic Party and the NEOS and later the failure of two-party negotiations following the NEOS' withdrawal. On Saturday, Karl Nehammer also announced his resignation as the chancellor of the caretaker government and chairman of the People's Party after the coalition talks fell apart. Van der Bellen said he would appoint an interim successor in the coming week. It appears Palestinians in Gaza are not dying quickly enough to satisfy the real estate development timetables of some Israelis. So eight members of the Knesset sent a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu and Chair of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Yuli Edelstein, pressing them to pick up the genocide tempo by making more comprehensive efforts to deny the remaining Gazas entirely of food, water, and power, and also drone-executing anyone that moves not exiting areas to be cleared while waving a white flag. We thank Mondoweiss for reporting this appalling story and for readers guurst and Stacey B for calling it to our attention. We are reproducing Mondoweiss translation below. It makes a weak attempt to depict this Final Solution for Gazans as something other than what it is by pretending there will be humanitarian evacuation. As anyone who has been following the horrors in Gaza knows well by now, Israel has taken to herding Palestinians into purported safe zones and then killing them either en route or attacking the designated arrival area. It was obvious where Israeli officials wanted their campaign to go within weeks of October 7. From an October 21, 2023 post, Israel Intends to Make Gaza Uninhabitable by Cutting Power Permanently: It is striking to see how politicians, pundits, the press, and even key figures discuss the obvious trajectory of what Israel is doing to Gaza and its population. Humanitarian crisis winds up being inadequate since it averts attention from the deliberate steps Israel is taking to make living in Gaza untenable. Genocide is more apt but without describing the clear program Israel is launching, it can be depicted as overwrought. Israel will reduce Gaza to a place where it is impossible to live, at least until if and when Israel decides to decides to repossess it bit by bit and rebuild. It is indifferent to the question of whether neighboring countries will relent in the face of escalating starvation, dehydration, and disease and take Palestinians in. It just wants them dispatched by whatever means necessary. Israel plans first to reduce Gaza to rubble, as anyone could see when it started bombing apartment buildings on an indiscriminate basis. The excuse is it needs to do that as a preliminary to a ground operation to rout Hamas from the underground tunnels that survive the bombing campaign. Note military experts such as Scott Ritter have said that any clearing operation in Gaza would be a dangerous and high-casualty enterprise even for a military with the right equipment and equipment, and the IDF is not that. More important, Ritter and others have argued that the destruction of the buildings is likely to make any effort to wipe out the Hamas forces in Gaza more difficult. The latest Seymour Hersh article describes the current Israel plan, which again could be inferred from actions and other statements. But Hersh usefully gets on the record the malignant intent, per the boldfaced section: Netanyahus attitude, as assessed by the intelligence analysts, I was told, amounts to a determination to wipe out Hamas. One knowledgeable official told me that Gaza City is in the process of being turned into Hiroshima with no nuclear weapons used. At some point, he said, American-made bombs in the Israeli arsenal, including those known as bunker busters, may be targeted on the underground tunnel systems where Hamas manufactured the weapons and conducted planning for the horrific attacks in southern Israel on October 7. If you have any doubts, see the additional detail today from the BBC, in Israel aims to cut Gaza ties after war with Hamas. In other words, the elimination of Hamas from Gaza is the fig leaf for clearing Gaza of all Palestinians permanently. It would be impossible to resume water supplies or operate a hospital with no electricity. Its been obvious this is the plan. The Israelis are now making it explicit. So why are officials and pundits mincing words? Again, the destruction of hospitals and the targeting of medical personnel made it indisputable that Israel was intent on slaughtering all Gazans. Aside from the words of Israeli leaders, pundits and citizens, some of them captured in ICJ filings, we have acts like the choking off of food relief, gunning of people running to aid trucks, and videos of sacks of grain being emptied and filled with sand. So why the ratcheting up now? Did someone have Nazi death camp like estimates of how long it ought to take before the Palestinians succumbed from starvation, disease, and exposure, and theyve collectively managed to outlive forecasts, to much annoyance? Or is it that Israeli officials feel emboldened by the collapse of Syria and the just-around-the-corner arrival of the unconcerned-about-appearances Trump Administration? The worst is one cant even see this missive as the product of hardliners; the co-signers skew to right wingers but are still broadly representative. Needless to say, some things speak for themselves, and the document below is an example. The key bit is in the section numbered (1) to (3). Conor here: Maybe the NGOs arent going to save us. By Aaron Kirshenbaum, CODEPINKs War is Not Green campaigner and East Coast regional organizer. Cross posted from Common Dreams. On December 15, many people in Syria felt the earthquake. Seismic scales registered above 3.0 on the Richter scale and could be felt at least 500 miles away. Natural disasters usually have the attention of people around the world. When earthquakes happen, humanitarian workers and supplies are sent to help out. After hurricanes, organizations release statements responding to the urgency of the climate crisis and hypothetical transitions away from fossil fuels. In Syria, what happened on December 15 wasnt an earthquakeit was a massive airstrike that Israel carried out in Syria. This ongoing bombardment is reciprocally destructive to daily life and the environment as it continues to push the climate crisis further through jarring fossil fuel consumption. But where are the environmental organizations? Many organizations that would typically release these statements after natural disasters have been silent. Except this was not a natural disasterand the countries that would typically send humanitarian aid are the ones that caused this quake to happen. This deliberate mass destruction came shortly after the U.S. dropped dozens of bombs in just a few hours after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The bewildering longtime silence of environmental organizations when it comes to U.S. militarism is not representative of any genuine commitment to climate justice. The most heavily weighted factors in their silence may be a blissful ignorance from the normalization of a whitewashed environmentalism, or the fear of repression and financial repercussions of taking popular anti-war stances. Regardless, the murderous result is antithetical to everything they profess. A June 2024 United Nations report on the environmental impact of the genocide in Gaza highlighted the catastrophic impacts of Israels incessant bombing on the ecosystem, water quality, air quality, and soil in Gaza. Genocide doesnt just cause ecocide, isnt just parallel to ecocide, but is also a result of ecocide. Ecocide is a tactic of genocide. The long-term damage to every ecological foundation in Gaza makes it harder and harder to sustain life. Life cant be sustained without agriculture or without clean drinking water. And now, the U.S. and Israel are attempting to repeat this cycle of destruction in Syria, just as they have started to in Lebanon. Regardless of how hard the imperialism and war economy of Western powers try to create a lavish life for its beneficiaries at the expense of everyone else, it is fundamentally impossible to sustain life for anyone when war-making tools continue to devastate the planet. The grim irony is that the war economy eats its own makers. The first 120 days of the genocide in Gaza alone produced more emissions than 26 countries combined. Every new base that is established across the globe contaminates the soil that it occupies, harming the ecosystem and the valuable biodiversity that is critical for sustaining life. As it builds bases over occupied land globally, the military literally steamrolls over survival. Now, the U.S. and Israel are taking advantage of a destabilized Syria to eat away at the nations territory to gain more standing in a dangerous escalation against Iran. This is the newest development in a decades-long conquest for dominance in the oil industry that environmental organizations have long campaigned shifts away from. The U.S. has carried out this disastrous project through the extraction of oil in the ground for the sake of extracting more oil from the ground, destroying homes, families, and nations in the process, all while stumbling into the possibility of planetary destruction via climate collapse, nuclear winter, or both. U.S.-made Israeli bombs have killed multiple civilians in Yemen in the past weeks. Meanwhile, the cease-fire reached in Lebanon continues to be breached as toxic bombs rain down on the people of the country daily, while fossil fuels are unleashed in the sky, which has already led to island nations that toxic U.S. bases occupy becoming inhabitable. Since Assads fall, Israel has claimed more land in Syria than all of Gaza. The more that Israel and its allies encroach on this land, the more emboldened the U.S.-Israeli regime becomes in its terrorism throughout the region and the more it risks our global future. The short- and long-term survival of the people of Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen are increasingly threatened due to ecological devastation while they fight to prevent U.S.-made bombs from continuing to destroy their homes every single day. Is their disposability so blinding that these NGOs sacrifice themselves? The longer we escalate, the more emissions will be released from this catastrophe and the longer that crucial biodiversity and Indigenous caretaking will be destroyed. So, amid this war that is causing complete ecological and planetary devastation, where is the mainstream climate movement? When the U.S. military is the largest institutional polluter in the world, consuming 4.6 billion gallons of fuel annually (77-80% of all U.S. government energy consumption), how can its deadliest campaign in years be ignored by those who seek to protect the planet? When the bombs the U.S. manufactures register on the Richter scale, how is that not a threat to the environment? How is nuclear winter not a threat to agricultural global survival? How can the groups that claim to care about our well-being not stand against a deadly bombing campaign in Syria and possible war with Iran or Russia? The anti-war movement from within the U.S. is at its strongest in decades. The majority of Americans want a cease-fire in Gaza. The environmental movement from within the belly of the beast must recognize that it needs to be part of this anti-war movement and push for the U.S. to take its hands off Syria. It must raise the publics consciousness of the dangers of war with Iran. When we think about existential threats to the planet, environmental organizations should be looking at the ecological devastation that Israel and the U.S. are causing and ask themselves why they havent done or said a damn thing about the elephant in the room. There are plenty of theories of what brought down Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 on Christmas Day. The plane, which was traveling from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Grozny in the Russian region of Chechnya, ran into trouble over Russia and made an emergency landing in Aktau, Kazakhstan, in which 38 of the 67 people on board were killed. The black boxes from the aircraft are currently being analyzed at Brazils Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents, but whats already clear is that some have already made up their minds that Russia is responsible. Media in the US and Europe were of course quick to point the finger. Thats unsurprising; they blame Moscow for every stubbed toe and spilt coffee. What is surprising is that the president of Azerbaijan whose country has maintained strong ties with Russia despite the with-us-or-against-us Western pressure in recent years is on the same page as the Western media. That marks a major shift. Regardless of whether the alleged downing of the plane was part of a new stage of provocative pressure against Moscow, an accident with Russian air defense missiles, or was some sharp-winged birds, it does appear to be doing real damage to the Azerbaijani-Russian relationship. And that could have major implications for the South Caucasus where the pivot state of Azerbaijan is the most important transport and logistics hub in the region. Lets take a look at what the Azerbaijan president is saying about the incident and examine what it might mean for the region. Aliyevs Statements Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev was once described in a Wikileaks US diplomatic cable as an unpredictable hothead similar to Sonny Corleone, but he has been anything but in recent years. While calmly playing both sides, hes managed to retake Nagorno-Karabakh (whatever one may think about the method), become a major gas supplier to the EU, and maintain strong ties with Moscow and workable relationships with other players in the region. His comments about the plane crash therefore raise eyebrows. Before the black boxes are analyzed, Aliyev is putting the blame on Russia, which he says accidentally shot down the plane, continued to use electronic warfare against it afterwards, and then tried to cover it up. He might end up being right, but these are still bold proclamations coming from the president who just recently stood by Azerbaijans alliance with Russia. Here are the relevant quotes from his Dec. 29 interview with Azerbaijan Television at Heydar Aliyev (Ilhams father) International Airport: The facts indicate that the Azerbaijani civilian plane was damaged from the outside over Russian territory, near the city of Grozny, and almost lost control. We also know that means of electronic warfare put our plane out of control. This was the first impact on the plane. At the same time, as a result of fire from the ground, the tail of the plane was also severely damaged The fact that the fuselage is riddled with holes indicates that the theory of the plane hitting a flock of birds, which was brought up by someone, is completely removed from the agenda. It is possible that when the plane was damaged, when it was hit, the pilot could have perceived it as a collision with birds. Because it would probably never have occurred to anyone that our plane might be fired at from the ground while flying over a country friendly to us. Unfortunately, however, some circles in Russia preferred to put forward this theory. Another regrettable and surprising moment for us was that official Russian agencies put forward theories about the explosion of a gas cylinder on board the plane. In other words, this clearly showed that the Russian side wanted to cover up the issue, which, of course, is unbecoming of anyone. Of course, our plane was hit by accident. Of course, there can be no talk of a deliberate act of terror here. Therefore, admitting guilt, apologizing in a timely manner to Azerbaijan, which is considered a friendly country, and informing the public about this these were measures and steps that should have been taken. Unfortunately, for the first three days, we heard nothing from Russia except for some absurd theories Some believe that the plane was deliberately sent off course by ground handling services in Grozny because the plane was already out of control, and there was a high probability it would fall into the sea. If this had been the case, the cover-up attempts would have been successful, and the so-called bird theory would have been presented as the most likely versionwe can clearly say today that the plane was shot down by Russia. This is a fact, and no-one can deny this fact. Again, we are not saying that this was done intentionally, but it was done. Strong accusations. Notably Aliyev does not once mention Ukrainian drones, which were being launched against civilian infrastructure in the region at the time of the plane downing. That might help explain how Russia accidentally shot at the plane if thats indeed what happened. Its unclear why Aliyev doesnt mention the possibility that shrapnel from a Ukrainian drone could have caused the damage to the plane. While Aliyev no doubt has public opinion to worry about after such an awful incident, is it not odd that even if his theory is 100 percent correct, he wouldnt at least try to soften the blow against his ally Russia and present Ukraine as at least partially responsible? Instead Kiev is largely getting a free pass as public anger is directed at Moscow. For what its worth, Aliyevs theory of what happened is the same as US officials quoted in American media. Both could be right, although Western media no doubt have an interest in using the incident to drive a wedge between Baku and Moscow. The question is whether Aliyev is on board with that potential outcome? Could he be looking to play an Erdogan role where he utilizes leverage over Moscow in a similar way that Ankara has? Viewing Aliyevs Comments Against Backdrop of Recent Events in South Caucasus Aliyevs being so quick to forcefully blame Russia is a bit of a Sonny Corleone reaction, especially for someone whos played his cards carefully in recent years. Could recent events in the Caucasus help explain his shift? Lets examine the terrain: Russian influence has come under increasing pressure there since the start of the Ukraine war. Georgia looks to have fought off a color revolution attempt for now. Again its important to note the ruling party in Georgia is not anti-US or EU, it simply wants to maintain good ties with Russia and not be turned into another Ukraine. In Armenia its another story. It continues to move out of Russian orbit politically if not economically. A US military officer is now the main adviser to Armenias defense ministry, the French are training Armenian units and signing weapons deals, and India has replaced Russia as Armenias top arms supplier. Yerevan is also seeking security guarantees from Brussels and Washington. Moscow is observing the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process from the sidelines (it used to lead the talks), although it still seemingly exerts quite a bit of influence over Baku. The two sides are nearing the conclusion of bilateral negotiations on a peace agreement that could have major implications for connectivity at the Eurasian crossroads. Simultaneously, Turkiye and Armenia are working to normalize relations, a process that Ankara ties to Armenias talks with Baku. The US has weaseled its way into these processes via Armenia and is looking to exploit the situation to weaken Iran and Russia. There are hang ups to deals between Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Armenia, including Bakus demand that Armenia remove an implicit claim on Nagorno-Karabakh in its constitution. The most challenging issue in Armenian-Azerbaijani talks, however, is the establishment of transport links and specifically who will control them. The Battle for Control Over Logistics Corridors in the South Caucasus The so-called Zangezur Corridor which would stretch parallel to Armenias border with Iran and link Azerbaijan to its Turkiye-bordered exclave of Nakhchivan is the missing link in what would be the shortest land transport route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. And key to many involved parties is not only the shorter distance but the fact that its one of the few routes that entirely bypasses Russia. The corridor would also be a key intersection point of other burgeoning NorthSouth and EastWest routes. The Middle Corridor, for example, which passes from China through Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, and Turkiye extending to Europe could see major upgrades with the opening of Zangezur. And so outside involvement and pressure steadily builds on Armenia and Azerbaijan . The main issue holding up talks between the two is Point 9 of the trilateral statement signed between Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia in 2020 following the Second Karabakh War, which reads: All economic and transport links in the region shall be unblocked. The Republic of Armenia shall guarantee the safety of transport communication between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic with a view to organize the unimpeded movement of citizens, vehicles and cargo in both directions. Control over transport communication shall be exercised by the Border Guard Service bodies of the FSS of Russia. Azerbaijan continues to insist upon this point, while Armenia no longer wants Russian border guards present, and instead argues for solutions like Russia monitoring the corridor from afar. How exactly that would be done isnt yet clear. The Armenian prime minister is making statements about entrusting Zangezurs security to foreign private forces. These ideas are coming as Armenia removes Russian border guards. On Wednesday at Armenias request, the Russians withdrew from the only official Armenian-Iranian crossing, which followed the departure of Russian border guards from Yerevans Zvartnots Airport in July,. Since 1992 Armenias borders with Turkiye and Iran have been the responsibility of Russian troops. Meanwhile, the number of EU guards on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border keeps expanding. Both Azerbaijan and Russia are critical of the EU mission creep, and Baku continues to insist that Yerevan agree to the deployment of Russian border guards along the Zangezur Corridor. Could that be changing? Any agreement between Baku and Yerevan (and its Western backers) that excludes Russia would be a major power play from the Turkic axis and a perceived win for the US-Israel axis as it would sideline Russia and Iran. How the latter two would respond remains to be seen, but whats clear is how the Middle East conflicts and Ukraine war are bleeding into the Caucasus. Its easy to see how it could become part of a deal that helps temporarily ease the tensions among the conquering parties of Syria by continuing to focus on areas on overlapping interests or get dragged in nonetheless. Heres a brief look at key players positions in this theater of The Great Game: Iran Pretty straightforward: Regional peace, security and stability is not merely a preference, but a pillar of our national security. Any threat from North, South, East, or West to territorial integrity of our neighbors or redrawing of boundaries is totally unacceptable and a red line for Iran. Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) September 5, 2024 From Irans perspective the Zangezur Corridor is a nightmare. Neocon think tanks in Washington have long dreamed of using Azerbaijan to destabilize Iran as they have for weakening Russian influence in the South Caucasus. Ethnic Azeri citizens who are estimated to make up 15 percent of the Iranian population. Tehrans concerns about Azerbaijan are further aggravated by Tel Avivs support to Azerbaijan (more on that below). Tehran also faces the following economic fallout from the Zangezur Corridor, according to Security & Defence Quarterly:: Azerbaijan used to pay 15 percent of the 350 million cubic metres of gas sent to Nakhchivan through Iran as a transit fee. With the opening of the new corridor, Iran may lose this profit. An agreement on sale of gas was signed between Turkiye and Iran in 1996. Based on that agreement, Turkiye has been buying gas from Iran for years. While Turkiye pays Iran US$490 for a thousand cubic metres of gas, it can buy the same amount from Azerbaijan for US$335. If a gas pipeline is built from Azerbaijan to Turkiye through this corridor, Irans loss of gas revenue may be huge. The planned gas pipeline project from Turkmenistan through Iran to Turkiye then to Europe was frozen in 2017 because of financial disagreements. Turkmenistan can now deliver this gas to Europe via Azerbaijan. The importance of Irans pipeline to Armenia has also decreased. The Strategic Council of Foreign Relations in Tehran, whose director is Irans former minister of foreign affairs Kamal Kharazi, condemned the construction of the Zangezur corridor, indicating that the corridor has been introduced as NATOs Turan corridor, a project ostensibly supported by Israel and NATO, which aims to foment ethnic unrest in the areas of Iran inhabited by Turks. As per the aforementioned Council, NATOs Turan corridor is supposed to directly bring NATO onto the northern border of Iran, the southern border of Russia, and western China and lay the groundwork for their disintegration. Moscow and Tehran are reportedly set to sign their strategic partnership in the coming weeks, which will alter the calculus of all involved parties. Turkiye Turkiye has been the driving force behind many of the Caucasus cooperation projects in recent years, such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, and the Trans-Anatolian and Trans-Adriatic Pipelines connecting Azerbaijan to Europe via Turkiye. Erdogan and friends view the Zangezur Corridor as bigger than all that and a key piece in the countrys rise as a Eurasian Great Power. Heres what Ankara envisions: A gas pipeline from Baku to Turkiye through the corridor. Increased leverage in negotiating gas prices with Iran. Resurrecting the Trans-Caspian pipeline and transporting that gas through Turkiye to Europe (A pipeline through a Nakhchivan corridor could help boost supplies to Europe to upwards of 31 bcm, although that would be years away, and ironically, due to its heavy investments in the Azerbaijani oil and gas sector, one of the bigger beneficiaries of any Brussels-Baku deals could be Russia. Azerbaijan is even importing more Russian gas itself in order to meet its obligations to Europe. A logistics corridor stretching to China. A railroad line from Turkiye to Nakhchivan could make Turkiye a regional transit hub in addition to an energy one. The US-Israel-EU The US wants to sideline Russia and Iran. The EU does what the US wants. Therefore, the West (including Turkiye) tries to ensure the flow of resources of the South Caucasus and Central Asia to Europe bypassing Russia and Iran and reducing their influence, as well as that of Beijing. As always, the US permanent state is in lockstep with Israel, and its important to note that despite the surface friction between Ankara and Tel Aviv, in the South Caucasus their interests once again align. Israel supports pan-Turkic ambitions through the Caucasus because Tel Aviv views Turkish influence as preferable to that of Iran even if it potentially sets Greater Turkiye and Greater Israel up for a future clash. Israel too continues to exert influence in Azerbaijan through its role as the countrys main weapon supplier, including air defense systems, all the latest in drones and surveillance tech, as well as cooperation in cybersecurity. Israel is also Azerbaijans leading oil importer, a trade which continues to be partially facilitated by Turkiye despite the countrys ban on trade with Israel or what Erdogan calls a Zionist terrorist organization. China Beijing wants to expand its influence and open or expand more trade routes. China has signed strategic partnership agreements with Tbilisi and Baku and is pursuing major infrastructure projects, such as that port in Georgia, which causes so much heartburn in the US. Russia Russia wants to maintain a dominant role in the Caucasus, including in trade corridors, which become even more important due to Western isolation efforts. It was long in Moscows interests to have a simmering conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan as that allowed it to play peace broker and maintain a presence, but it is increasingly being pushed out of these processes. It still has a military base in Armenia, as well as peacekeepers, and border control, although their numbers are declining at Armenias request, and the military base could be next. Armenia The corridor would be a boon for Armenia as long as it doesnt alienate Russia, which it largely depends on economically. From the Emirates Policy Center: Russia has also kept Armenia in its orbit through maintaining economic ties. The trade turnover between the two countries increased from $2.6 billion in 2021 to $7.3 billion in 2023. That has significantly ensured the growth of Armenias GDP by 12.6% in 2022 and by 8.3% in 2023. Armenia declares that it is not interested in breaking relations with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), affirming plans to actively participate in the organization despite the fact that Armenia has frozen its membership in the CSTO and is reducing its activity in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Moreover, the EAEU-Iran free trade agreement boosts Armenias role as the only EAEU member bordering Iran. Close economic ties also give Russia leverage, as many Armenian producers depend on its market, allowing Moscow to impose restrictive measures if needed. Additionally, EAEU membership prevents Armenia from signing an Association Agreement with the EU, creating a long-term economic deterrent against turning to the West. Despite the economic reliance on Russia, Armenia has largely been infiltrated by American interests and could likely be made to go along with a deal that fits with the US-Israels goals. The key is Azerbaijan, which much like Turkiye effectively plays both sides. It enjoys ties with Russia primarily in energy and logistics while upping its natural gas deliveries to the EU. It has a strong weapons-for-energy relationship with Israel that it uses to help balance its relationship with Iran. Aliyevs reaction to the downing of flight J2-8243 could point to a willingness to take some more chances with Russia. Like Erdogan, Aliyev might reasonably believe that Russia needs it at this time and is not in position to take a strong stance or retaliate. Moscow must cooperate with Baku on trade connectivity due to the Wests attempts to isolate it, and thats a reliance Azerbaijan might now be keen to exploit. Washington has long tried to resurrect animosity between Baku and Moscow. The US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mark Libby, who previously worked in Baghdad and as deputy chief of mission and charge daffaires at the US Mission to the EU among other posts, was hastily dispatched to the country in December of 2023. One of his first actions was to visit the Alley of Martyrs dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January 1990 (these old USSR wounds are gifts that just keep giving for the US, e.g.,The Holodomor Industry in Ukraine). Where that obvious ploy failed, the newer wound caused by Russias alleged downing of the flight could succeed. In conclusion, its still too early to answer cui bono, but if actions accompany Aliyevs accusations then we could be looking at another win for the US-Israel axis. GREAT REPLACEMENT plan via ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION proven NOT to be conspiracy theory as the Empire of George Soros dictates in Project Syndicate George Soros, a wealthy financier, outlines a plan to flood the European Union with at least one million asylum seekers annually, funded through long-term Euro bonds. The plan calls for "safe channels" to be established for asylum seekers, facilitating their movement from countries like Greece and Italy to other EU member states, including Hungary. The influx of illegal immigrants is described as part of the "Great Replacement Plan," aimed at supplanting the native populations of invaded countries, leading to economic, social, and infrastructural disruption. Non-government organizations (NGOs) are implicated in supporting the plan by providing resources, transportation, and logistical assistance to the illegal immigrants. The plan is portrayed as a coordinated effort to dismantle existing power, legal, religious, and educational systems, ultimately replacing conservative structures with what is characterized as an extreme liberal system. In a Project Syndicate publication, the insidious mega-billionaire George Soros lays out the 6 components of his comprehensive plan. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reads to us what it very clearly states as its first point, EU has to accept at least a million asylum seekers annually. Secondly, George Soros says that adequate financing is critical, meaning illegal immigration must be funded for at least a million refugees to be able to invade another country in one year. For this financing, Soros plans to issue long-term Euro bonds for financing the migrant invasion, including their social and welfare needs like food, shelter, and travel money when they arrive in the European Union (and anywhere else Soros funds these illegal alien invasions, like the USA the past 4 years). George Soros even lays out in the plan specifically targeted at Hungary, that safe channels must be established for asylum seekers starting with getting them from Greece and Italy to their destination countries, which means bring them from Greece to Hungary. This is not just talking about a few hundred families around the European continent seeking a better life in a different country over the next ten years, its a written and published PLAN by an organized, internationally funded, illegal immigration GANG referred to as the Empire of George Soros. The Great Replacement Plan is no conspiracy theory as its documented, funded, and well-planned out by mega-billionaire George Soros This is why it is called the Great Replacement Plan, because these millions of funded illegal immigrants literally REPLACE the citizens of the nation they invade, by taking their homes, their jobs, their votes, their resources, their land (squatting indefinitely), and even their children when these illegal immigrants who are criminals and drug dealers in real gangs traffic citizens kids and teens for money in the sex slave networks. The plan transgresses legal systems of nations in order to function. It violates regulations and laws, while wrecking the financial, economic, and social systems of the towns and cities that are swamped with these migrants. Its like a huge wrecking ball that just keeps on coming, destroying the infrastructure over and over again. Non-government organizations (NGOs) support this trafficking of illegal immigrants, criminal gangs, and mentally unstable asylum seekers with all the resources they need to get where they are going and stay there. These NGOs are heavily funded and set up offices, transportation hubs, processing centers, holding stations, and even put these illegal immigrants on trucks, buses, trains and planes and transport them into cities and towns that George Soros and his globalist cohorts want to invade with them. This replacement plan fosters illegal activity, as these illegal immigrants dont have any identification, information in police systems, medical records, assets, credit reports, social security numbers, or any way at all to be identified, especially if they commit crimes, get in vehicle accidents, and so on. This is how George Soros captures many important positions held inside institutions of countries, dismantling the power system, the legal system, religious and educational systems all at the same time. Its an extreme Liberal system that wrecks the Conservative systems that are in place. I do remember how Mr George Soros published his plan in English We are fighting an organised gang called empire of George Soros The EU has to accept at least a million asylum seekers annually Listen to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - what you seriously thought pic.twitter.com/7kaIbXsIcE Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) December 26, 2024 Tune your apocalypse dial to preparedness.news for updates on real news about surviving the Democrat-led government aggression, lies, and propaganda that comes at us every day now, funded by billionaire George Soros and his son. Sources for this article include: Censored.news NaturalNews.com Major insurance company to discontinue condo and renter policies in California Liberty Mutual, the fourth-largest home insurer in California, will discontinue its condo and renter policies, citing increasing risk and volatility. Existing policyholders will lose coverage in 2026. The decision has sent shockwaves through the community, with many Californians struggling to find affordable insurance due to rising premiums and insurer cancellations. Over half of Californians have been affected by coverage issues or premium increases. Escalating costs and risks associated with climate change, particularly wildfires, are driving insurers to rethink their risk exposure in California. Since 2020, major insurers like State Farm and Allstate have also withdrawn from the state. In an attempt to stabilize the insurance market, California allows insurers to use predictive computer models to set premiums based on climate change risks. However, this has led to concerns about further rate hikes for policyholders. Despite regulatory efforts, the insurance market remains volatile. The departure of Liberty Mutual is seen as a significant setback, potentially leading to a further decline in coverage options and increased costs for those who can still find insurance. In a significant setback to California's insurance market, Liberty Mutual, the state's fourth-largest home insurer, announced that it will be discontinuing its condo and renter policies. This development comes at a time when the Golden State is grappling with a crisis in the insurance industry, marking yet another red flag for homeowners and policyholders across the state. According to filings with the California Department of Insurance, Liberty Mutual will stop offering new condo and renter policies starting next year. Existing policyholders will then lose their coverage in 2026. The news surprised the community, as many Californians are already struggling to find affordable insurance due to increasing premiums and insurer cancellations. (Related: Liberty Mutual insurance partners with same company Best Buy used to discriminate against hiring White people). "We are simplifying and focusing our product investments, targeting core lines of business while reducing our menu of product offerings," a spokesperson for Liberty Mutual told Newsweek. However, many observers are skeptical about this claim, given that the company has been wrestling with losses in the state for years. The issue goes far beyond Liberty Mutual. Several large insurers have withdrawn from California in recent years, citing escalating costs and increased risks, particularly wildfires. Since 2020, State Farm and Allstate have pulled back on their coverage, leaving many Californians in the lurch. Wildfires, which have scorched over one million acres of land this year alone, are a major concern for insurance companies. These devastating events are becoming increasingly common, and the associated losses are straining insurers' resources. As a result, many companies are rethinking their risk exposure in the state. It's not just wildfires that are pushing insurers to the breaking point. Labor shortages and higher fees for home repairs are also contributing factors. In the face of these challenges, many insurers are finding it increasingly difficult to justify writing new policies in California. Departure of Liberty Mutual is a setback in California's efforts to stabilize its insurance market The impact on policyholders is already stark. Over half of Californians have reported being affected by rising premiums or having their coverage canceled outright. The situation has created a perfect storm of financial and emotional stress for homeowners and renters alike. One particularly affected group is condo owners. According to filings, Liberty Mutual currently insures about 67,500 condos in California. These policyholders will soon be forced to find new coverage, a daunting task given the limited options in the market. Moreover, the departure of key insurers is exacerbating an already unstable market. The state's Department of Insurance has been trying to implement reforms to stabilize the situation. However, these efforts have been criticized by consumer advocates who fear that the new regulations will lead to even sharper rate hikes for policyholders. In a bid to mitigate the crisis, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced that insurers will be permitted to use advanced computer models to predict future risks when setting premiums. In exchange, companies must expand coverage in areas most at risk from wildfires. Despite these efforts, the market remains volatile, with cross-currents, contradictions and chaos. While some companies like Farmers Insurance have expressed optimism about the new market conditions and are expanding their coverage, others are walking away. The departure of Liberty Mutual represents a significant setback in California's efforts to stabilize its insurance market. As more and more insurers withdraw, the state risks seeing a further decline in coverage options and a surge in costs for those who can still find insurance. For now, the state is left to grapple with the immediate impact of this decision, with many condo and renter policyholders facing the daunting task of finding new coverage before 2026. Visit DebtCollapse.com for similar stories. Watch a discussion on home insurance. We lost everything Florida citizen's Insurance rejection skyrocket. This video is from Treasure of the Sun on Brighteon.com. More related: Economic crisis: Americans are unprepared for the coming collapse. Report: U.S. manufacturing sector slashed 26,000 jobs in November as industry woes persist. HALF of all U.S. states going BANKRUPT, financial report finds. Bidens economic time bomb: A warning to Trump. Sources are: DailyMail.co.uk Newsweek.com AOI.com Brighteon.com Aaron Day: Roger Vers arrest and prosecution signals war on DECENTRALIZED FINANCE The U.S. government has intensified its efforts to prosecute prominent figures in the cryptocurrency sphere, including Bitcoin pioneer Roger Ver, in a move that has alarmed the DeFi community. The crackdown is linked to the federal government's efforts to promote central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and regulate decentralized cryptocurrencies, as mandated by Executive Order 14067 signed by President Biden. Roger Ver's arrest serves as a warning to other crypto advocates, reflecting the government's broader strategy to undermine alternative financial systems and maintain control over the monetary system. President-elect Donald Trump, who opposes CBDCs and advocates for economic liberty, can potentially shape the future of decentralized finance through his policies, including a possible pardon for Roger Ver. The ongoing tension between centralized financial systems and the principles of economic freedom and decentralized finance highlights the need for vigilance in protecting financial innovation and privacy. The outcome will shape the future of digital currencies in the U.S. and beyond. In an alarming development that has sent shockwaves through the decentralized finance (DeFi) community, the U.S. federal government has launched a crackdown on prominent figures in the cryptocurrency space, including Bitcoin pioneer Roger Ver. The reasons behind this targeted persecution are multifaceted but clearly connected to the federal government's push toward central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and stricter regulation of decentralized cryptocurrencies. This aligns with the outgoing Biden administration's Executive Order (EO) 14067, which mandates the exploration of CBDCs and the use of a "whole-of-government" approach to regulate decentralized cryptocurrencies. Roger Ver, often referred to as "Bitcoin Jesus" for his early advocacy and adoption of the cryptocurrency, has long been a vocal critic of CBDCs and a proponent of alternative, decentralized financial systems. His arrest and prosecution serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict between centralized financial systems and the ideals of economic freedom and decentralization. During an appearance on InfoWars' "The Alex Jones Show" on Dec. 18, Aaron Day, a privacy coin advocate, observed that the federal government's campaigns against pro-decentralization figures like Ian Freeman and Jeremy Kauffman are part of a coordinated strategy to undermine alternative financial systems. He noted to guest host Mike Adams that these actions signal a broader effort to stifle opposition to CBDCs and maintain control over the monetary system. EO 14067, signed by outgoing President Joe Biden in March 2022, sets the stage for this crackdown. The order calls for the exploration of CBDCs and the establishment of a framework for digital asset regulation. While the order itself does not mandate the development of a U.S. CBDC, it has created a regulatory environment that justifies aggressive actions against crypto advocates. The Biden administration's push for a CBDC is not without precedent; other major economies like China, India, and Australia are also exploring or have already launched their own CBDC initiatives. The timing and intensity of the Ver case raise significant concerns. Day has pointed out that the government has accelerated its efforts to target key figures in the crypto community, possibly due to the perceived threat that individuals like Ver pose to CBDC ambitions. This targeted prosecution serves not only as a warning sign to other crypto advocates but also as a means to demonstrate the federal government's resolve in controlling the monetary system. (Related: Experts warn: Centralized digital currencies could be used to control how people behave.) Trump's potential pardon of Roger Ver could reshape decentralized finance President-elect Donald Trump, a vocal critic of CBDCs and a strong advocate for economic liberty, could play a significant role in shaping the future of decentralized finance. Trump's opposition to CBDCs is well-documented, and his statements at the 2024 Bitcoin Conference, where he declared there would never be a CBDC during his presidency, have resonated strongly with the crypto community. Adams noted that if Trump takes office again, a pardon for Ver could be a powerful statement in support of decentralized finance and a rejection of centralized monetary control. Trump's pardon of Ver would be a bold move to bolster the crypto community and demonstrate his commitment to economic freedom. It would also be a practical step to fulfill his campaign promise to prevent the implementation of CBDCs. Roger Ver, with his extensive knowledge of the crypto ecosystem and his fierce opposition to centralized financial systems, is uniquely positioned to help the government navigate the complexities of regulating and promoting decentralized finance. In conclusion, the persecution of Ver and other crypto advocates by the federal government highlights a critical juncture in the fight for economic freedom and decentralized finance. The Biden administration's push for CBDCs is at odds with the principles of individual liberty and financial autonomy that many crypto proponents champion. As the debate over the future of money intensifies, it is crucial that both policymakers and citizens remain vigilant in defending the rights to financial innovation and privacy. The fate of Ver will undoubtedly continue to serve as a litmus test for the future of decentralized finance and a critical indicator of the direction the U.S. government intends to take in the realm of digital currencies. The time to protect economic freedom and decentralization is now, and the actions of key figures like Trump will be crucial in shaping the course of monetary history. Watch the second hour of the Health Ranger Mike Adams' Dec. 18 guest hosting on "The Alex Jones Show," where he interviews Roger Ver, Tracy Thurman and Aaron Day. This video is from the Ron Gibson Channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump vows to BAN central bank digital currencies: "There will never be a CBDC while I am president." Trump vows to prevent the Federal Reserve from creating an American CBDC. Trump tells supporters he will "never allow" a CBDC if re-elected. Sources include: Brighteon.com Plisio.net ReclaimTheNet.org Russia sentences U.S. citizen to 15 years for alleged genetic espionage U.S. national Eugene Spector was convicted by Russia and sentenced to 15 years in prison, along with a $135,000 fine, for allegedly collecting and transferring biomedical and biotechnological data on Russian citizens to a foreign entity reportedly linked to the Pentagon. The FSB claims Spectors activities were part of a U.S. effort to develop a high-speed genetic screening system targeting Russias population, reigniting fears of gene-specific bioweapons and the misuse of genetic data. The case reflects escalating mistrust between Russia and the West, particularly since the Ukraine conflict, with both sides accusing each other of espionage and bioweapons research, including in Ukraine. Russia has tightened regulations on biological data exports, viewing genetic research as a potential national security threat, with President Putin expressing concerns about genetic weapons. Spectors sentencing is expected to further strain already tense U.S.-Russia relations, highlighting the growing divide and the weaponization of technology in geopolitical confrontations. In a case that underscores the escalating tensions between Russia and the West, Moscow has sentenced U.S. national Eugene Gene Spector to 15 years in prison and imposed a hefty 14 million-ruble ($135,000) fine on charges of espionage. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) alleges that Spector, a former chairman of Russias Medpolymerprom Group, was illegally collecting biomedical and biotechnological data on Russian citizens, which he allegedly handed over to a foreign entity. According to the FSB, Spector was acting in the interests of the Pentagon and a commercial organization affiliated with it. The agency claims his activities were part of a broader effort by the United States to develop a high-speed genetic screening system targeting Russias population. This case has reignited concerns about the potential misuse of genetic data and the development of gene-specific bioweapons, a topic that has been a source of anxiety for Russian officials in recent years. Spectors conviction is not his first brush with Russian law. In 2022, he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his role as a mediator in a bribery case involving Anastasia Alekseeva, an aide to former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich. His latest arrest in August 2023 on espionage charges culminated in a closed-door trial, during which the court found him guilty of gathering and transferring classified materials. The FSBs allegations against Spector are part of a broader narrative that Russia has been pushing for years. Moscow has repeatedly accused the United States of conducting bioweapons research, particularly in Ukraine, and has expressed fears about the potential use of genetic weapons targeting specific populations. These concerns have been amplified by reports of Western nations collecting genetic data through programs such as infant DNA databanking and COVID-19 test swabs. The case also highlights the growing mistrust between Russia and the West, particularly since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. In recent years, both sides have expelled diplomats and accused each other of espionage. Earlier this year, Russia and the United States engaged in a high-profile prisoner swap, exchanging 26 individuals held in various countries. Among those sent to the U.S. were Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, both of whom had been convicted of espionage in Russia. Genetic research is now a matter of national security Spectors sentencing has drawn attention to the increasing scrutiny of genetic research and data collection in Russia. The country has tightened regulations on the export of biological data, citing fears of foreign exploitation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly expressed concerns about the development of genetic weapons, which he believes could be used against Russia. While specific details of Spectors case remain classified, the FSBs allegations suggest that the Kremlin views genetic data as a potential national security threat. The agency claims that Spectors activities were aimed at creating a system to analyze Russias population, raising questions about the potential applications of such technology. The U.S. State Department has acknowledged reports of Spectors sentencing but has not provided further comment. The case is likely to further strain relations between Washington and Moscow, which are already at a historic low. As the world grapples with the ethical and security implications of genetic research, Spectors case serves as a stark reminder of the potential for such technologies to be weaponized. It also underscores the growing divide between Russia and the West, where accusations of espionage and bioweapons development have become a recurring theme in the geopolitical landscape. For now, Eugene Spector will serve his 15-year sentence in a maximum-security penal colony, a harsh reminder of the high stakes in the ongoing confrontation between Russia and the United States. As both nations continue to vie for dominance in the realms of technology and security, cases like this are likely to become increasingly common, further complicating an already fraught relationship. Sources include: InfoWars.com RT.com Newsweek.com Study finds harmful forever chemicals in wristbands A study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters revealed that certain high-end wristbands contain alarmingly high levels of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), a type of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Researchers tested 22 wristbands from various brands and found that the median concentration of PFHxA was nearly 800 parts per billion (ppb), with one sample exceeding 16,000 ppb. This is significantly higher than the 200 ppb median found in cosmetics in a previous study. PFAS are known to be extremely durable and persistent in the environment, but these same properties make them a significant public health threat. The study raises concerns about the potential for these chemicals to enter the human body through prolonged skin contact. With over 20 percent of Americans using smartwatches or fitness trackers, the risk of exposure to these chemicals is significant. The study highlights the urgent need for further research and regulatory action to address the issue. Consumers are advised to opt for lower-cost silicone wristbands or carefully read product descriptions to avoid fluoroelastomers. The discovery underscores the need for manufacturers to prioritize user safety and for consumers to support legislation that holds companies accountable for product safety. A recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters has uncovered a potential health hazard associated with smartwatches and fitness trackers. The research, conducted by a team of scientists including University of Notre Dame PFAS expert Graham Peaslee, found that certain high-end wristbands used in these devices contain alarmingly high levels of forever chemicals, specifically perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA). For those familiar with the growing concerns over PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), this news is particularly alarming. PFAS are known for their durability, which makes them ideal for manufacturing everything from stain-resistant fabrics to microwave popcorn bags. However, these same properties are what make PFAS a significant environmental and public health threat. Once released into the environment, PFAS persist virtually forever, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals." (Related: Texas declares war on FOREVER CHEMICALS: AG Paxton sues 3M and DuPont for marketing toxic PFAS as safe.) The study focused on wristbands made from fluorinated synthetic rubber, commonly known as fluoroelastomers. These are often found in pricier, higher-quality wristbands, designed to withstand the rigors of daily use and intense workouts. While the initial intent was to create a product that would resist water, sweat and discoloration, the study reveals a startling downside: the potential for these chemicals to enter the human body through prolonged skin contact. Are cheaper smartwatch wristbands safer? The scientists tested 22 wristbands from various brands and price points, all of which contained some form of fluorine, a telltale sign of PFAS presence. But it was the concentration of PFHxA that raised red flags. The median concentration of PFHxA was nearly 800 parts per billion (ppb), with one sample exceeding a startling 16,000 ppb. To put this in perspective, a previous study by the same team found a median concentration of around 200 ppb of PFAS in cosmetics. This indicates that smartwatch and fitness tracker wristbands may expose users to significantly higher concentrations of these chemicals than other everyday products. The implications of this discovery are profound. With more than a fifth of Americans wearing a smartwatch or fitness tracker, often for extended periods, the risk of exposure to these chemicals is real and widespread. While the exact health impacts of PFHxA are still not fully understood, there is concern over its potential to pass through human skin during normal wear. Peaslee, the study's lead author, noted, "We have never seen extractable concentrations in the part-per-million range (>1000 ppb) for any wearable consumer product applied to the skin." This underscores the unprecedented nature of the findings and the urgent need for further research and regulatory action. Fitness tracker users say that the study suggests opting for lower-cost wristbands made from silicone. If you prefer a pricier band, its essential to read product descriptions carefully and avoid any that contain fluoroelastomers. Tech exercise buffs believe that its crucial that manufacturers prioritize user safety over profit, and that consumers remain vigilant about the products they use and the potential risks they pose. The discovery of these forever chemicals in wristbands is a call for consumers to demand safer alternatives and to support legislation that holds companies accountable for the products they produce. Visit Chemicals.news for similar stories. Watch a feature on the poisonous dangers of forever chemicals. This video is from the Daily videos channel on Brighteon.com. More related: FDA finally takes action on toxic Red Dye 3. Study: Pesticide exposure linked to obesity, endocrine disorders and other devastating health effects. Forever chemicals pose greater cancer risk to women than men, study finds. Forever chemicals: Study shows exposure to PFAS linked to post-diet weight gain. Forever chemicals found to be significantly more toxic than previously thought. Sources are: SciTechDaily.com 8NewsNow.com Brighteon.com The moral bankruptcy of the West On 19 December 2024,issued a 179-page report detailing Israelsin Gaza. (Article republished from Mearsheimer.Substack.com) On 5 December 2024, Amnesty International issued a 296-page report detailing Israels genocide in Gaza. On 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes. On 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice found that a plausible case can be made that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Given the Wests presumed commitment to human rights and especially to preventing genocide, one would have expected countries like the United States, Britain, and Germany, to have stopped the Israeli genocide in its tracks. Instead, the governments in those three countries, especially the United States, have supported Israels unimaginable behavior in Gaza at every turn. Indeed, those three countries are complicit in this genocide. Moreover, almost all of the many human rights advocates in those countries, and in the West more generally, have stayed silent while Israel executed its genocide. The mainstream media has made hardly any effort to expose and challenge what Israel is doing to the Palestinians. Indeed some key outlets have staunchly supported Israels actions. One wonders what people in the West who have either supported Israels genocide or remained silent tell themselves to justify their behavior and sleep at night. History will not treat them kindly. Read more at: Mearsheimer.Substack.com File photo taken on July 15, 2024 shows Mike Johnson speaking during the Republican National Convention 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States. (Xinhua/Li Rui) "Once it becomes clear how hard getting anything out of this House is, expect the Trump-Johnson relationship to get rocky," Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, told Xinhua. by Matthew Rusling, Xiong Maoling WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Republican Mike Johnson was elected House speaker Friday. But the GOP faces a tough road ahead, given its razor-thin House majority. Johnson won re-election for the U.S. House speaker in a slim Republican majority, after swaying two out of the three members of his party who had joined Democrats to block his bid. The final vote tally was 218 to 216, with all 215 Democrats voting for minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky voting for another candidate -- GOP Whip Tom Emmer. The turbulent speaker election reflects the ongoing infighting within the Republican Party. Several conservative Republican lawmakers previously voiced opposition to Johnson's re-election. Even though President-elect Donald Trump has publicly endorsed him, it was not enough to prevent three votes of opposition in the initial results. In the November 2024 U.S. House elections, the Republican Party managed to retain a majority, but it became even slimmer. Republicans currently hold 219 seats, while Democrats control 215 of the 435 seats. This has created the most narrowly divided Congress in nearly 100 years. This means that if two Republican members were to defect, the GOP could lose its majority, complicating efforts to push through legislative agendas. This bitterly divided Congress is unlikely to see much cooperation between parties, which means Republicans could well lack the votes to implement the many campaign promises of Trump. "It will be very difficult for House Republicans to get even a bare majority on their own, even on what should be pretty simple votes," Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, told Xinhua. "There's a group of members on the far right of the party caucus who aren't very interested in passing laws or making policy. So either Johnson will have to let them drive the House's agenda, or Johnson will have to get votes from Democrats, who won't be interested in moving Trump's agenda along," Galdieri said. Noting that Johnson's victory on Friday was a win for Trump in that he endorsed Johnson, Galdieri said that "once it becomes clear how hard getting anything out of this House is, expect the Trump-Johnson relationship to get rocky." File photo taken on Oct. 25, 2023 shows Mike Johnson (R, Rear) speaking as then-U.S. House Speaker in the House Chamber in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua) Johnson, 52, from Louisiana, was initially elected speaker of the House of Representatives as a result of Republican infighting. On Oct. 3, 2023, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, was ousted due to opposition from the party's far-right conservatives, leaving the House in a state of paralysis. After three weeks of a leaderless period, Johnson was elected speaker on Oct. 25, 2023, in the fourth round of voting. Massie, who followed through with his "no" vote, recently said that Johnson is not fit for the job of House speaker, and if he continues to hold the position, it will ultimately cause the Republican Party to lose its slim majority. Massie had previously supported Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's efforts to remove Johnson from the speaker's position, partly because he believed Johnson had chosen to cooperate with Democrats to remain speaker when he lacked sufficient Republican votes to support him. Meanwhile, Trump's opponents are gearing up for a major fight over the next four years, determined to stop the President-elect's agenda in its tracks. Skye Perryman, head of Democracy Forward, a left-leaning legal organization, told CNN that Democrats will have a hard fight to block Trump's agenda, but added that "there are real opportunities with both where the American people are on issues as well as with where the judicial landscape is." Indeed, Trump has outlined a broad agenda full of bold policies he wants to implement. Topping the list are plans to deport migrants who have illegally poured over the U.S. southern border during the last four years. Trump said he'll start with those who've committed crimes. But deporting millions could prove to be a major hurdle. Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that Trump will not be able to deport as many people as he says he will, due to logistical difficulties. Other experts said Trump's deportation policies are certain to result in mistaken identifications and attempts to deport citizens. Trump could also face opposition outside of Washington. There could also be efforts from elected officials in Democrat-led states to prevent their police forces and National Guard units from being used to implement Trump's agenda, experts said. Ukraine to receive $15 billion thanks to proceeds from FROZEN Russian assets The U.S. will provide Ukraine with $15 billion in additional aid funding, sourced from frozen Russian central bank assets, as part of a larger $20 billion contribution under the G7's $50 billion loan framework for Ukraine. The G7 nations pledged $50 billion for Ukraine back in June 2022 which will be financed using future revenues from the approximately $300 billion worth of frozen Russian assets held outside of Moscow's reach as collateral. Ukraine has already received around $1 billion of this loan. Russia has condemned the asset seizures as "theft," and warned of legal retaliation, with Russia preparing to use income from frozen Western assets held by Moscow in response. The United States will provide Ukraine with $15 billion in additional funding leveraged from frozen Russian central bank assets. This is according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who announced the plan on Monday, Dec. 30. The move is part of a broader $20 billion U.S. contribution to Ukrainian aid funding under the Group of Seven's (G7) $50 billion loan framework to Ukraine, secured with future revenues from seized Russian assets held by banks outside of Moscow's reach. (Related: Antony Blinken: U.S. has provided Ukraine with over $100 billion in aid since 2022.) The G7 comprising the U.S., Canada, Japan, the U.K., France, Germany and Italy initially pledged the $50 billion loan in June 2022, using profits from frozen Russian assets as collateral. Of the estimated $300 billion in Russian assets immobilized globally, around $213 billion is held in the Brussels, Belgium-based clearing house Euroclear. The firm froze the assets under its control in late February 2022, shortly after the European Union imposed sanctions on Russia in response to the escalation of the conflict with Kyiv and the beginning of its special military operation in Ukraine. The frozen funds have already generated billions in interest alone, and Euroclear has already transferred around 1.55 billion ($1.6 billion) to Ukraine back in July. The Kremlin has strongly criticized the asset seizures, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemning the measures as "theft" and warning of potential legal retaliation. Peskov's remarks came in response to Shmyhals announcement that the U.S. had already transferred the first $1 billion installment from the frozen Russian central bank funds to Ukraine. Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has also indicated plans to mirror the West's actions, using income from frozen Western assets in Russia. "We have also frozen the resources of Western investors, Western financial market participants, and companies. The income from these assets will also be used," Siluanov said. The decision to use frozen Russian assets has sparked debate among G7 nations, with European members such as Germany, France and Italy raising concerns over financial market stability and the legal implications of such actions. The International Monetary Fund has warned that seizing these assets without robust legal frameworks could erode global trust in the Western financial system. Ukraine already receiving loan money leveraged by frozen Russian assets The $15 billion in U.S. funding is part of a larger $20 billion contribution to Ukraine under the G7 initiative aimed at supporting Kyiv's social and humanitarian needs. Shmyhal emphasized that the funds would be used for these purposes, expressing gratitude to the U.S. and the World Bank for their support. "We thank the U.S. and the World Bank for implementing and supporting this initiative, which forces Russia to pay for its aggression against Ukraine," he said in a statement. Earlier last month, the prime minister announced that Ukraine had already begun receiving U.S. funds under the loan program, following the delivery of $1 billion from the U.S. in profits from frozen Russian assets. Watch this video discussing Ukraine already receiving the first tranche of its loan leveraged by frozen Russian assets. This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Putin claims divine approval and foresees Russian VICTORY in Ukraine in 2025. Russian deputy foreign minister: Biden administration officials are SABOTAGING Trump's peace efforts. Russia's Lavrov slams current ceasefire efforts in Ukraine but welcomes negotiations with incoming Trump administration. Russia's RED LINES not mere threats: West's provocation puts global security in grave danger. Biden approves $20B loan to Ukraine right before Trump takes office. Sources include: RT.com KyivIndependent.com Brighteon.com Americas immigration crisis: A call for integration, not exploitation Americas history is deeply rooted in immigration, but true integration requires embracing American values, contributing to society, and prioritizing the common good. The Biden administrations use of temporary work visas and loopholes has allowed undocumented migrants to enter the U.S., undermining immigration integrity and public trust. The H-1B visa program, intended to attract global talent, is often criticized for replacing American workers with cheaper foreign labor, highlighting the need for domestic talent development. Addressing immigration challenges requires transparency in labor shortages, investment in STEM education, and prioritizing American workers while balancing the need for skilled foreign labor. Successful immigration depends on immigrants embracing American values and society, but current policies create legal limbo and hinder integration, emphasizing the need for a fair and transparent system. America has always been a nation of immigrants. From the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock to the millions who passed through Ellis Island, our history is a tapestry woven by those who sought a better life on these shores. But while immigration is central to our identity, it is not enough to simply arrive in America. To truly become American, immigrants must embrace our values, integrate into our society, and contribute to the common good. Today, however, our immigration system is broken, and the Biden administrations policies have exacerbated the crisis, prioritizing political expediency over national interest. The Biden Administrations backdoor immigration The Biden administrations handling of immigration has been nothing short of disastrous. Under the guise of reducing border encounters, the administration has created loopholes that allow millions of undocumented migrants to enter the country under the cover of temporary work visas. For example, Bidens decision to grant temporary work visas to Haitians and Venezuelans was a thinly veiled attempt to mask the severity of the border crisis. These visas, initially presented as short-term solutions, can be extended for years, effectively granting migrants a backdoor into the U.S. This strategy, known as Labor Certification, is the first step toward obtaining a Green Card. By exploiting visa programs, the administration has undermined the integrity of our immigration system and eroded public trust. Americans are rightfully skeptical of claims that these migrants are merely filling labor shortages. The reality is that these policies prioritize the interests of corporations and foreign nationals over American workers. The H-1B visa debate: skilled labor or cheap labor? The debate over H-1B visas highlights the tension between attracting global talent and protecting American workers. While some argue that the U.S. should welcome the best and brightest from around the world, others point out that the program is often abused to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor. Elon Musks call for more foreign engineers has been met with both support and outrage, with critics accusing him of betraying American workers. Vivek Ramaswamy has argued that the issue is not a lack of American talent but a cultural and educational deficiency. He contends that our society has celebrated mediocrity over excellence, discouraging young Americans from pursuing careers in STEM fields. While this critique has merit, it does not absolve companies of their responsibility to invest in American workers. The tech industrys reliance on H-1B visas is a symptom of a larger problem: a failure to prioritize the development of domestic talent. A path forward: prioritizing Americans first To address these challenges, we must adopt a dual approach that balances the need for skilled labor with the imperative to protect American workers. First, we must demand transparency from companies claiming labor shortages. Nationwide job fairs, where employers and job seekers can interact directly, would provide a clearer picture of the labor market. If companies cannot find qualified American workers, then and only then should they be allowed to hire foreign labor. Second, we must overhaul our education system to emphasize practical skills and STEM disciplines. Incentives for Americans to pursue careers in science and engineering are essential to building a robust domestic talent pool. By investing in our own people, we can reduce our reliance on foreign labor and ensure that Americans are first in line for high-paying jobs. The importance of integration Immigration is not just about filling jobs; it is about building a cohesive society. Immigrants who come to America must be willing to embrace our values, learn our language, and contribute to our communities. This is not about erasing cultural heritage but about fostering a shared identity as Americans. The Biden administrations policies, however, have undermined this principle. By granting temporary work visas and extending them indefinitely, the administration has created a class of migrants who are neither fully integrated nor fully committed to America. This approach benefits no onenot the migrants, who are left in legal limbo, and certainly not the American people, who bear the social and economic costs of this dysfunction. A nation of laws and values Americas greatness lies in its ability to assimilate immigrants while upholding the rule of law. But this requires a system that is fair, transparent, and focused on the national interest. The Biden administrations policies have failed on all counts, prioritizing short-term political gains over long-term solutions. As citizens, we must advocate for an immigration system that prioritizes Americans first, attracts the best and brightest from around the world, and ensures that all who come here are committed to becoming fully integrated members of our society. Only then can we preserve the American Dream for future generations. America was built by immigrants, but it is sustained by Americans. Let us never forget the difference. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Britannica.com How blindly following the U.S. has led Germany to ECONOMIC COLLAPSE Germany is facing a potential recession following its decision to cut energy ties with Russia under pressure from the United States. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blames Germany's obedience to U.S. demands for severing energy cooperation with Russia, leading to its economic downturn. The 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines severely compromised Germany's energy security, further destabilizing its economy. Major industries, particularly automotive, are suffering, with companies like Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz experiencing rising costs and shrinking profits. Germany's economic challenges serve as a cautionary tale, underscoring the risks of prioritizing foreign policy over economic pragmatism, with potential implications for other nations. Germany has plummeted from the ranks of global economic powerhouses to a nation teetering on the brink of recession. And who's to blame? For Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, it is not Russia, as some might think. She said that it is Germany's fault, specifically, its blind obedience to American pressure. Zakharova, in an interview that should be required reading for every German politician, laid bare the truth: Germany's economic decline is a direct result of its decision to decouple from Russian energy. It's a decision that has left the once-mighty German economy in tatters, a shadow of its former self. A few years ago, Germany was the envy of the world. Its economy was booming, driven by a combination of smart policies, strategic partnerships and cooperation with Russia. The energy supplies from Moscow were a cornerstone of that success, providing Germany with the cheap, reliable fuel it needed to power its industries and keep its export machine humming. But then came the U.S. pressure. Faced with threats from Washington, Berlin chose to sacrifice its own economic interests on the altar of transatlantic loyalty. The decision to cut off energy supplies from Russia was not just a mistake; it was a catastrophic error that sent shockwaves through the German economy. The destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, a brazen act of sabotage that occurred in September 2022, was the final nail in the coffin. With its energy lifeline severed, Germany was left to fend for itself in a volatile global market. And an economy in free fall was the result. Zakharova was blunt in her assessment: "Because of U.S. influence, cooperation was severed by Germany, the energy source was blocked." The consequences have been devastating. German companies, once the backbone of the nation's prosperity, are now fleeing to more stable environments. The automotive industry, a symbol of German engineering excellence, is crumbling under the weight of rising costs and shrinking profits. Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, once titans of the industry, are now struggling to stay afloat. Analysis: Poor government decisions drove Germany to its downfall Bloomberg News in a recent analysis, warned that Germany's export-driven industry is facing an irreversible decline. The media outlet cited years of poor government decisions and the loss of cheap Russian energy as the primary culprits. But this is not just a failure of policy; it's a failure of leadership. German politicians, in their eagerness to please Washington, have sacrificed their own people's prosperity. (Related: Russia claims U.S.-led peace talks with Ukraine merely a DECOY to distract from West's main goal of destroying Moscow.) Even German officials are now admitting the mistake. Economy Minister Robert Habeck recently admitted that "our business model is really cornered." He cited a failure to invest in infrastructure, tax systems, and workforce skills over the past several years. But the biggest failure of all should not be forgotten: abandoning a strategic partnership with Russia. The Bundesbank, Germany's central bank, has slashed its growth projections, predicting a 0.2 percent contraction for the coming year. The bank warned that the German economy is set to stagnate in the winter of 2024-25, with only a slow recovery expected in 2025. And if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose sweeping tariffs on European goods, the situation could get even worse, with Germany's GDP shedding between 0.2 and 0.6 percentage points. Germany's self-inflicted wound is a cautionary tale for all nations that prioritize foreign policy over economic pragmatism. In the pursuit of geopolitical alliances, Germany has lost sight of its own interests, and the price has been steep. As Zakharova so aptly put it, the loss of Berlin's ability to pursue a nationally-oriented policy has resulted in its economy crumbling. And now, as German companies flee and industries collapse, the question remains: Will Germany learn from its mistakes, or will it continue to prioritize Washington's agenda over its own prosperity? The answer is crucial not just for Germany, but for the entire world. Because if Germany's decline is any indication, the consequences of decoupling from Russia are far-reaching and devastating. And in the end, it's the people who pay the price. Watch the MFA's Maria Zakharova accusing the U.S. of approving the Ukrainian order to starve Donbas into surrender in this clip. This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: EU destroying its industries by shunning Russian energy, official tells RT. Western Europe's industrial collapse to accelerate in 2025 if Kyiv proceeds with major pipeline cutoff. Gas flows from Russia to Germany halted INDEFINITELY following Gazprom force majeure declaration. Sources include: RT.com BigNewsNetwork.com Brighteon.com Democrats generational divide deepens as AOC snubbed for key committee role Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was passed over for the top Democratic spot on the House Oversight Committee in favor of Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), reigniting tensions within the Democratic Party. Progressive voices, including MSNBCs Jen Psaki, criticized the decision as a missed opportunity to modernize leadership and apply lessons from the 2024 election loss. The choice between Connolly, backed by Nancy Pelosi, and Ocasio-Cortez highlighted a generational clash, with critics arguing the party is reluctant to empower younger, progressive leaders. The decision underscores a growing divide between the Democratic establishment and its progressive wing, risking alienation of younger voters and activists. The dispute reflects a larger struggle for the Democratic Partys future, with concerns that resistance to change could lead to further electoral setbacks. In a move that has reignited tensions within the Democratic Party, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was passed over for the top Democratic spot on the House Oversight Committee in favor of 74-year-old Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA). The decision, which came after a 131-84 vote, has sparked a firestorm of criticism from progressive voices and media personalities, including MSNBC host Jen Psaki, who accused Democrats of missing a big opportunity to modernize their leadership. Psaki, the former White House press secretary under President Biden, argued that Democrats failed to apply the lessons of their bruising 2024 election loss by sidelining one of their most media-savvy and high-profile members. This is one of the few committees in Congress that actually generates national attention or media coverage, Psaki said during a recent broadcast of her show, "Inside with Jen Psaki." Under Jamie Raskin, it became a critical platform for countering Republican misinformation. And while I have deep, deep respect for Speaker Pelosi and nothing against Congressman Connolly at all, this felt like an obvious chance to apply some of the lessons we shouldve learned from the November election. The decision to elevate Connolly, a seasoned lawmaker backed by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, over the 35-year-old Ocasio-Cortez has been framed as a generational choice for the party. Critics argue that it underscores the Democratic establishments reluctance to cede power to younger, more progressive voices. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who challenged Biden in the 2024 primaries, echoed this sentiment, stating, It is time to elevate the best and brightest. We have literally kept them from ascending to leadership positions, which means they go elsewhere. And when we lose that kind of talent of ambitious, competent, patriotic young Americans, were in trouble. Connolly, however, dismissed the notion that the vote represented a generational divide, calling it a false narrative, frankly, propounded by the media. Yet, the optics of the decision are hard to ignore. Pelosi, 84, reportedly lobbied behind the scenes to secure Connollys victory, even as she recovered from hip surgery. MSNBCs Chris Hayes described the former speakers efforts as a moment of genuine madness, while Joy Reid lamented the partys gerontocracy, comparing it to the frustration that led Barack Obama to bypass the Democratic National Committee during his presidential campaign. Democrats still struggling to unite The snub of Ocasio-Cortez, a rising star in the progressive Squad, has also drawn criticism from unlikely quarters. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) quipped that he would have preferred to see AOC in the role, as she more accurately reflects the Democratic Partys socialist ideology. Shes better spoken than other Democrats, Comer said, adding, My endorsement of AOC is probably hurting her, whichI think is amusing. For her part, Ocasio-Cortez framed her bid for the position as a chance to hold the incoming Trump administration accountable, pointing to her record of challenging the former president during his first term. She argued that the Oversight Committee should focus on addressing economic inequality and holding administrations accountablea message that resonated with her progressive base but failed to sway the partys establishment. The fallout from this decision highlights a growing rift within the Democratic Party, pitting its younger, more progressive wing against the old guard. While figures like Psaki and Phillips argue that the party must embrace fresh faces to remain relevant, the entrenched leadership appears determined to maintain its grip on power. This internal conflict threatens to alienate younger voters and activists who feel their voices are being ignored. As Democrats grapple with the aftermath of their 2024 election loss, the decision to pass over Ocasio-Cortez for a key leadership role suggests that the party is doubling down on the status quo rather than embracing change. For conservatives, this is a welcome sign of dysfunction within the opposition. For Democrats, its a warning that their failure to adapt could lead to further electoral setbacks. In the end, the battle over the House Oversight Committee spot is more than just a leadership dispute its a microcosm of the broader struggle for the soul of the Democratic Party. And if the old guard continues to resist the winds of change, they may find themselves left behind in an increasingly competitive political landscape. Sources include: NYPost.com FoxNews.com Townhall.com IDFs beachfront retreat in Gaza: A haven for war criminals The IDF has built an upscale "beachfront retreat" in Gaza, offering soldiers amenities like cafes, hotel-style meals, massages and mental health support, amid the destruction and suffering in the region. IDF Chief Warrant Officer David Turjeman's boast about the facilities highlights a chilling disconnect from the suffering caused by the soldiers' actions. The retreat is part of a pattern of Israeli aggression, including the demolition of buildings and establishment of military outposts, signaling a long-term occupation and potential expansion of Jewish settlements. The desalination plant provides ample water for soldiers, while Gazans struggle for clean water, illustrating a grotesque prioritization of occupier needs over those of the occupied. Soldiers are conditioned to dehumanize Palestinians, as reported by psychologist Yoel Elizur, and carry out murders with impunity, underscored by the international community's failure to hold Israel accountable for war crimes. In the heart of the Gaza Strip, where the stench of death and destruction lingers in the air, the Israeli military has erected a beacon of luxury a "beachfront retreat" for the soldiers tasked with the genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people. This is no ordinary military outpost; it is a meticulously crafted haven of comfort, designed to soothe the souls of those engaged in the systematic ethnic cleansing of Gaza. The Israeli military has gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure its soldiers are well-fed, well-rested and well-entertained. According to the Israeli news site Ynet, this "retreat" is complete with a cafe, hotel-style meals, massages, hot showers and even mental health support. It's a far cry from the images of destruction and despair that have dominated the headlines. "You know this is Gaza, right? Yet we've created a sense of home here, with iced coffee, espresso, protein shakes, toast, shakshuka, fresh fruit and even ice cream on warmer days," boasted Chief Warrant Officer David Turjeman, the head of food services for the IDF's southern command. His words are a chilling reminder of the disconnect between the Israeli military and the reality of the suffering they are inflicting. Just a few miles away, Palestinian families are being torn apart, their homes reduced to rubble and their children murdered in cold blood. The Israeli military's "readiness for prolonged operations" is not a sign of strength, but a declaration of their intention to continue this genocidal campaign for years to come. The construction of this beachfront retreat is part of a broader pattern of Israeli aggression in Gaza. The IDF has been systematically demolishing buildings and establishing military outposts across the territory, laying the groundwork for a long-term occupation and, potentially, the expansion of Jewish settlements. This is not a temporary incursion; it is a calculated move to seize control of Gaza and displace its Palestinian population. The desalination plant, which provides 60,000 liters of drinking water per day, is another example of Israel's colonial mindset. While Gazans struggle to access clean water, the Israeli military ensures that its soldiers have everything they need to stay hydrated and comfortable. It's a grotesque inversion of priorities, where the occupier's needs take precedence over the basic rights of the occupied. Beachfront retreat conditions Israeli soldiers' minds to dehumanize Palestinians But perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this retreat is what it reveals about the psychological state of the soldiers who use it. According to Israeli psychologist Yoel Elizur, soldiers are being conditioned to dehumanize Palestinians, to see them not as human beings but as enemies to be exterminated. One soldier recounted how a new commander broke the arm and leg of a four-year-old boy and stepped on his stomach, just to make an example of him. "These kids need to be killed from the day they are born," the commander said. This is the moral compass of the soldiers who are being pampered in Israel's beachfront retreat. While they enjoy protein shakes and shakshuka, they are carrying out cold-blooded murders, often without consequence. As one soldier put it, "X shot an Arab four times in the back and got away with a self-defense claim. Four bullets in the back from a distance of ten meters ... cold-blooded murder. We did things like that every day." (Related: Israel's forever wars in the Middle East will pave the way for its demise.) The beachfront retreat is not just a place of relaxation; it is a symbol of Israel's impunity, a testament to the fact that the international community has failed to hold them accountable for their war crimes. The images of Israeli soldiers enjoying ice cream and hot showers in Gaza are a stark reminder of the moral bankruptcy of those who support Israel's occupation. It is time to draw a line in the sand and demand an end to this genocide. The people of Gaza deserve nothing less. Watch the video below that talks about the journalists killed by Israel in Gaza. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: A record of truth: Israeli historian documents war crimes in Gaza. Israel attacks school in Gaza where displaced Palestinians were sheltering as genocide continues. Israel's finance minister wants Gaza to become Israel, calls for "thinning" of Palestinian population. Sources include: News.AntiWar.com YNetNews.com TheCradle.co Brighteon.com New York Post demands ACCOUNTABILITY for journalists who covered up Bidens mental decline The New York Post called for journalists who covered up outgoing President Joe Biden's alleged mental decline to be held accountable. The newspaper argued that evidence of Biden's compromised mental state was available, yet journalists failed to question or investigate it. The news outlet claimed journalists "gaslighted America" by parroting White House claims that Biden showed no signs of mental decline. Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan and journalist Matt Yglesias admitted to being "embarrassingly wrong" about Biden's mental state, but their apologies were deemed insufficient. The White House allegedly concealed evidence of Biden's cognitive decline, smearing any conflicting evidence as "cheap fakes" and editing transcripts to erase signs of memory issues. Conservative newspaper the New York Post has called for journalists who participated in covering up outgoing President Joe Biden's mental decline to be held accountable. In an editorial published on Wednesday, Jan. 1, the Post argued that the evidence of Biden's mental decline was available to all. However, journalists involved in covering up the mental decline of Biden failed in their duty to investigate and question the evidence of the outgoing president's compromised mental state. "Every last one deserves scorn, but so do the journalists who not only let these fantastical fibs go unchallenged but even parroted the lies: Biden was showing no signs of mental decline, they insisted and it was offensive, ignorant and borderline bigoted to even suggest otherwise," the Post wrote. "The entire idea that Biden was anything but healthy virile, even was treated as a right-wing, tin-foil-hat talking point. Dem-friendly journalists saw the same evidence as the rest of us that Biden was compromised, and instead of being skeptical, asking questions and putting the White House's feet to the fire doing their jobs they joined the crusade to gaslight America." Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan and progressive journalist Matt Yglesias have both admitted to being "embarrassingly wrong" about their previous claims regarding Biden's mental state. However, their apologies do little to rectify the damage that has been done. In turn, the Post's editorial board, called for the accountability of these journalists through the Wednesday op-ed. "Since the legacy media completely and willfully failed to cover one of the biggest stories of this decade, that the president of the United States was unfit for office from Day one and his entire staff was hiding it, that seems like a fair shake. No one who perpetuated, concealed or ignored this grotesque scandal should ever live it down," the conservative tabloid concluded. WSJ reports about Biden's cognitive decline The call for accountability comes after a series of reports and opinion pieces began to surface following the victory of President-elect Donald Trump, which brought to light concerns about Biden's mental health while in office. The Wall Street Journal opinion piece titled "The President Who Wasn't There" featured testimony from White House staffers who noted Biden's apparent cognitive decline on certain days, with staff members effectively running the administration. (Related: WSJ admits Biden showing signs of COGNITIVE DECLINE during closed-door meetings.) These concerns were echoed by public opinion polls that consistently showed a significant portion of the American public believing Biden was too old to be president. A 2022 poll conducted by the Post revealed that roughly 75 percent of voters wanted a different Democrat to run instead of Biden. Despite all this, the "Biden is fine" narrative persisted, with the White House going so far as to smear any evidence of Biden's decline as "cheap fakes" and editing transcripts to erase signs of his memory issues. Listen to "Where The Money Go Joe," a new song by the Health Ranger Mike Adams about the outgoing Democratic chief executive. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Congress already trying to IMPEACH Kamala Harris for mismanaging southern border, hiding Biden's cognitive decline. The Economist slams MSM cover-up of Bidens cognitive decline. Media reverts to full gaslighting about Bidens cognitive decline. Biden campaign urged to use AI to make senile president appear more competent while labeling real videos showing his cognitive decline "deepfakes." Biden's cognitive decline is now painfully obvious to the world, yet Dems continue to deny it. Sources include: JusttheNews.com NYPost.com Brighteon.com This photo taken on Jan. 5, 2025 shows trucks in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. Afghanistan's total trade volume in 2024 exceeded more than 12 billion U.S. dollars, with a 38-percent increase in imports year-on-year and a 4-percent decrease in exports, said the country's Ministry of Commerce and Industry. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's total trade volume in 2024 exceeded more than 12 billion U.S. dollars, with a 38-percent increase in imports year-on-year and a 4-percent decrease in exports, said the country's Ministry of Commerce and Industry. "Afghanistan's total trade scale in goods stood at 12.42 billion dollars in 2024, of which the country's export volume reached 1.8 billion dollars, while imported goods were worth about 10.6 billion dollars," local media outlet TOLOnews quoted the ministry's spokesman Akundzada Abdul Salam Jawad as saying on Sunday. He said exports from Afghanistan to Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates have doubled in 2024. Agricultural products, processed food items, textiles, leather, electrical parts, and construction materials are the most demanded goods among Afghan importers. Meanwhile, Afghanistan's main exports include coal, saffron, fresh and dried fruits, hand-woven carpets, and precious and semi-precious stones. A new set of guidelines has been developed to assist with the diagnosis and expert management of serious blood cancers in pregnancy. About 12.5 pregnancies per 100,000 are affected by blood cancers such as acute leukaemia and aggressive lymphomas, and their incidence has been rising. Between 1994 and 2013, they increased by 2.7 per cent a year, due to factors including women having children later, improved diagnostic techniques, and increased health system engagement. An Australian working group has now published a new position statement in the latest edition of The Lancet Haematology, based on current evidence and expert consensus. It forms a practical guide for doctors, including recommendations for diagnosis and staging, imaging safety in pregnancy, therapy in pregnancy incorporating a multidisciplinary approach, supportive care, oncofertility, and pregnancy and birth management. Lead author Dr. Georgia Mills from Macquarie Medical School says a cancer diagnosis in pregnancy is incredibly distressing for a patient and her family. But on top of this, women can experience treatment delays, inaccurate information and communication breakdowns, all of which increases the worry associated with a cancer diagnosis and fears for their unborn baby. Patients have also described a lack of sensitivity about fertility preservation, breastfeeding, medication risks to the unborn baby, and a lack of information and support groups. We want women and their babies to experience the best possible health outcomes, not delayed or denied care." Dr. Georgia Mills, Macquarie Medical School Senior author Dr. Gisele Kidson-Gerber says taking a multidisciplinary approach was of paramount importance in preparing the guidelines. "Blood cancers in pregnancy present unique therapeutic challenges, yet there were no clinical guidelines for diagnosis or management," she says. "As clinicians, we have to balance the need for optimal treatment for the mother with the safety and wellbeing of the unborn child. "Most treatments are possible during pregnancy, including many forms of chemotherapy, but this is not what patients expect." The guidelines were drafted using co-design principles, with a patient representative on the working group to ensure patient concerns were well understood. Victoria Bilsland was diagnosed with stage 4B nodular-predominant Hodgkins lymphoma when she was 17 weeks pregnant. But with her symptoms repeatedly dismissed as pregnancy pain or possible infection, just getting a diagnosis was a struggle that led her to lose faith in doctors. "I was told I 'needed spinal surgery' and to 'consider termination', and when I declined termination as we still didn't know the extent of the cancer, I was advised to 'think logically'," she says. "I was offered to terminate my pregnancy on multiple occasions, but I had no information about the risks to me or my baby, or knowledge of what stage the cancer was or even where it was. "How could I make an impossible decision without information? And why could no one provide me information regarding cancer and pregnancy? "The process was a rollercoaster of trauma, depression and anxiety." Eventually put into the care of a specialist team experienced in managing haematological cancers in pregnancy, she received appropriate treatment and delivered a healthy son at 32 weeks. She hopes the new guidelines will help other doctors to make the same decision in a timely way, putting the patient first and reducing potential trauma. The guidelines have been endorsed by the councils of the Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand and the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand. A Chinese medical team launched a free cataract surgery campaign on Friday at a hospital in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The initiative is set to provide eye surgery for more than 500 Ethiopian patients. #GLOBALink A new study led by researchers at the American Museum of Natural History presents the oldest known example in the fossil record of an evolutionary arms race. These 517-million-year-old predator-prey interactions occurred in the ocean covering what is now South Australia between a small, shelled animal distantly related to brachiopods and an unknown marine animal capable of piercing its shell. Described today in the journal Current Biology, the study provides the first demonstrable record of an evolutionary arms race in the Cambrian. Predator-prey interactions are often touted as a major driver of the Cambrian explosion, especially with regard to the rapid increase in diversity and abundance of biomineralizing organisms at this time. Yet, there has been a paucity of empirical evidence showing that prey directly responded to predation, and vice versa." Russell Bicknell, postdoctoral researcher, Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History and lead author of the study An evolutionary arms race is a process where predators and prey continuously adapt and evolve in response to each other. This dynamic is often described as an arms race because one species' improved abilities lead to the other species improving its abilities in response. Bicknell and colleagues from the University of New England and Macquarie University - both in Australia - studied a large sample of fossilized shells of an early Cambrian tommotiid species, Lapworthella fasciculata, from South Australia. More than 200 of these extremely small specimens, ranging in size from slightly larger than a grain of sand to just smaller than an apple seed, have holes that were likely made by a hole-punching predator - most likely a kind of soft-bodied mollusk or worm. The researchers analyzed these specimens in relation to their geologic ages, finding an increase in shell wall thickness that coincides with an increase in the number of perforated shells in a short amount of time. This suggests that a microevolutionary arms race was in place, with L. fasciculata finding a way to fortify its shell against predation and the predator, in turn, investing in the ability to puncture its prey despite its ever-bulkier armor. "This critically important evolutionary record demonstrates, for the first time, that predation played a pivotal role in the proliferation of early animal ecosystems and shows the rapid speed at which such phenotypic modifications arose during the Cambrian Explosion event," Bicknell says. This research was funded in part by the University of New England, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Australian Research Council (grant #s DP200102005 and DE190101423). Leading clinical researcher Professor Alison Elliott has been honoured with an OBE in the King's New Year Honours for services to medicine and global health. Based in Uganda, she is Professor of Tropical Medicine at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and theme leader for vaccines research at the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (MRC/UVRI and LSHTM) Uganda Research Unit. The award of OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) recognises her exceptional and sustained contribution to developing medical research capacity in Zambia and Uganda, building strong research collaboration with UK institutions, and helping inspire many young African scientists. Professor Elliott said: "It is a tremendous privilege to work in Africa, first Zambia and now Uganda, with many wonderful colleagues, team members, communities and friends. I gratefully accept this honour on behalf of them all." Professor Alison Elliott's OBE is a fitting tribute to her outstanding leadership in global health research. Her contributions to science are matched by her dedication to fostering a vibrant and collaborative research environment in Africa. We are immensely proud to celebrate this remarkable achievement with her." Professor Moffatt Nyirenda, Director of the MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit Professor Liam Smeeth, Director of LSHTM, said: "As well as her considerable research output, Alison has made tremendous contributions in capacity strengthening over many years. She has helped build the next generation of scientists in Uganda and beyond, and the beneficial impact of this work will continue for many years to come. The honour is richly deserved." In Zambia in 1988, Professor Elliott was one of the first to describe unusual features of tuberculosis (TB) in people who were HIV-positive, and provided evidence to support the World Health Organization's recommendation for TB preventive therapy for those with HIV. She then established a research collaboration between LSHTM and the University of Zambia Medical School that laid the foundation for Zambart, a research institute which continues to flourish with over 100 Zambian researchers working on TB and HIV, climate change and non-communicable diseases. Since 1996, Professor Elliott has been based at the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, investigating the role of co-infections on vaccine response outcomes. She also established the Entebbe Mother and Baby Study, which has provided unique insights into how early life experiences affect health outcomes in an African setting. Professor Elliott is also a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences and of the Ugandan National Academy of Sciences. Urban sprawl is not just unsightly. It could also be impeding intergenerational mobility for low-income residents and reinforcing racial inequality, according to a series of recent studies led by a University of Utah geographer. One analysis of tract-level Census data co-authored with a former economics graduate student in the U's College of Social & Behavioral Science found that people who grew up in high-sprawl neighborhoods have less earning potential than those who grew in denser neighborhoods. For adults, jobs are harder to access in more sprawling neighborhoods. If we can understand how kids' interactions with their neighborhoods are related to their economic opportunity, we can come up with some targeted policies for how to help poor kids get out of poverty and improve their situation." Kelsey Carlston, assistant professor of economics, Gonzaga University Published in Economic Development Quarterly, this study and two related ones were led by Yehua Dennis Wei, a professor in the School of Environment, Society & Sustainability. The other two were co-authored with graduate student Ning Xiong. Wei's three new studies build on prior work led by Utah city and metropolitan planning professor Reid Ewing, whose research scrutinizes the adverse impacts of sprawl and identifies features of urban resilience. Ewing and colleagues, including Wei, demonstrated how sprawl at the city level could lock families into cycles of poverty across generations. The new research gets more granular, extending into the neighborhood level by analyzing demographic information on the 71,443 tracts covered by the U.S. Census. Such tracts have 8,000 or fewer residents, and census tract data enables social scientists to survey local differences in poverty rates, income levels, ethnic characteristics, education levels and other characteristics for sub-county geographic areas. The U studies characterize sprawl as urban environments that have low accessibility, high levels of car travel and sharply separated residential, commercial and business areas. In other words, places with poor pedestrian street access and long distances between places of work, schools, recreation, shopping and home. "One finding is that typical livable-city indicators, like walkability, mixed-use development and job-housing balance, improve intergenerational mobility," Wei said. However, this might not always be the case, depending on the socioeconomic factors at play, he cautioned. "We find that those kinds of dense mixed-use walkable neighborhoods sometimes have lower intergenerational mobility because of high concentrations of low-income families and single-parent families, and sometimes also minority populations," Wei said. "The general finding is true, but it also depends on who is living there and the social relations in those neighborhoods." At the city level, sprawl has been linked to lower social cohesion and increased racial and income segregation, in addition to having negative effects on public health and the environment. At the neighborhood level, explored in the new studies, sprawl is associated with reduced social interaction and social capital. Wei and his co-authors relied on observational data compiled in a dataset called Opportunity Atlas, which enabled them to match IRS tax records of adults born between 1978 and 1983 to their parents' tax records. "The Opportunity Atlas has average outcomes at the tract level and city level for kids from different economic backgrounds," Carlston said. "We can see how kids do compare to their parents and the relative income distribution and see if kids had the opportunity to improve their position. Then we control for variables like income, school quality, demographics and social capital." The dataset gives several measures of intergenerational mobility at the tract, county and commuting-zone levels. Its measures include the likelihood of going to prison, teenage birth rate and income rank. The scholars compared intergenerational mobility in sprawling and non-sprawling neighborhoods and cities. "If someone grew up at a tract in a 10th percentile sprawl, so very low sprawl, rather than a 90th percentile sprawl, which is very high sprawl, their expected annual income was $2,864 higher, which was almost 10% or a few percentage points in the income ranking," Carlston said. "However, the same didn't hold for kids from higher-income families. In high-income families, kids in sprawling neighborhoods did slightly better." Even within dense cities, they found that sprawling neighborhoods had a strong correlation with low mobility for low-income families. Carlston cautioned the new research does not establish a causal link between sprawl and poor social mobility. "However, the relationship likely implicates a number of problems associated with sprawl," she said. "For instance, sprawling areas are often broken into smaller municipalities, which means that the number of resources like community centers and parks that you have is more dependent on the income of the immediate residents." In other words, higher-income residents are incentivized to live where the development pattern is not best for society, but for them personally. "That means that local city planners and officials need to consider the broader social implications and choose zoning patterns and regulations that are best for all residents, particularly trying to reduce sprawl and increase infill development may have a long-lasting positive impact on children's economic possibilities," Carlston said. "We probably can't turn Atlanta into New York City, but we could shape neighborhoods to be built for everyone. Additionally, we could try to reduce the negative effects of sprawl by increasing connectivity with better transit and finding mechanisms to spread funding throughout metropolitan areas." Rajputana Stainless IPO: Firm Files Draft Papers With Sebi To Mobilise Funds Published By : PTI Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 12:26 IST Gujarat-based Rajputana Stainless has filed its preliminary papers with Sebi to raise funds through an IPO. Proceeds from the IPO worth Rs 76.50 crore will also be used by the firm to repay debt and general corporate purposes. Gujarat-based Rajputana Stainless Ltd has filed its preliminary papers with capital markets regulator Sebi to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO). The IPO is a combination of fresh issuance of up to 1.9 crore equity shares and an Offer-For-Sale of up to 35 lakh shares by promoter Shankarlal Deepchand Mehta, according to the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) filed on December 30. related stories The aggregate shareholding of the promoters and promoter group of Rajputana Stainless is at 78.21 per cent, while public shareholders have a 21.79 per cent stake. The net proceeds from the fresh issue, amounting to Rs 18.31 crore, will be utilised by the company to set up a manufacturing unit for stainless steel seamless pipes to expand product portfolio, and Rs 37.68 crore towards working capital requirement for the proposed facility. Proceeds from the IPO worth Rs 76.50 crore will also be used by the firm to repay debt and general corporate purposes. Incorporated in 1991 as Rajputana Steel Castings, the company transitioned into Rajputana Stainless in 2007 after a strategic restructuring. Rajputana Stainless specialises in manufacturing long and flat stainless-steel products which includes billets, forging ingots and rolled black bars. It primarily serves the domestic market through direct sales and network of traders. Additionally, the company exports its products to five international markets such as the UAE, USA, Turkey, Kuwait and Poland. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Nirbhay Capital Services Pvt Ltd is the sole book running lead manager, while Kfin Technologies is the registrar for the issue. The shares of the company are proposed to be listed on the BSE and the National Stock Exchange (NSE). First Published: January 05, 2025, 12:26 IST BPSC Students Protest: Candidates Demand Exam Cancellation, Petition Filed In Supreme Court Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 18:01 IST BPSC 70th CEE Students Protest: The Supreme Court has assured to list this petition before the appropriate bench for hearing on Tuesday, January 7. Police personnel detained a student blocking railway tracks to protest demanding the cancellation of the BPSC 70th CCE, 2024, at Sachiwalay Halt railway station, in Patna, on Jan 3. (PTI Photo) BPSC Students Protest: The matter of the 70th preliminary examination of the Bihar Public Service Commission has reached the Supreme Court. A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court demanding cancellation of the examination. The petition states that there has been rigging in the 70th examination and hence it should be cancelled and conducted again. Along with this, the petition also demanded action against the SP and DM for using force against the protesting students. related stories The Supreme Court Registry has assured to list this petition before the appropriate bench for hearing on Tuesday, January 7. On the other hand, the fast unto death of Jan Suraj Party founder Prashant Kishor has entered the fourth day. He has been demanding cancellation of the examination. He has also appealed to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to support the students demands. On Thursday, Pappu Yadav announced a statewide blockade of national highways, state highways, and rail services. The Chhatra Yuva Shakti organisation initiated the call for the blockade in support of BPSC candidates, which Yadav endorsed. He urged all student organisations to take to the streets and join the protest. Protesters gathered at the Sachiwalay Halt Railway Station and sat on the tracks briefly, causing delays in train movements, an official said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Protesters stopped the Buxar-Fatuha passenger train at Sachiwalay Halt Station around 9 am on Friday. The train was delayed for 20 minutes before it resumed its journey," the East Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Saraswati Chandra told PTI. The commission has only cancelled the BPSC 70th Integrated Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination (CCE) held at Bapu Examination Complex and conducted it again. The examination was held on January 4, 2025, at about 22 examination centres in Patna. First Published: January 05, 2025, 17:52 IST Atishi Changed Her Father: BJPs Bidhuri Fires Another Salvo After Sexist Jibe At Priyanka Gandhi Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 22:36 IST Ramesh Bidhuri, who is pitted against Atishi from the Kalkaji seat in the upcoming assembly polls, was addressing a public gathering in the national capital. BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri and Delhi CM Atishi (File) Amid row over his remark on Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ramesh Bidhuri stoked another controversy on Sunday, saying Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi changed her father". Bidhuri, who is pitted against Atishi from the Kalkaji assembly seat in the upcoming assembly polls, was addressing a public gathering in the national capital. related stories This Marlena (Atishi) became Singh. She changed her name. Arvind Kejriwal swore on his children not to align with the corrupt Congress. Marlena changed her father. This reflects the character of the Aam Aadmi Party," Bidhuri said. Also Read: Roads Like Priyanka Gandhis Cheeks: BJP Leader Bidhuris Remark Draws Congress Ire He further attacked the Delhi CM saying that her parents submitted a mercy petition against the death sentence of terrorist Afzal Guru. Atishi Marlenas parents submitted a mercy petition against the death sentence of Afzal Guru, the terrorist responsible for the deaths of many of our brave soldiers. I want to ask the people of Delhi whether they want to support those who sought a pardon for Gurus death sentence," he added. Kejriwal Slams Bidhuri Reacting to Bidhuris remark, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said that BJP leaders have crossed all their limits of shamelessness. BJP leaders have crossed all limits of shamelessness. BJP leaders are abusing Delhi Chief Minister Atishi ji. The people of Delhi will not tolerate the insult of a woman Chief Minister. All the women of Delhi will take revenge for this," Kejriwal said in a post on X. Party spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar also traded barbs at the BJP leader saying that the women of Delhi would take a revenge of this insult. Imagine if he becomes an MLA by mistake and imagine the kind of attitude he will have against women. The public of Delhi has extended support to Arvind Kejriwal a lotRamesh Bidhuri will lose by a very big margin from Delhi CM Atishi. The women of Delhi will take revenge" he said as quoted by news agency ANI. #WATCH | Delhi: On BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuris reported objectionable statement on Delhi CM Atishi, AAP Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar says, Imagine if he becomes an MLA by mistake and imagine the kind of attitude he will have against women. The public of Delhi has extended pic.twitter.com/9rYhgq9SRe ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2025 Roads Like Priyanka Gandhis Cheeks Ramesh Bidhuri, who is known for his controversial statements, had courted another controversy earlier in the day claiming that if the BJP is voted to power in Delhi assembly, it will build smooth roads like Priyanka Gandhis cheeks" in the constituency. Bidhuri made a reference to Lalu Yadavs remark on Hema Malini and roads in Bihar and said that the RJD could not make roads in the state like Hema Malinis cheeks", but the BJP would definitely build roads in Kalkaji like Priyanka Gandhis cheeks". We will build all roads in Kalkaji like the cheeks of Priyanka Gandhi. Lalu had said that he would build roads in Bihar like the cheeks of Hema Malini, he had lied. He could not. But I assure you that we will make all roads in Kalkaji like the cheeks of Priyanka Gandhi," he said. The remark drew widespread criticism for his party. Congress Hits Out At Bidhuri Congress candidate from the Kalkaji constituency Alka Lamba lashed out at Bidhuri over the sexist remarks and sought his apology. She said Congress will stage protests and lodge an FIR against him. Everyone is thinking what kind of a remark it is Everyone has sisters, daughters, and mothers at home. Everyone is thinking that BJP had made a mistake by nominating him but should they make a mistake by voting for him?" she said. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate dubbed the BJP anti-women" and asked if the partys top leadership would speak up against Bidhuris remarks. BJP is against women. BJPs former MP and now partys candidate from Kalkaji, Ramesh Bidhuris remarks against Priyanka Gandhi are shameful. This is the real face of the BJP. Will the women party workers of BJP, party president JP Nadda, and PM Modi say anything?" she asked. Bidhuri Expressed Regret The former MP later expressed regret over his remarks as the row flared up. Though, he earlier defended his remarks stating Lalu Yadav should first apologise for his remarks on Hema Malini, but later said that he took his words back. I have said that in the context of what Lalu Yadav had said. Congress remained silent on that even when he (Lalu Yadav) was a minister in their govt If anyone is hurt by my remark, I express regret over it and I take my words back" Bidhuri said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Bidhuris Controversial Remark In Lok Sabha The BJP leader had also made a controversial remark against Opposition MP Danish Ali in the previous Lok Sabha, which drew criticism from the INDIA bloc. He had described the MP as militant and terrorist" on the floor of the House. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 21:59 IST Delhi Sheeshmahal Work Done During Covid: PM Modi Cites C&AG Report, Attacks AAP Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 18:59 IST PM Narendra Modi on Sunday quoted a newspaper report to say, The cost of renovation of the CM's residence rose three times... The AAP has so far not reacted to the reports and the PM's attack AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal (right) did not speak about the controversy when he addressed the press to respond to the Prime Minister's speech. (PTI) The Delhi politics is heating up with details of the latest C&AG report on the chief ministers residence, which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has termed Sheeshmahal", being leaked and Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the attack. The PM on Sunday quoted a newspaper report to say, The cost of renovation of the CMs residence rose three times, and this work was done while the capital was struggling with Covid." related stories The report has not been tabled in the Delhi Assembly so far, and BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has been deliberately blocking it from being tabled as it wants to hide it. The AAP has so far not reacted officially to the reports and the PMs attack with party convener Arvind Kejriwal not speaking about the controversy when he addressed the press to respond to the Prime Ministers speech. Many other C&AG reports regarding states that were finalised by the auditing body in November or December last year are public as they have been tabled in the state assemblies. Such recent reports regarding Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh are available on the C&AG website. The C&AG sends its reports to the states but makes them public only after they are tabled. The Delhi government last had an assembly session from November 29, 2024 to December 4, 2024, when only two sittings were held. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all BJP leader Amit Malviya quoted a newspaper report to say the cost of refurbishing the CMs residence escalated three times to Rs 33 crore, as per the leaked C&AG report. From preliminary estimates of Rs 7.91 crore, work was awarded at Rs 8.62 crore in 2020 and when it was completed by the Public Works Department (PWD) in 2022, the total cost was Rs 33.66 crore," Malviya said, referring to the C&AG findings and claiming there was a splurge on curtains to carpets. First Published: January 05, 2025, 17:34 IST 'Lotus Will Bloom': PM Modi Likens AAP To 'AAPda', Says Only BJP Can Develop Delhi Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 15:01 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the current AAP government has turned into an "AAPda (Disaster)" for Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi | Image/ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday repeated the AAPda (Disaster)" attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accusing the current Delhi government of derailing the citys development in the past 10 years. He exuded confidence in the BJP winning the forthcoming Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled to be held before February 2025. Have faith that lotus will bloom in Delhi polls," the PM said. related stories Addressing a public rally in Delhis Rohini, PM Modi said, The country is showing its trust in BJP. Lotus bloomed in the north-east, and Lotus bloomed in Odisha. Haryana elected BJP for the third time. In Maharashtra, the BJP received a landslide victory. Therefore, I believe that lotus will bloom in Delhi Assembly elections as well." PM Modi further noted that the development of Delhi will play a crucial role in achieving the target of Viksit Bharat by 2047. We need to develop Delhi as the capital of the Viksit Bharat. Therefore, I have come here to urge people to give BJP one chance," PM Modi said. VIDEO | Delhi: PM Narendra Modi, while addressing a Public Meeting in Rohini, says, We need to develop Delhi as the capital of the Viksit Bharat. This is our dream. Therefore, I have come here to urge people to give BJP one chance for the bright future of Delhi."(Full video pic.twitter.com/Lx5Putiyfh Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 5, 2025 Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over Rs 12,200 crore in Delhi today, aiming at improving infrastructure and connectivity in the national capital. PM Modi Takes Sheeshmahal Jibe In a swipe at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, PM Modi said that when the people of Delhi were fighting the Covid disease a few years back, others were building Sheeshmahal," alluding to the alleged luxurious renovation of the Delhi Chief Ministers bungalow. Today, a big newspaper has revealed the expenditure on Sheesh Mahal based on a CAG report. When the people of Delhi were fighting with Covid, they were focused on building Sheesh Mahal. They are not bothered about the people of Delhi," the PM said. #WATCH | Delhi: At BJPs Parivartan rally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says The entire Delhi is proud of Bharat Mandapam, YashoBhoomi, Kartavya PathI feel sad that the AAP-DA people have wasted 10 years of the people of Delhi. There are several places in Delhi where cabs pic.twitter.com/1EdJIueRrS ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2025 He further accused the AAP government of not letting the people of Delhi enjoy the benefits of several central schemes, including the Ayushman Bharat Yojna, a national public health insurance. He assured the people that no public interest scheme would be stopped if the BJP came to power in Delhi. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled to take place before February this year, with all eyes on BJPs campaigning and AAPs counter attacks that have already fueled the election season. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 14:10 IST 'Accused Roaming Free': Father Of Bihar Boy Shot Dead In 2022 Pleads For Justice, Claims Life Threat Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 15:24 IST The incident took place on May 18, 2022, when the victim was attending a wedding ceremony and was shot at by the accused. Victim Rishikant Thakur (L), Accused Priyaranjan Singh (R) | Image/CNN-News18 The father of a 20-year-old boy, who was allegedly shot dead in 2022 in Bihars Saraiya, is still waiting for justice and has urged the Bihar Police to arrest the accused, who he claims is still roaming freely even two years after the crime. The incident took place on May 18, 2022, when the victim was attending a wedding ceremony and was shot at by the accused, identified as Priyaranjan Singh. He succumbed to bullet injuries during treatment on November 11. related stories The victim, Rishikant Thakur, a resident of Lalganj town in Bihars Vaishali district, was a fitness enthusiast who suffered paralysis after a bullet struck his spinal cord. During the treatment at a private hospital in Lucknow, he died. My son was shot at in front of hundreds of people attending the wedding ceremony. He suffered for around 5 months and then left us. Police took zero action against the accused, who is now roaming free," the victims father Ram Niranjan Thakur told CNN-News18. FIR Delayed: Victims Family Awaits Justice Father of the victim alleged that the FIR into the case was registered on May 27, 2024, two years after the incident. We did all we could have done to lodge the case. However, the police never cooperated with us and delayed FIR." He further alleged that the Bihar Police, under the influence of the accused, who he said belongs to an influential family, delayed the registration of the FIR for 24 months. It has been six months now, no action has been taken," he said. Speaking to CNN-News18, the investigating officer of the case, Sub-Inspector Ramesh Kumar Sharma, assured all possible cooperation to the victims family and shared key developments in the case. Sharma said that the place of the incident was Saraiya and the case was filed in the Muzaffarpur town. It has been difficult to track down the accused as his residential address doesnt fall within our police station limits," he said. We have already issued a warrant and conducted raids at the residence of the accused. However, we couldnt find him during the visit. Going next, we will pray in the court to get permission for a detailed investigation and summon the accused to appear for interrogation." Viictims Family Claims Life Threat top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The victims family claimed that they had been under continuous pressure from the accused and his family to withdraw the case and received life threats on several occasions. We used to stay in Lalganj town for many years. After the registration of the FIR, we received multiple life threats and warnings to withdraw the case. We have left Bihar and took a temporary shelter in Kolkata," said the victims father. First Published: January 05, 2025, 15:24 IST After 18 Years On The Run, Two Former Armymen Arrested For Killing Woman, 17-Day-Old Twins Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 08:18 IST Divil Kumar and Rajesh were allegedly involved in the murder of Ranjini, 24, and her twin daughters in 2006. The duo later changed their names and identities to evade arrest. Two former Army officials were nabbed after 18 years for killing a woman and her twin daughters. (Representative Image) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two former Army officials absconding for 18 years after allegedly murdering a 24-year-old woman and her 17-day-old daughters in 2006 in the Anchal area of Keralas Kochi city. The suspects were identified as Divil Kumar and Rajesh from Anchal and Kannur respectively. Rajesh is a former Army officer. They were both arrested from Puducherry by a team of CBI officers after evading capturefor 18 years. related stories The duo were produced before a court in Kochi on Saturday and were remanded in judicial custody for the murder of Ranjini and her twin daughters, according to a prosecutor. How Did They Evade Arrest? Divil Kumar was in a relationship with Ranjini but was displeased when she wanted him to take the responsibility as the father of her twin daughters, according to The Hindu. When he was unwilling to do so, Ranjini approached the Womens Commission, which directed a DNA test to be carried out. This enraged Kumar, who proceeded to avail leave from the Army and sought the help of Rajesh, who served in the same regiment. As per the chargesheet filed by the CBI in 2013, Rajesh used to visit their home and had also promised to help Ranjini get married to Kumar, but was plotting her murder instead. Together, the duo murdered Ranjini and her newborn twin daughters when her mother had gone to the panchayat office to get the birth certificates of her granddaughters. Kumar and Rajesh absconded, moved to Puducherry under different names and started a business there. Divil Kumar changed his name and identity to Vishnu, while Rajesh also changed his name to Praveen Kumar and got married in Puducherry, according to a CBI spokesperson. Rajesh also purchased properties in Puducherry and settled there. How Were They Arrested? As the duo absconded, they were declared deserters by the Army in March 2006. Both the Kerala Police and the CBI had identified the accused during earlier investigations, but they still managed to avoid arrest. The case was handed over to the CBI in 2010 on the orders of the Kerala High Court, but the agency also struggled to locate the suspects, despite issuing a lookout notice for them and announcing a reward of Rs 2 lakh for information on their whereabouts. After several years, the CBI received a tip-off about the suspects in Puducherry after the Kerala Police recreated AI images of the duo and a person in a wedding photo resembled Kumar. A team of CBI officers then arrested the accused. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The CBI investigation revealed that the above murders were committed by Divil Kumar, and his friend Rajesh. Both the accused were absconding from the stage of investigation in 2006," the statement said. The CBI had filed a chargesheet and the court had declared them as Proclaimed Offenders. (with PTI inputs) Location : Kochi [Cochin], India First Published: January 05, 2025, 07:42 IST DOHA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, met here on Sunday with a high-level Syrian delegation led by interim Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, to discuss bilateral ties and the latest developments in Syria. The delegation included Syria's Minister of Defense, Marhaf Abu Qasra, and the Head of the Intelligence Service, Anas Khattab, according to a statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral cooperation and ways to strengthen it, the latest developments in Syria, Qatar's humanitarian assistance, among other issues concerning mutual interests. The Qatari prime minister reaffirmed his country's unwavering stance in supporting Syria's unity, sovereignty, and independence, highlighting the importance of fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people. For his part, Al-Shaibani praised Qatar's prominent role in supporting the Syrian people, noting that Qatar would be a key partner in the peace phase. On Dec. 21, 2024, Qatar reopened its embassy in Damascus, Syria, becoming the second country to do so after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government. This marked the first time in 13 years that Qatar's national flag was raised over the embassy building. A military coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a major offensive from northern Syria on Nov. 27, 2024, capturing Damascus and overthrowing al-Assad's government within 12 days. On Friday, in a post on social media platform X following his return from a two-day trip to Saudi Arabia, al-Shaibani announced the plan to visit Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan in the coming week, in an effort to bolster Syria's stability, security, and economic recovery. 'Nehru's Betrayal': BJP Vs Congress Showdown Over India-China Border Dispute Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 14:32 IST The BJP-Congress faceoff came after India lodged a solemn protest over two new Chinese counties in Hotan prefecture, parts of which included territories in Ladakh. BJP and Congress sparred over Chinese occupation of Indian territories. (Representative Image) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress faced off again over Chinas alleged territorial expansion, after India lodged a solemn protest" over the creation of two new Chinese counties in Hotan prefecture, saying they included areas in Ladakh. In a strong reaction on Friday, External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal acknowledged the creation of new so-called counties" in Chinas Hotan Prefecture, parts of which fall in Indias Union Territory of Ladakh. related stories We have never accepted the illegal Chinese occupation of Indian Territory in this area. Creation of new counties will neither have a bearing on Indias long-standing and consistent position regarding our sovereignty over the area nor lend legitimacy to Chinas illegal and forcible occupation of the same. We have lodged a solemn protest with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels on this matter," Jaiswal said. The MEA spokespersons speech was used by the Congress to reinforce that the BJP government had lied to the public over Chinas territorial expansions on Indian land, accusing Prime Minister Modi of giving a clean chit" to the neighbouring country. The party also attached an old video of PM Modi refuting reports of Chinese occupation of Indian territories. Congress Cannot Get Away With Such Lies In a strongly-worded response, BJP IT Cell In-Charge Amit Malviya blasted Congress for speaking on Chinese annexation of Indian territory despite it happening during former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehrus tenure, in which the infamous war of 1962 took place. Imagine blaming Prime Minister Modi for Nehrus betrayal! Congress has the dishonesty to speak of Chinese annexation of Indian territory, despite the fact that all of it occurred during Jawaharlal Nehrus tenure as Prime Minister," Malviya said. The BJP leader provided details about the two counties Hean and Hekang. Several parts of teh Hean county were occupied by China from 1959 to 1962 amid growing border tensions between the two countries. Imagine blaming Prime Minister Modi for Nehrus betrayal!Congress has the dishonesty to speak of Chinese annexation of Indian territory, despite the fact that all of it occurred during Jawaharlal Nehrus tenure as Prime Minister. Here is the reality regarding the new Counties https://t.co/rJpx8cgHot pic.twitter.com/gXzDz23FEL Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) January 5, 2025 The significance of Hean County lies in the G219 Highway, which China formally opened in 1957. Prime Minister Nehru acknowledged its construction in Parliament in 1959. Key features of Hean County include: Haji Langar: Occupied by China in 1959; an Indian patrol was detained here in 1958. Qizil Jilga: Captured by China in 1962. Chung Tash: Occupied by China in 1962. Dehra Compas: Taken over by China in 1961. Shamal Lungpa: Seized by China in October 1959, close to the site of a 1959 attack on an Indian patrol." Congress cannot get away with such lies, even if Rahul Gandhi thinks otherwise," he added, sharing a video of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who strongly asserted that all Indian territories occupied by China was captured between 1958-1962 under Nehrus tenure. China has violated agreements and sent a large number of troops to the border, but the country shiuld take pride that despite the Covid, we counter-deployed, we have sent troops in record numbers to the border. The country should be supportive of the military," Jaishankar was heard saying at the Viksit Bharat programme. India Objects To Chinas Mega Dam Proposal Meanwhile, India also objected to Chinas proposed plan to build a mega dam on the Brahmaputra river in Tibet. There have been apprehensions that the dam will have adversely impact the ecological balance of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. We have seen the information released by Xinhua on 25th December 2024 regarding a hydropower project on the Yarlung-Tsangpo River in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China," Jaiswal said during the briefing. As a lower riparian state with established user rights to the waters of the river, we have consistently expressed, through expert level as well as diplomatic channels, our views and concerns to the Chinese side over mega projects on rivers in their territory. These have been reiterated alongwith the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries following the latest report," he added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Jaiswal further said the Chinese side has been urged to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas. Chinas announcement on the dam also caused concerns in neighbouring Bangladesh. The latest hurdle in India-China ties came weeks after the two countries ended an over four-and-a-half-year border standoff and announced steps to reduce mistrust. Following an understanding reached on October 21, the two sides completed the disengagement of troops at the two remaining friction points of Demchok and Depsang. First Published: January 05, 2025, 14:19 IST Couple Killed, 2 Injured As Car Skids Off Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 23:25 IST According to the Kasa police, the accident occurred around 2 pm when the occupants of the car were returning to Gujarat after visiting the Mahalakshmi temple in Dahanu. The car swerved and plunged into a valley near the Dhanivari area. (Representative image) A couple was killed and two others were injured when the car they were travelling in skidded off the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway in Maharashtras Palghar district on Sunday, police said. According to the Kasa police, the accident occurred around 2 pm when the occupants of the car were returning to Gujarat after visiting the Mahalakshmi temple in Dahanu. related stories The car swerved and plunged into a valley near the Dhanivari area, they said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Those killed were in their 60s, an official said. Two other occupants of the car, a man and his wife, sustained injuries in the crash. They have been admitted to a hospital in Kasa, he added. Location : Palghar, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 23:25 IST Following A Girl Only Once Doesnt Amount To Stalking: Bombay High Court Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 21:20 IST The single-judge bench of Justice Govind Sanap gave the verdict on December 5, 2024, while hearing pleas involving two 19-year-old boys accused of sexual harassment. The Bombay High Court was hearing appeals by two 19-year-olds accused of sexual harassment and trespass involving a minor girl. (File image) The Bombay High Court has held that merely following a girl or a victim only once does not amount to stalking as prescribed under Section 354(D) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the provisions under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The single-judge bench of Justice Govind Sanap gave the verdict on December 5, 2024, while hearing pleas involving two 19-year-old boys accused of sexual harassment and stalking in a case concerning a 14-year-old girl, as reported by Live Law. related stories The judge acquitted the boys saying that a single instance of the boys following the victim will not constitute the offence of stalking. It is to be noted that in order to attract the offence of stalking, the prosecution must prove that the accused repeatedly or constantly followed, watched or contacted a child either directly or through electronic, digital media. In view of this mandatory requirement of the offence of stalking, a solitary instance of following the victim would not be sufficient to make out this offence," the judgement read. Whats The Case? The primary or the first accused had followed the minor girl and had expressed a desire to marry her in January 2020. Despite the girls rejection, he continued to harass her. Later, he trespassed into girls house and forced himself upon her by gagging her mouth and touching inappropriately. The second accused was allegedly standing outside the house during the incident, the report added. The trial court had convicted both the boys on multiple charges under the IPC and POCSO. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Upon review, the High Court held the first accused guilty of sexually assaulting the victim when he trespassed the victims house. He was not convicted of stalking as the court opined that the accused followed the victim only once. The second boy was acquitted of both the offences as the court noted that the victim in her testimony did not attribute any specific role to the second accused in the case apart from accompanying the first accused. The second accused had accompanied the first during both the events. First Published: January 05, 2025, 21:20 IST 'Toughest Days': IC 814 Pilot Retires After 40-Year Service, Shares Kandahar Hijack Experience Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 22:01 IST Captain Devi Sharan flew his last flight from Melbourne to Delhi on Saturday, ending his 40 years of career filled with adventure and memories. Captain Devi Sharan retires (Photo: X) Captain Devi Sharan, the commander of the hijacked Indian Airlines IC 814 in December 1999, retired on Saturday at 65 after 40 years of service as he flew his last flight Air India Dreamliner from Melbourne to Delhi. He joined erstwhile Indian Airlines in 1985 and hung up his boots on January 4, 2025, after four decades of memories and nightmares in the sky. related stories Now even as a passenger, I will always be looking at people around me to ensure that everyone is alright and nothings wrong. A creeping doubt will linger on," he told the Times of India. His Career Captain Sharan started his flying career in 1984 after training in Karnal and was selected by Indian Airlines (which later merged with Air India in 2007) the following year. He started flying the Boeing 737-200 and later moved on to the Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft, including the A330 hijacked to Kandahar. After the merger, he continued flying the Air India A330 and eventually the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. On January 4, Captain Sharan operated his final flight, flying a Dreamliner from Melbourne to Delhi. The crew gave him a heartfelt farewell to honour his remarkable career. With the same enthusiasm as the young boy who once joined this airline, I now turn the page and embark on the golden years of my life," he shared in a farewell message to his colleagues. Captain Sharan On 1999 Hijack Recalling the horrible moments of the hijack, the Captain said that the incident taught him that life is unpredictable and one has to always be ready to fight back. Those were the toughest days of my life and my only aim was to save the lives of everyone on that aircraft. I hope and pray no crew member, passenger, or anyone else ever relives those moments," he told TOI. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Kandahar hijacking was not the only perilous experience in Captain Sharans career. 12 years later, he and Captain SPS Suriwho had flown the hijacked Indian Airlines aircraft safely back to India on January 1, 2000faced another life-threatening situation. During a civil war in Libya, the two pilots, along with their cabin crew colleagues, found themselves stranded in the conflict-ridden country. They were confronted by armed youths wielding AK-47s on the streets. Fortunately, the entire team managed to escape unharmed. As part of his retirement plans, he wants to undertake a year-long world tour, visiting places such as Antarctica and Siberia. After that, he intends to return to farming in Karnal and also contribute to Air Indias new mega training facility, TOI reported. First Published: January 05, 2025, 21:53 IST Three Dead As Indian Coast Guard Chopper Crashes During Training In Gujarats Porbandar Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 16:37 IST A report by ANI said that the chopper crashed during a training sortie. An injured person recovered from inside the Indian Coast Guard ALH Dhruv chopper is being taken for administering medical care at Bhavsinhji Civil Hospital. (IMAGE: ANI) An Indian Coast Guard ALH Dhruv chopper on Sunday crashed while performing a training sorties in Gujarats Porbandar, killing three people onboard. The affected were rushed to Bhavsinhji Civil Hospital. There were three personnel including two pilots in the chopper. All three have lost their lives in the incident," Coast Guard officials told news agencies. related stories The incident took place at 12.10 pm, Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja said while speaking to news agencies. The crew members were brought out of the chopper and rushed to a hospital in Porbandar in a severely burnt condition, he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all All the three crew members died at the hospital, Kamala Baug police stations inspector Rajesh Kanmiya said. (with inputs from ANI, PTI) Location : Porbandar, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 13:27 IST 4 Dead After Vehicle Falls Into Deep Gorge In J&K's Kishtwar Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 11:14 IST A rescue operation is underway in the Sanyas Poddar area of Kishtwar district after the accident. Four people were confirmed killed in the incident. Four people died after a vehicle carrying five passengers fell into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. At least four people died after a vehicle carrying five passengers plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar district on Sunday. A rescue operation was launched in the Sanyas Paddar area of Kishtwar. Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh also spoke to Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar over the matter. related stories The deceased individuals have been identified as Raj Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Haqiqat Singh and Satish Kumar. Earlier, four army personnel were killed and one was injured after their vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmirs Bandipora district on Saturday. Emergency services quickly arrived at the scene, and the injured soldiers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Five soldiers were initially injured in the incident. Two of them were declared dead on arrival at the hospital, while three others were critically injured and were being transferred to Srinagar for specialised treatment. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and other leaders paid tribute to the soldiers. Location : Kishtwar, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 10:52 IST Cop Dead, 4 Naxals Killed In Encounter With Security Forces In Chhattisgarh Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 10:07 IST The encounter began on Saturday evening and resulted in the deaths of four Naxals and a policeman. DRG and STF teams from four districts are involved in the operation. One cop also died in the gunfight. (PTI/Representative) In an ongoing encounter between Naxalites and security forces, four Naxals and a police constable have been killed and their bodies have been recovered. A weapons cache was seized on the spot, including an AK-47, an SLR, and other automatic weapons. Dantewada DRG Head Constable Sannu Karam was killed in action during the operation that began on Saturday. The encounter, however, still remains active, with DRG and Special Task Force (STF) teams from four districts participating, according to IG Bastar P. Sundarraj. related stories The anti-Naxal operation took place in the South Abujmarh forest area in the Narayanpur-Dantewada district border of Chhattisgarh, the IG said. It was conducted by the STF in coordination with DRG teams from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Jagdalpur and Kondagaon districts. Search operation was still underway in the area, according to a senior police official. Considered a Maoist bastion until recently, security forces have neutralised many Naxalites in Abujhmaad in the past few months. Earlier on Friday, at least three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Kandeshar village in Chhattisgarhs Gariaband district. Weapons were also recovered from the encounter site. In December last year, two CoBRA commandos of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured in the exchange of fire with Naxals as they were securing a forward base established in the forest area of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In a separate episode, two Naxals were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Nendra-Punnur forests under the Basaguda Police station area. A total of two 12-bore guns, Naxal uniforms, literature, explosives and other Naxal materials were recovered from the spot. (with inputs from agencies) First Published: January 05, 2025, 09:36 IST Kerala Lottery Results Today: Akshaya AK-684 WINNERS for January 5, 2025; Full List Here! Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 08, 2025, 09:08 IST Kerala Lottery Results: Here's FULL LIST of winning numbers for Akshaya AK-684 lucky draw for Sunday, January 5, 2025. Kerala Lottery Akshaya AK-684 Results: The first prize winner of Akshaya AK-684 will get Rs 70 Lakh. (Image: Shutterstock) KERALA LOTTERY AKSHAYA AK-684 RESULTS ON SUNDAY, 5.1.2025: The Kerala State Lottery Department has announced the results of the Akshaya AK-684 lucky draw for Sunday, January 5. The first-place winner will receive a cash prize of Rs 70 lakh, while the second and third-place winners will be awarded Rs 5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively. Check Full List of Winning Numbers below. ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Results: Fifty Fifty FF-124 WINNERS for January 8, 2025; First Prize Rs 1 Crore! related stories FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR AKSHAYA AK-684 LOTTERY RESULTS WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE AN 840995 AP 840995 AR 840995 AS 840995 AT 840995 AU 840995 AV 840995 AW 840995 AX 840995 AY 840995 AZ 840995 WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 70 LAKH IS AO 840995 (KATTAPPANA) Agent Name: SUBIN JOSEPH Agency No.: Y 4131 WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 5 LAKH IS AU 206724 (KANNUR) Agent Name: V UMESHAN Agency No.: C 3773 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 LAKH ARE AN 319662 AO 695122 AP 250782 AR 659392 AS 865122 AT 437263 AU 672821 AV 679875 AW 947467 AX 880142 AY 575389 AZ 941317 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE 0150 1127 2510 3159 3467 4604 4833 4839 5121 5494 5620 5774 6599 7098 7937 9024 9666 9848 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 2,000 ARE 1409 1459 2524 4982 6873 7998 8802 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE 0081 0550 0838 0864 0918 1161 1554 2126 2199 2348 2666 2842 3685 4238 5297 5868 6020 7234 7279 8096 8149 8408 9025 9292 9615 9752 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE 0064 0188 0479 0594 0697 0890 0947 1013 1043 1046 1074 1348 1367 1429 1875 1896 1900 2103 2201 2413 2445 2606 2622 2854 2967 3079 3097 3155 3227 3257 3562 3614 3632 3633 3734 3954 4209 4220 4297 4481 4493 4516 4641 4665 4873 4920 5725 5825 6059 6238 6368 6570 6760 6811 6872 6970 7174 7207 7313 7405 7678 7932 7979 8028 8090 8150 8208 8247 8756 8765 8766 9093 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE 3219 5660 6223 8374 0930 8502 2847 5828 3593 3539 7533 6476 6558 1525 7414 4749 9413 8604 7925 2165 8900 3972 2269 1967 6581 7042 9356 4275 7344 1743 5218 0587 8294 6339 6840 5883 7738 3284 2782 7251 6920 7984 4587 8983 0318 6012 4790 0352 5076 7475 7553 0642 8392 1835 7121 6884 4131 0058 9771 1596 9804 8159 1469 2023 4314 1047 5260 0145 9837 5461 8239 5624 7879 4240 7825 6413 8216 5898 9232 4543 6497 9366 9477 7248 8401 9142 1324 8528 5998 6148 6848 2990 0809 4289 3717 2135 3734 5025 7359 4356 5806 6025 2077 6002 7239 0089 5139 3107 4997 8514 9627 2992 2652 2122 1924 5944 8431 4796 4818 1227 8965 8623 9946 KERALA LOTTERY RESULTS: AKSHAYA AK-684 PRIZE STRUCTURE 1st Prize: Rs 70 Lakh 2nd Prize: Rs. 5 Lakh 3rd Prize: Rs. 1 Lakh 4th Prize: Rs. 5,000 5th Prize: Rs. 2,000 6th Prize: Rs. 1,000 7th Prize: Rs. 500 8th Prize: Rs. 100 Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000 HOW TO VERIFY AKSHAY AK-684 LOTTERY RESULTS? To verify the Akshaya AK-684 lottery results and winning numbers, visit www.keralalottery.info. The results are also available at the Kerala Government Gazette Office. HOW TO COLLECT YOUR PRIZE MONEY? Compare the numbers on your ticket with those listed in the Kerala Government Gazette to check if youve won a prize. If your ticket number matches any of the winning numbers, you are eligible to claim the prize. You can collect your prize money at the Kerala lottery offices in Thiruvananthapuram within 30 days of the draw. To claim your reward, bring your winning ticket and a valid proof of identity. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY? A photocopy of the winning ticket, with self-attestation on both sides, is required. Two passport-sized photographs, signed by a Gazette staff member. An additional PAN card with the participants signature. Complete the online prize money receipt form, affix a revenue stamp, and submit it. Identity proof documents such as ration cards, voter IDs, Aadhaar, PAN cards and others. HOW TO DOWNLOAD A PDF WITH A FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS? Go to the official Kerala Lottery Department website, keralalotteries.info or keralalotteryresult.net. Click on the link to view the Akshaya Lottery Result AK-684. The winning numbers should be displayed in the results. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Look for the download link on the website. Opt to download the lottery results as a PDF file. Location : Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India First Published: January 05, 2025, 09:00 IST Maharashtra: Activist Slams Sarpanch Murder Probe As 'Hogwash', Alleges Ministers Targeting Her Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 17:48 IST Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was murdered on December 9 for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm operating a windmill project in the region. Anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania (Photo: X/Anjali Damania) Anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania on Sunday said the ongoing investigation into the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was hogwash" and asserted police from outside that district must helm the probe for the truth to come out. Massajog sarpanch Deshmukh was murdered on December 9 for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm operating a windmill project in the region. related stories The Special Investigation Team of the state CID is probing Deshmukhs murder as well as the extortion case linked to his death. Beed police, which bows down to Walmik Karad, the main accused in the extortion case and a close aide of NCP minister and Parli MLA Dhananjay Munde, cannot conduct a fair and impartial inquiry, Damania alleged. Speaking to reporters, she further alleged Maharashtra ministers Dhananjay Munde and Pankaja Munde, both from Beed, were targeting her with abusive and vulgar language" through calls and messages. I am accused of creating social disharmony by targeting the Vanjari community. I have not done anything like that. I just mentioned that since the times of (late BJP stalwart) Gopinath Munde, all government appointees in Beed are from one community. Police in the district who belong to a particular community bond with Karad and cannot probe him," she alleged. The ongoing probe is a hogwash. Beed police must not be in charge of the probe. I have met Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla in this regard. I also urge Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (who holds the home portfolio) to take action against those troubling me," Damania added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Chief Minister Fadnavis said, Whatever complaint Anjali Damania has, she should report it to the police, who will definitely act on it." Seven persons have been arrested in the Deshmukh murder case, while one person is absconding. Three persons, including Karad, have been held in the extortion case linked to the sarpanchs murder. First Published: January 05, 2025, 17:48 IST Mumbai: Crime Patrol Actor Stabbed, Hit With Iron Rod In Road Rage Incident Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 16:39 IST The incident took place on December 30, 2024 in Mumbai's Versova area when the actor collided with a biker while crossing the road. Raghav Tiwari said that his friends rushed him to a nearby hospital for treatment. (IANS) In a shocking incident, television actor Raghav Tiwari was allegedly attacked by a biker in a road rage incident in Mumbai. The incident took place on December 30, 2024 in Mumbais Versova area when he collided with a biker while crossing the road. related stories The actor, best known for his appearances in Crime Patrol, recounted the sequence of events. While speaking to news agency IANS, he said that while crossing the road after stepping out of his friends car, he collided with a biker. I apologised immediately, but the biker began abusing me." He said. The argument escalated, with the biker attacking him with a knife. Maharashtra: Actor Raghav Tiwari, who has worked in many Bollywood films, was attacked with a sharp weapon in Mumbai. Police registered the caseHe says, ..So he started locking the car and used a knife, he just hit me hard" pic.twitter.com/7OokH3rI3I IANS (@ians_india) January 4, 2025 I asked him why he was abusing me. After this, he got down from his bike in anger and stabbed me twice. He then kicked me in the stomach. I fell to the ground. He pulled out a liquor bottle and an iron rod from his bikes trunk to hit me," he further said. The accused even slapped Tiwari. Following this, in self-defence, the actor picked up a piece of wood and hit the bikers hand, he said. This caused the liquor bottle to fall from his hand. But that angered him even more, and he hit my head with an iron rod twice," he told the news agency. The accused fled the spot immediately. Tiwari said that his friends rushed him to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police Didnt Take Action He claimed that he went to the police station to file a report against the individual, but the officers did not listen. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The police collected CCTV footage, but even then they did not make any arrest," he said. The actor, who has also worked in many Bollywood films, claimed that the accused was identified as Mohammad Zaid reportedly the son of director Parvez Shaikh. First Published: January 05, 2025, 16:37 IST by Matthew Rusling, Xiong Maoling WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Republican Mike Johnson was elected House speaker Friday. But the GOP faces a tough road ahead, given its razor-thin House majority. Johnson won re-election for the U.S. House speaker in a slim Republican majority, after swaying two out of the three members of his party who had joined Democrats to block his bid. The final vote tally was 218 to 216, with all 215 Democrats voting for minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky voting for another candidate -- GOP Whip Tom Emmer. The turbulent speaker election reflects the ongoing infighting within the Republican Party. Several conservative Republican lawmakers previously voiced opposition to Johnson's re-election. Even though President-elect Donald Trump has publicly endorsed him, it was not enough to prevent three votes of opposition in the initial results. In the November 2024 U.S. House elections, the Republican Party managed to retain a majority, but it became even slimmer. Republicans currently hold 219 seats, while Democrats control 215 of the 435 seats. This has created the most narrowly divided Congress in nearly 100 years. This means that if two Republican members were to defect, the GOP could lose its majority, complicating efforts to push through legislative agendas. This bitterly divided Congress is unlikely to see much cooperation between parties, which means Republicans could well lack the votes to implement the many campaign promises of Trump. "It will be very difficult for House Republicans to get even a bare majority on their own, even on what should be pretty simple votes," Christopher Galdieri, a political science professor at Saint Anselm College in the northeastern state of New Hampshire, told Xinhua. "There's a group of members on the far right of the party caucus who aren't very interested in passing laws or making policy. So either Johnson will have to let them drive the House's agenda, or Johnson will have to get votes from Democrats, who won't be interested in moving Trump's agenda along," Galdieri said. Noting that Johnson's victory on Friday was a win for Trump in that he endorsed Johnson, Galdieri said that "once it becomes clear how hard getting anything out of this House is, expect the Trump-Johnson relationship to get rocky." Johnson, 52, from Louisiana, was initially elected speaker of the House of Representatives as a result of Republican infighting. On Oct. 3, 2023, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, was ousted due to opposition from the party's far-right conservatives, leaving the House in a state of paralysis. After three weeks of a leaderless period, Johnson was elected speaker on Oct. 25, 2023, in the fourth round of voting. Massie, who followed through with his "no" vote, recently said that Johnson is not fit for the job of House speaker, and if he continues to hold the position, it will ultimately cause the Republican Party to lose its slim majority. Massie had previously supported Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's efforts to remove Johnson from the speaker's position, partly because he believed Johnson had chosen to cooperate with Democrats to remain speaker when he lacked sufficient Republican votes to support him. Meanwhile, Trump's opponents are gearing up for a major fight over the next four years, determined to stop the President-elect's agenda in its tracks. Skye Perryman, head of Democracy Forward, a left-leaning legal organization, told CNN that Democrats will have a hard fight to block Trump's agenda, but added that "there are real opportunities with both where the American people are on issues as well as with where the judicial landscape is." Indeed, Trump has outlined a broad agenda full of bold policies he wants to implement. Topping the list are plans to deport migrants who have illegally poured over the U.S. southern border during the last four years. Trump said he'll start with those who've committed crimes. But deporting millions could prove to be a major hurdle. Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that Trump will not be able to deport as many people as he says he will, due to logistical difficulties. Other experts said Trump's deportation policies are certain to result in mistaken identifications and attempts to deport citizens. Trump could also face opposition outside of Washington. There could also be efforts from elected officials in Democrat-led states to prevent their police forces and National Guard units from being used to implement Trump's agenda, experts said. Spanish Woman Returns To India To Find Biological Mother After 2 Decades Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 17:56 IST Her Spanish parents Gema Vidal and Juan Josh supported her in her quest and Gema accompanied Sneha to her home state. 21-year-old Sneha is running out of time as she has to return to Spain on Monday for her educational commitments. (Image: X) Sneha, a Spanish citizen, has returned to India in search of her biological mother, who had abandoned her and her brother 20 years ago. However, 21-year-old Sneha is running out of time as she has to return to Spain on Monday for her educational commitments. related stories The researcher in childrens education wanted to trace her roots and reached India with scanty information about her past. Her Spanish parents Gema Vidal and Juan Josh supported her in her quest and Gema accompanied Sneha to her home state. They had adopted Sneha and her brother Somu in 2010 from an orphanage in Bhubaneswar, where they were kept after their mother Banalata Das abandoned them in 2005. "The purpose of my journey from Spain to Bhubaneswar is to find my biological parents, especially my mother. I want to find her and meet her. I am fully prepared for the journey even if it is difficult," Sneha told PTI. Asked if she would chide her biological mother for abandoning her, Sneha remained mum. She was only over a year old, and her brother was just a few months old at that time. Accompanied by Gema, a yoga teacher in Zaragoza city of Spain, Sneha arrived in Bhubaneswar on December 19 last year and they have been staying in a hotel. Somu, however, could not come as he was busy with some work in Spain. If they do not find Snehas biological mother by Monday, they will come back in March for a longer stay. "We have to return to Spain as Sneha has joined a training programme which should not be discontinued. If we do not get Banalata in the next 24 hours, we will come back to Bhubaneswar in March," Gema said. Banalata had abandoned Sneha and Somu at their rented house in Nayapally area in Bhubaneswar in 2005. Banalatas husband Santosh, who worked as a cook in a private firm, had earlier abandoned his family, which comprised his wife, and four children, including Sneha and Somu. Later, Banalata also left the rented house with another son and daughter, leaving behind Sneha and Somu. The house owner later informed the police and they were shifted to an orphanage. In 2010, Sneha, then more than five years old, and Somu, around four years old, were legally adopted by the Spanish couple. "Sneha is very responsible and educated. She is the joy of our house. She is our life," Gema said. Gema had earlier revealed to Sneha and Somu about their roots in Odisha and that they were adopted. "She is well educated and conducting research, so she decided to locate her biological mother and I accompanied her to this place," Gema said. During their frantic search in Bhubaneswar, Gema and Sneha came across a retired teacher of Rama Devi Womens University, Sneha Sudha Mishra, who helped them find out the names of her parents. "We found out about her parents names from the house owner in Nayapally and later the names were verified with the police and the orphanage," Mishra said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all With the help of Mishra, Sneha and Gema met city Commissioner of Police Dev Datta Singh, who assigned the job of locating Banalata Das and Santosh Das to two police personnel Anjali Chhotray and Gangadhar Pradhan. "We have found out that Banalata Das and Santosh are from Badamba-Narsinghpur area in Cuttack district. We have engaged police and panchayat functionaries to locate them," Inspector Anjali Chhotray said. Location : Bhubaneswar, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 17:56 IST UP Woman Raped, Family Claims Police Pressured Them To Marry Her To Accused Citing Pregnancy Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 22:06 IST On March 10, 2024, Sajid Ali allegedly raped the woman when she was alone at her home and also filmed the assault, the police said. Representational Photo A married man allegedly raped a 19-year-old woman here multiple times, with her family alleging that when they went to lodge a complaint the police persuaded" them to marry her to the accused citing her pregnancy. The accused, Sajid Ali (aged around 35 years) from Kotwali area was arrested on Sunday evening, police said. He befriended the woman from the same locality and began visiting her house, Superintendent of Police (SP) Meenakshi Katyayan told PTI citing the FIR. related stories Ali was arrested by one of our teams this evening. Further legal actions are underway," added the officer. On March 10, 2024, Ali allegedly raped the woman when she was alone at her home and also filmed the assault, the officer said. The SP said when the woman threatened to lodge a complaint, the accused used the video to blackmail her, threatening to post it online. Out of fear, the woman remained silent and Ali continued to rape her due to which she became pregnant, the officer added. Upon noticing physical changes, her parents confronted her after which she disclosed the incident, the SP said. The woman and her parents went to lodge a complaint against the accused on September 20, 2024. However, the police persuaded them to agree to a marriage between the woman and Ali, citing her pregnancy, the complaint read. The woman alleged that the marriage was conducted without proper investigation and against her will, Katyayan said. Later in October, the woman got to know that Ali was already married. He lived with his wife at some other place, according to the police. On November 26, the woman gave birth to a stillborn child at a private hospital, the SP said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The officer said that the woman, who was a victim of mental and physical abuse for several months, submitted a written complaint on January 3, seeking action against Ali. Based on her complaint, a case was registered under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code. The womans statement has been recorded and a medical examination was conducted, the police said. Location : Bhadohi, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 22:06 IST 4 Killed, 2 Missing As Vehicle Falls Into River In J&K's Kishtwar Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 23:13 IST Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed their grief over the loss of lives due to the accident. Representative Image Four persons were killed after a vehicle carrying six people skidded off the road and fell into a river in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, police said. Two persons, including the driver, are missing and a rescue operation is underway, they said. The accident took place at Sanyas in the Paddar area, when the vehicle, a Camper, skidded off the road and rolled 300-foot down into river Machail, a police official said. Police launched a rescue operation and recovered the four bodies, he said. related stories Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed their grief over the loss of lives due to the accident. Abdullah said that his office is in constant touch with the district administration, which is making all possible efforts to trace the two individuals still missing. Udhampur MP and Union minister Jitendra Singh also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident. Saddened to learn just now that 4 of the passengers travelling in the vehicle have been found dead on the spot. Two other persons, including the driver, are not traced as yet. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families," he said in a post on X. The minister said he contacted Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Rajesh Kumar Shavan immediately after receiving the report about the accident. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Rescue teams have been put into action. I am regularly receiving the updates," he said. In a condolence message, Lieutenant Governor Sinha said pained by the loss of lives due to a tragic road accident in Kishtwar. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones". Chief Minister Abdullah also expressed profound grief and sorrow over the tragic death of four individuals in the accident. Terming the incident as a great loss of precious human lives, he conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Location : Jammu, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 23:13 IST Waqf Land Used For Maha Kumbh?' Islamic Cleric Fires Salvo, Hindu Seers React Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 19:53 IST In a video message, Barelvi said that 55 bighas of waqf land are being used for the Hindu religious event. Held every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh will be organised in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26.(PTI) Islamic cleric and President of the All India Muslim Jamat, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi fired a fresh salvo by claiming that the upcoming Prayagrajs Maha Kumbh event is being held on land owned by the Waqf Board. In a video message, Barelvi said that 55 bighas of waqf land are being used for the Hindu religious event. He further said that the Muslimas of Prayagraj have shown a large heart by not grudging the use of waqf land for the Maha Kumbh. related stories However, the cleric said that instead of reciprocating the secular sense, there were repeated calls being made for Muslims to keep away from the Maha Kumbh. Kumbh Mela 54 , , #KumbhMela pic.twitter.com/5zxzKKhdXu Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi (@Shahabuddinbrly) January 5, 2025 Such calls have indeed been made. The All India Akhara Parishad has asked not only for a ban on the entry of Muslims but also asked that no non-Sanatanis be given permission to set up stalls in the mela area. They have also asked devotees and attendees not to give any business to Muslims," he said in the video message. Barelvi further urged that the Hindus should display the same large-heartedness that Muslims did. They (Muslims) have not raised any objections over the 55 bigha of waqf land being used for the Kumbh", he said. VHP, Hindu Seers React However, Hindu leaders have rejected the Maulanas claims. Hindu Mahasabha President Swami Chakrapani Maharaj said that Barelvi must be sponsored by Pakistan and people with a terrorist mindset. He said that the cleric is making a malicious attempt to disturb the Maha Kumbh, and his statements should be investigated. I believe that immediate action should be taken against people who spoil the atmosphere in this way. FIR should be registered against them and they should be arrested. If such people are out, they will keep talking such nonsense and spoil the atmosphere of the country, Chakrapani Maharaj said. Hindu religious leader Sadhvi Rithambara said that no politics should happen on Maha Kumbh. Those who divided the country based on religion, they are capturing the Indias land with the conspiracy of waqf, this conspiracy should be stopped no politics is happening (regarding Maha Kumbh), it is a place to get Dharam and punya" she said as quoted by ANI. #WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: On All India Muslim Jamaat president Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi reportedly supporting the claim that the Maha Kumbh is being organised on Waqf land, Sadhvi Rithambara says, " Those who divided the country based on religion, they are capturing pic.twitter.com/MSXw3IsYh6 ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2025 VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said, The Namazwadi Party and the Namazwadi Gang one is saying that conversions are taking place, while the other is claiming that it (Mahakumbh) is being organised on Waqf Board land. This Kumbh has been organised since the time Islam did not exist. This exposes the Waqf Board I think all of the Maulanas are following the line of Jinnah and what he said lad ke liya Pakistan, has kar lenge Hindustan. The dream of Ghazwa-e-Hind will remain just a dream and if you keep saying such absurd things, the result will be negative for you" #WATCH | On All India Muslim Jamaat president Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi reportedly supporting the claim that the Maha Kumbh is being organised on Waqf land, VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal says, The Namazwadi Party and the Namazwadi Gang one is saying pic.twitter.com/rtnyqwtIK1 ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2025 Cleric Fears Mass Conversion, Writes To CM Yogi The All India Muslim Jamat President also wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressing his fear that mass conversions of Muslims would take place during the mega event. Barelvi, earlier came into spotlight for advising Muslims not to visit the Maha Kumbh, urged the Chief Minsiter to thwart plans" to convert hundreds of Muslims during the event. Barelvi, had earlier termed the alleged demand to bar Muslims from visiting the Kumbh undemocratic" and unconstitutional", said that he had advised the Muslims not to go to Maha Kumbh as the Akhara Parishad and Naga seers held a meeting in November last year, where they talked about banning Muslims from setting up shops at the fair premises. Barelvi had claimed he received information from reliable sources about plans to convert Muslims during the religious event, according to news agency PTI. Now it is the responsibility of the state government to act on this," he added. Islamic Leaders Flag Seers Demand To Bar Muslims Other Islamic leaders have also flagged the alleged demand raised by some Hindu seers body to keep Muslims out of the mega gathering. Last year, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) had allegedly given a call to procure goods for the Maha Kumbh exclusively from Hindu shopkeepers to ensure that purchases were made solely from the true followers of Sanatan Dharma. Maulana Kaab Rashidi, legal advisor to the Uttar Pradesh unit of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, said perhaps this is the first time that Muslims are at the centre of discussions before the biggest religious gathering of Hindus. On the alleged demand to keep Muslims away from the event, Rashidi said, Such calls violate the rights enshrined in the Constitution because India is known all over the world as a secular country. So, talking about banning Muslims from Maha Kumbh is like crushing the soul of the Constitution." If a festival or a gathering like the Maha Kumbh is seen through the prism of religion, the country will move on the wrong path. Muslims are an integral part of the country. How can they be kept away from the worlds largest gathering of faith," Rashidi asked. Maulana Yasoob Abbas, general secretary of the All India Shia Personal Law Board, said, If a Muslim goes to Maha Kumbh to increase his knowledge, whats the harm in it? Islam is not so weak that a person of the faith will be in danger just by attending a fair or by visiting a place of worship." Meanwhile, Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahli, a senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and president of the Islamic Centre of India, said the centre will not issue any advisory on Muslims attending the Maha Kumbh. Maha Kumbh 2025 Held every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh will be organised in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. Prayagraj is estimated to have 40 to 45 crore visitors during the Maha Kumbh. The government said the Mela Authority is enthusiastically preparing for the arrival, stay and spiritual needs of the devotees. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Shopkeepers in the Sangam and Mela areas are stocking up on essential religious items, including puja materials, patra-panchang, Rudraksh, Tulsi garlands and sacred texts, sourced from Nepal, Varanasi and Mathura-Vrindavan," the government said. (With inputs from PTI) Location : Prayagraj, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 19:50 IST Watch: Man Slides Down On Rope Over 'Valley Of Death' In Himachal As 40-Year-Old Ritual Returns Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 12:39 IST The Bhunda Mahayagya tradition is observed once every four decades in upper Shimla. Surat Ram, 65, slid down the oil soaked-divine rope, called "munji" as thousands watched. 65-year-old Surat Ram performed the rope-sliding ritual, showcasing courage and devotion. (Photo: Instagram) Upper Shimla in Himachal Pradesh witnessed a rare and age-old tradition called the Bhunda Mahayagya", a grand ceremony held once in 40 years and is believed to bring together deities from the Spail Valley. The four-day tradition, beginning on January 2, will culminate on Sunday. Thousands of people gathered in Dalgaon, a remote village in the Rohru sub-division of Shimla, to witness the tradition. The event was marked with processions of deities accompanied by sounds of trumpets and drums to promote peace, prosperity and protection from natural calamities. related stories The main highlight was the rope-sliding ritual, where a 65-year-old slide down a rope to cover the 1 km-long valley of death". The rope, called munji", is made from grass grown in inaccessible terrains and is created by a jedi" (a man of the Beda caste) in adherence to strict rituals of celibacy and silence. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nitesh Chauhan (@niteshchauhans) The rope was soaked in oil to make the process more smooth. Surat Ram sat on a wooden raft to navigate the valley of death" in an awe-inspiring display of courage, devotion and cultural tradition. The ritual encountered a scare when the rope slipped out of the hands of the people on the other side of the hill but they somehow managed to grab hold of it again. Surat Ram had last performed the ritual in 1985, where he faced some difficulties. He told news agency IANS that it took him two and a half months to prepare the sacred rope this time with the help of four people. An individual has to follow celibacy and observe maximum silence while creating the rope. Nearly five lakh people, including Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, showed up to see this rare ritual. Steps have been taken this year to prevent fatalities during the ritual, ensuring safety for all participants. The Bhunda Mahayajna underscores Himachal Pradeshs rich spiritual traditions, often referred to as Devbhoomi" or the land of gods. Devta Bakralu, the chief deity of Rohru and Rampur, invited other deities, including Maheshwar, Bondra, and Moharrish, along with three Parshurams from Gumma, Andareyothi, and Khashkandi, believed to be incarnations of Lord Parshuram. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all These deities, carried in processions, travel only on foot, avoiding modern routes like tunnels. The devotees meticulously follow strict rituals and schedules set by the deities themselves, highlighting a deep connection between the mortals and the divine. (with agency inputs) Location : Shimla, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 12:32 IST Woman Dies By Suicide On Govt Hospital Premises In Nashik Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 18:27 IST A woman allegedly committed suicide on the premises of the civil hospital in Maharashtra's Nashik on Sunday. Representational image A 25-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide on the premises of the civil hospital in Maharashtras Nashik on Sunday, a police official said. The deceased was identified as Kavita Umesh Ahivale, he said. related stories She had hanged herself with a dupatta from a tree near Aarogya Bhavan on the premises of the Nashik District Government Hospital. The incident came to light at 2pm. A panchnama was conducted and further probe is underway," the official added. Location : Nashik, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 18:27 IST Happy Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Wishes 2025: History, Significance, Quotes And Is It A Bank Holiday? Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 06, 2025, 07:26 IST Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025: This year, the 358th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji will be celebrated on Monday, January 6. Guru Govind Singh Jayanti will commence on January 5. (Image: Shutterstock) Happy Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025: One of the most significant festivals for the Sikh community, Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, is being observed today, Monday, January 6, 2025. This special day commemorates the 358th birth anniversary of the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. On this auspicious occasion, millions of Sikhs around the world come together to pay homage to the revered leader. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm, not only in India but also among Sikh communities worldwide. Happy Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Wishes related stories On this auspicious day of Guru Gobind Singh Jis birth, may his teachings of courage, unity, and selflessness guide you towards a life filled with wisdom and peace. Happy Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti! Wishing you strength, resilience, and wisdom on Guru Gobind Singh Jis birthday. May his divine blessings fill your life with light and harmony. Happy Gurpurab! May the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji inspire you to live a life full of love, bravery, and righteousness. Let us honor his legacy today and always. Happy Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti! On the special occasion of Guru Gobind Singh Jis Jayanti, may his divine grace empower you to overcome all challenges with courage and compassion. Have a blessed day! Happy Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti! May his unwavering faith, divine wisdom, and commitment to justice continue to inspire and guide us all towards a better tomorrow. Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025: Date As per the Drik Panchang, Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born on Paush Shukla Saptami in Patna Sahib. Going by this, Saptami tithi began on January 5, 2025, at 8:15 PM and will end today, on January 6, 2025, at 6:23 PM. Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025: History Guru Gobind Singh, who was born in Patna, Bihar, is remembered for his major contributions toward Sikhism and in shaping the Sikh community. His teachings still continue to inspire millions worldwide. It is believed that Guru Gobind Singh Jis father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the 9th Sikh guru was killed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb after he refused to convert to Islam. After his fathers demise, Guru Gobind Singh was declared the tenth and final guru of the Sikhs at the age of 9. Throughout his life, Guru Gobing dedicated his whole time to the Sikh community, exuding immense bravery. At the age of 41 in 1780, he passed away. Guru Gobind Singh died after being wounded in a battle with the Mughal forces. Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025: Significance Gobind Singh Ji, who gave all his life to protect religious freedom and the upliftment of Sikhism, was the one who declared the Guru Granth Sahib as the permanent Sikh Guru. This is one of the reasons why his birth anniversary is marked with such great fervour and enthusiasm. It is one of the 10 Gurpurab celebrations observed across the year among Sikhs. Besides, he founded the Khalsa Panth with the main aim to protect innocent people from religious persecution. Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti: Quotes I tell the truth; listen to everyone. Only those who have loved will realise the Lord. The greatest comforts and lasting peace are obtained when one eradicates selfishness from within. He alone is a man who keeps his word, not that he has one thing in the heart and another on the tongue. If you are strong, torture not the weak, and thus lay not the axe to thy empire. Shed not recklessly the blood of another with thy sword, lest the Sword on High falls upon thy neck. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025: A Bank Holiday? According to the list of holidays issued by the Reserve Bank of India, banks will remain closed on Monday, January 6, 2025, for Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti. Location : Amritsar, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 10:00 IST When Is Dussehra 2025: Vijayadashami Date, Time, History, Significance, And More Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 10:43 IST Dussehra 2025 will be celebrated on October 2. The festival, dedicated to Goddess Durga and Lord Ram, marks the celebration of the victory of good over evil. Dussehra 2025: The festival of Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is a celebration of victory of good over evil. (Image: Shutterstock) Dussehra 2025: India is known for celebration of colourful festivals across states throughout the year. The festive days showcase the countrys vibrant culture and rich traditions. Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is one such important Hindu festival celebrated across India every year. The festival of Dussehra, dedicated to Goddess Durga and Lord Ram, marks the celebration of the victory of good over evil. related stories As per epic Ramayana, Lord Ram triumphed over Lankas demon King Ravana on this day. Thats why the day is celebrated as Vijayadashami. People celebrate the day by burning the effigies of Ravana. ALSO READ: Festivals And Bank Holidays Calendar 2025: Complete List Of Indian Festivals And Public Holidays Ramleela performances are also organised across the country over the 10-day festivities, which culminate on Vijayadashami. Goddess Durga is also worshipped on this occasion. Dussehra marks the culmination of the nine-day Navratri festival, dedicated to the nine forms of Maa Durga. As per Hindu mythology, Goddess Durga killed demon Mahishasur on Dussehra. Ahead of the festival, lets take a detailed look at Vijayadashami date, timings, significance, history, how it is celebrated across the country, and whether it is a bank holiday in India: Dussehra 2025: Vijayadashami Date and Timings Vijayadashami is observed on the tenth day, or Dashami Tithi, of the Ashwin month, as per the Hindu calendar. In 2025, Dussehra will be celebrated on October 2. As per Drik Panchang, the Dashami Tithi will prevail from 7:01 PM on October 1 to 7:10 PM on October 02. Dussehra 2025: History The history of Dussehra celebrations is rooted in Hindu mythology. The celebrations across the country span over hundreds of years based on the regional cultures and traditions. ALSO READ: When Is Holi 2025? Date, Rituals, History, Significance, And Celebrations Across India For Hindus, Dussehra is one of the most important festivals due to its association with Lord Ram and Goddess Durga. As per epic Ramayana, Lord Ram liberated Maa Sita from the captivity of Ravana after killing the demon king on the Dashami Tithi in the month of Ashwin. So, its an important day for the followers of Vaishnavism, the sect that primarily worships Lord Vishnu and his incarnations like Lord Ram. On other hand, Dussehra is also an important day for the followers of the Shakta cult, the worshippers of Goddess Shakti or Maa Durga. Dussehra is celebrated with great enthusiasm in eastern parts like Odisha and West Bengal where Shaktism has a significant presence in regional cultures. ALSO READ: When is Ganesh Chaturthi 2025? Date, History, Significance, Muhurat, Rituals And Celebrations As per mythology, Goddess Durga triumphed over Mahishasur on Dashami Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the Ashwin month after 9 days of battle. The history of Durga Puja celebrations mainly signify getting rid of all evil forces in life. Dussehra 2025: Significance Every year, Dussehra is observed on the 10th day of the Ashwin month of the Hindu calendar. The festivals name originates from the Sanskrit words Dasha (ten) and Hara (defeat). The day marks the victory of Lord Ram over Ravan and killing of Mahishasur by Maa Durga. So, the Dussehra celebrations symbolise defeating all evil forces in ones life. ALSO READ: Diwali 2025 Calendar: When Is Diwali, Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Lakshmi Pujan, Govardhan Puja And Bhai Dooj? The festive occasion also spreads the message of living an upright and virtuous life. The significance of the day lies in morality, devotion, and tenacity in conquering all obstacles. Dussehra 2025: How Is It Celebrated Across The Country The entire country celebrates the auspicious festival, with each state having its own traditions and ways to observe the day. Lets look at some ways in which Dussehra is celebrated around India. Burning Ravana Effigies In the northern region, including Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and the Kullu Valley, Dussehra is marked by vibrant Ramleela performances. ALSO READ: When Is Onam 2025? Thiruvonam Date, Rituals, Significance, And How It Is Celebrated During the event, the epic tale of Lord Ram unfolds through dramatic enactments followed by the burning of the effigies of Ravana, son Meghnad and his brother Kumbhkaran on Dussehra. The burning of Ravan effigies symbolises the destruction of evil and the victory of righteousness. In many places Ramleela performances are held for 9 days and culminate with the burning of Ravan effigy on the 10thday. Sindoor Khela The state of West Bengal is known for its vibrant and grand Dussehra celebrations. The Dussehra festivities culminate on the Dashami Tithi with the rituals of Sindoor khela and the immersion of Durga idols, or Visarjan. ALSO READ: When Is Eid al-Fitr 2025 in India? Ramzan Dates, Sehri, Iftar, And How Eid Is Celebrated Married women participate in Sindoor Khela, where they apply sindoor, or vermillion, on each others faces. This ritual is celebrated with full fervour as the women bid adieu to Maa Durga by immersing her idol in the nearby water bodies. Kullu Dussehra Kullu Dussehra celebrations in Himachal Pradesh attract thousands of visitors every year. Kullu Dussehra has traditionally been famous for fairs and colour processions. In recent years, burning the effigies of Ravana has also become an integral part of the festival. Mysuru Dasara In Southern India, Dussehra is celebrated with great zeal. The Dussehra celebrations in Karnatakas Mysuru are a grand affair with the royal family coming out for a majestic procession featuring Maa Chamundeshwaris idol. Its believed that Maa Durga, in the form of Goddess Chamunda, killed Mahishasura in the Chamundi Hills. The procession also involves horses, elephants, and traditional weapons. Western India Dussehra coincides with the exuberant Navratri festival celebrated in Gujarat and Maharashtra. During this time, the western states erupt in vibrant music, with people participating in the traditional Garba and Dandiya Raas. Dussehra 2025: Is It a Bank Holiday in India? Banks observe holidays every Sunday and the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Besides, the banks follow the Reserve Bank of Indias holiday calendar for festive holidays. As per the RBI calendar, banks across India will remain closed on the occasion of Vijayadashami. Dussehra 2025: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What is Dussehra? Also known as Vijayadashami, Dussehra is a vibrant Hindu festival that marks the victory of good over evil. The day signifies the end of 9-day Navratri festivities and the triumph of Lord Ram over the demon king Ravana. What are the main rituals of Dussehra? Key rituals on this day include the worshipping of Goddess Durga and Lord Ram. In many states Dussehra is considered as the most auspicious day to start business ventures and to launch new accounts. Ramleela performances and burning of Ravan effigies are also an integral part of Dussehra celebrations, mostly in northern states. Why is Dussehra called Vijayadashami? Dussehra is celebrated to mark Lord Rams victory over demon king Ravana. As per the Hindu epic Ramayana, it is said that Lord Ram killed Ravan on the 10th day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashwin. To commemorate this victory of truth over evil forces, the day is celebrated as Vijaya Dashmi. What is the significance of the effigy burning? The burning of effigies represents the destruction of evil and the victory of truth. It serves as a reminder of the victory of good over evil. How is Dussehra celebrated in different regions? Celebrations vary from region to region, from Ramleela performances in the northern states to grand Durga puja in eastern parts of India. What is the connection between Dussehra and Navratri? Dussehra marks the end of the nine-night festival of Navratri, which is dedicated to Goddess Durga. The last day signifies the victory of the goddess over demon Mahishasura. ALSO READ: Navratri Calendar 2025: Dates, Rituals, Colours, Significance, And Fasting Rules During Navratri the 9 forms of Maa Durga are worshipped with each day dedicated to a specific goddess. What traditional foods are prepared during Dussehra? The traditional foods prepared during Dussehra are jalebi and kheer, along with festive meals prepared and shared with family and friends. In eastern states, non-veg dishes are also offered to Goddess Durga. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all What attire is worn during Dussehra? People opt for traditional attire, with women dressing in sarees or lehengas and men donning kurta-pyjamas or dhotis, particularly during festive rituals. First Published: January 05, 2025, 10:33 IST Dinesh Vijan Hits Back At Naga Vamsi For 'Bandra And Juhu Comment: Weve Had 5 Huge Films' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 14:55 IST The trailer launch of Sky Force saw Bollywood heavyweights Akshay Kumar and Dinesh Vijan address Naga Vamsis critique of Bollywood, emphasizing the recent success of Hindi films. At the Sky Force trailer launch, Akshay Kumar and producer Dinesh Vijan responded to Naga Vamsis remarks on Bollywood, emphasizing its 500-crore successes post-pandemic. The trailer of Akshay Kumar and Veers much-awaited film Sky Force was unveiled in a grand event in Mumbai, attended by the star-studded cast and producers, including Dinesh Vijan and Jyoti Deshpande. The event turned into a lively discussion about the state of the Hindi film industry, especially in response to remarks made by South Indian producer Naga Vamsi. During the event, both Akshay Kumar and Dinesh Vijan were asked about Vamsis comment claiming that Bollywood makes films only for Bandra and Juhu." Vamsi had previously stated that South Indian films like Baahubali, RRR, Animal, and Jawan have redefined how Bollywood perceives cinema, emphasizing that South cinema has garnered massive success both in India and overseas. related stories Dinesh Vijan countered the criticism, highlighting the success of Bollywood post-pandemic. Maybe we dont speak a lot about ourselves, but the fact is weve had five huge films, and just Maddock Films, just Jio Films are not enough to run the industry," he remarked, pointing out that five Hindi films have crossed the 500-crore mark in recent years. He also noted the positive reception he has received in the South, adding, Whenever I have gone to the South, theyve been very, very encouraging." Vijan further urged for a unified perspective on Indian cinema, stating, If we start looking at it as the Indian film industry, it would be 500+800=1300 (crore)." Akshay Kumar, standing beside him, voiced his agreement, reinforcing the idea of celebrating the collective success of Indian films. For context, Naga Vamsi made his remarks during a producers roundtable hosted by Galatta Plus, where he discussed the South film industrys dominance in the overseas market. He claimed that South films have transformed the way Bollywood approaches cinema, breaking out of what he called a Bandra and Juhu" mindset. Directed by Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Anil Kapur, Sky Force is set to hit theaters on January 24, 2025, promising an engaging cinematic experience while further fueling the ongoing dialogue about the future of Indian cinema. First Published: January 05, 2025, 14:55 IST Forgery Case Against Shweta Tiwari Closed After 4 Years, Mumbai Police Informs Bombay High Court Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 15:18 IST The forgery case against Shweta Tiwari was filed by her estranged husband Abhinav Kohli in 2021. Shweta Tiwari was last seen in Singham Again. (Photo Credits: Instagram) The Mumbai police has informed the Bombay High Court that it has closed the forgery case registered against actress Shweta Tiwari. The case was filed by her estranged husband Abhinav Kohli in 2021. As reported by the Free Press Journal, the police informed a bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Neela Gokhale that it filed an A Summary report on December 17, 2024, as it could not find any evidence against Tiwari. An A Summary report is filed when the police suspects the case to be true but fails to support it due to lack of evidence. Reportedly, after Mumbai police closed the case, court also allowed Shweta to withdraw her petition which sought to quash the FIR registered against her in the case. In view of this position, the Petition is allowed to be withdrawn. However, it is made clear that both the parties would be at liberty to take out appropriate legal proceedings in accordance with law if an order, adverse to either of the parties, is passed," the court said. related stories What Was The Forgery Case Against Shweta Tiwari? In March 2021, Kohli filed a complaint with the BKC police against Shweta Tiwari. He claimed that the actress forged his signature on the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to seek a United Kingdom visa for their son Reyansh. He also wrote to the UK embassy in India following which the visa was cancelled. For the unversed, Shweta Tiwari married Abhinav Kohli but the two ended their relationship in 2019. Their son, Reyansh stays with the actress now. Before Abhinav, Shweta Tiwari was also married to Bhojpuri actress Raja Chaudhary. However, the two parted ways in 2007. They have a daughter Palak Tiwari. Meanwhile, on the work front, Shweta Tiwari became a household name after she was featured in the popular daily soap Kasautii Zindagii Kay. She is also known for shows like Hum Tum and Them, Main Hoon Aparajita, Mere Dad Ki Dulhan, Indian Police Force, Parvarrish Kuchh Khattee Kuchh Meethi and Begusarai among others. She was recently seen playing the role of an intelligence officer in Ajay Devgns Singham Again. First Published: January 05, 2025, 15:18 IST WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted Saturday that the United States had "quietly sent a lot of weapons to Ukraine" five months ahead of the conflict. "We saw it coming," Blinken said in an interview with The New York Times, noting the United States made sure that "Ukraine was prepared" by sending it billions of dollars and weapons since September 2021. "What we've had to look at each and every time is not only should we give this to the Ukrainians but do they know how to use it? Can they maintain it?" he added. When asked whether it is time to end the conflict, Blinken said a cease-fire would likely give Russia a break, and that any cease-fire must ensure Ukraine can "deter further aggression," which, he noted, could be achieved through NATO membership. "Russia has been talking about this for many years," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Saturday in response to Blinken's remarks, noting that they underscored "the rationale behind Russia's objective on the demilitarization of Ukraine." "We voiced concerns over the United States and Britain pouring arms into Ukraine, the endless NATO exercises in the Black Sea that violate Russian borders, and the dangerous proximity of Western military aircraft to civilian airliners in our airspace," she added. The Kremlin has repeatedly criticized Western arms shipments to Ukraine, claiming they escalate the conflict, obstruct peace efforts, and drag NATO members into direct involvement. According to the U.S. Department of State, as of Monday, the United States has provided Ukraine with 61.4 billion U.S. dollars in military assistance since the conflict. And it has "approved" its NATO allies to deliver 12,000 anti-armor systems of all types, over 1,550 anti-air missiles, radars, night vision devices, machine guns, rifles and ammunition, and body armor. Salman Khan Sends Best Wishes To Akshay Kumar And Veer Pahariya Starrer Sky Force Trailer Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 16:30 IST Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Karan Johar and others have also reacted to the trailer Salman Khan reacts to Sky Force trailer Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya have impressed everyone with the trailer of their next film Sky Force. The film is getting a positive response. Salman Khan also gave the team a huge shoutout and sent best wishes. The film will be released on January 24, 2025. Taking to his Instagram stories, Salman Khan shared the trailer and wrote, Best wishes for the film." To this, Khushi Kapoor wrote, @veerpahariya CANT WAIT(accompanied by a crying and a white heart emoji)." Ananya Panday also shared the trailer and offered praises expressing, Wowwwww! (accompanied by multiple rocket and red-heart emojis) too gooood! Best wishes to the entire team (accompanied by hug emojis) Heroooooo@veerpahariya." related stories Take a look here: Karan Johar wrote, Scale, patriotism & huge emotional impact! SKYFORCE releasing worldwide Jan 24! A massive theatrical experience!!!!" Congratulations to the entire team!!!!" and tagged the entire team including Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, and more. Sharvari said, Congratulations!!!! This is solid! (accompanied by hug emojis)" and tagged the entire team. Excited to watch it!" In the trailer, Akshay Kumar gives a stern warning to Pakistan when he decides to go ahead and launch Indias first air strike. While he manages to teach the neighbouring country a lesson, Veer Pahariya goes missing during the strike. Akshay believes that Veer was left in Pakistan during the strike and is still alive. However, the Indian government fails to find him. The trailer then reveals that Sara Ali Khan will be playing the role of Veers lover in the movie. Among others, Nirmat Kaur and Sharad Kelkar will also be seen playing prominent roles in the movie. Directed by Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Kapur, Sky Force is produced by Dinesh Vijan, Amar Kaushik, and Jyoti Deshpande. The film is set to release globally on January 24, 2025, during the Republic Day weekend. On the other hand, Salman Khan will be next seen in Sikandar co starring Rashmika Mandanna. In the electrifying 80-second trailer of Sikandar, Salman Khan makes a grand entrance in full-fledged action mode, battling armored, masked foes with unmatched intensity. His character, Sikandar, is introduced in a striking silhouette that radiates mystery and strength, setting the tone for the high-octane drama. First Published: January 05, 2025, 16:25 IST Opinion | Bangladeshs Political Storm: Regional Implications And Indias Strategic Imperative Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 11:00 IST With stakes high for domestic power dynamics and regional stability, the developments in Bangladesh demand scrutiny, particularly from neighbouring India The escalating tension between Muhammad Yunuss interim government and the BNP signals a turbulent period ahead. (Reuters) Bangladesh is on the brink of significant political upheaval. The escalating tension between Muhammad Yunuss interim government and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) signals a turbulent period ahead. With stakes high for domestic power dynamics and regional stability, the developments in Bangladesh demand scrutiny, particularly from neighbouring India. Rising Tensions Between Yunus and the BNP related stories At the heart of Bangladeshs political discord lies the clash between the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and the BNP, the dominant political force in the country. Following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, Yunus assumed leadership of an interim government tasked with implementing electoral reforms and facilitating free and fair elections. However, his reluctance to outline a concrete timeline for elections has drawn sharp criticism from the BNP. The BNP, emboldened by its strong grassroots support and organisational strength, has been pressing for elections by the end of 2025 at the latest. Any delay, the BNP fears, could undermine its momentum and strengthen the newly emerging political entities being nurtured by Yunus and his allies. This includes the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement (ADSM), whose leaders are reportedly in the process of forming a political party with Yunuss backing. Yunuss proposal to delay elections until reforms are complete, potentially into 2026, has further fuelled suspicions. BNP leaders view this as a calculated move to consolidate power and allow the nascent kings party" to establish itself. This manoeuvring has triggered accusations of bias and unethical behaviour, as the interim governments primary mandate was to ensure a swift transition to democratic governance, not to reshape the political landscape. The Role Of Islamists And Jamaat-e-Islami Compounding the tension is the involvement of Bangladeshs Islamist factions. The Islamists, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, have thrown their support behind Yunus, seeking opportunities to further their agenda under his leadership. In exchange, they have reportedly received tacit approval to intensify efforts to Islamise the country and target religious minorities. The BNPs confrontational stance toward the Jamaat highlights the growing rift between the former allies. By invoking the Jamaats controversial role during Bangladeshs 1971 Liberation War, the BNP has sought to delegitimise the Islamist party. However, this strategy risks escalating street-level violence, as the Jamaat is known for mobilising its supporters in aggressive displays of force. With the interim governments apparent alignment with the Islamists, the stage is set for widespread unrest. Historical Parallels And The Minus Two Formula The current crisis draws parallels with the political turmoil of 2007-2009 when an army-backed caretaker government attempted to implement a minus two formulabanning both the BNP and the Awami League from politics. Yunuss government appears to be reviving elements of this approach, potentially sidelining the BNP and fostering the rise of alternative political entities. The BNPs leadership, including acting chairman Tarique Rahman, has categorically rejected such moves. The party insists that only an elected government can undertake major constitutional and institutional reforms. This principled stance underscores the BNPs commitment to restoring democratic norms but it also sets the stage for a protracted power struggle. Implications For Bangladeshs Political Future As the BNP ramps up its demands for immediate elections, the likelihood of mass protests looms large. Any attempt by Yunus to suppress dissent through state machinery could further erode his credibility and exacerbate public discontent. Simultaneously, the emergence of a new political party under the aegis of the ADSM risks fragmenting the opposition landscape, complicating the BNPs path to power. The role of external actors, particularly Western powers, cannot be overlooked. While Yunus enjoys considerable international support, his inability to stabilise the political situation and hold timely elections could prompt a re-evaluation of this backing. Western stakeholders, wary of Bangladeshs descent into chaos, may pressure Yunus to expedite the electoral process. Indias Strategic Interests For India, the unfolding crisis in Bangladesh presents both challenges and opportunities. The political landscape in Bangladesh is marked by heightened tensions, particularly between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, and Islamist factions. Historically, Indias relations with the BNP have been strained due to ideological differences and the BNPs association with anti-India sentiments. However, recent diplomatic overtures have paved the way for improved ties. The BNPs assurances to safeguard Indias interests and curb anti-India forces signal a significant shift in the bilateral equation. In contrast, Yunuss administration has been viewed with suspicion in New Delhi. The interim governments alignment with Islamist factions raises concerns about the potential for increased radicalisation and instability along Indias eastern border. Furthermore, Yunuss reluctance to engage meaningfully with India on key issues, coupled with his perceived bias against Indian interests, has strained relations further. This lack of cooperation has heightened Indias apprehensions about the broader implications for regional security and economic integration. India stands to benefit from a BNP-led government, which promises greater stability and cooperation on key bilateral issues, including border management, trade, and counterterrorism. Supporting the BNPs call for timely elections aligns with Indias strategic goals of fostering a democratic and secular Bangladesh. Such a government could also strengthen Indias Act East Policy, by providing a stable and cooperative neighbour that supports regional connectivity and trade initiatives. However, overt interference in Bangladeshs internal affairs risks backlash and could jeopardise Indias long-term relationship with other political stakeholders in the country. Maintaining a balanced and nuanced approach will be essential for New Delhi. The Path Ahead Bangladeshs political trajectory remains uncertain, with heightened confrontations expected between the BNP, Yunuss interim government, and Islamist factions. This three-way struggle will shape the countrys democratic future and determine the balance of power in South Asia. For the BNP, mobilising public support and maintaining organisational discipline will be crucial. The party must navigate the complex interplay of domestic and international pressures to secure its position as the principal political force. Yunus, on the other hand, faces the daunting task of justifying his prolonged tenure while addressing mounting criticism from various quarters, including civil society and political opponents. The role of Islamist factions adds another layer of complexity to the crisis. These groups have historically sought to undermine Bangladeshs secular foundations, and their alignment with the interim government raises concerns about the potential erosion of democratic values and human rights. The increasing influence of Islamist factions poses a challenge not only to Bangladeshs internal stability but also to regional security dynamics. As Bangladesh inches closer to a potential flashpoint, India must tread carefully. Strategic engagement with all stakeholdersincluding the BNP, the interim government, and civil societywill be crucial. India must articulate its expectations for democratic processes, regional stability, and the protection of secular values while avoiding actions that could be construed as undue interference. Quiet diplomacy, backed by economic incentives and security cooperation, can help India reinforce its position as a stabilising force in the region. Additionally, India should work closely with international partners, including the United States, the European Union, and regional organisations such as SAARC, to ensure a coordinated approach to the crisis. By supporting a peaceful resolution and facilitating dialogue among all parties, India can not only safeguard its strategic interests but also reaffirm its commitment to a stable and prosperous South Asia. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In conclusion, the unfolding crisis in Bangladesh presents a complex mix of challenges and opportunities for India. By adopting a balanced and proactive approach, India can navigate this delicate situation, strengthen its bilateral ties with Bangladesh, and contribute to the broader goal of regional stability and development. The writer is a technocrat, political analyst, and author. He pens national, geopolitical, and social issues. His social media handle is @prosenjitnth. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. First Published: January 05, 2025, 11:00 IST Opinion | Germany To Iran To Bangladesh: 10 Nations And Regions To Watch In 2025 Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 10:37 IST The year 2025 begins with the change of government in the most powerful country in the world and wars raging in Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Mali, and other places Like every year, there will be bellwether nations that will guide the course of 2025. (Image for representation: News18) Ive seen the nations rise and fall Ive heard their stories, heard them all related stories Leonard Cohen What stories of which nations will the year 2025 write most eloquently? Which nations will rise, which will slide in a year that begins with the change of government in the most powerful country in the world and wars raging in Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Mali, and other places? Like every year, there will be bellwether nations that will guide the course of 2025. Conflict and collaborations will determine the direction that history flows. Here is a list of countries and regions to watch. UNITED STATES Americas new President Donald Trump will be sworn in on January 20. Going by his own words, his presidency promises to be disruptive in ways that the US and world have not seen. He has threatened to demolish the Deep State, recast bureaucracy, brutally cut government spending and increase efficiency, bring global conflicts to a halt, and end woeness. Time in office usually tempers down the zeal to bring change, but with Trump, one can certainly expect the unexpected in 2025. GERMANY Europes largest economy and one of the most important polities, Germany goes to federal elections on February 23. As a central figure in the European Unions decision-making, the elections outcome will influence policies and priorities across the continent. In the countrys fast-shifting political landscape, Chancellor Olaf Scholzs traffic light coalition" of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) faces considerable backlash over immigration. And beating decades of self-chastisement over its role in World War II, Germans are veering towards the far-right Alternative For Germany (AfD). This election can be pivotal for Germany and Europes future. BANGLADESH Bangladeshs caretaker government led by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus is struggling just months after a students movement toppled Sheikh Hasina. The economy is in tatters, revenge killings of Awami League supporters and policemen by Islamists are rampant, Hindus and other minorities face wanton violence and ethnic cleansing, and anti-India sentiments run high. While Yunus has the outgoing US Democratic Party administrations strong backing many believe he is a Deep State puppet the coming of Trump will render his position even more precarious. A period of military control followed by elections seems to be the most plausible course. AF-PAK The Durand Line is on fire. Afghan Taliban militia are staging concerted attacks on Pakistani forces to avenge the bombing of tribal areas. The conflict is only likely to escalate this year. Pakistan also faces crippling militancy and separatist movements in Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and areas of Jammu and Kashmir, which it occupies. That, combined with political unrest by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khans supporters and a deteriorating relationship with China, makes Pakistan a place to watch in the coming days. RUSSIA-UKRAINE Trump has promised to seek a solution to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Ukraine might be forced to come to the negotiating table if funding of its war by American taxpayers money ends. But whether Putin agrees to a freeze based on current territories under each countrys control and loosening of sanctions is to be seen. ISRAEL-IRAN With Irans proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis under attack and the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria toppled, it is now exposed to direct military threat from the US and Israel. In that case, the straightforward strategic objective would be to topple the Ayatollah regime and take out Irans nuclear infrastructure. But, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has deep support among masses and is capable of holding out for a long time. CANADA Canada goes to elections between March and October this year with an increasingly unpopular Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party. With Trump threatening to punish Trudeau with taxes and humiliating him by asking Canada to become Americas 51st state, the coming days are going to be stormy. Conservative Pierre Poilievre is the favourite to replace Trudeau. If that happens, India-Canada relations, which Trudeau has taken to rock-bottom by siding with Khalistanis, may see renewed warmth. SUDAN Sudans devastating war has made 12 million people flee their homes. More than half the population faces acute food shortage, with the Darfur region crippled with famine. The UN says sexual violence against women and girls is staggering". Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hemedti Hamdan Dagalo are fighting against the Sudanese army headed by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is backed by several Islamist militias and armed Darfuri groups. The RSF is believed to have robust backing from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while Egypt backs the Sudanese Army. These two powers can bring the warring sides to the table and thrash out at least a temporary solution. Else, the violence at the horn of Africa may spill into the neighbourhood and beyond. CHINA-TAIWAN China refuses to take its predatory eyes off Taiwan. The year started with President Xi Jinping reminding Taiwan that it falls under the One China Policy and vowing reunification. In turn, the Taiwanese Air Force is sending 103 of its fighter pilots to the US to train on the F-16 Viper ahead of its delivery in 2026. China responded by sanctioning 10 US defence firms on Thursday (January 2) over arms sales to Taiwan, its second round of measures against American companies over the issue in less than a week. SYRIA Bashar al-Assad may have been toppled, but the last word on the Syrian power struggle has not been written yet. The de facto ruling group, an Islamist organisation called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is facing bloody reprisal attacks and massive protests from Alawites, Shias, and a section of Sunnis. Recently, 14 of the ruling militia were killed. Russia and Iran may use their pockets of influence to try and topple the Islamist regime. There are a few countries and regions not on this list, but which could throw up unpleasant surprises. Instability lurks in the Korean Peninsula with Kim Jong Un sending troops to help Russia in the war against Ukraine, and South Korea in political turmoil leading to the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yoel. Or the looming jihadi threat to Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Benin in west Africa. Or the turmoil that Trumps expulsion of illegal immigrants may throw Mexico into. Or the developing anger and outrage in the United Kingdom over Islamist rapist gangs from Pakistan and Bangladesh. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The box labelled 2025 has just been opened, and there is no way to close it. (Abhijit Majumder is a senior journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views) First Published: January 05, 2025, 10:37 IST 'Roads Like Priyanka Gandhi's Cheeks': BJP Leader Bidhuri's Remark Draws Congress Ire Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 18:00 IST BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri's sexist remarks on Priyanka Gandhi drew sharp reactions from Congress which said it would file an FIR against him. Ramesh Bidhuri and Priyanka Gandhi (PTI Image) A massive political row erupted on Sunday after BJP candidate from the Kalkaji assembly seat in Delhi Ramesh Bidhuri said that if the party comes to power in the polls, it will build roads like Priyanka Gandhis cheeks" in the constituency. Congress slammed the remark and said that the party would file an FIR against the BJP leader. related stories As the row flared up, the BJP leader expressed regret over his remarks and said that he took his words back. Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva, however, said that he had not heard his statement, and advised leaders to avoid making any such comments on women." What Did Ramesh Bidhuri Say? Bidhuri made a reference to Lalu Yadavs remark on Hema Malini and roads in Bihar and said that the RJD could not make roads in the state like Hema Malinis cheeks", but the BJP would definitely build roads in Kalkaji like Priyanka Gandhis cheeks". We will build all roads in Kalkaji like the cheeks of Priyanka Gandhi. Lalu had said that he would build roads in Bihar like the cheeks of Hema Malini, he had lied. He could not. But I assure you that we will make all roads in Kalkaji like the cheeks of Priyanka Gandhi," he said. Bidhuri Expresses Regret Over Remark Bidhuri, who earlier defended his remarks stating Lalu Yadav should first apologise for his remarks on Hema Malini, expressed regret and said he took his words back. I have said that in the context of what Lalu Yadav had said. Congress remained silent on that even when he (Lalu Yadav) was a minister in their govt If anyone is hurt by my remark, I express regret over it and I take my words back" Bidhuri said. Earlier in the day, he had defended his statement, stating that remarks came in reference to what was said earlier. What Lalu Yadav who was a minister in their (Congress) govt had said he should apologise first for what he said about Hema Malini What I said, I compared it with what had been said earlier. Pawan Khera should apologise first for what he said about the father of the PM. We will reply to them in the language that they will use. Is Hema Malini, not a woman?" he said earlier. #WATCH | Delhi | On his purported statement concerning Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in a viral video, BJPs candidate from Kalkaji assembly constituency Ramesh Bidhuri says, What Lalu Yadav who was a minister in their (Congress) govt had said he should apologise first for what pic.twitter.com/slLIn85smM ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2025 He said that if Congress rectifies its mistake", the BJP will do it too. When two people make mistakes, both need to rectify. If Congress rectifies their mistake, we will do the same. Its hypocrisy, they have done nothing but corruption so they need some issue to seek votes. Hence they are making allegations against me," Bidhuri said. Congress To File FIR Against Ramesh Bidhuri Congress candidate from the Kalkaji constituency Alka Lamba lashed out at Bidhuri over the sexist remarks and sought his apology. She said Congress will stage protests and lodge an FIR against him. Everyone is thinking what kind of a remark it is Everyone has sisters, daughters, and mothers at home. Everyone is thinking that BJP had made a mistake by nominating him but should they make a mistake by voting for him?" she said. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate dubbed the BJP anti-women" and asked if the partys top leadership would speak up against Bidhuris remarks. BJP is against women. BJPs former MP and now partys candidate from Kalkaji, Ramesh Bidhuris remarks against Priyanka Gandhi are shameful. This is the real face of the BJP. Will the women party workers of BJP, party president JP Nadda, and PM Modi say anything?" she asked. AAP Slams Bidhuri And Sandeep Dikshit Chief Minister Atishi slammed the BJP and said that the remarks depict the partys mentality. She further questioned if the BJP would be able to provide safety to the people of the city. BJP is anti-women, it is an open secret and it is a matter of concern that this same BJP is in charge of Delhis law and order. Ramesh Bidhuris statement shows the mentality of the BJP. Women of Delhi will give a befitting reply to Ramesh Bidhuris statement and BJP in the upcoming election," she said. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj took on Bidhuri and Sandeep Dikshit, who is up against Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat, and said that Dikshit shares a deep relationship" with the BJP. Compelled by his habit, Ramesh Bidhuri said such vile things about Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Ji, but Sandeep Dikshit didnt dare to utter a single word against Ramesh Bidhuri. The depth of the relationship between Sandeep Dikshit and the BJP can be understood just from this," he said. Bidhuris Controversial Remark In Lok Sabha top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Bidhuri had also made a controversial remark against Opposition MP Danish Ali in the previous Lok Sabha, which drew criticism from the INDIA bloc. He had described the MP as militant and terrorist" on the floor of the House. Following a massive row, the BJP had denied him a ticket in the general elections last year. However, the party has once again laid its faith in him in the upcoming Delhi Elections and fielded him against Chief Minister Atishi. First Published: January 05, 2025, 15:40 IST British Adventurer First To Meet Papua New Guinea Remote Tribes: 'Found It Incredible' Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 05:00 IST Before visiting the tribes, Daniel Pinto researched and connected with them to guide him to remote areas that had never hosted foreign travelers. Daniel Pinto spent three weeks in the Pacific island nation. (Photo Credits: Instagram) A 27-year-old adventurer from Lambeth, South London has the Internets attention. Why? He became the first tourist to visit multiple indigenous tribes in Papua New Guinea. Named Daniel Pinto, the British tourist is on a mission to explore all 195 countries out of which he has already visited 138 countries. If the reports are to be believed, Pinto spent three weeks in the Pacific island nation last month. On the island, he immersed himself in the vibrant cultures of this Pacific island nation. The New York Post reported that before visiting the tribes, he researched and connected with them to guide him to remote areas that had never hosted foreign travellers. Making the most of his time during his stay, he lived among different tribes including the skeleton tribe, the crocodile people and the spirit birds. As for the activities that he participated in, it was far from ordinary. Some of his daring acts include attending a wedding, going hunting and even staying in local homes and guesthouses. related stories Among the highlights, the adventurer also witnessed a sacred waterfall protection ritual performed by the Spirit Bird Tribe. He even celebrated a birth ceremony for which the tribe members decked themselves up using clay and orange paint. Referring to Papua New Guinea as the last frontier," Pinto said, It still has villages and tribes that people have not visited yet. I found it incredible that in 2024 I was the first tourist that some tribes have ever seen." Dropping a video from the remote island of Tumleo, Daniel Pinto said, Located 2 km from the town of Aitape, it is home to its own unique culture, language, and traditions. After just a few minutes of stepping foot on the island, I was proudly told that I was the first-ever visitor." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Daniel Pinto | Travel Creator (@dnzh.travels) Pinto has also travelled to countries like Libya, Iraq and Syria. If this was not enough, he even visited places deemed dangerous and had not been explored before. With the Crocodile People, Pinto observed an intense practice where individuals would create scars on their skin to resemble crocodile scales. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Daniel Pinto | Travel Creator (@dnzh.travels) top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all After a few days of remote travel, I finally reached Pagwi, the gateway to the mighty Sepik River, where I spent an incredible 48 hours with the Crocodile people," Pinto said, in another post, shared on Instagram. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 05:00 IST Got A Call, Held Hostage: YouTuber Put Under Digital Arrest For 40 Hours Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 17:32 IST Ankush Bahuguna took to Instagram to share his ordeal where he was held hostage in the cyber arrest scam for nearly 40 hours. Social media influencer Ankush Bahuguna (Instagram) Social media influencer and YouTuber Ankush Bahuguna has shared a devastating and horrific incident of being under digital arrest" for around 40 hours. The influencer, who represented India at the Cannes Film Festival, found himself dealing with accusations and international FIRs for cases he was completely unaware of. related stories Bahuguna took to Instagram to share his ordeal where he was held hostage in the cyber arrest scam for nearly 40 hours. According to the influencer, he received a call from a number that was from outside India. The number which appeared wired to him, claimed from the authorities which accused the YouTuber of some illegal packages. He was then asked to remain on a video call for 40 hours- which was when he went into the cyber arrest. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wing It with Ankush Bahuguna (@wingitwithankush) I got a call when I returned from the gym from a very weird number. It seemed like an international number. I picked it up without thinking much. It was an automated call that said your courier delivery had been cancelled. Press zero for support," he said. The influencer said that the scammer disguised as a police officer, tried to isolate him from everyone under the pretext of being arrested and safeguarding his loved ones from getting involved. He further revealed that he was about to send the scammer the money, however, it failed due to some issue with the bank. He was then asked to stay in a hotel- for his own safety- which is when he finally managed to read a text from his friend- warning him about such scams. He (the customer support executive) told me that I was sending a package to China and customs have seized it now. I got scared, I said I hadnt sent anything. But he said that my name, my Aadhar number, everything is mentioned in the package. This is a very serious crime, and now you will be under digital arrest. There is an arrest warrant already in your name," Ankush said in the video. The influencer also dubbed the incident traumatic as he recalled how his friends were also panicking for his safety due to his sudden absence. He later said that he was now fine, and further urged the viewers to stay vigilant and informed, emphasising the importance of spreading awareness to prevent others from falling prey. Bahuguna said that he narrated his experience so that he could spread awareness against such frauds. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Sharing this, so others dont have to go through what I went through. I feel so lucky to have friends with such strong instincts who noticed a change in my behaviour even when I was sending Im okay texts," he said. As soon as the clip began to float on social media, netizens came forward to share their take. More love to you! Please try and rest now. Your body and mind have been through a lot. Please try and forgive yourself. Youre not stupid at all this has happened to so many people. When youre in it you dont even realise its a scam. Please take care of yourself, bubs," a user said. First Published: January 05, 2025, 17:30 IST Man Urinates On Fellow Passenger Aboard San Francisco-Manila Flight, Banned From United Airlines Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 16:00 IST He later apologised for urinating on his fellow passenger and begged him not to press any charges. The passenger had to remain in his soaked clothes for eight hours. (Image source: United Airlines) Air travel comes with its own set of rules and regulations. Passengers are required to follow the guidelines, cooperate with the crew and maintain a proper demeanour. However, a passenger travelling via United Airlines in business class on UA Flight 189 encountered a distressing event after a fellow flyer urinated on him. The victim, Jerome Gutierrez, was flying from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Manila on December 27 last year when the incident occurred. Jeromes stepdaughter Nicole Cornell narrated her fathers ordeal of enduring 8 hours of journey on the flight. United Airlines has now banned the offender from flying on their aircraft. related stories In a conversation with SFGATE, the stepdaughter revealed that her father was asleep at the time, and buckled in his seat. He was taken by surprise after another passenger urinated on him thinking it was a dream". After waking up, Jerome Gutierrez realised that he was soaked from his stomach down [to his feet] in that mans urine." According to a report in The New York Post, the flight attendants requested Jerome Gutierrez not to approach" the offender. They feared the confrontation would result in violence and the situation could go out of control. As a result, Jerome Gutierrez had to remain seated in his soaked" clothes for eight long hours. Jerome Gutierrezs stepdaughter bashed United Airlines alleging that the crew members on the flight put the needs of the airline before" the health of her dad. I am so disgusted and in shock with how United Airlines handled this. That is a biohazard, and the plane should have turned around to address this issue." The stepdaughter added that the man who urinated on her father later apologised to him. He even begged Jerome from pressing charges on him, reported The New York Post. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A United Airlines spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that the flight experienced a passenger disturbance". But they revealed that the individual has now been banned." The police were also called to inspect the matter once the flight reached Manila. In 2023, an intoxicated man urinated on a female passenger during a US-India-bound Air India flight. The incident prompted the airline to file a police complaint and recommended the male passenger to the no-fly list. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 05, 2025, 16:00 IST 'Farage Doesn't Have What It Takes': Musk Calls For New Reform UK Leader Weeks After Mar-A-Lago Meet Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 21:09 IST Elon Musk had met Nigel Farage at Donalds Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida where it is claimed that talks were held for the donation of large sum to the UK's party. Elon Musk and Nigel Farage (Photo: X/Nigel Farage) Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Sunday said Nigel Farage doesnt have what it takes" to be the leader of Reform UK, a right-wing political party in the country, and called for his replacement. His remarks came just weeks after it was claimed that Musk was in talks with the party to donate a large sum. related stories The worlds richest man had met Farage last month at Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort, in Florida, after which speculations were rife that Musk could donate as much as $100 million (78 million) to the party, The Telegraph reported. The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes," Musk posted on X. The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 5, 2025 Musks unexpected call for Farages replacement as the party leader comes after he repeatedly expressed his support for the UKs party. After the meeting in Florida, Farage had shared a picture with Musk, captioned, Britain needs Reform", to which Musk replied, Absolutely". Absolutely Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2024 Farage has long been friends with Trump under whose administration Musk will have a key role as the co-chairman of the new Department of Government Efficiency. However, Musk and Farage have disagreed in the past week on the issue of Tommy Robinson, former leader of the English Defence League, who is currently in jail for contempt of court. Amid repeated praises for Robinson on X. Farage said last week that Robinson was not what we need". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The fact that Musk supports me and supports Reform doesnt mean, as two grown-ups, we have to agree with everything the other says," Farage told BBC. Farage founded Reform UK in 2018, originally known as the Brexit Party, and later returned as its leader before being elected as an MP in 2024. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 05, 2025, 20:42 IST Ex-US Army Officer Faces Charges Of Attempting To Join Hezbollah 'To Kill Jews' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 13:46 IST Jack Danaher Molloy, 24, who served in active-duty status in the US Army, has been indicted for supporting a terrorist organisation and making false statements. The ex-US Army officer was indicted for supporting Hezbollah, designated as a terrorist organisation in the US. (Reuters/File) A former US Army officer in Pennsylvania is facing charges of joining the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah in an effort to explicitly kill Jews", according to the Department of Justice. Jack Danaher Molloy, 24, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of attempting to support a foreign organisation and making false statements involving international terrorism to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was arrested in Chicago on December 6, 2024, and indicted on Thursday. related stories Molloy, a dual citizen of the United States and Ireland who previously served on active-duty status in their US Army had travelled to Lebanon in August last year and attempted to join Hezbollah, said the Justice Department in the indictment filing. The former Army officer had attempted to provide material support, including personnel (including himself) and services to Hezbollah from August to December. Notably, Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organisation in the United States. Suspect Wanted To Kill Jews In Lebanon, Molloy was told by multiple individuals that his timing was not right and that he needed to take other steps before he could not join the organisation. He then travelled from Lebanon to Syria in October in an effort to fight for Hezbollah in the war-ravaged country. After he returned to the United States, Molloy continued his attempts to join Hezbollah, including through communication with individuals online and in Lebanon. He also allegedly expressed his hatred toward, and promoted violence against, Jewish people, the Department said. Molloys alleged animus toward Jews was also evidenced by multiple images and videos on his electronic devices and the usernames he chose for his social media and email accounts, including the username KIKEKILLER313" on X. In one alleged WhatsApp exchange with a family member, Molloy agreed that his master plan was to join Hezbollah and kill Jews." he also allegedly visited a website detailing the possible incarceration location of Robert Bowers, who carried out the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting during which he murdered 11 Jewish worshippers. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The indictment also alleged that upon arriving in the US in October, Molloy had lied to FBI agents when he told them he had no plans to become involved with Hezbollah and also that he had no business in Syria. If convicted, Molloy faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the material support charge and eight years and $250,000 fine for false statement charges. The FBI Pittsburgh and Chicago Field Offices are investigating the case with substantial assistance from the US Marshals Service. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 05, 2025, 13:46 IST Genocidal Rape: Musk Questions UKs Starmer Over Silence On Pakistani Rape Gangs Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 15:44 IST Elon Musk has recently attacked the UK government over multiple issues. SpaceX, Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk questioned the UK government over the Rotherham sex scandal. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE) Tech mogul Elon Musk continued his attack on the UK government this week, targeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the Rotherham sex scandal. Good question. And this happened on a massive scale. Genocidal rape. https://t.co/IBnnb5UMtF Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 4, 2025 related stories Good question. And this happened on a massive scale. Genocidal rape," Musk said, while reacting to a post by Swedish journalist Peter Imanuelsen. Starmer was complicit in the RAPE OF BRITAIN when he was head of Crown Prosecution for 6 years.Starmer must go and he must face charges for his complicity in the worst mass crime in the history of Britain. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 3, 2025 Imanuelsen also claimed that the press in the UK did not properly cover the Rotherham sex scandals. The tech tycoon criticized the British government online after the decision was made in October. He accused Keir Starmer of not effectively prosecuting rape gangs during his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Musk repeatedly shared posts from Reform and Conservative MPs demanding a national inquiry into the issue. As an advisor to incoming US President Donald Trump, Musks comments attracted significant attention. He labeled the prime minister Two-Tier Keir" and accused Phillips of being a rape genocide apologist." Musks latest comment on UK politics followed safeguarding minister Phillips direction to Oldham Council to start a local inquiry into historic child sexual abuse. In September 2012, the UK-based Times reported on a confidential 2010 police document that warned of thousands of child sexual exploitation crimes occurring annually in South Yorkshire, primarily involving networks of Pakistani-origin men. Despite decades of prior knowledge, police and child protection agencies in Rotherham failed to prosecute many of these offences, the report revealed. In response, Rotherham Borough Council, South Yorkshire Police and other agencies established a Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) team to address the concerns highlighted. The council later commissioned an independent inquiry, led by a professor named Alexis Jay, to probe the failures in handling these crimes. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The 2014 report by Jay revealed that at least 1,400 children in Rotherham had been subjected to sexual abuse. It detailed horrifying accounts of girls as young as 11 being raped, trafficked, abducted, beaten and intimidated, with the perpetrators predominantly of Pakistani heritage. A key factor was officials fear of being labeled racist, as most perpetrators were of Pakistani heritage. By 2009, despite government reforms, prosecutions remained limited while survivors continued to face long-term trauma and lacked adequate support. Location : London, United Kingdom (UK) First Published: January 05, 2025, 15:34 IST by Xinhua writer Yin Xiaosheng SARAJEVO, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- A new round of U.S. protectionist policies could harm global trade, disrupt supply chains, and ultimately burden consumers in the United States, a former senior UN official has said. "Economists largely agree that tariffs push up prices and reduce competition, which hampers GDP growth," Fabrizio Hochschild, former UN under-secretary-general, told Xinhua in a recent interview. In November, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump laid out plans to levy tariffs of 25 percent on imports from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10 percent on goods coming from China. Reflecting on Trump's first term, Hochschild said that tariffs often burden consumers with higher costs rather than boosting the economy. "Many components of American cars are produced abroad. Imposing tariffs would raise production costs, leading to higher car prices for consumers," he said, citing the automotive industry as an example. Hochschild expressed concerns about the risk of the global economy fragmenting into competing trade blocs. "The International Monetary Fund has made it clear that such divisions would slow global growth," he said, "A free market has been a key driver of economic prosperity over past decades." "History shows that unilateral tariffs often provoke retaliatory measures, disrupting supply chains and undermining economic stability," Hochschild noted, emphasizing that trade disputes should be resolved through multilateral mechanisms like the World Trade Organization (WTO). "If the WTO is sidelined, a cycle of tariffs and counter-tariffs could hurt everyone involved," he cautioned. "The major challenge is the threat of a fragmented global economy. It increases global tensions," Hochschild said. Amid pressing global challenges like climate change, inequality, and AI regulation, Hochschild stressed that "the world faces far greater challenges that require international cooperation, and trade conflicts add to uncertainty and distract attention from these priorities." Looking forward, Hochschild remained hopeful that major countries could resolve their trade disagreements through negotiations. "Resolving these disputes will allow nations to focus on the most urgent issues such as increasing global conflicts, climate change, and global health challenges," said Hochschild. Heatwave Sizzles Australia: Bushfires Ravages Victoria State, Fire Bans Issued Published By : Reuters Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 15:48 IST The huge blaze that has ripped through Victoria's Grampians National Park has affected homes, farmlands and vast areas of the national park. Country Fire Authority personnel work near a bushfire in the Grampians National park, in Victoria, Australia. (IMAGE: REUTERS) Australias southeast sweated in a heatwave that intensified on Sunday, elevating bushfire risk and prompting authorities to issue fire bans for more parts of Victoria state. Australia is in the grips of a high-risk bushfire season, with firefighters last week battling a large blaze that ripped through Victorias Grampians National Park, razing homes and farmland. related stories The nations weather forecaster warned that temperatures could reach 45C (113F) in some parts of Australias second most populous state of Victoria on Sunday. The mercury in state capital Melbourne was forecast to hit 38C (100F). In the states northwest, in the town of Mildura, where the temperature was predicted to reach 42 C (107 F), it was already 32.9 C (91 F) at 10:30 a.m., surpassing the January mean maximum temperature, according to forecaster data. The heat sparked total fire bans for three Victorian districts where authorities labelled the fire danger as extreme", the second highest danger rating. Bureau of Meteorology official Miriam Bradbury said temperatures would likely peak in Victoria on Sunday. What that means for the fire dangers is we are seeing a spike across more districts," Bradbury told Australian Broadcasting Corp television. The states of Western Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania were also under heatwave warnings on Sunday, the forecaster said on its website. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Bradbury on Saturday said a wind change bringing a cool change to the countrys southeast was expected on Sunday night. Australias last few fire seasons have been quiet compared with the catastrophic 2019-2020 Black Summer" of wildfires that destroyed an area the size of Turkey, killing 33 people and billions of animals. Location : Sydney, Australia First Published: January 05, 2025, 12:25 IST Hezbollah Violating Ceasefire, Will Be Forced To Act: Israel Published By : AFP Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 18:18 IST Israel said Hezbollah militants are yet to withdraw beyond the Litani river as agreed in the ceasefire deal. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz warned that his country will be forced to act on its own to ensure the safe return of residents of the north to their homes. (IMAGE: REUTERS) Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Lebanese group Hezbollah on Sunday of not meeting the terms of a ceasefire, warning that if the militants continued to breach the deal, Israel would be forced to act". Katz issued his warning after visiting the militarys northern command and it followed a similar accusation against Israel by Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Saturday. related stories Katz said Hezbollah had still not withdrawn beyond the Litani river" in southern Lebanon, as stipulated in the ceasefire deal. He added that if this condition is not met, there will be no agreement and Israel will be forced to act on its own to ensure the safe return of residents of the north to their homes." Other provisions had not been implemented, Katz said, such the dismantling of all (Hezbollah) weapons and the thwarting of terrorist infrastructures in the area by the Lebanese army". We will not allow the creation of a renewed threat to the northern communities and the citizens of the state of Israel," Katz said in a statement issued by his office. On Saturday, Qassem accused Israel of violating the ceasefire and said the group was prepared to respond even before the expiry of a 60-day deadline for Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon. We have said that we are giving an opportunity to prevent Israeli violations and to implement the agreement and we will exercise patience," Qassem said. The fragile truce, which took effect on November 27 after two months of full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah, has been marked by accusations of violations from both sides. Under the terms of the ceasefire, the Lebanese army is to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers in the south as the Israeli army withdraws over a 60-day period. Hezbollah is to withdraw its forces north of the Litani River some 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A committee composed of Israeli, Lebanese, French and US delegates alongside a representative of UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL is tasked with ensuring any ceasefire violations are identified and dealt with. The UN peacekeeping force has also repeatedly accused Israel of violating the ceasefire terms. Location : Jerusalem, Undefined First Published: January 05, 2025, 18:18 IST Nasrallah Aide Says Hezbollah Chief Was Leading War From Operations Room When Israel Struck Published By : Associated Press Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 18:26 IST Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in September. A woman holds up a poster of the slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah during a ceremony. (IMAGE: AP PHOTO) Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last year while inside the militant groups war operations room, according to new details Sunday disclosed by a senior Hezbollah official. A series of Israeli airstrikes flattened several buildings in Beiruts southern suburbs on Sept. 27, 2023, killing Nasrallah. The Lebanese Health Ministry said six people died. According to news reports, Nasrallah and other senior officials were meeting underground. related stories The assassination of Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for 32 years, turned months of low-level strikes between Israel and the militants into an all-out war that battered much of southern and eastern Lebanon for two months until a US-brokered ceasefire took effect Nov. 27. His Eminence (Hassan Nasrallah) used to lead the battle and war from this location," top Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa told a news conference Sunday near the site where Nasrallah was killed. He said Nasrallah died in the war operations room. He did not offer other details. Lebanese media had reported that Safa was a target of Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut before the ceasefire but appeared unscathed. During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to move its fighters, weapons and infrastructure away from southern Lebanon north of the Litani River, while Israeli troops that invaded southern Lebanon need to withdraw all within 60 days. Lebanese army soldiers are to deploy in large numbers and alongside United Nations peacekeepers be the sole armed presence in southern Lebanon. Lebanon and Hezbollah have been critical of ongoing Israeli strikes and overflights across the country and for only withdrawing from two of dozens of Lebanese villages it controls. Israel says that the Lebanese military has not done its share in dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure. Hezbollahs current leader Naim Kassem in a televised address Saturday warned that its fighters could strike Israel if its troops dont leave the south by the end of the month. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Safa said that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who negotiated the ceasefire deal with Washington, told Hezbollah that the government will meet with US envoy Amos Hochstein soon. And in light of what happens, then there will be a position," said Safa. Hochstein had led the shuttle diplomacy efforts to reach the fragile truce. Location : Beirut, Lebanon First Published: January 05, 2025, 18:26 IST Thousands Of South Koreans Brave Bitter Cold To Rally For, Against Yoon's Arrest As Deadline Looms Published By : Reuters Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 13:04 IST Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached for his botched attempt to declare martial law, is the first sitting president to face arrest, sparking furious protests. Supporters of impeached South Korea president Yoon Suk Yeol take part in a rally near his residence. (AFP) Thousands braved heavy snow in Seoul on Sunday to rally for and against arresting impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, as South Koreas political crisis appeared headed toward another high-stakes confrontation. With an arrest warrant against Yoon for alleged insurrection expiring at midnight (1500 GMT) on Monday, multiple groups held demonstrations near his official residence, some urging his immediate arrest and others protesting against it. related stories Yoon became the countrys first sitting president to face arrest over his botched attempt to declare martial law on Dec. 3, which triggered political chaos engulfing Asias fourth-largest economy and a key US ally. The conservative president was impeached by parliament and is suspended from official duties while the Constitutional Court decides whether to reinstate or remove him. On Friday, criminal investigators were blocked from arresting him by Yoons presidential security service and military troops in a six-hour standoff. The Seoul Western District Court on Sunday rejected a complaint from Yoons lawyers that the arrest warrant was illegal and invalid, Yonhap news agency reported. Calls to the court seeking comment went unanswered. Yoons lawyers have said the warrant was unconstitutional because the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO), which leads his criminal investigation, has no authority under South Korean law to investigate any case involving insurrection allegations. Yoons Arrest Warrant The lawyers said in a statement on Sunday they would report CIO chief Oh Dong-woon and the investigation team to prosecutors for what they called illegally executing the warrant, including by mobilising police when the anti-graft body has no authority to do so. The CIO did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Judging the legitimacy of any legal interpretation and execution is difficult," Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer advising Yoon, said on Facebook. If there is an error in the legality of law enforcement against the incumbent president, it will be a big problem." Some of Sundays protesters had gathered overnight in downtown Seoul, where temperatures fell below minus 5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit). More than 6 cm (2.4 inches) of snow has piled up in parts of the capital, which was under a heavy snow warning. We have to reestablish the foundation of our society by punishing the president who has denied the constitution," said Yang Kyung-soo, leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a major labour group that took part in the protests. We must bring down the criminal Yoon Suk Yeol and arrest and detain him as soon as possible." Nearby, Yoon supporters held placards reading We will fight for President Yoon Suk Yeol" and Stop the Steal", a phrase popularised by U.S. President-elect Donald Trumps supporters after he lost the 2020 election. Similar rallies drew tens of thousands on Saturday, prompting police to try to disperse KCTU protesters occupying roads and disrupting traffic. Two were detained, accused of assaulting police officers, Yonhap reported. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On Saturday, the CIO again asked acting President Choi Sang-mok, the finance minister, to order the security service to comply with the arrest warrant. A finance ministry spokesperson declined to comment. Location : Seoul, South Korea First Published: January 05, 2025, 13:04 IST Turkey Turns Truce Maker In Sudan As African Nation Accepts Mediation Offer Published By : AFP Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 17:57 IST Sudans army chief welcomed the offer extended by Turkeys government. People protest calling upon the army-backed Sudanese government to extend the deadline to exchange Sudanese pound banknotes after authorities reportedly changed two of the notes in circulation. (IMAGE: AFP) Sudans army chief has welcomed a Turkish offer to resolve the brutal 20-month conflict between his forces and their paramilitary rivals, the Sudanese foreign minister said. In early December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a phone call with Sudans Abdel Fattah al-Burhan that Ankara could help establish peace and stability" in the war-torn African state. related stories At a meeting in Port Sudan on Saturday, Burhan asked Turkeys deputy foreign minister Burhanettin Duran to deliver the Sudanese leaderships welcoming of the initiative" to Erdogan, Sudanese foreign minister Ali Youssef said in a briefing after the meeting. Sudan needs brothers and friends like Turkey," Youssef said, adding that the initiative can lead to realising peace in Sudan". Erdogan said in his December call with Burhan that Turkey could step in to resolve disputes" between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, and prevent Sudan from becoming an area of external interventions", according to a statement from the Turkish presidency. Sudans army-backed government has repeatedly accused the UAE of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claims echoed by outside analysts, which the UAE has consistently denied. Last month, the Sudanese government accused the RSF of launching UAE-assembled drones from neighbouring Chad. US lawmakers long critical of the Gulf powers role quoted the White House as saying late last month that the UAE had told the United States it would not arm paramilitaries in Sudans war. Following his meeting with Burhan on Saturday, Turkeys Duran said that the peace process entails concerted efforts", and that his country was ready to play a role in mobilising other regional actors to help overcoming the difficulties in ending this conflict". In a statement last week, the UAE welcomed diplomatic efforts" by Turkey to resolve the ongoing crisis in Sudan". The UAE is fully prepared to cooperate and coordinate with the Turkish efforts and all diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict in Sudan and find a comprehensive solution to the crisis," its foreign ministry said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The war in Sudan, which has pitted Burhan against his former deputy and RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted 12 million more. It has also pushed the country to the brink of famine, with analysts warning involvement from other countries will only prolong the suffering. Location : Port Sudan, Sudan First Published: January 05, 2025, 17:54 IST 'This Is Significant': Ukraines Zelenskyy Claims North Korean Troops In Kursk Suffered Heavy Losses Published By : Reuters Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 10:38 IST Western and Ukrainian officials estimate that some 11,000 North Korean troops are deployed in the Kursk region. Zelensky said in a battle near Kursk the Russian army lost one battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops. (IMAGE: REUTERS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russian and North Korean forces suffered heavy losses in fighting in Russias southern Kursk region. Ukrainian and Western assessments say that some 11,000 North Korean troops are deployed in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces occupy swathes of territory after staging a mass cross-border incursion in August. related stories In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy quoted a report from top Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi as saying that the battles had taken place near the village of Makhnovka, not far from the Ukrainian border. In battles yesterday and today near just one village, Makhnovka, in Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops," Zelenskyy said. This is significant." The president provided no specific details. A battalion can vary in size but is generally made up of several hundred troops. Reuters could not independently verify the presidents account. Zelenskyy last week reported heavy North Korean losses in Kursk region, saying their forces were not being protected by the Russian forces they are fighting alongside. He said North Koreans were taking extreme measures to avoid being taken prisoner and in some instances were being executed by their own forces. In his latest remarks, Zelenskyy also said fierce battles" had raged along the entire 1,000-km (620-mile) front line, with the most difficult situation near the city of Pokrovsk. Russian forces, he said, continue to expend vast numbers of their own personnel in assaults". top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A Ukrainian military spokesperson earlier said Pokrovsk remained the hottest" frontline sector, with Russian troops launching fresh attacks near the town in an effort to bypass it from the south and cut off supply routes to Ukraines troops. The city, home to a mine that is the sole supplier of coking coal to Ukraines once-giant steel industry, had a pre-war population of some 60,000 people. Ukraine estimates that around 11,000 of them remain in the city. Location : Kyiv, Ukraine First Published: January 05, 2025, 10:22 IST RAMALLAH, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army killed a Palestinian security officer in the town of Meithalun, south of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Palestinian sources said on Sunday. The Ramallah-based Health Ministry said in a press statement that it was informed by the General Authority for Civil Affairs that Hassan Rabaya, 40, was killed by Israeli forces in Meithalun. According to a Palestinian security source, Rabaya, an officer in the Palestinian security forces, was killed during a raid by Israeli special forces. The forces stormed the town and surrounded Rabaya's house amid an exchange of gunfire, the source said. Meithalun Mayor Hamad Rabaya told Xinhua that Israeli forces surrounded a house and an exchange of gunfire was heard in its vicinity. The mayor also reported seeing Israeli forces transporting a body to their military vehicles. Israeli occupation forces have detained at least 20 Palestinians, including children and former prisoners, in the West Bank over the last 24 hours, according to a joint statement by the Palestinian Authority's Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society. The West Bank has been witnessing escalating tension since Oct. 7, 2023, and more than 820 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bullets and shelling, according to Palestinian statistics. Neil Willenson was a college student with dreams of becoming an actor when he met Nile Sandeen, a 5-year-old boy with HIV. As a 22-year-old in 1993, Willenson pivoted from his Hollywood dreams and founded a camp, One Heartland, so that Sandeen and other children with HIVwho were often isolated and experienced the discrimination that came along with a lack of understanding of the virus and how it was transmittedcould experience the simple pleasures of being kids. Now, more than three decades later, that camp is closingbecause the number of kids contracting HIV has plummeted. In recent years, the camp has served other populations, including kids with diabetes and LGBTQ+ youth, and the nonprofit organization that runs it hopes to sell the Minnesota property to another kid-focused group, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Despite the reason it's closing, former campers are sad to see it go. "It's a heartbreaker," says Dylan Edwards, who attended the camp with his brother, Chris, who died of HIV-related complications at age 12 in 1999. "But the purpose of the camp was for sick kids," so if there simply aren't as many anymore, "it's hard to feel bad about that," he says. The full story at the Star Tribune is worth a read. (More Minnesota stories.) The uncle of the northern California brothers who ferociously fought a mountain lion in an attack that ended with one brother's death has come forward in a New York Times piece wondering what could have stopped the tragedy. Malcolm Brooks writes of Taylen and Wyatt Brooks' lifetime of outdoor experience in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in El Dorado County, and recounts the horror experienced by Wyatt, then 18, who was attacked first in March of last yearand then watched as the cougar turned to maul his brother, 21. Unable to pull the cat off Taylen, Wyatt ran for help, but his brother was dead by the time deputies arrived. Their uncle also recounts the history of mountain lions in California, where they were hunted for many years, until the late 1960s when concerns arose that their population was nearing extinction. Chilean President Gabriel Boric has joined a tiny group within the club of world leaders: He just became only the third in history to visit the South Pole, reports the BBC. Boric is also the first from the Americas to make the visit, with the others coming from New Zealand (2007) and Norway (2011), per the Guardian. Boric arrived at the US-run Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station on Friday, when temperatures were about 20 below zero. He came along with a team of researchers on what was ostensibly a science-minded expedition, but Boric made a point to describe the trip as a "confirmation of our claim to sovereignty" over part of Antarctica. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Sunday announced that he will meet with far-right politician Herbert Kickl as speculation grows that he will ask the Freedom Party leader to form a government. Van der Bellen made the announcement after talks with Chancellor Karl Nehammer and others at his presidential palace, the AP reports. Nehammer has announced his intention to resign after coalition negotiations between his conservative Austrian People's Party and the center-left Social Democrats collapsed over the budget. Nehammer has ruled out working with Kickl, but others in his party are less adamant. Earlier Sunday, the People's Party nominated its general secretary, Christian Stocker, as interim leader, but the president said Nehammer would remain chancellor for now. Van der Bellen said he talked to key officials for several hours and got the impression that "the voices within the People's Party who exclude working with the Freedom Party under its leader Herbert Kickl have become quieter." The president said that this development has "potentially opened a new path," which has prompted him to invite Kickl for a meeting on Monday morning. Stocker told reporters on Sunday that he welcomes the decision by the president to meet with Kickl, per the AP. He said he now expects that the leader of the Freedom Party, which won the last election, will be asked to form a government. "If we are invited to negotiations to form a government, we will accept this invitation," Stocker said. In the past, he has criticized Kickl, calling him a "security risk" for the country. (More Austria stories.) We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Meet Dr. Hanna Bit Murad, Renowned Linguist Dr. Hanna Bit Murad. ( AINA) (AINA) -- Dr. Hanna Bit Murad, who currently lives in Georgia, was born in Moscow in 1972. She is the author of books in Russian and Breton, and professional translator. She has a PhD in Comparative Linguistics. Her great-grandfather, Ruvel Bit Murad (1860-1941), was from Salamas (Iran). He owned vineyards and was a wealthy businessman in Iran. Her great-grandmother, Pilomena Bit Mirzo (1870-1964), was from Khusrava (also from the Salamas region) and was from a family of Catholic priests. During the Turkish genocide of Assyrians, Greeks and Armenians 1915-1918, the Kurds took away her family's lands. The Bit Murad family fled to Tbilisi, Georgia. Their daughter Asiyat died on the way. They started a new life. Ruvel founded his own brick factory and a construction company. But their new life was cut short when the communists came and took everything away. Dr. Murad expressed interest in languages and literature since childhood. When she was a little girl, she created a sensation on the day when she attended a lecture by Professor Konstantin Matveev in Moscow, surprising everyone with her high pathos and skill by reading the poem Nineveh. At the age of 15, she taught herself Breton, and at the age of 19, she received a scholarship and went to Rennes (France) to study Celtic philology. After graduating from the University, she began research in linguistics, teaching and translation, as well as literary work. In 1998, she received the Imran literary prize for her poems in Breton. Dr. Murad began studying Assyrian with the renowned teacher Amurabi Vasiliev at a Sunday school in Moscow. She then helped him teach these classes. In 2002, she defended her dissertation at the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and began teaching French and Breton at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), and at M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, and also lectured at The Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH). Dr. Murad moved to Tbilisi to reunite with her family and began working as a translator. In 2018, her translation of Claire Weibel Yacoub's book Assyrian Surma in the Turbulent History of Mesopotamia into Russian was published in Moscow. In 2021, her novel Amphibian in the Pocket, based on Assyrian folklore, was also published in Moscow. In 2020, she was awarded the Order of the Ermine for her significant contribution to Breton culture. She currently collaborates as a translator with the Breton publishing house An Alarc'h. The following is an interview in Assyrian. BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- "I felt extremely grateful when I received the greeting card from President Xi," said Brian Suy, an 11th grader from the Lincoln High School in the U.S. state of Washington. On Jan. 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, replied to a New Year card from representatives of middle school teachers and students from Washington state. In their reply card, the couple expressed their hope that the youth of China and the United States will continue to participate in China's initiative of inviting 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span. Earlier, the U.S.-China Youth and Student Exchange Association, as well as representatives of teachers and students from Lincoln High School and Stadium High School, who have visited China through the initiative, sent a New Year card to Xi, Peng and the Chinese people. "I am willing to be a successor to keep the relations of the people of China and America strong and close," Suy told Xinhua. "I believe that the world will ultimately be a better place if future generations strengthen these connections." BRIDGE OF FRIENDSHIP After having received New Year cards twice from Xi and his wife in reply to their greetings, teachers and students from Washington state are greatly encouraged, said Zhou Shuqi, co-chair of the U.S.-China Youth and Student Exchange Association. In February 2024, Xi and Peng extended their good wishes for the Year of the Dragon in their card to Lincoln High School, inviting students to visit China more often, including through the "50,000 in five years" initiative. These cards are a token of U.S.-China friendship and a bridge that connects young people, which "motivate us to move forward," said Zhou. Over a year, about 14,000 American youths have visited China for exchanges and study. "Our experience in China was incredibly rich and rewarding," Stadium High School Principal Shannon Marshall said. "This experience has created long-lasting friendship between American students and Chinese students." "We would love to send more students in 2025 and are so thankful for the opportunities," she said. "It was a privilege to have been able to sign a greeting card for President Xi," said Lucy Arceno, a student from Lincoln High School. Recalling her China trip, she said what impressed her the most was the hospitality of the Chinese people. "I made quite a few Chinese friends," she said. "One of my Chinese friends had this to say after we got to know each other, 'gradually it dawned on me that we are of no difference.' I found this to be a very beautiful statement about friendships." "People-to-people exchanges -- direct communications between Chinese people and their foreign counterparts in all walks of life -- form part of the foundation of President Xi's international way of thinking," Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, told Xinhua. "President Xi puts extra emphasis on people-to-people exchanges" in the development of bilateral relations, Kuhn said. FRIENDSHIP THAT ENDURES For Lincoln High School, warm interactions with Xi have been maintained for long. As early as in 1993, Xi visited the school as then secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. In September 2015, he revisited the school with Peng during his first state visit to the United States as Chinese president, and encouraged students to travel to China to become more familiar with the country. During their stay, the couple enjoyed in the school's auditorium a choir performance by students from both countries. Lynn Eisenhauer, a music teacher at the school, was present. "I have had the amazing opportunity to travel throughout China three times during 2024," she told Xinhua in a recent interview. "Many of my friendships with Chinese teachers and students have begun while learning to do calligraphy together, singing side by side, or doing Tai Chi with each other." Eisenhauer was amazed that when she joined a group from Washington state to visit China last year, an opportunity came for the group to perform again before Peng during a China-U.S. youth exchange activity in Beijing, which was "a truly magical memory." "One of the ways our friendships continue to grow is through these shared experiences and the common bonds they help us to create," Eisenhauer said. "Peaceful connections and enduring friendships can make the world a better place for all of us." Maurice Chong from Washington state participated both in the choir in 2015 and the youth exchange activity in 2024. Now an exchange student at Peking University, Chong said he was inspired by Xi to study abroad back in 2015, when the Chinese president encouraged them with a Chinese adage: "Read 10,000 books and travel 10,000 miles." Xi's initiative to invite American students to China "will indeed have a big effect on people-to-people relations between the U.S. and China, and that's what we need," said Elyn MacInnis, founder of "Friends of Kuliang," a group gathering descendants of U.S. families who once lived in Kuliang, Fujian Province. Communication is a good bridge to build trust, "and trust is very important for friendship," MacInnis said. "LONG LIVE PEACE" The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. During World War II, China and the United States fought together for peace and justice, and the friendship between the two peoples stood the test of blood and fire and is growing ever stronger, Xi and Peng said in their New Year card. The couple's words were in response to the U.S. students' card to them, which paid tribute to this part of history. "'Long Live Peace; Eternal Friendship.' We wrote this wish in our card," said David Chong, founder and president of the U.S.-China Youth and Student Exchange Association. "We want to convey the significance of maintaining world peace and the longing for future peace to young people of both countries, and encourage them to inherit this precious friendship," Chong said. Among those sending the card was William Felagai, a 12th grader from Lincoln High School, who recalled hearing about the bilateral friendship from a Flying Tiger veteran. During World War II, a U.S. air squadron composed of pilots from the United States Army Air Corps, Navy, and Marine Corps helped the Chinese fight Japanese invaders. They are better known as the Flying Tigers. "He talked about how U.S. soldiers and pilots found refuge with Chinese villagers who were willing to risk not only themselves and their families' lives but their whole village from destruction by the Japanese military," Felagai said. Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, said that Xi has recalled the epic of the Flying Tigers on many occasions, including in a reply letter to the foundation in 2023. The foundation has launched a Flying Tigers Friendship School and Youth Leaders Program, with the participation of dozens of Chinese and U.S. middle schools and universities. The program brought students from 11 U.S. states to visit China in 2024, and will be expanded in the new year, Greene said. "I'm very proud of the way that they've all understood the importance of what happened between China and the United States 80 years ago," he said. "What they learn is that there's tremendous opportunity for cooperation between the Chinese people and the American people in the future." Sarwar Kashmeri, a fellow at the New York City-based Foreign Policy Association, also host of Polaris-Live.com, a well-known Internet channel devoted to improving U.S.-China relations, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in New York City, the United States, Dec. 15, 2024.(Xinhua/Liu Yanan) by Xinhua writers Yang Shilong, Liu Yanan NEW YORK, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Bold, forward-thinking initiatives are needed to revive U.S.-China ties, said a renowned international relations expert, describing the relationship as "the most consequential" in the world. "China and America together are about 43 percent of the world's economy ... The stakes are simply too high for us to continue down this path of confrontation," Sarwar Kashmeri, host of Polaris-Live.com, a well-known Internet channel devoted to improving U.S.-China relations, told Xinhua in a recent interview. The interview coincided with the release of Kashmeri's Telegram IV on U.S.-China relations, a special edition of his annual series compiling actionable recommendations for improving bilateral ties, based on his conversations with global experts on his Polaris-Live platform. Kashmeri, a fellow at the New York City-based Foreign Policy Association, emphasized the significance of the U.S.-China relationship. "I would urge both America and China to think big, think boldly, think differently. That's the way forward," said Kashmeri, adding that he hopes his latest report will "stir the waters a bit and maybe do some good." He said he believes that with the right high-level initiatives and communication channels, China and the United States can shift the narrative from confrontation to cooperation. "It's going to take some patience and bold thinking, but I'm confident that ultimately, sensible people on both sides will come to sensible conclusions," he said. One of Kashmeri's key suggestions for reviving the relationship is increasing people-to-people exchanges, which he compared to then-U.S. President Richard Nixon's historic 1972 visit to China. Kashmeri welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping's announcement to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span, and urged the United States to reciprocate by welcoming more Chinese students and scholars. "We need to get more Americans studying in China and more Chinese students coming to the U.S.," Kashmeri said. "The more we can foster mutual understanding and personal connections, the better." Additionally, Kashmeri highlighted the success of projects within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), noting that while large multinational projects often face challenges, China and its BRI partners have successfully navigated obstacles, which he dubbed a major achievement. The BRI, proposed by Xi in 2013, has now seen more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations sign cooperation agreements, spanning Eurasia, Africa, and Latin America. "I intend to try and visit some of the big BRI projects, including the Chancay Port in Peru, that have been eminently successful ... What interests me is that any big multinational project can run into trouble, but China and the BRI partners, so far, have been able to work out their problems. And I think that's a huge plus," said Kashmeri. MOSCOW, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- A training center building of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) was attacked by a Ukrainian drone on Sunday, according to the plant's press service. "A Ukrainian drone hit the roof of building 'G' at the ZNPP training center, where the world's only full-scale reactor hall simulator is located," the service said in a statement on Telegram. No injuries were reported and no damage was done as a result of the attack, it added. The ZNPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe with a total capacity of six gigawatts. At the end of February 2022, Russia took control of the facility. John Capodice, an actor credited with appearances in hit shows like Seinfeld and General Hospital, died at 83. The actor died Monday, according an obituary from the Pizzi Funeral Home in Northvale. A cause of death was not revealed. John was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and will be missed by all who had the pleasure to meet him, the obituary read. The Chicago native served in the United States Army during the late 60s before taking up acting. His acting career kicked off in 1978 with an appearance as Lloyd Lord in six episodes of the series Ryans Hope. Capodice went on to work in a slew of films and television shows throughout his career that spanned more than four decades. He landed roles in movies like See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Independence Day, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Capodices extensive television credits list includes series such as Seinfeld, L.A. Law, Boy Meets World, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Conversation with Mobster. The actor played a notable role in Seinfeld as Vic, a laundromat owner who Kramer mistakenly assumed stole money from Seinfeld. Capodice worked in theater as well, making appearances in Broadway shows like Requiem For a Heavyweight. The actor is survived by his wife Jane, their two daughters, and four grandchildren. More entertainment news: Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com . Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SwishBurch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips An appeals court has overturned the arson and firearm charges of a former Holmdel man after finding his 2021 trial was riddled with errors in witnesses testimony and how video evidence was presented. Leonard J. Mazzarisi III, 35, went to trial in July 2021 on accusations he twice set fire to a real estate agency building in Holmdel, and once fired a BB gun at the offices, in 2017 and 2018. A Monmouth County jury acquitted him of the first arson fire, convicted him on the second and found him guilty of firearm charges for the third incident. A judge later sentenced him to five years for each incident. Mazzarisi was paroled in February 2023 after serving the mandatory minimum of his term. The building was owned by one set of his relatives, and the agency owned by another. Prosecutors theorized that he attacked the business because he felt he was owed money from the prior sale of the building, the recent appeal decision says. Investigators obtained surveillance video of a person they believed was Mazzarisi at the crime scenes, and he talked to detectives after being apprehended. He did so after waiving his Miranda rights against self-incrimination but said he might invoke his rights to certain questions. Detectives agreed to the request. However, at the trial, prosecutors played a full, un-redacted version of Mazzarisis statements to detectives, in which he is heard at times verbally invoking his Miranda rights. His trial attorney, John J. Perrone, objected, but the judge, Lourdes Lucas, overruled him. That was the first error, and it was enough to reverse Mazzarisis convictions. Mazzarisi invoked his right to remain silent 13 times, and each time the jury heard one, it was increasingly incriminating, the decision says. The judges instructions to the jury about it made it worse. She correctly told the jury they could not use Mazzarisi invoking his rights as a sign of guilt, but said they could consider them to assess if he was credible and if he did so voluntarily. And that directly goes against what the state Supreme Court has ruled courts cannot do: eliciting testimony that has an unfavorable inference about remaining silent. In short, it was reversible error to allow the State to play the full, unredacted interrogation of defendant and that error deprived defendant of his right to a fair trial, the decision says. Then, the judge allowed two police officers to narrate the video surveillance, and they positively identified Mazzarisi as the person in the video without any other basis than what they were seeing. A detective then identified Mazzarisi as the man in two other videos but did so after only watching one. Again, it got worse. Those faulty identifications were compounded when Mazzarisis relatives testified, including his mother, grandmother, and maternal aunt and uncle, and they were shown the video footage from just one incident in May 2018. They all conceded that they had not seen [Mazzarisi] for years, but they all nonetheless identified him as the person depicted, the decision said. Given the critical nature of that testimony, admission of that testimony was reversible error, the appeals judges wrote. They concluded: The cumulative effective of all the inadmissible testimony deprived defendant of a fair trial. The Monmouth County Prosecutors Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. A fifth person has been arrested in connection with the murder of a man whose body was found last month in the woods of Ocean County, authorities said Saturday. Sandeep Kumar, 34, of South Ozone Park, New York, was taken into custody Friday on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder following a joint investigation by the FBI, New Jersey State Police, Ocean County Prosecutors Office and the Manchester Township Police Department. The investigation revealed Kumar worked with four other men to carry out the murder. The victim later identified as Kuldeep Kumar, 35, of India was found shot to death in the woods of Manchester Township less than two weeks before Christmas, authorities said. Kumar was reported missing Oct. 26 by family members in Ozone Park, New York. His body was discovered Dec. 14 in a state of advanced decomposition in the Greenwood Wildlife Management Area in Manchester, according to Ocean County Prosecutors Office. It was determined that Kuldeep Kumar died from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and his death was ruled a homicide, the office said. It was unclear on Saturday if the victim knew any of his alleged killers. An initial investigation led to the previous arrests of Sourav Kumar, 23, Guarav (or Gaurav) Singh, 27, Nirmal Singh, 30, and 22-year-old Gurdeep Singh, all of Greenwood, Indiana, officials said. The four men were arrested last month in their hometown and taken to Johnson County Jail in Franklin, Indiana, where they will remain pending their extradition to New Jersey, investigators said. They were all charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Kumar is being held at Ocean County Jail pending a hearing, authorities said. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com. The U.S. loses 2.5 newspapers every week, and that attrition is actually accelerating, even in an industry that has already lost two-thirds of its journalism jobs since 2005. But as the free fall enters its third decade, the devastating economic decline -- triggered by cratering ad revenue -- is not the only problem that imperils the news business. In two weeks, the nation will inaugurate Donald Trump, who calls journalists the enemy of the people, tells his rallygoers that he wouldnt mind if someone shot at reporters, pledges to jail reporters who dont reveal sources on certain stories even joking about how prison rape would give reporters more reason to cooperate and fantasizes about opening up libel laws so that he could sue his press critics. Trumps candidate for FBI Director, Kash Patel, has threatened to come after people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections, and that hell figure out whether its criminally or civilly. Some of the mightiest legacy outlets have already surrendered, with the Washington Post and L.A. Times flushing their pre-election endorsements of Kamala Harris, and ABC News paying $15 million to settle a defamation suit filed by Trump for saying that he was found civilly liable for raping E. Jean Carroll -- a case legal experts believed that parent company Disney could have effectively defended. And now media independence is facing perhaps its greatest threat: a right-wing effort to torpedo press protections and libel laws, which would effectively slap a chokehold on every journalist in the country and have shattering effects on democracy itself. The ability to control what is published about public figures would give those officials unprecedented power over democracy, because a free press is vital to keep citizens informed about what those officials are doing. If that is lost, those in power will govern without accountability. Since 1964, the press has been protected by the landmark ruling New York Times v. Sullivan. The beauty of that decision is that it protects journalists who make innocent mistakes. To sue successfully, a politician must show that a journalist was not just wrong but acted with actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth. The decision from the Warren Court was unanimous. Imagine if that protection were stripped away. Media outlets, particularly those teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, would have to pull punches to be safe. For corrupt politicians, it would be a field day. Times v. Sullivan has been a pillar of our democracy for 60 years. And that frustrates Donald Trump, the victim king of politics, who has called the libel laws that protect the media a sham and a disgrace. So he and Patel have signaled their desire to have a more compliant news media and are prepared to litigate it until the last ding-dong of his presidency. They have judicial encouragement: As early as 2019, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that Times v. Sullivan was a policy-driven decision masquerading as constitutional law. Justice Neil Gorsuch also has urged the court to reconsider it. Clearly, these justices dont care about the potential consequences, or they envision a different role for the press than the rest of us. They cannot see the stabilizing impact Times v. Sullivan has had on American democracy, and why it is valued by everyone who believes in the medias role in monitoring the conduct of public officials and holding them accountable. As Micah Rasmussen of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics put it, In 2025, Trenton and Washington will both be under the full control of one party. A single party will control every institution of our federal government, while the other single party controls every institution of our state government. Never is it more important that the elected officials of those parties know someone is looking over their shoulders. Yet at a time when so many newspapers are vanishing as will the Star-Ledger, four weeks hence neutering the watchdog of democracy would be celebrated only by the countless grifters, charlatans, cranks, and apparatchiks who have journeyed from Trumps orbit to a jail cell or disbarment during his historically swampy first term. They may be joined by the shadier Democrats in Trenton. But the country should be alert to the president-elects plans to go full Gestapo. He is even suing the Des Moines Register pollster (on grounds of consumer fraud for her inaccuracy), and there will be many more frivolous and expensive lawsuits to come. And if some institutions lack the financial resources to defend themselves and roll over to his legal and political pressures, Trump will declare victory, as it affirms his autocratic belief that government has a right to silence media criticism. Anyone who values the First Amendment should recognize this as a break-glass moment. To comment on this Star-Ledger editorial, send a letter to eletters@starledger.com. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. TO MY OLD FRIEND BOB IGER: SELL ABC NEWS TO SOMEONE WHO STILL CARES ABOUT FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The $15m donation to Trumps Presidential Museum and Sinkhole fools no one. Youve sold America out to kiss Trumps ass GET THE NEW MONDAY COUNTDOWN PODCAST: https://t.co/IQpwui5oJV pic.twitter.com/LTW8z0cFKb Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) December 16, 2024 Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. UPDATE: When will the snow end today? Latest on winter storm timing. Snow is expected to start falling early Monday across southern and central New Jersey, causing slick conditions through the morning commute, forecasters say. Winter storm warnings and advisories have been issued for seven New Jersey counties where up to 8 inches of snow could fall by Monday night. The earliest snowfall is expected in Cape May County and along the Delaware Bay at 5 a.m. as the storm tracks south to north through the morning. By 4 a.m., the snow will start falling along the Atlantic City Expressway and by dawn, shortly before 7 a.m., snow will have spread to Burlington and Ocean counties, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service. AccuWeather issued a new snowfall forecast map for Monday's winter storm that increased totals to 6 to 12 inches for Cape May County and parts of Salem, Cumberland and Atlantic counties.AccuWeather.com The winter storm warnings run from 1 a.m. Monday to 1 a.m. Tuesday in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and southeastern Burlington Counties. Those counties are expected to get 3 to 8 inches, with the highest amounts likely in Cape May County and southern Atlantic, Cumberland and Salem counties. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for parts of seven southern New Jersey counties for Monday. The highest amounts ranging from 2 to 8 inches are expected in the southern half of the state, though the entire state should see some snow.National Weather Service Winter weather advisories have been issued for Ocean and northwestern Burlington counties from 1 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday. Snow totals in those areas are expected to be 2 to 4 inches. The snow will continue through the evening commute before winding down on Monday night for most of the state between 7 and 10 p.m. Snow will move out in the evening in north and Central Jersey but continue through the nigh in South Jersey, the National Weather Service said.National Weather Service Snow is expected to end early Tuesday in the southern counties in the winter storm warning and advisory areas. High winds gusting to 35 mph will continue through the night and into Tuesday, the weather service said. Wind chills overnight will be in the single digits and high temperatures through Friday are expected to remain below freezing. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. UPDATED FORECAST: Widespread snow in forecast with up to 8 inches for parts of state. Latest on timing, track. New Jersey is hunkering down for what may be the first major snowfall of the year, forecasted to arrive late Sunday night into Monday. Counties in the southern half of the state are now expected to get as much as 6 to 8 inches in the storm with at least 2 inches of snow south of I-195. Thats a slight uptick for some areas from the previously released forecast, but still in line with predictions that northern New Jersey can anticipate less snowfall overall. Amounts to the south around Atlantic County, Cumberland County, even parts of Cape May those amounts did increase a little bit for the last update that we had this morning, Mike Lee, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Services Mount Holly office, told NJ Advance Media on the phone Saturday evening. But then on the flip side, Lee said, in northern New Jersey, a lot of locations are looking at around an inch or less. As of Saturday at 5:10 p.m., Lee said forecasters expected snow to begin in parts of New Jersey late Sunday and continue through Monday morning. He said the storm will likely peter out Monday night. A winter storm set to hit New Jersey Sunday into Monday is expected to dump 6 to 8 inches of snow across southern counties along with at least 2 inches south of I-195.National Weather Service The latest forecast from the weather service noted wind chills in the single digits Monday night. For the latest on power outages throughout the state, click here. Drivers in the state are asked to monitor the forecast as well. Snow could mix with sleet and rain Monday afternoon for portions of Delmarva (generally south of Dover) and far southeastern NJ, the national weather service noted online. Besides potential snow, temperatures are expected to hover between the teens to low 30s on Monday with colder conditions likely at night, the National Weather Service said Saturday afternoon. A winter storm set to hit New Jersey Sunday into Monday is expected to dump 6 to 8 inches of snow across southern counties along with at least 2 inches south of I-195.National Weather Service Forecasters from AccuWeather said the massive storm was expected to affect millions throughout the U.S. this weekend and heading into early next week. In terms of snow and ice throughout portions of the East Coast, AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said: Residents and visitors across the mid-Atlantic states are also in line to deal with the first winter storm in quite some time, posing a major risk to travel between Sunday night and Monday evening. Officials with the National Weather Service said Saturday that the next weather briefing was scheduled to be out early Sunday morning. Current weather radar Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Steven Rodas may be reached at srodas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @stevenrodas.bsky.social. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. Abdur-Rahim Jabbar, 24, the younger brother of Shamsud-Din Jabbar, holds an old family photo, bottom, featuring him and Shamsud-Din on the right in the picture. Another family photo, top, shows Shamsud-Din on the top right. Abdur-Rahim was at his home in Beaumont, Texas looking through old photos on Thursday, January 2, 2025. (Photo by Chris Granger, The Times-Picayune) BEIRUT, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Saturday accused the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) of destroying its property and a Lebanese army's infrastructure in southern Lebanon. "This morning peacekeepers observed an IDF bulldozer destroying a blue barrel marking the line of withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel in Labbouneh, as well as an observation tower belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces immediately beside a UNIFIL position there," UNIFIL said on social media platform X. "The IDF's deliberate and direct destruction of both clearly identifiable UNIFIL property and infrastructure belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces is a flagrant violation of resolution 1701 and international law," it said. UNIFIL called on all actors to avoid any actions, including the destruction of civilian property and infrastructure, that could jeopardize the cessation of hostilities. Also on Saturday, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric said during her visit to Lebanon that "civilians cannot afford for the ceasefire to lapse, plunging them back into heavy fighting that would bring more death and destruction." "Maintaining the ceasefire is essential for families to return home, rebuild their lives, and for humanitarian assistance to reach those in need," Spoljaric was quoted as saying in an ICRC statement. "The scale of destruction and the staggering humanitarian needs in Lebanon could have been significantly mitigated if the parties to the conflict had fully adhered to the rules of war," she said. A ceasefire, brokered by the United States and France, went into effect on Nov. 27, 2024, aiming to halt nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The terms of the ceasefire agreement include Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory within 60 days, with the Lebanese army deploying on the Lebanese-Israeli border and in the south, taking over security there, and banning any presence of weapons and militants. Despite the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli army has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon, though at a significantly reduced intensity, with some attacks resulting in casualties. Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge Eric DeLaune and NOPD chief Anne Kirkpatrick confirmed theyre using the Taylor Swift concert as a template for Super Bowl public safety initiatives and shared some specifics about how theyll keep the Dome and surrounding areas secure in the days leading up to the big game. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. JERUSALEM, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israel's military said on Sunday that it completed another raid in Syria's Mount Hermon, destroying weapons stockpiles belonging to the Syrian army. "In recent weeks, the troops of the 810th Brigade completed a brigade-level operation in the Syrian Hermon area," the military said in a statement, adding that forces raided "key terrain points." According to the statement, the troops located and destroyed "stockpiles of weapons and intelligence assets," including mines, explosives, anti-tank missiles, rockets, and launchers. The military said the raid aimed to "strengthen the defense of Israel's citizens," particularly those living on the Israeli-occupied side of the Golan Heights, a Syrian territory seized by Israel during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel has since established more than 30 settlements in the area and annexed the territory in 1981, a move not recognized by most of the international community. Following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad government, Israel moved forces into the United Nations-monitored buffer zone, seizing parts of the Syrian Golan Heights, including Mount Hermon. lich bong a hom nay euro lich bong a hom nay euro thanh pho a Nang Ra mat san pham moi: Game may tinh ra mat cuc soc! Hay en va tan mat trai nghiem suc hap dan cua the gioi tro choi moi Tro choi may tinh,ichbongaho nhu mot ngoi sao sang trong linh vuc tro choi ien tu, mang theo niem am me va tinh yeu vo han cua nguoi choi oi voi the gioi tro choi. Ngay nay, voi su phat trien nhanh chong cua cong nghe, tro choi may tinh se uoc ra mat truc tuyen voi giao dien moi, mang lai trai nghiem choi game thu vi hon cho ai a so nguoi ham mo tro choi. lich bong a hom nay euroLich thi au EURO 2024 hom nay Anh va Ha Lan som gap thach thuc Ha Lan xuat tran EURO gap Ba Lan o luot tran mo man bang D tai Hamburg dien ra luc 20 gio ngay 16.6. Trong khi Ba Lan lot vao VCK thong qua tran play-off, thi Ha Lan vuot qua vong loai mot cach thoai mai va huong en gianh chuc vo ich chau Au thu hai.Ba Lan se choi giai au lon thu 5 lien tiep vao mua he nay va hy vong tien vao vong 16 oi du roi vao bang au kho khan. Mac du muc tieu cua ho phan nao bi anh huong boi chan thuong cua Robert Lewandowski khien Nhung chu ai bang khong co chan sut so 1 trong tran mo man.Sau khi ke nhiem Fernando Santos, tan HLV Michal Probierz a mang lai hieu qua tuyet voi. Ba Lan anh bai Estonia va sau o la xu Wales e vuot qua vong play-off gianh quyen en uc. Trong thang nay, Nhung chu ai bang a choi hai tran giao huu thang Ukraine 3-1, sau oanh bai Tho Nhi Ky 2-1 voi 5 cau thu khac nhau a ghi ban, mang lai hy vong rang su vang mat cua i se khong qua lo ngai.Tuy nhien, lich su khong ung ve phia ho khi Ba Lan chi thang 2 trong so 14 tran au tai EURO cho en nay va khong thang Ha Lan lich bong a hom nay euroLich thi au EURO hom nay, sang mai Ve i tiep cho Phap, Ha Lan va Anh se oi au voi Ba Lan oi a bi loai tai san Westfalenstadion trong luot au cuoi bang D dien ra luc 23 gio ngay 25.6. oi bong cua HLV Didier Deschamps ung thu 2 bang D sau Ha Lan do kem hieu so ban thang bai, nhung oi thu Ba Lan chac ch lich bong a hom nay euroan se xep cuoi bang sau khi tro thanh oi au tien bi loai khoi EURO 2024.oi tuyen Phap van chua thuc su the hien suc manh voi chien thang sit sao 1-0 truoc Ao va tran hoa 0-0 truoc Ha Lan khien mot so nguoi at cau hoi ve kha nang ho co the gianh chuc vo ich EURO nam nay. That vay, Les Bleus co the coi minh may man khi co uoc 4 iem sau 2 luot tran sau khi ban thang o phut 69 cua Xavi Simons a tu choi gay tranh cai trong tran chia iem voi Ha Lan. Sau tran nay, nhung loi chi trich danh cho oi bong cua Deschamps ngay cang gia tang, ac biet la tu cac nha binh luan cho rang nha cam quan nay van chua tan dung toi a tai nang to lon ma minh co. Tuy nhien, can luu y rang oi truong kiem tien ao tai nang Kylian Mbappe a khong gop mat trong lich bong a hom nay euroLich thi au bong a Euro em nay Giai vo ich bong a Chau Au (EURO 2024) chinh thuc uoc khai mac vao rang sang 15/06 (gio Viet Nam). Tran khai mac dien ra tren san van ong Munich giua uc va Scotland duoi su chung kien cua hon 70,000 khan gia co mat tren khan ai. lich bong a hom nay euroGiai vo ich bong a Chau Au 2024 uoc nhieu khan gia mong cho (Nguon: Internet)O vong bang cua cac tran au bong a Euro 2024, 24 oi uoc chia lam 6 bang. Hai oi dan au moi bang va bon oi xep thu ba co thanh tich tot nhat se vao vong 1/8 (hay con uoc hieu la vong 16 oi). Cac tran au cua EURO 2024 se uoc dien ra vao 3 khung gio 2:00, 20:00 va 23:00 theo gio Viet Nam.CAC BANG AU TAI EURO 2024:Bang A: uc, Scotland, Hungary va Thuy Si.Bang B: Tay Ban Nha, Italy, Croatia va Albania.Bang C: Slovenia, an Mach, Serbia va Anh.Bang D: Ha Lan, Ba Lan, Ao va Phap.Bang E: Bi, Romania, Slovakia va Ukraine.Bang F: Tho Nhi Ky, Gruzia, Bo ao Nha va Cong Hoa Sec.Vong bang cua giai au Euro 2024 (Nguon: Internet)Tran au cuoi cung giua Tay Ban Nha va Anh hai oi bong xuat sac nhat chau Au se uoc dien ra vao luc 2h00 ngay 15/07 tren san Berlin, thuoc Thu o Berlin, uc. ay la man so gang hua hen rat kich tinh boi ca hai oi bong eu so huu nhung cau thu tai nang nhu Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Daniel Carvajal, Daniel Olmo (Tay Ban Nha), Jude Bellingham, Saka Bukaya, Harry Kane, Phil Foden,Khong chi la cuoc so tai cua cac cau thu, Chung ket Euro 2024 con la cuoc au tri giua hai HLV giau kinh nghiem: Gareth Southgate (Anh) va La Fuente (Tay Ban Nha). Lieu se la lan thu Tu Tay Ban Nha len ngoi hay lalich bong a hom nay euro lan au tien Anh len inh chau Au?LICH THI AU BONG A EURO 11/0715/07/20242:00Tay Ban Nha Anh>> Xem them: Ty so ket qua bong a EURO luon uoc cap nhat moi nhatLich thi au bong a toan giai auBen duoi chinh thong tin chi tiet ve bang thi au toan giai au cua EURO 2024 (bao gom vong bang, vong 1/8, vong tu ket, vong ban ket, vong chung ket) hua hen giai vo ich bong a Chau Au nam nay se cuc ky hap dan va ang mong cho.24 oi tuyen quoc gia xuat sac nhat tham gia Euro 2024 (Nguon: Internet)Luot tran 1 vong bang uoc bat au tu Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe MOSCOW, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- A Russian war correspondent was killed and four other media workers injured in a Ukrainian drone strike in the Donetsk region, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency reported Saturday. The drone struck a car carrying Russian journalists on the Donetsk-Gorlovka highway, killing Alexander Martemyanov, a stringer for the Russian newspaper Izvestia, the report said. "After filming the aftermath of the shelling in Gorlovka, we were returning to Donetsk. On the highway, a kamikaze drone struck our car," said RIA Novosti correspondent Maxim Romanenko, who was among the injured. Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk region, said on Telegram that all injured journalists are receiving medical treatment. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said those attacks against Russian journalists will face "deserved and inevitable punishment." The S.B.U. used them in small numbers on many fronts, then took them by late 2022 to Bakhmut, scene of the bloodiest siege in Europe since World War II. FPV drones were not perfect. Like any aircraft, they could be grounded by weather. Flown one at a time with minutes between sorties, they were incapable of rapid fire. But once fielded at scale, they proceeded to stop Russian mechanized assaults, explode against people in trenches, hunt for artillery and resupply vehicles behind enemy lines and win believers among soldiers and commanders alike. Bakhmut is not the first place where kamikaze drones were used, said one of the S.B.U.s first drone team leaders, who uses the name Babai, a boogeyman from Slavic lore who abducts victims at night. But it was the first place where they were commonly used. With artillery shells scarce because of political infighting in Washington, weaponized toys filled in. FPV drones helped Ukraine hold on to Bakhmut until mid-2023, exacting terrible tolls on Russian attackers for months. In Fedorenkos unit alone, he said, drone teams killed 210 mercenaries from the private military company known as the Wagner Group, wounded 360 more and destroyed 23 self-propelled howitzers and other heavy equipment. All that was needed for an FPV breakout was for the public and politicians to catch up. That happened in the months after the siege when Serhii Sternenko, a young Ukrainian lawyer, prominent YouTuber and impassioned drone advocate, visited a brigade of surviving Ukrainian soldiers where they regrouped. There they shared descriptions of a shell hunger so severe the entire brigade received only 11 artillery shells a day to fight off endlessly replenished waves of invaders. Sternenko, an activist who fought in the street melee in Kyiv in 2014, had raised money to supply units with FPV drones. He wanted feedback on how they were working. What he heard was both jarring and illuminating. Shell-rationing forced Ukraine to make kamikaze drones primary tools of defense. Pressed into service, they produced astonishing results. I found that 90 percent of the Russian equipment that was destroyed by Ukraine was destroyed by drones, Sternenko said of the siege. The countrys survival, he thought, had come to depend on drones. Driving back, Sternenko recorded a YouTube video for his almost two million subscribers. He opened with notes of grave concern. I wont provide specific numbers, to avoid plunging you into depression, but Ill say this: We have very, very few artillery shells, he said. And when I say very few, I mean in the critical areas of the front line where they are most needed, where the enemy is carrying out active assaults. After describing the efficacy of FPV drones and relative costs ($320 to $600 per drone; $3,200 or more for an artillery shell), he shared his analysis: In many places, our defense is holding only because of these drones. He warned that Russia copied Ukraines success, was fielding its own FPV drones and might soon outpace Ukraine in their use. Sternenko made a plea. I want to use this opportunity since I have a large audience and many people will watch this video to publicly address the minister of defense, all relevant officials and, most importantly, the president of Ukraine, he said. Please raise the issue of providing FPV drones to Ukraines defense units to the maximum, highest level. Make it a priority. If we cant solve the artillery shell shortage right now, lets find an alternative. FPV drones, he said, would determine Ukraines fate: Whoever wins the drone race will win this war. The Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline was built in the Soviet era to carry Siberian gas to European markets. It became the main conduit to Ukraines border with Slovakia from Siberia, passing through the town of Sudzha which is now under the control of Ukrainian military forces in Russias Kursk region. The pipeline was Russias last major gas corridor to Europe following the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline to Germany probably by Ukraine and the closure of a route through Belarus to Poland. Why did this happen now? President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has warned for months that he would not renew the five-year contract, which expired at midnight on Dec. 31. The deal was signed before Russias invasion of Ukraine, but after its seizure of Crimea. Ukraine and its Western allies want to undermine Moscows ability to fund its war effort and to limit the Kremlins ability to use energy as leverage in Europe. Analysts say the closure of the pipeline could reduce Russias revenue from gas sales by about $6.5 billion a year. But it carries some risks for Ukraine. Russia could decide to bomb Ukraines network of pipelines, which it has largely spared from attack so far, now that it has little incentive to leave them unharmed, military analysts said. Thousands of far-reaching sanctions have been imposed by dozens of countries on Russian banks, businesses and people since Moscow ordered tanks to roll across the border into Ukraine in the winter of 2022. Now, more than 1,000 days later, as President-elect Donald J. Trump prepares to take office, questions about the sanctions effectiveness and future are expected to come under renewed scrutiny. Mr. Trump has stated, I want to use sanctions as little as possible. And he has made clear that there will be a shift in American policy toward Ukraine, having promised to end the war in a single day. Experts believe that sanctions and continued military aid are almost certain to be bargaining chips in any negotiations. On Saturday, the United States of Americas clothier in chief met its commander in chief, as Ralph Lauren became the first fashion designer to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Dressed in a tweed blazer, a knit necktie and squishy dark sneakers, Mr. Lauren, 85, was described in an introduction as classic yet creative, timeless yet innovative. He was praised for reminding us of our distinct style as a nation of dreamers and doers. Established by John F. Kennedy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nations highest civilian honor. It has been bestowed upon a host of cultural, corporate and political figures, including Babe Ruth, Mother Teresa, Julia Child, Warren Buffett, John McCain and Rush Limbaugh. If ever there was a fashion designer worthy of this award, it is Mr. Lauren. A son of the Bronx, Mr. Lauren marketed a preppy image to the upwardly mobile masses, building his eponymous company into a multimillion dollar corporation one he remains executive chairman and chief creative officer of nearly a half-century after he founded it. Fred Kerley, a two-time Olympic medalist sprinter for the United States and one of the fastest runners in the world, was arrested late Thursday night in Miami Beach, Fla., after an altercation with the police in South Beach, a gathering place for tourists that is known for its nightlife. Mr. Kerley, who won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the mens 100-meter dash and a bronze in the same event at the 2024 Paris Games, was charged with battery of a police officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct after arguing and then scuffling with officers just off the areas main thoroughfare, Ocean Drive. The battery charge, a felony, carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Mr. Kerley, who is 29 and from Taylor, Texas, also faces two other felony charges, for robbery and domestic violence in an unrelated case from last May. The police said they had been looking for him in connection with that matter. Those charges include allegations that he choked his wife and stole her phone. Yale M. Sanford, a lawyer representing Mr. Kerley in this weeks arrest, said the police were in the wrong because a simple conversation with Mr. Kerley could have de-escalated the situation. Ms. Meloni and Mr. Trump have expressed mutual appreciation in the past, and her trip is one of the first few visits by a foreign leader to the president-elects estate in Florida since his election in November. The meeting reinforces the hopes of Ms. Melonis supporters that the conservative Italian prime minister will become Mr. Trumps go-to ally in Europe. Much of that role would involve mediating tensions between other European leaders and Mr. Trump, who has threatened to start a trade war with the continent, as well as to reduce American backing for some NATO countries and for Ukraine in its war with Russia. The agenda of the meeting was unclear on Saturday night, but observers expected the two leaders would discuss those issues. Another possible topic of discussion, according to observers, was the detention in Iran of a prominent Italian reporter, Cecilia Sala. It happened a few days after Italy arrested, at the request of the United States, an Iranian suspected of providing drone components to Irans Revolutionary Guards. Iran has routinely detained foreigners and dual citizens to trade them for money and people. One person briefed on the meeting said Ms. Meloni had pressed aggressively for it. She also has a good relationship with Elon Musk, the worlds richest man and a close adviser of the president-elects, which her supporters hope will bolster her international standing once Mr. Trump becomes president. This file photo taken on Sept. 29, 2024 shows Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer speaking to media at a polling station in Vienna, Austria. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Saturday that he would step down in the coming days after coalition talks between his People's Party and the Social Democrats collapsed earlier that day. (Xinhua/He Canling) VIENNA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Saturday that he would step down in the coming days after coalition talks between his People's Party and the Social Democrats collapsed earlier that day. He will also resign as the leader of the People's Party. Nehammer said on X that his party has ended the negotiations with the Social Democratic Party to form a new government due to disagreement over key issues. His surprise move came just one day after the NEOS party pulled out of the coalition negotiations to form an unprecedented three-party government. Following the NEOS' withdrawal, the People's Party and the Social Democratic Party confirmed late on Friday to continue their two-party coalition talks. Negotiations between the three parties had dragged on since mid-November following Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen's decision in October to task the People's Party with forming a government. In September's parliamentary election, the far-right Freedom Party came first with around 29 percent of the vote, followed by the People's Party and the Social Democratic Party with 26.3 percent and 21.1 percent respectively. While the Freedom Party won the parliamentary presidency, it has so far been unable to find coalition partners to form a government. Austrian news agency APA said on Saturday that the path to forming a new government remains unclear. The agency said the business wing of the People's Party might now consider a coalition with the Freedom Party following the resignation of Nehammer, who has repeatedly ruled out the possibility of a coalition with the far-right party under its leader Herbert Kickl. A snap election is also possible, but analysts say the Freedom Party stands to gain the most if one is called. Recent polls indicated rising public support for the party, positioning it as a potential beneficiary of the political deadlock. This file photo taken on Sept. 29, 2024 shows Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer (R) walking to a polling station in Vienna, Austria. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Saturday that he would step down in the coming days after coalition talks between his People's Party and the Social Democrats collapsed earlier that day. (Xinhua/He Canling) When Jeju Airs status as South Koreas biggest low-cost carrier seemed under threat from the merger of the countrys two biggest airlines last year, the companys chief executive assured employees that it would actively respond, possibly by acquiring smaller rivals. Now, a week after a crash that killed 179 people on Dec. 29, Jeju Airs future is clouded by even deeper questions. South Korean officials on Thursday raided the companys offices and imposed a travel ban on Kim E-bae, the chief executive, as part of the investigation into the countrys worst air disaster in almost three decades. Passengers are canceling bookings, adding further strain to a balance sheet heavy with debt. And Jeju Airs stock price, already trading near record lows, has fallen 10 percent since the disaster. Earlier in the week, Mr. Kim said that Jeju Air would cut 15 percent of its flights until March to enhance operational stability. Congestion pricing arrived in New York City exactly one second after midnight on Sunday. And despite the freezing temperatures, a crowd of about 100 people gathered at the corner of Lexington Avenue and 60th Street in Manhattan to mark the occasion. It was mainly supporters who showed up to clap and chant, Pay that toll! Pay that toll! But one opponent tried to drown them out by banging a cowbell. And the exchanges grew a bit testy at times across the congestion pricing divide. The tolling program, the first of its kind in the nation, finally became reality on New York streets after decades of battles over efforts to unclog some of the most traffic-saturated streets in the world. In the weeks leading up to its start, the program survived multiple legal challenges seeking to derail it at the last minute, including from the State of New Jersey. It will most likely be some time, however, before it becomes clear whether congestion pricing works, or whether it can withstand continuing attempts to overturn it by a broad array of opponents, including President-elect Donald J. Trump, who takes office later this month. The Native Governance Center notes that land acknowledgments often become an excuse for folks to feel good and move on with their lives. The journalists Graeme Wood and Noah Smith have criticized them as moral exhibitionism and ethnonationalism. In an interview Keith Richotte Jr., the director of the University of Arizonas Indigenous peoples law and policy program and a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, told me that if land acknowledgments are treated as the only or last step of ones commitment to Indigenous peoples and nations, then they can become more harmful than beneficial. Land acknowledgments tend to reinforce the myth of Native disappearance and irrelevance. In calling attention to dispossession, they often miss the point that Native Americans survived and are having a renaissance in culture and sovereignty. The vanishing-Indian myth has deep roots in American history. As part of taking Indigenous land, 19th-century Americans found it useful to believe that Indians were fading away. They described precolonial North America as a wilderness occupied by a few savage hunters, as President Andrew Jackson put it, who were annihilated or have melted away to make room for the whites. Jean OBrien, a historian and citizen of the White Earth Ojibwe Nation, called it a narrative of Indian extinction that has stubbornly remained in the consciousness and unconsciousness of Americans. Tribes are still here and have had to go to court to defend their remaining sovereignty and property, spending their revenue to buy back land that once was theirs. In 1996 the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians bought back one of their sacred sites, the Kituwah mound, which once sat at the center of the Cherokee Mother Town, and the Osage Nation has saved the only ancient pyramid mound remaining in St. Louis by buying its summit. In its 2020 McGirt v. Oklahoma decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the treaty-defined boundaries of the Muscogee, Cherokee, Quapaw, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole nations remain in full force because Congress never disestablished their reservations. Yet the State of Oklahoma has continued to fight tribal jurisdiction over criminal cases. If tribes didnt have to spend revenue buying back land and defending their interests in court, they could use more of it on the health, education and criminal justice programs that benefit their citizens and their neighbors. My colleague Amanda Cobb-Greetham, the founding director of the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Okla., and a citizen of the Chickasaw nation, told me that instead of lengthy discussions about whether and how to write land acknowledgments, institutions should engage in active and meaningful relationships with the Native nations that are now or were on the lands those institutions occupy. Florida State University and the Seminole Tribe of Florida have established such a relationship, which started with the tribes involvement in designing the mascots regalia but now extends to other partnerships, including creating a Native American and Indigenous Studies Center. The journalist David Gonzalez was at the Miraflores locks in Panama on Dec. 14, 1999, to record this milestone for the front page of The New York Times: With a choir singing Ode to Joy as the prelude, nearly a century of American power and presence along the shores of the Panama Canal symbolically ended Tuesday when former President Jimmy Carter exchanged diplomatic notes with President Mireya Moscoso and said simply, Its yours. Over the holidays, President-elect Donald J. Trump threatened to retake control of the Panama Canal. And Mr. Carters death reminded the public that the transfer in 1999 was counted among his most consequential acts. He signed the necessary treaties in 1977, while in office, then represented the United States at the actual handover 22 years later. Mr. Gonzalez held on to his press pass for the event (Actos de Transferencia del Canal a Panama) and gave it to the Museum at The Times. (He also donated an early digital camera.) Mr. Gonzalez retired from The Times last year and is currently exhibiting his photographs at Fordham Universitys campus in Manhattan. Five college students in Massachusetts are accused of luring a man to the Assumption University campus in a plot that the police said was inspired by the television show To Catch a Predator and a fad on TikTok. The students were part of a larger group that chased the man from a campus building after he was invited there by a student on the dating app Tinder, expecting to meet an adult, according to a criminal complaint issued in Worcester District Court on Dec. 4. The campus police at Assumption University, a small Catholic school in Worcester, said in the complaint that the group accused the man of being a sexual predator, stopped him from leaving a student lounge and recorded the episode as part of a deliberately staged event. Two students assaulted the man, the police said. There was no indication that the man was trying to meet underage girls and the woman who invited him to the campus, Kelsy Brainard, 18, said on her Tinder profile that she was 18 years old, the police said. The police did not provide the mans age. Aides to President Biden and Ms. Harris declined to say whether either of them would back a candidate for party chair. The post of D.N.C. chair is often described as one of the worst jobs in American politics especially when Democrats do not hold the White House. Whoever wins the vote on Feb. 1 will be responsible for helping lead a party grappling with why it lost again to Donald J. Trump while keeping peace among a constellation of interest groups, donors, congressional committees, ambitious governors and state parties. And when the 2028 presidential primary race begins in earnest, the D.N.C. chair will set the rules for the contest (including which state goes first and who qualifies for debates) and presumably try to remain neutral about whom Democrats choose as their nominee. Mr. Martin now has endorsements from well over 100 of the 448 members of the D.N.C., according to Justin Buoen, a campaign adviser. He entered the race in November claiming support from 83 members. Another candidate, former Gov. Martin OMalley of Maryland, has the backing of more than 60 D.N.C. members, according to a spokesman, Chris Taylor. And James Skoufis, a New York state senator, said he was the first choice of 23 D.N.C. members. Mr. Wiklers team has not revealed his whip count. None of the candidates have released a list of members supporting them, and if multiple contenders remain in the race, it appears unlikely that anyone will receive the majority required to win the election on the first ballot leaving candidates jockeying to be a second choice should voters recalibrate their options. A Virginia woman was charged with child abuse on Thursday over her connection to mysterious injuries that appeared on a newborn in a neonatal intensive care unit in a hospital where she worked as a nurse, officials said. The woman, Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 26, of Chesterfield County, Va., was charged with malicious wounding and felony child abuse, according to court records and the Henrico County Police Division. The arrest came after the police began investigating three babies who were discovered with unexplained fractures in the newborn care unit of Henrico Doctors Hospital in Richmond in late November and December, the hospital said in a statement on Friday. The hospital said it provided footage to the authorities to help in their investigation. If found guilty, Ms. Strotman faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the felony child neglect charge and 20 years for the malicious wounding charge, Shannon Taylor, the Henrico Countys commonwealths attorney, said in a statement. Across Damascus, as in much of the country, Syrians are reclaiming, and in some cases embracing anew, spaces and freedoms that had been off limits for years under the Assad regime. There were places ordinary Syrians were not allowed to go and things that they were not permitted to say when the Assad family was in power. The country, many said, increasingly felt as if it did not belong to them. But with the newfound sense of freedom comes some trepidation about the future under a government formed by Islamist rebels, and whether with time it might institute new restrictions and limitations. Many Syrians are watching each decision and announcement as a harbinger of how their new rulers may govern. Last week, Syrias de facto new leader, Ahmed al-Shara, said it could take two to three years to draft a new Constitution and up to four years to hold elections, alarming Syrians who fear they may have traded one authoritarian leader for another. For now, there is also a level of chaos under the interim government as it races to prioritize certain state-building measures over others. With many economic restrictions and regulations gone, men and boys sell smuggled gas from large water jugs on street corners. The citys traffic is snarled, as few police officers are on patrol, and double parking is rife, residents said. The Israeli military said on Sunday that it has been conducting operational raids in recent weeks on Mount Hermon in Syria, continuing a military campaign on Syrian soil that is drawing increasing international condemnation. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based Syrian war monitor, on Sunday also reported airstrikes around the Syrian capital, Damascus, attributing them to the Israeli military. The strikes targeted an ammunitions warehouse used by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in a rebel offensive last month, the observatory said. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the airstrikes. Israels continued military operations in Syria, which it said on Sunday are intended to strengthen the defense of Israels citizens, have drawn accusations from the United Nations and some member states that Israel is violating a decades-long cease-fire by sending its troops within and beyond a buffer zone between the countries. The raids come just days after Israels foreign minister, Gideon Saar, said he had met with members of the U.N. peacekeeping mission on the border between Syria and Israel. The U.N. Disengagement Observer Force, known as UNDOF, was established by the Security Council in 1974 to maintain a cease-fire between Israeli and Syrian forces after a 1973 war and to supervise the buffer zone that agreement established. Dozens of Israeli strikes pounded the Gaza Strip over the weekend as Israeli and Hamas officials continued indirect cease-fire talks through mediators in Qatar. Israels military said on Sunday that it had hit more than 100 targets across the enclave over the weekend, including sites from which militants had fired at least four projectiles toward Israeli territory on Friday and Saturday. It said that the strikes had killed Hamas militants and that the military had taken measures to mitigate the risk of harming civilians. The claims could not be independently verified. The Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Sunday that 88 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes over the last 24 hours. The ministrys figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The Gaza Civil Defense, an emergency services agency, said that its crews had responded to multiple airstrikes on family homes on Sunday in which several people were killed and wounded. Pressure has been mounting on both sides to reach a cease-fire agreement that would include the release of hostages held in Gaza before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Hamas and Israel both said they were sending delegations to the Qatari capital, Doha, in recent days to meet with mediators. CAIRO, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held phone talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, where they discussed the developments in the Gaza Strip and Syria, said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement on Sunday. During the talks held Saturday night, Abdelatty stressed the importance of continuing regional and international efforts to achieve "an immediate ceasefire" in Gaza and ensure unhindered access of humanitarian aid to the enclave, according to the statement. The Egyptian foreign minister emphasized the need for Israel to stop its aggressive policies towards the Palestinian people, expressing Egypt's complete rejection of Israel's systematic targeting of health infrastructure and hospitals in Gaza. Israel has been launching an ongoing large-scale offensive in Gaza to retaliate a rampage by Hamas militants through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 Israelis were killed and nearly 250 taken hostage. Since then, the Israeli war in Gaza has killed 45,805 Palestinians and injured 109,064 others, according to the latest update released by Gaza's health authorities on Sunday. The UN human rights office said in a November report that of the 8,119 victims it verified from November 2023 to April 2024, about 70 percent were women and children. The U.S. Department of State said that Blinken discussed with Abdelatty "the latest developments in ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza that secures the release of the hostages, increases the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and brings an end to the war." The two officials also addressed the political transition in Syria following the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad's government in early December 2024. Abdelatty urged for a comprehensive political transition process free from any external dictates, in a way that contributes to achieving security and stability in Syria and guarantees its unity and territorial integrity, according to Egypt's Foreign Ministry. The U.S. top diplomat reaffirmed "U.S. support for an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned peaceful political transition to a representative and accountable government," said the U.S. statement, adding that Blinken expressed his appreciation for the role Egypt continues to play to secure peace in the region. A murder investigation has been launched into the death of a 31-year-old woman in Co Cork following the results of a post-mortem examination. Gardai said they are not releasing the results of the post-mortem examination on Paula Canty for operational purposes. Ms Canty was found dead at a home in Bridewell Lane, Mallow on Friday. Gardai said that following the preliminary results of the examination, carried out by the assistant state pathologist, they have launched a murder inquiry. An examination of the scene by the Garda Technical Bureau is continuing. A senior investigating officer is leading the investigation from the incident room at Mallow Garda Station while a family liaison officer continues to provide support. Gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them and are seeking any available camera footage, including dashcam recordings, from the vicinity of Bridewell Lane between 9pm on Thursday and 10am on Friday. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Mallow Garda Station on 022 31450, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station. ZAGREB, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Kresimir Jurak, director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zagreb, has a clear mission: to promote Chinese culture in Croatia and foster greater exchanges and understanding between the two countries. A well-known expert on China in Croatia, Jurak has extensive experience living and studying in China. With more than 40 visits and nearly three years of studying in the country, he has gained a deep understanding of Chinese culture. Before becoming the director of the Confucius Institute in May 2012, Jurak taught Chinese history at the University of Zagreb's Sinology Department. Jurak has told Xinhua recently that he was proud that the Confucius Institute has become a leading brand for promoting Chinese language and culture. Now the Institute has more than 45 teaching locations in eight cities across Croatia with 32 teachers and it used to be the biggest Confucius Institute in Europe. Since its founding in 2012, the Institute has reached tens of thousands of Croatian students through its Chinese language programs and has engaged hundreds of thousands more through cultural initiatives, such as the Chinese Bridge competition, a Chinese language proficiency competition, the Dragon Boat race, and various workshops on Chinese culture. "I think we help bring Chinese culture to Croatia, but also build bridges between Croatia and China in many areas," he said. Jurak also emphasizes the importance of the Institute's mission to foster deeper cultural exchanges and mutual understanding. Many of the world's problems arise from ignorance and misunderstanding, he said. "For me, connecting people, cultures, and languages is essential. The more we understand each other, the better friends we become. And friends don't fight; they don't need wars. We need friendship more than ever." Looking ahead, Jurak said the Institute will focus on digital transformation and organize more high-level Chinese cultural events in Croatia. It plans to incorporate Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) into its Chinese language programs, enhancing the learning experience. Additionally, Jurak sees an opportunity in the tourism sector by helping Croatia's tourism professionals attract more Chinese visitors, tapping into China's enormous outbound travel market. "There are a lot of opportunities for the future development of the Confucius Institute," Jurak noted. GAZA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, released a video on Saturday showing a female Israeli hostage who is being held in the Gaza Strip, demanding the Israeli government and army to conclude a prisoner swap deal. "I am 19 years old ... I spent more than 450 days in captivity in Gaza, and everything suddenly stopped," said the hostage identified as Liri Albag in the video in Hebrew. "We are not a priority for our government or our army, and the world has begun to forget us, no one cares about us anymore," Albag added in the video, which has no specific date. Hamas confirmed on Friday that indirect negotiations with Israel have resumed in Doha, Qatar, with the goal of achieving a complete ceasefire in Gaza. Hamas has previously accused Israel of delaying the ceasefire deal and hostage exchange by setting new conditions. This is the first video published by Al-Qassam in 2025 about the hostages. You are here: Business An international cargo route has been officially launched between Zhengzhou, the capital of central China's Henan Province, and Billund, Denmark, marking the first direct air cargo route between Henan and the Nordic region. A B767 freighter arrived at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport from Billund on Friday, and after loading cargo, it returned to Billund, signifying the official launch of the route. The route is operated by Maersk Air Cargo from Denmark, primarily transporting cross-border e-commerce goods and electronic products, with six flights scheduled per week. The opening of this route marks the official entry of Maersk Air into Zhengzhou's airport, expanding the air corridor from Zhengzhou to Europe into the Nordic region, according to the China Henan Aviation Group. Data shows that in 2024, Zhengzhou airport's cargo and mail throughput exceeded 800,000 tonnes, setting a historic record for annual cargo and mail volume since the airport's opening in 1997. TRIPOLI, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Stability Support Agency has launched intensive desert patrols to secure areas along the Libyan-Tunisian border. In a statement released Saturday evening, the agency said the step came as part of a comprehensive plan to combat the growing threats of illegal migration and smuggling. The statement stressed that these patrols operate around the clock through teams trained to deal with geographical and security challenges in rugged border areas. Also on Saturday, the Libyan military authorities of the Government of National Unity launched a large-scale anti-crime military operation in the country's West Coast Military Zone, starting from the city of Zawiya which is located some 45 km west of Tripoli. Zawiya has recently witnessed violent clashes between armed militias, the last of which was in December when the country's main oil refinery was heavily damaged. Libya has been divided into multiple military zones due to the ongoing instability and conflicts following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. These zones are typically controlled by different factions. Nietzsche, Rees, Lou Salome (Image by Public Domain) Details DMCA The roughage and spinach power that reading Nietzsche once provided in one's salad days often seems wasted these days, with so many people tweeting Nietzsche quotes or postures. and pop divas referencing (and unintentionally lampooning the noble sentiment): What does not kill me makes me stronger. This from sleeping around and ending up with a broken heart. And very damn possibly an STD. It's hard to order through Ubereats without conjuring up some fat f*ck Superman wanting you to 'like him' simply for delivering the goods on time. Jeesh. But there is serious, stellar work being done in the study of Nietzsche's thoughts and life. What follows is an evaluation of three new books on the philosopher that spruce the goose and put a new sense of woo-hoo in the step, just when an old worrier was squinting along wondering, Eternal Recurrence? Are you sh*tting me? Philipp Felsch's account of how two Italian scholars rescued Nietzsche's reputation from the inglorious basterds looking for blood after the Second World War, Glenn Wallis's solid representation of Nietzsche's approach to life as a tonic for what ails us today, and Leonardo Caffo's positioning of the Nietzsche catalog as the dynamite we need as we enter the transhuman era, are all fine reads, and worth taking a few minutes to critically consider. cover How Nietzsche Came in from the Cold (Image by Polity Press) Details DMCA How Nietzsche Came in From the Cold: Tale of a Redemption Author: Philipp Felsch Daniel Bowles (Translated by) Publisher: Polity Press, UK How Nietzsche Came in From the Cold tells the story of how two Italian scholars helped rehabilitate his image after it was abused by the fascists and Nazis in their quest for world dominance and then return Nietzsche's studies to preeminence in the intellectual circles of post-war Europe out of which postmodern thought reflowered -- structuralism, existentialism, phenomenology, and deconstruction. Real Twilight of the Idols stuff. Much of this revolutionary energy was described in Felsch's previous book, The Summer of Theory: History of a Rebellion, 1960-1990. Here we are treated with the rise of the stock of Heidegger, Derrida, Sartre, Saussure, Deleuze, Foucault, Merleau-Ponty, among many others. Giorgio Colli and Mazzino Montinari were trouble-makers. Felsch describes how they set out on a bus laden with mostly French and German philosophers to Royaumont in July 1964 to convene a meeting of Nietzscheologists. The year before, the heads of the post-war governments of France and Germany, de Gaulle and Adenauer, had met at Royaumont to sign the Elyse'e Treaty. Now these mostly French scholars intended to take control of the future interpretation of Nietzsche's oeuvre from the Germans. But the feisty Italian pair of Colli and Mazzino had come on that bus of enthusiasts eager to get the program of Nietzsche revaluations up and running again, and, the reader is told, "they played an ignominious role; they had come to Royaumont as spoilsports." Same old, same old: Who controls the narrative and the means of ideological production rules the roost in Turkey Cockville, as Nietzsche might have put it. Nietzsche had always seen his work as "dynamite," and its use by the insane power monsters of WW2 showed that its mojo could be wickedly co-opted. Hitler, whose mustache looked like he had castrated his paintbrush and pasted it under his Nase in a rage after being kicked out of art school, saw T he Will to Power as a perfect complement to his Mein Kampf shenanigans. Felsch describes how the debate at Royaumont, and elsewhere later, was contentious, ego-driven, and sometimes stodgy and myopic. The handover did not come easy. The Germans, for instance, put forward Karl Lowith, who argued for relocating Nietzsche to the past -- the one with the Idols -- arguing for "exiting the disastrous upheaval of modernism and returning to a classical equanimity that viewed humankind as part of the forever-immutable cosmos." French eyes rolled; here we go again, especially Gilles Deleuze, who at that time was attache' de recherches at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique and organizer of the colloquium, who rejected the cosmos thing and pushed "a Dionysian principle of upheaval that guaranteed the world never remained identical with itself." Then Michel Foucault spoke and argued against over-interpretation, noting, writes Felsch, By replacing the idea of the original text with an abyss of interpretations nested inside one another, Nietzsche, in particular, transformed for his successors the business of interpretation into an infinite task no longer backed by an originary truth. N'est ce pas? However, Colli and Mazzino had their own take, far more accommodating to Nietzsche's genius and plentitude. They, too, were tired of overinterpretation and the need for thought-slingers to make a name for themselves in the Wild West of postwar hermeneutics. As Felsch has it, "Perhaps because he himself acted out the antagonistic tendencies of his age, Nietzsche played the role of a canvas onto which the entire spectrum of twentieth-century ideas could be projected." He adds the observations of Jurgen Habermas, who Felsch avers, Nietzsche's French interpreters, from Deleuze to Derrida, perceived the true explosive power of his thought to be located precisely in its aphoristic fragmentation, in its lack of a central viewpoint, in its transgression of the order of philosophical discourse. Colli and Mazzino, former students and teachers, one from a proletariat background, the other with the comfort trappings of the bourgeoisie, made their way to Royaumont to take on the "big wigs" and rediscover the authentic and "true" Nietzsche. How Nietzsche Came in From the Cold tells the tale of two complementary Italians in love with their brand of communism. Gramsci figures largely in their talks, correspondence, and diary entries. The chapters fly by, each adding a new flavor to the eventual sauce of their co-insouciance. Chapter sections light up like highway signs: Beauty and Horror, Over the Abyss, Nietzsche is a Disease, Alone Against the Nietzsche Mafia, and Nietzsche's Dirty Secret. Excellent reading. Edge of the seat stuff. cover Nietzsche Now! (Image by Warbler Press) Details DMCA Nietzsche Now! Author: Glenn Wallis Publisher: Warbler Press, 19.95 Humans enter an age dominated by the super-smarts of artificial intelligence (AI) and will soon be immersed in a souped-up quantum metaphysics where things are true and not true at the same time, and reality has the double-bind effect of the duckrabbit illusion. Heady stuff ahead. Glenn Wallis believes it's time for a revaluation of all values and, in his new book, Nietzsche Now! The Great Immoralist on the Vital Issues of Our Time, he revisits some of the German philosopher's most salient and controversial critiques of modern Western society. Nietzsche often said that he had come too soon with his penetrating observations, and that the world was not ready for his truths. Wallis believes that the time is ripe and that we need Nietzsche now more than ever. He brings the reader through what Nietzsche wrote about a number of topics of interest to a modern audience concerned about the future in a world where personal identity, the responsibilities of governance, and the politics of freedom are in disarray at a time of global, and potentially catastrophic change. Wallis believes that Nietzsche's work has practical application to these crises. "This book is a guide to thinking," writes Wallis, rather than a manifesto. "Exacerbated by an internet culture that is accessible via our smartphones literally every minute day and night, we are at a loud, hostile, and very public impasse concerning vital questions of our shared social life." Given the "grimly divided" quality of so much public discourse these days, Wallis shows the reader how we may proceed with Nietzsche's guidance. One section of real value deals with the construction of democracy. He takes the reader through how Nietzsche saw democracy as an antidote to tyranny and follows that up with a chapter on how democracy can slide into tyranny. Wallis argues that Nietzsche was worried about the homogenisation process of our preferred form of government. He writes: "When the democratic prophylactic, when the taste for and mentality of democracy, slips from being a cautiously regulated 'stimulant' for dynamism, to being a crude 'safety valve' against dangerous tendencies, then it becomes a 'bad habit'." Another topic that Wallis enthusiastically addresses is that of identity (and its politics). He writes that: "It may be his treatment of identity that makes Nietzsche such a revolutionary thinker for our times." In an amusing, if convoluted, example of identity issues today, Wallis brings in pop diva Gwen Stefani, and deconstructs the time she told an "Asian" reporter that "I am Japanese." A big paper kerfuffle broke out, and out of the smoke came the fact that the reporter in question was Filipino, Stefani was Irish-Italian-American, and she had been greatly influenced by Japanese culture in her youth. Jeesh. Wallis uses this example to discuss Nietzsche's notion of identity. "Could [Stefani's blurt] conceivably be considered wholly inconsequential?" Wallis wonders. "In today's environment," he writes, "such queries almost predictably meet with a resounding NO! It caused injury." Such ressentiment is destructive to notions of pluralism. Anarchia (Image by Raffaello Cortina) Details DMCA Anarchia: Il ritorno del pensiero selvaggio Author: Leonardo Caffo Publisher: Raffaello Cortina, Milano, Leonardo Caffo is a Professor of Art and Philosophy at NABA, Milan. He has put out a new book, Anarchy: The Return of Wild Thinking (2024). Some of his previous work includes The Contemporary Posthuman (2022), which includes mental designs for a world catastrophically altered by climate change and other anthropocentric failures. It is clear from reading Anarchy that Caffo draws from Nietzsche's well of dynamism for his own energetic ideation. Now, more than ever, we are in a world that needs bold, explosive Nietzschean thinking -- which is to say autonomous and liberated from all pasts. Anarchy includes lucid chapters: Savage Philosophy, Primitive Future, and Anarchic-Mind. The Dionysian manifesto seems at play here, as opposed to the Apollonian, which now, with Caffo, is described as quaint and limited, and the only thing that can save our species' skin is a kind of rejuvenation of our animal instincts and original intuitions. Caffo writes, "It is difficult to trace an idea of the future that does not cast more shadows than lights on the sun of the future." It feels like the nuclear winter following the Twilight of the Idols. Caffo tells us we need "wild thinking." The reason is clear: "The end of the great narratives, what in the sociology of contemporary culture is called the 'postmodern condition', was also a theory of questioning the relationships between knowledge and power." Caffo, like Felsch, locates the mind-exploding Gotterdammerung in the postwar period, during which the tyranny of stasis and complacency with historical reads was left flaccid and mocked by the rubble all round in war-devastated Europe. Dogmas woke from their philosophical sleeps; brave, wild cries erupted -- we will no longer be canon fodder at the universities. Central to this new project, Caffo would seem to affirm, was the rehabilitation of Nietzsche's reputation and the rescue of his dynamic affirmation of life. In Nietzsche Now! Wallis keys us to Nietzsche's battle charge: "I am dynamite!" And in Anarchy, Caffo resounds the strain throughout his thesis, often referring to "exploding" thoughts. But lest we take this the wrong way, as one is apt to when someone declares themself an anarchist, Caffo references a powerful lyrical quote from Nietzsche, which provides clarity: one must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star. Caffo makes this expressive image the capstone of his anarchy, which he differentiates from the anarchy that destroys and is seen as violent. Caffo's anarchic way forward is centered around the value -- the need -- for play. This, too, recalls a well-known Nietzschean expression about how maturing a philosophy requires "the recovery of the sense of earnestness which we had as a child at play." This provides a hint to understanding Nietzsche's amor fati. In the new landscape, nothing is true and it is all permitted. Or, seen politically, Caffo tells us: From perestroika to the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the G8 in Genoa, to the fall of the Twin Towers or the war in Ukraine and Palestine, statist capitalism has stopped presenting itself as one of the simple systems of government among others to become the "pure reality", the only condition of human existence without alternatives. We have seen the bloating of state and the existential requirements of endless expansion required by capitalism -- and now, writes Caffo, we need to strike out in new heretical directions. Caffo talks about libertarianism -- less government and state imposition is better -- and the formation of micro-communities of purpose and design with no power hierarchy. It sounds like a throwback to the hippie commune days I so fondly recall, when Abbie Hoffman was out there with his street theater, levitating the Pentagon, tossing money down on the greedy pork snorkelers of Wall Street refusing to take the Bastards seriously. In a separate paper titled "A Posthuman Nietzsche?" Caffo describes a new path forward. Where Nietzsche had given us in Zarathustra an image of a tightrope walker, Man treading precariously from beasthood toward Superman, Caffo now suggests, in a Nietzschean way, that we are even post-Nietzsche, and gives us new steps ahead: superhuman, transhuman,and the posthuman -- "three axes of anthropocentrism." Suddenly, I feel light on my feet and wish to dance. Felsch, Wallis and Caffo provide glimpses of a future worth burning brightly for. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." -- - German Proverb Dr. Hattie Mitchell, Founder and Principal of Crete Academy (Image by LAUSD) Details DMCA Almost 11% of the unhoused population in the United States is located within the City and County of Los Angeles. In 2023, only New York City had more than the 71,320 Angelenos without a home. For visualization, that is more than the number of people who attended Super Bowl LXI at the $5.5 billion SoFi Stadium. While most of the dialog surrounding the issue of homelessness seems more focused on hiding this population from view rather than fixing the causes of the problem, Dr. Hattie Mitchell appears to be different. She and her husband founded the Crete Academy, an independent charter school, to assist these students and others trapped in extreme poverty. The public tends to stereotype the unhoused as drug-addicted adults, alcoholics, and mentally ill, but there are 10,710 families within this population. "Transitional Age Youth," young adults aging out of foster care, accounted for 2,406 members of the population. In the last school year, 17,245 students enrolled in the LAUSD were classified as homeless. They would barely fit in the brand-new $1.8 billion Intuit Dome if gathered together. Charter School Industry operative Michael Trujillo trying to build momentum for his candidate on Twitter. (Image by Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority) Details DMCA Unfortunately, Mitchell's testimony before the LAUSD School Board on December 10th raised questions about how the charter school approaches its mission. The prepared speech was meant to provide the Board with an example of why the school's charter should be renewed but instead highlighted why an in-depth investigation is needed. As Mitchell detailed in her speech, the school's Office Manager was having lunch at Taco Bell across from the school when she noticed a young child sitting alone in a booth. She thought this was "odd" but did not intervene in any way. When the employee returned to the restaurant the following day she noticed that the boy was sitting alone again in the booth. This time she called Mitchell who decided to get permission from the boy's mother to take him home. At the home, they found two other school-age kids in their pajamas who were covered in bug bites and scars and, by her account, malnourished. According to Mitchell, the house reeked of urine and lacked furniture except for an air mattress and a baby mattress. In a comment that suggested ableism, she noted that "the mom was in a wheelchair wearing a diaper and a t-shirt, clearly unable to care for these kids". While Mitchell said that the children did enroll in her school, she did not specify if it provided them with any services unique to her program, negating the tale as evidence the charter should be renewed. Educators are mandatory reporters, obligated to get DCFS involved when the health and safety of children are at risk. While poverty should not be criminalized, there seemed to be other issues involved, especially since Mitchell noted that the mother was "clearly unable to care for these kids". While it is admirable to want to "support and [rally] around a mom that needs help to care for her kids", agencies trained to handle these situations should not have been excluded from the process. Other red flags are raised by the charter school's website, especially about the truthfulness of the data it uses to market the school. In one video that is linked to the school's website, the claim is made that "30% of Crete Academy students are homeless". However, in the certified numbers provided to the state in their SARC report, Crete says 21.1% of the student body is unhoused. (Image by Unknown Owner) Details DMCA In another video, Mitchell claims that 20% of the students receive Special Education. This is significantly higher than the 8.2% cited in the SARC Report. Thirteen percent of the students in the entire LAUSD are classified as having disabilities. The difference means that Crete is avoiding the costs of providing the services needed by these students. (Image by Unknown Owner) Details DMCA Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho has filed an emergency motion calling on the Idaho Supreme Court to intervene in the states new public defense system, which the ACLU called a disastrous step backward. The organization decried chaotic instances under the new statewide system in which people were held in jail for weeks or months without being able to speak to their state-assigned defense attorneys. The ACLU called on the court to order the release of defendants who have not been able to reach their lawyers in a timely manner. This is an obvious and egregious violation of a defendants right to legal representation, said Leo Morales, the executive director of the ACLU of Idaho, in a news release Thursday. A spokesperson for the State Public Defenders Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The ACLU said persistent problems were pervasive in rural and urban parts of the state, Rebecca De Leon, a spokesperson for the ACLU, told the Idaho Statesman. The new public defense system took effect in October. It was the Legislatures response to an ACLU class-action lawsuit filed in 2015, which accused the state of violating its constitutional obligation to provide legal representation for defendants in criminal and juvenile cases. The reform consolidated the public defense services of the states 44 counties under one statewide umbrella and aimed to equalize pay and standardize case management and other processes. The new office aims to create efficiencies in the system and unified standards across the state, according to its website. It raised the pay of nearly 80% of the states public defenders, but 15% of the highest-paid attorneys took pay cuts especially in larger counties such as Ada County, said Patrick Orr, a spokesperson for the State Public Defenders Office, in an email in late December. With those cuts came mass resignations of public defenders and their support staff, the ACLU said. We did lose some longtime public defenders in Ada County with the salary adjustment, Orr told the Statesman in the email. That was hard we didnt want to lose a single attorney in the transition. Other parts of the transition were bumpy, too, including tech issues, disorganization and declining office morale, the Idaho Capital Sun reported. At a mid-December meeting of Ada County commissioners and state legislators from the county, Chairman Rod Beck said delays resulting from process changes and some attorneys resignations would have a cascading effect, lengthening jail stays in the countys already-overcrowded jail. He called the transition death by a thousand cuts. Some judges have begun to dismiss cases because the state couldnt provide an attorney to represent someone facing charges. Months before the transition, attorneys warned SPD leadership that pay cuts and restrictive contracts would drive attorneys out of the system, the ACLUs filing says. Now, SPD attorneys report that there are simply no more attorneys left to appoint, that defendants rights are at risk, and that the best Idahos system can offer at this point is ineffective assistance of counsel, according to the filing. As a result, countless indigent defendants have been suffering appearing at court without counsel, attempting over and over again to get anyone at SPD to tell them who was appointed to defend them, and worrying how they could possibly receive effective representation (or representation at all) on cases that have been pending for months, the filing adds. Plaintiffs in the 2015 lawsuit won their case, but the ACLU and its partner attorneys took the case back to court, asking the court to declare that the state had failed to address pervasive problems in its public defense system, De Leon said. The judge refused in February, pointing to the impending launch of the State Public Defenders Office and saying that time will tell if the state will live up to the promises it made. The ACLUs emergency motion, filed Dec. 23, comes as part of an appeal of that decision. The concerns the ACLU raised did not magically dissipate after the state passed a law to fund a state public defenders office, its appeal says. A restructuring of the system falls far short of resolving longstanding problems, such as funding and staff shortages and excessive workloads, it reads. Despite winning at the Idaho Supreme Court again and again, now were back trying to stave off complete disaster, Morales said in the release. BAKER CITY In what has become a routine event in rural America, a hospital maternity ward closed in 2023 in this small Oregon town about an hour from the Idaho border. For Shyanne McCoy, 23, that meant the closest hospital with an obstetrician on staff when she was pregnant was a 45-mile drive away over a mountain pass. When McCoy developed symptoms of preeclampsia last January, she felt she had the best chance of getting the care she needed at a larger hospital in Boise, two hours away. She spent the final week of her pregnancy there, too far from home to risk leaving, before giving birth to her daughter. Six months later, she said it seems clear to her that the health care needs of rural young women like her are largely ignored. For McCoy and others, figuring out how to obtain adequate care to safely have a baby in Baker City has quickly eclipsed concerns about another medical service lacking in the area: abortion. But in Oregon and elsewhere in the country, progressive lawmakers attempts to expand abortion access sometimes clash with rural constituencies. Oregon is considered one of the most protective states in the country when it comes to abortion. There are no legal limits on when someone can receive an abortion in the state, and the service is covered by its Medicaid system. Still, efforts to expand access in the rural, largely conservative areas that cover most of the state have encountered resistance and incredulity. Paige Witham, seen in Baker City in July, is mom to two young children and a member of the Baker County health care steering committee. She says that to expand abortion care with the approval of enough people in her conservative town, the state would first have to offer better pregnancy care. (Lillian Mongeau Hughes for KFF Health News)(Lillian Mongeau Hughes for KFF Its a divide that has played out in elections in such states as Nevada, where voters passed a ballot measure in November that seeks to codify abortion protections in the state constitution. Residents in several rural counties opposed the measure. In Oregon, during the months just before the Baker City closure was announced, Democratic state lawmakers were focused on a proposed pilot program that would launch two mobile reproductive health care clinics in rural areas. The bill specified that the van-based clinics would include abortion services. State Rep. Christine Goodwin, a Republican from a southwestern Oregon district, called the proposal the latest example of urban legislators telling rural leaders what their communities need. The mobile health clinic pilot was eventually removed from the bill that was under discussion. That means no new abortion options in Oregons Baker County and no new state-funded maternity care either. I think if you expanded rural access in this community to abortions before you extended access to maternal health care, you would have an uprising on your hands, said Paige Witham, 27, a member of the Baker County health care steering committee and the mother of two children, including an infant born in October. A study published in JAMA in early December that examined nearly 5,000 acute care hospitals found that by 2022, 52% of rural hospitals lacked obstetrics care after more than a decade of unit closures. The health implications of those closures for young women, the population most likely to need pregnancy care, and their babies can be significant. Research has shown that added distance between a patient and obstetric care increases the likelihood the baby will be admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU. Witham said that while she does not support abortion, she believes the government should not legislate it away completely. She said that unless the government provides far more support for young families, like free child care and better mental health care, abortion should remain legal. Conversations with a liberal school board member, a moderate owner of a timber company, members of Baker Citys Republican Party chapter, a local doula, several pregnant women, and the director of the Baker County Health Department many of whom were not rigidly opposed to abortion all turned up the same answer: No mobile clinics offering abortions here, please. The tiny Baker County Health Department offers lots of services, including home visits by a nurse for new moms and infants. While a publicly funded mobile clinic proposed by the state could help reach outlying areas, the director thinks including abortion care would keep many people from using the clinic to avoid stigma. (Lillian Mongeau Hughes for KFF Health News)(Lillian Mongeau Hughes for KFF Kelle Osborn, a nurse supervisor for the Baker County Health Department, loved the idea of a mobile clinic that would provide education and birth control services to people in outlying areas. She was less thrilled about including abortion services in a clinic on wheels. Its not something that should just be handed out from a mobile van, she said. She said people in her conservative rural county would probably avoid using the clinics for anything if they were understood to provide abortion services. Both Osborn and Meghan Chancey, the health departments director, said they would rank many health care priorities higher, including the need for a general surgeon, an intensive care unit and a dialysis clinic. Nationally, reproductive health care services of all types tend to be limited for people in rural areas, even within states that protect abortion access. More than two-thirds of people in maternity care deserts all of which are in rural counties must drive more than a half-hour to get obstetric care, according to a 2024 March of Dimes report. For people in the Southern states where lawmakers installed abortion bans, abortion care can be up to 700 miles away, according to a data analysis by Axios. Nathan Defrees grew up in Baker City and has practiced medicine here since 2017. He works for a family medicine clinic. If a patient asks about abortion, he provides information about where and how one can be obtained, but he doesnt offer abortions himself. Theres not a lot of anonymity in small towns for physicians who provide that care, he said. Many of us arent willing to sacrifice the rest of our career for that. He also pointed to the small number of patients requesting the service locally. Just six people living in Baker County had an abortion in 2023, according to data from the Oregon Department of Public Health. Meanwhile, 125 residents had a baby that year. A doctor with obstetric training living in another rural part of the state has chosen to quietly provide early-stage abortions when asked. The doctor, concerned for their familys safety in the small, conservative town where they live, asked not to be identified. Baker County is one of many rural places in states that protect abortion rights where locals consider access to prenatal and birthing care a more urgent medical need than expanded access to abortion. But the new abortion bans affect these places, too. With abortion now illegal in nearby Idaho, access to pregnancy care in cases in which termination may be medically necessary has also been diminished for residents of Baker County. (Lillian Mongeau Hughes for KFF Health News)(Lillian Mongeau Hughes for KFF The idea that better access to abortion is not needed in rural areas seems naive, the doctor said. People most in need of abortion often dont have access to any medical service not already available in town, the doctor pointed out. The first patient the doctor provided an abortion for at the clinic was a meth user with no resources to travel or to manage an at-home medication abortion. It seemed entirely inappropriate for me to turn her away for care I had the training and the tools to do, the doctor said. Defrees said it has been easier for Baker County residents to get an abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. A new Planned Parenthood clinic in Ontario, 70 miles away in neighboring Malheur County, was built primarily to provide services to people from the Boise metro area, but it also created an option for many living in rural eastern Oregon. Idaho is one of the 16 states with near-total bans on abortion. Like many states with bans, Idaho has struggled to maintain its already small fleet of fetal medicine doctors. The loss of regional expertise touches Baker City, too, Defrees said. For example, he said, the treatment plan for women who have a desired pregnancy but need a termination for medical reasons is now far less clear. It used to be those folks could go to Boise, he said. Now they cant. That does put us in a bind. Portland is the next closest option for that type of care, and that means a 300-mile drive along a set of highways that can be treacherous in winter. Its a lot scarier to be pregnant now in Baker City than it ever has been, Defrees said. Lillian Mongeau Hughes reported and wrote this article for KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. She now covers homelessness as a staff reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Ive spent most of this year traveling, starting in South America and trekking through Central America, the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East. But there are only five places Id go back to in 2025. They range from a relatively non-touristy tropical island to a quiet college town on the Baltic coast. And if youd told me last year that Id want to return, I probably wouldnt have believed you. I write a nationally syndicated column about travel, and I dont just parachute into these places. I live there. I meet people. I shop in the grocery stores and explore the cities. Here are the five destinations you shouldnt miss in 2025 -- and the one thing you have to do when youre there. An exhibit at Berlins Futurium, a museum of the future.Christopher Elliott/Elliott Syndicate An exhibit at Berlins Futurium, a museum of the future. ( Hi-res version. ) Berlin The German capital is barely recognizable from its former self the dark, Cold War city in the 1970s I visited the first time or the construction site I saw in the 1990s after reunification. And thats the cool thing about Berlin: its always reinventing itself and always looking to the future. I stayed in a Blueground apartment near Charlottenburg during the summer, and found the city to be a bright and welcoming place. Berlin is one of the most walkable cities in Europe. The sidewalks are extra wide, which means you dont have to worry about sharing the path with a biker, motorcycle or even a car. (Dont laugh if youve ever been to Croatia, you know thats not a joke.) Berlin is also an incredibly diverse and international city with some of the best shopping and restaurants in Europe. But best of all, it isnt filled with tourists like other popular European capitals, so you have a more authentic experience. Dont miss: The Futurium , a free museum near the Bundestag, challenges visitors to look to the future with its exhibits. Just like Berlin. A view of Dublin's Docklands, Dublin's newest neighborhood.Christopher Elliott/Elliott Syndicate Dublin Ireland is a favorite destination for Americans, and invariably they come to Dublin. Good call. I lived in the capital for two months in an Airbnb overlooking one of Temple Bars most famous pubs, and Im here to tell you that timing is everything. If you visit in the late summer, just as the tourists are starting to leave, you can get a quieter and more relaxed Irish experience. Im talking about walks along the River Liffey to Phoenix Park, minus the throngs of tourists waiting for the hop-on, hop-off bus. Dublin, like other European capitals, is rich in culture. There are free museums like the vast National Museum of Ireland, right across the river from the Guinness Storehouse. Theres shopping on Grafton Street and a great restaurant and theater scene in the Docklands. But what set Dublin apart for me were the people. No matter how hard it rained and it rained almost all the time the locals I met were cheerful and seemed genuinely happy to see me. Dont miss: The National Gallery of Ireland , also free, has an extensive collection of Irish art and Renaissance paintings, and is the perfect place to dry off when the rain wont stop. Atiba Mawuto, a Rastafarian farmer, on his farm in the hills of Grenada.Christopher Elliott/Elliott Syndicate Grenada I spent nine weeks in the Caribbean while researching a series of articles on sustainability and tourism. It didnt take me long to realize I wasnt the target demographic. I dont like lying on the beach all day and Im not a big fan of all-inclusive resorts, cruises or timeshares. Then I got to Grenada, also known as the Spice Island. And yes, the island has beaches, but it also has great scuba diving in a fascinating underwater sculpture park, endless hiking opportunities in Grand Etang National Park and chocolate. Put together, these still arent enough for me to recommend Grenada. It is the people you meet in there that make it special. Theres a genuine warmth and hospitality that really stands out among the other Caribbean islands. Dont miss: Visit Belmont Estate and see how they grow cocoa beans, harvest them and produce chocolate. A passenger ferry glides across Lake Lucerne.Christopher Elliott/Elliott Syndicate Lucerne, Switzerland Lake? Check. Stunningly gorgeous Alps? Check. Medieval architecture? Check. Lucernes got it all. But then, so do a lot of other Swiss cities. So what makes Lucerne special? It has all the things that make it an almost irresistible tourist attraction its considered by some to be Switzerlands prettiest city but its missing only one thing. The people I met in Lucerne did not have the swagger of Zurich or the serious disposition of the Genevois. They seemed happy to share their city with me, and in a way Ive never experienced in Switzerland. Lucerne is not for the faint of wallet, but if you get a chance to visit for a weekend, take it. Walk along the northern shore of the lake and find a bench, and enjoy one of the most beautiful views you will ever see in your travels. Dont miss: A trip to the top of one of the mountains on one of the many cogwheel trains, such as the Vitznau-Rigi Kulm railway. Hike to the top of the mountain and enjoy the view. Fresh lingonberries at the farmers' market in Turku, Finland.Christopher Elliott/Elliott Syndicate Turku, Finland You wont find Turku on many tourism maps, which is a shame. The college town may be the perfect place to get away from it all during the summer. It has a lively cultural scene, terrific restaurants, and one of the best farmers' markets in Europe. But most important, its cool. While the rest of Europe struggles to keep from overheating during the increasingly hot summers, Turku is positively chill. This place is also a launchpad for trips into the unspeakably beautiful Finnish archipelago, a chain of islands stretching across the Baltic to Sweden. But as before, the real draw wasnt the place, which is quietly developing a reputation as one of the most sustainable cities in Europe its the people. Finns are quiet and reserved compared to, well, Americans. But the folks I met in Turku never let an opportunity pass to let me know how happy they were that Id taken the time to visit their often overlooked part of the world. I almost hesitate to mention Turku because I dont want it to become another Amsterdam. Dont miss: A drive along the Archipelago Trail from Turku to Naantali, a 155-mile loop through to these unique islands. Youll see farms, old towns, castles and lots of wildlife along the way. Theres nothing like it on Earth. Whether its scaling the Alps in Lucerne or hiking the coast of Finland, 2025 is the year to push your boundaries. My favorite places arent just beautiful, they also have an inner quality that makes them worth seeing again. SYDNEY, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Two people have died in a light plane crash off Australia's east coast north of Sydney. Police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said in a statement on Saturday night that emergency services were called to reports of a light plane crash in the ocean near the town of Nambucca Heads, approximately 400 km north of Sydney, at 4 p.m. local time. "The pilot and passenger of the aircraft died at the scene and are yet to be formally identified," NSW Police said. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that the wreckage was found about 1.5 km off the coast. Water police, ambulance crews and a rescue helicopter were deployed to the scene. Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Grant Rice told the ABC that debris had washed up along the shoreline. NSW Police said it has commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) assisting. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers welcome the Cincinnati Bengals for a Week 18 game with many implications for both teams. Pittsburgh is playing for seeding, even as the Baltimore Ravens rumble against the Baltimore Ravens. If they lose, a trip to Baltimore could be in their future. Where: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania When: 8:00 p.m. How to Watch: ESPN / ABC The Cincinnati Bengals, meanwhile, are playing for their playoff lives. They still need the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins to lose on Sunday, but they are automatically eliminated with a loss. In other words, that is why so many injured players are active for the Bengals in this game despite those injuries piling up. They will be without standout running back Chase Brown, however, and that still could be an issue. Khalil Herbert will get his first start with the team. UPDATE: 11:07 p.m. Drive has been a mess so far. Steelers at their own 41 with 20 seconds. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 11:04 p.m. Calvin Austin returns it to the 25 yard line. Steelers need to get drive into position for Chris Boswell. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 11:01 p.m. Keeanu Benton sacks Joe Burrow. Steelers offense will get the ball back. They need a FG to win. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:58 p.m. Another really good return for the Bengals. They'll start with field position over the 40. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:57 p.m. Steelers stall out even after the gift from the Bengals. Boswell sinks a 54 yard field goal. 19-17. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:53 p.m. If you thought you needed a Cordarrelle Patterson touch on a potentially game-deciding drive.... Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:50 p.m. UPDATE: 10:48 p.m. Steelers get the stop. Now, the offense has to make something happen from their own 10. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:47 p.m. Porter playing his best game since the first Baltimore game. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:45 p.m. Cam Heyward is determined to drag the Steelers to a win himself. 3 PD as an interior DL is insane Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:41 p.m. Touchdown Steelers. Russell Wilson finds a wide open Pat Freiermuth for a 19 yard touchdown. Steelers shave the lead to 5. 19-14. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:39 p.m. Russ fires a bullet to George Pickens who can't hold on through contact. That's a tough drop. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:36 p.m. Najee Harris makes a great play in space to get a first down, but he's down and hurt. Gets up and walks off slowly. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:35 p.m. Van Jefferson with three catches on this drive. Steelers have moved the chains twice. Now into Bengals territory. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:32 p.m. The Steelers have 91 yards of offense. It's the fourth quarter. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:31 p.m. Defense holds....again. Cade York makes the field goal. It's 19-7. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:27 p.m. Tough blow for the Steelers there on 3rd down. Had everyone covered until Hudson leaked out of the backfield. No one tags with him. First down. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:25 p.m. Higgins is out of the game, and Porter isn't on Chase. Odd decision. https://t.co/Sdb3xdaHw5 Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:23 p.m. Burrow got drilled by Patrick Queen but Ja'Marr Chase makes a gorgeous toe-tapping grab against Cory Trice for an explosive play. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:21 p.m. Tee Higgins is out of the game right now with an ankle injury. Questionable to return. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:13 p.m. Russ looks for Pickens, but Ivey knocks it out of his hands. Incomplete, another punt upcoming. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:10 p.m. Brutal miss by Russ on 2nd down. Quick pressure, but Washington wide open over the MOF. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:06 p.m. York sinks the FG and the Bengals take a 16-7 lead. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:05 p.m. Burrow gets up after staying down and runs off the field. He heads into the blue medical tent. https://t.co/8AkSxc1dja Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 10:03 p.m. Joe Burrow is sacked and them slammed into the ground. Burrow is down and hurt. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:56 p.m. The Steelers have run the ball on every single first down they've had in this game outside of the two-minute drill. Just insane. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:53 p.m. George Pickens has one target today. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:37 p.m. So many issues it's hard to list them all, folks. But the coaching over the last month, point blank, has just not been good enough. Both sides of the ball. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:34 p.m. It's truly an awful sequence for the Steelers that leads to Bengals points. Luckily for Pittsburgh, their defense clamps down. 13-7 Bengals. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:29 p.m. Steelers fail to convert on the QB sneak and then are stopped short on 4th down, too. Bengals will get the ball. It's a turnover on downs. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:27 p.m. After review, the Steelers did not get the first down on the Russell Wilson sneak. It will be 4th and 1, and the Steelers will keep their TO. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:21 p.m. If Germaine Pratt is going to be man to man with Pat Freiermuth....just relentlessly attack that every play lmao Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:18 p.m. Patrick Queen covers Ja'Marr Chase and forces a PBU that pops up into Beanie Bishop's hands for the pick. Queen having a pretty damn good game so far tonight. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:14 p.m. T.J. Watt got a strip sack on Joe Burrow, but a holding call on Cory Trice keeps the drive going. New set of downs. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:08 p.m. Calvin Austin III fumbles on the punt return. Bengals offense starts at the Steelers 33. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:07 p.m. My god. The guys actually played the sticks so Burrow couldn't get rid of it in two seconds and the Steelers DL gets home. Sack for Preston Smith. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 9:01 p.m. Steelers offense can't capitalize after the defense's 4th down stop. They go 3-and-out. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:59 p.m. Cam Heyward is having an unreal season. https://t.co/PD7TUrTV3c Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:58 p.m. The Steelers end up stopping the Bengals on 4th down. Tipped pass at the LOS. They get off the field. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:54 p.m. At some point the Steelers gotta walk their guys up a bit more, right? Like, I get it, Chase and Higgins are dynamic, but you can't let them just neutralize your pass rush like this. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:52 p.m. Really nice return for the Bengals on KR. They will start at their own 44. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:48 p.m. Najee Harris had been outsnapped by Warren the last four weeks. First half, it has swung back the other way for sure. Lots of 22. 9 carries today. And he's running well. https://t.co/vOyaojD78B Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:47 p.m. Darnell Washington draws a DPI on the fade ball. Next play, Najee Harris barges it into the end zone. Steelers score. 10-7. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:44 p.m. Steelers OL is getting good movement up front on most of these runs. Only the toss plays have been dead in the water. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:43 p.m. Like the 3rd down design to get Muth working across the face of the defender there. Drew a DPI but if there was no penalty, easy pitch and catch. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:38 p.m. Wow a catch by Mike Williams. Moves the chains. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:36 p.m. The moment Jefferson came in motion, everyone in the stadium knew the toss was coming. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:32 p.m. How do you get quick wins? You dial up a blitz. Patrick Queen screams through the A gap and forces a fumble. Bengals recover and will take a FG. https://t.co/j9NxPayu0S Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:29 p.m. The front can't win with how quickly the Bengals are getting the ball out right now. They don't have a shot. Gotta make some adjustment. https://t.co/UGQQ2KsKPF Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:27 p.m. The Pittsburgh Steelers went the entire 2024 season without scoring a first-drive touchdown. #Steelers Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:24 p.m. Steelers' offense goes 3 and out. Woof. Bad, bad start for the Steelers. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:18 p.m. Every single pass the Bengals threw on that drive came out in less than 2.5 seconds. Quick throws completely neutralized the Steelers pass rush, and Pittsburgh hasn't been able to stop the quick game all year. Predictable scheme + poor CB play a bad combo. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:16 p.m. UPDATE: 8:15 p.m. Touchdown Bengals. Ja'Marr Chase beats Cory Trice for the touchdown. 12 yards. Steelers brought the blitz and Trice got beat inside. Easy drive for Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense. They're up 7-0. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:12 p.m. Bengals involving Mike Geisicki heavily to start this game. Two first downs to move the chains already. Not surprising considering what Likely, Andrews, and Kelce have done to Pittsburgh over the last two weeks. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:10 p.m. Steelers starting CBs today: Joey Porter Jr. Cory Trice Cam Sutton Porter appears to be shadowing Tee Higgins. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:09 p.m. Cory Trice is the starting cornerback opposite of Joey Porter Jr. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 8:06 p.m. The Pittsburgh Steelers have won the toss and will defer to the second half. Bengals get the ball first. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 7:57 p.m. Ravens officially win the AFC North. Steelers playing for the 5 or 6 seed tonight. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 5, 2025 UPDATE: 6:53 p.m. Steelers inactives: QB Kyle Allen (3rd QB) No. 13 WR Scott Miller CB Donte Jackson DT Isaiahh Loudermilk DE Dean Lowry Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 4, 2025 UPDATE: 6:42 p.m. Donte Jackson is OUT with his back injury. Could be either James Pierre or Cory Trice. But Trice played 47 snaps against KC compared Pierre's 18, so do with that what you wish. Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 4, 2025 On Monday at 10:11 a.m. the National Weather Service issued an updated winter storm warning in effect until 10 p.m. for Somerset, Bedford and Fulton counties. The weather service states, "Additional snow accumulations between 1 and 3 inches. Storm total accumulation 5 to 7 inches." "Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday evening commute," adds the weather service. "The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission strongly encourage motorists to heed all travel restrictions and delay unnecessary travel." Winter weather driving safety: Navigating the chill with expert tips from the weather service Winter weather can make driving treacherous, leading to over 6,000 weather-related vehicle fatalities and over 480,000 injuries each year. When traveling during snow or freezing rain, prioritize safety by slowing down. In near-freezing temperatures, it's safest to assume that icy conditions exist on roadways and adjust your driving accordingly. Be cautious of ice accumulating on power lines or tree branches, which can lead to snapping and falling hazards. If possible, avoid driving in such conditions. If you must venture out, opt for routes with fewer trees and power lines. Never touch a downed power line, and immediately dial 911 if you come across one. Here are additional winter driving tips from the weather service: Share your travel plans: When traveling out of town in hazardous winter weather, inform your family or friends of your destination, planned route, and estimated time of arrival. Prepare your vehicle: Ensure your gas tank is full and equip your vehicle with essential winter supplies, including a windshield scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, flashlight, cell phone, blanket, extra warm clothing, drinking water, and high-calorie non-perishable food. Stay calm when stranded: If you become stranded, remain composed. Inform someone about your situation and location. Avoid attempting to walk to safety. Indicate that you need assistance by attaching a cloth to your car's antenna or mirror, and make your vehicle more visible by using the dome light and flashers Be aware of snow plows: Keep an eye out for snow plows and provide them with ample room to pass. Only overtake a plow when you have a clear view of the road ahead. Check road conditions: Before embarking on your journey, verify the current road conditions to make informed travel decisions. These winter driving tips from the weather service are your key to a safer journey on snow-covered roads. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and ensure your well-being during challenging winter weather. Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form NEW DELHI, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least four Naxals and a policeman were killed Sunday in a fierce gunfight between them in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, police said. The gunfight between Naxals and joint contingents of police broke out inside the Abujhmarh forest area of Narayanpur district, about 192 km south of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh. According to police, joint contingents of police units cordoned off the area on specific intelligence information suggesting the presence of Naxals. "Today a gunfight between Naxals and the police force broke out in the Abujhmarh forest area. In the stand-off, so far four Naxals were killed," a police official said, adding that a policeman was also killed. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has offered condolences to the family of the slain policeman. "The security forces are fighting very strongly against Naxalism and this fight will continue till the end of Naxalism," Sai said in a statement. Police also claimed recovery of some automatic weapons, including two assault rifles, and some ammunition from the gunfight site. Police said the search operation in the area was underway until the last reports poured in. Currently, Naxals are active across the central and eastern parts of India. New Delhi has deployed several companies of its paramilitary forces to take on Naxals in their strongholds. The insurgency reportedly has claimed hundreds of lives besides rendering thousands of inhabitants homeless. Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei is interviewed at the M+ Museum of visual culture in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) by Liu Yinglun, Lu Min and Huang Xitian HONG KONG, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- To Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei, there are not so many Fall/Winter or Resort collections as there are "museum collections," like the one she is now presenting in the M+ Museum of visual culture in Hong Kong. "It is my goal to make clothes that belong in museums," said Guo, sitting meters away from "The Yellow Queen," a silk embroidered yellow gown complete with lavish fox fur trim and a 4-meter train. In 2015, American pop icon Rihanna almost crashed the internet with images, and memes, of her rocking the dress on the red carpet of the Met Gala. When Guo completed the dress in 2009, who would be wearing it was not on her mind so much as the desire to express her ideal of timeless beauty, just as she did with the over 40 pieces on display at the "Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination" exhibition at M+ through April 6. Born in 1967 in Beijing, Guo went from being a successful mass-market ready-to-wear designer to owner of the atelier Rose Studio in 1997, and presented 10 haute couture shows at Paris Fashion Week at the invitation of the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the governing body for the French fashion industry. Guo looks particularly petite standing next to her works, which exude grandeur through either towering structure or intricate craftsmanship, or both. The designs speak of her exuberantly expressive inner world. "My urge to create is sometimes too strong for my limited skills," Guo said. Many of her gowns are famous for the jaw-dropping number of hours they took to make. Guo said her studio spent 50,000 hours constructing her first couture piece "Da Jin," or Magnificent Gold, redoing the details time after time to incarnate her vision to a tee. The strapless gown shaped like an upside-down lotus flower has a metallic gold finish because its entire surface is embroidered with Indian gold threads using traditional Chinese techniques like couching stitch. To Guo, Chinese cultural elements are like her "mother tongue." "I can't express myself by means other than my mother tongue," she said, seeking to leave her own legacy by rendering the pieces in the best materials. For "Lanfeng," or Blue Phoenix, Guo sampled crystals in over 1,000 shades of blue to pick the one kind to use for the beading. She constructed the skirt of "The Gold Boat" using traditional bamboo-weaving techniques in collaboration with artisans from east China's Anhui Province, an area renowned for bamboo production and basketry. The heart and soul she poured into her works made it impossible to name any price on them. She once declined an offer of 5 million yuan (about 683,000 U.S. dollars) for "Da Jin", even though she could well use the sum to purchase a few condos in Beijing at the time. Guo has since then distinguished merchandise and artworks -- the couture she created for museums are works of art, while clothes tailor-made for clients are products. "I never sell my artworks, because they are priceless," said Guo. To fund the creation of artwork, Guo has to put most of her energy into making and selling products. The distinction has helped Guo compartmentalize her focus. Whenever she switches off the money-making mode, she sketches new designs to be turned into exhibits at museums. Guo has preserved over 1,500 pieces of her artworks over the years, and has decided that she will ultimately donate them to museums around the world. "I hope the light they radiate will reach future generations," Guo said. This photo shows a work of Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei displayed at the M+ Museum of visual culture in Hong Kong, south China, Dec. 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Manjun) This photo shows a work of Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei displayed at the M+ Museum of visual culture in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei is interviewed at the M+ Museum of visual culture in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) This photo shows a work of Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei displayed at the M+ Museum of visual culture in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) This photo shows works of Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei displayed at the M+ Museum of visual culture in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) Renowned gospel artiste Nathaniel Bassey has been invited to the United States on 20 January to minister at the inaugural prayer breakfast for President-elect Donald Trump. The event is slated to be held in Washington, DC. The famous gospel musician is the only Nigerian and African artiste on the lineup. The US presidential inaugural Prayer breakfast is a non-political, faith-based event held every four years before the swearing-in of a new administration. It focuses on prayers and worship as spiritual support for the US president and government. Taking to his Instagram, the 44-year-old announced the invitation. He shared the event poster with the caption, Lets raise a sound in America. See you January 20, 2025. Reverend Merrie Turner is said to be hosting the event at the prestigious Waldorf Astoria Presidential Ballroom. Other speakers include Pastor Mario Bramick and Avelda King. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Known as the convener of the Hallelujah Challenge, a worship concert held annually and streamed on social media connecting millions of worshipers worldwide, Bassey has earned himself global recognition. In 2024, the 75th Mayor of Albany, New York, Kathy Sheehan, recognised Bassey by declaring 6 October as Pastor Nathaniel Bassey Day. The Akwa Ibom-born gospel artiste is known for his worship songs Imela, Onise Iyanu, and Olowogbogboro. His music spans genres like jazz, hymns, and medleys, making him one of Nigerias most celebrated gospel ministers. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias health sector was marked by persistent challenges and a few notable successes in 2024. From groundbreaking milestones like the rollout of the malaria vaccine to systemic hurdles such as recurrent health workers strikes and the alarming exodus of medical professionals, the year was quite eventful. The year also saw intensified responses to global health concerns, including Nigerias fight against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and its ongoing battle with cholera and Mpox outbreaks. In this report, PREMIUM TIMES provides a comprehensive look at key events that shaped the health sector in 2024. Malaria vaccine rollout The rollout of malaria vaccine in Nigeria marks a significant milestone in the fight against one of the countrys most persistent public health challenges. For years, efforts to eliminate malaria yielded limited success, but the introduction of the R21/Matrix-M vaccines offers fresh hope. Authorities began administering the vaccine in early December, weeks after receiving 846,000 doses of the R21 vaccine from GAVI. The rollout started in two of the worst-affected states Bayelsa and Kebbi and the plan is to expand it to the rest of the country by 2025. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, which is about 75 per cent effective, is the second malaria vaccine to be approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO). However, health experts recommend combining it with other malaria preventive tools, such as mosquito nets and insecticides. New data from WHO revealed that an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 malaria deaths occurred worldwide in 2023. This marks an increase of approximately 11 million cases compared to 2022, with nearly the same number of deaths reported. Alarmingly, about 95 per cent of these deaths were concentrated in the WHO African region, where many individuals at risk still lack access to essential services for prevention, detection, and treatment. Nigeria is said to account for 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of global malaria deaths, making the disease a burden on the nation. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, earlier said malaria costs Nigeria over $1.1 billion in annual losses to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Mr Pate said malaria is a pressing economic and developmental emergency that must be eliminated. Brain Drain Just like in previous years, the trend of healthcare professionals, including medical doctors, nurses, and other personnel, migrating to developed nations was a disheartening development in the health sector in 2024. In March, Mr Pate disclosed that about 16,000 doctors left in the last five years, noting that the country now has only 55,000 licensed doctors to serve a population of over 200 million. According to data documented by the Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) in 2023, 233 Nigerian doctors moved to the UK in 2015; the number increased to 279 in 2016; in 2017 the figure was 475, in 2018, the figure rose to 852, in 2019 it jumped to 1,347; in 2020, the figure was 833 and in 2021, it was put at 932. The exodus of skilled healthcare professionals, which has further strained the countrys healthcare system is driven by factors such as poor working conditions, low salaries, limited career advancement, and insecurity. New policy on japa In response to the exit of healthcare professionals, Nigeria introduced the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration. The policy seeks to monitor migration trends, assess their impact on the healthcare system, and implement targeted incentives to retain healthcare workers, particularly in rural areas. The policy outlines new initiatives such as bilateral agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) between the Nigerian government and key foreign destinations of Nigerian health workers. It also highlights plans for training opportunities, career development, incentives and a conducive work environment. However, the policy received criticism from medical professionals and analysts for failing to outline modalities to implement the incentives and for not addressing the core issue of poor remuneration. Speaking on the policy, the National President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Bala Audu, said the MoU idea is a good initiative to manage the migration of health workers, if properly implemented. Mr Audu told PREMIUM TIMES that destination countries are expected to make certain commitments before taking Nigerian-trained health workers to serve their health needs. The NMA President said Nigerias effort towards curbing brain drain depends largely on how effectively the incentives are implemented. Also speaking, the Vice President of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Kefas Wida, said remuneration is the major reason health workers are migrating and that for Nigeria to retain its workforce, it needs to adequately address the modalities for incentives highlighted in the policy. Mr Wida noted that without implementation, the government cannot stop anyone from migrating, even if they make the process difficult and tedious with too many bureaucratic processes. Health workers strike, protest The recurring issue of healthcare professionals strikes persisted in Nigeria throughout 2024. Various unions within the sector embarked on industrial action to express dissatisfaction with the governments failure to meet their demands. The year started with a protest by nurses on 12 February, at the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) offices in Abuja and Lagos, demanding a review of stringent certificate verification guidelines. The nurses expressed their dissatisfaction and threatened a nationwide strike, describing the new guidelines as an effort to impede their freedom. On 25 October, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals declared a seven-day warning strike to protest the alleged governments failure to address their members welfare issues. The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) also embarked on a seven-day warning strike over governments alleged failure to take significant steps in addressing its demands. In August, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) embarked on a nationwide seven-day warning strike in response to the prolonged abduction of one of their colleagues, Ganiyat Popoola. After 10 months in captivity, Mrs Popoola, a registrar at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, was released in October. Electricity crisis In 2024, teaching hospitals nationwide struggled with increased electricity tariffs, impacting healthcare delivery. Despite pleas for subsidies or exemptions, hospitals faced heightened expenses, compromising essential services and patient care. In July, the management of the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos (CMUL) and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) cried out over the outrageous electricity bill charged by Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC). The health institutions received a joint electricity bill of N280 million for May, a significant increase from their usual N100 million. The disputed bill led to a 10-day electricity disconnection between June and July, leading to a protest by medical students who said the poor power supply could lead to their failure in the forthcoming examinations. Similarly, the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, suffered prolonged blackouts due to unpaid debts, sparking patient protests over delayed care and postponed test results. The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) also struggled with high electricity bills, averaging 30 million monthly. The hospitals inclusion in the Band A structure exacerbated its financial burden, and it faced disconnection and reconnection issues with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). Other teaching hospitals, including Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria, and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Osun State, also grappled with significant challenges posed by high electricity tariffs in 2024. Private hospitals were equally affected, with the Guild of Medical Directors of Nigeria warning that the electricity tariff hike was straining private hospitals, forcing some to shut down. The Guild revealed that at least eight private hospitals in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, closed due to the exorbitant cost of electricity supply and insecurity. Scaling up HPV vaccines Although the integration of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the routine immunisation system began in October 2023, its widespread rollout gained full momentum in 2024. The introduction of the HPV vaccine marked a significant victory for Nigeria, where cervical cancer stands as the third most prevalent cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women aged 15 to 44. In the latest available data from 2020, the country reported 12,000 new cases and 8,000 deaths attributed to cervical cancer. While the exact causes of cancer remain unknown, research has identified 14 out of 100 HPV strains as responsible for at least 99 per cent of cervical cancer cases. The WHO highlights that HPV types 16 and 18 contribute to at least 70 per cent of cervical cancers and pre-cancerous cervical lesions. Additionally, there is evidence linking HPV to cancers of the anus, vulva, vagina, penis, and oropharynx. But with the existence of vaccines, WHO estimates that cervical cancer could be the first cancer to be eliminated if 90 per cent of girls are vaccinated against HPV. So far, over 10 million girls have been vaccinated against HPV across the country. Cholera outbreak, response Lagos State experienced an unexpected surge in cholera cases in 2024, contributing 43 per cent of the total cases reported nationwide, according to data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). The Lagos State Government in June declared a cholera outbreak which continued to spread across the states, especially Lagos Island and it was linked to water contamination. According to data from WHO, between 1 January and 27 October, Nigeria reported a total of 17,139 cases and 603 deaths with an extremely high CFR of 3.5 per cent. The last situation reports from NCDC as of 29 September, shows Lagos accounts for 43 per cent of all suspected cases in the country. Lagos is followed by Jigawa, Kano, Borno, Katsina, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Rivers, Abia, Yobe, Ogun and Oyo states, among others. Anti-microbial resistance Nigeria made significant strides in combating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in 2024. The Nigerian government launched the Second National Action Plan on AMR (AMR 2.0) and the National Genomic Surveillance Strategy to tackle this growing threat. AMR, which occurs when microbes evolve to resist drugs, was linked to over 64,000 deaths in Nigeria in 2019, with only 42.7 per cent of the population having access to healthcare at the time. Also, a recent study by Gavi revealed that newborn babies in Nigeria are born with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, specifically colistin-resistant bacteria, in their systems. Nigeria was also selected to host the 5th Global High-Level Ministerial AMR Conference in 2026, taking over the baton from Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made at the 4th Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR, which was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 15 to 16 November. Mpox outbreak, vaccine The resurgence of Mpox began in Congo in 2023, with the Clade 1 virus and a sub-variant considered deadlier, the Clade II. Latest data from the Africa CDC shows a death toll of over 1200 and more than 65,000 cases reported from 20 African countries. In August, the WHO declared the disease a public health emergency of international concern while the Africa CDC declared it a public health emergency of continental concern. To curb the spread of the virus, particularly the Clade II variant, which is more endemic in the country, the Nigerian government tightened border control and surveillance as part of efforts The government mandated all travellers to complete an online health declaration form before departure, alongside activating infectious disease centres in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Data from the NCDC showed that Nigeria recorded 1,442 suspected and 118 confirmed Mpox cases in 2024, surpassing the previous years 1,182 suspected and 98 confirmed cases. The increase is approximately 22 per cent higher for suspected cases and 20.4 per cent higher for confirmed cases compared to 2023. Despite the prevalence of the disease in Africa, low-income countries were unable to access the Mpox vaccine due to its high cost. The struggle for access was worsened by the delay in WHO approval for international agencies to procure and distribute the vaccine to poor countries. This has forced African governments and the African CDC to seek vaccine donations from wealthier countries. However, in August, Nigeria received 10,000 doses of the Mpox vaccine from the USA, becoming the second African country after Congo to receive vaccines. Flood in Borno In 2024, Borno State experienced one of its worst flood crises in three decades. Vast areas of farmland, infrastructure, and hundreds of homes were destroyed. The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) teaching hospital also suffered significantly, posing as one of the worst-hit infrastructures in the state. The facility sustained significant water damage and was forced to suspend its operations for two weeks. According to the Chief Medical Director, Ahmad Ahidjo, the entire hospital was inundated, leaving the ground floor completely flooded. Virtually everything on the ground floor was affected, he stated. We had to relocate all patients from the ground floor. Drugs, medical supplies, and consumables were destroyed in the deluge, along with essential examination tools and equipment, crippling the hospitals operations. PREMIUM TIMES reported that medical equipment in the multimillion-dollar Radiotherapy Department was submerged, causing damage to expensive state-of-the-art equipment, including two Elekta Linear Accelerators, two Brachytherapy machines, and a Canon Large Bore CT Simulator. The hospitals management had to plead for external support as it began preparations to resume operations two weeks after it was shut down. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The death toll from Fridays clash between farmers and herders in Gululu, a community in Miga Local Government Area of Jigawa State, has risen to nine, the police have said. The police said nine bodies were recovered after the violent confrontation that extended to neighbouring Jahun Local Government Area. PREMIUM TIMES reported that one person, Dauda Kafinta, who was declared missing during the melee, was later found dead. The crisis started when the peasant farmers accused their herder neighbours of stealing from a provision store. The village head of the community, Muhammad Sarkin-Dori, told our reporter on Friday that some residents traced the footprints of the suspected thieves to a neighbourhood herders settlement. The police spokesperson in the state, Lawan Adam, said in a statement on Saturday that the violence escalated to neighbouring communities, with the groups embarking on an orgy of killing and arson. Mr Adam said after the initial clash, the villagers mobilised, attacked the Fulanis and torched their houses at various locations in Miga and Jahun LGAs. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Upon receipt of the report, a team of police officers from the Miga and Jahun Divisions rushed to the scene to assess the situation and restore peace and order. Unfortunately, nine (9) bodies were recovered. The corpses were ferried to Jahun and Miga Hospitals, where the medical doctor on duty confirmed their deaths, the police spokesperson said. The spokesperson said state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Abdullah, deployed officers to the scene of the crime. A stakeholder meeting was immediately convened, attended by the Jigawa State speaker, Haruna Aliyu, chairmen of the two LGAs, district heads, Miyetti Allah leadership, and vigilantes. The meeting was centred on maintaining law and order, avoiding violence, propaganda, and reprisal attacks. In the meantime, patrols are being stepped up in the general area to prevent further breakdown of law and order. The situation has been brought under control. An investigation is currently underway to bring the perpetrators to justice, Mr Adam said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has made a firm commitment that his administration will complete the Eastern Rail line connecting Port Harcourt to Maiduguri. President Tinubu gave the assurance during an interactive session with South-east leaders during his official visit to Enugu State on Saturday. The president also pledged that his administration would support the development of the Anambra Basin as a significant energy reserve. The basin is estimated to hold up to 1 billion barrels of oil and 30 billion cubic feet of gas. During the meeting, the president was attentive to the requests made by former Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, and Enugu State indigene Chris Ugoh and responded with a commitment to address their concerns. While applauding the Tinubu administration for completing the Port Harcourt to Aba section of the Eastern rail line, Mr Nebo appealed to the president to prioritise the completion of the remaining portions of the rail link. He emphasised the rail links potential to boost Nigerias non-oil exports and economic growth. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Ugoh noted that the Anambra Basin has the potential to support power generation and industrial feedstocks. He appealed to the federal government to develop this resource to benefit the southeast and other regions of the country, including the Middle Belt and the North. Onyemauche Nnamani, the national commissioner representing the South-east in the Police Service Commission, urged the federal government to implement modern security strategies in the region, akin to the statewide CCTV system and patrol cars with surveillance cameras in Enugu State. Mr Nnamani called on the federal government to de-emphasise the mounting of checkpoints and roadblocks in the region, saying, It is inefficient and exposes our security personnel to attacks by non-state actors. Responding to the request for the rail line, President Tinubu reassured the audience, saying, It is a work in progress. I inherited some of these critical problems and am committed to solving them. On the support of the gas infrastructure. Sure, gas is an alternative to petrol. There is no wasting of time than to invest more in it. We will do it together, and I am lucky I have good governors. Acknowledging the presence of various dignitaries, including governors, traditional rulers, captains of industry and serving and former presiding officers of the National Assembly from the South-east, President Tinubu praised former Senate President Ken Nnamani for saving Nigerias democracy from those who wanted to derail it with the Third Term project. Earlier at the meeting, President Tinubu praised Governor Peter Mbah for his development model and philosophy after inaugurating several projects executed by the state government. He pledged that the federal government would continue to support Enugu and other states in their development efforts. Among the projects inaugurated by the president are the GTC Smart Green School, New Haven/Bisalla Road, the International Conference Centre, the Command-and-Control Centre, and 150 patrol vehicles equipped with surveillance cameras. The president also performed the virtual commissioning of other notable projects from the Enugu State Government House. At the inauguration of the Command-and-Control Centre, the president said investment in security will bring rapid development. This is a profound demonstration of what we can do together. It reassures me that more revenue going to the sub-nationals and local government is not a waste. It is for development. We have committed leaders like Peter Mbah taking Enugu on the path of 21st-century development, taking Enugu to greater heights, and building our tomorrow today. I cannot forget the sight of those children I just met at the Smart Green School. I have seen the gadgets and vehicles with 21st-century technology. Yes, you are indeed working for today, tomorrow and the future. My good friend Peter, we can go places together to build Nigeria and build the future. It is audacious to have this home filled with technology, and they are ready for use. To promote investment, I know you are a private sector person, and we must encourage more private sector people to come into politics. When you are sure of security and development and give value for money, investors will be your friend, he said. President Tinubu further lauded the governor, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for demonstrating an irrevocable commitment to human development. I dont care which party you come from; you are my friend. Alex Otti of Abia State is also doing very well. It is not about the differences in languages and place of birth. No one of us has control of the mother tongue. God created us, and you can find yourself in Enugu, Onitsha or Lagos. We are all members of one huge family called Nigeria, but we live in different rooms in the same house. We must build this house to satisfy our immediate and future needs, he said. At the interactive session, Governor Mbah described President Tinubu as a true federalist. He commended the Tinubu administration for establishing the South East Development Commission and liberalising the electricity sector through the Electricity Act (Amendment). He congratulated the president on being named ThisDay Man of the Year and acknowledged his efforts to revitalise Nigerias growth and economic resilience. Your Excellency, your credential as a true federalist stands out brightly, and the legacies thereof will long earn you resounding accolades. In signing the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, you liberalised electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. That singular act will consistently rank as an enduring legacy. ALSO READ: Four things Nigeria needs to do to revamp its railway network successfully It is noteworthy that Enugu State was the first sub-national to which the NERC ceded regulatory oversight of the local electricity market. That reflects how swiftly we are pursuing our goals, he said. According to the governor, the South East Development Commission will address infrastructure and ecological challenges in the region while complementing the many development strides unfolding across the state. Governor Mbah reiterated his vision to grow Enugus economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion within 4 years, aiming to position the state among Nigerias top three states in terms of GDP. He said this grand dream can be achieved when security is guaranteed, quality education thrives, and citizens can access affordable healthcare. The governor outlined the bold steps taken to enhance public safety in the state, including ending the illegal sit-at-home order imposed across the South-east by a criminal gang and non-state actors. We no longer observe sit-at-home in Enugu. Our people go to work every day of the week, and we no longer take orders from non-state actors, he said. The governor told the president that some of the Smart Green Schools commissioned during the state visit were part of the modern schools introduced by his administration across 260 wards to equip students with 21st-century skills. The governor explained that his administration has focused on primary healthcare, upgrading all 260 primary healthcare centres to maintain consistent quality, even in remote areas. All these infrastructural developments are mainly possible because of your bold initiatives. The courageous pronouncements you made to free up funds for development: the removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the foreign exchange, and several social interventions that your government continues to provide for the people of this country. We are now essentially, with those funds freed, able to fully complete these projects. And its not just physical infrastructure; social and digital infrastructure are going on, Mr Mbah said. Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) January 4, 2025 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has detained a woman for allegedly abandoning her one-day-old baby along a bush path in Abuja. The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, Josephine Adeh, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. She said the abandoned one-day-old baby was recovered and rescued along a bush path near Crush Rock, behind an uncompleted Red Bricks Market in Mpape area. Ms Adeh said the recovery of the baby by operatives from Mpape Divisions Juvenile and Women Care Section (JWC) on 3 January followed a distress call that a baby was found wrapped in a cloth. According to her, upon getting to the scene, the operatives promptly rescued and took the baby to Mpape Primary Health Care Centre, where medical evaluation confirmed that the baby was in stable condition. She said the babys mother was arrested and detained following a tip-off from the community, adding that the woman confessed to abandoning the baby during interrogation. The police spokesperson said the mother cited her inability to care for the child after her husbands abandonment of her as a reason for the act. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Ms Adeh expressed the commands dissatisfaction and condemnation of the act of child abandonment and pledged commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of society. The FCT police spokesperson said the rescued baby would be handed over to the Department of Social Welfare for proper care. She said the mother would be made to face prosecution in line with the provisions of sections 14 and 16 of the Child Rights Act (CRA), 2003 upon the conclusion of investigations. Ms Adeh commended the public for its cooperation and support that led to the rescue of the baby. She urged FCT residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities or emergencies to the command through its emergency lines on 08061581938, 08032003913, 08028940883, CRU: 08107314192, PCB: 09022222352. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Chief of Air Staff, Hasan Abubakar, says the contributions of veterans are highly appreciated, reiterating his commitment to their welfare. According to him, their invaluable services to the nation will never be in vain. Mr Abubakar made the commitment on Saturday at an event with the Nigerian Air Forces veterans in Kaduna. The air chief was represented by the Chief of Administration, NAF Headquarters, Idi Sani. He explained that the parley was his initiative to honour the NAF veterans in appreciation of their services and dedication during their days of service. Mr Abubakar added that the parley was to connect and engage serving personnel with the veterans so as to understand their welfare issues and make efforts to ensure that they were better managed. He said, It is also an avenue created to ensure that the serving personnel are also motivated by the situation so as to ensure they do their best in giving to the service from the experiences they will gain during interaction. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Abubakar said the service expected the veterans to continue being loyal and honest in all their endeavours, while pledging to continue taking care of them and the serving personnel. He disclosed that NAF has plans to re-engage the skilled veterans, adding that applications were currently open for those with skills. Mr Abubakar urged the serving personnel to continue taking care of the veterans for them to also continue being taken care of when they leave the service. He appreciated the veterans efforts and support during their service years, reassuring them that NAF would not forget them. Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Air Training Command, Abubakar Abdullahi, acknowledged their sacrifices and contributions to the nation. Mr Abdullahi emphasised NAFs commitment to honouring its veterans, just as it routinely remembers and celebrates its fallen heroes. He said that the event was initiated in 2024 by the current NAFs administration and it has become an annual tradition. The CAS Parley with NAF veterans serves as a platform to reconnect with the veterans, demonstrate its appreciation for their service, and provide support for their welfare. The event is being held simultaneously in all NAF units and formations across the country, he said The Chairman of the Association of NAF veterans in the state, Yusuf Usman, commended the CAS for prioritizing the welfare of both serving and retired officers. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by retired air force personnel from the Kaduna area. It featured free medical services, lectures on health and financial concerns and interactive sessions. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nuhu Yaqub, a former vice-chancellor of the University of Abuja, has died. Mr Yaqub, a professor, reportedly passed on on Saturday at a private hospital in Abuja after a brief illness. The late university teacher, also a former vice-chancellor of Sokoto State University, born in Okene, Kogi, on 3 March 1951, was in Okene 10 days ago to deliver a keynote address at a lecture organised by De Noble Club 10 Kogi Central. At the time of his passing, he was the chairperson of the Academic Advisory Board of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies(NILDS). NILDS DG mourns loss The Director-General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Abubakar Sulaiman, has described the death of Mr Yaqub as a great loss to Nigeria. Mr Sulaiman, a professor, said in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday that Yaqubs demise was shocking and devastating. The director-general said that the late academic was a renowned scholar who played a pivotal role in advancing education and research in Nigeria. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Yaqubs dedication and expertise have left an indelible mark on the intellectual development of the nation, influencing countless students and policymakers, he said. The director-general lamented that the highly accomplished scholar and political scientist exited the stage at a time when his vast experience and knowledge would have been invaluable. Mr Sulaiman, who said Yaqubs death was a personal loss to him, added that Kogi State had lost an illustrious son. He extended his condolences to Yaqubs wife, children and family, the government and people of Kogi, academic institutions and university communities across the country. The director-general prayed to God to grant the deceased eternal rest in Aljanat Firdaus and give his family, colleagues and everyone mourning him the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has again defended the removal of petrol subsidy by his administration, saying the initiative was necessary. Mr Tinubu spoke on Saturday during his official visit to Enugu State where he commissioned some projects executed by the state governor, Peter Mbah. Nigerians can fight, grumble and abuse me On 29 May 2023, Mr Tinubu, in his inaugural address, announced the removal of petrol subsidy to lift a major financial burden off the back of the government. The decision led to an increase in petrol price which immediately triggered an astronomical rise in transportation fares and prices of goods and services in the country, causing unprecedented economic hardship. But speaking in Enugu on Saturday, Mr Tinubu insisted that the petrol subsidy removal was necessary despite abuses and grumblings by Nigerians against him. You are all members of one big, huge family called Nigeria but living in different rooms in the same house. This house, we must build it. Build it to satisfy our immediate need, which is not going to be enough yet but for tomorrow too. That is why the removal of the petrol subsidy was necessary, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Continuing, the president said: You cannot spend the future of generations yet unborn in advance. Dont bankrupt the nation before they are born. I know people will fight, grumble, and abuse me, and everything, but I asked for the job. I know what it takes. I believe in myself, and I believe I can gather a very good team and build a nation. Praise for Peter Mbah Mr Tinubu praised Mr Mbah for his development strides in the state, particularly stimulating economic development and security. He is doing a fantastic job, he said. I salute Peter Mbah for his commitment to development. You are doing well and very focused, the president added. The president asked residents of the state to continue to support the governor in delivering democracy dividends. Please, continue to cooperate and collaborate with your son, brother and friend here, Mbah, who is really committed to push the development of Enugu State and be a good symbol of South-eastern states, he stated. Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Tinubu commissioned several projects completed by Governor Mbah during the visit. Some of the projects commissioned by the president were the 30 completed and equipped Enugu Smart Green Schools out of 260 under construction across the 260 wards in the state, 60 completed and equipped Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres out of the 260 under construction across the 260 wards in the state. Others included multi-auditorium and multi-functional Enugu International Conference Centre, 90 completed urban roads in Enugu City, and a state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre as well as 150 patrol vehicles fitted with AI-embedded surveillance cameras. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian authorities announced Sunday that preparations for the African Heads of State Energy Summit, scheduled for Jan. 27-28, are well underway. The summit, also known as the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit, is a landmark event aimed at accelerating energy access across the continent. Noel Kaganda, director of the Department of Multilateral Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, told editors and journalists in Dar es Salaam that Tanzania has co-organized the summit, which will bring together over 1,500 delegates, including representatives from the African Union, the African Development Bank Group, and the World Bank Group. Kaganda highlighted the summit as a platform for governments, private sector leaders, development partners, and civil society to advance the goal of providing electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030. Innocent Luoga, commissioner for electricity and renewable energy in the Ministry of Energy, said 14 pilot African countries are expected to endorse the Africa Energy Compact, an initiative to achieve universal energy access by 2030. These nations collectively account for 52 percent of the global population without electricity and a quarter of the world's population lacking access to clean cooking solutions. Gerson Msigwa, Tanzania's chief government spokesperson, said the country is ramping up electricity generation, citing the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Project (JNHP) as a key initiative. Currently, the JNHP is generating 1,410 megawatts from six turbines. Upon project completion later this year, it is expected to generate 2,115 megawatts, significantly boosting Tanzania's energy capacity. Msigwa added that projects utilizing alternative energy sources, including geothermal, solar, and wind power, are expected to contribute an additional 1,100 megawatts. Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a wanted drug kingpin and Lagos socialite, 61-year-old Aishat Elediye, over illicit drug shipment. The details of the arrest were contained in a statement by the agencys Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Babafemi said the suspect was arrested on 1 Jan in her mansion in the Okota area of Lagos following the interception of a truckload of illicit drug consignment from her staff. Mr Babafemi said the suspect, known as Iya Ruka in the drug world and Alhaja Elediye in the social circle, has had her true identity shrouded in mystery for years. This, he said, was while she remained on the wanted list of NDLEA for leading one of the drug cartels operating in the Mushin area of Lagos. According to him, the lid was, however, blown off her invincibility when NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a truck carrying 44 jumbo sacks containing 1,540 kilograms of imported hemp. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Babafemi said that the truck was driven by one of her staff, 41-year-old Abideen Adio. The operatives, thereafter, stormed her hideout at 33 Adebayo Oyewole Street, off Ago Palace Way, Okota, where they arrested her. On the surface, the suspect is a businesswoman who imports fabrics and shoes from China, but beneath is a massive illicit drug trade. She is also recognised as the Iyalaje of Blessing Sisters, an influential club of society women in Lagos. Mr Babafemi disclosed that In another significant operation, NDLEA officers on 27 Dec 2024 arrested a US-trained Hollywood and Nollywood filmmaker, Eme Mbadiwe, for drug trafficking in Lagos. Mr Babafemi said the suspect, also a motivational speaker, was nabbed at his Lekki Hotel room. According to him, the arrest followed the arrest of his partner, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu, earlier on the same day at a warehouse in Ajao estate Ikeja. He said that Mr Mbadiwe sent Mr Ugochukwu to collect a shipment of 33 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 17.30 kilograms. He said the drugs arrived at the Import Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja on 24 Dec 2024 from the United States on a Delta Airline flight, concealed in large wooden boxes. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Gunmen have killed the Katsina State Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeder Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Surajo Leader, and two others in Kusada Local Government Area of the state. The incident occurred on Saturday night when the gunmen invaded the Mai Rana community in Kusada LGA. Sources revealed that the gunmen also abducted two of the deceased wives and his daughter, an undergraduate student. The deceased has since been buried in accordance with Islamic rites amidst apprehension in the area. The Katsina Police Command spokesperson, Abubakar Aliyu, who confirmed the incident, said that police operatives responded and engaged the gunmen in a shootout. He said that the gunmen were forced to flee, leaving one of their operational vehicles and one of the abducted wives. Mr Aliyu, an assistant superintendent of police, said that efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining victims and arrest the gunmen. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He urged the public to assist the police with any credible information on the whereabouts of the fleeing criminals. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Saudi Arabia has released three Nigerians who were earlier arrested and prosecuted in the country. In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the acting spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the release followed high-level diplomatic engagement between the Nigerian government and Saudi authorities. The three Nigerians, namely Hadiza Abba, Fatima Malah and Fatima Gamboi, were arrested for alleged possession of a substance suspected to be cocaine while on pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. According to the statement, they were arrested and prosecuted on 5 March 2024 at Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Azeez International Airport in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and released after spending 10 months in detention. The statement said, The arrest of the three women was a result of the earlier arrest of two Nigerian nationals who were found in possession of 80 capsules of Cocaine weighing 900.28 gm and 70 capsules of Cocaine weighing 789.5gm, respectively. The women were detained by the Saudi authorities on suspicion of being accomplices and abating the trafficking of the banned substance found on the aforementioned arrested Nigerians. The Ministry wishes to recall that the trios arrest attracted much attention in Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Their successful release was achieved after prolonged diplomatic and legal engagements, which culminated in their discharge and acquittal, as well as subsequent handover to the Consulate-General of Nigeria in Jedda. The ladies were received by Amb. Muazam Nayaya, Consul-General of Nigeria in Jeddah, is currently awaiting relevant immigration processes for their return to Nigeria to reunite with their families, the statement quoted Ebienfa as saying. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Monday, January 6, for Accra, the capital of the Republic of Ghana, to attend the inauguration of President-elect John Dramani Mahama on January 7. Mr Mahama, who served as the 12th president of Ghana between 2011 and 2017, was reelected in December 2024. He will succeed President Nana Akuffo-Addo (2017-2025). President Tinubus trip to Accra is at the invitation of the president-elect, who had visited the Nigerian leader earlier in December. Mr Mahama and President Tinubu have a longstanding personal relationship, just like Nigeria and Ghana maintain a longstanding bilateral relationship. President Tinubu, as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, will join other African leaders at the ceremony. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and other senior government officials will accompany President Tinubu on the trip. Bayo Onanuga Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) January 5, 2025 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested an ex-convict, Eniola Sodade, for passport racketeering at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Babafemi said the suspect had earlier been arrested by operatives of the Tincan Command, Lagos, in June 2024, for drug trafficking. He said the suspect, who was again arrested by officers of MMIA strategic command of the agency, had earlier been prosecuted and sentenced to four years in prison. He also said that when he was convicted by a Federal High Court in Lagos on 14 June 2024, the trial judge gave him an option of paying N750,000 fine, which he paid and was let go. However, in series of operations in December 2024, the NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the Lagos airport, intercepted no fewer than 52 passports of different countries. These were recovered from shipments going to Canada, Russia and other countries and were concealed in shoe soles and food items. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Further investigations led to the arrest of four members of three syndicates involved in the racket. The arrested suspects include: the ex-convict which is Eniola Sodade, while others are Saheed Awwal, Salaudeen Afeez and Adebayo Bamigbade. Both the exhibits and the suspects were on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024 handed over to the Zonal Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), in Lagos for further investigation and possible prosecution, he said. Meanwhile, not less than 316,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from two containers by NDLEA officers at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State. This, he said, was during a joint examination of the shipments with officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other security agencies on Tuesday, 31 December. The seizure followed credible intelligence processed by the Port Harcourt Port command of the agency, he stated. Also, in Kano, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, 31 December, raided Mafarki, Dan Dishe area of Dala local government area, where they recovered 149,090 pills of tramadol and exol-5 from a local dealer, 45-year-old Ismail Muhammad. Again, in Kwara, a fresh graduate, Khadijat Abdulraheem, 24, and a 20-year-old student of the University of Ilorin, Ayomide Morakinyo, were on Sunday, 29 December, arrested by NDLEA operatives at Tanke-University road, Oke Odo, Ilorin. Mr Babafemi said that their arrest was based on credible intelligence that they were producing and selling drug-laced cupcakes to students in the community. When their apartment was searched, 42 pieces of drug-laced cakes were recovered, he stated. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The police in Ebonyi State, Nigerias South-east, have arrested 17 suspects who allegedly burnt a man to death over alleged witchcraft. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson of the Force Headquarters, Abuja, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday. He said the incident happened on 3 January in Enohia Itim village, Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Mr Adejobi, who identified the victim as Uromchi Okorocha, said the police operatives arrested the 17 suspects in the community for the alleged murder of Mr Okorocha. The spokesperson said local youths accused the victim of being involved in the killing of several people through witchcraft powers. The suspects had mobilised and apprehended the deceased, but instead of handing him over to legal authorities and committing to the rule of law, they decided to take laws into their hands, becoming judge, jury and executioner. The police operatives of the Uwanna Division mobilised tactical teams to the scene on a rescue mission, but the angry mob had already killed and burned Mr Okorocha before the arrival of the police team, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Adejobi said the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has condemned the act of jungle justice. He urged citizens to desist from taking laws into their own hands and report any suspected criminal activities to the nearest police division or formation around them. The efforts of the police are constant reaffirmations of the dedication to bring to book perpetrators of heinous acts of crime in our societies. The inspector general of police once again reiterates the unwavering commitment of the Force to public safety and justice for victims of violent crimes. Citizens are encouraged to engage with security agencies, providing any information that may assist in the ultimate goal of creating a utopian society for all. The Nigeria Police Force remains ever committed to ensuring a safe environment for everyone, he said. Witchcraft killings have remained one of the dominant social issues in southern Nigeria, with people in poor communities often attributing misfortunes such as illness, job loss, and death to witchcraft powers. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Gods strength is made perfect in weakness. Jesus taught us to pray: Thy will be done. Thy will be done prayers are prayers for the grace of God. Therefore, we need to tell God again and again: Thy will be done in my life. Your will is the best for me. As long as it is Your will, I am satisfied. The throne established to address our needs is the throne of grace. It is not the throne of deliverance but of grace. Thank God for the blood of Jesus through which we come: Boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16). Pauls Thorn There was a thorn in Pauls flesh. That thorn was not of God but of Satan. Nevertheless, that which was of Satan served the good purposes of God. That thorn was inconvenient for Paul. But it was for his benefit. We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28). What the devil thought for evil, God overruled for good. This is the 50:20 rule enunciated by Joseph concerning his evil brothers: Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later As for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.(Genesis 50:20). Thus, our troubles often turn out to be prefaces for blessings. Troubles are sometimes sent to teach us to pray. Anything that makes us call upon the name of the Lord is a blessing in disguise. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (2 Corinthians 4:17). Our troubles are making ways for us. Our troubles are mountains that must be made low. Who are you, O great mountain, before the people of God you must become a plain in Jesus Name. Paul, in his ignorance, assuming that what is bad is bad for him, prayed that the Lord would remove the thorn in his flesh. But it was in the interest of Paul for the thorn to be there, for the Lord knew that the abundance of revelations He had given to Paul would go to his head. In short, Paul prayed fervently against his own interest because he did not know what he should pray for as he ought to. Instead of praying that the thorn in his flesh be removed, Paul should have prayed for the grace to bear the inconvenience of the thorn. How often do we ask for things according to the flesh instead of according to the spirit? How often do we ask the Lord to remove what is for our benefit instead of asking for the grace to go through His refining process? Tell God: Let me gather up the fragments of my life, that nothing be lost. (John 6:12). Let me not reject what You have in store for me. Prepare me for the great things You have planned for me. Let every valley be exalted. Every mountain and hill be made low. Let the crooked places be made straight. Let me see the glory of God. Let me see the kindness of God. Let me see His lovingkindness, His compassion, and His mercy. The reproaches of our enemies often help to hide pride from us. When we get a particular blessing, we need another blessing to preserve it. That is why the blessing of the Lord makes one rich and He adds no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22). Gods response to Pauls prayer shows that though God always accepts the prayer of faith, He does not always answer according to what we want. God answers prayer in the spirit of the prayer and not in the letter. What God sometimes gives in wrath He often denies in love. Sufficient Grace Jesus told Paul: My grace is sufficient for you. What is this grace that is sufficient in our adversity and tribulations? Grace is the love, mercy and goodwill of God towards us. The knowledge of this is often sufficient to enable us to bear and endure any and everything because we know that God is aware of what we are going through and that He will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear. Therefore, let us thank God for this assurance: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13). Let us thank God that the grace of God is for all seasons Let us thank Him for His enabling grace. This means we are often called to occupy positions for which we are not qualified. Peter was a fisherman. That was his area of specialisation. But Jesus did not call him to be a fisher of fishes. He called him to be a fisher of men. Looking at the tasks of an apostle, Paul asks: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? (2 Corinthians 2:16). Christ is our sufficiency. Our sufficiency is of God. Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? (Exodus 3:11). You were a nobody but God has made you somebody. You are not able but God will enable you. There are only 200 of you but God will use the few to defeat a great army. Nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few. (1 Samuel 14:6). Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. (Exodus 4:10). Thank God that even though you are not qualified, nevertheless you are called. Look at Paul. A proud man; opinionated; and a murderer. Nevertheless, called to be an apostle by the will of God. He was a bad preacher, unlike Apollos. Nevertheless, he was called. He says: Last of all (Jesus) was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:8-9). Nevertheless, God qualified him. Promise of Grace The grace of God can be something of a promissory note. God says, in effect, I will deliver you from this problem but not today. In the meantime, I am assuring you that this problem will not be allowed to overwhelm you. Thank God for this assurance. God says: Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10). Thank God that Gods strength is made perfect in weakness. The weaker the instrument God uses, the more prominently His power is seen and acknowledged. Thus, it is out of the mouth of babes and suckling that God has ordained strength. This is that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of man. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. (Ephesians 3:10). But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. (Isaiah 43:1-2). Why must I pass through the waters? Why must I walk through the fire? You will understand later. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simons son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, Lord, are You washing my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this. (John 13:2-7). Faribisala@yahoo.com; www.femiaribisala.com Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print No doubt, the We Listen, We Dont Judge trend has taught us two things we should hold onto dearly. The first is the reality that people are so desperate for spaces to be heard without condemnation. Secondly, society needs to strike a balance between openness and restraint. Especially as we all agree now that there is strength in understanding when to speak and when to remain silent. As we move into a new year, it is essential to channel our energies wisely. Share with purpose, not for clout. I bring you greetings from Lagos. As a street slogan collector, I have many new ones, but my favourite so far is: We Listen, We Dont Judge! Over the years, human communities have significantly transformed in many aspects to suit the times and the needs of their people. We have seen various nuances come up and go on the basis of events, storylines and others seeking to pass a message or, in some cases, just for fun. Even though most nuances are better explained, as trends may have started for fun, it is impossible to dissociate key lessons away from these trends. They can be in the form of words, a specific action, a mode of dressing, signs or based on the peculiarities of the society at that time. Interestingly, social trends in todays world are more than a fleeting phenomenon. They are the heartbeat of our societies and a mirror showing the reflections of our collective desires, fears, and values as a community. These trends, having emerged from the confluence of societal and cultural shifts, technological advancements, and human experience, have shaped how we interact and perceive the world. At their core, we get insights into societal priorities, which lend a voice to movements and values that might otherwise remain silent due to prejudices. From the hashtags that publicise them to the causes and challenges therein, humans have been able to bring their various communities together with these trends, which serve as both catalysts for change and indicators of the state of our humanity. Nigerians, naturally, are used to lining behind hashtags that stand to make big changes in the communities. The publicity and support make these tags trend and gain nationwide adoption. An example is the famous #EndSARS hashtags, #BringBackOurGirls, and many others of diverse natures. In the final quarter of 2024, just as it happens annually, a social media trend that gripped Nigerians with equal parts fascination, excitement and unease emerged. The trend that came under the tag We Listen, We Dont Judge came at a time when the media space was just relaxing from the loads of trends ongoing on TikTok, specifically, and other social media platforms. It came at a time when the nation was wading through the forest of economic crises amidst hunger and untold hardship. For many Nigerians, there were no assurances for a Detty December or Oblee, and then from nowhere out of the creative community of TikTokers came a trend that made Nigerians forget their worries, at least momentarily. It came as the digital confession of our times. Here, people share real-time or anonymous tales of their past actions, which are sometimes uplifting and, other times, downright scandalous. The idea was to pass a message or make revelations without expecting to be dragged online, especially as these trends became popular on Twitter (X), where everyone collects wotowoto. On one end of the spectrum, there were stories of kindness and rare humanity that reminded us of the goodness still alive in our society and at the same time, there were revelations that made jaws drop and made the audience question the decaying moral values in our communities betrayals, malicious revenge, workplace sabotage, and even outright wickedness. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The genesis of We Listen, We Dont Judge is likely tied to our societys harsh judgment culture. We are Africans, and we are quick to import our biases into situations. Just a few days ago, the internet came to life when a popular influencer got the dragging he deserved over an alleged financial anomaly. It turned out to be a prank, as he explained. The quick reactions from netizens showed how fast Nigerians are becoming online savages. Initially, the trend came out as a harmless outlet for self-expression without biases. After all, who does not want a space to vent without the fear of being dragged? However, on deeper reflection, listening without judging revealed something unsettling about us as people in the contemporary world. Perhaps due to the acclaimed wokeness we take pride in. The revelations came in the form of a growing comfort with flaunting moral decadence in the public space under the cloak of anonymity. This boldness begs the question: Have we lost the value of shame, or are we simply living in an era where anything goes as long as its trending? The genesis of We Listen, We Dont Judge is likely tied to our societys harsh culture of judgment. We are Africans, and we are quick to import our biases into situations. Just a few days ago, the internet came to life when a popular influencer got the dragging he deserved over an alleged financial anomaly. It turned out to be a prank, as he explained. The quick reactions from netizens showed how fast Nigerians are becoming online savages. In essence, people are very much tired of being crucified for their mistakes and missteps. Expressing themselves with anonymity offers a chance to share without the fear of a backlash, to exhale deeply and let out those pent-up confessions. But as much as this trend feels liberating, it is equally a dangerous double-edged sword. It is like spilling secrets into the wind without having control over where it lands. For every person who uses the platform to unburden their soul, there are others whose stories glorify lousy behaviour, normalising what should remain unacceptable. If, for a moment, we choose to justify the displays of successes via the means, we should remember that social media, in its entirety, is already filled with hard work pays narratives that border on vanity. The intention might be to inspire, but in a society where envy and bitterness are as common as roadside suya, oversharing your wins can easily backfire. Hence, there is a need to talk about the importance of keeping a concealed mouth. Several old Nigerian adages teach concealment, even though we shy away from them. These adages have served those in the past, and they all serve us equally if we take caution. This is the truth we have been running from. It isnt brilliant that one shares every accomplishment online with the world. Truthfully, success is sweet, and sharing ones journey can motivate others, but there should be a thin line between inspiration and incitement. This is where we need to draw the line. As 2025 begins, let us talk about these trends. For those sharing success stories, adopting a principle of humility and discretion will go a long way in protecting the overall essence of putting the stories out. Your story should be about the lessons learnt, not just the accolades earned. On the other hand, individuals who post past misdeeds should pick cues and shift the focus from airing dirty laundry to showcasing transformation and growth. Stories abound of people whose publicised wins brought them unnecessary trouble: friendships turned sour, families torn apart by envy, or worse, becoming targets for theft or crime, especially at a time when the nation is struggling to keep criminals at bay. Invariably, silence in a society where not everyone wishes you well becomes a virtue and is not only golden. Secrecy, in most cases, is not deceit. It is tantamount to wisdom. It is the understanding that not every part of ones life is for public consumption. Personal wins should be celebrated with those who genuinely care for you. It is better to share lessons and not brag about wins and accomplishments. Putting this into practice requires adopting the pause button strategy. Before anything, ask yourself: What values does your story hold, or are you just feeding the noise? If its the latter, its better to hold your peace. Going back to the confessions. It would be unfair to disparage them outright and label those who make them with names. However, it is important to clarify one or two aspects here. At first, theres nothing wrong with acknowledging ones mistakes. In fact, acknowledging them is a sign of growth. Even at that, confession without accountability is like shouting into a space. It changes nothing and helps no one. When people confess to malicious acts without remorse or a desire to change, it only creates a pattern and becomes performative, passing the wrong ideas to the masses. Worse still, it sets a precedent that it is okay to do wrong if you can laugh about it later. Our society cares about morals and holds specific values in high esteem. As 2025 begins, let us talk about these trends. For those sharing success stories, adopting a principle of humility and discretion will go a long way in protecting the overall essence of putting the stories out. Your story should be about the lessons learnt, not just the accolades earned. On the other hand, individuals who post past misdeeds should pick cues and shift the focus from airing dirty laundry to showcasing transformation and growth. Remember, we are in a digitised world, and the internet does not forget. Most importantly, our societies need more stories of redemption, kindness, and positive vibes and the less romanticising of bad behaviour. These would transform greatly into the values we desire as a community and influence the qualities of positivity we embrace as people. No doubt, the We Listen, We Dont Judge trend has taught us two things we should hold onto dearly. The first is the reality that people are so desperate for spaces to be heard without condemnation. Secondly, society needs to strike a balance between openness and restraint. Especially as we all agree now that there is strength in understanding when to speak and when to remain silent. As we move into a new year, it is essential to channel our energies wisely. Share with purpose, not for clout. Protect your peace and your progress by keeping some things sacred. After all, the loudest achievements often come from the quietest corners. In 2025, may our voices and actions reflect a society that values growth, wisdom, and intentionality. Remember, not every gist dem dey carry for head. Sometimes, the real power lies in silence. Happy 2025! Toyin Falola, a professor of History, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin, is the Bobapitan of Ibadanland. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print FutureMap Foundations work demonstrates that the future isnt a distant concept its being built today. By empowering local talent and driving digital transformation, the Foundation is laying the groundwork for a thriving, inclusive digital economy in Nigeria. Hadeija, with its rich history and emerging tech focus, is proving to be a beacon of hope for rural innovation. As technology continues to emerge and transform lives disruptively, it becomes imperative to recognise the need for intentional inclusivity that bridges the digital divide across rural communities. This approach guarantees improvements in a nations overall digital economy index and enables inclusive growth. It doesnt take a tech bro to grasp this logic beyond access to basic connectivity, rural communities face challenges like limited digital infrastructure, inadequate skills, and insufficient capital to drive tech-enabled entrepreneurship. Without these foundational elements, economic opportunities remain elusive, perpetuating poverty and stifling innovation, remote work, and self-employment opportunities in the digital sector. This digital divide accelerates rural-to-urban migration, triggering broader socio-economic issues such as inequality, unemployment, and exclusion from emerging digital markets. Bridging this gap is not only critical for inclusive development but also for ensuring national economic resilience in a fast-paced digital world. I was therefore excited when Alhaji Yushau Shuaib of PRNigeria and Tech Digest, invited me to accompany him to attend a Workshop of the Future in Hadejia, Jigawa State. Jigawas pioneering role in ICT dates back to initiatives like the Jigawa Informatics Institute (2001), which has trained over 7,000 students. Under leaders like former Governor Saminu Turaki, the state implemented projects like the Galaxy IT and Telecommunications system and the Jigawa Broadband Network, positioning itself as a technological trailblazer. As we journeyed through Northern Nigerias hinterlands in our trusty Kia Sportage, driven by the ever-reliable Mikhail, I couldnt help but reflect on the vast, untapped potential of the region. The scenic drive from Ringim to Taura, Majia, and Gujungu revealed expansive arable land and the unmistakable warmth of northern hospitality. Farmers, herders, artisans, and shop owners went about their crafts in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, amplified by the cool Harmattan breeze. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Amid this serene backdrop, we passed by notable landmarks, including Khadija University in Majia, recently acquired by the Jigawa State Government for N11 billion. This investment underscores Jigawas commitment to educational and technological advancement, a theme that echoed as we approached our destination FutureMap Academy in Hadejia. FutureMap Foundations initiatives reflect its commitment to bridging the rural-urban digital gap. With a state-of-the-art training facility in Hadeija, the Foundation provides a platform for young innovators to explore and apply cutting-edge technology, fostering economic growth and sustainable communities. The academy, modestly nestled along Kilometre Three on Nguru Road, welcomed us with fanfare to the venue of the Workshop of the Future. The event was organised by FutureMap Foundation in collaboration with NITDA, Jigawa State, Huawei, Cosmopolitan University, and Open School Initiative. The energy was palpable as the Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa stepped onto the red carpet to a heros welcome as the Special Guest of Honour. His genuine connection with the community was evident in his interactions, pausing for greetings and photos amidst an excited crowd. Inside the venue, the atmosphere was transformative, a glimpse into the future of technology. The workshops theme, AI for Office Productivity, Design Thinking, Agriculture, Health, Education, Energy, and Climate Change, was aptly represented by visuals of a young man wearing Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, seemingly reaching into the future. At least 317 participants across various sectors attended the workshop. In his keynote address, the NITDA boss emphasised the critical role of technology in reshaping Nigerias economic landscape. Our future lies in harnessing the potential of our youth and local resources. If we fail to embrace technology now, we risk being left behind in the global economy, he stated, highlighting the importance of equipping young Nigerians with digital skills to compete globally. Sessions covered AI applications in office productivity, healthcare, education, energy, agriculture, and climate change, blending theory with practical problem-solving simulations. Panel discussions delved into Jigawas Digital Economy Project, showcasing how AI could modernise agriculture, drive financial inclusion, and streamline governance. Participants tackled real-world challenges in fintech, edutech, agritech, and more, developing actionable solutions through AI-driven approaches. Turning Jigawa into a potential Silicon Valley of Nigeria was the dream of the moderator of the panel, Dr Rislan Abdulazeez Kanya, who is technical adviser to the Jigawa State Governor. He expressed optimism: We have the talent; FutureMap is providing the platform to harness it. FutureMaps efforts align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on decent work, economic growth, innovation, sustainable cities, and partnerships. With partners like Huawei, NITDA, and the Jigawa State Government, the foundation is fostering a robust tech ecosystem. The launch of a fellowship program at FutureMap Academy marks another milestone. Designed to nurture digital innovators and entrepreneurs, the fellowship will provide hands-on training in AI, data science, and software development, preparing Nigerias youth to lead in the digital era. FutureMap Foundations work demonstrates that the future isnt a distant concept its being built today. By empowering local talent and driving digital transformation, the Foundation is laying the groundwork for a thriving, inclusive digital economy in Nigeria. Hadeija, with its rich history and emerging tech focus, is proving to be a beacon of hope for rural innovation. The Workshop of the Future hosted in Jigawa was more than an event; its a movement towards a digitally empowered Nigeria, bridging divides and unlocking opportunities for all. Mohammad Dahiru Lawal is executive secretary, the Network of Advocates for Digital Reporting (NADIR). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The United States and China are undoubtedly the leading forces in AI development, with the US currently holding a slight technological edge. In October 2022, the US implemented export controls to restrict Chinas access to advanced NVIDIA AI chips specialised hardware crucial for accelerating computationally intensive tasks such as deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. This move aimed to hinder Chinas AI progress and reduce competition in AI technology advancement. The release of OpenAIs GPT models, particularly ChatGPT and GPT-3, sent shockwaves across the globe. These systems, with their ability to generate human-like text and perform tasks previously considered the exclusive domain of human intelligence, astounded observers. Prior to ChatGPT, AI was largely confined to narrow applications such as basic chatbots or manufacturing automation. OpenAIs breakthrough, however, revolutionised the AI landscape. ChatGPT, with its ability to engage in conversations, compose essays, write poetry, and even debug code, demonstrates an unprecedented level of fluency and adaptability. Users, initially expecting responses akin to earlier, more rudimentary chatbots, were often left awestruck by the systems insightful and human-like output. Social media platforms quickly became inundated with examples of ChatGPTs prowess within days of its release. Users shared screenshots of its detailed answers, creative writing, and even humorous outputs, often accompanied by comments like Is this real? or I cant believe AI knows this! For many, this was their first encounter with AI that truly seemed to think in a natural and human-like manner. Overnight, individuals with no prior technical background found themselves wielding powerful AI tools. The experience of interacting with ChatGPT felt akin to having a personal genius assistant, empowering users with newfound capabilities. The subsequent release of GPT-4, with its multimodal capabilities (processing both text and images) and enhanced features inherited from its predecessors, further solidified the perception of having reached the pinnacle of AI advancement. It was, therefore, unsurprising that Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, during its three-day staff retreat at the PRNigeria Centre Kano, announced its commitment to leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies to enhance productivity in 2025. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later In 2024, the organisation integrated AI to improve the efficiency and accuracy of its operations, particularly in in-depth special reports and fact-checking. Mr Yushau Shuaib, Chief of IMPR, emphasised the need for companies in the strategic communication and public relations industry to fully embrace AI solutions. He stressed the importance of combining human intelligence and creativity with AI to enhance staff productivity and maintain a competitive edge in the face of stiff competition among tech giants. It was during this retreat that we delved into the apparent rivalry between the West and the East in the realm of Artificial Intelligence. This discussion was particularly fuelled by the recent launch of DeepSeek-V3 by Chinese tech firms, a groundbreaking AI model that has set a new global benchmark for AI applications, with its affordability, exceptional performance, and open-source development strategies. DeepSeek-V3 has taken the AI community by storm. Its performance surpasses many top-tier AI models, including closed-source AI, challenging the notion that open-source AI could only play a secondary role. DeepSeek-V3 boasts an impressive speed and efficiency, processing information at a blistering 60 tokens per second a threefold increase over its predecessor. The model employs a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture. This architecture comprises multiple neural networks, each optimised for specific tasks. When DeepSeek-V3 receives a prompt, a router intelligently directs the request to the neural network best suited to handle it. Each of these individual neural networks within the MoE structure possesses 34 billion parameters. To illustrate: Imagine a classroom where each student specialises in a different subject, such as mathematics, storytelling, or art. When a problem arises, the teacher (router) determines which student (neural network) is best equipped to address it. This architecture ensures that users receive the most relevant and effective responses. Furthermore, DeepSeek-V3 was trained on a massive dataset of 14.8 trillion tokens. In data science, tokens represent units of raw data, with one million tokens roughly equivalent to 750,000 words. This translates to the model being trained on an astonishing 11 trillion words. Prior to DeepSeek-V3, GPT-4 held the record for the largest training dataset, with approximately one trillion tokens. Considering GPT-4s impressive performance with that amount of data, one can only imagine the capabilities of DeepSeek-V3. Another remarkable aspect of DeepSeek-V3 is its remarkably low production cost. The company revealed that they spent only $5.5 million to train the model, a figure significantly lower than the costs associated with developing other leading models, such as GPT-4, which reportedly cost over $100 million. Moreover, DeepSeek-V3 outperforms other AI models across various benchmarks and evaluation metrics commonly used to assess AI performance. Reports indicate that DeepSeek-V3, with its 6.71 trillion parameters, surpasses Metas Llama 3.1 and outperforms mainstream closed-source models like GPT-4 in numerous benchmark tests. This achievement not only signifies a breakthrough in Chinese AI technology but also represents a significant innovation in the global AI landscape. The realisation that these powerful features are not only accessible but also entirely free to use is truly extraordinary. It underscores the immense potential that can be unlocked without any financial barriers. The United States and China are undoubtedly the leading forces in AI development, with the US currently holding a slight technological edge. In October 2022, the US implemented export controls to restrict Chinas access to advanced NVIDIA AI chips specialised hardware crucial for accelerating computationally intensive tasks such as deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. This move aimed to hinder Chinas AI progress and reduce competition in AI technology advancement. Despite these restrictions, China has demonstrated its ability to overcome obstacles and achieve groundbreaking innovations. The development of DeepSeek-V3 not only defies expectations but also serves as a potential model for the US in advancing and refining its own domestically-driven AI systems. It exemplifies the adage, What doesnt kill you makes you stronger. The development of DeepSeek-V3 marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of AI technology. It challenges the conventional norms established by previous models like GPT-4 and demonstrates that cutting-edge AI does not have to be prohibitively expensive. DeepSeek-V3 proves that innovation can be achieved while maintaining affordability, setting a new standard for future AI development that emphasises accessibility and affordability. The bar has been raised. Now, it is incumbent upon innovators, researchers, and developers to collaborate, compete, and strive to push the boundaries of AI even further. The future of AI will be shaped by collaboration, healthy competition, and a shared commitment to creating even better and more powerful systems. Together, we can shape the next generation of AI that will define the future. Shuaib S. Agaka, Tech Journalist, writes from PRNigeria Centre Kano. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print JERUSALEM, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning to Hezbollah on Sunday, stating that if the armed group does not withdraw all forces north of the Litani River, Israel will break the ceasefire agreement. The terms of the ceasefire mandate Hezbollah to pull its fighters and weapons north of the Litani River by Jan. 26. By the same date, Israel must fully withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line, the United Nations-demarcated border between Lebanon and Israel, while the Lebanese army is to deploy forces to the area. Speaking on Sunday during a visit to Israel's Northern Command, Katz said Israel remains committed to enforcing the agreement. "Israel seeks to uphold the agreement in Lebanon," he stated. However, he claimed that Hezbollah has not completed the withdrawal of its forces. "If this condition is not met -- there will be no agreement," he said. The ceasefire agreement ended months of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that began in October 2023. However, Israel has continued limited operations, claiming to target Hezbollah militants violating the truce. Lebanon and France have accused Israel of dozens of ceasefire violations, further highlighting the fragile truce. When he wrote in 1968, Ali Mazrui thought that the opening months of the year seemed to guarantee turbulence in Africa. Today, that tendency occurs all year round. Far from becoming less turbulent, Africas January may have infected the remaining months of the year with a turbulent contagion. 57 years ago almost to the month, celebrated Kenya political scientist, Ali Mazrui, observed that for some reason a disproportionate number of the historic acts of violence in Africa since independence have tended to happen in the months of January and February. He had good reason for this. In January 1961, the Belgians and the Americans arranged to hand over to Moise Tshombe in Katanga, Patrice Lumumba, the inconvenient post-colonial Prime Minister of the country now known as the Democratic of the Congo. The following month, the world learnt of the brutal fate that befell Lumumba. The Congo and, indeed, Africa, have both paid a heavy price for those events. Togos first president, Sylvanus Olympio, was killed in January 1963. Two years later, in January 1965, Pierre Ngendandumwe, Burundis Prime Minister, was assassinated. In the year before the assassination of Ngendandumwe, meanwhile, Ugandan, John Okello, led overthrow of Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah in the very bloody Zanzibar Revolution. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) would later record with clinical economy that the effect of the revolution was that the Arab regime of Zanzibar vanished in a single day as its leaders fled, died or were interned. The year after the assassination in Burundi, it was the turn of Nigerias Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa together with the regional premiers in the Northern and Western regions. The following month, Ghanas Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown while on his way to see Mao Tse Tung in Beijing, China. Professor Mazrui never did manage a dispositive answer to his question as to whether there is any special reason why the opening months of January and February from year to year should have had such a disproportionate share of Africas great acts of turbulence? Instead, he offered a telling insight, arguing that these events were the fallouts of the search for two forms of legitimacy essential to the trajectory of Africa after the colonial experience. One was the legitimacy of the state and the other was the legitimacy of regimes or of rulers. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Nearly six decades later, these twin problems of state and regime legitimacy continue to afflict African countries but the ways in which different countries now respond to them have arguably made our collective African Januaries a little more interesting. In many countries, elections rather than assassinations have become the chosen path. In 2024, the people defenestrated ruling parties in Botswana, Ghana, Senegal, and even South Africa. Namibias ruling party edged a contest that produced the countrys first female president in an act of political survival for the ruling SWAPO that may just have postponed its day of electoral reckoning. The model of judicial overthrow of the popular will and its replacement with judges as the only eligible voters is, of course, an exclusively Nigerian invention. The politicians who control Nigerias Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are quick to intone Go to court at the end of every rigged election, secure in the knowledge that they have also rigged the courts and have many of the judges safely locked away inside their bedrooms. Some of the elections during the year, of course, re-enacted familiar scenes from a discredited part in Africas history. Tunisias election in October 2024 arranged to re-select law professor and incumbent president, Kais Saied, with 90.7 per cent of the votes cast. It was like a scene from the period before the Arab Spring. Since the turn of the millennium, however, many of Africas elections have been increasingly decided by judges, not voters. In the latest example, in Mozambique, the ruling FRELIMO party procured a judicial validation of an election widely seen as heavily rigged in its favour. A country already ravaged by a murderous insurgency in its northern region of Cabo Delgado and a destructive cyclone must now live with self-inflicted ungovernability. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), in power since independence in 1966, made a different choice when the people rejected it. Judicial involvement in elections is not without high risk to the judges involved or to political stability. To deliver their judgment nullifying the rigged presidential election in 2020, the Malawi Defence Forces arranged to clothe all five judges of the Constitutional Court of Malawi who sat on the case with bullet-proof vests. In the same year, by contrast, the ruling party in Mali chose to steal through the courts 31 seats won by the opposition in parliament. The result was an uprising that led first to the dissolution of the Constitutional Court, and later the overthrow of the government in a military coup. Ghanas 2024 election was the first in nearly one-and-a-half decades not to end up in the courts. The candidate of the ruling party and incumbent Vice-President, Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded the race long before a far-from-credible electoral commission had got around to announcing any results. Ahead of the election, the opposition had made it clear that they would not contemplate going to court if they were denied victory. In his concession, Bawumia saved the country from what would have been an assured date with instability. Judges do not always wait until after the ballot to weigh in with their own votes. In Burundi in 2015, President Pierre Nkurunziza was determined to run for a third term, even though it seemed clear that he was constitutionally barred from doing so. The case ended up before the Constitutional Court where the judges initially decided to uphold term limits barring the president from running for a third term. Under pressure from a barrage of very personalised presidential threats, the Vice-President of the Constitutional Court, Sylvere Nimpagaritse, fled into exile and the remaining judges then changed their decision in Nkurunzizas favour. The model of judicial overthrow of the popular will and its replacement with judges as the only eligible voters is, of course, an exclusively Nigerian invention. The politicians who control Nigerias Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are quick to intone Go to court at the end of every rigged election, secure in the knowledge that they have also rigged the courts and have many of the judges safely locked away inside their bedrooms. In the 2023 election cycle, over 81 per cent of the seats contested ended up being decided by the judges. This business model of managing elections is bad both for democracy and for independence of the judiciary. In 2025, Nigeria will enter the foothills of another major election cycle. With all the political parties all but defanged, the main theatre of activity will be the judiciary. In Imo State, for instance, where the National Judicial Council (NJC) has removed the Chief Judge for falsifying her age, the State Governor has chosen not to designate any replacement because, ostensibly, he does not find the options available politically palatable. First, it denies citizens the right to decide who governs them or on what platform. Second, the way in which judges achieve this result is not much different from the toppling of elective government by soldiers with guns. The only difference when the judges do it is that they deploy the artifice of law, when in fact what they seek to do is to replace legality with corrupt whim. Third, the depth of judicial involvement in elections in Nigeria makes the judiciary a plaything of the politicians who have every incentive to capture and corrupt it. Fourth, this creates an internal market in judicial business that casualises all but political cases where the judges involved increase their chances of trading in judicial power and legitimacy for cash or powerful networks at the hands of politically exposed litigants. In 2025, Nigeria will enter the foothills of another major election cycle. With all the political parties all but defanged, the main theatre of activity will be the judiciary. In Imo State, for instance, where the National Judicial Council (NJC) has removed the Chief Judge for falsifying her age, the State Governor has chosen not to designate any replacement because, ostensibly, he does not find the options available politically palatable. In the elections in Tanzania this year and in Uganda at the end of the year, judges will be very active persecuting regime opponents. In Nigeria, that is already routine even before the electoral gong tolls. The upshot is almost assuredly to guarantee uncertainty instead of ending it. When he wrote in 1968, Ali Mazrui thought that the opening months of the year seemed to guarantee turbulence in Africa. Today, that tendency occurs all year round. Far from becoming less turbulent, Africas January may have infected the remaining months of the year with a turbulent contagion. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer, teaches at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and can be reached through chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Addressing this subject of leadership, I am going to be using my country Nigeria as a case study for several reasons: Because that is where I come from and I am more familiar with it than any other country. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa therefore whatever affects Nigeria affects all of Africa. It has become a proverb all over the world how bad leadership is ruining Nigeria. Ever since I was a young teenager growing up in Africa, I kept hearing continuously almost like a mantra that our only problem in Nigeria is leadership or that our biggest problem in Nigeria is leadership etc. Books have been written about this, seminars are unending on this topic, symposiums, colloquia, all kinds of platforms and avenues where various experts, teachers, writers, professors, have tried to foster solutions to this all abiding problem of leadership in Nigeria and Africa. To the man on the street however, who does not go to the symposiums and seminars, he is only left with hope. Hope that one day there would arise a kind and lovely leader who will build a wonderful nation for them, where everyone would be happy and satisfied. For this hope, the ordinary man prays in his church, mosque and even in the secrecy of his home. This hope is what drives him to keep on queuing up in all kinds of weather, in hope of casting his vote. For the hope of this supposedly great and kind leader. As paradoxical as this might sound, this hope has even led some naive and zealous men to stage a number of coups all across Africa. In the hope that just in case from their ranks, might arise that kind and great leader that would build their dreamed paradise for them. The only problem with this kind of mentality, is that it is now close to 55 years since Nigeria and Africa have been hoping and are still hoping for a good and kind leader that would bring our nation and continent to the Promised Land. If we are to apply the principle of critical thinking, we would see that it is either what we are praying and hoping for is wrong or something is wrong with our nation and continent. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Hypothetically, if this hope and prayers had been correct, there should have been at least a few countries in Africa who should have gotten it right, especially since the time span we are talking about is not 5 or 10 years, but 55 years. 55 years is a lot of time. There should have arisen a lot of opportunities for at least a few African countries to have produced great leaders, who would have built prosperous and great African nations. The fact that this same problem seems to plague all the over 50 countries in Africa, is by itself not a coincidence. With no apparent evidence of remedy, could this be telling us that we are putting our hope in the wrong place? Are we sure leadership is truly our main problem? As a young teenager growing up in Nigeria, there was no chance for me to think outside the box. I automatically found myself thinking as majority of the people in my nation. That our only problem is leadership in Nigeria. Whenever we speak about leadership however, we are not talking about the leadership of schools or less significant government agencies. We mainly refer to politicians or top government officials at the helm of affairs in our nation. I listened to that theorem, that our main problem is leadership so many times, that I never even thought it might not be true. It was automatically assumed to be true by most of the people around me. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 cor. 13:11 However, having lived outside Nigeria for the past 30 years, working with politicians, countries, governments and being a student of national transformation. I now being a consultant and an expert in nation building, national transformation and factors of development and civilization, now think differently. Before I bring out my arguments, permit me to say that there is no doubt about it that leadership has its place in all human endeavor. My friend John Maxwell has popularized the saying Everything rises and falls on leadership I couldnt agree less. However, when it comes to building a nation, even though leadership too is important, but it wont be of overwhelming significance. The role of leadership might be more significant when we are talking of business, company, or smaller units like family, communities, associations, industries, etc. In the above-mentioned people groups, the role of a set man is almost supreme and indispensable. But when it comes to nations, I would like you to take your time to read through my argument in this piece. I appeal to all of you that are reading this, not to be in a hurry to stone me or stop reading. Please dont think I am in some form of error or the other. Let me reinstate here that yes, leadership is important in all human endeavors, but when it comes to nation building, leadership, especially leadership of a single man is not of the significance we have attached to it. To be continued When you are destined for greatness, it shows in everything you do. It becomes you. Greatness becomes you. Lorii Myers, Sunday Adelaja is a Nigerian born leader, transformation strategist, pastor and innovator. He was based in Ukraine. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print When Malam Dikko Umar Radda assumed office as the Governor of Katsina State, the challenges before him were immense. The states economy was floundering under the weight of internal debt, and the security situation was dire, with banditry and violence threatening the lives and livelihoods of its citizens. Undaunted, Governor Radda embarked on a transformative mission, driven by a clear vision and a commitment to restoring prosperity and peace. Today, his administrations efforts are evident in the improved security and socio-economic stability in Katsina State. Tackling Governance and Financial Transparency From the outset, Mr Radda implemented sweeping reforms aimed at strengthening governance and ensuring financial accountability. Recognising the need for prudent fiscal management, he introduced the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system. This initiative streamlined government expenditures, curbed waste, and enhanced transparency, resulting in significant cost savings. Furthermore, he appointed competent professionals to key positions, fostering a culture of accountability and efficiency within the states administrative framework. Prioritising Development Through Fiscal Prudence Governor Radda made a commendable decision to cut down the cost of governance by reducing the recurrent expenditure in the states 2025 budget to an unprecedented 22.82%. This strategic move allowed for the allocation of a remarkable 77.18% of the total budget to capital expenditure, targeting infrastructural deficits across various sectors of the states economy. This bold step reflects his focus on long-term growth and development. Equally impressive is the governors achievement in implementing the 2024 fiscal budget with a cumulative success rate of 69%. This milestone demonstrates his administrations commitment to efficiency and its ability to turn ambitious plans into tangible outcomes that benefit the citizens of Katsina State. A Resolute Stance on Security Security has been Governor Raddas foremost priority. The pervasive banditry and cattle rustling had displaced entire communities, leaving residents in constant fear. Understanding that sustainable development hinges on safety, the governor adopted a multifaceted approach to address these challenges. The Radda administration has strengthened collaboration with traditional security agencies while involving local communities in safeguarding their neighborhoods. This led to the establishment of well-trained and equipped local community watch corps. Operating in vulnerable areas such as Malumfashi, Dandume, Faskari, and Musawa, these corps played a pivotal role in reducing crime. Their dedication, combined with effective government-community collaboration, has significantly restored public trust and stability in the state. Support for Internally Displaced Persons Governor Radda demonstrated empathy and foresight in addressing the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs). To tackle this challenge, he established the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Internally Displaced Persons. This office works tirelessly to provide sustainable resettlement solutions, ensuring that displaced individuals regain their dignity and reintegrate into society as active contributors. His compassionate approach underscores his commitment to prioritising the well-being of every citizen. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Revolutionising Education One of Governor Raddas notable achievements is the substantial reduction in the number of out-of-school children in Katsina State. By anchoring educational reforms in a culture of accountability and inclusivity, he fostered a system that progressively turned challenges into opportunities. His personal involvement in promoting education exemplifies leadership by example, ensuring the states future is rooted in learning and growth. A Legacy of Hope and Transformation The results of Governor Raddas leadership are tangible. Katsina State now enjoys improved security, enabling businesses to thrive and families to live without fear. The local community watch corps, coupled with the revitalized support for IDPs, has empowered citizens and fostered a renewed sense of unity. Families once displaced by violence now engage in socio-economic activities, rebuilding their lives and contributing to the states progress. Mr Raddas strategic fiscal decisions, such as prioritising capital expenditure and achieving an unprecedented budget implementation success rate, reflect his visionary leadership. His tenure has turned Katsina State into a beacon of hope, showcasing the transformative power of governance centered on development, security, and the well-being of its people. Under Raddas stewardship, Katsina has not only survived but thrived, setting an example of what purposeful governance can achieve. Fauziyya Lawal Katsina wrote from Katsina city. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print One person has been confirmed killed, and four others injured in a violent clash between crop farmers and cattle herders in Miga Local Government Area of Jigawa State. Residents said the clash occurred on Friday at the Fulani settlement in Gululu, where the peasant farmers accused the herders of stealing from a provision store last night. The village head of the community, Muhammad Sarkin-Dori, told PREMIUM TIMES that some residents searching for the stolen items traced the footprints of the suspected thieves to a neighbourhood herders settlement. We woke up this morning with a provision shop broken into by suspected thieves. Some residents decided to follow the footprints of the suspected thieves, which led them to the Fulani settlement, where the violent clash occurred. The herders confronted the people with the shots of arrows after seeing them at their settlement. Its not yet clear whether the stolen items were found, but we have appealed for calm and reported the incident to the security agencies, the traditional leader said. Mr Sarkin-Dori said about five injured persons were referred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital after their initial admission to Jahun General Hospital. He said one Dauda Kafinta, who was declared missing during the melee, was later found dead with bow and arrow injuries. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Residents commended the intervention of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Haruna Aliyu, who visited the area and diffused the tense situation. Mr Aliyu, who hails from the area, reportedly appealed for calm and ordered an investigation and police reinforcement to restore law and order. The police spokesperson in the state, Lawan Adam, could not be immediately reached to comment on the incident. His phone number didnt connect on Friday afternoon. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Terrorists invaded Natsini, a community in Argungun Local Government Area of Kebbi State, on Thursday night killing two police officers and rustling nearly 200 cattle. Hamza Shuaibu, a resident of the community, told PREMIUM TIMES that the terrorists arrived late Thursday night and headed to a compound where the cattle were kept. Even though the residents fled on seeing the terrorists, Mr Shuaibu said no civilian was kidnapped or killed. They rather went straight to the compound where more than 200 cattle were kept and took many of them away, Mr Shuaibu said, adding the cattle belong to Lawali Black, a businessman living in Argungu, the headquarters of Argungu LGA. Two police operatives killed in action Nafiu Abubakar, the spokesperson for Kebbi Police Command, told our reporter that two officers lost their lives while exchanging fire with the terrorists. Mr Abubakar, a police superintendent, said the officers were among those deployed to the community to confront the terrorists. The police spokesperson added that the police were after the assailants. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Although Daily Trust blamed the attack on Lakurawa insurgents, the police spokesperson said it was too early to attribute the attack to the group. According to him, the police can only tell the attacks perpetrators if anyone is arrested. Some cattle returned home Mr Shuaibu, who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES over the phone, said some of the rustled cattle returned to Natsini the following morning. About 20 of the cattle returned home on Friday morning, he said, adding that 20 others were left behind that night when the terrorists invaded the compound. This is not the first time terrorists have attacked the area. The Thursday night attack came less than two months after terrorists invaded Mera, also in Argungu LGA, killing 15 locals who tried to stop them from rustling cattle in the community. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Oluwaseun People Foundation (OPF) on Friday distributed food items to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), widows and the elderly in some parts of Osun State, south-west Nigeria. The foundations founder, Oluwaseun Alabi, handed over the food items to the beneficiaries at Iwo, Ede, Irewole, and Isokan Local Government Areas of the state. Mr Alabi, a pastor and philanthropist, said he is committed to supporting vulnerable communities in the state and promised to continue the exercise. He expressed condolences to the families of the victims of stampedes that claimed many lives in Ibadan, Abuja, and Anambra states during distribution of food items. Many Nigerians have been grappling with hardship since removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira by the President Bola Tinubu. However, the federal government has rolled out some measures to cushion the effect of the policies. Some of the initiatives are the increment of the minimum wage from N33,000 to N70,000, release of 200,000 metric tonnes of grains from strategic reserves to households across the 36 states and the FCT and provision of 225,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser, seedlings and other inputs to farmers. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently said the number of Nigerians living in multi-dimensional poverty stood at over 133 million. The figure represents 63 per cent of the nations population. The Deputy Coordinator of the Foundation, Salensile Muideen, said the founder has no political ambition and the food distribution exercise was not attached to any political motive. We started in Iwo and Ayedire two days ago. Yesterday, we were in Ede to distribute palliatives, and today, we are in Irewole Federal Constituency. We are currently in Ikoyi, and this is our second stop here. We will still visit Ikire and Apomu to distribute more palliatives. This is not the first time, and it will not be the last. To God be the glory, our principal, Pastor Oluwaseun Basil Alabi, has been doing exceptionally well. Kudos to him. Its a major step forward for us. Our people are very happy to receive us because it is challenging to give during these tough economic times in Nigeria. If someone can give this much without holding any political position, it speaks volumes about his generosity, he said. On his part, the Secretary of the foundation, Gboyega Bakare, said each package given to the beneficiaries contained rice, garri, noodles, and other food items. We understand that no amount of food items given to an individual can fully satisfy human needs. However, at this moment when things are so expensive in the country, we are at least able to bring some relief to the needy. Each bag contains rice, garri, noodles, and other items. For a family of four or five, it can provide a meal per day. The goal is to offer some relief, Mr Bakare said. The secretary explained that the distribution was done properly to avoid stampede. This years event was particularly significant because we organised the beneficiaries into clusters to avoid the unfortunate incidents of stampedes seen elsewhere. We attended to beneficiaries in batches, gave them tags, and ushered them in. Each person received a bag containing various food items. Afterward, they were seated while the next batch was attended to. This method ensured no one was pushed or made to suffer, he added. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Sun Communities, Inc. (NYSE: SUI) between February 28, 2019 and September 24, 2024, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important February 10, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. So what: If you purchased Sun Communities securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the Sun Communities class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=32347 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. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 10, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants created the false impression that they were presenting a complete and accurate picture of Sun Communities' financial reports and accounting pertaining to Sun Communities' projected revenue outlook and anticipated growth. At no point did defendants state or even allude to the DH Bingham Farms LLC mortgage, signed by Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") Gary Shiffman, or the multiple undisclosed loans CEO Gary Shiffman received, including one from Company Board Member Arthur Weiss. Defendants misled investors by providing the public with materially flawed statements of confidence and growth projections throughout the Class Period, which did not account for these variables. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Sun Communities class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=32347 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. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or 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. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Damascus, Jan 5 : Egypt dispatched a relief plane to Syria's capital Damascus, the first since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government early last month. The EgyptAir civilian plane carried 15 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, including food and medicine, provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. The charge d'affaires of the Egyptian embassy in Damascus received the aid at the airport, the statement added. The aid is part of Egypt's efforts to support the Syrian people, given the two countries' historical ties, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier, Ashhad al-Salibi, chairman of the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, announced that Syria's Damascus International Airport will begin receiving international flights starting Tuesday, Al-Salibi on Saturday told Syria's SANA state news agency that the authorities are in the process of fully rehabilitating the airports in Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo to accommodate international flights. Operations at the airports were suspended following the overthrow of Syria's Bashar al-Assad administration last month. Qatar Airways said on Thursday it will resume flights to Damascus as of Tuesday. The airline announced it will operate three weekly flights to the city, which it described as having "great historical and cultural importance." Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said in a statement that the move underscores the airline's commitment to fostering connectivity and facilitating travel for passengers. Qatar reopened its embassy in Damascus on December 21, 2024, following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government on December 8. The embassy had been closed since 2011, after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. On December 30, the first Qatari direct aid flight arrived at Damascus International Airport. CAIRO, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held phone talks on Saturday with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib, during which they urged a political transition in Syria free from foreign interference. The two ministers emphasized the importance of supporting the will of the Syrian people, preserving Syria's resources, unity, and territorial integrity, as well as the necessity of a purely Syrian-led political transition process "without foreign dictations," said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement. In the phone talks, the two sides also discussed the need for presidential elections in Lebanon, a country that has been without a president since early November 2022 due to political division in the parliament, said the Egyptian ministry. Abdelatty stressed the importance of reaching a national consensus to end the presidential vacuum in Lebanon "without any foreign interference," it said. The phone talks came hours after Egypt dispatched its first relief plane to Syria after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in early December 2024. Istanbul, Jan 5 : Nearly 40,000 Syrians have returned to their homeland from Turkey since the overthrow of Syria's Bashar al-Assad administration on December 8, 2024, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat announced. Bolat made the remarks in an address to reporters during his visit to the Cilvegozu Border Gate in the southeastern Hatay province on Saturday, where he conducted inspections in a buffer zone, Xinhua news agency reported. According to Bolat, 27,941 Syrians had returned home through the three border gates in Hatay since December 9 last year. "When including those recorded at other customs gates, nearly 40,000 returns of Syrians have occurred," he said. Bolat further explained that Syrian refugees in Turkey generally wish to assess the conditions in their home regions before making a return. To support this process, the Turkish Interior Ministry has introduced a new practice, allowing Syrian people to visit their regions temporarily up to three times within six months. Bolat believes it will help accelerate the return process of the refugees. Turkey shares a 900-km borderline with Syria and currently holds millions of Syrian refugees. Meanwhile, Syria's new administration gained full control of multiple border crossings in northern Aleppo province on Saturday, following a meeting between its General Authority for Land and Sea Ports and a Turkish delegation, state-run SANA news agency reported. The meeting addressed the transfer of four key crossings -- Jarabulus, al-Rai, Bab al-Salama, and al-Hammam -- to the new administration, SANA quoted Mazen Aloush, director of relations of the General Authority, as saying. "As of this morning, these crossings are fully managed by the new Syrian government," Aloush said. These crossings had largely been under the control of Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups during the Syrian civil war. The move came as Syria navigates a sensitive political transition following the downfall of the previous government on December 8, 2024. Gaza, Jan 5 : At least 30 Palestinians were killed and some others missing in Israeli airstrikes on various areas of the Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources. Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for the Civil Defence in Gaza, told Xinhua that Israeli aircraft targeted a residential house in the Shuja'iyya neighbourhood east of Gaza City. The Civil Defence teams recovered 11 bodies, including women and children, and rescued several others who were injured, said the spokesman. The Al-Ahli Arab Hospital reported in a press statement that three bodies, including an infant, were sent to the hospital as a result of an Israeli bombing in the Al-Daraj area east of Gaza City, Xinhua news agency reported. Meanwhile, Israeli aircraft targeted a vehicle carrying aid security personnel belonging to a private security company in the Al-Satar Al-Sharqi area in Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip, according to local sources and eyewitnesses. A statement by the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis said that the raid led to the killing of six people and the wounding of several others. Eight others were killed, including a child and a woman, and 20 wounded in raids targeting two houses and a tent west and central Khan Younis, according to the complex's statement. In the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, two women were killed and eight others wounded in an Israeli bombing, according to the Al-Awda Hospital. The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 45,717, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Saturday. Khartoum, Jan 5 : At least eight civilians were killed and 53 others injured in artillery shelling by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Sudanese capital Khartoum and El Fasher city in western Sudan's North Darfur State. "The RSF militia on Saturday continued its systematic shelling against civilians in Karari locality in Omdurman city, north of Khartoum, and Sharq Alneel (East Nile) locality, east of Khartoum, killing 4 civilians and injuring 43 others," Khartoum State's Health Ministry said in a statement. The injured have been transferred to receive treatment at Al-No and Abu Sied Hospitals in Omdurman, and El Ban Jadid Hospital in Sharq Alneel locality, Xinhua news agency reported. Also on Saturday, the 6th Infantry Division of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) said in a statement that four civilians were killed and 10 others injured in a shelling by the RSF on residential neighbourhoods in El Fasher on Friday. The RSF has yet to comment on these incidents. Earlier in December at least 20 civilians were killed and 17 others injured in attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on two displacement camps in El Fasher city in Sudan, a local government official said on Saturday. "Last night (Friday), a RSF militia drone dropped four bombs on Qoz Bena school, a camp hosting hundreds of displaced people in El Fasher, killing 19 civilians and injuring 16 others," Ibrahim Khatir, director-general of North Darfur State's health department said. "This morning, the militia launched artillery shelling on Abu Shouk displacement camp, north of El Fasher, killing a civilian and injuring a girl," he added. The RSF has not issued any comment on the attack on the Abu Zeriga area. On December 4, Sudan's Darfur region governor announced that 20 civilians had been killed in an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in an area in North Darfur State in Sudan. "The RSF committed a massacre in the Abu Zeriga area, south of El Fasher city, killing 20 civilians and injuring 20 others," Governor Minni Arko Minnawi said in a post on his Facebook page. Since May 10, 2024, fierce clashes between the SAF and the RSF have been raging in El Fasher. Sudan has been gripped by a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which claimed at least 29,683 lives and displaced over 14 million people, either inside or outside Sudan, according to the latest estimates by international organisations. Beirut, Jan 5 : The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) accused the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) of destroying its property and a Lebanese army's infrastructure in southern Lebanon. "This morning peacekeepers observed an IDF bulldozer destroying a blue barrel marking the line of withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel in Labbouneh, as well as an observation tower belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces immediately beside a UNIFIL position there," UNIFIL said on social media platform X. "The IDF's deliberate and direct destruction of both clearly identifiable UNIFIL property and infrastructure belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces is a flagrant violation of resolution 1701 and international law," it said. UNIFIL called on all actors to avoid any actions, including the destruction of civilian property and infrastructure, that could jeopardise the cessation of hostilities, Xinhua news agency reported. Also on Saturday, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric said during her visit to Lebanon that "civilians cannot afford for the ceasefire to lapse, plunging them back into heavy fighting that would bring more death and destruction." "Maintaining the ceasefire is essential for families to return home, rebuild their lives, and for humanitarian assistance to reach those in need," Spoljaric was quoted as saying in an ICRC statement. "The scale of destruction and the staggering humanitarian needs in Lebanon could have been significantly mitigated if the parties to the conflict had fully adhered to the rules of war," she said. A ceasefire, brokered by the US and France, went into effect on November 27, 2024, aiming to halt nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The terms of the ceasefire agreement include Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory within 60 days, with the Lebanese army deploying on the Lebanese-Israeli border and in the south, taking over security there, and banning any presence of weapons and militants. Despite the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli army has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon, though at a significantly reduced intensity, with some attacks resulting in casualties. New Delhi, Jan 5 : Delhi is experiencing a severe cold wave, with temperature dropping to 9 degrees Celsius on Sunday. Adding to the frigid conditions, brisk winds blowing at 16 km/h have intensified the cold, leaving residents struggling to stay warm. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert for dense fog during the morning hours, warning of reduced visibility across the city. Smog and shallow fog are expected to linger into the evening and night, further affecting air quality and visibility. The dense fog disrupted daily life in the national capital, particularly for commuters. Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were hit hard, with delays reported for aircraft not equipped with advanced CAT III navigation systems. While the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) reassured travellers that landings and takeoffs were ongoing, it cautioned that non-CAT III-compliant flights might face delays. DIAL advised passengers to stay in touch with their airlines for real-time updates on flight schedules. Railway services were also severely impacted. At New Delhi Railway Station, numerous trains reported significant delays due to near-zero visibility. Meanwhile, road traffic across the city moved at a sluggish pace, as drivers braved the hazardous foggy conditions. Motorists navigated through the thick blanket of fog with extreme caution, but congestion was inevitable in several parts of the capital. The city witnessed unprecedented weather conditions on Saturday, when visibility plunged to zero for an extended nine-hour period, marking the longest stretch of such dense fog this winter season. The IMD has forecast a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 10 degrees Celsius for Sunday, with partly cloudy skies expected during the afternoon and evening. Looking ahead, meteorologists anticipate a fresh Western Disturbance between January 10 and 12, which could bring light rainfall to northwest India, including Delhi. This potential precipitation may offer some relief from the persistent smog but is unlikely to significantly raise temperatures. As Delhi grapples with this harsh weather, residents are advised to stay warm and cautious while travelling, especially during early mornings and late evenings when fog and cold are at their peak. Cairo, Jan 5 : Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held phone talks with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib, during which they urged a political transition in Syria free from foreign interference. The two ministers emphasised the importance of supporting the will of the Syrian people, preserving Syria's resources, unity, and territorial integrity, as well as the necessity of a purely Syrian-led political transition process "without foreign dictations," said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement. In the phone talks, the two sides also discussed the need for presidential elections in Lebanon, a country that has been without a president since early November 2022 due to political division in the parliament, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the Egyptian ministry. Abdelatty stressed the importance of reaching a national consensus to end the presidential vacuum in Lebanon "without any foreign interference," it said. The phone talks came hours after Egypt dispatched its first relief plane to Syria after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in early December 2024. Earlier Egypt dispatched a relief plane to Syria's capital Damascus, the first since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government early last month. The EgyptAir civilian plane carried 15 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, including food and medicine, provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. The charge d'affaires of the Egyptian embassy in Damascus received the aid at the airport, the statement added. The aid is part of Egypt's efforts to support the Syrian people, given the two countries' historical ties. Chennai, Jan 5 : The parents of students appearing for the Tamil Nadu Rural Students Talent Search (TRUST) exam have called for an increase in the scholarship amount provided to beneficiaries. Currently, students who clear the TRUST exam receive a scholarship of Rs 1,000 per year for four consecutive years, until they complete Class 12. The exam, designed to encourage rural students in Class 9 to complete their school education, is limited to those whose parents earn less than Rs one lakh annually. The 2023 TRUST exam, initially scheduled for December 14, was postponed to February 1 due to heavy rain across several districts, according to a notification by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examination (DGE). There has been widespread criticism regarding the meagre Rs 1,000 annual scholarship. Rajarathinam, the father of a Class 9 student, said, "Without proper incentives, students are not motivated to study for the exam. Rs1,000 per year hardly qualifies as a scholarship." Similarly, M.K. Ushakumari from Erode remarked, "Students lack the enthusiasm to write the exam because the annual scholarship of Rs 1,000 is too small." Teachers have also raised concerns about inadequate preparation resources and training for the exam. Palaniappan Rajagopal, a mathematics teacher from a government school in Nagercoil, stated, "While algebra is introduced in Class 8, the exam asks more complex questions. Relying solely on outdated question papers is insufficient." Currently, Tamil-medium students receive outdated PDF reference materials, while English-medium students lack any such support. In addition, many students from low-income families face challenges in accessing smartphones and the Internet for exam preparation. Stakeholders are urging the government to increase the budget allocation for student scholarships. Teachers have pointed out the need for modern study materials, updated syllabi, and special training sessions to better prepare students for the exam. The TRUST exam, introduced in 1991 by the government in collaboration with the School Education Department and Rural Development, aims to support rural students in completing their schooling. The exam covers topics from the Class 8 syllabus but is administered to students from Classes 9 to 12 in government-recognised rural schools. Subjects include mathematics, social studies, mental ability, and science, with a focus on application-based questions to assess reasoning and comprehension skills. During the 2023-24 academic year, scholarships were awarded to 4,130 students who cleared the exam. However, concerns have arisen over a decline in the number of students scoring above 50 marks out of 100 compared to the previous year. While the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) provides Rs 1,000 per month for four years to students from families earning less than Rs 3.5 lakh annually, experts argue that the TRUST programme offers better opportunities tailored specifically for Tamil Nadu's rural students. With an increasing number of parents, teachers, and stakeholders advocating for higher scholarship amounts and better resources, the government is being urged to prioritise reforms in the TRUST exam programme to benefit deserving students across the state. New Delhi, Jan 5 : At least four Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, an official said on Sunday, adding that a jawan also died in action. A head constable of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Sannu Karam, died in the encounter, which broke out on Saturday evening in a forest in south Abujhmaad. The encounter began when a joint team of security personnel was on an anti-Maoist operation, said an official. After the firing stopped, the bodies of four Maoists were found. The security forces recovered automatic weapons, including an AK-47 rifle and a self-loading rifle (SLR) from the spot. A search operation is underway in the area, the officials added. More details were awaited. This comes days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah was in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur, where he addressed a group of surrendered Maoists. The Home Minister promised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government would do everything possible to rehabilitate them. e emphasised the government's commitment to rehabilitating those affected by the violence and urged collective efforts to uproot Maoism from the region. He appealed to them to help encourage other Maoists to surrender as well. Home Minister Shah said that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave him the responsibility of the Home Ministry in 2019, he thought that those who were involved in armed movements should be given a chance to lay down their arms, surrender and live peacefully. He said, "Following our initiatives, 20 peace accords were signed in the northeast and 9,000 militants surrendered." He further said that PM Modi approved 15,000 homes for surrendered Maoists under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana while the National Dairy Development Board would provide at least one cow or buffalo to such families so that they could earn Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month. On the fight against Maoists in Bastar, Shah said, "I am happy that we did a lot in this one year. But killing is not the way forward. Those who are holding weapons need to be brought to the mainstream. Hence, I told the Home Minister of Chhattisgarh (Vijay Sharma) to make the best Naxal rehabilitation policy that can be replicated in the rest of India. This policy will be ready in a few days and will be sent to other states. Based on this policy, we will try to improve the lives of Naxals who surrendered even 10 years ago and will try to strengthen them and their families." More than 200 Maoists were killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh in 2024. Over 800 Maoists were also arrested, while about 802 laid down their arms. New Delhi, Jan 5 : India has achieved a remarkable milestone by reaching 1,000 kilometres in its metro network, solidifying its position as the world's third-largest metro system. This remarkable achievement follows the announcement of new metro projects and the Namo Bharat initiative for Delhi under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The journey of India's metro network, which began in 2002 with the launch of the modern metro by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Delhi, has now reached this nationwide milestone. The transformation and expansion have been unprecedented under PM Modi's leadership, particularly since 2014. In the past decade, the metro network has seen a threefold increase, with an additional 1,000 kilometres added to its length. The number of states with metro services has grown from five to eleven, while the number of cities benefiting from metro connectivity has surged from five to 23. Daily passenger ridership has also witnessed exponential growth, rising from 28 lakh in 2014 to over one crore, reflecting a 2.5 times increase. Furthermore, the total distance travelled by metro trains has tripled, climbing from 86,000 kilometres to an impressive 2.75 lakh kilometres. Under PM Modi's vision, the Centre remains committed to providing seamless, affordable, and modern urban transport to enhance the ease of travel and the quality of life for millions of citizens. As part of these transformative efforts, PM Modi is set to undertake a ride on the Namo Bharat Train from Sahibabad RRTS Station to New Ashok Nagar RRTS Station on Sunday morning. This ride will mark the inauguration of the 13-kilometer stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor. Built at an estimated cost of Rs 4,600 crore, this corridor will significantly enhance regional connectivity between Delhi and Meerut, providing millions with high-speed and comfortable travel options. In addition to the Namo Bharat corridor, PM Modi will inaugurate a 2.8-kilometer stretch of Delhi Metro Phase-IV between Janakpuri and Krishna Park. With an investment of Rs 1,200 crore, this marks the first operational segment of Delhi Metro Phase-IV. Residents of West Delhi, including areas such as Krishna Park, parts of Vikaspuri, and Janakpuri, are set to benefit greatly from this development. PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the 26.5-kilometer Rithala-Kundli section of Delhi Metro Phase-IV. With an estimated cost of a6,230 crore, this new corridor will connect Rithala in Delhi to Nathupur (Kundli) in Haryana. It aims to boost connectivity across North-West Delhi and Haryana, positively impacting key areas such as Rohini, Bawana, Narela, and Kundli. These initiatives mark another leap forward in India's urban infrastructure development, showcasing the government's resolve to create world-class transport systems that cater to the needs of a rapidly growing urban population. Chennai, Jan 5 : With Pongal, Tamil Nadu's biggest festival, set to be celebrated on January 15, the State Transport Corporation will operate 15,000 special buses for travellers heading to their hometowns for the holidays. Chennai, Jan 5 (IANS) With Pongal, Tamil Naduas biggest festival, set to be celebrated on January 15, the State Transport Corporation will operate 15,000 special buses for travellers heading to their hometowns for the holidays. The service will be from January 10 to 13. To curb the exploitation of passengers by omnibus operators charging extra fares, the Tamil Nadu Transport Department has formed 30 inspection teams. These teams will begin statewide inspections this week. In cases of violations, they have been authorised to impose penalties, seize buses, and temporarily revoke permits as punitive measures. Out of the 15,000 special buses planned, 12,000 will run from Chennai to various destinations, supplementing the 2,092 buses that already operate daily. Passengers can board these buses from the termini at Kilambakkam, Koyambedu, and Madhavaram. As the festive season approaches, all trains departing from Chennai to southern districts are fully booked, and bus reservations are rapidly increasing. Officials report that over 75,000 reservations have already been made, with numbers expected to rise significantly starting January 6. Public holidays for Pongal have been declared from January 14 to 16, creating a six-day break, including the weekend on January 18 and 19. A meeting led by Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar on January 6 will finalise plans for the special bus operations, with a formal announcement expected afterwards. Pongal, one of Tamil Naduas most significant festivals, also sees the state government distributing gift hampers to ration cardholders. These hampers typically include dhotis, sarees, and essential items to help families celebrate without financial strain. This yearas gift hamper is expected to include Rs 1,000 in cash, one kilogram of rice, sugar, tamarind, and sugarcane, along with 21 essential festival items. To address inefficiencies in past distributions, the government is considering direct bank transfers for the cash component. If bank transfer challenges arise, funds will be distributed through ration shops as done traditionally. Special tokens will be issued to ration cardholders to avoid overcrowding during the distribution. Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 100 crore for the production of 1.77 crore dhotis and an equal number of sarees. These will be distributed to ration cardholders and beneficiaries under the Old Age Pension Scheme. The government has also decided to use cotton yarn for the 2024-25 production cycle and introduce polyester yarn for the 2025-26 cycle. This initiative benefits 63,000 powerlooms across the state. Compared to last yearas production of one crore dhotis and 1.24 crore sarees, this year will see an increase of 77 lakh dhotis and 53 lakh sarees. JERUSALEM, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli police on Saturday arrested two Israelis who had crossed into Syrian territory by vehicle before being detained by the Israeli army. According to Israel's state-owned Kan TV News, the suspects were apprehended approximately 1.5 km inside Syrian territory while in their vehicle. A police statement said the two individuals were taken into custody for questioning, with any legal actions to be determined based on the findings of the investigation. The police also stressed that approaching areas near the border fence is both prohibited and dangerous, particularly when crossing into Lebanon and Syria. They highlighted that the penalty for illegal border crossing could result in up to four years in prison. Kolkata, Jan 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, greeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her 70th birthday. "On her birthday, I convey my greetings to West Bengal CM Mamata Didi. Praying for her long and healthy life," read a message from the Prime Minister posted on his X handle. A similar birthday wish was extended by Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who chose to extend the greetings in Bengali considering that it is the mother tongue of Mamata Banerjee. "Warm birthday wishes to the founding chairperson TMC, Mamata didi. Wishing you a long and healthy life," Kharrge's post read. For the last few years, the Prime Minister has not missed a single opportunity to wish Mamata Banerjee on this day. Almost every year, the Prime Minister wishes Mamata Banerjee on this day. According to official records, Banerjee was born on January 5, 1955, which, however, is not her "actual" birth date. Banerjee, in her 1995 memoir 'Ekante', has written about her birth, which took place during Durga Puja. The puja is usually held at the end of September or the beginning of October as per the Hindu calendar. Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2011 ending the 34-year Left Front rule and subsequently, her party won in two consecutive state Assembly elections first in 2016 and then in 2021. She is the first woman Chief Minister of West Bengal. As the then-opposition leader in West Bengal, she had organised several protest movements against the then-Left Front government. She was initially associated with Congress, but later broke off to form her own party -- Trinamool Congress. However, in the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2011 state Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress had an alliance with Congress. But, in the 2016 West Benga Assembly polls Congress parted ways with Trinamool and formed an alliance with the Left Front which continued till general elections in 2024. Mumbai, Jan 5 : Actor Ram Charan recently expressed his heartfelt thanks to his uncle, Pawan Kalyan, for always being a source of support and guidance in his life. The actor took to his Instagram to share a heartfelt note, acknowledging Kalyan's unwavering presence and encouragement, which have played a significant role in shaping his journey. Charan shared a picture of himself with Pawan and wrote in the caption, "Dear Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan Garu, as your nephew, as an actor, and as a proud Indian, I immensely respect you. Thank you for always being there for me and supporting me." In the image, Kalyan is seen posing with his arms around the actor. Ram Charan is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film "Game Changer," directed by Shankar Shanmugam. The pre-release event took place in Rajahmundry last night, with Andhra Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister, Pawan Kalyan, gracing the occasion as the chief guest. The event was filled with memorable moments, starting with Ram Charan's grand entry, which was met with thunderous applause and chants from an excited crowd. Pawan Kalyan delivered an inspiring speech, lauding Charan's versatility and unwavering dedication to his craft. Expressing gratitude to his fans, Ram Charan said, "The love and energy you all bring is what motivates me to give my best. Game Changer is not just a filmit's a powerful story that resonates deeply, and I can't wait for you all to witness it." Talking about "Game Changer," the film is an intense political drama that delves into themes of power, leadership, and transformation. It features a stellar cast, including Kiara Advani, Anjali, Srikanth, SJ Suryah, Jayaram, Samuthirakani, Sunil, Brahmanandam, and Rajeev Kanakala. Produced by Dil Raju under Sri Venkateswara Creations, the movie is slated to release on January 10. The film's trailer was revealed on January 2 during a pre-release event in Hyderabad, which was graced by RRR director SS Rajamouli. New Delhi, Jan 5 : The draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) rules aim to safeguard citizens' rights for the protection of their personal data and also address specific challenges like unauthorised commercial use of data and digital harms, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said on Sunday. The rules empower citizens by giving them greater control over their data with provisions for informed consent, the right to erasure and grievance redressal. Parents and guardians are empowered to ensure online safety for their children, the official statement explains. The rules are designed to empower citizens in a rapidly growing digital economy, while achieving the right balance between regulation and innovation, so that the benefits of India's growing innovation ecosystem are available to all citizens and India's digital economy, the statement said. The rules place citizens at the heart of the data protection framework. Data Fiduciaries must provide clear and accessible information about how personal data is processed, enabling informed consent, it added. The statement highlights that India's model strikes a unique balance between fostering innovation and regulation to protect personal data. Unlike restrictive global frameworks, these rules encourage economic growth while prioritizing citizen welfare. Stakeholders view this as a new global template for data governance. The framework envisages lesser compliance burden for smaller businesses and startups. An adequate period would be provided so that all stakeholders, from small enterprises to large corporates, may transition smoothly to achieve compliance with the new law, the statement said. The rules embrace a "digital by design" philosophy. Consent mechanisms, grievance redressal and the functioning of the Data Protection Board are all aimed at ensuring Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business. The Board will function as a digital office, with a digital platform and app to enable citizens to approach it digitally and to have their complaints adjudicated without their physical presence being required, the statement explained. From processing complaints to interacting with Data Fiduciaries, workflows are optimised to ensure speed and transparency. This reflects India's forward-looking approach to governance and builds trust between citizens and Data Fiduciaries, the statement said. It also highlights that graded responsibilities stipulated in the rules cater to startups and MSMEs with lower compliance burden, while Significant Data Fiduciaries have higher obligations. Sector-specific data protection measures can complement the core personal data protection framework created by the Act and the rules. The Data Protection Board's digital office approach would ensure quick and transparent resolution of complaints. The Board is required to take into consideration factors such as the nature and gravity of default, efforts made to mitigate impact, etc., while imposing penalties for defaults. Further, Data Fiduciaries may voluntarily give undertakings at any stage of proceedings, which if accepted by the Board would result in dropping of the same. This balances the need to protect the rights of citizens, while providing a fair adjudicatory framework for those processing personal data, the statement added. The draft rules are based on wide ranging inputs gathered from various stakeholders and study of global best practices. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has invited feedback/comments from the public and stakeholders till February 18 through MyGov platform, in line with the government's commitment to adopt an inclusive approach to law-making. Meanwhile, the government also plans a comprehensive awareness campaign. These initiatives will educate citizens about their rights and responsibilities under the new framework, fostering a culture of data responsibility. IANS sps/na Chennai, Jan 5 : The Tamil Nadu government secretariat and the state police headquarters received hoax bomb threats on Sunday, a day after a similar false threat was issued to Anna University. According to the Greater Chennai Police, an unidentified individual contacted the police control room by phone, issuing a bomb threat targeting the state secretariat and the office of the Director General of Police (DGP). Following the call, the police conducted an immediate inspection, but the threat was found to be a hoax. Sources in the Greater Chennai Police confirmed that a case has been registered and efforts are underway to trace the caller through their phone number. The incident follows a hoax bomb threat received by Anna University on Saturday In that case, an email threatened the presence of explosives on the university premises. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) conducted a search with sniffer dogs, confirming that the threat was false. Police have also registered a case and are investigating to identify the sender of the email. In August 2024, Chennai airport authorities received an email claiming that bombs had been planted on the flight scheduled to carry Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to San Francisco. The email, initially sent to Cochin airport, was forwarded to Chennai airport officials. Although the email did not specify the airline, it mentioned that bombs had been planted on the CMas flight. After thorough security checks, the threat was confirmed to be a hoax. In October 2024, nine educational institutions in Tamil Nadu, including St. Josephas College and Holy Cross College, received hoax bomb threats via email. Following detailed searches by BDDS personnel, all threats were found to be false. Multiple schools and a college in Tiruchy district, such as Mahatma Gandhi Centenary Higher Secondary School and Holy Cross Womenas College, received bomb threats in November 2024. Bomb disposal teams were deployed, but no explosives were found during inspections. Authorities have noted a concerning rise in false bomb threats targeting schools, colleges, and public infrastructure across Tamil Nadu and the rest of the country. Despite the immediate response and deployment of resources, most threats have been proven baseless upon investigation. Police continue to work on tracing the origin of these threats and addressing the growing menace of hoax bomb calls and emails. Seoul, Jan 5 : South Korea's Police again requested two top officials of the presidential security office to appear for questioning for their alleged obstruction of official duties related to the state anti-corruption agency's attempt to detain suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol. Park Chong-jun, chief of the Presidential Security Service (PSS), and Deputy Kim Seong-hoon were booked on suspicion of obstructing special official duties, as PSS officials, along with military members, blocked the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) from executing a warrant to detain Yoon on Friday over his short-lived martial law declaration on December 3, Yonhap news agency reported. After a standoff for about six hours at the presidential residence in Seoul, the CIO halted the attempt to detain Yoon. The joint investigation team requested the two officials to come under probe Saturday, but they refused to do so, saying they cannot leave their position "even for a moment" given the gravity of the situation in providing security for Yoon. In response, the investigation team sent another request to Park to appear for questioning on Tuesday and Kim on Wednesday. The CIO is expected to make another attempt to detain Yoon as early as Sunday, as it has until Monday to execute the detention warrant on charges of insurrection and abuse of power. The agency once again called on acting President Choi Sang-mok to instruct the presidential security team to cooperate on its execution of the detention warrant. The six opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party, demanded punishment for Park over his role in Friday's standoff. In a joint press conference at the National Assembly, the floor leaders of the six parties said Park should be immediately removed from his position and be arrested on charges of obstruction of official duties, concealment of an offender and abuse of power. The parties also accused Park and the rest of the PSS of being accomplices to insurrection. They charged that acting President Choi Sang-mok is also responsible for the standoff and that he must get the PSS to cooperate with the CIO. The opposition parties called on the CIO to execute the arrest warrant "quickly," adding, "There must never be another retreat." New Delhi, Jan 5 : Artificial intelligence (AI) can can help doctors identify patients at risk for suicide, potentially improving prevention efforts in routine medical settings, according to new research. The research, reported in journal JAMA Network Open, compared two approaches automatic pop-up alerts that interrupted the doctor's workflow versus a more passive system that simply displayed risk information in the patient's electronic chart. The team found that the interruptive alerts were far more effective, leading doctors to conduct suicide risk assessments in connection with 42 per cent of screening alerts, compared to just 4 per cent with the passive system. Colin Walsh, associate professor of biomedical informatics, medicine and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University Medical Center said that most people who die by suicide have seen a health care provider in the year before their death, often for reasons unrelated to mental health. The team tested whether their AI system, called the Vanderbilt Suicide Attempt and Ideation Likelihood model (VSAIL), could effectively prompt doctors in three neurology clinics to screen patients for suicide risk during regular clinic visits. "Universal screening isn't practical in every setting. We developed VSAIL to help identify high-risk patients and prompt focused screening conversations," said Walsh. The VSAIL model analyses routine information from electronic health records to calculate a patient's 30-day risk of suicide attempt. The researchers suggested that similar systems could be tested in other medical settings. Health care systems need to balance the effectiveness of interruptive alerts against their potential downsides, Walsh said. These results suggest that automated risk detection combined with well-designed alerts could help us identify more patients who need suicide prevention services, said authors. Studies have shown that 77 per cent of people who die by suicide have contact with primary care providers in the year before their death. IANS na/ Jammu, Jan 5 : At least four people died on Sunday when a vehicle carrying them plunged into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. Officials said a vehicle went out of the driver's control in the Massu Paddar area of Kishtwar district. "The vehicle dropped into a deep gorge after the driver lost control of the wheel. Four people died in this accident. A rescue operation was immediately launched. Two people are reported to be missing after this accident. They are being traced," officials said. Sunday's accident happened a day after four soldiers were killed in a road accident in the Saderkoot Payeen area of Kashmir's Bandipora district. The driver had lost control of the Army vehicle after which the vehicle plunged into a gorge. Doctors at a nearby hospital had first declared two soldiers as brought dead while two others succumbed to critical injuries later. One injured soldier is being treated in the hospital. J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condoled the death of the four soldiers in the Bandipora road accident. The Army, police and security forces have intensified anti-terrorist operations and patrolling in the hinterland and the borders after reports that terrorists are waiting to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir. Security forces have been aggressively carrying out anti-terrorist operations against terrorists, their over-ground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers in order to dismantle the terror ecosystem in the union territory. These operations followed some dastardly attacks carried out by the terrorists after the peaceful and people-participative Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly elections in J&K. Intelligence agencies say that the peaceful conduct of elections witnessed by diplomats of many countries has frustrated the handlers of terror sitting across the border in Pakistan. Intelligence agencies say the terror handlers have directed terrorists to give the dying terrorism its last push in the union territory. New York, Jan 5 : Medical reports worldwide are not written with patients in mind, which increases their overall level of worry as they find test results hard to understand, according to researchers. For example, a standard pathology report is written by a pathologist for a clinical specialist like a surgeon or a cancer doctor or for other pathologists to read, said Cathryn Lapedis, of the Department of Pathology at University of Michigan Health in the US. In a study published in the journal JAMA, Lapedis and her colleagues tested whether people could understand standard pathology reports and whether a patient-centred report might improve patient understanding. A patient-centred pathology report gives important information on the patient's diagnosis in a clear format that minimises medical terminology, she said. For example, a standard pathology report will include a term like prostatic adenocarcinoma, but the patient-centred report will simply call it prostate cancer. The team recruited 2,238 adults, aged 55 to 84, who had a prostate but no history of prostate cancer. Participants were provided with a hypothetical scenario in which they were seeking care due to troubling urinary symptoms, received a biopsy and then would receive results from that test through their patient portal. They were also asked to report their level of worry based on the results. "We found that most people cannot get basic information like whether or not they have prostate cancer from standard pathology reports. For example, in our participants reviewing the standard University report, only 39 per cent could accurately identify that the report showed cancer," said Lapedis. However, 93 per cent of those who received the patient-centred pathology report accurately identified that the report showed prostate cancer. Participants' level of worry was more closely associated with their risk level. The study authors recommend that hospital systems consider including patient-centred pathology reports with standard reports to improve patient understanding. IANS na/ Mumbai, Jan 5 : Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar recently addressed the advice he often receives from people, urging him to limit his film releases to one or two per year. Speaking to the media at the trailer launch event of his upcoming film "Sky Force," the actor shared his thoughts on his work ethic and unwavering dedication to his craft. "This is not the first time this has happened. It has happened before as well," Akshay said, referring to the recurring advice to scale back his workload. "The best part is to keep working hard. A lot of people tell me to do one film a year, or a maximum of two, but I always say, if I can work, why shouldn't I? I have built my entire career on this," he added. The 'Airlift' actor also revealed that some have advised him to stop making content-driven films, but he remains firm in his resolve to continue pursuing such roles. "I don't want to stop. I want to do these kinds of films as well as others. I am very proud that I made the film Sarfira, even though it didn't work." Veer Pahariya is all set to make his Bollywood debut alongside Akshay Kumar in "Sky Force." At the trailer launch event, Veer shared his experience of working alongside the actor. "A week before the shoot, Dinesh sir introduced me to Akshay sir. Akshay sir was so kind and welcoming that he broke the ice in one second. From then on, we became great friends. He became an elder brother to me and guided me throughout, and we worked on scenes in different ways. Maybe we did thirty to forty rehearsals and takes, and he was very kind. I really had a blast working with him," Veer shared. "Sky Force," directed by Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Kapur, also stars Sara Ali Khan as the leading lady. The film is slated to hit theatres on January 24. Patna, Jan 5 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar paid tribute to former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on his birth anniversary on Sunday. Sushil Kumar Modi, who passed away on May 13, 2024, was a close associate of Nitish Kumar and worked with him for many years. Together, they played a significant role in crafting political strategies that solidified the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s presence in Bihar. "I worked with Sushil Kumar Modi for many years. I have come here to pay tribute to him on the occasion of his birthday," Kumar said during the event. The Chief Minister attended a ceremony at Sri Krishna Memorial Hall, where he was received by Sanjay Gupta, president of the Sushil Kumar Modi Memorial Research Institute. CM Nitish Kumar was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Vijay Kumar Sinha, Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, and other prominent leaders. After the event in Patna, CM Nitish Kumar proceeded to Muzaffarpur as part of his Pragati Yatra. The Chief Minister will lay the foundation stone for several new projects and inaugurate the completed ones in the district. The Bihar government had postponed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Pragati Yatra following the passing of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. The Chief Minister's scheduled visits to Muzaffarpur on December 27 and Vaishali on December 28, were postponed earlier as a mark of respect. The Pragati Yatra of Nitish Kumar resumed on Saturday when he visited Gopalganj. There he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various developmental projects, including a new Industrial Training Institute (ITI) College, the Gopalganj to Mirganj bypass road, the renovation of the 32 km Saran embankment, etc. A total of Rs 140 crore projects were either inaugurated or foundation stone was laid in Gopalganj. The yatra underscores the Bihar government's focus on development and connectivity across the state, with the Chief Minister personally overseeing progress and engaging with the public. JERUSALEM, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday that Hamas has not provided a name list of Israeli hostages to be released. "Hamas has not transferred a name list of (Israeli) hostages so far," Netanyahu's office said in a statement, denying previous media reports, which, citing a Hamas official, said the group agreed to release 34 hostages. Meanwhile, Israel's state-owned Kan TV reported on Sunday that Mossad chief David Barnea will travel tomorrow to Qatar to take part in the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks. On Thursday, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement said Palestinian factions need a week to prepare and deliver a list of Israeli hostages for exchange during the first phase of a possible ceasefire deal. New Delhi, Jan 5 : The Union Budget 2025-26 should continue to prioritise employment creation to harness India's demographic dividend and propel economic growth, apex business chamber CII said on Sunday. It highlighted that the Union Budget for FY25 had outlined a series of initiatives to boost employment generation, including the Employment Linked Incentive Scheme. The forthcoming Budget could announce further measures to boost employment generation, the CII statement said. India is now the world's most populous country, boasting 1.45 billion citizens. With a median age of just 29 years, India is also a young country and is set to add 133 million people to its working-age population by 2050. Mass-scale employment generation is important to engage this young population productively, and to drive inclusive growth, CII said. The business chamber has proposed an integrated National Employment Policy, which could subsume under its ambit, the slew of employment-generating schemes currently in works by various Ministries. In addition, the unified policy could also build on the single integrated employment portal -- National Career Service (NCS) -- wherein all the data can flow into this from various Ministries and State Portals. In this context, it is important to look at the development of the Universal Labour Information Management System (ULIMS) under NCS. This would provide information about employment opportunities and projections; job classification; skills demand; and training opportunities aligned with the projections. As part of its wish list for the Budget, CII has proposed a new section in lieu of section 80JJAA to encourage new employment. The new provision should continue as a Chapter VIA deduction from Gross Total Income which is available even if the taxpayer opts for a concessional tax regime. It can be made available to any taxpayer who carries on business or profession and is liable to tax audit. The deduction can be granted for the first three years of new employment with reference to the salary paid in the respective tax year but is subject to a ceiling of Rs 1 lakh per month, the statement said. CII has also sought targeted support for employment-intensive sectors such as construction, tourism, textiles, and low-skilled manufacturing. To boost exports from labour-intensive manufacturing sectors, which will lead to employment generation, tariff structures, and support through programmes like the Production /Employment Linked Schemes, and the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that India is entering, need to be synced, it added. Increasing women's participation in the workforce, which currently is low, can further boost the Indian economy. New initiatives, including the construction of dormitories using CSR funds, the formalization of sectors like the care economy, establishment of government-supported creches in industrial clusters, could be taken to Increase female labour force participation, CII said. According to CII, the government could consider, launching an internship programme in government offices in rural areas, for college-educated youth. This initiative would create short-term employment opportunities in government offices while bridging the gap between education and professional skills. Rolling out Labour Codes while ensuring Social Security coverage to the Gig and Platform workers would further strengthen the employment landscape, the statement added. CII has also urged the Government to consider setting up an International Mobility Authority under the Ministry of External Affairs. This authority could facilitate government-to-government collaborations to help Indian youth tap overseas employment opportunities. The authority could also work with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to help develop skill development programmes aligned with global opportunities. CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said, "Coupled with higher employment, India also needs to ensure that productivity goes up. India's Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR) needs to trend down from its present level of 4.1. The Union Budget could set up an expert committee to study this in greater detail and recommend measures on the way forward." New Delhi, Jan 5 : In a significant boost to Delhi's public transport infrastructure, Chief Minister Atishi on Sunday lauded the launch of key projects aimed at enhancing connectivity and remarked that the national capital is emerging as a global model for sustainable public transport. Speaking to IANS, she highlighted the Delhi government's efforts and investments in making the national capital a model for sustainable and efficient transportation. The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) line, connecting Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar, is part of a broader initiative to integrate the National Capital Region (NCR) with Delhi. This project is a collaborative effort between the central government and the governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the 13-kilometre stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar. The project, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 4,600 crore, marks a significant milestone in regional connectivity, providing Delhi with its first Namo Bharat connectivity. "The Delhi government has invested Rs 1,260 crore in the Delhi-Meerut RRTS line, which is expected to drive economic development in the capital," said CM Atishi. In addition to the RRTS line, two major metro projects are being inaugurated, the extension of the Delhi Metro's Magenta Line from Janakpuri West to Krishna Park and the new phase connecting Rithala to Kundli. Elaborating on these achievements, CM Atishi remarked, "I would like to congratulate the people of Delhi. Today marks the inauguration of the RRTS line in Delhi, a joint initiative by the central and state governments. The RRTS line from Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar is a crucial step towards connecting the NCR region with Delhi." She further emphasised the Delhi government's commitment to expanding metro connectivity: "Over the last 10 years, Delhi has witnessed metro expansion on a war footing. In this period, 200 kilometres of metro lines have been completed, while an additional 250 kilometres are currently under construction. The Delhi government has invested Rs 7,268 crore in the metro over the past decade." Atishi expressed pride in Delhi's emergence as a global model for sustainable public transportation, adding, "I am delighted to see that Delhi is now recognised for its efficient and sustainable public transport systems. It is setting an example not only for the rest of the country but for the entire world." Mumbai, Jan 5 : Actress Rubina Dilaik has shared a glimpse of how she spent her New Years with her family and she said that she welcomed 2025 with 'love, abundance and serenity.' Rubina took to her Instagram, where she shared a string of herself along with her husband Abhinav Shukla and their twin toddler daughters. The actress, Abhinav and their family were in a wellness retreat, where they enjoyed good food, workout for the soul and body. They also enjoyed some quality time with each other and their daughters Edhaa and Jeeva. She captioned the post: "Ringing In 2025 with Love Abundance and Serenity ! The joy we experienced @swastikwellbeing will stay with us forever! The food we savoured specially curated by @chefarvindjoshi has left a sweet taste in our memories to cherish." Talking about the actress, she married her longtime beau Abhinav Shukla, an actor, in 2018. However, when she had entered the controversial reality show "Bigg Boss 14", the two had talked about how they wanted to walk their separate ways. After coming out of the show, the two shared that they are not going their separate ways. In 2023, the couple welcomed twin girls whom they have named Jeeva and Edhaa. On the professional front, Rubina started her work on the small screen with "Chotti Bahu". She then appeared in shows such as "Saas Bina Sasural", "Punar Vivah - Ek Nayi Umeed", "Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev", "Jeannie Aur Juju" and "Shakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki". Rubina had also participated in "Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 12" and "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10". She made her film debut in 2022 with "Ardh" starring Rajpal Yadav and Hiten Tejwani. Coming up next for Rubina is "Laughter Chefs" Season 2. The show will also have names such as Rahul Vaidya, Kashmira Shah, Samarth Jurel, Abhishek Kumar, Bharti Singh, Harpal Singh Sokhi, Sudesh Lahiri, Mannara Chopra and Krushna Abhishek to name a few. New Delhi, Jan 5 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out extensive searches at nine locations in Jharkhand's west Singhbhum district as part of an investigation into the activities of the banned CPI(Maoist). New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out extensive searches at nine locations in Jharkhandas west Singhbhum district as part of an investigation into the activities of the banned CPI(Maoist). The raids were held on Saturday, according to a press release of the NIA. The case revolves around the recovery of substantial cash, communication devices, and other incriminating materials linked to the banned Maoist organisation. During the operation, NIA teams raided the premises of suspects and alleged overground workers (OGWs) of the CPI(Maoist). The searches led to the seizure of various items, including mobile phones, memory cards, SIM cards, and other materials believed to support the outfit's unlawful activities. The case registered as RC-02/2024/NIA/RNC, stems from the recovery of a 20-litre plastic can containing Rs 10,50,000 in cash, a walkie-talkie, a Samsung tablet, a power bank, a radio set, levy collection receipts, gelatin sticks, and other incriminating items. These materials, discovered buried in forest areas between villages Husipi and Rajabhasa in Jharkhand, were unearthed following the disclosure of Rajesh Deogam, an accused in the case. The original case was filed earlier in March 2024 at Tonto Police Station in Chaibasa district against five accused individuals. The NIA took over the investigation in July 2024, uncovering a network of suspects and OGWs allegedly involved in providing logistical support to CPI(Maoist) cadres, including senior leaders, to facilitate their unlawful activities. Saturdayas searches targeted premises linked to these suspects and OGWs as part of the ongoing investigation. The recovered evidence is expected to strengthen the case against those implicated in aiding the outlawed organisation. The NIA is committed to dismantling networks supporting CPI(Maoist) operations in the region, said officials. Further investigations are underway to identify additional individuals involved in these criminal activities. Aizawl/Imphal, Jan 5 : After Manipur, the movement of people living within 10 km on either side of the unfenced international border along Mizoram-Myanmar would be regulated following the directives of the Centre, officials said on Sunday. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) adopted the new scheme replacing the previously suspended Free Movement Regime (FMR), which earlier allowed citizens residing close to both sides of the India-Myanmar border to move 16 km into each other's territory without a passport or visa. A Mizoram Home Department official said that border residents of both India and Bangladesh living within 10 km on either side of the frontier now require a border pass to visit each other and the pass would be valid for a stay of up to seven days. The pass would be issued to the border residents of both countries on submission of government documents confirming that they live within the territorial limit of 10 km on either side of the border, the official said. "State police, health officials and Assam Rifles would monitor the system. A designated officer of the Assam Rifles would issue the passes on the basis of the official documents of the border residents. The pass would be valid for one week for specific purposes such as visiting relatives, tourism, business, medical needs, sports, official duty, border trade affairs, attendance in seminars or conferences and cultural exchange programmes," the official said. Six Mizoram districts -- Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip -- share a 510 km-long unfenced border with Myanmar's Chin state. Meanwhile, the MHA on December 24 in a letter to Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi said that it has introduced a border pass system for Myanmar nationals residing within 10 km of the India-Myanmar border, allowing limited entry into Manipur for specific purposes. Travellers would be required to provide proof of identity and residence, and movement would be strictly regulated within 10 km of the border, the MHA notification said adding that "movement of people from 43 designated crossing points would be granted to holders of 'Border Pass' issued by authorised representatives of Assam Rifles." According to the MHA notification, the Border Pass would be issued only to one adult person aged 18 years or above and persons below the age of 18 years are to be accompanied by their parents. "The entry/exit points would be made functional by the deployment of at least two state police representatives and at least two state health representatives at each entry/exit point for smooth implementation of the system," the MHA notification said. Four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km), and Mizoram (510 km) -- share a 1,643 km unfenced border with Myanmar. The Assam Rifles have been guarding the mountainous and challenging India-Myanmar border. Strongly opposing the MHA's new system of cross-border movement, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an apex body of the majority Meitei community in Manipur, termed the new system as unfortunate and said that it would harm the interest of the state and its people. Describing MHA notification as a threat to Manipur's security and communal harmony, COCOMI Media Coordinator Yumkhaibam Surjit Kumar Khuman accused a section of the central force of "bias". The COCOMI urged the withdrawal of the notification, saying that such measures would compromise the state's integrity. New Delhi, Jan 5 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has intensified its investigation into the human trafficking and cyber slavery network operating in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The agency conducted a search at the Jamia Nagar residence of a recently arrested accused in South Delhi. New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has intensified its investigation into the human trafficking and cyber slavery network operating in the Lao Peopleas Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The agency conducted a search at the Jamia Nagar residence of a recently arrested accused in South Delhi. During the operation on Saturday, the NIA seized multiple digital devices, including mobile phones and tablets, along with incriminating financial documents such as debit cards, passbooks, and chequebooks from various banks. These materials are expected to aid the agency in uncovering further details of the transnational criminal operation. The case revolves around a criminal conspiracy spearheaded by Kamran Haider and his associates, who are accused of trafficking vulnerable Indian youth to the Golden Triangle Region in Lao PDR. These victims were forced into cyber slavery, and coerced to carry out online scams targeting European and American citizens. Preliminary investigations have revealed Kamran Haideras pivotal role in directing the operation. In addition to facilitating the trafficking, he was allegedly involved in extorting money from victims attempting to escape. Haider and his accomplices are suspected of leveraging cryptocurrency wallets to channel these extorted funds, making the financial trail harder to trace. The NIAas recent search is part of its broader effort to dismantle this network, which reportedly operates with the involvement of Chinese scammers. The agency is focused on identifying and prosecuting all individuals connected to this heinous racket. As the investigation progresses, the NIA has emphasised its commitment to ensuring justice for the victims and unravelling the full extent of this transnational criminal conspiracy. Further updates are awaited as the probe deepens. The Laos human trafficking and cyber slavery case involves taking unsuspecting job-seekers to Laos via Bangkok. In Bangkok, they are allegedly left to fend for themselves or independently reach Laos, bearing the travel costs. Once in Laos, the victims are forced into illegal cyber activities by creating fake online profiles using female identities and chatting with people in the US and India. New Delhi, Jan 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Digital India' call provided a timely push to business transactions by encouraging corporates to switch over to online work, use computerisation for speedy delivery and facilitate an outreach to customers that was not so easy to achieve earlier. An ultimate advance of Information Technology symbolised by Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now sweeping the business world in a manner that makes it necessary to administer a word of caution to all concerned against presuming that AI is the quick-time panacea for all their problems - big and small. The important point here is that India on its way to becoming the third largest economy in the world in the foreseeable future, was benefitting a great deal from the strategic initiative of speeding up with "digitisation". This policy flowed right from the top and gave this country a significant competitive advantage in today's globalised world enabling it to move ahead of others in the "knowledge economy". India was a leading power and a storehouse of talent so far as IT was concerned and it will not be presumptuous to conclude that it will guide the world in the area of AI applications, too. These applications will expedite growth, improve efficiency and also take care of the issues of security that 'digitisation' would create for all stakeholders. There cannot be a one-fit for all, however a progressive understanding of the specific needs of an organisation, will go a long way in giving that particular business a competitive advantage. Artificial Intelligence will never replace human jobs completely. It can free human hands of routine tasks that do not bank on creativity, strategic thinking and leadership qualities. A company that makes its employees do their jobs better or "more swiftly" than earlier, is adding to their "efficiency" by improving the output per unit of "time"- time being a recognised "resource" now. This does not necessarily entail laying down any part of the workforce- the new requirement is to make the existing manpower more productive. This is not all that easy to achieve since it calls for deep planning for "customising" the AI applications to the employees' tasks and duties. AI is adopted for creating business value and this has to be done in an innovative and ethical way to win customers' confidence. Human intelligence and imagination are needed while planning for an AI application- it can be said, therefore, that AI is a "product" not a "substitute" for the human mind. AI aims at enhancing operational efficiency and has to be built into the concerned "processes". Its validation takes time and cannot be fixed in a moment. AI applications also get linked to a possible organisational resetting, training regimen and investment of time because they worked for long-term advantage - often altering the decision-making protocols. It is advisable to start with AI applications for small management projects and make them a part of the evolution of the larger organisational growth. It has to be understood that AI lays the path of steady progress and cannot be "ordered" to produce instant results except in the area of 'data analytics' where algorithms can be devised to read the "patterns" for further deductions and "machine learning" introduced to help a certain degree of "automation". AI is important but there is something unnatural about the way every business is feeling pressurised to embrace it like a blind spot for success in terms of achieving an immediate enhancement of "productivity" and "return on investment". When the Information Technology revolution appeared on the scene in 1991, the world transformed from the Industrial Age to the Information Age and a new level of globalisation set in because of instant communications that could be made across geographical frontiers and the advent of a level of competitiveness that had not been encountered earlier. Businesses got new opportunities for reaching out to customers and prospects of diversification, mergers and acquisitions multiplied. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it became possible to analyse a large amount of data that was humanly impossible to examine earlier. Also, "machine learning" could be used for improving "processes" and making transactions cost-effective in terms of time utilisation, which would boost "productivity" and consequently enhance "profitability". There is literally a transformation of the Age of Information into the Age of Intelligence because AI does add to the ability of business houses to have a peep into the future and read the 'risks and opportunities' ahead of others. Analysis of what was available in the public domain always helped to produce "intelligence" that could provide this insight. Analysis is the instrument that allowed for the advantage of human imagination and far-sight to be built into AI applications. Digitisation in general and AI in particular has produced a new socio-economic atmosphere that gave intensive for launching start-ups and innovating "products" and "services". On the other hand, in the strategic sphere, it has allowed "proxy wars" to replace open military attacks- social media emerging as a particularly powerful instrument of combat. Misinformation, "deepfakes" and indoctrination are used for narrative building against a regime. They were affecting people's lives by exposing them to newer kinds of cyber fraud and also creating a new risk profile for businesses. Just as Information Technology fundamentally altered the lifestyle of people, AI is likely to impact the cultural outlook of society- creating new normals for businesses, interpersonal interactions and even social values to an extent. The Information Age had mandated that being well-informed was the key to success in any field and Artificial Intelligence has further added to the importance of being aware of what was happening within the society and also in the world outside. Business-customer relations, peopleas approach to the ruling elite and life in the universities are all impacted by AI offerings. "Writing assistants" are helping the "cost-effective" management of organisations. What has gained in importance is the discipline of accepting and acting only on reliable information. One should not run into the erroneous belief that whatever appeared on the internet is trustworthy. There are both promises and perils associated with AI and this is a sobering thought for all well-informed people. It is interesting to recall that the awardees of the Nobel Prize in Physics this year are two pioneers of Information Technology- John Hopfield of Princeton University and Geoffrey Hinton of the University of Toronto. Hinton warned that AI -which he compared with "another Industrial Revolution" - could produce unforeseen consequences creating a situation where athings could get out of controla. Hopfield was even more forthright in declaring at a university Conclave that "AI could create an apocalypse". Hinton praised GPT4-an AI offering- saying that "if I want to know the answer to anything I would just ask it", but added with a twist that 'I do not totally trust it because it can hallucinate'. AI is subject to the fundamental principle of agarbage in garbage outa that did not apply to human intelligence because the latter could invoke alogica, apower of recalla and aimaginationa which were not available to the former while absorbing information. AI applications are situation-specific, anchored on processes and meant to produce a long-term gain for the organisation. They are used after deep consideration and planning and have a strategic perspective- there is nothing tactical about them. In the times ahead, successful CEOs would be the ones who were well-versed in AI and the personnel working for them would be individuals who had been up-skilled about AI applications- even though they might not be "technologists" themselves. The new-age businesses would be different from the traditional-looking ones in as much as they would be far more competent and aggressive about exploring the aopportunitiesa and averting the arisksa. (The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau) New Delhi, Jan 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a sharp critique of the AAP government in Delhi, calling it an "AAPda government" that lacks vision for the city's progress. Speaking at a mega rally in Rohini ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, the Prime Minister asserted that all significant developmental projects in the national capital have been undertaken by the BJP-led central government. Amid chants of "Delhi mei bahane nahi, badlav chahiye; BJP ki sarkaar chahiye" (Delhi needs change, not excuses; it wants a BJP government), the crowd welcomed the Prime Minister enthusiastically. PM Modi emphasised the importance of the next 25 years for India and Delhi, stating, "The coming 25 years are crucial for India's journey to becoming a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed nation). For India to achieve this, it is vital that Delhi progresses in tandem." He urged the people of Delhi to give the BJP a chance for a brighter future, stressing that only the BJP can bring real development to the capital. Highlighting the BJP's governance record, PM Modi said, "In the last decade, Delhi has experienced a government that is nothing short of an 'AAPda' (disaster). Today, the people of Delhi are demanding change, saying, 'AAPda nahi sahenge; badal ke rahenge' (We wonat tolerate disaster; we will bring change)." PM Modi praised the BJP as a party of good governance and nation-first ideology, citing its successes in states like Odisha, Maharashtra, and the Northeast, and at the Centre. He encouraged BJP workers to connect with Delhi residents and showcase the party's commitment to development, calling this election a "golden opportunity to win the hearts of Delhi." He reiterated his vision of making Delhi one of the world's top cities with world-class facilities. "Last year, the Centre allocated over Rs 75,000 crore for health and development projects in Delhi. We want to make Delhi a capital that reflects India's heritage and pride," he said. The Prime Minister pointed out that Delhi's metro expansion, including the Namo Bharat Train, Delhi Metro Phase-IV's Janakpuri-Krishna Park stretch, and the Rithala-Kundli corridor, are all Centre-driven initiatives. He highlighted the PM Awas Yojana, mentioning the Swabhimaan Apartment in Ashok Nagar as a "Modi ki guarantee" for affordable housing. PM Modi also listed achievements like Bharat Mandapam, Yashobhoomi, Kartavya Path, and the National War Memorial, which have become symbols of pride for Delhi, attributing their creation to the Centre's efforts. He slammed the AAP government for wasting a decade, accusing it of mismanagement in areas like sanitation, public transportation, and law and order. "Delhi suffers whenever these people are in power," he remarked, citing issues in unclean colonies and unsafe conditions. Touching on the recent controversy over the Delhi Chief Minister's residence, referred to as "Sheesh Mahal" by the BJP, PM Modi accused the AAP of prioritising luxuries over public welfare. "When people were struggling during the COVID-19 crisis, they were busy building their 'Sheesh Mahal.' This shows their disregard for Delhi's citizens," he said. The Prime Minister also accused the AAP of not implementing central welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat for political reasons, depriving Delhi residents of crucial benefits. "Intention, decision, loyalty and policy are very important in the politics. However, there is a big question on their intention and loyalty," PM Modi said, adding that top AAP leaders are today accused of several scams. The rally was attended by senior BJP leaders, including Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, MPs Manoj Tiwari, Bansuri Swaraj, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, and Ramesh Bidhuri. Outside the venue, replicas of the Delhi Chief Minister's residence, labelled "Sheesh Mahal," were displayed, highlighting the BJP's criticism of the AAP government. Patna, Jan 5 : On the fourth day of his hunger strike, Prashant Kishor, the chief of the Jan Suraj Party, called upon Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to join the ongoing student movement in Bihar. Kishor expressed his willingness to support the cause from behind the scenes if they chose to lead. "This movement is not about any one individual; it is a fight against the flawed system in Bihar," Kishor said while addressing the media in Patna. "I appeal to all political leaders -- whether it is Tejashwi Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, or anyone else -- to stand with us. If the youth decide that these leaders will lead the movement, I am ready to step back and support them from behind," he said. Kishor emphasized that the fight was a collective effort, not tied to any single political ideology or leader. To strengthen the movement, a 51-member Yuva Satyagraha Committee has been formed by uniting various student groups across Bihar. This committee aims to amplify the voices of the students and ensure their demands are met, as they challenge systemic issues in education, employment, and governance in the state. Prashant Kishor, during his hunger strike, reaffirmed his commitment to the student-led movement in Bihar, stating that the fight would continue regardless of any government action against him. "Even if the administration arrests me, this Satyagraha will persist. The 51-member Yuva Satyagraha Committee will now lead this movement. This committee is dedicated to reforming Bihar's broken system, and I fully support their efforts," Kishor said. He emphasized that the movement has grown beyond addressing issues with the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) and is now focused on overhauling the entire system in the state. Kishor also appealed to the people of Bihar, urging them to actively support the movement. "Sitting under quilts and blankets will not improve Bihar. It is your duty to stand with these young individuals," he stated. He highlighted the resolve and determination of the youth leading the movement, describing it as a powerful force for change. "Our struggle will continue as a youth-led Jan Shakti. No matter how powerful the government is, there is no greater power than the power of the people," he said. Expressing admiration for the dedication of the youth, Kishor said, "The commitment of these young individuals has exceeded my expectations. This fight is not just about the BPSC; it is about improving the system of Bihar. The youth needs to support this struggle." He concluded by inviting the public to join the cause, stating, "We are fighting for the future of Bihar -- not just by sitting in Gandhi Maidan but by walking the path of Satyagraha. I urge you to come forward and support this movement." New Delhi, Jan 5 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Mohammad Sajjad Alam, a key accused in the Popular Front of India (PFI) Phulwarisharif case, from Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, soon after he arrived from Dubai. Alam, a resident of East Champaran district in Bihar, was arrested by an NIA team as he disembarked from his flight on Saturday. The NIA Special Court in Patna had issued an arrest warrant against Alam, a trained cadre of the banned PFI. Additionally, a Look Out Circular had been issued against him to prevent his escape. According to NIA investigations, Alam was involved in channelling illegal funds from Dubai to PFI members in Bihar. The illicit funding operation was reportedly conducted through a syndicate based in the UAE, Karnataka, and Kerala. The funds were allegedly used to support the PFI's unlawful and criminal activities in India. The arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing probe into the Phulwarisharif case, where the NIA has been investigating alleged conspiracies and financial networks tied to the banned outfit's operations in Bihar and other parts of the country. The case, initially registered by Phulwarisharif Police in July 2022, pertains to the involvement of PFI members in unlawful and anti-national activities. The investigation revealed that PFI members had conspired to create an atmosphere of terror and incite religious enmity between different communities. Their actions, intended to disrupt public tranquillity and spread disaffection against India, allegedly aimed to advance the PFI's ideological agenda of establishing Islamic rule in the country. The NIA's probe uncovered the existence of a document titled 'India 2047: Towards Rule of Islam in India, Internal Document: Not for Circulation'. This vision document allegedly outlined the PFI's strategy to achieve its ideological goals through activities detrimental to national peace and harmony. Investigators allege that these activities included the use of criminal force to propagate the PFI ideology. The NIA took over the investigation shortly after the case was registered in 2022. Earlier, 17 individuals have been arrested and charge-sheeted in connection with the case, including key figures alleged to be involved in channelling illegal funds and orchestrating conspiracies to further the PFI's objectives. The arrest of Alam marks another significant development in the ongoing investigation. The NIA continues its efforts to dismantle the network and activities of the banned organisation in India. JERUSALEM, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Sunday that Hamas has not transferred a list of hostages to be released, denying previous media reports quoting the Palestinian group on such a list. Seoul, Jan 5 : South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyer said on Sunday that he will file a complaint with the prosecution this week seeking an investigation into the chief of South Korea's anti-corruption agency handling Yoon's martial law case and other police officers for attempting to execute a warrant to detain Yoon. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) unsuccessfully attempted to execute the court warrant for Yoon's detention on Friday, engaging in a standoff with the Presidential Security Service that ended after six hours as the CIO decided to withdraw its officials, citing safety concerns. Yun Gap-geun, Yoon's defence attorney, said in a statement to the media that his team will lodge the complaint Monday against some 150 law enforcement officials, including CIO chief Oh Dong-woon, Yonhap news agency reported. "They will be looking at charges of obstruction of justice, illegal entry into buildings and violations of military facility protection laws," Yun said. The 150 individuals include senior prosecutors at the CIO, acting National Police Agency Commissioner-General Lee Ho-young and acting Defence Minister Kim Seon-ho. Yoon's legal team accused them of mobilising police special forces to execute the court warrant, although they do not have the legal authority to control police. Some staff members of the Presidential Security Service were injured while preventing the investigation team from entering the military security facility by breaking through the main gate of Yoon's residence, it said. Yoon's side also argued that the police and defence ministry neglected their duties by defying the requests from the presidential security and acting President Choi Sang-mok to ramp up security around Yoon's residence compound. "Failure to comply with orders is a serious matter that undermines the foundation of the presidential security system vital to national security," it said. "We seek to hold those who committed illegal acts fully accountable under the relevant laws." Investigators were expected to make another attempt to carry out the court warrant to detain the impeached president as early as Sunday afternoon. The CIO has only until the end of Monday to execute the warrant, based on which it can either decide to file a court warrant for Yoon's formal arrest or release him. Yoon has not complied with the investigation, arguing the CIO lacks legal authority to investigate the case. Gurugram, Jan 5 : Haryana Industry and Commerce, Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh said on Sunday that the "foundation for Gurugram's golden future will be laid with better connectivity and a strong road network. In the same sequence, an elevated road from Gurugram Jaipur National Highway to Vatika Chowk and four flyovers from Vatika Chowk to Ghata will be constructed for Rs 800 crore, improving connectivity. The Cabinet Minister said that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of this important project, to be implemented by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), is being prepared and work will start soon. "In development work to be carried out in Gurugram in the next five years, common people's opinion will be given priority," he said. He said the BJP has come to power in Haryana for the third time as it not only makes promises but also fulfils them. The Cabinet Minister said: "The officials should provide the benefit of every facility to the citizens. "The development works should be completed within the stipulated time so that the public can get benefitted on time. He said that it is his priority to provide the benefit of public welfare schemes and various services implemented by the government to the citizens. The Cabinet Minister, while accepting the demand for a community centre in Close South, said its work would start in the next two months. During this, on the complaint of encroachment on the green belt from Vatika Chowk to Ghata, he said that RS Bhatt of GMDA has been made the nodal officer to make the city encroachment-free. He said that the deadline of January 31 had been set to make this entire road route of 12 kilometres encroachment-free. He asked the officers to prepare proposals for the development works to be carried out in future and send them to the government so that after getting their approval, the development works could be carried out as soon as possible. New Delhi, Jan 5 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought the response of the Delhi government on a plea alleging that land allotted for afforestation to mitigate pollution has been misused. A bench headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava took note of the submission that 125 bighas of land, which was allocated to the Forest Department for afforestation to mitigate pollution, enhance green cover, and contribute to environmental protection, remains entirely under illegal cultivation, or unauthorised residential and commercial structures have been constructed on these plots. "Issue notice to the respondents (Delhi government and other authorities) for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the Tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing through e-filing," ordered the Bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and technical member Dr. A Senthil Vel. The plea, filed by Kishori Lal, highlighted that the Lt Governor in 2005 allocated the parcel of 125 bighas of Gram Sabha land in Kharkhari Jatmal village of Delhias Najafgarh for afforestation. As per the applicant, this land has been encroached upon by the land mafia, where illegal construction and unauthorised agricultural activities are taking place. The applicant submitted that despite repeated complaints, the Forest Department has failed to remove the encroachment and take corrective actions. The plea further alleged that the demarcation of the land is still incomplete, and there is illegal extraction and sale of groundwater from this area. Issuing notice to the Delhi government and other authorities, the green tribunal asked the applicant to serve the authorities and file an affidavit of service at least one week before the next date of hearing. The green tribunal clarified that if any authority directly files the reply without routing it through his advocate, then the said official will remain virtually present on the next date of listing. The matter will be heard next on April 22. Chennai, Jan 5 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced a prize of one million US dollars for archaeologists who can decipher and provide a coherent understanding of the Indus Valley Civilisation. This announcement was made during the inaugural ceremony of the International Seminar on the Centenary of the Discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation, held at the Government Museum in Egmore on Sunday. The three-day seminar has brought together renowned archaeologists, historians, and scholars from across the globe to discuss the civilisationas significance and its connections with Tamil Nadu. In his keynote address, Chief Minister Stalin highlighted that approximately 60 per cent of the symbols found on Indus Valley pottery are identical to those discovered on artefacts unearthed during excavations in Tamil Nadu. He emphasised that this striking similarity has sparked immense interest among scholars and could potentially unlock the mysteries of the Indus Valley Civilisation. To further promote research in this field, the Chief Minister also announced a grant of Rs 2 crore to establish a research chair in the name of renowned archaeologist Iravatham Mahadevan. This chair will facilitate in-depth studies on the Indus Valley Civilisation, with a particular focus on its ties to Tamil Nadu. It may be noted that recent archaeological findings from Sivakalai in Tuticorin have brought researchers closer to establishing a definitive connection between Tamil Nadu and the Indus Valley Civilisation. Dating of these finds places them between 2500 BCE and 3000 BCE. Interestingly, the finds from Tamil Nadu suggest the presence of an Iron Age civilisation that ran parallel to the Indus Valley Civilisation, which spanned from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. While the Indus Valley Civilisation predominantly used copper objects during this time, the presence of iron objects in Tamil Nadu suggests an advancement in the Metal Age. This intriguing discovery has captivated historians and archaeologists alike. Additionally, ongoing studies are examining graffiti marks found in Tamil Nadu during excavations to determine their connection to the undeciphered Indus script. The results of these studies could shed light on whether the graffiti marks are linked to the Indus Valley Civilisation. Seoul, Jan 5 : South Korea's Transport Ministry said on Sunday that authorities have moved two engines from the Jeju Air jet involved in a deadly crash last weekend to a hangar for a full-scale investigation. The Jeju Air plane, with 181 people onboard returning from Bangkok, crashed while landing at Muan International Airport in the southwestern county of Muan on December 29, killing all but two, aboard. One of the engines was transported to the hangar Friday, while the other was moved the previous day, the Transport Ministry said. Authorities have also completed transcribing the two-hour audio recorded in the cockpit voice recorder, which may provide more clues about the cause of the accident. The ministry said two aviation investigators plan to take the flight data recorder to the US National Transportation Safety Board on Monday for analysis, Yonhap news agency reported. South Korea will also carry out a special investigation into 101 B737-800 planes, the same model as the crashed jet, currently operated by six South Korean air carriers, through Friday. Earlier, Yonhap news agency had reported that South Korean investigators were set to finalise compiling the transcript of the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage of the crashed Jeju Air plane, the Transport Ministry had said on Saturday. The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport was expected to draw up the complete transcript of the cockpit voice recorder, or CVR, on Saturday as part of its probe into the crash. The recording might have held clues to the final moments of the crash, though the ministry had stated that it would not make it public until the investigation was completed. The flight data recorder, or FDR, was in the process of being prepared for transport to the United States for analysis, according to the ministry. Raipur, Jan 5 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday praised the bravery of security forces in the ongoing battle against Maoists in the Bastar region, reacting to an encounter that led to the death of four Naxalites and one soldier. "Our soldiers are fighting with great strength. Four Naxalites have been killed in this encounter, and we salute our soldiers for their bravery. Unfortunately, one of our soldiers has also been martyred in this operation. Our deepest condolences are with his family, and we pray to God to grant peace to his soul," the Chief Minister told newsmen. "So far, 4 Naxalites have been reported killed in an encounter between security forces and Naxalites in South Abujhmad area bordering Narayanpur and Dantewada districts. Sad news has also been received about the martydom of DRG jawan, head constable Sannu Karam in the encounter. His sacrifice will not go in vain, the security forces are fighting very strongly against Naxalims and this fight will continue," he wrote on X. The Chief Minister also condemned the alleged murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar, whose body was discovered in a septic tank in Bastar on Friday. The 32-year-old independent journalist went missing since New Year's Day, and his brother filed a missing complaint the following day. Police investigations led to the recovery of his body from a shed owned by a contractor in Chhatan Para Basti, near his home in Bijapur. CM Vishnu Deo Sai promised stern action against the culprits, stating, "The murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar is a very condemnable crime. The state government is taking all possible actions to investigate this heinous act. An SIT (Special Investigation Team) has been formed, and we will leave no stone unturned in this case." He also reacted to accusations that one of the culprits, Suresh Chandrakar, a contractor, was closely associated with Deepak Baij, the state Congress President. "The contractor involved is a Congress worker. We are continuously observing that hate goods are being sold in Congress's 'Mohabbat Ki Dukan' in the state. You will see that in many of the incidents in the past, such as in Baloda Bazar and Surajpur, someone from Congress has been involved," he said. As of now, three individuals, including two relatives of Mukesh Chandrakar, have been arrested. Ritesh Chandrakar, Mukesh's cousin, was apprehended at Raipur airport on Saturday. Mahendra Ramteke, a supervisor, and Dinesh Chandrakar, another relative, were also taken into custody from Bijapur. The alleged mastermind behind the murder, contractor Suresh Chandrakar, remains on the run. New Delhi, Jan 5 : The government on Sunday announced indigenously-developed paracetamol drug by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which would reduce dependence on imported ingredients. This innovation aims to make India self-reliant in paracetamol manufacturing aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Atmanirbhar Bharat" vision, said Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. The minister elaborated that CSIR has developed indigenous technology to produce paracetamol, a widely used pain reliever and fever reducer. Currently, India imports the key raw materials for paracetamol from various countries. Karnataka-based Satya Deeptha Pharmaceuticals Ltd will utilise this breakthrough to produce affordable paracetamol domestically. "There have been a series of indigenous developments namely India's first indigenously-developed antibiotic Nafithromycin to treat both atypical and typical drug-resistant bacteria," said Dr Singh. The minister also congratulated the team of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) on their 40th Foundation Day. The DSIR Foundation Day marked 16 more technology transfers: 9 CSIR-CSIO Chennai and 6 from CSIR-CEERI, Pilani. The technologies transferred by CSIO are in the area of design and development of scientific and industrial instruments with IoT enabled technologies, while transfers by CEERI are in the area of healthcare and societal implications. One MoU is signed between CSIO and ELCIA, Bengaluru towards mutual collaboration in development of sensors. Speaking on the pace of technological prowess achieved by India in the past decade, Dr Jitendra Singh credited the visionary leadership of PM Modi who has been a champion of technological development and utilising its potential for the benefit of the country. Dr Singh emphasised that it is high time for us to look beyond government resources for innovation and start exploring non-government funds along knowledge partnership and resource sharing. He underlined that Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF) is the step in the same direction where 60 per cent of the funds will be raised by non-government sectors. Professor AK Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the government of India, emphasised on making our country a product-based economy. IANS na/ Hyderabad, Jan 5 : Cyberabad Police have arrested two workers from Bihar for voyeurism at CMR College, which was rocked by protests after female students alleged that they were secretly filmed in the hostel washrooms. Police arrested Nanda Kishore Kumar and Govind Kumar, both aged 20, for peeping into the ladies' washroom. Working in the hostel mess, the accused were staying in a room next to the ladiesa washroom. Police also booked CMR College chairman, director, principal and two hostel wardens for negligence. Deputy Commissioner of Police N. Koti Reddy said accused Nanda Kishore Kumar and Govind Kumar confessed their offence. Both were sent to judicial custody. He said the case was still under investigation. The case was registered under Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 77 (voyeurism), 125 (Endangering the personal safety or human life of others through negligence or rashness, 49 (abetment) 239 (intentionally withholding information about a crime) and section 11 (sexual harassment) R/w 12, 16 and 17 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) ACT. The police said KV Dhanalaxmi and Allam Preethi Reddy, working as CMR girls hostel wardens displayed negligence when the victim girls informed them about the incident. The wardens did not give priority to such a serious incident, and intentionally avoided escalating the matter to the police or to the parents of the victims. They even tried to suppress the issue, blaming the victims with derogatory comments, thereby insulting the modesty of victim students. College Principal Varahabatla Anantha Narayana, Director Madireddy Janga Reddy and Chairman Chamakura Gopal Reddy pressurised Dhanalaxmi and Preethi Reddy to contain exposure of the incident so as to protect college's reputation but did not show interest in reporting the incident to competent authority at any point of time, which emboldened and abetted the accused to take chance at voyeurism, the police said. The college officials named as accused also provided accommodation to the male accused near the girls' hostel washrooms giving easy access, and a serious threat to the privacy and safety of the victim minor girls. The DCP said the abnormal behaviour of Dhanalaxmi, Preethi Reddy, Anantha Narayana, Janga Reddy and Gopal Reddy abetted Nanda Kishore Kumar and Govind Kumar to commit the offence. Hyderabad, Jan 5 : The Ramgopalpet Police Station in Hyderabad has issued a notice to popular actor Allu Arjun, advising him not to visit KIMS Hospital at Secundarabad to see the boy who was injured in the stampede at Sandhya Theatre. "In view of the heightened public interest in this matter, and to ensure minimal disruption to the hospital's operations and other patients, we recommend you to reconsider this public visit," reads a notice issued by the Station House Officer, Ramgopalpet Police Station. The actor apparently dropped his plans to visit the hospital on Sunday morning after receipt of the notice. Allu Arjun reportedly planned to visit the hospital after his appearance at Chikkadpally Police Station on Sunday as per the conditions laid down by a city court while granting him regular bail. The notice further states that if the actor still intends to visit the hospital, his management should coordinate with hospital authorities and police to plan his entry and exist in such a way that minimises inconvenience to the hospital inmates and the general public. Allu Arjun was also advised to maintain his confidentiality to prevent any gathering of the public/media at the premises which could disturb the peaceful environs of the hospital. The actor was warned that in case of lack of cooperation from his side, he would be held solely responsible for any negative consequences of his visit to the hospital. Eight-year-old Sri Tej, who was injured in the stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the premier show of 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' on December 4, is still undergoing treatment at KIMS Hospital. Sri Tej's mother, Revathi, was killed in the stampede, which triggered a huge row with the police booking the actor, his team and theatre management for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The police had claimed that Allu Arjun visited the theatre without permission and conducted a 'roadshow' which led to the tragedy. The actor also came under criticism from various quarters for not consoling the family of the deceased or visiting the injured boy at the hospital. The actor's father and producer Allu Arvind visited the hospital twice. During his last visit on December 25, he presented a cheque of Rs 2 crore to the victim's family. While Allu Arjun has given Rs 1 crore, Mythri Movies, the producers of the movie, have extended an assistance of Rs 50 lakh. The film's director, Sukumar, has also given Rs 50 lakh to the family. Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in the case. He was presented before Nampally court, which remanded him to 14-day judicial custody. The same day, Telangana High Court granted him interim bail for four weeks. He was released from jail the next day. On January 3, Nampally Court granted regular bail to the actor. As per one of the bail conditions, he has to report to Chikkadpally Police Station every Sunday. Washington, Jan 5 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted that the United States had "quietly sent a lot of weapons to Ukraine" five months ahead of the conflict. "We saw it coming," Blinken said in an interview with The New York Times, noting the United States made sure that "Ukraine was prepared" by sending it billions of dollars and weapons since September 2021. "What we've had to look at each and every time is not only should we give this to the Ukrainians but do they know how to use it? Can they maintain it?" he added. When asked whether it is time to end the conflict, Blinken said a cease-fire would likely give Russia a break, and that any cease-fire must ensure Ukraine can "deter further aggression," which, he noted, could be achieved through NATO membership. "Russia has been talking about this for many years," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Saturday in response to Blinken's remarks, noting that they underscored "the rationale behind Russia's objective on the demilitarisation of Ukraine." "We voiced concerns over the United States and Britain pouring arms into Ukraine, the endless NATO exercises in the Black Sea that violate Russian borders, and the dangerous proximity of Western military aircraft to civilian airliners in our airspace," she added. The Kremlin has repeatedly criticised Western arms shipments to Ukraine, claiming they escalate the conflict, obstruct peace efforts, and drag NATO members into direct involvement, Xinhua news agency reported. According to the US Department of State, as of Monday, the United States has provided Ukraine with $61.4 billion in military assistance since the conflict. And it has "approved" its NATO allies to deliver 12,000 anti-armour systems of all types, over 1,550 anti-air missiles, radars, night vision devices, machine guns, rifles and ammunition, and body armour. Japan's Nippon Steel Corp. is set to file a lawsuit in response to United States President Joe Biden's decision to block its takeover of U.S. Steel Corp., local media reported Saturday. Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel are expected to claim in court that Biden did not present sufficient evidence to prove the proposed acquisition poses a threat to U.S. national security, and that his decision violates due process under the U.S. Constitution and the law governing the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, Kyodo News reported, citing sources close to the matter. Biden said Friday that he has decided to block the 14.1 billion U.S. dollars sale of U.S. Steel to the Japanese steel giant, citing risks to national security, while urging the two steelmakers to "fully and permanently" abandon their plan. In a joint statement on Friday, the two firms said the U.S. authorities' review of the international buyout project was "manipulated to advance President Biden's political agenda" and that they will "take all appropriate action to protect our legal rights." Meanwhile, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Yoji Muto said, "It is incomprehensible and regrettable that this kind of decision has been made on the grounds of concerns over national security." The Japanese government regarded Nippon Steel's plan to acquire U.S. Steel as a deal "that would benefit both countries" as Japanese investment in the U.S. has been on track to continue increasing, Muto said in a statement. In late 2023, Nippon Steel announced plans to acquire U.S. Steel, which is headquartered in Pennsylvania, one of the key swing states in the 2024 presidential election. Before Biden withdrew from the race, both he and his then-opponent, Donald Trump, had expressed opposition to the acquisition. Nippon Steel is the world's fourth-largest steelmaker by volume, while U.S. Steel ranks 24th, according to a 2023 tally by the World Steel Association. LILONGWE, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Malawi health authorities have launched cholera vaccination campaigns in four districts following the resurgence of the disease, which has caused over 200 cases and at least 13 deaths since September 2024. Spokesperson in the Ministry of Health Adrian Chikumbe shared the update with local media on Sunday via a social media group, identifying Chitipa and Karonga in the north and Balaka and Machinga in the south as the affected districts. Chikumbe said that Malawi has received over 720,000 doses of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) from the World Health Organization (WHO), with plans to administer them in the affected areas by mid-January. Malawi previously battled its worst cholera outbreak in March 2022, declaring it a National Public Health Emergency on Dec. 5 of the same year. Thanks to extensive vaccination and awareness campaigns, the outbreak was officially declared over on Aug. 5, 2023, after recording 59,376 cases and 1,772 deaths. The disease reemerged in September 2024, starting in the northern districts of Chitipa and Karonga, which border Tanzania, before spreading to Balaka and Machinga, located along the border with Mozambique. Hyderabad, Jan 5 : The Congress government's decision to prune the promised investment support to farmers under Rythu Bharosa is likely to give fresh ammunition to the opposition parties, which had termed the move a "betrayal" of farmers. Both Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plan to launch protests and further step up the attack on the ruling party for allegedly going back on one of its guarantees. The opposition parties had been voicing apprehensions that the Congress government is trying to impose conditions to deny farmers assistance under Rythu Bharosa. However, the state Cabinet at its meeting on Saturday decided to extend financial assistance of Rs 12,000 per acre from January 26 for all cultivable lands without any conditions. This is Rs 3,000 less than what was promised by the Congress party in the November 2023 Assembly polls. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy cited financial stress for pruning the promised assistance. He, however, said this assistance was still Rs 2,000 more than what the BRS government was giving to farmers under Rythu Bandhu. Both BRS and BJP termed the Congress government's decision a betrayal of farmers. "The Congress is synonymous with fraud and deceit," alleged BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao. He termed Chief Minister Reddy as a traitor to farmers. He alleged that the much-publicised Warangal Rythu Declaration and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's promises to farmers were hollow. "Declaration became deception, guarantees became fantasies within a year of Congress rule in Telangana. Rahul Gandhi has stabbed farmers in the back yet again," said BJP leader Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar. "This isn't help - it's outright humiliation of farmers Congress thrives on lies, betrayal, and broken promises. Telangana Farmers placed their trust in Rahul Gandhi & Congress, only to have it turned into a cruel joke. Enough of this fraud! Farmers of Telangana will never forgive this betrayal," Bandi Sanjay shared his reaction on 'X'. At a public meeting in Warangal on May 6, 2022, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi unveiled the Rythu Declaration. The promises include a Rs 2 lakh loan waiver and a Rs 15,000 direct benefit per acre annually. These promises formed part of the six guarantees announced by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at a public meeting in Hyderabad on September 17, 2023. In 2018, the then-BRS government launched Rythu Bandhu. Under the scheme, then claimed to be the only scheme of its kind in the country, the farmers were getting Rs.10,000 as investment support for every acre annually. About 65 lakh farmers were getting assistance in two equal instalments for two crop seasons (Khariff and Rabi). The BRS government was spending around Rs.16,000 crore annually and it claimed to have disbursed over Rs 72,000 crore in 10 crop seasons. As tenant farmers were not covered by Rythu Bandhu, the Congress party has promised to cover them under Rythu Bharosa. There are an estimated 17 lakh tenant farmers in the state. During the Assembly elections, the BRS too had promised that the investment support under 'Rythu Bandhu' will be increased to Rs 15,000 in a phased manner. It promised to increase the amount to Rs 12,000 in the first year. Ever since the Congress came to power in December 2023, it has been under pressure from the opposition to honour its commitment to implement six guarantees in 100 days. The opposition claims that even after one year the guarantees remained unfulfilled while the government claims that it already implemented several promises and the process was on to implement the remaining. Both BRS and BJP dispute the governmentas claim that it waived all farm loans of up to Rs.2 lakh and say that many farmers were still waiting for the loan waiver. The government claimed it waived farm loans of 25 lakh farmers by crediting over Rs 21,000 crore directly into their accounts. The opposition says the Congress had promised Rs 500 bonus per quintal for paddy in addition to the MSP but after coming to power the bonus was restricted to only a fine variety of rice. Chief Minister Reddy attributed the delay in implementing guarantees to empty coffers the Congress government inherited. He stated that on June 2, 2014, when Telangana state was formed, the state had Rs 16,000 crore surplus budget while its debts were only Rs. 69,000 crore but when the BRS was ousted from power after 10 years, the debts mounted to Rs 7.5 lakh crore. The state is repaying Rs 6,500 crore every month. The Chief Minister recently admitted that the State's monthly revenue of around Rs 18,500 crore was insufficient to meet the requirements and the State will require at least Rs. 30,000 crore a month if it has to fulfil all its commitments. The Chief Minister claimed that immediately after coming to power, his government paid Rs 7,625 crore to farmers under Rythu Bandhu which was kept pending by the previous government. Two days after taking charge, the Congress government launched free bus rides for women in State Road Transport Corporation buses and also enhanced annual coverage under Rajiv Arogyasri, a health insurance scheme for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families to Rs10 lakh from Rs 5 lakh. During 2023, the government implemented a few more promises including a farm loan waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh, 200 units of free electricity to each household and cooking gas cylinder for Rs.500 for BPL families. While announcing the launch of 'Rythu Bharosa' after the Cabinet meeting on Saturday, the Chief Minister also declared that the government would also give Rs 12,000 per year to landless farm labourers. This scheme would be called 'Indiramma Athmeeya Bharosa'. The Cabinet also decided to issue new ration cards for all eligible families. All three schemes will be implemented from January 26 to commemorate the completion of 75 years of the Constitution's adoption. New Delhi, Jan 5 : As Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 13-kilometre stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, locals, especially those from Vikaspuri, expressed their excitement, saying the new corridor would save significant time and reduce travel difficulties. Speaking to IANS, Pradeep Thakur from Vikaspuri shared his enthusiasm, stating, "This will surely benefit us. We will face less difficulty now while travelling. We are very happy to receive this New Year gift from PM Modi. This will certainly help reduce traffic. Moreover, PM Modi is also inaugurating the monorail. We used to face a lot of challenges, with travel times exceeding 4 to 5 hours. But now, it will take only 40 minutes. I want to thank PM Modi for this. He is making us proud on the world stage. I wish to see him as my Prime Minister till my last breath." Amarjeet Singh Talvar, also from Vikaspuri, echoed similar sentiments, saying, "I am happy with this development. It will save our time. Earlier, we faced many problems due to traffic. But now, we wonat have to face these issues. There is no Prime Minister like him. He gives us gifts almost every month. We want to see him continue as our Prime Minister. The metro will truly help in reducing travel time." Prime Minister Modi's inauguration of the 13-kilometre stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar has fulfilled the long-awaited dream of millions in the region for fast, safe, and non-road transportation. The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), which is part of this initiative, is designed based on the Central Place Theory, which suggests that settlements grow around central locations offering services to surrounding suburbs. This project is set to revolutionise travel between urban centres and their suburbs, helping alleviate congestion in major cities. The full 84-km RRTS corridor from Delhi to Meerut, which is being developed at a cost of Rs 30,274 crore, will reduce travel time between Jangpura in Delhi and Modipuram in Meerut to just one hour. According to studies by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), the Namo Bharat RRTS is expected to attract an estimated daily ridership of 8 lakh people. The corridor will have 25 stations, with 68 km elevated, 13 km underground, and 3 km at ground level. The full operation, extending from Delhi to Modipuram, is slated for completion by 2025. Sydney, Jan 5 : Despite India ending up losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3, ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting believes that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's exploits are not only the best he's seen of a visiting bowler in Australia but probably also the best fast-bowling display of all time. The 31-year-old Indian quick was adjudged the Player of the Series for his relentless bowling which seriously troubled the Aussie batters. Bumrah finished as the leading wicket-taker in the five-Test series with an incredible tally of 32 scalps. During his iconic run, Bumrah also overtook former India captain Kapil Dev to hold the record for most Test wickets by an Indian in Australia 64 wickets at 17.15 compared to Kapil's 51 at 24.58. "No doubt, it's probably the best series of fast bowling I've ever seen. Yes, they had good conditions, the fast bowlers, for most of this series. But when you watched him (Bumrah) bowl compared to anyone else in the series, he made batting look so much harder," ICC quoted Ponting as saying on Sunday. "There's a lot of quality batting in that Australian top-order as well but he made all of them at different times look silly," he added. Bumrah also surpassed Bishen Singh Bedi's tally of 31 scalps to become India's highest wicket-taker in a Test series in Australia. However, he didn't bowl in Australia's second innings after leaving the field on Day 2 to undergo scans for back spasms. "A little frustrating but sometimes you have to respect your body, and you can't fight your body. Sometimes you have to accept. Would have loved to bowl on the spiciest wicket of the series. Just had a little discomfort after the first innings," said Bumrah in the post-match presentation ceremony. Sanaa, Jan 5 : A US-led navy coalition launched three airstrikes on Yemen's northern province of Saada on Sunday morning, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported. The strikes targeted a military site of the Houthi group in the city, residents said on social media. The US military has yet to comment on the claim. The US Central Command said on Tuesday in a press release that US forces had conducted multiple precision strikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen's capital to degrade their "effort to threaten regional partners". The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been launching regular rocket and drone attacks against Israel and disrupting "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023 in support of Palestinians, Xinhua news agency reported. In response, the US-led naval coalition stationed in the area had regularly conducted air raids and strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group, prompting the Houthis to expand attacks to include US warships. Earlier on December 31, 2024, a series of US-led airstrikes had hit Yemen's capital, Sanaa, targeting military sites under Houthi control, al-Masirah TV had reported. Two of the airstrikes had hit the Defence Ministry building and other areas in downtown Sanaa, while the rest had struck the 1st Armor Division and an ammunition manufacturing complex in the city centre, al-Masirah TV had stated without further elaboration. Ambulances had been seen rushing to the scenes as Houthi forces cordoned off the targeted sites. Residents had reported that the powerful airstrikes had rocked the entire city, with some houses near the targeted sites being partially damaged. Dozens of Houthi fighters were believed to have been present at these sites when the strikes took place, but the Houthi group rarely disclosed its casualties or losses. The airstrikes had come just a few hours after the Houthi group had claimed responsibility for overnight missile attacks targeting Ben Gurion airport in Israel's Tel Aviv and a power station south of Jerusalem, as well as rocket and drone attacks on the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman. Following the violent airstrikes, US Central Command (CENTCOM) had issued a statement on social media platform X, saying its forces had conducted multiple precision strikes since Monday against Houthi targets in Sanaa and Houthi-controlled coastal regions in Yemen. "On December 30 and 31, US Navy ships and aircraft had targeted a Houthi command and control facility and advanced conventional weapon (ACW) production and storage facilities, which included missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV)," it had stated. Sanaa, Jan 5 : Yemen's Houthi group on Sunday took responsibility for an overnight rocket attack on Israel, claiming to have targeted the Orot Rabin power plant. "We carried out a military operation targeting the Orot Rabin power plant south of Israel's Haifa," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. "The operation was carried out with a hypersonic ballistic missile, and it achieved its goal successfully," he said. "Our military operations supporting the Mujahideen in the Gaza Strip will continue," he said, vowing that the group would continue to launch attacks against Israel to "force it to stop its aggression and lift its siege on Gaza." Meanwhile, Israeli media reported earlier in the day that the Israeli defence forces "had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen". A few hours after the Houthi rocket attack on Israel, al-Masirah TV said the "US-British" navy coalition had conducted three strikes early Sunday morning, targeting the eastern part of the Yemeni city of Saada. Residents said on social media that the strikes had targeted a Houthi military site in Saada city. The US army has yet to comment on the Houthi claim, Xinhua news agency reported. The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been launching regular rocket and drone attacks against Israel and disrupting "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023, to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid their ongoing conflict with the Israelis. Earlier on January 3, Yemen's Houthi group had said that it had launched missile and drone attacks on the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. In a statement broadcast by al-Masirah TV, Houthi Sarea had stated that the group had launched a hypersonic ballistic missile at a power station in eastern Tel Aviv, claiming that the missile had hit the target accurately. Sarea had also said that the group had launched a bomb-laden drone targeting a "military target" in Tel Aviv. He had vowed that attacks against Israel "would continue until the war in Gaza stopped." New Delhi, Jan 5 : Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has made remarkable strides in its efforts to boost tourism, deepen cultural exchanges, and elevate its global profile. One of the most significant achievements in this regard is the launch of the 'Chalo India' campaign. This is an initiative designed to harness the power and influence of the Indian diaspora in promoting India as a vibrant and diverse tourism destination. The campaign is a direct response to Prime Minister Modi's call for members of the Indian diaspora to invite at least five foreign friends to visit India, with a view to fostering cross-cultural connections and promoting Indiaas unique offerings across the globe. Odisha, which is rich in history, culture, and natural beauty, comes under the spotlight. It is at the forefront of this transformative tourism drive. As a prominent tourism hub, Odisha's vibrant landscapes, ancient temples, pristine beaches, and wildlife sanctuaries embody the essence of India's diverse heritage. The Chalo India initiative has already begun to showcase Odisha's vast tourism potential, positioning the state as a key player in India's growing tourism sector. Through the upcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention, the world will witness Odisha's contribution to India's cultural and tourism identity, shining a spotlight on its remarkable diversity. The Chalo India initiative not only promotes tourism but also invites diaspora members to actively engage in spreading Indiaas cultural richness. Through the campaign, they are encouraged to serve as ambassadors for Incredible India, facilitating the introduction of foreign visitors to Indiaas unparalleled cultural and historical landmarks. The fact that there is no upper limit on how many friends a diaspora member can invite to India is a testament to the belief that every individual's contribution matters in creating an authentic global dialogue. The PBD celebrations will highlight the extraordinary achievements of the Indian diaspora worldwide. This year's exhibitions, focused on the Ramayana, technology, and the archiving of the history of the diaspora, offer a glimpse into how Indian expatriates have become a vehicle for the propagation of India's cultural ethos and values. By acting as emissaries for India, the diaspora has demonstrated its vital role in not just promoting tourism but also preserving and sharing the traditions that define India. New Delhi, Jan 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'parivartan rally' at the city's Japanese Park saw participation of huge gathering of people including children, some of whom brought some precious 'gift' for their beloved leader. New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modias 'parivartan rally' at the cityas Japanese Park saw participation of huge gathering of people including children, some of whom brought some precious agifta for their beloved leader. While PM Modi addressed the crowd, they flashed their hand-made paintings amongst the crowd drawing his attention. PM Modi was quick to notice them and also made the children gleam with joy as he promised to write them a letter soon. The Prime Minister also got his security personnel collect the childrenas paintings from the crowd. Many locals who attended PMas rally said that they were proud of the work done by the Prime Minister in past ten years. A couple of children spoke to IANS and expressed their joy over seeing the Prime Minister for the first time and also handing over their hand-made paintings to him. One of them said that it took them some time to make it but their time was worth it while other one said that he was very happy as Prime Minister took the paintings from them. A boy named Ansh and his sister Arpita, residents of Rohini sector 16, made paintings for PM Modi and said it took them four hours to complete the art piece and later framing took some more time. Elated over their efforts being recognized, Ansh said, "PM Modi has done a lot for us (countrymen)." On what inspired them to make a drawing of PM Modi, he said: The leader has done a lot, is doing a lot and he deserves our appreciation." Another child said, "We have made sketches and are elated that PM Modi mentioned it from the dais." "It took us some time to complete the sketch but we are happy that it caught the attention of PM Modi. We hope that PM Modi likes the sketches," he added. A boy named Umansh, suffering from Haemophilia A, a blood clotting disorder said that he was very happy over the fact that Prime Minister has promised to write a letter to them. "PM Modi will write a letter to us. Will wait for it," Umansh said. Vaishali : , Jan 5 (IANS) Seema Devi, a resilient resident of Bihar's Vaishali, once found herself in despair, as managing her household was a challenge, but when her husband fell seriously ill, the weight of her responsibilities became overwhelming. Facing the dual challenge of treating her sick husband and raising her children, she was uncertain how she would navigate this difficult phase. However, today, she stands strong, managing her family and earning a livelihood of Rs 1,000 daily, a remarkable turnaround she credits to the Jeevika Yojana. Speaking to IANS, Seema opened up about her transformative journey. "My husband had respiratory problems, and during his treatment, I heard about the Jeevika Yojana from some of the women in the hospital. They encouraged me to join the programme, and with their help, I became a part of the scheme," she recalled. The first instalment of Rs 10,000 she received from the scheme became her stepping stone. Encouraged by the support from the women around her, Seema ventured on a new path. "With the guidance of the Jeevika group, I purchased a goat, sold it, and used the proceeds to start a small shop," she added. Now, her small business is thriving, and Seema earns Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 a day. "My children are going to school and getting the education they deserve," Seema beamed, her face reflecting the pride of a mother who had fought against all odds. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also lauded the impact of the Jeevika Yojana, calling it a lifeline for women in the state. "Earlier, women faced numerous challenges. But with the Jeevika self-help groups, which we fondly call Jeevika Didis, women have been empowered to move forward. If they need any assistance, we are here to help," he said. The Jeevika Yojana, a transformative initiative in Bihar, offers financial support to women from economically weaker backgrounds. Under this scheme, groups of 10 to 12 women come together, form a collective, and open a bank account. The women in these groups can avail of loans to kick-start small businesses, thereby uplifting their families and communities. For women like Seema Devi, Jeevika Yojana has truly been a blessing, helping them rise above financial struggles and secure a brighter future for themselves and their families. Tripoli, Jan 5 : The Libyan Stability Support Agency has launched intensive desert patrols to secure areas along the border with Tunisia. In a statement, the agency said the step came as part of a comprehensive plan to combat the growing threats of illegal migration and smuggling. The statement stressed that these patrols operate around the clock through teams trained to deal with geographical and security challenges in rugged border areas. Also on Saturday, the Libyan military authorities of the Government of National Unity launched a large-scale anti-crime military operation in the country's West Coast Military Zone, starting from the city of Zawiya which is located some 45 km west of Tripoli. Zawiya has recently witnessed violent clashes between armed militias, the last of which was in December when the country's main oil refinery was heavily damaged. Libya has been divided into multiple military zones due to the ongoing instability and conflicts following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. These zones are typically controlled by different factions, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier on March 19, 2024, the Libyan Interior Ministry announced the closure of the Ras Ajdir border crossing with Tunisia after an attack by a "criminal group". "Instructions were made to immediately close the border (with Tunisia) after it was attacked by a criminal group that aimed to create chaos and disrupt work on preventing transgressions," the ministry said in a statement. "The act of this criminal group will not be tolerated. Legal measures and proper punishments will be carried out against the perpetrators," the statement said. According to local media, clashes erupted between security forces recently tasked to secure the border and a local armed group, with no casualties reported. The Ras Ajdir border crossing, located some 170 km west of Libya's capital Tripoli, witnesses thousands of people crossing daily. New Delhi, Jan 5 : As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to virtually inaugurate the new Jammu Railway Division on Monday in a key move to further boost connectivity in the region, people from Jammu described it as a historic moment. Ankush Sharma, a resident of Jammu, told IANS, "This is a historical moment for not just Jammu but for the entire country as Jammu is going to be a Railway Division. Along with this, the train services will soon be started to Kashmir. It is like a dream which is coming true after a very long time. I think under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP-led government has done excellent work." "The central government has been making full efforts for the past several years how to develop Jammu and Kashmir and its infrastructure. It is a very good thing as trade will increase, tourism will increase, and somewhere now every sector will get a boost after the creation of the Jammu Railway Division and the start of the train service," he added. Another resident Vishwamityra Mahajan said, "It is a good thing that Jammu is going to be a Railway Division. The people of the region will benefit from this railway project. With the start of Vande Bharat, the people will travel from Kanyakumari to Kashmir with ease. Whatever Modi government is doing for J&K is in the welfare of the people." Deepak Singh told IANS, "It is a good railway project as with the start of the train service, the traffic will reduce it will be good for tourists as well. Commuting will be now easier as earlier we had to spend 6-7 hours to reach Jammu from Srinagar but with the start of the train service it will now take 2-3 hours." Creation of the Jammu Railway Division, with 742.1 km comprising Pathankot - Jammu - Udhampur - Srinagar - Baramulla, Bhogpur Sirwal - Pathankot, Batala - Pathankot and Pathankot to Joginder Nagar sections, will significantly benefit Jammu and Kashmir and surrounding regions, fulfilling the long pending aspiration of the people and improving connectivity to other parts of India. It will create employment opportunities, and infrastructure development, promote tourism and lead to overall socio-economic development of the region. TEHRAN, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Justice Minister Amin-Hossein Rahimi held a meeting here on Sunday with Saudi Ambassador to Iran Abdullah bin Saud al-Anzi, during which both sides vowed to expand bilateral ties in various areas, especially in judicial and legal fields. Rahimi expressed satisfaction with the resumption of friendly relations between the two countries since 2023, describing "effective, strong and strategic ties between Tehran and Riyadh as very important and influential," Iran's official news agency IRNA reported. He noted the Iranian government's principled policy of developing friendly ties with all countries, especially neighboring ones, and called for maintaining and boosting ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia in cultural, economic, and political sectors, said the report. For his part, al-Anzi called his meeting with the Iranian side "effective," and expressed hope that the expansion of bilateral ties in all areas, particularly in judicial and legal fields, would prepare the ground for a "unique leap" in ties between the two "brotherly and friendly" countries, the report added. On Wednesday, Iran summoned al-Anzi to protest the execution of six Iranian nationals convicted on drug smuggling charges in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, saying that the executions contradicted judicial cooperation efforts between the two countries. Iran and Saudi Arabia formally declared in April 2023 the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect. Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 in response to attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. The attacks followed Saudi Arabia's execution of a Shiite cleric. New Delhi, Jan 5 : Former Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit on Sunday spotted a compliment for his party and its previous Delhi government in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism of the AAP government for ruining the capital city. "Not just the PM but every Delhiite is saying that the AAP government has ruined Delhi. This is also an indirect appreciation for the commendable development carried out by the previous Congress government," Dikshit told IANS. "We as Congress workers are highlighting this achievement of the Congress before voters," said Dikshit, three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's son, who is contesting the upcoming Assembly elections against AAP National Convenor and stilling MLA Arvind Kejriwal from New Delhi Assembly constituency. Lambasting Kejriwal for corruption and wasteful expenditure on the renovation of his former official residence, Dikshit welcomed the nod for an audit of the PWD's spending on the building which the former Chief Minister wanted to use for his lavish parties. "I have also seen a draft audit report which showed an initial estimate of Rs 8 crore for the project. We must remember that after a tender is finalised the amount cannot be raised even by a rupee. The only permissible thing is that the cost of some components can be revised upwardly," he said. "In this case, the estimate could have risen to Rs 11 crore but they allowed an expenditure of Rs 32 lakh on the renovation work," he said, highlighting how wasteful expenditure was made on furniture, TVs and curtains. "The CM residence was renovated as if a royal was spending money on a building to create a facility for his leisure activities," he said. On the issue of illegal infiltrators settled in Delhi, Dikshit said he was all for identifying and deporting illegal foreigners. "Our own citizens should not be harassed in the name of weeding out infiltrators," he said. The Congress leader also trained his gun on former BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri for his controversial 'road like Priyanka's cheeks' remarks. "It is condemnable that such words have been used against a woman. Irrespective of the fact that Priyanka ji is a politician and a public figure, such a comment cannot be expected from a fellow politician," he said. Dikshit hoped that the police or the Congress would file a case against the culprit. Imphal, Jan 5 : An apex civil society organisation (CSO) of the Meitei community in Manipur on Sunday attributed the ethnic conflict in the state to a "lack of genuine political leadership". Thockhom Somorendro, the Coordinator of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), said that the ethnic crisis in Manipur was a result of a lack of true political leadership. Criticising both ruling BJP and opposition Congress leaders, he, flanked by other leaders, told the media that they are prioritising party interests over the welfare of the people. Raising serious concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in Kangpokpi district and overall misgovernance in Manipur, Somorendro criticised the state's security machinery, and alleged that the Director General of Police and the Security Advisor to the government had shown incompetence in handling the situation. Despite a mob attacking the office of the Superintendent of Police in Kangpokpi district on January 3, leaving SP Manoj Prabhakar injured, he said that no action was taken against the attackers. He also highlighted the recent killing of a village volunteer belonging to the Meitei community by security forces and the subsequent arrests of many people defending their communities. "The security forces actions appeared to be partial and biased. They totally failed to deal with the growing unrest," the COCOMI leader said. Referring to the ongoing blockade of National Highway (NH-2) by some organisations, he said that despite a large number of security forces operating in the state, no action was being taken against them. "A proxy war has been going on in Manipur," he alleged. Somorendro also alleged that there was widespread corruption in the state and that the people were forced to pay exorbitant amounts for government jobs. Expressing his frustration, the COCOMI coordinator claimed that the people of Manipur have grown accustomed to corruption as normal, which prevents any progress. He pointed out that the dependence of the people on Ministers and MLAs has created a situation where trust in leadership is virtually non-existent. Meanwhile, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has temporarily lifted its indefinite economic blockade on the National Highway (NH-2) and the 24-hour shutdown in Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi. This decision follows an agreement with authorities regarding the deployment of the CRPF personnel in the Saibol region of Lhungtin Subdivision in Kangpokpi district. The CoTU has issued a warning that if the remaining Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) units are not withdrawn from Kuki-Zo community inhabited areas within 48 hours, they will initiate more aggressive protests. --IANS sc/vd Chennai, Jan 5 : Anna University has issued a circular mandating that students should henceforth use only bicycles within the campus. The circular, signed by the university registrar on Sunday (January 5), stated that cars and two-wheelers must be parked in designated parking lots. The circular also restricts delivery executives from venturing beyond the university entrance gate, while construction workers are required to leave the campus after working hours. These measures have been implemented following the sexual assault of a second-year female student inside the university's Guindy campus on the night of December 23. The circular emphasised that immediate action must be taken against complaints of sexual harassment. It may be noted that the National Commission for Women (NCW) had earlier recommended enhanced access control to prevent unauthorised entry into educational institutions. The assault occurred when the second-year engineering student and her male friend, a senior student of the university, were sitting in a secluded area of the campus after attending a Christmas programme. According to the girl's complaint, the accused attacked her male friend and brutally assaulted him, before dragging her to a nearby shrub and raping her. The police acted swiftly and arrested a 37-year-old roadside biryani vendor, Gnanshekharan, for the crime. The case has sparked outrage, with Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai staging a dramatic protest outside his residence in Coimbatore. During the protest, he flogged himself six times to symbolise what he called the deteriorating law and order situation in Tamil Nadu. He also announced plans to undertake a 48-day fast and visit all six holy abodes of Lord Murugan as part of his protest. Annamalai criticised the Tamil Nadu Police for leaking the FIR of the case, which revealed the identity of the 19-year-old victim, a violation of her privacy. He also alleged that the accused, Gnanshekharan, was not included in the police's rowdy list despite having over 20 prior cases against him. He claimed this was due to the accused's connections with leaders of the ruling DMK party. The BJP chief, who is also a former IPS officer, presented evidence that the accused was a functionary of the DMK. He accused the party of attempting to divert attention from Tamil Nadu's law and order issues by fabricating a narrative around a North-South divide. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has announced plans to submit a detailed report on the incident to the Central Government. NCW member Mamta Kumari visited Anna University to investigate the case. "We visited every corner of Anna University and conducted a thorough investigation. We met with the affected girl and her family to gather all the necessary information. We also met the Governor of Tamil Nadu to discuss the matter," Mamta Kumari stated. "A detailed report will be submitted to the central government through the NCW. Whoever is found guilty will face strict punishment," she added. Kolkata, Jan 5 : The West Bengal government has received an alert from the central intelligence agencies of possible illegal infiltration by Bangladeshis using the coastal borders to take advantage of massive gathering at Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district on the occasion of Gangasagar Mela. Following the alert, the Sundarbans district police, under whose jurisdiction Sagar Islands comes, had decided to ensure absolute security at the coastal entry points to the Gangasagar Mela Venue. "The two coastal entry points to Sagar Islands are Lot Number 8 of Kakdwip and Namkhana Chemaguri. A total of 13,000 police personnel will be deployed for Gangasagar Mela. Now after the central intelligence agency input, we have decided to give special security focus on these two coastal entry points to Sagar Islands," said a district police official. Personnel of the coastal police division will be constantly patrolling the coastal waters adjacent to the Sagar Islands. The Indian Coast Guard will also be deployed during the Gangasagar Mela days. The Gangasagar Mela this time is scheduled to start on January 8 and the last day of the event is January 17. The time for a holy bath on the occasion of Makar Sankranti is scheduled from 6.58 a.m. on January 14 to the same time on January 15. The maximum turnout takes place during the period of the holy bath of Makar Sankranti. The district police official further said that a total of 1,150 CCTV cameras have already been installed at Sagar Island for the occasion. "Besides ensuring the prevention of the illegal Bangladesh infiltrators, the target is also to ensure that the annual event this year is completed peacefully. That is why we are taking extra precautions this year. " "Generally, security measures are beefed up during the Gangasagar Mela days every year. However, this time some extra precautions are being adopted in wake of alerts that illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators might try to create trouble during the occasion amid the political crisis in the neighbouring nation," the official added. Cape Town, Jan 5 : Pakistan skipper Shan Masood and Babar Azam staged a strong fightback in their second innings after South Africa enforced follow-on on Day 3 of the second Test in Cape Town on Sunday. Earlier in the day, the hosts bundled out Pakistan for 194 runs in the first innings after putting up a massive total of 615 runs. Pakistan continued their first innings from 64/3 on Day 3. Babar, who was unbeaten at 31, added 27-run to his tally before being dismissed by debutant Kwena Maphaka. Mohammad Rizwan soon followed after an inside edge off Wiaan Mulder saw the ball castle onto his stumps. Regular wickets soon followed as a late collapse saw the visitors score 194, having already lost prodigy Saim Ayub to a fractured ankle. With a loss by an innings seeming to be inevitable, with Pakistan trailing by 421 runs, Babar (81) and Shan Masood (102 not out) went on to put on a 205-run opening stand, the longest partnership for Pakistan while following-on. With Masood having scored a century, it seemed Babar was on his way to a ton as-well before he was dismissed in the 47th over, just before stumps. Marco Jansen pitched a full-length delivery and the Pakistan batter nicked it in an attempt to connect a cover drive. The visitors ended the day at 213/1 and trail the Proteas by 208 runs. Opener Ryan Rickelton scored a brilliant maiden double century while Kyle Verreynne (100) and Marco Jansen made vital contributions as South Africa posted a mammoth first innings total before coming out to claim three early wickets to take a commanding lead on Day 2. Rickleton compiled a sensational 259 for his maiden double century while keeper-batter Verreynne forged a ton as South Africa put on a dominant batting display on the second day of the match. Brief scores: South Africa 615 all out in 141.3 overs (Ryan Rickelton 259, Temba Bavuma 106, Kyle Verreynne 100, Marco Jansen 62; Mohammad Abbas 3-94, Salman Agha 3-148) lead Pakistan 194/10 & 213/1 (Shan Masood 102*, Babar Azam 81; Marco Jansen 56/1) by 208 runs. Guwahati, Jan 5 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the tourist footfall has tremendously increased in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve following the visit and night stay of Prime Minister Narendra Modi there last year. CM Sarma said that a record number of tourists visited the UNESCO world heritage site in Assam which is the highest in the last 20 years. According to him, 1.6 lakh tourists went to Kaziranga National Park in the last three months. Taking to X, Sarma wrote: "Brand Bharat has its biggest Ambassador in the form of Adarniya Shri @narendramodi ji. After Hon'ble Prime Minister's overnight stay & appeal to the people to visit @kaziranga, the Park has witnessed record footfall of 1.6 lakh tourists in the last 3 months, highest in 20 yrs." Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the first PM of the country who has spent a night at the Kaziranga National Park. He visited there in the month of March last year, just before the commencement of the Lok Sabha polls. The Prime Minister took an elephant and jeep safari in the park with forest officials and other senior government officers. He also interacted with forest staff and gave them a series of suggestions to increase the tourist footfall. Meanwhile, the Assam government signed a MoU with the Tata Group on Saturday to establish a luxury hotel in Kaziranga. CM Sarma claimed that the initiative was taken to increase the tourist inflow in the UNESCO world heritage site. "Taking forward Hon'ble PM's thrust in developing tourism in the region and to further attract tourists and visitors to the State, we signed an MoU today for the establishment of a 5 star property in Kaziranga. This property will provide world-class experience to the visitors and encourage them to spend more time in Assam," the Chief Minister had said. Imphal, Jan 5 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Sunday said that 26 Myanmarese nationals, who had earlier entered India through the state's border, were deported to their country. Biren Singh, who also holds the Home portfolio, in a post on X said: "A group of 26 Myanmarese nationals who entered India through Manipur's porous border were deported to their home country today. "The government of Manipur reaffirms its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to those fleeing war, ensuring their care and dignified departure. However, the state maintains a firm stance against allowing illegal migrants to stay back in Manipur." A senior Manipur Home Department official said that the Myanmarese were handed over to the authorities of the neighbouring country by Manipur police and the central forces deployed along the bordering Moreh town. Since March 8 last year, 141 Myanmarese nationals, including women and children, in four different phases have been deported to their country. In coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and central security forces, last year deported 115 Myanmarese nationals, including women and children, in three phases. After the military junta seized power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, around 35,000 people, including women, elderly people and children, from the neighbouring country took shelter in 11 districts of Mizoram. The Myanmarese are staying in more than a hundred relief camps in six districts while several thousand others live in relatives or friends' houses as well as in rented accommodation, a Mizoram Home Department official said. Over 6,000 Myanmarese nationals took shelter in Manipuras different bordering districts. Mizoram and Manipur have 518 km and 400 km of unfenced borders, respectively, with Myanmar. The MHA earlier in 2022 asked both the Manipur and Mizoram governments to undertake the recording of biometric and biographic data of all the Myanmar refugees. New York, Jan 5 : Five Indian-origin men have been arrested and charged with the murder of an Indian, whose bullet-ridden body had been found in a forest in New Jersey, according to officials. The last of the five, Sandeep Kumar, was arrested on Friday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer and New Jersey Police Colonel Patrick Callahan said on Saturday. Kuldeep Kumar's body was found with gunshot wounds in the Greenwood Wildlife Management Area, a nature preserve in New Jersey, on December 14. Although Kumar's family in New York had reported him missing on October 26, according to the prosecutor's office, it was almost two months before someone discovered his body and informed the prosecutor's Major Crimes Unit. The alleged murder happened around October 22, leaving the body in a stage of "advanced decomposition" and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) helped identify Kumar, the prosecutor's office said. Investigations by several law enforcement agencies zeroed in on the five accused. Four of them from Greenwood in Indiana State, Sourav Kumar, 23, Guarav Singh, 27, Nirmal Singh, 30, and Gurdeep Singh, 22, and Sandeep Kumar, 34, from Ozone Park in New York were identified as the alleged perpetrators, according to the prosecutor's office. While the prosecutor said the victim was Indian, he did not give the citizenship of those arrested, or the motivation for the alleged murder. The accused men from Indiana were arrested there by the FBI, the prosecutor's detective, and Indiana police "without incident" on December 20, Billhimer's office said. They are held in an Indiana jail awaiting extradition to New Jersey. Under US laws, when a person wanted in a crime is arrested in another state, prosecutors have to go through an extradition process in a court during which the arrested person can contest extradition. Agartala, Jan 5 : At least 23 people, including students, children and women were injured in two separate road accidents in Tripura on Sunday, police said. A police official said that at least 10 school students and a woman were injured after a bus carrying them suddenly caught fire in Mohanpur in West Tripura on Sunday evening. The official said that around 80 students, 50 guardians and three teachers in three buses went to Bashgram in Mohanpur as part of their winter holidaying. When they were returning, one of the buses caught fire but the students and several women guardians miraculously saved themselves from a major tragedy as they swiftly came out from the bus. Preliminary report said that a generator was running inside the bus and due to heavy hits it caught fire and the fire spread to the body of the bus. At least 10 students and a woman suffered breathing problems and six of them immediately shifted to the government-run Govind Ballabh Pant Medical College and Hospital and their condition stated to be not serious. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed deep concern over this incident. In a post on X, he said, "Deeply concerned about the unfortunate incident in Mohanpur, where a picnic party bus caught fire following a generator blast. Praying for the speedy recovery of the individuals injured in this tragic event. Six of the injured have been referred to GB Pant Hospital for further treatment. We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure that the injured receive immediate medical attention. Urging everyone to be cautious and mindful while enjoying the picnic." In another accident, 12 people including women and children were injured when a truck carrying a group of picnickers lost control and plunged into a gully near Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary. Local firefighters rushed to the scene, rescued all the people and took the injured to Bishalgarh Hospital for medical treatment. While the exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, preliminary reports suggest that the vehicle may have lost control due to poor road conditions or mechanical failure. According to government reports, at least 226 people died in road accidents across Tripura in 2024. Despite various measures taken up and implemented by the state government, road accidents continue to be a major cause of concern in the northeastern state. Chennai, Jan 5 : Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson and senior party leader A.N.S. Prasad has commended CPI-M state secretary K. Balakrishnan for "courageously questioning" the DMK government and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. In a statement on Sunday, Prasad lauded Balakrishnan for boldly asking, "Have you declared an undeclared emergency in Tamil Nadu?" He alleged that following these remarks, Murasoli, the DMK's party organ, issued veiled threats against Balakrishnan. Despite this, Balakrishnan continues to speak the truth, setting an example for others, Prasad said. The BJP spokesperson highlighted that the Tamil Nadu BJP stands with its president, K. Annamalai, in calling for all opposition parties to unite for the welfare of the people and to hold the DMK government accountable. He noted that although the CPI-M is part of the DMK alliance, its state secretary has shown remarkable courage in questioning the government. Prasad further alleged that there are attempts to undermine Balakrishnan within his party, which he described as a dangerous political trend. He criticised the editorial in Murasoli, questioning the continuity of Balakrishnan's leadership, calling it a tarnishing of the DMK alliance and Tamil Nadu's political fabric. Prasad accused the DMK of suppressing democratic voices under the guise of governance, stating that intimidating coalition leaders is a blatant attack on democracy. He also questioned the actions of the Tamil Nadu Police, alleging that they have acted beyond their mandate. "Peaceful protests and democratic movements are essential in a democracy," Prasad said, adding that Annamalai has rightly questioned whether public processions and meetings will no longer be permitted in Tamil Nadu. Prasad accused Chief Minister Stalin of promoting divisive ideologies, such as racism, separatism, and religious extremism, during a seminar that was meant to discuss the greatness of the Indus Valley and Keeladi civilisations -- key symbols of Tamil pride. He expressed shock and sadness at what he termed as Stalin's misuse of the platform to glorify the DMK government, which Prasad called "a symbol of corruption". The BJP leader claimed that since the DMK came to power in 1967, the party has repeatedly manipulated history, taken credit for unearned achievements, and misled students, youth, and society with false narratives. Prasad urged all opposition parties in Tamil Nadu to unite and expose what he called the "anti-people" misdeeds of the DMK government. He warned that failing to do so would amount to a betrayal of the Tamil people and Tamil Nadu itself. TEHRAN, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Sunday strongly condemned airstrikes by the U.S.-led navy coalition on northern Yemen as well as a lethal attack in southwestern Pakistan. The "ongoing and repeated military aggressions" by the United States, Britain, and Israel against Yemen "constitute a clear violation of Yemen's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and contradict the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter," Baghaei said in a statement. "These aggressive actions would lead to increased insecurity and instability in the West Asia region," he added. According to the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, a U.S.-led navy coalition launched three airstrikes on Yemen's northern province of Saada on Sunday morning. The strikes targeted a military site of the Houthi group in the city, residents said on social media. The U.S. military has yet to comment on the claim. The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been launching regular rocket and drone attacks against Israel and disrupting "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023 in support of Palestinians. In response, the U.S.-British navy coalition stationed in the area has regularly conducted air raids and strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group. In a separate statement, Baghaei expressed sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, the government, and the people of Pakistan in light of the lethal attack in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province. He stressed "the need to strengthen efforts to prevent and combat terrorism," read the statement. At least four people were killed and 32 others injured in an explosion in Balochistan on Saturday, local media and officials said. The incident happened in the Turbat district of the province, where a convoy was attacked and a bus in it was struck during the assault, officials told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on social media, while the Pakistani authorities have not confirmed the attack. Srinagar, Jan 5 : Five members of a family died of suffocation on Sunday in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar district. Officials said that 5 members of a family including a couple and their 3 children died of suffocation in Pandrathan area of Srinagar district. aThe family originally hailing from Baramulla district were living in a rented accommodation in Pandrathan area. They fell unconscious due to suffocation and were shifted to hospital where doctors said they were dead on arrival. Chief minister, Omar Abdullah has expressed shock at the tragedy. Omar Abdullah expressed profound grief and sorrow over the tragic death of five family members in the Pandrathan area of Srinagar city. In an official handout the Chief Minister conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved relatives praying for strength and patience to help them cope with this irreparable loss. While praying for the departed souls, the Chief Minister urged people to exercise utmost caution while using heating gadgets during the harsh winter months. He emphasised the importance of adhering to government-issued advisories on the safe use of heating equipment to prevent such tragic incidents. In extreme winter cold, people sometimes unmindfully use LPG heaters in their rooms. These gas heaters produce carbon monoxide and in a room completely closed without any fresh air passing through, such appliances prove fatal. Health department officials regularly issue advisories against the use of gas heaters in closed environment. People are warned of the fatal consequences of using such heating gadgets. The best heating appliances are those whose emissions are discharged outside the room/space where these are used. Earlier on Sunday, four occupants of an ill-fated vehicle died when the vehicle went out of the driveras control and dropped into a gorge in Massu Kishtwar. On Saturday, four army soldiers were killed and one injured when an army vehicle met an accident after the driver lost control on the wheel at Saderkoot Payeen area of Bandipora district. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate Sneha, a Spanish citizen, has returned to India in search of her biological mother, who had abandoned her and her brother 20 years ago. Image used only for representation. Photograph: Pixabay.com However, 21-year-old Sneha is running out of time as she has to return to Spain on Monday for her educational commitments. The researcher in children's education wanted to trace her roots and reached India with scant information about her past. Her Spanish parents Gema Vidal and Juan Josh supported her in her quest and Gema accompanied Sneha to her home state Odisha. They had adopted Sneha and her brother Somu in 2010 from an orphanage in Bhubaneswar, where they were sheltered after their mother Banalata Das abandoned them in 2005. "The purpose of my journey from Spain to Bhubaneswar is to find my biological parents, especially my mother. I want to find her and meet her. I am fully prepared for the journey even if it is difficult," Sneha told PTI. Asked if she would chide her biological mother for abandoning her, Sneha remained mum. She was only over a year old, and her brother was just a few months old at that time. Sneha said her Spanish parents have given the siblings everything in life and never made them feel like they were adopted, ensuring the best education and freedom to make their own choices. "They have given us unconditional love," she said. Accompanied by Gema, a yoga teacher in Zaragoza city of Spain, Sneha arrived in Bhubaneswar on December 19 last year and they have been staying in a hotel. Somu, however, could not come as he was busy with some work in Spain. If they do not find Sneha's biological mother by Monday, they will come back in March for a longer stay. "We have to return to Spain as Sneha has joined a training programme which should not be discontinued. If we do not get Banalata in the next 24 hours, we will come back to Bhubaneswar in March," Gema said. Banalata had abandoned Sneha and Somu at their rented house in Nayapally area in Bhubaneswar in 2005. Banalata's husband Santosh, who worked as a cook in a private firm, had earlier abandoned his family, which comprised his wife, and four children, including Sneha and Somu. Later, Banalata also left the rented house with another son and daughter, leaving behind Sneha and Somu. The house owner later informed the police and they were shifted to an orphanage. In 2010, Sneha, then around five years and nine months old, and Somu, over four years old, were legally adopted by the Spanish couple. "Sneha is very responsible and educated. She is the joy of our house. She is our life," Gema said. Gema had earlier revealed to Sneha and Somu about their roots in Odisha and that they were adopted. "She is well educated and conducting research, so she decided to locate her biological mother and I accompanied her to this place," Gema said. "I told Sneha that her Indian mother and father are surely nice people because you are good," she said. Recalling her experience during the legal adoption of Sneha and her brother, Gema said that they had to wait for three months to adopt the siblings. "When we reached the orphanage to adopt Sneha and Somu, she was waiting for us with a flower in her hand. From that very moment, the siblings became a part of our life," she said. During their frantic search in Bhubaneswar, Gema and Sneha came across a retired teacher of Rama Devi Women's University, Sneha Sudha Mishra, who helped them find out the names of her parents. "We found out about her parents' names from the house owner in Nayapally and later the names were verified with the police and the orphanage," Mishra said. Gema and Sneha were monetarily exploited by some people during their initial days in India. "In fact, Sneha's mother cried in front of me, seeking help to locate Banalata. Together, we searched for her parents before approaching the police for help. Gema is a noble and affectionate woman having an in-depth understanding of Indian culture and philosophy," Mishra said. Mishra said language was a major problem for Gema to communicate with locals but she has been helping the mother-daughter duo. With the help of Mishra, Sneha and Gema met city Commissioner of Police Dev Datta Singh, who assigned the job of locating Banalata Das and Santosh Das to two police personnel Anjali Chhotray and Gangadhar Pradhan. "We have found out that Banalata Das and Santosh are from Badamba-Narsinghpur area in Cuttack district. We have engaged police and panchayat functionaries to locate them," Inspector Anjali Chhotray said. "People here, especially the media and police, have helped us a lot," Sneha said. Telugu actor Allu Arjun, named as an accused in the case related to the tragic death of a woman during a stampede at the premiere of his latest film Pushpa 2, appeared before the police in Hyderabad on Sunday as part of his bail conditions. IMAGE: Actor Allu Arjun. Photograph: ANI Photo The actor appeared before the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chikkadapally police station, completed the court formalities and left, police said. Arjun, listed as accused No 11 in the case, was granted regular bail by a city court on January 3. As per the court's directives, the actor is required to appear before SHO, Chikkadpally police station on every Sunday between 10 am and 1 pm for a period of two months or till filing of charge sheet, whichever is earlier. Additionally, the court instructed the Pushpa star not to change his residential address without prior intimation to the court and barred him from leaving the country without prior approval. These conditions will remain in force until the case is resolved. He was further asked not leave the country without prior permission of the court. The incident took place on December 4, when a stampede-like situation erupted at Sandhya theatre in Hyderabad as fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor during the Pushpa 2 premiere. A 35-year-old woman lost her life, and her eight-year-old son sustained injuries in the chaos and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, the SHO of Ramgopalpet Police Station served a notice to Allu Arjun on his proposed plan to the visit the hospital (to visit the boy undergoing treatment) on Sunday asking him to 'reconsider' his decision, in view of heightened public interest in this matter, and to ensure minimal disruption to hospital operations and other patients. If he still intends to visit the hospital, then the actor's management was asked to coordinate with hospital authorities and the police to plan his entry and exit in such a way that minimises inconvenience to the hospital inmates and the public, police said. The police also advised him maintaining the confidentiality of his visit to 'prevent any gathering of public/media at the premises' which could disturb the peaceful environs of the hospital. The actor, however, cancelled his visit to the hospital citing 'advise' from his legal team, official sources said. Following the tragedy, a case was registered against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management at the Chikkadpally police station. The charges were filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a complaint by the deceased woman's family. Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with the case. However, the Telangana high court granted him interim bail on December 14, which is set to expire on January 10. KHARTOUM, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- At least eight civilians were killed and 53 others injured in artillery shelling by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Sudanese capital Khartoum and El Fasher city in western Sudan's North Darfur State. "The RSF militia on Saturday continued its systematic shelling against civilians in Karari locality in Omdurman city, north of Khartoum, and Sharq Alneel (East Nile) locality, east of Khartoum, killing 4 civilians and injuring 43 others," Khartoum State's Health Ministry said in a statement. The injured have been transferred to receive treatment at Al-No and Abu Sied Hospitals in Omdurman, and El Ban Jadid Hospital in Sharq Alneel locality, it said. Also on Saturday, the 6th Infantry Division of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) said in a statement that four civilians were killed and 10 others injured in a shelling by the RSF on residential neighborhoods in El Fasher on Friday. The RSF has yet to comment on these incidents. Since May 10, 2024, fierce clashes between the SAF and the RSF have been raging in El Fasher. Sudan has been gripped by a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which claimed at least 29,683 lives and displaced over 14 million people, either inside or outside Sudan, according to the latest estimates by international organizations. Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Suraj Chavan and party MLC Amol Mitkari on Sunday took objection to Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Suresh Dhas targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar over the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district. IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Photograph: ANI Photo In an X post, Chavan asked if Dhas does not trust the state home department that it will conduct a fair probe into the murder. Mitkari asked if chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who holds charge of the home department, will rein in his party MLA. Chavan said if anyone from the NCP is found involved in the murder case, Pawar will not hesitate to take action against him. Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9, apparently because he tried to thwart an attempt to extort money from an energy firm operating a windmill project. Walmik Karad, an associate of Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in the extortion case. Police have so far arrested seven persons in connection with the murder case. BJP leader Dhas and NCP MLA Prakash Solanke, both hailing from Beed, as well as the opposition have been demanding that Munde be dropped from the state council of ministers for a fair rpt fair probe into the murder case. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) is conducting a probe into the case. During a protest in Parbhani on Saturday, Dhas, in a veiled reference to Munde's induction into the cabinet, taunted NCP head Pawar and said, "Ajit dada kya hua tera vada...kaiko isko andar liya (Ajit dada what happened to your promise, why you inducted him)?" Reacting to the BJP leader's remarks, Chavan, "If anyone from the NCP is found involved in the murder case, Ajit Pawar will not spare him." "I want to request Devendra Fadnavis to ask Dhas not to vitiate the cordial atmosphere of the Mahayuti alliance. If Ajit Pawar is defamed, we will respond appropriately," Chavan added. Mitkari also took a dim view of Dhas targeting Pawar. 'Will Devendra Fadnavis rein in his MLA for questioning Ajit dada or allow the wild bull to run amok?' Mitkari quipped in a post on X. Dhas has been targeting Dhananjay Munde, amid a political blame-game over the Deshmukh murder case. On Saturday, Dhas alleged that two men arrested from Pune in the murder case are just 'pawns' while the 'key accused' are roaming free. The murder case has acquired a caste conflict angle as Deshmukh was a Maratha, while most of the accused are Vanjari, a dominant community in the Beed region. Two persons were arrested for alleged voyeurism after some female students at a private engineering college in Medchal, near Hyderabad, accused the cooking staff of recording them in the hostel washrooms, police said on Sunday. Image only for representation. Photograph: Shima Abedinzade/Pixabay.com After protests were held at the college over the voyeurism issue on January 1 and 2, a case was registered against seven people, including the two arrested individuals, the principal, director, and chairman of the college. Based on the complaint of the students, the case was registered at Medchal police station on charges of voyeurism, abetment to commit a crime, and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, besides the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. During the investigation, the police apprehended two persons, both aged 20, who were accused of peeping into the washrooms of the students. One of them works as a cook's helper, a police official said, adding that they were sent to judicial custody on Saturday. It has been established that the two accused targeted the hostel girls when they used the washrooms, according to a release from the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate. The two arrested individuals were provided accommodation near the girls' hostel washrooms, giving them easy access and posing a serious threat to the privacy and safety of the minor victims, police said. The girls' hostel wardens displayed negligence when the victims disclosed the incident, intentionally avoiding escalating the matter to the police or the parents of the victims, police added. The principal, director, and chairman pressured the hostel wardens to contain the exposure of the incident in order to protect the college's reputation but showed no interest in reporting the matter to the relevant authorities, which emboldened and abetted the two arrested individuals to carry out the voyeurism, police said. The case is under investigation. Two pilots and an aircrew diver of an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) of the Indian Coast Guard were killed when the chopper crashed and caught fire at Gujarat's Porbandar airport on Sunday, government authorities said. Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo The crew members killed in the accident are Commandant Saurabh, Deputy Commandant S K Yadav and Manoj Pradhan Navik, according to the defence ministry. Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja said the helicopter was returning from a routine sortie and crashed while trying to land on the runway. The chopper crashed near the runway and caught fire. The blaze was later brought under control with the help of a fire tender, he said. The three crew members were brought out of the chopper and rushed to a hospital in Porbandar in a severely burnt condition, he said. The defence ministry said the ALH MK-III helicopter met with the accident at the airport's runway at around 12:15 pm. 'An ALH MK-III helicopter of Indian Coast Guard met with an accident at Porbandar airport runway in Gujarat at about 1215 hours on January 5. The ICG helicopter, with two pilots and one aircrew diver, was on a routine training sortie,' the ministry said in a statement. It said immediately after the incident, the crew were taken to a government hospital, Porbandar, where they were declared brought dead. The reasons leading to the incident are being investigated by a Board of Inquiry. 'The mortal remains of the crew namely Commandant (JG) Saurabh, Deputy Commandant SK Yadav and Manoj Pradhan Navik will be cremated as per service traditions and honour,' the ministry said. The incident comes four months after the ICG's ALH MK-III helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar on September 2 last year, killing three crew members. The indigenously designed and developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-Dhruv) is a twin engine, multi-role, multi-mission new generation helicopter in the 5.5 ton weight class. More than 340 Dhruv helicopters have been produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd so far. A head constable has been booked for changing bribe notes in court claiming the original ones were nibbled by rats at the police station where they were stored, officials said on Sunday. Image only for representation. Photograph: PTI Photo/Rediff Archives The case has been registered against Udayveer Singh, the head constable of Nawabganj police station in Bareilly district, they said. According to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mukesh Chandra Mishra, on February 12, 2021, the Anti-Corruption Organisation (ACO) of Uttar Pradesh Police arrested a lekhpal (revenue official) posted in the Nawabganj tehsil while receiving a bribe of Rs 10,000. The ACO team seized 20 bribe notes of Rs 500 denomination each from the accused, besides seizing Rs 80,361, a mobile phone, an Aadhaar card, and a PAN card from his possession. The seized items, including the bribe money, were handed over to Singh. While the cash and other items were later released on court's order, the bribe notes were deposited at the Nawabganj police station. However, during the trial, the head constable didn't produce the bribe notes in the court and instead submitted 20 different Rs 500 currency notes, blaming rats for nibbling on the original ones. Mishra said when Superintendent of Police (City) Manush Parikh investigated the matter, he found that Singh deliberately committed a criminal act to benefit the accused. Based on a report submitted against Singh, an FIR was registered against the head constable on Saturday, police said. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday snubbed the Rashtriya Janata Dal, headed by his arch-rival Lalu Prasad Yadav, stating that he had forged alliances 'by mistake' with the opposition party which 'did nothing' while in power. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inspects the machine models during the inauguration of the newly constructed ITI College in the second phase of 'Pragati Yatra', in Gopalganj on Saturday. Photograph: ANI Photo The Janata Dal-United supremo made the remark days after Lalu, a former CM himself, had claimed that the RJD was keeping its 'doors open' for the former ally, who is now back in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. Talking to reporters in the north Bihar district of Muzaffarpur, as part of a state-wide Pragati Yatra, Kumar said, "Those who were in power before us... did they do anything? People used to fear stepping out of their homes after sunset. I had by mistake aligned with them a couple of times." "What was the condition of women back then? Today you can see these self-help groups, which we gave the name 'Jivika'. The Centre replicated our model and called it 'Ajivika'. Did you see such confident rural women earlier?" asked the longest-serving CM of the state. Kumar, however, did not take questions about the cryptic 'offer' from Lalu, which was made light of by the RJD supremo's son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, but endorsed by ally Congress. Lalu's comments had come in the backdrop of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's equivocal stance on projecting Kumar as the chief ministerial candidate in the assembly polls due in less than a year. State BJP leaders, on their part, have been maintaining that the JD-U supremo will be the 'face' of the NDA in the 2025 assembly elections. The BJP, which fell short of a majority in the Lok Sabha polls, depends on allies like JD-U and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party to survive in power at the Centre. Meanwhile, the CM inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 76 developmental projects/schemes worth Rs 451.40 Crore in Muzaffarpur during his visit to the district on Sunday. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office, 'The CM chaired a meeting to review the ongoing developmental schemes of the state government at the district collectorate. Subrata Sen, District Magistrate of Muzaffarpur, gave a detailed presentation about the ongoing projects and schemes in the district before the CM.' Kumar was briefed about the ongoing schemes, including Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme, Chief Minister Nishchay Self Help Allowance Scheme, tap water to every house and their maintenance, Chief Minister Rural Solar Street Light scheme, irrigation water to every farm, Chief Minister Agricultural Electricity Connection Scheme in the district. 'The meeting was attended by the elected representatives of the district also. The CM instructed the officials to resolve issues raised by the elected representatives in the meeting at the earliest,' the statement said. The CM announced in the meeting that a ring road will be constructed in the eastern part of Muzaffarpur at the earliest to ease traffic congestion in the city. "Besides, a Road Over Bridge will also be constructed at Ramdayalu crossing in the city. Beautification work will be carried out by the concerned departments. A four-lane road will be constructed from Bankarpur (Saran) to Dumariya Ghat (Gopalganj)," Kumar said. Besides, an announcement was also made that the auditorium which is being constructed in the Daudpur Kothi area will be named after former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Ahead of the Maha Kumbh, a senior cleric has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressing fears that mass conversions of Muslims will take place during the event, while other community leaders have flagged the alleged demand raised by some Hindu seers' body to keep Muslims out of the mega gathering. IMAGE: An aerial view of Sangam as preparations continue for Mahakumbh 2025, at Sangam in Prayagraj on Sunday. Photograph: ANI Photo Last year, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) had allegedly given a call to procure goods for the Maha Kumbh exclusively from Hindu shopkeepers to ensure that purchases were made solely from the true followers of Sanatan Dharma. Held every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh will be organised in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. All India Muslim Jamaat president Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, who was in the spotlight recently for advising Muslims not to visit the Maha Kumbh, urged Adityanath on Friday to 'thwart plans' to convert hundreds of Muslims during the event. Speaking to PTI, Barelvi claimed he received information from reliable sources about plans to convert Muslims during the Kumbh, and as a concerned citizen, he informed the chief Minister about his apprehension. "Now it is the responsibility of the state government to act on this," he said. However, Barelvi, who earlier termed the alleged demand to bar Muslims from visiting the Kumbh 'undemocratic' and 'unconstitutional', put forward a different view on the matter in his letter to the chief minister. "The Akhara Parishad and Naga seers held a meeting in November last year, where they talked about banning Muslims from setting up shops at the fair premises. That is why I have advised Muslims not to go to Maha Kumbh to avoid any trouble," he said. Maulana Kaab Rashidi, legal advisor to the Uttar Pradesh unit of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, said perhaps this is the first time that Muslims are at the centre of discussions before the biggest religious gathering of Hindus. On the alleged demand to keep Muslims away from the event, Rashidi said, "Such calls violate the rights enshrined in the Constitution because India is known all over the world as a secular country. So, talking about banning Muslims from Maha Kumbh is like crushing the soul of the Constitution." "If a festival or a gathering like the Maha Kumbh is seen through the prism of religion, the country will move on the wrong path. Muslims are an integral part of the country. How can they be kept away from the world's largest gathering of faith," Rashidi asked. Maulana Yasoob Abbas, general secretary of the All India Shia Personal Law Board, said, "If a Muslim goes to Maha Kumbh to increase his knowledge, what's the harm in it? Islam is not so weak that a person of the faith will be in danger just by attending a fair or by visiting a place of worship." On Barelvi's apprehension of conversions, Abbas said, "If the foundation of someone's faith is strong, no one can convert him." Taking a dig at Barelvi, Mohsin Raza, chairman of Uttar Pradesh Haj Committee and a former minister of state for minority welfare, said, "You must have heard RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Ji's statement that some people want to become leaders by creating controversies. Such people are found everywhere. If there are four brothers, their temperament will differ." "I have been to Kumbh many times, as have many Muslims. Also, many community members are involved in the arrangements for the Maha Kumbh. So, demanding to keep them away cannot be a Sanatani 'sanskar'. Our culture is known for harmony and brotherhood, so the statement to ban Muslims from Maha Kumbh can at best be someone's personal view," the former Uttar Pradesh minister said. On Barelvi's claims on religious conversions, Raza said, "Those who have written to the chief minister were involved in illegal conversions. They must have got the information that the people they converted illegally will go to Maha Kumbh for 'ghar vaapsi'. "Barelvi must have received such a report and that is why he is getting anxious. Whatever he is doing, he is doing to save himself." Meanwhile, Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahli, a senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and president of the Islamic Centre of India, said the centre will not issue any advisory on Muslims attending the Maha Kumbh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made a strong appeal to people to bring the Bharatiya Janata Party to power in Delhi, as he attacked the Arvind Kejriwal-led party with 'AAP-da' and 'Sheesh Mahal' jibes and assured Delhiites that no welfare scheme would be discontinued if the saffron party forms the government. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses BJP's 'Parivartan Rally' ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls, at Japanese Park Rohini, in New Delhi on Sunday. Photograph: ANI Photo Speaking at the BJP's first public rally in Rohini before the upcoming polls, Modi said every season in the city has turned into a period of 'emergency', with drinking water shortages in the summer, waterlogging during the monsoon and pollution during the winter. The BJP has been out of power in Delhi since 1998. It has been making all out efforts to dethrone the AAP which has ruled the city since 2015. Assembly elections in Delhi are likely next month. "Only when this 'AAP-da (disaster)' is gotten rid of in Delhi, the double-engine of development can come in," Modi said, hitting out at the AAP. He said the AAP government was a 'disaster' that had struck Delhi, and any more responsibility given to the 'AAP-da' means punishment for the people of Delhi. The 'AAP-da' government does not have any vision to develop the national capital, and that is what lotus (the BJP's poll symbol) is going to bloom in the city and the BJP would usher in change, the prime minister said. "We want to make Delhi such a world capital that reflects the vastness of India's heritage. It should be the centre of new global systems. This can happen only when the BJP government works both at the Centre and state (Delhi)," he told the 'Parivartan Rally'. Modi also accused the AAP government of spreading fear that a BJP government in Delhi would discontinue several welfare schemes launched by the AAP. The AAP government is currently providing free electricity, water, bus rides for women and pilgrimage for the elderly. The AAP also says its government work in the health and education sectors are an example for others to follow. The prime minister asserted a new BJP government would implement with renewed vigour central schemes that, he claimed, have been stalled by the AAP government. Hours after Modi's accusation, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal held a press conference and said the BJP is seeking votes by abusing him. The prime minister said the Centre has been developing highways in Delhi, expanding the Metro network, starting the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System, and running big hospitals. "However, the moment you step out of a Metro station, you can see potholed roads, overflowing sewers. Some areas are such that even auto and cab drivers refuse to go due to long traffic jams," he said. "In the past 10 years, Delhi has witnessed a state government that is no less than an 'aap-da (disaster)'! Delhiites have realised this. Only one voice is ringing in Delhi -- 'Aapda nahi sahenge, badal kar rahenge (will not tolerate disaster, will bring change)," Modi said. He pointed out that several BJP state governments are running special schemes for women. If the BJP is voted to power in Delhi, he said, its government will ensure women find it easier to run their households, daughters and sisters are safe and get opportunity for good education and jobs, people's incomes and savings go up and their life becomes comfortable. For this, a BJP chief minister is needed, he said, hinting the party may promise some financial assistance to women before the polls. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has already announced that if it returns to power, it will give Rs 2,100 monthly aid to women. "I have full confidence that the people of Delhi will rein in the corrupt and anti-development AAP-da and give an opportunity to the BJP to make the city a modern, 21st century capital," he said. The PM told the rally he had come to Rohini to make a special request to the people of Delhi to give the BJP an opportunity for their own and the city's bright future. Only BJP can develop Delhi, he said. The prime minister said when the people of Delhi were grappling with the COVID-19, struggling to find medical oxygen and medicines, the entire focus of the 'AAP-da people' was on building their own 'Sheesh Mahal (palaces)'. "They made a huge budget for the 'Sheesh Mahal'. This is their truth... They do not care about the people of Delhi. That is why every Delhiite today is saying... 'we will not tolerate AAP-da, we will being change'," he said. He also accused the AAP government of wasting a decade fighting with the Centre. "We are in the 21st century and 25 years have passed. Two or three generations have entered their youth. The next 25 years are very important for Delhi. The next 25 years will see India emerge a developed nation. We all will be stakeholders in this journey," Modi said. The national capital should be a part of this glorious journey, he added. "In Delhi, people blessed the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and now, in the assembly polls, are set to bless the BJP. This is a golden opportunity to win the heart of Delhi and free it of disaster ('aapda')," he said. Earlier in the day, Modi inaugurated several projects worth Rs 12,200 crore. He inaugurated a 13-km section of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor from Sahibabad in Ghaziabad to New Ashok Nagar in Delhi. A petition has been filed in the National Green Tribunal's Bhopal bench, seeking an assurance from the Madhya Pradesh government that the Union Carbide waste disposal in Pithampur won't harm people in nearby areas. IMAGE: Survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy stage a demonstrative protest against Dow Chemicals and Union Carbide during a rally on the disaster's 39th anniversary, in front of Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, December 3, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo The petition, filed by a Jabalpur-based social organisation, has urged the NGT to direct the state's chief secretary to declare on oath about the safety of people in Pithampur in Dhar district where the waste has been transported for disposal. On the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal, killing at least 5,479 persons and leaving thousands with serious injuries and long-lasting health issues. Nearly 337 tons of Union Carbide waste reached Pithampur from Bhopal on Thursday for disposal following an order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The petition before the NGT seeks direction to the authorities in Dhar to submit on oath that residents in the area would not be harmed due to the disposal of the waste. Furthermore, the petition seeks direction to the MP government to publish in Hindi and English newspapers a specific report regarding the disposal of this waste to allay public concerns, PG Najpandey of the Nagrik Upbhokta Margdarshak Manch and activist Sunil Bhargav said. The social organisation filed the petition in the NGT on Friday, Najpandey told PTI. There is apprehension among residents because thousands of people died due to the leak of toxic methyl isocyanate gas from Union Carbide factory in December 1984, he said. Therefore, we have moved the NGT to take cognisance of their concerns, Najpandey said. "We don't want this toxic waste in our area," is the refrain of locals at Tarpura, a village adjacent to Pithampur's waste incineration unit where the huge quantity of waste has been brought for disposal. The plan to dispose of the waste linked to the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, among the worst industrial disasters in the world, has sparked off protests in the area. The incineration of a huge quantity of toxic waste will be hazardous for humans as well as the environment, the villagers fear, even though the Madhya Pradesh government has sought to assure them that there would be no harmful consequences. The administration has issued prohibitory orders within a 100-metre radius of the waste disposal unit in Pithampur and has deployed a large police force. Many residents of Tarpura work in industrial units in Pithampur. Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, who has been on a fast unto death to press the demand for cancellation of a Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam, on Sunday sought the support of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. IMAGE: Jan Suraj party chief Prashant Kishor with his supporters continues his indefinite hunger strike demanding the cancellation of the BPSC 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) exam over the alleged paper leak, in Patna on Sunday. Photograph: ANI Photo Talking to reporters in Patna on the fourth day of his 'Amran Anshan', Kishor also said he was ready to 'follow' these leaders and if they were averse to his presence, he was willing to 'withdraw'. "I want to inform the people that this agitation is non-political one and not being carried under the banner of my party. Last night, the youngsters formed a 51-member forum called 'Yuva Satyagraha Samiti' (YSS) which will steer this movement of which Prashant Kishor is just a part. All are welcome to lend support be it Rahul Gandhi, who has 100 MPs and Tejashwi Yadav who has more than 70 MLAs," Kishor said. He added, "These leaders are much bigger than us. They can get five lakh people to gather at the Gandhi Maidan this is the time to do so. The future of the youth is at stake. We are faced with a brutal regime which has ordered lathi charge 87 times in just three years." "Out of 51 members of the newly formed YSS, 42 decided to continue this fight last night. All members of the YSS are part of different political organisations. But all of them have now come under one umbrella to unitedly fight for the cause of youth and students. The YSS is totally a non-political forum. I am here to support them only .and this 'amran anshan' will continue. Use of water cannons and lathi charge on protesting BPSC aspirants in Patna on December 29 by the state police, was murder of democracy," he said. Often accused of being a B-team of the BJP, Kishor said, "I don't think any BJP leader will have the courage to speak against the very government of which party is a part, but if any of them comes forward guided by conscience, he will be welcome. The state's youth often say that in national elections, they vote for PM Narendra Modi and nobody else. But the youth of Bihar have got nothing in return since Modi took over." Citing the example of the agitation in Delhi against the controversial farm laws, Kishor remarked, "The Modi government had to relent after several months. One day the Nitish Kumar government will also have to bow before the youth here." The Jan Suraaj founder has been fast-unto-death since Thursday to press for the demand for cancellation of the integrated 70th combined (preliminary) competitive test conducted by the BPSC on December 13. However, BPSC had ordered the retest for a select group of candidates who had appeared in the December 13 exam, which was embroiled over allegations of question paper leak. The retest was held on Saturday at 22 centres in Patna. The re-exam took place at 22 centres in Patna. Out of a total of 12,012 candidates, around 8,111 aspirants had downloaded their admit cards. However, 5,943 students appeared for the retest on Saturday. The retest was held peacefully at all centres without report of any misconduct and malpractices, the BPSC said in a statement issued on Saturday. Soldiers stand guard in the city of Zawiya, Libya, Jan. 5, 2025. The West Coast Military Zone of the Libyan Defense Ministry said Saturday it launched a large-scale anti-crime military operation in the area. The first phase of the operation will begin in the city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli, it said in a statement. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) TRIPOLI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The West Coast Military Zone of the Libyan Defense Ministry said Saturday it launched a large-scale anti-crime military operation in the area. The first phase of the operation will begin in the city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli, it said in a statement. The statement denied any political objectives behind the operation, stressing it aims to maintain security and stability in the area. The West Coast Military Zone, which has witnessed increasing fuel smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal migration, previously asked residents of Zawiya to stay away from suspicious locations and hideouts for their safety during military operations in the area. Zawiya has witnessed violent armed clashes recently, the last of which was in mid-December 2024 when the Zawiya refinery, Libya's second-largest one built in 1974, was heavily damaged. Soldiers stand guard in the city of Zawiya, Libya, Jan. 5, 2025. The West Coast Military Zone of the Libyan Defense Ministry said Saturday it launched a large-scale anti-crime military operation in the area. The first phase of the operation will begin in the city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli, it said in a statement. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) Soldiers stand guard in the city of Zawiya, Libya, Jan. 5, 2025. The West Coast Military Zone of the Libyan Defense Ministry said Saturday it launched a large-scale anti-crime military operation in the area. The first phase of the operation will begin in the city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli, it said in a statement. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) Soldiers stand guard in the city of Zawiya, Libya, Jan. 5, 2025. The West Coast Military Zone of the Libyan Defense Ministry said Saturday it launched a large-scale anti-crime military operation in the area. The first phase of the operation will begin in the city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli, it said in a statement. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) Soldiers stand guard in the city of Zawiya, Libya, Jan. 5, 2025. The West Coast Military Zone of the Libyan Defense Ministry said Saturday it launched a large-scale anti-crime military operation in the area. The first phase of the operation will begin in the city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli, it said in a statement. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) Russian forces have carried out more than 2,100 aerial strikes on Ukraine over the past week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 9, as Russia has stepped up attacks on its neighbor and reported battlefield gains ahead of Kyiv's high-stakes talks with US representatives in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. It comes as US President Donald Trump questioned the long-term viability of Ukraine itself. When asked in a Fox Business TV interview whether he was worried that decreased US support for Ukraine could endanger that country's survival, he responded: "Well, it may not survive anyway." "But, you know, we have some weaknesses with Russia -- you know, it takes two," Trump added. Zelenskyy said in a social media post that Russian forces this week deployed 1,200 guided aerial bombs, nearly 870 attack drones, and more than 80 missiles of various types. The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, announced the recapture of several villages and towns on March 9 in its Kursk region -- as well as new settlements in eastern Ukraine -- with unconfirmed reports that thousands of Ukrainian troops risk being encircled by Russian forces. It comes a day after Russian air strikes killed at least 50 people in the eastern Donetsk region, according to local officials, with at least 11 deaths reported in the city of Dobropillya. "Such strikes show that Russia's goals are unchanged," Zelenskyy wrote on social media late on March 8. "Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defense, and increase sanctions against Russia. The series of strikes and battlefield pressure represent another setback for Kyiv ahead of crucial talks with the United States next week in Saudi Arabia, where Ukrainian officials will meet with their US counterparts for negotiations around how to end the three-year war. The Institute For The Study of War, a Washington-based think tank that tracks battlefield developments, said Russian forces have "intensified their multidirectional campaign to eliminate the remaining Ukrainian salient in Kursk" in the last two days. According to DeepState, an open-source military tracker linked to the Ukrainian Army, the Russian moves followed a "breach" in Ukrainian defense lines near the town of Sudzha, which remains under Kyiv's control but is facing growing pressure from Russian units. Pro-Russian war bloggers who closely track frontline developments in the war also reported that Russian special forces walked inside a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in Kursk late on March 8 to gain a foothold outside of Sudzha. According to the reports, the pipeline was used to surprise Ukrainian units and cut off their supply lines as the Kremlin pours more manpower into kicking Kyiv out of Russian territory. RFE/RL was not able to independently verify the accounts, but Ukrainian officials confirmed that Russian "sabotage and assault groups" used the pipeline to get access to Sudzha. "At present, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked, and destroyed. The enemy's losses in Sudzha are very high," Ukraine's General Staff said in a Telegram post on March 8. Ukraine aimed to hit back by launching a drone overnight at an industrial facility in the Russian region of Chuvashia, some 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The strike is one of the deepest yet into Russian territory by a Ukrainian drone, and it hit its target but caused no casualties, according to Russian authorities. Ousting Ukrainian forces from Kursk with the talks in Saudi Arabia approaching looks to be part of Moscow's strategy. In August 2024, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers seized roughly 1,300 square kilometers of Russia's western Kursk region, a move which Kyiv later characterized as an attempt to gain a bargaining chip for future negotiations and draw Russian troops away from the front line in eastern Ukraine. Russian forces have managed to claw back large chunks of territory in Kursk, but Ukraine has retained a foothold that now risks being shrunk down further leading into the key talks. Ukraine 'Fully Committed' To US Talks With his attention fixed on the upcoming talks, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is "fully committed" to having a constructive dialogue with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week over a potential peace settlement. "Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively," he posted on X. The Ukrainian president said he will travel to Saudi Arabia and meet with Saudi Prince Muhammad bin Salman on March 10. Afterward, a delegation of Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives will stay for a March 11 meeting with a US negotiating team. "On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps," Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy will not be part of the US-Ukraine talks, which will instead be done by a delegation including Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. They will meet with a US delegation that will reportedly include Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and national-security adviser Mike Waltz. Rubio departed for Saudi Arabia late on March 9, the State Department said. In remarks late on March 9, Trump told reporters he expects results from the Saudi talks. "We're going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week," Trump said. The upcoming talks in Saudi Arabia are the culmination of weeks of tough diplomacy and negotiations spearheaded by Washington since it met with a Russian delegation in Riyadh in February. US-Ukraine ties have since frayed, with tensions culminating in an Oval Office argument in late February between Zelenskyy, Trump, and US Vice President JD Vance that saw the Ukrainian president leave the White House without signing a crucial minerals deal with Washington. Since then, the Trump administration has paused military shipments and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. The full extent of the intelligence cutoff is unclear, but it has sparked fears that it could lead to Ukrainian setbacks on the front lines as Russia looks to press for the advantage. In his March 9 remarks to reporters, Trump said he believed Ukraine would eventually sign a minerals deal with the United States. But -- amid reports he would want even more actions out of Kyiv -- Trump added that "I want them to want peace. They haven't shown it to the extent they should." European countries like Britain and France have stepped up to provide more intelligence sharing with Ukraine but are reportedly still not able to replace the full scope of US capabilities. Waltz suggested on March 5 that Trump may lift the pause on military aid once peace negotiations are arranged and confidence-building measures take place. When asked on March 9 whether he would end the suspension of intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, Trump said, without elaborating, that "we just about have. We just about have." In the days leading up to the talks, Trump offered criticism of Moscow's increased attacks on Ukraine in the lead up to talks and mentioned potential sanctions against the Kremlin. But he also said Russian President Vladimir Putin was doing what anybody would do" and he told reporters in the Oval Office on March 7 that he finds it "easier" to work with Russia than Ukraine and that Putin "wants to end the war." I'm Steve Gutterman, the editor of RFE/RL's Russia/Ukraine/Belarus Desk. Welcome to The Week In Russia, in which I discuss some of the key developments in the country and in its war against Ukraine, and some of the takeaways going forward. Taking Russias reins a quarter-century ago, Vladimir Putin said Russia had chosen democracy and vowed to protect basic freedoms he called the fundamental elements of a civilized society. What went wrong? Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward. 25 Years In Power Whats remembered about Russia on New Years Eve in 1999 is Boris Yeltsins surprise announcement that he was stepping down and handing the presidency to his chosen successor, Vladimir Putin, a longtime Soviet KGB officer who had been prime minister since August and had cast off years of obscurity by leading Moscow in the brutal second war against Chechen separatists. Less often recalled is Putins own address to the nation hours later -- the presidents traditional New Years Eve address. Reading it today is striking; Putin seems to signal that he plans to build something close to the opposite of the oppressive, authoritarian state he put in place over 25 years in power and counting. Russia had become strong and independent under Yeltsin, he said, a statement he has contradicted repeatedly over the next quarter-century, including in his annual press conference and Q&A session last month, when he claimed that Russia in 2000 had been headed for a complete, total loss of our sovereignty and that he had pulled it back from the edge of the abyss. In the 1999 address, Putin also said that post-Soviet Russia has opted for democracy and reform, and his main focus in the short speech was precisely the rights and freedoms critics say he has trampled over his long rule. The state will stand firm to protect the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, the freedom of the mass media, ownership rights, these fundamental elements of a civilized society, he said, adding, The state continues to uphold the safety of every Russian citizen. 'Sycophancy, Grandeur, Solitude, Distrust' A quarter-century later, those freedoms have been drastically curtailed, and the safety of the populace has been jeopardized by the war against Ukraine, which has wreaked untold death and destruction on a peaceful neighbor and, analysts say, has badly undermined Russian security rather than improving it. Whether he meant what he said at the time is impossible to know; his KGB background may suggest he did not. But whatever Putins intentions on the last day of 1999, it seems clear that he changed -- and was changed -- over 25 years as president or prime minister. [T]he extraordinary experience of the ruler -- the daily life of sycophancy, grandeur, solitude, distrust -- in the Kremlin is so bizarre, so isolated, so dangerous that over the years, it molds, remakes and distorts the ruler, Simon Sebag Montefiore, a historian who has written books about rulers from the Romanov dynasty to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, wrote in a post on X. Referring to Stalin, Putin, and others who ruled the country, Montefiore wrote that once they wore the crown, its situation remade them. Those who knew Putin in first term say he was different; he certainly presented himself as a moderate reformer but he also had to learn how to behave, he went on. The awkward clumsiness of his reaction to the loss of the Kursk submarine couldnt be more different than the confident showman riding his steed through Siberian taiga or the masterful hucksterism of his annual press conference. The sinking of the Kursk in August 2000, early in Putins first term, was one of a number of disasters, developments, and deeds that shaped Russia and his rule. A drastically abridged list of the others includes the Beslan hostage crisis in 2004, the Bolotnaya protests in 2011-12, and the Maidan in Ukraine -- the massive protests that pushed Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych from power in Kyiv in February 2014. The poisoning, prosecution, and prison death of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny is another. 'Increasingly Paranoid' Putin reacted to the Maidan by seizing the Crimean Peninsula and fomenting war in the Donbas region in an attempt to gain control of Ukraine. After that effort failed, he launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, an unprovoked attack that continues nearly three years later. It didnt have to be this way, even given Putins decision to return to the presidency Kremlin in 2012 after a stint as prime minister and his refusal to quit the Kremlin in 2024, a departure he avoided in advance by changing the constitution. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the spiraling clampdown in Russia, the mounting confrontation with the West: None of it is foreordained, said analyst Mark Galeotti, an honorary professor at the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies. It's not as if he couldn't actually have changed his policies at different times, Galeotti told RFE/RL, but this is the trajectory he was on -- this increasingly suspicious, increasingly paranoid sense that he faces threats from forces at home and abroad. Like Ivan IV, the 16th century tsar known as Ivan the Terrible, Putin was a state builder at first and increasingly has been a state breaker, Galeotti said. At some point, he added, Putin decidedhis own ambitions were more important than the interests of his country. That's it from me for this week. If you want to know more, catch up on my The Week Ahead in Russia podcast, out every Monday, here on our site or wherever you get your podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts). Yours, Steve Gutterman P.S.: Please consider forwarding this newsletter to colleagues who might find this of interest. Send feedback and tips to newsletters@rferl.org. Whilst Tangaza University in Nairobi, Kenya, may not be known to many County Roscommon people, it is an institution that Frenchpark missionary, Fr Padraig Devine, has played a significant role in bringing to its current status. His role was acknowledged recently at the universitys inaugural graduation ceremony. Tangaza College was established in 1986 as a constituent college of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and gained university status in 2020. Its student body are multi-ethnic and inter-religious from Africa and numerous other countries around the world. The recent inaugural graduation ceremony not only celebrated the achievements of the graduates but also marked the universitys emergence as a beacon of higher education in Kenya. In his speech, the vice-chancellor, Prof. Patrick Mwania, recognised members of the University Council, and particularly Fr. Devine who is the vice-chairman. He applauded Fr. Devines long service to the university as a member of the University Governing Council, and currently the chairman of its Corporate Affairs Committee. Fr. Devine has responsibility for the setting up the Tangaza University Endowment Fund. The Frenchpark native holds a Doctorate in Philosophy in Political Science and Public Administration, a Masters Degree in Peace Studies and International Relations, and is certified in Corporate Governance Training. He lectured at Tangaza for over 10 years and prior to that he served on the colleges previous board for 12 years and was its deputy chairperson. The keynote speaker at the ceremony was the President of Kenya, Dr. William Ruto. He called on the graduates to use their skills, knowledge, and faith to address the challenges facing the nation and to contribute to the realisation of Kenyas Vision 2030. The President emphasised the transformative power of education and the importance of combining academic knowledge with Christian values. Fr Padraig Devine carrying the University Mace during the graduation ceremony. Fr. Devines work in Africa began in 1988. After holding leadership roles in the Society of African Missions in Kenya and Tanzania, he served as secretary general and chairman of the Religious Superiors Conference of Kenya, which is comprised of 75 religious congregations with over 6,000 personnel in Eastern Africa. He was also a founding director of Pacis Insurance Company set up by the Catholic Church in Kenya in 2005. In 2009, he set up the Shalom Center for Conflict Resolution & Reconciliation. His efforts in peace-building started attracting international recognition when he was awarded the 2013 International Caring Award, joining recipients that include the Dalai Lama, former US President Jimmy Carter, Mother Teresa and Senator George Mitchell. In 2014, eight countries in Eastern Africa presented him with the prestigious IGAD Award for his visionary contribution to peace and development in the vast region. He has been a guest speaker at Harvard University, University of Austin-Texas, University of Houston, University of San Diego, DePaul University, the World Bank, the George Mitchell Institute of Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queens University Belfast, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention at Maynooth University. In 2022, he set up the Shalom Empowerment Center that addresses violence against women and children, and the Mary & Joseph Life Centre in the slum areas of Nairobi. Fr. Devine is a regular visitor home to County Roscommon. Back to the usual winter frequencies Radiocom has managed to fix the malfunction of one of the shortwave transmitters in Tiganesti Antenele de unde scurte de la Tiganesti Radio Romania International, 05.01.2025, 17:30 Dear friends, Radiocom has managed to fix the malfunction of one of the shortwave transmitters in Tiganesti. Our programs can be received again, including digitally, for some areas, in the DRM system, on the frequencies originally announced at the end of October 2024. Thank you for listening to our programs! RRI on shortwaves RECEPTION AREAS UTC kHz WESTERN EUROPE 06.30 07.00 11,930 12.00 13.00 15,460 18.00 19.00 11,630 (DRM ) 21.30 22.00 7,375 23.00 24.00 7,220 AFRICA 12.00 13.00 21,470 NORTH AMERICA (East Coast) 21.30 22.00 9,500 01.00 02.00 7,325 NORTH AMERICA (West Coast) 04.00 05.00 9,510 JAPAN 23.00 24.00 9,620 INDIA (New Delhi) 06.30 07.00 21,470 (DRM) INDIA (Mumbai) 04.00 05.00 15,250 (DRM) Listen to English language programming live via the RRI website You can also listen to RRIs English language programming live over the Internet using the same SW broadcast schedule given above. All you need to do is go to the RRI Live! section in the top-right of our website, choose channel 1 for English. RRI and social media RRI can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, SoundCloud, Flickr, LinkedIn, Spotify. RRI programs are also available on TuneIn (Radio Romania International 1) RRI via satellite You can also listen to Radio Romania Internationals English programmes via satellite Eutelsat 16A on 11,512 MHz, vertical polarisation, azimuth 16 degrees East. Symbol rate: 29,950 MSym/s, Standard: DVB-S2, Modulation: 8PSK, Audio PID 510. The satellite transmits the unencrypted signals of RRIs channels. Eutelsat 16A covers Europe, as well as North Africa, the Middle East, part of European Russia, areas in the Arabian Peninsula and part of the Caspian Sea region. RRI via mobile phone in the US Did you know that if youre in the US you can also listen to RRI broadcasts on your mobile phone? Our English language programmes are available via the following AudioNow call-to-listen phone number: 1.425.394.7081. Calling this number incurs no extra charge above the equivalent of a standard US mobile phone call. ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government said Saturday it is coordinating evacuations in response to successive and recurring earthquakes wreaking havoc around eastern parts of the country. Recent tremors have shaken areas around Awash Fentale, Metahara, and Abomsa towns, with magnitudes frequently exceeding five, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The strongest quake, a magnitude 5.8, occurred early Saturday, striking 56 km south-southeast of Abomsa. Its epicenter was at a depth of 10 km, at 9.505 degrees north latitude and 40.169 degrees east longitude, according to the USGS. USGS data indicate that at least seven earthquakes have hit eastern Ethiopia in the past two days, marking a significant increase in intensity compared to previous weeks' moderate tremors. In a Saturday evening statement, the Ethiopian National Disaster Risk Management Commission highlighted the urgent need for action in affected areas. About 15,000 people across six localities in the Awash Fentale district, Afar region, are at risk, with 7,000 already relocated. In the Dulecha district, around 20,000 individuals have been impacted, and 6,223 have been moved to safer zones. Tremors from the earthquakes were felt as far as Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, about 190 km west of Abomsa. The government has deployed emergency teams, including experts from various sectors, to assess damages across 12 localities in the Afar, Oromia, and Amhara regions. The Ethiopian Government Communication Service noted a rise in both the intensity and frequency of recent earthquakes, stating that the government is organizing evacuations and prioritizing the relocation of the most vulnerable populations in the affected areas. Adding to the crisis, a volcanic eruption was reported on Friday at Mount Dofan in the Dulecha district of Afar. Local officials are working to protect residents, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported. Online videos show cracked asphalt roads and widening fissures, further underscoring the impact of the seismic activity. Experts attribute the quakes to ongoing tectonic movements within the region's basaltic rock formations, warning that the frequency of such events may persist. While major urban centers have not suffered significant damage, officials are urging the public to follow safety guidelines. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation's impact on social services, infrastructure, and the economy, promising regular updates through official channels. KABUL, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Afghan authorities have seized 811,900 stimulant tablets and 32 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) in western Afghanistan's Nimroz province, the office of Deputy Minister of Interior for Counter-Narcotics said in a statement on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, counter-narcotic police found the stimulant tablets in Zaranj city, the capital of the province, and arrested a suspect in connection with the case, the statement said. Meanwhile, police searched a vehicle in Zaranj city on Saturday, seizing 32 kg of methamphetamine and apprehending one suspect, it said. ZAGREB, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Croatia recorded over 21.3 million tourist arrivals and more than 108.7 million overnight stays in 2024, marking increases of four percent and one percent respectively compared to 2023, Croatia Week reported on Saturday. From January to May last year, tourist arrivals increased by 11 percent, while overnight stays grew by 12.5 percent. Similarly, from October to December last year, tourist arrivals rose by 10.3 percent and overnight stays by 9.7 percent, the report said, citing data from the eVisitor system, which tracks tourist activity in commercial and non-commercial accommodation and nautical charters. "We are very pleased with the achievements in 2024, both in terms of visitor numbers and financial metrics, as all indicators show another record year. Particularly gratifying is the notable growth during the pre-season and post-season, confirming Croatia as a year-round destination," Croatian Minister of Tourism and Sport Tonci Glavina was quoted as saying. The Croatian National Bank announced on Thursday that Croatia's tourism revenues are expected to reach a new record of 16 billion euros (16.51 billion U.S. dollars) for 2024. Tourism has been one of the pillars of the Croatian economy, accounting for about one fifth of Croatia's Gross Domestic Product. US President Joe Biden has intervened in the final weeks of his administration and blocked Japan Nippon Steel's $14.9bn bid for US Steel , citing national security concerns. In a statement, Biden added that US Steel will remain a proud American company one thats American-owned, American-operated, by American union steelworkers the best in the world". US Steel has warned that it needs the $3bn investment pledged by its Japanese rival or it may have to power down some of its major mills. Biden's decision follows a national security review into the deal, led by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. We need major US companies representing the major share of US steelmaking capacity to keep leading the fight on behalf of Americas national interests, Biden said. "A strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority and is critical for resilient supply chains. That is because steel powers our country: our infrastructure, our auto industry, and our defense industrial base. Without domestic steel production and domestic steel workers, our nation is less strong and less secure." He added that US steel companies had faced "unfair" trade practices as foreign companies dumped steel on global markets at artificially low prices, "leading to job losses and factory closures in America". "I have taken decisive action to level the playing field for American steelworkers and steel producers by tripling tariffs on steel imports from China." Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Children and adults gathered at El Centro del Inmigrante in Port Richmond on Saturday to celebrate Three Kings Day, also known as Dia de Reyes Magos. The tradition comes at the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas and commemorates the moment that, according to the Bible, three wise men first laid eyes on the baby Jesus and brought him presents. With help from Rev. Terry Troia, president and CEO of Project Hospitality, and Michelle Molina, executive director of the center, children drew colorful designs on the crowns they would wear during the celebration. Fauzia Syed arrived early and helped Thiago Bejavano, 8, dress up in a bright red royal mantle, while Rev. Troia was busy assisting Eimy Bejarano, 6, decorate her crown. Francesca Gallelli, Staten Island Regional Representative for the Governors Office, was on hand to help with a toy giveaway sponsored by Governor Kathy Hochul. Natalie Muniz, a 12-year-old student at the Marsh Avenue School for Expeditionary Learning, volunteered to help and said, Im glad I had the opportunity to show my appreciation for what I have and to share the happiness I feel when I open my presents. I believe everyone should have the same opportunity. According to Rev. Terry Troia, This event was founded in 1997 by the late Denis P. Kelleher. Following his death five years ago, Javaid Syed has been carrying the torch to celebrate the Three Kings Festival here in Port Richmond. A Catholic family started this, and a Muslim family has continued it, and thats the universality of what is sacred in our humanity. Javaid and Fauzia Syed, who own all the Burger King and Popeyes restaurants on Staten Island, brought their children and grandchildren to help serve everyone the food they donated. The children enjoyed meals from Burger King and Popeyes. The Syeds also provided traditional Pakistani food for the adults, which included a rice dish, meatballs, and a special egg dish. Javaid said, God has blessed us, so we have to give back to the community, especially people in need, such as the homeless and underprivileged, so we are here to help them. He brings his children and grandchildren because he wants them to carry on the tradition. I want to pass the torch to the kids so they take my legacy to the next level and always give back to the community, he added. Amna Akhtar, his daughter, shared that her children have been assisting since they were very young. My father believes that the more you give, the more God will give back. This has truly been the experience for our family. The family also sponsors the Poor Peoples Dinner. Michelle Molina, executive director of El Centro del Inmigrante, said the celebration is a vital tradition in their culture. She emphasized the importance of passing it on to the next generation, explaining, Its for the children and is part of our religious beliefs. Its who we are. The children of our workers come from very low-income families. Today, they wear the clothing of kings to celebrate Three Kings Day. We want them to feel like royalty, knowing their value and that they are precious under Gods eyes." The event was also sponsored by Where to Turn, St. George Theatre, SIUH North Emergency Department Staff, Dr. Carin Guarasci, Stephanie Pendergrast, Port Richmond Civic Association, and Mid-Island Rotary Club. 156 1 / 156 Three Kings Day Dia de Reyes Magos SUBSCRIBER BENEFIT: SILive.com is offering a perk exclusively for subscribers: Log in, click on the photo gallery and choose GET PHOTO to download print-quality images free of charge. Plus, get 50% off the purchase of keepsakes. If youre not already a subscriber, sign up here. Note to SILive.com mobile app users: To download high-resolution photos, please access this report and gallery from a standard mobile or desktop/laptop web browser. FRANKFURT, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Up to 98 percent of respondents in a survey by Deutsche Bank believe Germany's debt brake policy should be reformed, according to results published on Thursday. The debt brake was introduced in 2009 as part of constitutional reforms following the global financial crisis of 2007-2008. Calls for easing or removing the policy have grown louder as the European Union's (EU) largest economy faces another year of recession. Critics argue that the debt brake, which imposes strict limits on government borrowing, hinders Germany's ability to respond to current economic challenges. Germany's federal government ended electric vehicle subsidies early in late 2023 after the Constitutional Court blocked the reallocation of 60 billion euros in unused pandemic funds. The debt brake "is breaking its economy," the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) said in a report. Sales of electric vehicles fell in 2024, with the subsidy cuts largely blamed. German automakers and suppliers have reported declining profits, prompting layoffs at companies including Volkswagen and Bosch as the automotive sector faces mounting pressure. The debt brake limits Germany's structural budget deficit to 0.35 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in normal times. It helped establish Germany as an economic anchor during the EU debt crisis when some member states struggled with repayments and doubts over the euro's stability grew. However, with Germany in recession, politicians across the spectrum are questioning the debt brake's sustainability, saying it restricts public spending needed to tackle economic difficulties. "Budget rules are intended to increase the resilience of public finances. However, this is precisely what the debt brake established in 2009 does not do. Time for a reform!" Bert Ruerup, chief economist at Handelsblatt and president of the Handelsblatt Research Institute, wrote in a column published Friday. The issue has sparked heated debate in the Bundestag. "The debt limit is no longer fit for purpose in its current form" and it "poses a risk to the welfare of current and future generations," the SPD parliamentary group said in a report. "Not allowing money to be borrowed for future investments can prove fatal for an economy in the long run," local media quoted the report as saying in January last year. The debt brake was a point of contention within the ruling coalition, with the SPD and Greens advocating for reform while the FDP opposed changes. The conflict ultimately led to the coalition's collapse in November when Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed Finance Minister and FDP leader Christian Lindner. While reform discussions are expected in 2025, experts warn that changes alone may not revive the economy. Delays in investment, high energy costs, and bureaucracy remain significant hurdles. Germany's Growth Initiative noted that while record public investments are planned, "the bulk of investments must come from the private sector." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A 13-year-old girl has been reported missing from her home community of Mariners Harbor. Alyssa Freeman most recently was seen in the vicinity of Bush Avenue and Forest Court on Friday around 9:30 p.m., according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. Police described the missing girl as having a light complexion, standing about 53 tall and weighing about 115 pounds. She was seen wearing a white coat, beige pants and brown-colored Ugg slippers. A photo of the missing girl was supplied to the media by the NYPD. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Wondering where to visit for winter vacation? Icelandair analyzed all 50 U.S. states to determine the sunniest ones for your winter sun fix. Based on clear days, hours of sunlight, and % sun data, Icelandair offers insight into which states provide the best guaranteed Vitamin D boost and escape from harsh weather, low sunshine hours, and high stress levels. Here are the 10 states you should visit according to them. 10. Kansas Rounding out the top 10 is Kansas, known for its vast plains and rolling hills, with 65% of daylight hours being sunny, 2,922 annual sunshine hours, 128 clear days, and 32% adults with anxiety/depression. 9. Idaho Idaho, with 64% of daylight hours being sunny, 2,993 annual sunshine hours, followed by 128 clear days, and 35.9% adults with anxiety/depression. 8. Wyoming Eighth on the list, with 68% of daylight hours being sunny, 3,073 annual sunshine hours, 114 clear days, and 32.3% adults with anxiety/depression, is Wyoming. 7. Utah Utah has 66% of daylight hours being sunny, 3,029 sunshine hours, 125 clear days, and 32.1 % adults with anxiety/depression. 6. California California with 68% of daylight hours being sunny, 3,055 annual sunshine hours, 146 clear days, and 32.6% adults with anxiety/depression. 5. Oklahoma In the top five is Oklahoma, 68% of daylight hours being sunny, 3,089 annual sunshine hours, 139 clear days, and 33.9% adults with anxiety/depression. 4. Colorado Next is Colorado, with 71% of daylight hours being sunny, 3,204 annual sunshine hours, 136 clear days, and 32.1% adults with anxiety/depression. 3. New Mexico In the top 3 ranking with 76% of daylight hours being sunny, 3,415 annual sunshine hours, 167 clear days, and 32.1% adults with anxiety/depression is New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment. 2. Nevada Nevada, home to the busy city of Las Vegas, comes in second place as an excellent escape for that sunshine fix, with 79% of daylight hours being sunny, 3,646 annual sunshine hours, 158 clear days, and 32.6% of adults with anxiety/depression. 1. Arizona Occupying the number one spot is Arizona, with its vast deserts and iconic landscapes. It leads the states with 85% of daylight hours being sunny, translating to an impressive 3,806 hours of sunlight annually, the highest across the US. Consistent sunshine and 193 clear days provide Arizonans with a natural boost in mood and well-being. As a result, residents in Arizona have one of the lowest vacation-related search volumes in the U.S., with 8,890. Consistent sunshine and 193 clear days provide Arizonans with a natural boost in mood and well-being. Photo: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in 2019.Steve Zaffarano Icelandair argues that constant sunshine and favorable weather can boost mental well-being. It also indicates that residents in these 10 states are less likely to seek holiday escapes and suffer with their mental health compared to those in less sunny regions. Sunlight is a natural mood enhancer. The high levels of sun exposure in states like Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico contribute to a higher baseline of well-being among residents. This naturally reduces the need to seek out vacation destinations, as the everyday environment already provides a level of relaxation and mental refreshment, said Dr. Hana Patel to Icelandair. With the poor weather and mental health metrics, taking time for yourself and recharge is essential. Gov. Kathy Hochul isnt the only one to blame for the heinous congestion pricing tax that was set to go into effect on midnight Sunday. The plan has been moving through government for years, pushed along under the auspices of Hochuls predecessor, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and former Mayor Bill de Blasio. Numerous state and city lawmakers have thrown their support to congestion pricing over the years. Plenty of advocacy and community groups as well. Heck, you can even go back to the years when Mayor Michael Bloomberg tried to push congestion pricing before the proposal, like other of Bloombergs hopes and dreams, was summarily crushed by then-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. But when the history of New York City congestion pricing is written, its going to be Hochul whos held responsible for it. Hochul could have stopped congestion pricing. She did, in fact, put the program on hold. But Hochul put the program back on track, and now motorists will have to pay up to $9 just for the pleasure of driving into Manhattan below 60th Street. The fee will only increase in coming years. Instead of instituting congestion pricing by fiat, why not put such a controversial program on the ballot and let the voters decide? We all know the answer to that. And how tone deaf is it that Hochul and others want us to get out of our cars and back onto mass transit at a time when every new day brings word of yet another vicious attack in the New York City subway system? Thanks, but Ill take my chances with traffic and road rage. And we still hope to see congestion pricing-supporting lawmakers give up their official rides and their precious parking placards and join the huddled masses on the trains, boats and buses. Congestion pricing could hang around Hochuls neck when she seeks re-election the same way that term limits helped torpedo then-City Council Speaker Christine Quinns bid for mayor in 2013. Quinn and Bloomberg teamed up to push through legislation in 2008 to allow city lawmakers to serve three terms in office. The excuse then was that the city needed Bloomberg and others to remain at the helm to help steer the city through aftermath of the financial meltdown that year. This even though city residents had by that point voted two times, in 1993 and 1996, to limit lawmakers to two terms in office. Voters were furious that their twice-stated will had been thwarted by Bloomberg, Quinn and the Council. And they didnt forget. Bloomberg in 2009 squeaked to re-election over Democrat Bill Thompson. Bloomberg spent $108 million to Thompsons $9.3 million but won by just 5 points. And voters turned on Quinn when she sought to succeed Bloomberg in 2013, giving de Blasio the Democratic nod for mayor instead. Term limits and her ties to Bloomberg were a major reason for Quinns defeat. Quinn is currently the head of WIN, a non-profit group that operates a homeless shelter in Tompkinsville. During that 2013 primary campaign, Quinn told the Advance that she respected those for whom term limits extension was a bottom line issue. Reasonable people can disagree on what I did, she said, and well have to agree to disagree. Said Quinn, I made a decision that I believed strongly, and still do, was the right one at that time, knowing there would be political opposition. Quinn at the time said that thats what New Yorkers should want in a leader: Somebody whos able to tell you the truth about what they believe, even if there is political opposition. Term limits was a defining issue for Quinns mayoral campaign. Congestion pricing could be the same thing for Hochul. Some things the voters never forget. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Scofflaws beware, theres new consequences to unpaid tolls starting this year. Recently, the New York Thruway Authority approved a new measure where repeated toll evaders can be banned from using the cross-state freeway, according to a new report from the Albany Times-Union. This measure is an attempt to crack down on toll evasion, which cost the Thruway Authority around $40 million in 2023, the report says. The vast majority of the highways funding comes from collected tolls, according to the outlet. These bans will be enforced by the Thruways State Police detachment, but the average driver can breathe easy for now, the report says. According to the Times-Union, the initial drivers targeted by these bans will be from a few dozen trucking and logistics companies from other states, including one Canadian company that owes more than $500,000 to the Thruway. The use of the Thruway system by any vehicle or vehicle type shall be and shall be deemed to be conditioned upon payment of the prescribed tolls and upon observance of the rules and regulations of the Thruway Authority, reads the new regulations. Vehicles violating any of the rules and regulations of the Thruway Authority, as well as other vehicles or vehicle types owned or operated by the owner and/or operator of such vehicles or types, may be excluded from the Thruway system permanently or for a specified time. A Brooklyn man has been arrested in connection to a pair of stabbings that police say occurred in the subway system in both Manhattan and the Bronx within the first two days of the new year. Jamar Banks, 52, of Blake Avenue in East New York, is facing charges of first-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to a statement issued by the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information on Sunday. It was reported to police that on Wednesday, Jan. 1 at approximately 9:40 a.m., a 31-year-old male was aboard a northbound No. 2 train at the 14th Street and Seventh Avenue station when Banks approached him and began a verbal dispute. Banks then allegedly displayed a knife and stabbed the victim in the back, before fleeing the station. The victim was transported by EMS to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, police said. On Thursday, Jan 2 at approximately 6:10 a.m. hours, an off-duty 47-year-old male MTA employee was on the northbound No. 5 train platform at the Pelham Parkway Station, when Banks allegedly approached him and started a verbal dispute. Banks then allegedly displayed a knife and stabbed the victim in the armpit and back, before fleeing the station, police said. EMS responded and transported the victim to Jacobi Hospital in stable condition. Officers were warned to use extreme caution when approaching Banks who has a history of at least 87 prior arrests because he might be carrying the attack weapon, the New York Post reported. Upon his arrest, Banks was found in possession of what police described as a large knife, which he allegedly used in the attacks, sources told the outlet. Attorney information for Banks was not immediately available. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A group of thieves has hit 49 stores across the New York City area, taking off with ATMs and thousands of dollars, during a three-month spree across four of five boroughs, according to the Post. The trio of perps stole cars to utilize as escape vehicles before each of the heists in upper Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens between Sept. 19 and Dec. 26, according to the report. Inside the stores, they took money from ATMs and stole other goods before fleeing in various vehicles, authorities said to the outlet. Two robberies in September resulted in a loss of $40,000 in cash, cops told the publication. On Dec. 23, in Jackson Heights, Queens, surveillance cameras captured two of the perps around 1:20 a.m. removing wires from an ATM inside a grocery store, according to the Post. Police are asking the public for any information about the three suspects involved in the citywide robbery pattern. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips. TOKYO (AP) Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman who was the worlds oldest person according to Guinness World Records, has died, an Ashiya city official said Saturday. She was 116. Yoshitsugu Nagata, an official in charge of elderly policies, said Itooka died on Dec. 29 at a care home in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, central Japan. Itooka, who loved bananas and a yogurt-flavored Japanese drink called Calpis, was born on May 23, 1908. She became the oldest person last year following the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas, according to the Gerontology Research Group. When she was told she was at the top of the World Supercentenarian Rankings List, she simply replied, Thank you. When Itooka celebrated her birthday last year, she received flowers, a cake and a card from the mayor. Born in Osaka, Itooka was a volleyball player in high school, and long had a reputation for a sprightly spirit, Nagata said. She climbed the 3,067-meter (10,062-foot) Mount Ontake twice. She married at 20, and had two daughters and two sons, according to Guinness. Itooka managed the office of her husbands textile factory during World War II. She lived alone in Nara after her husband died in 1979. She is survived by one son and one daughter, and five grandchildren. A funeral service was held with family and friends, according to Nagata. According to the Gerontology Research Group, the worlds oldest person is now 116-year-old Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was born 16 days after Itooka. Editors Note: The author of this article is a Staten Island Technical High School student who participates in the Advance/SILive.com High School Journalism Immersion program. The initiative is designed to help young people explore the world of community journalism. Todays story is part of a photo series looking at some of the boroughs lesser-known natural areas. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island, the forgotten borough, is often overlooked by the rest of New York City. Yet, it holds some of the richest history and is laced with countless, obscure spots, just waiting to be explored. The Mount Loretto Unique Area, overlooking Princes Bay, is open for anyone to visit and is free to access. The area is home to a variety of animal species, including bald eagles, purple martens and deer, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which oversees the site. The land ranges from hilly to flat, and provides the perfect setting for sledding in the winter and biking in the summer. The Mount Loretto Unique Area offers hundreds of acres of forest, grasslands, wetlands and coastal shoreline, and these habitats make it a beautiful area to hike and one of the best places to spot migrating birds in the area, according to the DEC. In the 1880s, the Archdiocese of New York used the property, which also included Mount Loretto, to aid the hungry, homeless and disabled children and adults who lived in and around the area. The property was purchased through funding and collaborative efforts between the Trust for Public Land, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and grants, according to the DEC website. The photos below, taken this past fall, capture some of the highlights of the area. The Mount Loretto Unique Area offers hundreds of acres of forest, grasslands, wetlands and coastal shoreline, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which oversees the site. (Courtesy of Daniela Diaz)Daniela Diaz Pedestrians and dogs must remain on designated trails at all times. No one is allowed off trail or asphalt without a permit and escort, according to the Deparment of Environmental Conservation website. (Photo courtesy of Daniela Diaz)Daniela Diaz In the 1880s, the Archdiocese of New York used the property, which also included Mount Loretto, to aid the hungry, homeless and disabled children and adults who lived in and around the area. (Courtesy of Daniela Diaz)Daniela Diaz A plaque on a bench at Mount Loretto offers visitors words of inspiration. (Courtesy of Daniela Diaz)Daniela Diaz A view of the Mount Loretto Unique Area just before sunset. (Courtesy of Daniela Diaz)Daniela Diaz The area is a part of the Department of Conservation's Open Space Conservation plan, which serves as the blueprint for the New York state's land conservation efforts. (Courtesy of Daniela Diaz)Daniela Diaz South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is fighting for his political life after his attempt to break an impasse in parliament by briefly imposing martial law backfired. Last months decision was part of a series of blunders that has eroded public support and led to his impeachment. Another revelation that shifted public sentiment against Yoons government was a luxury Dior handbag given to first lady Kim Keon-hee under questionable circumstances. Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential residence on December 14. Credit: nna\advidler While Kim received the handbag in 2022, the gift only came to light in November 2023 and then escalated into a political firestorm in early 2024. Prosecutors later cleared Kim of any criminal charge, although opposition parties have said the handbag was a bribe and called for an independent probe. Yoon and his wife have denied wrongdoing and said the gift was part of a manoeuvre to discredit them. ATHENS, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis passed away at the age of 88 on Sunday at his country house near Athens, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. The government has declared four days of national mourning to honor the leader who played a pivotal role in Greece's entry into the eurozone in 2001. Simitis served as prime minister from 1996 to 2004, championing economic and social reforms while advancing Greece's integration into the European Union. "We bid farewell to a competent academic teacher and a moderate figure in parliament. But above all, a catalyst of public life, who boldly put the great effort of modernizing the country at the center of the focus," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a statement. Simitis was a respected political rival, who left his imprint on the country's development over the past decades, he added. Born in Piraeus, Simitis studied Law and Economics in Britain and Germany, where he worked for years as a university professor. Simitis was a founding member of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) in the 1970s, a party that became a dominant force in Greek politics for decades and which he eventually led. One-and-a-half hours after taking off from Sydney Airport, an argument erupted on Malaysia Airlines flight MH122 that quickly escalated into a mid-air emergency. Muhammad Arif was wearing his backpack on his chest when he stood up in the aisle and began clashing with his fellow travellers. Malaysia Airlines flight MH122 sits on the runway at Sydney Airport; and (inset) Muhammad Arif, who made a bomb threat. Credit: Nine News, Supplied Court documents obtained exclusively by this masthead after Arif was sentenced last month reveal what happened onboard the Airbus A330 on the afternoon of August 14, 2023. The plane was carrying 199 people including Arif, who was seated in 21G on a one-way ticket to Pakistan via Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Oman. A number of passengers witnessed the offender use the word bomb, according to the agreed facts. A car has gone up in flames, temporarily closing a stretch of the Bruce Highway. The Holden Captiva SUV caught fire travelling south near Coochin Creek, west of Bribie Island, before 10am on Sunday. It was unknown what caused the blaze or if the vehicle had crashed. Firefighters work to fully extinguish the Holden Captiva on Sunday morning. Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt A witness told Brisbane Times a second car was stopped nearby, but it was unclear whether the two vehicles had collided. Imagine starting university with a couple of subject units under your belt, an established network of friends and a solid grasp of how to navigate campus life on and offline. Add to that the fact that the university subjects you studied were fully subsidised and it sounds almost too good to be true. Mia Chircop studied human biosciences at La Trobe University last year while completing her VCE at Copperfield College. Credit: Penny Stephens When 18-year-old Mia Chircop arrives at La Trobe Universitys Bundoora campus for the start of the academic year in March, she will already have a first-year subject ticked off. Chircop studied human biosciences at La Trobe last year while completing her VCE at Copperfield College, in Delahey in Melbournes north-west, where she was school captain. London: Elon Musks tempestuous relationship with the UK took a turn when the tech billionaire called for populist figure Nigel Farage to be replaced as leader of the Reform party, after the British politician refused to endorse some of Musks latest online claims. The Tesla boss, poised to play a key role in US President-elect Donald Trumps second administration, had previously heaped praise on Farage, urging people to vote Reform, and calling the party the UKs only hope. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage announces that he will stand during the upcoming general election during a press conference in London. Credit: Getty Images Musk has repeatedly posted on his social media platform X about UK politics since Labour was elected in July from Sir Keir Starmers response to the summer riots to the countrys tax policy. Over the past week, Musk has posted dozens of times about a historical scandal involving sexual grooming gangs in the north of England, mainly to complain about failures in holding perpetrators to account. The tensions around the scandal contributed to race riots that took place in August, during which Musk also clashed with the British government. But the glue that holds the disparate branches together and also helps to inspire lone wolf terrorists such as Jabbar who carry out their own attacks is the groups sophisticated media operation. Experts say that although it is doubtful the media operation has a physical headquarters, it is highly centralised and controlled by its media directorate. Much of its output appears to come from affiliates in Africa, which have recently been the most active in terms of attacks. Loading The group also puts out an online weekly newsletter called Al-Naba, or The News, which contains details of the groups latest exploits, implicitly encouraging followers to commit acts of violence. The Al-Naba newsletter comes out like clockwork every Thursday, which is one of the more impressive things that the group is able to do, said Cole Bunzel, a scholar of militant Islam in the Middle East at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in California. They have an editorial; they cover the different provinces, as theyre called; they cover attacks from that week. They tally up the number of attacks and casualties that they claim. And thats the main way that they stay connected with their global support base, he said. The most recent edition of the newsletter, published on Thursday, did not mention the New Orleans attack, and IS has not claimed responsibility for it. Al-Naba was initially published through the messaging app, Telegram, and other platforms, constantly adapting as different channels were shut down, said Aaron Zelin, a Washington Institute fellow who has tracked the activities and propaganda of Islamist groups for more than 15 years. AQIM (Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb) fighters in a propaganda video, somewhere in the Sahara Desert in 2017. This footage was taken by Al-Andalus Media Productions, the media branch of AQIM. Credit: Supporters of the group have also disseminated messages on Twitter, Facebook pages and other social media platforms, researchers say. When their user profiles are blocked, they often just create new ones. IS used decentralised internet tools that were harder to shut down and had moved some of its messaging to the dark web, Zelin said. Terrorism analysts say it has been easy for extremists to connect with potential supporters on social media because of the lack of effort by some of the companies that operate the platforms and by governments to force a crackdown. Terrorism experts say ISs mastery of media and message is a key to its success. Al-Qaeda, from which IS split in 2013, laid the groundwork, publishing online and print magazines and producing videos as well as social media. In a home that had been used by Islamic State as a prison complex in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2016, a hook was connected to a winch and was used for hoisting prisoners during torture. Credit: Bryan Denton/The New York Times Kill them wherever you find them Last January, the extremist group revived a campaign directed at its global adherents: Kill them wherever you find them, a reference to a verse in the Koran dealing with polytheists who break their treaties with Muslims. The idea, which first surfaced in 2015, was to encourage would-be followers to commit acts of jihad at home rather than travelling to Iraq and Syria. That notion became even more important once the IS caliphate was defeated. During the period when IS held ground in Syria and then Iraq (2013-17) and was eager to gain adherents in the West, it was notorious for posting grisly depictions of violence, such as the beheading of photojournalist James Wright Foley. Now, experts say an increasingly daunting challenge is that social media platforms are doing much of the work of spreading the groups message, as algorithms that seek to boost engagement take some users deeper and deeper into the extremist worldview. Terror groups dont have to make a ton of effort to radicalise people any more; the algorithm does it for them, Schindler said. The point of the algorithm is to keep the user on the platform, to give them what they like, and if this happens to be Islamic extremism or if you are in the radicalisation process, your worldview shifts. A Syrian fighter of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group that led a coalition which rapidly overturned the regime of president Bashar al-Assad, manning a gate amid a crowd of men. Credit: David Guttenfelder/The New York Times On the ground in Syria In Syria, where IS took advantage of a long civil war to seize a large swath of territory, only to lose it eventually to US-backed fighters, the group has begun to rebound, accelerating its attacks. That trend might continue because the regime of president Bashar al-Assad was suddenly toppled in December by another extremist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which was once associated with IS and al-Qaeda. The situation is still fluid, but some analysts fear that IS could regain ground amid the chaos. The groups newsletter has spoken dismissively of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as jihadists turned politicians, but has not called for attacks on them. Meanwhile, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other rebel groups say they should take over the role of guarding IS prisoners in eastern Syria and manage the camps holding about 40,000 fighters and family members a job that has been done for nearly five years by the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces, backed by the United States. Many terrorism experts question how Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which once had links to IS but then bitterly separated, might carry out the mission of suppressing it. IS recently renewed its Breaking the Walls media campaign, which encourages the imprisoned fighters to break out of the jails in eastern Syria and free their families. If that succeeded, Zelin said, it would be a disaster. The comment by Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon that neither he nor his country has done enough to provide Australians with a better understanding of the impact of war in Gaza on daily life in Israel is a surprisingly frank and belated admission. In an interview with the Heralds national security and defence correspondent Matthew Knott, the ambassador said antisemitism was the driving force behind global criticism of Israel. He insisted that mounting pressure from the Albanese government and the international community in isolation would fail to accelerate the creation of a Palestinian state, and he believed many Australians failed to grasp the seriousness of the security threats his nation faced. Maimon paralleled the daily existential threat to Israel with the alarmed reaction by some sections of the Australian media to a 2022 security agreement between China and Solomon Islands. You feel blessed, you live in your beautiful country isolated from the rest of the world, he said. My response was: I wish that all our adversaries were so far away. Amir Maimon in Canberra. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen The interview comes after a turbulent 15 months that has put the once close Australia-Israel relationship under pressure after the killing of an Australian aid worker and a change from our longstanding pro-Israel position in United Nations votes that culminated in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashing out at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on social media. Hamas horrific raid on Israel on October 7, 2023, has so far led to the loss of more than 50,000 Palestinian, Lebanese and Israeli lives and shaken up some of the established order. Israels successful degradation of Hezbollah spurred Syrian rebels to begin their offensive last November, the same day as a ceasefire came into effect in the Lebanon conflict. Maimon said Australians who felt anger at the Gaza death toll alone were wrong to blame Israel, as this was like an attack on the people who were butchered by Hamas. He struggled to understand why it was so difficult for the international community as a whole to support Israels just cause in pursuing war against Hamas, adding there was no prospect of a two-state solution until Hamas was removed from Gaza. He is certainly correct that many Australians find it difficult to understand the daily threat facing Israel. He has also vowed to do a better job of communicating Israels perspective to the Australian public. But this is a two-way street. We wonder whether the Albanese government in fact, if any Australian government has done enough to explain the history, context and nuances in a conflict that has bedevilled the Middle East for more than a century and flared intermittently since Israels establishment in 1948. Washington: President-elect Donald Trump has complained that American flags will still be lowered to half-mast in honour of the late president Jimmy Carter during Trumps January 20 inauguration. President Joe Biden ordered flags be lowered to half-mast for 30 days from the day of Carters death on December 29, as is custom when a US president dies. The custom when a US president dies is to lower the flag above the White House to half-mast. Credit: Bloomberg Trump, who has announced plans to attend Carters memorial service in Washington on January 9, took issue in a Truth Social post on Friday (Saturday AEDT) that the flags would remain in the mourning position during his swearing-in ceremony. The complaint came the day before Carters extended public farewell began on Saturday in Georgia. The 39th US presidents flag-draped coffin traced his long arc from the Depression-era South and family farming business to the pinnacle of US political power and decades as a global humanitarian. Eight people were killed and 15 others injured in a fire that broke out at a marketplace in Qiaoxi District of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, on Saturday, local authorities said. The fire broke out at around 8:40 a.m. at a marketplace that sells vegetables and other essential goods. Firefighters, along with emergency response and medical teams, promptly arrived at the scene for rescue operations. By 10:10 a.m., the fire was extinguished. Search and rescue work was completed at midday. The injured have received hospital treatments, and their conditions are reported as non-life-threatening. The cause of the fire is under further investigation. HOUSTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. state funeral services honoring 39th President Jimmy Carter unfolded on Saturday in his hometown Plains, Georgia, where the statesman passed away at 100 on Dec. 29. Hundreds of mourners lined the streets when Carter's motorcade left for Atlanta, some 260 km away from the capital city of his home state. Flowers were laid at the base of the Carter monument in downtown Plains and rangers rang a farm bell 39 times at his Boyhood Farm when the motorcade stopped by. The mood in the rural town, where Carter spent most of his life, "wasn't one of sorrow or grief. Rather, there was a sense of overwhelming gratitude for all that the peanut farmer-turned-commander in chief accomplished during his century on earth," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. "It's amazing what you can cram into a hundred years," grandson Jason Carter, the chair of the Carter Presidential Center's board, said on Saturday afternoon at a ceremony in the non-profit organization, which houses the Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta, after the motorcade arrived. "His spirit fills this place," Jason Carter told the audience, including many Carter Center employees, "You continue the vibrant living legacy of what is my grandfather's life work." During his presidency from 1977 to 1981, Carter signed the Panama Canal Treaties that restores Panama's full jurisdiction over the Panama Canal Zone, starting from 2000, and guarantees its neutrality. He also witnessed the inking of the landmark Camp David Accords, a peace deal between Egypt and Israel in 1978. In December 1978, China and the United States issued the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America. On Jan. 1, 1979, the two countries officially established diplomatic ties. China deeply mourns the passing of Jimmy Carter, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday, calling Carter a promoter and decision-maker in the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. After leaving the presidency, Carter and his wife Rosalynn established the non-governmental organization Carter Center, a platform for global humanitarian efforts that helped shape his post-presidential legacy. "President Carter's leadership contributed significantly to international peace and security," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said upon the former president's death. "His legacy as a peacemaker, human rights champion and humanitarian will endure." Carter will lie in repose at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta through Tuesday. The funeral journey will then continue toward Washington, D.C., where the former president will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol for a day and a half. A state funeral is scheduled for Thursday morning at Washington National Cathedral, where President Joe Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy. Afterwards, Carter will be buried in his hometown next to his wife Rosalynn, who died in 2023 after 77 years of their marriage. Israel military says missile from Yemen intercepted Jerusalem, Jan 4 (AFP) Jan 04, 2025 The Israeli military said Sunday that it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, shortly after sirens sounded. "Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in Talmei Elazar, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted prior to crossing into Israeli territory," the military said in a statement posted to Telegram. On Friday, Israel's military said it shot down a drone launched from Yemen after it crossed into Israeli territory. Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have been firing missiles and drones at Israel -- as well as at ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden -- in what they say is a solidarity campaign with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Huthis have stepped up their attacks since November's ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel has also struck Yemen, including targeting Sanaa's international airport at the end of December. Syrian ministers urge lifting of US sanctions in first visit to Doha Doha, Jan 5 (AFP) Jan 05, 2025 Ministers from Syria's transitional government urged the United States to lift its sanctions on Damascus during their first visit to Qatar since overthrowing president Bashar al-Assad. In a statement, Qatar's foreign ministry said the Gulf country's premier met with Syria's interim foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, defence minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and the new head of intelligence, Anas Khattab. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani "reiterated the State of Qatar's position in support of Syria's unity, sovereignty and independence," the statement said. Earlier, a Syrian diplomat and a Qatari official confirmed to AFP that Shaibani had arrived on Sunday morning for meetings in Qatar, the host of the US's largest military base in the region. Unlike other Arab countries, Qatar never restored diplomatic ties with Syria under Assad, who was toppled by an 11-day rebel advance that swept through major cities and then the capital Damascus in December. Following discussions with Qatar's Minister of State, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Shaibani reiterated calls for the lifting of US sanctions on Syria. The interim foreign minister called the measures a "barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery" telling local media that his government "renewed our demand for the United States of America to lift these sanctions". At the end of December, Qatar also called for the quick removal of sanctions on Syria. The international community has not rushed to lift economic restrictions on Syria and is instead waiting to see how the new authorities exercise their power. Shaibani added that Syria would "enjoy very good relations with the region" in contrast to those with the Assad government. Khulaifi said the new government had presented "a clear roadmap for Syria in the near future and the steps that will be taken by the leadership and political administration in Syria". The conflict in Syria erupted in 2011 after Assad brutally cracked down on peaceful democracy protests. It morphed into a multi-pronged war in which Doha was for years a key backer of the armed rebellion. In a statement on X, Shaibani on Friday said he would visit Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan over the coming days. "We look forward to these visits contributing to supporting stability, security, economic recovery and building distinguished partnerships," the foreign minister wrote. Qatar was the second country, after Turkey, to reopen its embassy in the Syrian capital following the overthrow of Assad. Dozens of marine mammals found dead after Russian oil tanker spill Moscow, Jan 5 (AFP) Jan 05, 2025 More than two dozen marine mammals have been found dead since last month's Russian oil tanker spill in the Black Sea, a dolphin rescue centre said Sunday, as authorities raced to contain the fallout of the disaster. The spill began on December 15, when two ageing Russian tankers were caught in a storm off the Kerch Strait linking Crimea to southern Russia. One sank and the other ran aground, pouring around 2,400 tonnes of a heavy fuel oil called mazut into the surrounding waters, authorities estimate. Russia's Delfa centre, which rescues and provides rehabilitation for dolphins, said it had recorded 61 dead cetaceans since the incident, 32 of whom "most likely" died due to the spill. Cetaceans are a type of aquatic mammal that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. "Judging by the condition of the bodies, most likely the bulk of these cetaceans died in the first 10 days after the disaster," it said. It said most of those killed were "Azov" dolphins -- a type of harbour porpoise that look similar to dolphins but are more closely related to belugas and narwhals. Russia's emergency ministry said Sunday it was working to eliminate the consequences of the incident, but that "strong winds and waves" had thrown oil onto some beaches. "More than 68 kilometres (42 miles) of coastline have been cleaned," it said. Hundreds of volunteers have been deployed to scoop up contaminated soil from beaches in Crimea and along Russia's southern coast. The type of fuel oil involved in the incident is particularly hard to clean because it is dense and heavy and does not float on the surface, Russian authorities say. Syria monitor: 101 killed in battles between pro-Turkey, Kurdish forces Beirut, Lebanon, Jan 5 (AFP) Jan 05, 2025 More than 100 combatants were killed over the last two days in northern Syria in fighting between Turkish-backed groups and Syrian Kurdish forces, a war monitor said on Sunday. Since Friday evening, clashes in several villages around the city of Manbij have left 101 dead, including 85 members of pro-Turkish groups and 16 from the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The SDF said it had repelled "all the attacks from Turkey's mercenaries supported by Turkish drones and aviation". The Turkish defence ministry said it had "neutralised" 32 Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, without providing further details. Turkish-backed factions in northern Syria resumed their fight with the SDF at the same time as Islamist-led rebels were launching an offensive on November 27 that overthrew Syrian president Bashar al-Assad just 11 days later. The pro-Ankara groups succeeded in capturing Kurdish-held Manbij and Tal Rifaat in northern Aleppo province, despite US-led efforts to establish a truce in the Manbij area. The fighting has continued since, with mounting casualties. During a visit to Damascus on Friday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said security of the Kurds is "essential for a peaceful Syria." She said this requires "an end to the fighting in the north and the integration of the Kurdish forces... in the Syrian security architecture." The SDF controls vast areas of Syria's northeast, and parts of Deir Ezzor province in the east, where the Kurds created a semi-autonomous administration following the withdrawal of government forces during the civil war that began in 2011. The group, which receives US backing, took control of additional territory after capturing it from the jihadists of the Islamic State group. Ankara accuses the main component of the SDF, the People's Protection Units (YPG), of affiliation with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey and is banned as a terrorist organisation by the government. The Turkish military regularly launches strikes against Kurdish fighters in Syria and neighbouring Iraq, accusing them of being PKK-linked. Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's new leader and the head of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), told Al Arabiya TV in late December that local Kurdish-led forces should be integrated into the national army. HTS led the coalition of rebel groups that overthrew Assad last month. Description Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 369 Green Avenue, East Meadow will celebrate the following services for the Feast of Theophany (Epiphany or the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan). For the Eve of Theophany on Sunday, January 5, Divine Liturgy at 9:30 AM (Hours at 9:00 AM) followed by Vespers and coffee hour, and Vigil at 6:00 PM. For Theophany Day on Monday, January 6, Divine Liturgy at 9:30 AM (Hours at 9:00 AM) followed by brunch, and the Great Blessing of Water at Alhambra Beach, Massapequa, at 1:00 PM. All services conducted in English. Services will be presided by Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey and also streamed on https://www.facebook.com/htocem. For more information, call 516-483-3649, email info@htocem.org, or visit www.htocem.org (including the full liturgical schedule). Holy Trinity parish, founded in 1924, is the first Orthodox Christian parish in the Nassau/Suffolk area and centrally located in mid-island East Meadow. The parish is a diverse community of Orthodox Christians who come from all walks of life and ethnicities, gathering in the oneness of Faith to worship God in the fullness of the Churchs liturgical life. Holy Trinity parish also has a strong commitment to serving others through various charities. We welcome all people seeking a community rooted in the oldest Christian Church with an emphasis on Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition, liturgical and prayer life, and traditional Christian values. Dozens of marine mammals found dead after Russian oil tanker spill Moscow, Jan 5 (AFP) Jan 05, 2025 Dozens of sea mammals have been found dead since last month's Russian oil tanker spill in the Black Sea, a dolphin rescue centre said Sunday, as authorities raced to contain the disaster. The spill began on December 15, when two ageing Russian tankers were caught in a storm off the Kerch Strait linking Crimea to southern Russia. One sank and the other ran aground, pouring around 2,400 tonnes of a heavy fuel oil called mazut into the surrounding waters, authorities estimate. Russia's Delfa centre, which rescues and rehabilitates dolphins, said it had recorded 61 dead cetaceans since the incident, 32 of whom "most likely" died due to the spill. Cetaceans are a type of aquatic mammal that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. "Judging by the condition of the bodies, most likely the bulk of these cetaceans died in the first 10 days after the disaster," it said on Telegram. It said most of those killed were "Azov" dolphins -- a type of harbour porpoise that look similar to dolphins but are more closely related to belugas and narwhals. Russia's emergency ministry said Sunday it was working to clean up after the incident, but that "strong winds and waves" had thrown oil onto some beaches. "More than 68 kilometres (42 miles) of coastline have been cleaned," it said. In a further statement Sunday, the ministry said two new oil slicks had been discovered. One was off the seaside resort of Anapa and the other in the bay of Kapsel, it said in a statement cited by the Russian news agency TASS. The news agency said the second slick was two kilometres long. Hundreds of volunteers have been deployed to scoop up contaminated soil from beaches in Crimea and along Russia's southern coast. The type of fuel oil involved in the incident is particularly hard to clean because it is dense and heavy and does not float on the surface, Russian authorities say. I'm sorry, but ADHD has become a scam that is wildly overdiagnosed and an excuse for poor behaviour I'm sorry, but ADHD has become a scam that is wildly overdiagnosed She added: I am so disgusted and in shock with how United Airlines handled this! That is a biohazard, and the plane shouldve turned around to address this issue. "For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job. So I have decided to leave the Post. I doubt my decision will cause much of a stir and that it will be dismissed because I'm just a cartoonist. Alice Morgan / Investopedia Illustration bitcoin and spot bitcoin ETF Key Takeaways BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust experienced a new record of $332.6 million for single-day outflows on Thursday. That brought IBIT outflows to nearly $393 million for the week. Other bitcoin ETFs saw minor inflows, and the Ethereum ETFs saw $77.5 in net outflows. Despite the lackluster start to the new year, analysts see bitcoin rising to $180,000 or more in 2025. BlackRocks iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) experienced its largest single-day net outflow on Thursday, with investors withdrawing a staggering $332.6 million, according to data from Farside Investors. IBIT is the largest of all the bitcoin ETFs, with around $54 billion in net assets. This record-breaking outflow follows a robust performance in 2024, when IBIT amassed over $37 billion in inflows and helped propel bitcoin to an all-time high above $108,000 in December. Thursday marked the third consecutive day of outflows for IBIT, bringing the weeks total to nearly $393 million. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas doesn't necessarily see this activity as a bearish indicator. "It's gonna be two steps [forward] and one step back and lately it's been like 6 steps [forward] so long overdue IMO," Balchunas posted on X. Other bitcoin ETFs saw minor inflows on the first day of trading in 2025; however, these flows were nowhere near what would be necessary to make up for IBIT's outflows. For example, IBIT competitors such as Bitwises BITB and Fidelitys FBTC reported inflows of $48 million and $36 million, respectively. Ethereum ETFs also performed poorly in aggregate, recording combined outflows of $77.5 million, according to Farside Investors. Bitcoin currently sits around $98,000. Some analysts see the crypto asset rising to new all-time highs of $180,000 or higher in 2025, with potential nation state adoption considered a key indicator to watch for this year. Read the original article on Investopedia The interim chairperson of the National Liberal Paty (PNL), Ilie Bolojan, said that the Government should establish next week the calendar for the presidential elections, so that they can be organized before the Easter holidays, Agerpres reports. "Regarding Mr. Antonescu's announcement, I would like to make a few clarifications. The first issue is related to the election calendar, and here I think that Mr. Antonescu is right, if we want, and PNL does want for the presidential elections to be organized as soon as possible. Analyzing the legislative provisions regulating this matter, we have 75 days to establish an electoral calendar before election day. Therefore, if we want these elections to be organized by Easter, this would mean that the second round would be organized before the feast of Palm Sunday, so on April 6, which means that the first round could be on March 23, which would mean that the Romanian Government should adopt this electoral calendar no later than next week, because time, from this point of view, is very much pressing us," Bolojan told private broadcaster Digi 24. "Therefore, I believe that this legal provision should also be amended in such a way that parliamentary parties, whether they support their own candidate or an independent candidate, since they have been legitimized by the electorate's vote, should not only have representatives in the Central Electoral Bureau, as it is now, but they should have representatives in all polling stations. So, if these legislative issues are not resolved next week, it means that the presidential elections will be postponed until after the Easter holidays. This would mean in May at the earliest, and we believe that the sooner this calendar is established, the shorter the timeframe, the more a topic of debate in society related to the postponement of elections, related to the provisional status, can be resolved only through a shorter and clearer calendar," Bolojan mentioned. Bucharest General Mayor Nicusor Dan, independent candidate in the presidential elections, said that clarifying all the details related to the annulment of the presidential election is more important than setting a calendar for the new election, Agerpres reports. Nicusor Dan was asked what he thinks about the statements by Crin Antonescu and Ilie Bolojan according to which the date of the elections should be established quickly. He added that he doesn't know when representatives of the Romanian state and even the Romanian president will come out to explain these things. Nyobolt has unveiled a 155-mile electric vehicle that can charge from 10pc to 80pc in five minutes - David Rose A British company building electric car batteries that charge in five minutes has warned it could run out of cash by March unless it secures new funding. Nyobolt, which is a spin-off from the University of Cambridge, is on the hunt for cash after burning through a pot of 50m raised from investors two years ago. It comes months after the company unveiled a 155-mile electric vehicle that could charge from 10pc to 80pc in five minutes. A string of British and European battery companies have sought to challenge Chinas prowess in battery technology but many have failed to make a profit. Nyobolts latest accounts, signed off in November, said the company made a 20m loss on revenues of 67,000 in 2023. This led to bosses warning that: In the event the group is unable to raise funds, the group will run out of funds [late in the first quarter of 2025]. However, since the accounts were published, Nyobolt said it had signed new contacts that would allow it to carry on trading beyond March, while also claiming the company was on the cusp of new funding. A spokesman said: The accounts quoted date back to 2023 and are not reflective of how far we have come and our position today. Since then, Nyobolt has launched new products and revealed a fully working prototype vehicle demonstrating our ultra-fast charging battery technology. In 2024, Nyobolt started earning revenues from customers and had contracts valued over $120m (97m). We will be announcing further contracts in the first quarter of 2025. Looking ahead, we continue to raise funds with both current and strategic investors, with the next round closing imminently, which will see us through 2025 and into profitability. Nyobolt has said it is in talks with eight car manufacturers about using its battery technology in an electric supercar. The companys technology uses patented compounds that allow batteries to charge more rapidly than conventional cells without the risk of overheating. In June, it demonstrated a custom vehicle that charged to 80pc in less than five minutes, twice as fast as existing vehicles on the market, promising electric cars that could charge up almost as fast as petrol cars can be filled. It says that faster charging times making it easier to refuel vehicles could mean cars being sold with smaller batteries and lower ranges since motorists would be less reluctant to stop and recharge them. This could cut the cost of EVs, of which the battery is a significant part. Its technology is already being used in areas such as factory robots, where fast charging is used to limit downtime. CLAYTON St. Louis County prosecutors on Saturday charged a man in the fatal shooting of his brother at their home in the 1200 block of Laire Avenue in Bellefontaine Neighbors. Tyrone Johnson, 28, was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Friday night death of Gerrick Fortenberry, 30, St. Louis County police said. The brothers had been arguing throughout the day over financial matters, according to a probable cause statement. One witness saw Fortenberry go outside, then heard gunshots. Witnesses saw Fortenberry on the ground, unconscious and bleeding, and Johnson get in a Dodge Charter and leave the area. Fortenberry was taken to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries, officials said. Police located Johnson about an hour after the shooting. Johnson is being held on $2 million cash only, no 10%, bond. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the police department at 636-529-8210. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous can contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-8477. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro shakes hands with former U.S. Senator, Nebraska Governor and naval officer, Robert Kerrey on Jan. 3, 2025. (Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro via Instagram) Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro last week announced the names of two new Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyers, the future USS Robert Kerrey (DDG 146) and USS Intrepid (DDG 145) to start off the new year. The USS Robert Kerrey honors the former U.S. senator, Nebraska governor and Navy SEAL officer who received the Medal of Honor for heroism displayed during the Vietnam War, according to a Navy news release. This will be the first Navy vessel named in his [Kerreys] honor, and it is most appropriate we do so, for his actions in Vietnam and his continued service to this country well beyond his naval service, Del Toro said Saturday. On Friday, Del Toro and Kerrey met in New York to share the news of the naming of the destroyer. My sincere thanks to President Biden, Secretary of the Navy Del Toro and the United States Navy that gave me the opportunity to serve my country for three of the best years of my life, Kerrey said. I am very grateful for this recognition. Before the meeting with Kerrey on Friday, Del Toro named the future USS Intrepid aboard the former aircraft carrier which shares its namesake at the Intrepid Museum, N.Y. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announces the future USS Intrepid during a news conference at the Intrepid Museum, N.Y., on Jan. 3, 2025. (Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro via Instagram) The Intrepid honors the skilled, fearless crews of the four previous Navy ships to bear the name. This will be the fifth vessel named Intrepid, according to a Navy news release. It is deeply meaningful to stand aboard USS Intrepid the fourth vessel to bear the name and whose proud legacy continues to inspire and remind so many visitors of the courage, resilience and sacrifice that define the U.S. Navy and it is with profound respect that we also look to the future of our Navy from these decks, Del Toro said. Del Toro also announced that his wife, Betty Del Toro, will be the sponsor for the future Intrepid. I am especially proud to serve as sponsor for a ship whose name embodies American courage and resilience, said Betty Del Toro. Having had the honor and opportunity to stand alongside my husband throughout his active duty Navy career and as the 78th Secretary of the Navy, I embrace this new role one which emphasizes something that is deeply important to me; supporting Navy sailors and Marines, and their families. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. Navys surface fleet providing protection to America around the globe. They incorporate stealth techniques, allowing these highly capable, multi-mission ships to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence to national security, providing a wide range of warfighting capabilities in air, surface and subsurface domains. Major financial institutions have shown increasing interest in D-Wave. Following substantial fourth-quarter 2024 buying activity from major investment funds, the company's institutional ownership has reached 55.4%.This substantial institutional ownership, particularly notable for a pre-profit quantum computing company, suggests strong institutional confidence in D-Wave's long-term potential. The company's technological achievements extend beyond hardware developments. D-Wave has introduced industry-first service-level agreements for its Leap quantum cloud service, positioning itself as the only quantum computing company providing formal service-level agreements. This move underscores the company's confidence in its platform reliability. The company has also secured strategic partnerships across various sectors. Recent collaborations include work with NTT DOCOMO for mobile-network optimization and Japan Tobacco Inc. for drug-discovery applications. These real-world implementations demonstrate the practical potential of D-Wave's quantum solutions. D-Wave has achieved several notable milestones in its pursuit of quantum computing advancement. The company recently completed calibration of its 4,400-qubit Advantage2 processor, which demonstrates remarkable performance gains over its predecessor. The new system solves complex 3D lattice problems 25,000 times faster than the current Advantage processor and delivers five-times-better solutions for high-precision computations. Armed with this brief background, let's examine D-Wave's core value proposition and risk factors to understand if its shares still represent a compelling buying opportunity early in 2025. This remarkable performance comes as quantum computing gains mainstream attention. Technology heavyweights like Alphabet and Amazon have made significant strides with their respective quantum initiatives, including Alphabet's Willow chip architecture and Amazon's Quantum Embark initiative. The enthusiasm surrounding these developments has created a ripple effect throughout the space, leaving investors wondering if D-Wave represents a viable long-term investment opportunity. The quantum computing landscape is rapidly evolving as major tech giants pour resources into this transformative technology. D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) has emerged as a standout player in this space, with its share price reflecting tremendous investor optimism over the past year. The stock has surged an eye-catching 992% over the last 12 months, making it one of the best performing stocks of 2024. Story Continues Despite this fairly strong institutional backing, the current valuation presents a significant consideration for potential investors. The stock trades at more than 172 times the projected 2025 revenue. This ultrapremium valuation reflects both market optimism and substantial growth expectations for the quantum computing industry as a whole. D-Wave's hefty valuation suggests investors should carefully consider their entry strategy. The company's recent completion of a $175 million equity offering provides substantial working capital but also underscores the risk of potential shareholder dilution in the years ahead. Revenue growth and market penetration strategy Recent financial results reveal the early-stage nature of D-Wave's business model. The company's core quantum computing service revenue grew 41% year over year in Q3 2024, highlighting the increasing adoption of its platform. However, total revenue declined 27% to $1.9 million due to timing variations in professional services contracts. This revenue-mix shift aligns with the company's strategic focus on recurring quantum computing services. D-Wave has prioritized expanding its quantum-as-a-service platform, which provides more predictable long-term revenue compared to project-based professional services engagements. The company's market-expansion efforts target both commercial and government sectors. D-Wave recently secured "awardable" status on the U.S. Department of Defense's Tradewinds buying platform, opening access to significant government-procurement opportunities. The company has also established partnerships with the Chicago Quantum Exchange and regional technology companies to accelerate quantum computing adoption across different markets. These expansion efforts are grounded in practical applications that demonstrate clear business value. D-Wave's quantum computing solutions have shown measurable benefits in network optimization, reducing infrastructure costs for telecommunications companies. The platform has also accelerated drug-discovery processes through quantum-assisted molecular modeling, proving its utility in pharmaceutical research. A strategic approach to investing in this nascent tech Given the stock's significant run-up and rich valuation, investors might consider a more measured approach to building a position. One possible strategy involves selling cash-secured puts at strike prices below the current market value. This approach allows investors to potentially acquire shares at lower prices while earning premium income. For example, investors could sell out-of-the-money puts with strike prices that align with their desired entry points. If the stock maintains its upward trajectory, the premium income provides a return while investors wait for a better entry opportunity. If the stock declines to the strike price, investors can acquire shares at a more favorable valuation. This options strategy requires careful position sizing and risk management. Investors should only secure puts with cash they're willing to use for share purchases, ensuring they can take ownership of the stock if it falls to their target price. The verdict D-Wave operates in a market with extraordinary potential where a functional quantum computer could revolutionize diverse industries from healthcare to artificial intelligence (AI). Moreover, the company has significantly progressed in developing its platform and secured meaningful partnerships. However, the stock's current valuation demands a thoughtful, position-building approach. For investors intrigued by quantum computing's long-term potential, D-Wave presents an opportunity to gain exposure to this emerging technology. However, the quantum computing market's high valuation and early-stage nature suggest a disciplined, strategic approach to building a position may be the prudent course of action. Dont miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then youll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a Double Down stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If youre worried youve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before its too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, youd have $358,640 !* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, youd have $46,181 !* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, youd have $478,206!* Right now, were issuing Double Down alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon. See 3 Double Down stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of December 30, 2024 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. George Budwell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is D-Wave Quantum Inc. Stock a Buy in 2025? was originally published by The Motley Fool When President Jimmy Carter commuted the prison sentences of the four living Puerto Rican nationalists who launched attacks against members of Congress and President Harry S. Truman in the 1950s, he cited humane considerations. Critics wondered whether there were other motivations. In 1979, Carter freed three Puerto Ricans who had shot and wounded five members of Congress, and an attacker who had attempted to kill Truman. I freed them because I thought 25 years was enough, Carter said at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus dinner, to a mix of catcalls and cheers. Carters secretary of state, Cyrus R. Vance, concluded that their release would be a significant humanitarian gesture and would be viewed as such by much of the international community - a statement that was in sync with a president who made human rights a priority. But foreign and domestic political factors were at play, as well. Cuban President Fidel Castro, who backed Puerto Rican independence, had offered to free four Americans jailed in Cuba for political crimes if the United States released the Puerto Rican nationalists; soon after Carter freed the four Puerto Ricans, Castro made good on his offer. The Puerto Ricans release also took place on the eve of an election year, when Carter was facing a tough Democratic primary challenge from Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts. Although Puerto Rico didnt, and still doesnt, have a vote in presidential general elections, it was set to have its first presidential primary in 1980. With straight faces, White House aides deny any link between the release of the prisoners and the islands 41 Democratic convention delegates, Time magazine sneered at the time. (Carter wound up narrowly defeating Kennedy in the Puerto Rico primary.) The attack on the Capitol had occurred March 1, 1954. Four members of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party entered the spectators gallery with handguns, at a time when there was minimal security on Capitol Hill. Shouting Viva Puerto Rico libre! they unfurled a Puerto Rican flag and shot indiscriminately into the House chamber. Five Congressmen Wounded in House by Shots of 4 Puerto Rican Terrorists; Bentley Given 50-50 Chance to Live, ran a three-line headline across the top of the next days Washington Post. Alvin M. Bentley (R-Mich.), who had been shot in the chest, was the most seriously wounded congressman. But he and the other four members who were struck that afternoon all recovered. The attackers were Lolita Lebron, Andres Figueroa Cordero, Rafael Cancel Miranda and Irvin Flores Rodriguez. Cordero was freed two years before the others, when Carter in 1977 commuted his sentence on humanitarian grounds because he was terminally ill with cancer. Cordero expressed no remorse for the attack, saying in an interview a year after his release that he did it to draw attention to the fight for Puerto Rican independence and the colonial situation of our people. I would do it half a million times if I had to. To save your country, there is no other recourse than to give your life, said Cordero, who died in March 1979 in Puerto Rico, which was a Spanish colony for four centuries before Spain transferred the island to the United States in 1898 after the Spanish-American War. The attack on Truman took place in 1950, when Puerto Rican nationalists Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola tried to shoot their way into Blair House, where Truman was living temporarily during renovations to the White House across the street. A White House guard was killed, along with Torresola. After Collazos conviction on four counts, including premeditated murder of the White House guard, he struck a defiant tone at his 1951 sentencing hearing. Addressing federal Judge Alan T. Goldsborough, Collazo said: Im not pleading for my life. Im pleading for my cause. Anything I may have done I did for the cause of my country. I use this last plea for the right of my country to be free. Even if I die today, and I realize the Americans have the right to kill me, they will never be able to kill the ideals I stand for. Goldsborough lectured Collazo on how Puerto Rico was much better off as part of the United States than under Spanish rule and said he felt sorry for the defendant. Then he sentenced Collazo to death. But in 1952, Truman commuted Collazos sentence to life in prison about a week before he was to be executed by electric chair. That year, Puerto Rico became a U.S. commonwealth, allowing it to draft its own constitution with a measure of self-rule. The president prides himself as one who has done more for Puerto Rico than any other president, the New York Times wrote at the time. Truman had appointed the first native Puerto Rican as governor in 1946 and visited Puerto Rico in 1948. In a historical twist, Robert Garcia, who as a teenager lived next door to Collazo in the South Bronx at the time of the 1950 attack, led the effort to free him and the surviving Capitol Hill attackers as a Democratic congressman in the late 1970s. Im not a nationalist, Im not an independista, Garcia said in a March 1979 interview. I just want to do what I think is right. These people have served longer than anybody who has ever been convicted of crimes like theirs. Theyve served plenty of time, and enough is enough. Garcia, who was the only voting member of Congress of Puerto Rican descent, put together a coalition of lawmakers to rally for the cause. Some of the islands politicians and religious leaders supported the effort. But Puerto Rico Gov. Carlos Romero Barcelo urged Carter not to release the nationalists unless they showed remorse and vowed to eschew violence. Without those concessions, he warned, a release would constitute a menace to public safety. The jailed Puerto Ricans had refused to seek clemency, claiming they were political prisoners. And after Carter released them, they pointedly refused to rule out violence. Before returning to Puerto Rico, they appeared at receptions in Chicago and New York, demanding Puerto Rican independence. They expressed no gratitude toward Carter. Their release, insisted Lebron, the ringleader of the Capitol attack, was done for political expediency and not because of a concern for human rights. I am a revolutionary and a member of the atomic age. ... I hate bombs, but we might have to use them, she said at a United Nations news conference, while Collazo insisted, I decide whether terrorism is necessary after I return to Puerto Rico. They received a heros welcome upon landing at the San Juan airport, where 6,000 Puerto Ricans surged against police lines and tore down fences, chanting Lolita! Lolita!, Viva Puerto Rico libre! and Jibaros si, Yanquis no (Puerto Rican farmers yes, Yankees no). Collazos 45-year-old niece rushed to hug him, then suffered a fatal heart attack. We have done nothing to cause us to repent, Lebron told the crowd. Everyone has the right to defend his God-given right to liberty. Frederic J. Frommer, a writer and sports historian, is the author of several books, including You Gotta Have Heart: Washington Baseball from Walter Johnson to the 2019 World Series Champion Nationals. A woman sits at a protest against the impeachment and the arrest warrant for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Sunday. (Jintak Han/The Washington Post) SEOUL, South Korea U.S. flags, Stop the Steal and the Virginia state motto are finding a home in a political battle halfway around the world from Washington, as supporters and critics of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol invoke familiar American political symbols of freedom and defiance. As investigators closed in on Yoon on Friday, attempting to detain him in relation to insurrection charges, his supporters waved American flags, sang The Star-Spangled Banner and held signs reading Stop the Steal, a slogan borrowed from supporters of President-elect Donald Trump, who deny the results of the 2020 election, which Trump lost. Meanwhile, the Virginia state flag bearing the state motto of sic semper tyrannis, or thus always to tyrants took on new meaning more than 7,000 miles from its home, when the mayor of the southwestern Korean city of Gwangju displayed it outside City Hall to criticize Yoon on the day of his potential arrest. Together, the opposing sides created an unexpected constellation of American symbolism, appropriated for vastly different ends. South Korean conservatives, who fervently support the countrys security alliance with Washington, have long displayed U.S. flags at rallies. But their recent adoption of Stop the Steal highlighted the increasing similarities between Yoons political rhetoric and Trumps, as the South Korean president defends his short-lived martial law decree that has plunged the nation into its worst political crisis in decades. Yoon is now under criminal investigation for his decision and faces charges of insurrection and abuse of power. But the operation to detain him on Friday was abandoned after investigators had an hours-long standoff with the presidential guard. Yoon has claimed he declared martial law to warn anti-state opposition party lawmakers. He has also cited allegations of systemic voter fraud going back as many as four years, and sent in martial law troops to the National Election Commission to check election machines. Independent investigators have debunked those claims, which his supporters continue to amplify. His rhetoric has echoed that of Trump, who has labeled his political opponents as enemies from within and has claimed baseless allegations of widespread election fraud in 2020. Yoons legal team has even invoked the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling granting Trump immunity from official acts taken while in office. However, under South Korean law, sitting presidents are immune from arrest except on charges of insurrection or treason. Some of Yoons supporters said they hoped Trump would find sympathy and recognize their shared plight. I am certain there was election fraud, said Na Yoon-seop, 58, who was holding a homemade Stop the Steal sign, two South Korean flags and an American flag outside Yoons residence. Na was among the loyal Yoon supporters protesting his arrest in the snow on Sunday morning. In America, Trump was criticized a lot for his concerns about election fraud. This is to appeal to that, he said. The moment Trump was elected, I thought things will finally get better again, so I cheered wholeheartedly. Yoon, a political novice who squeaked into office in 2022, has maintained loyalty from a fringe base of ultraconservative voters, even as his approval ratings dropped to historical lows. Belief in election denialism has increasingly intensified among them, especially after martial law, polls show. Many of Yoons supporters are elderly and members of an evangelical Protestant base comprised of Christians who fled communist persecution in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula before the 1950-53 Korean War, which broke out after the Soviet Union-supported northern troops invaded the pro-American South. The U.S.-South Korean security alliance is core to their identity because they view Washingtons intervention in the Korean War as critical to containing communism and to South Koreas economic rise, experts say. And Yoon, who has prioritized improving relations with Washington during his tenure, has found sympathy among these supporters. Yoon Suk Yeol is using the USA and Donald Trump as an example, said Uichol Kim, political culture expert at Inha University in Incheon, South Korea, citing Trumps instigation of the Jan. 6 insurrection, his claim of immunity from prosecution and his right-wing values. Kim added that Yoon is using the same tactic in asking his supporters to reject impeachment and protect him from the arrest. Meanwhile, a different kind of American symbol took root in Gwangju, a city with a history of oppression and violence under military dictators, and whose residents and leaders have been especially critical of Yoons martial law decision. On Friday, the day that investigators tried and failed to detain Yoon, the Virginia state flag was displayed in a sign of resistance to the impeached president, who declared the nations first martial law in more than four decades. Bearing the state motto sic semper tyrannis which conveys the meaning that tyrants will always be overthrown the flag is a kind of a threat. During the U.S. Revolutionary War, the motto was directed at the British. In Gwangju, a city known for laying the foundation for Korean democracy after a 1980 uprising in the city, its aimed at Yoon. It is an eternal truth that those who abuse power will inevitably end up in ruin, Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung wrote in a Facebook post alongside a photo of the flag on Friday. Its the morning of arresting a tyrant, Yoon Suk Yeol, Kang said. Initially adopted in 1861, the Virginia state flag depicts the Roman goddess of virtue, Virtus, standing on top of a conquered king. It was taken up by Virginia just days after the state seceded from the Union ahead of the Civil War, giving its anti-tyrant sentiment a darker undertone. The Latin phrase sic semper tyrannis has a long history and debated origins. It was adopted by Virginia as the state motto in 1776, the same year the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence and is said to have been called out by John Wilkes Booth when he assassinated Abraham Lincoln in 1865. In Gwangju, the flag symbolizes that Yoon Suk Yeol will eventually meet the fate of a tyrant, rather than an admiration for the United States or the state of Virginia, said Jaechun Kim, a political scientist at Sogang University in Seoul. How the Virginia flag came to fly in Gwangju may be little more than coincidence, though. According to a press release from the Gwangju government, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) sent Gwangju the flag, which, it said, once flew at the state capitol in Richmond, as a thank-you gift for welcoming a delegation from Virginia to the city to discuss agriculture collaboration in November. Youngkins office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In his Facebook post, Kang said the flag arrived just in time. Jintak Han contributed to this report. Gerard Clarke is serving an eleven-year prison sentence A 41-year-old father of six who had a substantial drug debt ended up selling drugs for the Barry Young organised crime group, Sligo Circuit Court heard. The accused was a childhood friend of Young, who is serving an eleven-year prison sentence. The accused had begun taking drugs and got into substantial debt. After hearing lengthy evidence in the case, Judge Keenan Johnson said the accused should be praised for turning his life around and suggested he go around schools educating young people about the negative impact of drugs. Gerard Clarke, Castleburn, Ballymote, Co Sligo appeared before the circuit court on a number of charges. He was charged that on September 10, 2019, within the State, he did commit a serious offence for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with, a criminal organisation, to wit, money laundering. On the same date, within the State, he was charged with engaging in, converting, transferring, handling, acquiring, possessing or using property, to wit, 100 which was the proceeds of criminal conduct. He was also charged that on October 28, 2019, at Cherrytree Park, Riverstown, Co Sligo he did commit an offence for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organisation, to wit, having in his possession a controlled drug, to wit, cannabis for the purpose of selling or otherwise. Mr Leo Mulrooney BL with State Solicitor Ms Elisa McHugh were prosecuting, while Mr Des Dockery SC with Mr Eoin McGovern BL instructed by McGovern & Walsh solicitors appeared for Clarke. Dt Garda Eamonn McDonnell of Sligo Garda Station was outlining the evidence, led by Mr Mulrooney. The court heard the accused was facing three charges. He was arraigned and pleaded guilty to counts two and three with count one to be taken into consideration. Judge Keenan Johnson was sitting at Sligo Circuit Court. A statement from Detective Inspector Ray Mulderrig explained how in 2021 both he and Dt Superintendent John OFlaherty were investigating the Barry Young organised crime group. Dt Inspector Mulderrig was managing operations targetting Barry Young and his associates in the organisation who were involved in drug trafficking on an international scale, money laundering, threats and intimidation. There were over thirty separate investigations that recovered in excess of 1.3m worth of drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, mdma and amphetamines. A statement from Gda Peter Kearins was also read to the court. He said that on October 28, 2019, at Cathedral Road, Ballina, Co Mayo he stopped a vehicle that had a male, not the accused, and a female occupant. Two kilogrammes of cannabis was found with the total value of the cannabis 40,000. This charge was related to count three, possession of cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply. Dt Garda McDonnell outlined that on December 9, 2019, as part of the operation targeting the Barry Young organised crime group, he went to a hotel and intercepted a car where Young was a passenger. He had his phone in his hand which was seized. It was switched off and he refused to give gardai the pin. However, gardai were able to retrieve contacts from the phone including Whatsapp messages. There were details of messages between Young and Clarke regarding delivery of the cannabis to the person in the car. There were various messages back and forth. A statement from Dt Garda Terry Farrelly set out that on June 8, 2020, he attended a house he believed Young was staying in. He searched the house and seized a number of bank statements in the name of Young. One of the statements showed that an ATM lodgement had taken place with an accompanying message with Clarkes name. That related to counts one and two. The court was told that Clarke had previously served a 22-month prison sentence in 2022 for possession of drugs for sale or supply and that these offences backdated that offence. He made full admissions to gardai when he was arrested in Loughan House. When asked how did he become involved, he said he owed money for a drugs debt and that he had a cocaine addiction. He got to know Young from getting drugs from him and when asked if Young directed him he said yes. He said he was part of the criminal organisation for four years and managed to clear his drug debt just before going to prison. A summary of the Whatsapp messages between him and Young was handed into the court. Dt Garda McDonnell read out some sample messages. Mr Dockery said Clarke said all of it goes back to the 36,000 debt he had and Dt Garda McDonnell replied that he told gardai his debt was up to 70,000. The barrister said he managed to clear the debt and the garda said he had sold his pick-up truck. Mr Dockery said that it was a very comprehensive and thorough Garda investigation into the Barry Young organised crime group by Dt Inspector Mulderrig and a number of people have been in court. Young is also serving a lengthy sentence of 11 years. Barry Young He said Clarke is a married father of six children. The detective told the court that days after his release from prison he was back working in a factory. It was agreed that he is now drug free as the Probation Report indicated and he has not come to garda attention since. Clarke took to the witness stand. He said he is 41 years of age and married with six children. His wife, sister and father were present in court. He admitted his drug taking went out of control in 2018 and 2019. He initially began taking ecstasy. He knew Young from school. He is now working in Dublin and is commuting each day from his home in Ballymote. He said he had amassed a drug debt. He is now drug free for four years. He agreed with his barrister that his drug taking is in the past. Judge Johnson said it could be useful for him to educate children about the negative impact of drugs and said he had a remarkable story of how he tackled his problems. He said addiction is a terrible thing and Clarke has a good story to tell that people in schools might benefit from. Clarke said he had no problem with doing that. Mr Dockery agreed and said that in a school where his own children were attending a gambling addict had been telling his story to students. Mr Dockery said it was clear from Dt Garda McDonnell that Clarke had given complete co-operation and had pleaded guilty. He said he knew Barry Young from his childhood days. He had got into drug misuse. He said as a very young man he was dabbling in ecstasy. He had a substantial debt of up to 70,000. He was playing a role in the movement of drugs and cash. He had already served a custodial sentence. These offences pre-dated that. He said Clarke seems to have turned his life around. He is now drug free and showed remarkable determination. He described the Probation Report as a glowing report. He has strong family support. Judge Johnson said the position is that the accused pleaded guilty to two offences, money laundering and the possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty on a full facts basis. He had known Barry Young from school and also from buying and selling cars. He ran a recovery business. His involvement graduated because of the debt and he was involved in the distribution of drugs. He said from the Whatsapp messages, it was clear Clarke was manipulated by Young and he was in between a rock and a hard place. He had received a 40-month prison sentence with 18 months suspended for a section 15a offence in 2020. He was released from prison in January 2023 and within days he was back working. He took in hand his drug addiction and for four years is completely clean. The Probation Report was extremely positive and said he is a reformed character and off drugs. He had a good relationship with his family and is a good father. He said his was a classic example of someone being manipulated and used. He was at low-risk of reoffending and suitable for Community Service. He said that taskmasters in these criminal organisations use vulnerable people like Clarke. He said the aggravating factors were the offending went on for a long period of time with a significant quantity of drugs. He was active in laundering funds. The accused also had a subsequent conviction for section 15a. The mitigating factors were the early plea. He co-operated with gardai. He had served time in prison. He said Clarke got a job and continues with that employment and that shows his determination. He is now up and down every day in Dublin while living in Ballymote. He has put his life of criminality in the past. He is a good father. Judge Johnson said he was satisfied a custodial sentence would be unfair given his efforts at rehabilitation. It was clear his life had spiralled out of control. He has distanced himself from negative influences and ceased taking drugs. On count three (possession of cannabis for sale or supply) he imposed 240 hours of Community Service in lieu of two years and six months prison sentence. On count two, he imposed a one-year sentence suspended for five years on condition Clarke enter a bond to keep the peace, be of good behaviour and engage with the Probation Services. He also said the Garda Drugs Unit should look at the possibility of Mr Clarke telling his story in secondary schools about the dangers of drugs. He said he has a very pertinent and relevant story to tell. Restaurateur Poh Kwai Tan died after being prescribed leprosy medication The family of a restaurateur who very likely died from medication she received for a skin rash are suing the doctor who prescribed the treatment for alleged negligence. Poh Kwai Tan, a Malaysian woman known as Joyce Tan who lived in Dunboyne, Co Meath, ran five restaurants before her sudden death at the age of 47 in St Vincents Hospital in May 2020. Her husband Au Tuc and daughter Yen Ching Au (Angie) have filed a personal injury action against Dr Anas Mansour, a Blanchardstown-based doctor who was once the highest-paid GP in the country, when the HSE paid his practice 1.3m in 2020. The family is represented by Michael Boylan Solicitors, which specialises in medical negligence cases. The family claim that Dr Mansour prescribed Ms Tan a medication that was normally given to leprosy patients. They will claim that this medication should only have been given as part of a consultant-led care process that included careful monitoring of its effects. The doctor is fully defending the case and has denied the allegations of inappropriate care and denied liability. The trial has been set for May 20 on the Dublin personal injury list and is expected to last between two to three weeks. Last year, Dublin coroner Clare Keane returned a verdict of death by misadventure after an inquest found that Ms Tan had died on the balance of probabilities from a reaction to the drug dapsone. Dr Keane said she had been unable to substantiate references in evidence that suggested the patient may also have taken some Chinese medicines for her skin condition. The inquest into Ms Tans death heard she developed Dress syndrome (Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms) a condition caused by a severe reaction to a drug after being prescribed dapsone. Ms Tans daughter, Yen Ching Au, told the inquest she did not think her mother had taken any medication besides treatments prescribed by her doctors. Ms Tan first visited her own GP, Dolores Rafter, about an itchy rash on her body in December 2019 and January 2020. Dr Rafter gave evidence of prescribing a number of medicines, but said she had not considered dapsone as she did not specialise in dermatology. In January 2000, Ms Tan visited Dr Mansour at his Blanchardstown clinic. Dr Mansour, who has a qualification in dermatology, gave evidence that he initially prescribed Ms Tan with a number of topical treatments which caused the itchiness to subside but not the rash. The GP said he thought Ms Tan might have coeliac disease, as he felt she might have dermatitis herpetiformis which is linked to sensitivity to gluten products. Poh Kwai Tan's husband Au Tuc and her daughter Yen Ching Au (Angie). Photo: Collins Dr Mansour said Ms Tan was due to arrange to get a blood test at his GP clinic after being prescribed dapsone for 30 days on February 12, 2020, as part of monitoring the patient because he was aware the drug could cause liver damage. However, he said she cancelled the appointment. Dr Mansour said he was subsequently told by a hospital doctor, who informed him that medical staff were puzzled over how Ms Tan had suffered multiple organ failure, that she had also been using Chinese remedies. He confirmed that Ms Tan had never said anything to him about taking such medication. Under cross-examination by Ellen Gleeson BL, counsel for Ms Tans family, Dr Mansour said he advised her about the potential side-effects of dapsone and said she should stop the medication if new rashes developed. The doctor said he would have informed her about the seriousness of the medication which the inquest heard is regularly prescribed for off-licence use in Ireland to treat skin conditions. Dr Mansour stressed that there was nothing which prohibited him from prescribing the drug for Ms Tan. The inquest heard the patient was admitted to Beaumont Hospital on April 4, 2020, with abdominal pain and peeling of her skin. She was discharged on April 16 after being diagnosed with drug hypersensitivity but was readmitted one week later with anaemia, nausea and vomiting. Ms Tan was transferred to St Vincents University Hospital on May 16, 2020, for possible a liver transplant due to the chronic liver disease. John Ryan, a consultant hepatologist, said it was very likely dapsone caused Ms Tans condition. He said the use of Chinese medicines would be a concern, but he had received no definite confirmation that Ms Tan was exposed to them. There was a reference to Chinese medicines in her medical notes. Retired consultant is a free man after serving three years in prison for assaults on nine boys Retired surgeon Michael Shine arriving at the Dublin circuit criminal court in 2019 when he was sentenced for sexual abuse of patients. Photo: Damien Eagers New lawsuits have been initiated over the activities of convicted child abuser Michael Shine. Nine civil cases were filed shortly before Christmas against the paedophile former surgeon and the religious order that ran the hospital where he once worked. The new lawsuits come as victims await a response from the Government to calls for a public inquiry into how Shine (93) was able to continue abusing for decades. Much of the abuse is said to have occurred at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, where he was a consultant surgeon from 1964 until his retirement in 1995, and at private rooms he kept elsewhere. Although he is feared to have abused hundreds of young males, Shine is a free man after serving just three years in prison for assaults on nine boys. He is unlikely to face further criminal prosecution after the DPP decided two years ago not to press charges in relation to complaints made by 25 men. That decision was made in the wake of a Court of Appeal ruling that it would be unjust for Shine to face a further trial due to his age and health. The latest lawsuits were filed by nine clients of Dublin law firm Pearse Mehigan Solicitors LLP against Shine and a nominee of the Medical Missionaries of Mary, which previously ran the hospital. Dignity4Patients, a support group, said it expected this number to grow in the coming months while other avenues to justice remain closed off at present. We are hoping that, post election, going into the new government term, this will radically change The activities of Shine were previously the subject of two multi-million-euro civil settlements, involving more than 200 former patients, in 2012 and 2022. Since the most recent settlement, victims have ramped up their campaign for a public inquiry or commission or investigation. Taoiseach Simon Harris said last August that the Government would reflect on those calls, but a decision is still awaited. Mr Harris later said he had asked officials for a paper setting out options and outlining work that has been done to date. Dignity4Patients chief executive Adrienne OReilly said Mr Harris should not issue a report about what should happen without first consulting with victims. We are still in a position where those making decisions do not meet with the victims and statements are made about them without them. We are hoping that, post election, going into the new government term, this will radically change. Ms OReilly said Tanaiste Micheal Martin had given a pre-election commitment to meet victims in early course after the election. The terms of the most recent settlements in 2022 were kept confidential. However, sources familiar with the deal, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said individual awards largely ranged between 20,000 and 65,000. Shine did not participate in the lawsuits, which where handled by the religious orders insurers. The order ran the hospital until 1997, when ownership was transferred to the then North Eastern Health Board. The first complaint against Shine, alleging indecent assault, was made by a former patient in 1994. He retired on a full pension less than a year later, but was struck off the medical register in 2008. He declined to share how much money he makes from the hand-truck factory, but put it this way: If I depended on Harper for a living, Id be in big trouble. Harper is wholly owned by Ruffin. I do all my stockholders meetings in bed, he quipped. The hand-truck factory in Wichita, Kan., is an outlier in Ruffins empire of casinos and hotels. Ruffin, 89 years old, bought Harper, which has been around almost as long as he has been alive, in 1981long before he became a billionaire. Ruffin owns Treasure Island on the Vegas Strip and co-owns the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas with the president-elect. Harper, he told the Wichita Eagle in 2019, is a pimple on my butt. Harper, like many manufacturers, already struggles to hire workers. And the range of outcomes it faces shows the complex and often contradictory ripple effects of tariffs for American manufacturers enmeshed with global supply chains. Tariffs, which are meant to help U.S. manufacturing, among other goals, also raise an even larger question for the American economy: Are lower-wage manufacturing jobs worth fighting for? Trump on the campaign trail proposed a 10% to 20% tariff on all imports and a tariff increase on China to at least 60%. More recently, he threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports. Thatll make us more competitive, Ruffin said of tariffs. But will that get us any more business? I dont know, Im not sure about that. Tariff policy could be critical for American manufacturers like Harper, fighting to survive. Harpers sales volumes have fallen in recent years, which Ruffin blames on cheap hand-truck imports, largely from Vietnam. Tariffs stand to make Harpers made-in-America products more attractive by making foreign goods more expensive through a tax paid by importers. Increased tariffs could boost business for Harper Trucks, a small hand-truck manufacturer Ruffin has owned for more than four decades, or end up raising costs of parts the factory imports from China. (A hand truck, sometimes called a dolly or a hand trolley, is a small, wheeled cart used to move heavy objects.) WICHITA, Kan.Donald Trumps exact plans to raise tariffs remain a mystery, even to Phil Ruffin, a close friend and business partner to the president-elect. Story Continues Still, he feels an obligation to keep his factory running. Some of Harpers employees have worked for him for decades. He has watched them buy houses and put their children through college. Its kind of a personal thing, said Ruffin, who grew up in Wichita and still visits every week or so. Harper employs about 120 people. On a mid-December day, the roughly 400,000 square-foot factory is chilly. The breakroom is filled with holiday decorations, and the staff is looking forward to a Christmas lunch the next day catered by Strouds, a local restaurant known for its fried chicken. Some workers arrive at the factory each day around 3 a.m., a schedule they adopted to deal with intense heat in the summertime. Signs throughout the factory are written in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Workers use machines to shape steel and aluminum into the components of the hand trucks. The pieces make their way through welding, painting and assembly, then are packaged for shipping. Products leave the factory with red, white and blue stickers saying Made in the USA with pride. Domestic manufacturers remained the largest supplier of hand trucks to the U.S. through 2014, according to U.S. International Trade Commission reviews. But by 2019, imports from countries outside of China, primarily Vietnam and Taiwan, overtook domestic producers in market share. In recent years, Vietnam emerged as a major winner in Trumps first trade war, becoming a magnet for Chinese manufacturers looking to get around tariffs. That explains why the bosses at Harper are cautiously optimistic about Trumps proposal to add tariffs on all imports. I would take a tariff on Vietnam if it made the playing field equal, said Harpers senior vice president and general manager, Chris Squires. A mug in his office reads, Dont blame me I voted for Trump. A worker at Harper Trucks prepares a hand-truck component. - He doesnt think a 10% tax on imports from Vietnam is likely to move the needle. But a 20% tariff might make Harper more appealing to the retailers that buy hand trucks. Harper recently lost a contract with Lowes, which Ruffin attributed to a shift toward cheaper models imported from Vietnam. Lowes didnt respond to a request for comment. Overall in 2024, Harper sold about 290,000 units, down from around 410,000 units in 2023 and about 560,000 the year before. Advocates of tariffs say duties can help bolster U.S. industries, respond to other countries trade practices and bring in revenue for the government. They say tariffs can help make the U.S. economy less reliant on other countries. A U.S. International Trade Commission report found that Trumps 2018 tariffs on steel and aluminum reduced imports, increased U.S. production of those products and were followed by the announcement of new domestic investments by steel and aluminum companies. The same report found that production fell for downstream manufacturers that use steel and aluminum. Some studies found that higher costs for parts and retaliatory tariffs hurt domestic producers, outweighing the benefits of tariffs to other parts of the manufacturing industry. I worry about the unintended consequences, said Mike Rose, Harpers controller. Phil Ruffin in his office at Harper Trucks. - Harper imports wheels and casters from China and buys other pieces of small hardware sourced abroad, so it anticipates those costs to go up if tariffs increase. It is in the process of switching some of its wheel purchases to a U.S. maker, but doesnt expect to be able to source all of its parts domestically. It also bought a Chinese manufacturer called WelCom Products in 2013 that produces lower-end folding carts, which make up a smaller portion of the companys sales. Squires, the general manager, expects that higher tariffs on China would significantly curb that line of business for Harper. Harper raised prices when tariffs from Trumps first term increased costs, and is prepared to do so again to meet its target profit margin if Trump lifts tariffs further. One model that can carry 600 pounds sells for around $80 at Home Depot. Another model that can be converted into a four-wheel cart goes for about $130 at Walmart. Some economists say increased trade with the world has helped lower costs for American consumers and has allowed U.S. businesses to offload lower-skilled production overseas, while focusing on research, innovation, design and marketing domestically. U.S. manufacturing employment peaked nationally in 1979 at nearly 20 million workers, representing 22% of nonfarm employment, according to Labor Department data. As of November, roughly 13 million people were employed in manufacturing, about 8% of nonfarm workers. Do we want to be using resources to redirect workers and capital towards a job that can be done equally well by a low-skilled worker in Vietnam? said Teresa Fort, a professor at Dartmouth Colleges Tuck School of Business. We have to ask, how much more expensive are we willing for our goods to be in order to have those jobs back? Even if tariffs bring more jobs, U.S. manufacturers will likely have a hard time filling them. About 60% of respondents to the National Association of Manufacturers third-quarter outlook survey said attracting and retaining a quality workforce was a primary business challenge. Harper has struggled to fill its ranks, with the unemployment rate in Wichita hovering around 3% for much of the past few years. At times, Harper has turned to temporary staffing agencies and having employees work overtime. Just finding good employees has been very challenging, said Rose, the controller. Most employees make between $16 and $22 an hour, according to Rose. Other costs, including for medical insurance and electricity for the factory, keep climbing. In some ways, Harper has been slow to adapt to technological changes. It only recently hired a sales manager focused on e-commerce and is just starting to experiment with using social media to market its products. The company didnt switch its record-keeping from paper to digital until about six years ago. Chris Squires on Harper Trucks factory floor. - But Harper is also trying to patent novel designs to stand out and drum up business. The companys vice president, engineering manager and assistant plant manager, Jose Mendoza, designed a five-in-one hand truck that switches positions with a press of a button, which Harper is rolling out and hoping could be a new bestseller. We try to innovate. Thats one of the ways that we are competing, said Mendoza, who immigrated to Wichita from Honduras when he was 16 and started working on Harpers factory floor after high school more than two decades ago. But its getting harder and harder. Ruffin said he talks to Trump often, but doesnt weigh in on policy issues. In addition to being a business partner, Trump was Ruffins best man at his 2008 wedding to former Miss Ukraine Oleksandra Nikolayenko. Ruffin has been a steadfast supporter and donor to the president-elect and said he was with Trump on election night. Hes a very brilliant businessman, Ruffin said of Trump. Im really, really excited to see what hes going to do. Hand trucks on the shipping docks at Harper Trucks. - Write to Hannah Miao at hannah.miao@wsj.com Most Read from The Wall Street Journal Eight-year-old Scarlett Rossborough died after being struck by a car driven by John Lindsay in August 2023 Scarlett Rossborough (centre), John Noble Lindsay attending court earlier this year (left) and family and friends during the eight-year-old's funeral last year (right) A Co Antrim pensioner who knocked down and killed a schoolgirl in Carrickfergus is due to receive his sentence for a charge of causing death by dangerous driving next week, a court heard today. Eight-year-old Scarlett Rossborough died after being struck by a car driven by John Lindsay in August 2023. The 92-year-old, from Prince Andrew Way in Carrickfergus, admitted a charge of causing Scarlett's death by dangerous driving and was due to appear at Belfast Crown Court for sentencing last month. On December 9, 2024, he was excused from attending the sentencing hearing as he was in hospital. On that date, Judge Patricia Smyth revealed she would be imposing a 10-month jail term upon Lindsay, which will be suspended for 12 months, "when he is well enough" to be sentenced. Judge Smyth also indicated that the former RUC officer will be banned from driving for five years. During last month's hearing, it emerged that on August 9, 2023, Scarlett who attended Linn Primary School in Larne was amongst a group of children and adult leaders from a local community centre summer scheme enjoying a day out to Carrick Castle. As the group was walking along the footpath on High Street, Lindsay's car mounted the footpath and struck three children. Whilst two of the youngsters were thrown into the doorway of a shop and didn't suffer any serious injury, Scarlett was trapped between the rear of Lindsay's car and the wall of an adjacent building. In the direct aftermath of the collision, members of the public rushed to help and signalled for Lindsay to move his car forward and both the PSNI and Ambulance Service attended the scene. Due to the catastrophic injuries that she sustained, Scarlett could not be saved. The case was listed for mention on Friday when Judge Smyth was addressed by Lindsay's barrister who updated the court on his client's health. Defence barrister Steven Molloy said his solicitor received an email from Lindsay's son which indicated the pensioner was discharged from hospital on the evening of December 9, 2024. Mr Molloy said the email also outlined Lindsay's current state of health which included laboured breathing, the regular consumption of painkillers and that he was "very unwell at the moment." He added that the case was not legally aided and was therefore not affected by the barrister's strike which is due to commence this Monday, December 6. Judge Smyth said she would impose the sentence on Friday, December 10 and confirmed Lindsay could either attend either in person or via video link. Garda detectives established a person of interest in relation to the killing in Cork A 999 call claiming a woman had suffered serious injuries as a result of self-harm triggered the discovery of the body of mum-of-two Paula Canty in Mallow on Friday. A source confirmed that the initial report was that the 31-year-old had suffered a serious injury as a result of self-harm but said that when first responders arrived at the scene they quickly became suspicious that Ms Canty had been the victim of a violent attack. Its understood the serious injuries observed to her body, when first responders discovered her lying dead in her top-floor flat on the Belfry on Bridewell Lane at approximately noon Friday, did not correspond with those described by the 999 caller. She appeared to have suffered a stab wound to the chest; however, a post-mortem examination was being carried out yesterday to determine a cause of death. Its understood that efforts were made to resuscitate her at the scene but these were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead. Gardai at the property where Paula died Gardai cordoned off the scene and the services of the state pathologist were requested. Assistant state pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster, carried out a preliminary examination of Ms Cantys remains in the flat and was yesterday due to carry out a full post-mortem at the morgue at Cork University Hospital on Saturday. The Sunday World understands gardai have established the identity of a person of interest in Paulas death but were awaiting the results of the post-mortem before making further moves. As part of their investigations, gardai collected CCTV footage from the Bridewell Lane and surrounding streets in Mallow town centre in the hope of establishing who entered and left the Belfry building between 9pm on Thursday and midday on Friday. Paula Cantys life was yesterday described by a former friend as blighted by addiction. She was well-known to gardai for both petty and more serious crime linked to her addictions, When she went into prison, shed come out looking like a million dollars but the f**king gear would ruin her when she got back out, her pal said. She was a handful but honestly never caused any grief to me. Detectives are investigating the death of Paula Cant= She was very vulnerable as a drug user all drug users are vulnerable but females are the most vulnerable they have to deal with the worst kinds of abuse. Originally from Kinsale, she had been living in the Belfry for a number of months. Paula who had 137 convictions had the most serious of these handed down to her in November of 2022 for breaking into the home of an 85-year-old man in the city. She and another man, the court heard, were both addicted to crack cocaine and heroin and had habits that cost 500 per day between the two of them. Garda Carol Ann OCallaghan said the elderly man was moved in his bed by the two intruders Liam Hurley (40) and Paula Canty (29). But when the pensioner told them to leave, they did. Judge Helen Boyle imposed sentences of three years, with the last year suspended, on both accused. Detectives are investigating the death of Paula Canty Gda OCallaghan said Canty had a crack cocaine and heroin addiction that cost her 200 a day at the time. Hurley had a similar addiction to the same two drugs, and he estimated that his addiction was costing him 300 a day. Canty had 137 previous convictions, including one for burglary and 83 for theft. Hurley had 155 convictions, including four counts for burglary. Paula McCarty, defence barrister for Hurley, said: There is no question of any violence being used. And when they were asked to leave, they left immediately. Ms McCarthy added that he came forward to the circuit court on a signed plea of guilty. She said he had a very troubled background and an addiction that dated back to when he was 13 years old. Educated through the Cope Foundation, he wrote a letter of apology to the victim. Dermot Sheehan, barrister for Canty, said: She was homeless at the time and was addicted to heroin and crack cocaine, both of which she had taken that day, as well as drinking strong alcohol. She fell into this virulent addiction. The 85-year-old man whose home was ransacked did not opt to make a victim impact statement to the court. Paulas most recent recorded court appearance was in May of last year for having a cannabis joint as she was about to be transferred to Limerick Prison from Cork. Paula Canty The drug possession was immediately detected by Garda David OSullivan who seized the cannabis joint and later charged Paula Canty with having the drug for her own use. At the time, Eddie Burke, solicitor, said gardai familiar with the defendant, who had numerous previous convictions may have been surprised to see her come into court today totally sober. She has completed her full treatment programme at Coolmine and she is doing extremely well. She has been giving clean urinalysis for a long period. Originally from Kinsale she had a very difficult time in her early life. Whatever happened in Dochas (centre in prison in Dublin) seems to be working the oracle. And she is not hanging around Cork city meeting old foes, Mr Burke said. At the time, Judge Mary Dorgan said that this was really good news. Despite the large number of previous convictions, Judge Dorgan said that she would deal with the offence by means of a 100 fine and she gave Ms Canty three months to pay it. Gardai investigating Paulas death are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with available camera footage, including dashcam recordings from the Bridewell Lane area in Mallow between 9pm on Thursday and 10am on Friday morning to contact them at Mallow Garda Station on 022 31450. Mark OMeara warns of mass exodus by gardai this year after 152 members quit force in 2024 The president of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has warned there could be a mass exodus from the force this year as it emerged that 152 members quit in the last 12 months. Garda Mark OMeara also said that assaults on frontline personnel would only increase if additional resources were not given to gardai. He spoke about the ongoing issues regarding recruitment and retention, attacks on officers, discipline and suspensions and his concerns over new conduct regulations being proposed by the Justice Minister and Garda Commissioner. Last year, 152 gardai resigned from the force and 261 retired, while 599 recruits graduated from the Garda Training College Templemore. Gda OMeara, however, believes the numbers leaving could further increase from April as many officers reach 30 years service, at which point they can retire. He said also that attacks on gardai would increase if manpower decreased. I would think that there is a possibility that more members could suffer assaults going forward, unless we have a huge injection of resources into An Garda Siochana, he said. In 1995, there was a new training programme and competition and there were larger intakes brought into An Garda Siochana 200, 250 at a time. They all mature from 30 years of service next year. When that starts happening, those members will all have 30 years of service. We look at the recent case in relation to the member with the bicycle and the difficulty that member endured So, from April there is a very high possibility of an even further decline in numbers in An Garda Siochana, and that will invariably mean that those members on the street are more at risk and more at risk of assaults. And that would cause us huge concern. In December, Taoiseach Simon Harris gave his support to a second garda training college other than Templemore to meet the growing capacity needs of An Garda Siochana. "If we want to lift the scale of ambition further on garda recruitment, and we do and we need to I think it is a statement of fact that we are going to need additional capacity, he said. Regarding attacks on frontline members, Gda OMeara believes many officers are afraid to draw their batons or pepper spray in dangerous situations for fear of being unfairly disciplined. Even if there was never a complaint made, members have been disciplined unfairly for improper use where somebody else decides for whatever reason, even when there is no complaint, that it was improper use of force, he said. There is an over-zealous application of discipline, he added, and an overarching premise that you are guilty until youre proven innocent. We look at the recent well-publicised case in relation to the member with the bicycle and the difficulty that member endured over the years and, again, the punitive measure by suspending. In an attempt to boost garda numbers, the Government recently increased the maximum entry age to 50, while the mandatory retirement age was raised to 62. However, Gda OMeara believes this will bring only short-term benefits. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Justice Minister Helen McEntee. Photo: Getty None of those, really, when you break it down, I dont believe would have any major impact on recruitment. You may have a very short window under one intake, including a few of an older threshold, he said. But under no circumstance do I believe when you have somebody who is 30, 40, 50 years of age who is mid-career on 50,000 to 80,000 a year that they are going to come into the college and join for 350 a week. Its just prohibitive if they have small children, if they have commitments, and that is one of the issues. I think, second, its seen from every media clip thats streamed, you see gardai being filmed, gardai being threatened, abused. More recently, the garda associations have been at loggerheads with Justice Minister Helen McEntee and Commissioner Drew Harris over proposed new conduct regulations. While Gda OMeara says they are not opposed to new measures in general, the proposals in their current format are a cause for concern. They include a gap that would leave no mechanism to deal with gardai accused of minor breaches, while plans to remove staff association representation from the Appeals Board and place two senior officers on the three-person panel have been described as top-heavy and a major concern by the GRA. Gda OMeara said the majority of cases that had been brought before the appeals board overturned the commissioners decisions, which he says shows them in the majority of cases ... excessively harsh. The commissioner says, Where there isnt discipline, there is indiscipline. Thats offensive, because thats not true It also reiterates the need for an independent panel which reflects the Labour Court from where we are excluded from going, he added. Without this independent, fair and balanced process, the commissioner would be the only employer in the country who could dismiss an employee without having his decision fully independently reviewed. We welcome discipline and oversight. If we didnt, we couldnt operate. But there has been commentary from the commissioner where he says, Where there isnt discipline, there is indiscipline. And thats offensive, to me, because thats not true. About 2pc or 3pc of our 11,500 membership use the GRA in their service. So to say that everybody else would become an undisciplined force is untrue. An Garda Siochana has previously said it is continuing to engage with stakeholders on the revised discipline and conduct regulations, while the Department of Justice has said it is continuing to work with the four garda associations on the issues raised. As political parties launched their pledges of increasing garda numbers ahead of the general election, the GRA revealed its own manifesto. Gda OMeara said a key issue was the immediate increase in the garda training allowance to the equivalent of 35,000 a year (673 a week) and a living and accommodation allowance for members whose initial years of service are stationed in major urban centres. The GRA also believes the introduction of a long-service increment reward after 25 years in the force and a pension incentive for members who remain after 30 years service would help improve garda numbers, while an occupational supplementary pension allowance should be introduced for all post-2013 members on retirement. An Garda Siochana said it did not comment specifically on third-party statements. However, a spokesperson said: The number of members who may be entitled to retire and who actually retire are very different, and it is highly speculative to predict a mass exodus. Despite the extensive commentary and public narrative on a crisis on resignations in An Garda Siochana, the resignation rate remains at approximately 1pc and is far below other police services (up to 10pc in the UK) and the private sector (10-20pc). Jonny Smyth (26) and Madison Allen (19) were among the last people to see John George alive when he went to visit them in Alicante last month. Interpol is now working with Spanish police to investigate the disappearance and suspected murder of Belfast man John George in Alicante last month. The PSNI has confirmed the involvement inclusion of the international law enforcement agency in correspondence with a solicitor acting for the family of the 37-year-old, who went missing in the Costa Blanca on December 14. It comes as one of the suspects linked to Mr George's disappearance made a phone call to the victims family, claiming the father-of-two had been shot and left somewhere between Torrevieja and Benidorm. The call alleged that a gun was used to kill Mr George and the weapon had been taken away by one of the suspects to clean it. Spanish authorities are currently investigating a number of suspects, all of whom were living in Spain at the time of Mr Georges disappearance, along with a man from the Czech Republic. However, the two main suspects are are refusing to reveal the location of Mr Georges body and are blaming each other for the suspected murder. In the call which was recorded and heard by the Belfast Telegraph, the suspect states: You dont understand how much I know this needs to come out. I said to (name redacted), When you left the house what direction did you drive? He said he drove towards Torrevieja and then up, but doesnt know the exact location. The person then claims that at 10pm on December 14, Mr George, who is referred to as Georgie in the recording, left their apartment uninjured with another man. They claim a few hours later the man arrived back at their property with a gun and confessed to shooting Mr George. When (name redacted) came to our house that night he said, Georgie didnt make it to Benidorm. We s*** ourselves. He was like, Ive just done that to Georgie. The George family, from Twinbrook in west Belfast, were last contacted by Mr George on December 14, at which time his father Billy told him to come home. However, Mr George did not board his flight back to Ireland on December 18. His relatives are currently in the Spanish city searching for his body, certain that John was murdered there in mid-December. They were recently warned their lives are in danger from the South East Antrim UDA, with Johns brother Darren saying theyre taking the threat seriously. We are under threat when we go home. We have already been told that, Darren said. We have been told that our lives are in danger when we get home. Thats coming from him and whatever gang he is involved in. The police are aware of that. We have a police liaison officer. With what has happened to John I would take any threat coming from them seriously. Im really concerned about it. Darren believes his brother was lured to Spain for a holiday before Christmas before he was murdered. Once John got here and knew he was in trouble he rang home and my dad told him to get on the next flight and get out and that was the last conversation we had with him. John was murdered on December 15. We were told before we came over that John was shot dead, by this man who is definitely connected to a group. He sent word back home that he had shot John and he was lying in a lemon field. The day he shot John was the 15th. Then people came out to clean up. It comes after it was revealed that a couple who claim theyve received 30 death threats over Mr Georges disappearance are adult content creators. Jonny Smyth (26) and Madison Allen (19) were among the last people to see John George alive when he went to visit them in Alicante last month. Ms Allen publicly denied any involvement in the disappearance of John George in a video posted on social media last week, with Mr Smyth previously telling the family he did not know his whereabouts. Jonny Smyth and Madison Allen Sunday Life revealed this week that the pair create explicit adult content on OnlyFans together, some of which was filmed in their Cabo Roig pad near Alicante. Ms Allen, from Newtownabbey in north Belfast, advertises the content on social media under the name Madi Alia Allen, posting dozens of sexual images and videos. She teases some of the content to her 1,600 followers on X, with her bio reading: Your new fav, hot 5ft brunette content creator, click to see all my spicy content. Subscribers can pay to access her OnlyFans page for 15 per month, where she posts uncensored content. Many of the adult clips feature her older boyfriend Mr Smyth, who was a close friend of John George, also known as John Hardy. She describes herself in her bio as: Your favourite little sweet sexy 19-year-old living in Spain. 5ft green eyed brunette what more could you ask for... subscribe to see the naughty side of me. B/G (boy/girl) and plenty more! Speaking in a TikTok video last week, Ms Allen said she was sick and tired of all the rumours about John Georges disappearance and said that she had nothing to hide. I have not been hiding or fleeing. Ive been where I am right now. Im not far away from my house, the 19-year-old said following a two-week break from social media. Im just coming on (to social media) to clear up some rumours that Im sick of hearing. Im not running, Im not fleeing. The police back home have advised me to stay here until it is safe. I cant go back to Northern Ireland because my whole family is in danger - and even more so me. Miss Allen claims she has had 30 death threats issued against her at home and in Spain but didnt say who had made the threats. Police advised me to stay safe and while Im here, staying safe, I have told the family every bit of information I know. The British police know Im helping and Ive got nothing to do with it. But right in this moment in time, no one is safe, especially me, until John is found, so I pray hes found, I really do, so my life can go back to normal and we can get back to our dogs. The other rumour I want to clear up is that my dogs have not been abandoned at all. Never in my life would I do that. We only moved house for our dogs, she said, adding that the six XL Bullies she owns are with the police. She continued: I asked (the family) did they want me to tell the Spanish police what I told them and they said yes. So the Spanish police were (called) and Im also waiting on them ringing back. They dont want to meet up with me, because they know I am safe here until John is found. No dogs have been abandoned, no ones fleeing the country. Hopefully John is found this week. Please say a prayer for his family. Ms Allens partner Jonny Smyth has also been in contact with John Georges family since his disappearance. Johns sister Courtney George previously told the Belfast Telegraph: I contacted Jonny and asked him, Do you know where my brother is? He said, No, me and him went our separate ways, I dont know where he is, I think he went to meet boys out in Benidorm. I just got a bad feeling about it and went back to Jonny who said, I dont know where he is, all he wanted to do was drink and I have a business to run. Mr Howell, who was 78, was a close ally and friend of former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams The funeral of former Sinn Fein advisor Ted Howell will take place on Tuesday. Mr Howell, who was 78, was a close ally and friend of former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams. He was a backroom figure during the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, and was also Sinn Feins ex-director of foreign affairs. Ted Howell (right) with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness First Minister Michelle ONeill and Mr Adams both paid tribute to Mr Howell following his death on Friday. During Mr Adams time as party president, one Sinn Fein employee described him as the real leader of Sinn Fein, while a senior republican described him to the Irish Times as the backroom backroom man. His role emerged after SF finance minister Mairtin O Muilleoir sent an email to Mr Howell in 2017, days before he approved cost-cutting measures to the controversial Renewable Heat Incentive, asking if Mr Howell would be content for him to sign off on his recommendations. Mr O Muilleoir denied the email was seeking Howells permission, saying it was a courtesy to keep him informed. But it fuelled criticism that Sinn Fein was ultimately controlled by figures outside the public eye. In a letter to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Adams referenced an article this newspaper ran on Saturday reporting Mr Howells death. The Belfast Telegraph does journalism no service when it describes the late Ted Howell as a shadowy figure, he stated. According to your coverage, Ted Howell was a shadowy Sinn Fein advisor. This is arrant, inaccurate, misleading and downright offensive. It is part of an old agenda which the Belfast Telegraph should abandon. Your readers deserve better. So does Ted. A funeral notice said he passed away peacefully at home and is the dearly beloved husband of the late Eileen and loving father to Proinnsias and Eamonn. Much loved father-in-law to Karen and Nora, added the death notice. Devoted granda to Miceal, Caoimhe and Amelia. Cherished brother to Anne, Margaret and the late Jim and Kathleen. Mr Howells funeral will take place in his home at 11am on Tuesday before burial at Milltown Cemetery at 12.45pm. Ted will be loved and missed always by his heartbroken sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, sisters and entire family circle, read his death notice. Gerry Adams and Ted Howell In Mr Adams tribute on Friday, he spoke of his deep sense of personal loss and sadness at the death of my good friend of many years. Ted Howell was a stalwart in the struggle for Irish freedom for over 50 years, he said. He and his late wife Eileen Duffy were, with others, central figures in the Irish struggle. During his many years of activism, Ted played a leadership role in the evolution of republican politics. He had a steadfast commitment to anti-sectarianism and principled democratic republican values. Ms ONeill said Mr Howells contribution to the building of a conflict resolution process in Ireland was largely unseen but was one of the firm building blocks that has delivered the transformation of our society and the peace and progress seen today. Ted was a leading light in the development of the Sinn Fein peace strategy, authoring key policy papers in the internal debates that resulted in the Irish peace process, Ms ONeill added. Seven years ago, Andrew Davidson, a graphic designer from Gilnahirk, was forced to face the reality of sight loss after being diagnosed with advanced glaucoma Andrew Davidson will take on the challenge of a lifetime. Andrew Davidson receives some last-minute advice from Angela Knox (r), Consultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Lead for glaucoma services at the Shankill Wellbeing & Treatment Centre, along with his friend and fellow trekker Claire Bonner. A Belfast man with limited vision is taking on his biggest challenge yet to raise funds for the treatment of glaucoma in Northern Ireland. Seven years ago, Andrew Davidson, a graphic designer from Gilnahirk, was forced to face the reality of sight loss after being diagnosed with advanced glaucoma. Thanks to the care of his close optician friend, the glaucoma team at the Shankill Wellbeing & Treatment Clinic in Belfast, and the world-famous Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, he has retained limited sight in one eye. Andrew has made it his mission to pay it back to the Shankill Clinic, by raising funds for advanced diagnostic equipment which will enable the early detection and treatment of glaucoma. On 17 January Andrew, along with his wife, daughter, and 11 close friends, sets off to Tanzania, where he will lead an eight-day trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro, Africas highest mountain. I believe in the power of progress in the fight against glaucoma, said Andrew who recently took early retirement from his role as Head of Graphics at BBC NI. Known for his positive spirit and dogged determination, Andrew is also a talented artist and plans to start a degree in Fine Art when he returns from his African adventure. I admit I was floored when I was first diagnosed, and could easily have fallen into the victim trap, said Andrew. But the expert care and generous support I received from the glaucoma team at the Shankill Clinic was a game-changer. Their actions went above and beyond, preserving my remaining sight and helping me through the darkest of times. Andrew Davidson will take on the challenge of a lifetime. Andrew, who has always been active, previously led fundraising trips to Cambodia, Tanzania, India and Poland in aid of Habitat for Humanity. Reflecting on all he has achieved, Andrew pays credit to his family, friendship group and the power of community spirit. I hit many low ebbs and there were times when I thought my window for independence and opportunity was firmly shut. But the Gilnahirk community is strong and when a good friend suggested I try Park Run at Stormont, it was the catalyst which changed my mindset. In December, Andrew clocked his 178th Park Run. Over the last seven years he has also skied, cycled (on a tandem), is a regular at the gym, and completes an average of two dawn runs each week with another friend from his Gilnahirk community. I try to think of my sight limitations as a different way of viewing life. Ive a new-found strength and determination to show the world I wont be defined by glaucoma. Andrew established Pressure-Eyes with the goal of raising 40,000 by the end of 2025. In addition to the Kilimanjaro trek, he is organising a concert in March and a gala ball in October. In Northern Ireland glaucoma affects 2pc of the population over the age of 40, rising to 5pc for those aged over 80, but around half arent aware they have a problem. According to Angela Knox, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Lead for glaucoma services at the Shankill Wellbeing & Treatment Centre it could be described as a hidden disease. Regular eye tests with a community optometrist can detect the disease at an early stage. But glaucoma patients require lifelong assessment, treatment and monitoring by specialists. This is essential to detect disease progression and manage treatment accordingly. Diagnosis can be devastating but with appropriate early detection and management, progression can be slowed, and adverse effects minimised. "We are currently monitoring 14,000 patients and there are hundreds more awaiting first assessment, which places great demand on limited resources. The funds raised by Andrew and his team will be a huge boost for our clinic, enabling us to enhance patient engagement, and extend our monitoring and teaching services. On why summiting Kilimanjaro is so important to him, Andrew said: Our vision is something we often take for granted at least until it deteriorates, or we lose it completely. Chris McCauslands amazing performance on Strictly Come Dancing has helped to focus the spotlight on sight-loss, reframing how we think about disabilities and individual potential. Together with my gang of intrepid trekkers, we are thanking the Shankill clinic for all it has done for me. And in a practical way helping treat and maybe someday finding a cure for this horrible condition. The 14 Kilimanjaro climbers are paying for the trek themselves.100pc of the funds raised will go to the Shankill Wellbeing and Treatment Clinic. Donations can be made here. Work of panel could be impeded if employees have to testify in court A probe by the National Review Panel into Tuslas handling of the Kyran Durnin case may take years if social workers become witnesses in any criminal trial, it has emerged. Childrens Minister Roderic OGorman asked Tusla to refer its handling of Kyran Durnins case to the National Review Panel (NRP). The panel reviews instances where children known to child protection services die or experience serious incidents. Mr OGorman said this would usually not happen until the end of an investigation, but that he made the request now so we can understand the Child and Family Agencys involvement in the case. The NRP is understood to have started its investigations, but a source close to the case said the work of the panel is likely to be impeded if any Tusla employees become witnesses in a crime probe. Kyran Durnin has not been seen since 2022. Photo: An Garda Siochana/PA The NRP will be precluded from interviewing those people until after any trial, the source said. Where murder or other criminal proceedings are ongoing, the NRP has to take particular precautions to avoid interfering with legal processes and this often results in a delayed review. The NRPs purpose is to conduct reviews of child deaths and serious incidents and produce reports that are factually based and identify points of learning to improve the quality of services provided to children and families. The panel is independent in the performance of its functions, making findings of fact and producing reports that are objective and independent of Tusla. Kyran had contact with at least one Tusla social worker before he disappeared. Tusla is co-operating with gardai and is understood to have handed over a large amount of documentation relating to the case Gardai were alerted to the case in recent months when Tusla, following a meeting, assessed that it feared for the safety of the boy. Speaking to reporters recently, Mr OGorman said Kyrans case is deeply, deeply tragic. From my departments point of view, Ive asked Tusla to send this case to the National Review Panel. Thats the panel that looks at the death of any child who had links to the care infrastructure of the State, Mr OGorman said. That usually takes place at the end of the investigation, but Ive asked Tusla already to send that now so we can understand the Child and Family Agencys involvement in this particular case. He added: Ive no doubt other parts of the State will also be examining closely what happened here, while at the same time recognising theres an ongoing investigation into this tragedy. Mr OGorman said there will be consequences if it is found that any state agency failed in its handling of Kyrans case. Tusla is co-operating with gardai and is understood to have handed over a large amount of documentation relating to the case. There is no indication of wrongdoing by the state agency. Separately, Tusla conducted an internal review into its interactions with Kyran and his family since it emerged the child had engaged with its services. Kyran had contact with at least one Tusla social worker before he disappeared The last public sighting of the boy, who gardai presume is dead, was in 2022. Last month a man, who had been questioned by gardai over the boys disappearance and suspected murder, was found dead. Anthony Maguire (36) took his own life in Drogheda in December. In a statement, a Tusla spokesperson said the report would not be made public. In accordance with standard practice in sensitive situations, and in the context of the live investigation by An Garda Siochana and the highly sensitive nature of the personal information involved, the review cannot be published at this time, a spokesperson said. The review report has been made available to the National Review Panel. If you have been affected by issues raised in an article on Independent.ie, see here for helplines and support services that are available. Victims of sexual abuse tell of the difficult decision to speak out publicly so that perpetrators could be named and to give hope to other victims Paula Doyle wasnt sure she would make it to the end of July. Her rape case had been adjourned for the second time and she was losing hope of ever seeing her attacker brought to justice. She was at a low ebb. Dark thoughts loomed large. I was in a really bad place and I remember seeing Ciara Mangan on the television speaking outside court about her case, she said. My family wanted to mute it because they thought it would trigger me, but I said no, leave her on there, I want to hear her. And I remember thinking, If I get there, if I get a guilty verdict, Im doing that because I couldnt get over how much she gave me when she did it. I think its nearly like a domino effect Ms Doyle got the guilty verdict she wanted. Last March, Aidan Kestell (55) was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for raping Ms Doyle, who was a friend of Kestells wife. The shocking assault was perpetrated in a Dublin park almost five years ago. Like Ms Mangan, Ms Doyle waived her right to anonymity, shared her story and shone an invaluable light on an area of Irish life that so often remains in the shadows. I think its nearly like a domino effect, she said. We see the people who went before us and it gives us the courage to do the same. I think now that if I can be that Ciara, if I can be that one person that come next year someone says, Im going to stand up on the steps and he or she is not going to stop me, then thats my job done. Last year many people who suffered sexual violence waived their right to anonymity to speak out, something that other sexual assault survivors say is not a decision that is made lightly. Paula Doyle. Photo: Mark Condren Paula Doyle tells how Dublin Rape Crisis Centre helped her deal with trauma In November, a Mayo man was jailed for four years for the rape of his nine-year-old cousin in a shed on his family farm 18 years ago. Noel Gallagher (33), of Dadreen, Louisburg, Co Mayo, had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the rape of Dylan Gallagher (27) in Louisburg on a date between October 1st, 2006 and March 2007. Dylan Gallagher waived his anonymity, allowing his cousin to be named. It was extremely difficult for me because there was family involved, he said. But I had a cousin who waived her right to anonymity and I got courage from her. I also probably wouldnt have got the healing I got out of it. Thats the main reason why Im glad I did it. Many survivors not only waive their legal right to remain anonymous so they can speak publicly, but also to name the perpetrators publicly. The legal route is difficult and its not for everyone, so the statements that are given outside court connect with the silent majority of victims If he wasnt identified no one would know about it, Dylan said. He would get out of prison and get on with life. Now its out there. He ruined my life for so many years so, it was my turn. Dylan Gallagher. Photo: Conor McKeown Chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Rachel Morrogh praised those survivors who speak out. I think that the recent high-profile cases have successfully challenged some of the fears survivors may be experiencing when deciding whether to waive their anonymity or not, she said. These fears include having to relive the trauma of the rape or assault, fear of being judged, not being believed or taken seriously and also there may be ramifications in their family or local community. Ms Morrogh also points out that those who dont want to waive their right to anonymity are no less brave. For individuals who choose not to pursue legal action or those who initiate the process, but never get the vindication of a conviction, there can be an emptiness when justice is not served. Although it does seem like more people are speaking out about sexual violence, we always have to keep in mind that actually the number of people who make it to court at all is incredibly small within the wider number of people who have experienced violence of this kind. Blathnaid Raleigh Photo: Frank McGrath Its important to recognise that the legal route is difficult and its not for everyone, so the statements that are given outside court connect with the silent majority of victims of sexual violence who will never have a day in court but who are encouraged and find strength when justice is served. Blathnaid Raleighs powerful words outside the Criminal Courts of Justice in July came at the end of a five-year wait for her case to come to trial. For her, the experience has been overwhelmingly positive. She has since worked with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, is helping businesses with consent training and advising barristers on how to cross-examine rape victims. Its been rewarding to give back, she said. I have been contacted by people from all over, who are also survivors, sharing their story. I think even if you were to never go down a legal route or whatever, theres so many options for people to get counselling or support. When you share it with somebody, it does make it easier. When you have that space or that that person or people that you can share your thoughts with, it makes it a lot less daunting, because those feelings, they can build up inside you. The moment that I was raped, everything changed. Ill never be that same person again Speaking about some of the reaction she has received as a result of her decision to go public, she said that although very limited, there has been negativity online. Its a very small number of people, but I have had comments, she said. Comments on TikTok like, Oh, she looks like she only loves it. Then I had a few people who I would have known who said, You know, would you not have been better off leaving well enough alone? Why did you name him? Are you not bringing a lot of trouble on yourself? I dont have any regrets about it. I suppose there are probably challenges in it that I didnt expect there would be. Making the decision to go public is not an automatic fix. I dont want people to think that I just got this verdict still and my life is back to normal again, she said. I still struggle massively. I had a dream last week and when I woke up I was saying to myself, Why cant you just get over this? Why cant you just forget about it and move on? I still have to process a lot of that stuff so, I dont want people to think that I got the verdict, spoke out and was fixed. This doesnt leave you. Its with you for ever. Ms Doyle agrees, saying: People just assume that because hes gone away you are better. Thats not what happens. I will be living with this for the rest of my life. The moment that I was raped, everything changed. Ill never be that same person again. I still grieve for the old Paula and I would love to have her back, but she can never come back. If you have been affected by any issues in this story, you can call the Rape Crisis Centre on Freephone 1800 77 88 88 Gabriel Ernesto Rapisarda runs the Gabriel & Spirits company which is helping to distribute McGregors stout in Italy A business partner of Conor McGregor has claimed CCTV footage from his civil case will be released this month that will change the publics view on the MMA fighter after a civil jury verdict from last November found McGregor had assaulted Nikita Hand. Gabriel Ernesto Rapisarda runs the Gabriel & Spirits company which is helping to distribute McGregors stout in Italy. Before Christmas, Mr Rapisarda announced a major Italian retailer will stock McGregors Forged Irish Stout product in some 3,800 outlets despite a series of large retailers in Ireland and the UK refusing to stock the same product after the civil trial result. In the wake of Nikita Hands successful civil action against McGregor where she was awarded 250,000 and her legal costs after accusing McGregor of raping her in a hotel penthouse in December 2018 a series of brands and retailers severed commercial deals with McGregor. Nikita Hand after jury returned with the verdict in civil trial against Conor McGregor. Photo: PA In a break from that trend, Mr Rapisarda who describes himself as an entrepreneur, celebrity agent and professional brand builder said on social media that Italian retail giant Conad Group had done a deal to stock McGregors Irish Forged Stout in one of its retail brands. The Conad Group has over 3,300 stores and had a turnover of over 21bn last year, accounting for some 15pc of the Italian retail market. Mr Rapisarda took to his Instagram to defend the fighter after a woman asked about how the court case affected sales. He said that despite the court case, sales of the stout had doubled in Italy in December. He claimed sales would further increase after the CCTV evidence from the McGregor case was released this month to show how Ms Hand behaved both before and after the alleged assault in the Beacon Hotel. Businessman Gabriel Ernesto Rapisarda and Conor McGregor Nikita Hand speaks outside court after jury finds against Conor McGregor in civil rape case I think there will be a positive explosion of the brand from January when the video of Nikita where a few hours after the alleged rape, enters the elevator with another man kissing him and touching him in the private parts, then ending up in the room from the hotel for about 2 hours, Mr Rapisarda wrote. When Nikitas video is public you will judge by yourself the facts Ms Hand told the jury she did not remember her actions in the CCTV footage as she was drunk. She could be seen behaving affectionately towards McGregor and his friend James Lawrence. She said she found it difficult to watch the footage in court and broke down in tears as it was played. She said the footage did not take away from the fact she was brutally raped and battered. On Instagram, Mr Rapisarda was challenged by the same woman who said he should never try justify a guys actions. Mr Rapisarda went on to say the CCTV would change the publics view of McGregor and went on to claim a woman who suffers rape runs screaming to police. MMA fighter Conor McGregor. Photo: Collins When Nikitas video is public you will judge by yourself the facts, he wrote. The woman responded that even if the video was made public it would never change her views of McGregor or the opinions of other people. The CCTV footage from the case was obtained by the parties after it was secured by gardai who investigated the case when Ms Hand made a complaint of rape. The Director of Public Prosecutions ultimately decided against prosecuting McGregor, citing among the reasons the CCTV footage and the statement from James Lawrence that he had consensual sex with Ms Hand in the hotel after McGregor had left. The release of such CCTV evidence from the case to the public by one of the parties could be considered a contempt of court as it was given to the parties solely for use in the trial. Judge Alexander Owens said before Christmas he was considering whether to instigate a contempt of court investigation of McGregor over social media posts he put out in the wake of the trial where he described it as a kangaroo court. A large part of a waka, possibly dating back to the 16th century, has been found by a man swimming in the Waiari Stream at Te Puke. Weve always known that waka were in that area, Maori cultural heritage manager at Tauranga City Council, Dean Flavell, said as he admired the waka, pulled from the banks of the Waiari last week. I estimate that it is from around 1500s to 1600s, he said. Maori cultural heritage manager at Tauranga City Council, Dean Flavell believes the waka was made from rimu, due to the red colour of the wood. Flavell believes the historic waka is made of either rimu or kahikatia, but my gut feeling is its rimu. The piece is about 1.5m-long, and the waka could have been anywhere from 5 to 6m, Flavell said. Robert Miles-Kingston from Te Puke discovered the waka while swimming in Waiari with his tamariki and contacted Flavell to discuss it. I just said to Robert, you know, thank goodness it was you who found it because some people would think it is just a piece of wood and let it drift through. After his conversation with Miles-Kingston, Flavell had a karakia at the Waiari before removing the centuries-old waka. Dean Flavell points out various holes on the waka used for the lashings. He believes that a chisel was used and dates the waka to around the 16 and 17th centuries. The lash holes are generally oblong; if they were circular, then I would have taken the date to the early or mid-1800s, Flavell said. The unique piece of history predates the founding of the township of Te Puke, a stones throw away from where the waka was found, Flavell said. It was a yet-to-be township, and then the first ancestors of the European people, who were mainly Irish, came here." Schooners would travel up the Kaituna River to Canaans Landing, where Flavells ancestors would then paddle the settlers down to what would become the main Te Puke road. The importance of such a taonga is not lost on Flavell, and it can shine new light on long-forgotten histories. It has the ability to tell local history, yeah, at different levels. This is a true Taonga. Its a gift from the old people. He believes that waka most likely belonged to either the Tawakeptio or the Makahae marae and had floated away and got stuck beneath the water. Termites would have eaten away at the wood, when it was still in use. The piece of waka is remarkably well-preserved for its age, and Flavell thinks the water helped preserve the wood. The air and sun crack the wood. So being encapsulated in the side of the bank underwater preserved it. Flooding and earthworks along the Waiari likely shook the waka loose from its slumber, allowing Miles-Kingston to pull it onto the river bank, Flavell believes. The waka piece sitting safely on Dean Flavell's land, in Te Puke. The piece of waka was found on Flavells ancestral land, near the Waiari Stream. Dean Flavell shows sketches of the piece of waka. Flavell now has to apply to Heritage New Zealand and obtain a z-number that will allow the waka to be tracked and protected. So in the future, this object cant leave the country or has to be connected with the local people. The next step will be to preserve the piece of waka before it goes on display so it can remain in its excellent condition, Flavell said. It will be up to the marae what will happen to it after that. Shares of Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) were soaring today on what seemed to be a combination of a meme-stock-driven rally and reports that the Biden administration would seek to restrict competition from Chinese drones. Both were bullish items for Joby, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aviation company that is aiming to begin commercial operations as soon as this year. As of 12:29 p.m. ET, the stock was up 19.6% on the day. Image source: Getty Images. Joby gets a boost Joby and rival Archer Aviation were soaring today alongside a number of other meme stocks, indicating that investors were piling back into high-risk, development-stage companies with little revenue. The move seems to be a bullish signal for the broader market and has lifted Joby stock to a double from the end of October. There was also some news that seemed to be giving the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sector a lift. Bloomberg reported that the Biden administration was considering rules to ban Chinese drones amid national security concerns. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo also described the drone technology supply chain as "critical" for national security. It's unclear if Joby will directly benefit from the move as the company is still working toward commercial operations, but protection from the federal government is likely to benefit it. Ultimately, the decision on the matter will be up to the Trump administration. Is Joby Aviation a buy? Joby Aviation still hasn't generated material revenue, but the company is further along in developing its business than Archer Aviation and has forged partnerships with the likes of Toyota Motor and Delta Air Lines. It's also recently completed flight tests in Korea and earned an FAA certification credit. 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for Joby, though there are a lot of challenges in commercializing its air taxis. Expect the stock to be volatile as investors anticipate steps toward a full launch. Should you invest $1,000 in Joby Aviation right now? Before you buy stock in Joby Aviation, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Joby Aviation wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $847,637!* Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, appointed Thursday as special prosecutor, should move quickly to ask a grand jury to hand up criminal charges against the corrections officers who mercilessly beat inmate Robert L. Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility, near Utica. Video captured by body-worn cameras show the handcuffed and helpless Brooks being punched, kicked, stomped, lifted and dropped by his neck, stripped and ultimately left bleeding and unconscious on an exam table in the prison infirmary. Hours after the Dec. 9 assault, Brooks died of his injuries at a hospital in Utica. We know the gruesome details only because body-worn cameras silently recorded them, apparently unbeknownst to the corrections officers in the room. Without that stroke of luck, Brooks family, investigators, prosecutors and the public would know next to nothing about the circumstances of his death or perhaps only the version told by the corrections officers. The existence of video evidence proves once again the value of body-worn cameras in fatal encounters between civilians and law enforcement. The depravity and indifference on display in the video are sickening. As vile as the violence is, its worth noting the reaction of the guards during the beating: They stand around, filling out paperwork, chewing gum, laughing. It also is telling that the union representing corrections officers disavowed their actions. If only Fitzpatrick could prosecute the moral failures of the two sergeants and a nurse who stood by and watched. To us, their failure to intervene makes them just as culpable as the guards who administered the blows. Gov. Kathy Hochul decried the rotten culture at Marcy as she moved to fire 12 corrections officers and the nurse. (One corrections officer has already resigned.) The brutality should have come as no surprise to the governor or to leaders of the state Department of Correction and Community Supervision. Three of the guards implicated in Brooks beating are facing brutality lawsuits filed by other inmates. Many of the details track with the Brooks case. Marcy Correctional Facility is pictured Dec. 31, 2024.Mark DiOrio | Contributing photo In addition, a scathing 2023 report by the Correctional Association of New York, an independent prison monitor, identified multiple abuses at Marcy, including frequent beatings, race-based discipline, denial of food and violation of solitary confinement rules. CANY called upon the corrections department and the state inspector general to investigate. DOCCS told CNN it had opened four investigations based on the report; three were found to be unsubstantiated and one was referred outside the facility. Clearly, the states response was inadequate or Robert Brooks would be alive today. The Hochul administration has yet to sufficiently explain why its taken so long to roll out cameras in state prisons. CANY said only one-fourth of state prisons have body-worn cameras in operation. After Brooks died, Hochul announced that the state would speed up a $400 million investment in body cameras and fixed cameras in prisons, including in medical treatment areas like the scene of the Brooks beating. Hochul replaced the prisons leader. She announced other reforms: adding staff to investigate brutality complaints in prisons; bringing in national experts to review the corrections departments culture, patterns and practices; and expanding a whistleblower hotline. Thats a start. In the prison system, no evidence means no consequences. This was made abundantly clear by a state judges recent ruling that, eight years ago, dozens of New York prison guards and their supervisors at the nearby Mid-State Correctional Facility brutally attacked a dorm full of unsuspecting inmates as misguided revenge for an attack on a corrections officer that never happened. The blue wall of silence around the raid frustrated the investigation. None of the 31 officers who participated in the attack was cited for excessive violence or charged with a crime. Many still work at the prison today. Not one of them is feeling deterred right now because of a court judgment, the lead attorney for the inmates said. Fitzpatrick can begin to break down the culture of impunity at Marcy, Mid-State and every other state prison by holding these corrections officers accountable for their actions in a court of law. They need to know there are consequences for harming incarcerated people in their custody. The harder task will be turning around the utter contempt for human life on display in the Marcy prison infirmary. Corrections officers have a difficult job but no one forces them to do it. In fact, they are well-compensated for it. If they cant see the humanity of the people in their custody, they should find another profession. About Syracuse.com editorials Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our mission statement. Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Trish LaMonte and Marie Morelli. To respond to this editorial: Submit a letter or commentary to letters@syracuse.com. Read our submission guidelines. If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion lead, at mmorelli@syracuse.com A Texas man said to have been inspired by ISIS drove a pickup truck onto Bourbon Street in New Orleans early New Years Day, mowing down dozens of pedestrians. Fourteen people were killed. Police shot and killed the driver. Walt Handelsman of the New Orleans Times-Picayune/The Advocate gets the first word in this weeks editorial cartoon gallery to comment on his hometown tragedy. The breaking news is the broken heart at the center of New Orleans culture. Nick Anderson notes the assailant may have acted alone but not without the shadowy presence of the terrorist organization behind him. Bill Bramhalls Trump supporter blames the attack on our open border ... with Texas, notes the man on the next barstool. Handelsman again shows the resolve of the city to meet terrorism with defiance. Editorial cartoonists united in their tributes to former President Jimmy Carter, who died at age 100. Mike Luckovich of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Carters hometown newspaper, draws Rosalynn Carter greeting Jimmy in heaven. The Pearly Gates are a common theme. So is Carters work building Habitat for Humanity houses. Drew Shenemans simple hammer is labeled a life of service. Jack Ohman sees Carter as a farmer who sowed peace, a reference to the historic Camp David accords between Egypt and Israel. Other news events in this weeks editorial cartoon gallery include a wedge in the Republican Party caused by Elon Musks embrace of work visas for tech workers; the GOP takeover of Congress; and the arrival of 2025. Cartoons were drawn by Jack Ohman, Nick Anderson, Bill Bramhall, Dana Summers, Drew Sheneman, Scott Stantis, Walt Handelsman, David Horsey, Phil Hands, Joel Pett and Joey Weatherford of Tribune Content Agency; and Mike Luckovich, Steve Breen and Michael Ramirez of Creators Syndicate. Syracuse, N.Y. -- Parts of Upstate New York have already seen more than 5 feet of snow in the first lake effect storm of the new year. The biggest total so far is the northern Oneida County town of Camden, where 65 inches has fallen in the multiday storm. Jeroen Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Delhi Posts: 8,823 Thanked: 60,312 Times View My Garage Visit to the largest steam pump museum in the world Recently I visited the Cruquis Museum, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands. As most of you would be familiar with, large parts of the Netherlands are below sea level. In fact, without all our dikes (and some dunes) more than a 1/3 of the Netherlands would be flooded. This map gives you a good idea how much of the Netherlands is below sea level! This The Dutch have been battling it out with the sea (and rivers) for many centuries. Not too long ago, flooding of large parts of the country was a yearly occurrence. Not all the dikes and other water protection systems were built overnight. It was accomplished again over many centuries. Bit by bit parts of the sea were reclaimed. People built a dike around a particular piece of land and pumped it dry. We call that a "polder". Lots of the Netherlands consists of "polders". This process started as early as the 12th century. With the introduction of windmills larger bodies of water and thus polders could be built and milled dry. This is about the so-called Haarlemmeerpolder. You can see it on the map just (south) west of Amsterdam. For many reasons, it is important, not least these days as Amsterdam Airphort is smack in the middle of it! Amsterdam Airport used to be called Schiphol, which means ship (ship) shelter (hol). Amsterdam Airport is the lowest international airport in the world. Most of its runway are 3 meters below seal level! From Wikipedia: Quote: The original Haarlemmermeer Lake is said to have been mostly a peat bog, a relic of a northern arm of the Rhine which passed through the district in Roman times. In 1531, the original Haarlemmermeer had an area of 26.0 square kilometres (10.0 sq mi), and near it were three smaller lakes: the Leidsche Meer (Leiden Lake), the Spiering Meer, and the Oude Meer (Old Lake), with a combined area of about 31 square kilometres (12 sq mi). The Haarlemmermeer could be a dangerous place during storms. On 7 January 1629, Frederick Henry of the Palatinate, son and heir of Frederick V, the "Winter King" drowned trying to cross it. By 1647, the new Haarlemmermeer had an area of about 150 square kilometres (58 sq mi), which a century later had increased to over 170 square kilometres (66 sq mi). In 1643, Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater proposed to dike and drain the lake. Similar schemes, among which those of Nicolaus Samuel Cruquius in 1742 and of Baron van Lijnden van Hemmen in 1820, were proposed from time to time. But it was not until a furious hurricane in November 1836 drove the waters as far as the gates of Amsterdam, and another on Christmas Day sent them in the opposite direction to submerge the streets of Leiden, that the matter was seriously considered. On 1 August 1837, King William I appointed a royal commission of inquiry. Their proposal receiving the sanction of the Dutch Parliament's Second Chamber in March 1839, and in the following May the work was begun.[5] First, a canal was dug around the lake, called Ringvaart (Ring Canal), to carry the water drainage and boat and ship traffic which had previously gone across the lake. This canal was 61 kilometres (38 mi) long, and 2.40 metres (7.9 ft) deep, and the excavated earth was used to build a dike from 30 to 50 metres (98 to 164 ft) wide around the lake. The area enclosed by the canal was more than 180 square kilometres (69 sq mi), and the average depth of the lake 4 metres (13 ft). As the water had no natural drainage, it was calculated that probably 1000 million tons of water would have to be raised by mechanical means. All of the pumping was done by steam mills, an innovation contrasting with the historic practice of draining polders using windmills. Three Cornish beam engines were imported from Hayle: the Leeghwater, the Cruquius (the largest Watt-design reciprocal stroke steam engine ever built and now a museum), and the Lijnden. Pumping began in 1848, and the lake was dry by July 1, 1852; 800 million tons of water were actually discharged. At the first sale of the highest lands along the banks on 16 August 1853, about 28 per acre was paid; but the average price afterwards was less. The whole area of 170.36 square kilometres (65.78 sq mi) recovered from the waters brought in 9,400,000 guilders, or about 780,000, exactly covering the cost of the enterprise; so that the actual cost to the nation was only the amount of the interest on the capital, or about 368,000. The whole visit was a bit of deja vu for me. I visited this museum with my dad when I was still at primary school. So we are talking about 55 years ago! We lived not too far away in Amstelveen. Perhaps difficult to imagine, but in those days there was no internet. I recall driving up to the museum in my dad's DKW several times, only to find out it was closed. It was impossible to figure out what the opening times were. But eventually, we managed to make it in. It wasn't anything like it is today. Especially the technical engine bits were in very poor shape. I do remember they had this huge 3D model of a map of the Netherlands. It would simulate the flooding of the Netherlands. Very impressive. Unfortunately, that model is gone. But they did an excellent job restoring the pumping station and most of its technical infrastructure. The original plan for pumping the Haarlemmermeer dry called for windmills. It would have taken more than 180 windmills. Eventually, 4 steam engine pump stations were chosen. A controversial decision in those days. This painting depicts one of the meetings were steam instead of wind power was suggested. As you can see, that was a bit of a heated debate! The museum website ( This type of steam engine was developed in Cornwall, mainly for pumping water out of mines. ( In all it took four identical steam pump engine to pump out the Haarlemmermeer in about 4 years. As we will see there are eight pumps driven by a single annular compound steam engine. The steam engine itself was a one piston, compound engine. Its pistons had a diameter of 2,15m (High Pressure) and 3,66m (low pressure) working according to the Conrwell cyclus at 5 strokes a minute. The pumps themselves would displace 250m3 per minute across 4,5m height difference. The Cruquis was operational till 1932! Polders, when pumped dry, still require continuous pumping to stay dry! It was commissioned in 1839 which meant it was operational for a staggering 84 years. Things were build to last in those days! Let's start with the boiler. Originally these were Cornwall boilers later replaced with Lancashire boilers. These are the so-called flue type boilers. Which means the fire is not underneath the boiler, but inside the boiler. The fire tube is a cylinder running from the boiler front to the back and connected to a chimney. The flues are fully enclosed by water and thus ensure very efficient heat transfer from the flames to the water. Unfortunately, all the boilers have been removed. We have to make do with this 1:1 scale mock-up of one boilerplate. Here is an image showing what it looked like in the early days, a row of boilers! Here is a nice diagram that shows the inner workings, the boilers, the steam engine and the pumps. Let's have a look at the main engine: This is the main piston. Or rather you are looking at the piston rod sticking through the stuffing box. The rod is connected to this sort of crosshead onto which the 8 beams that drive the pumps are attached. I am always fascinated by the architecture of these sorts of Industrial Revolution technical marvels. The building is gorgeous. But also look for instance at these stairs! A few more images inside the main engine room, showing the various rods and levers that ensure the up-and-down motion of the engine. Steam engine technology at the time was fairly new to the Dutch engineers. So the design, building and also initial operation were all done with help from the British. A British engineer helped run the pumping station initially and he also trained the Dutch engineers and staff. The station's normal shift consisted of 6 people. After a decade-long restoration the pumping station was re-opened in 2002 in its current shape. The engine does not run on steam anymore. It is driven by a hydraulic pump so you can still see everything moving and water being pumped. Let's go outside and look at those pumps. What is interesting is that building is an integral part of the engine, so to speak. Its walls are the pivot points of the beams driving the pumps. At the bottom of the well, there is a simple butterfly valve, as on the drive rod. When the rod is pulled up it closes and all the water above it is pumped out and comes out here, where it drains into the Haarlemmermeer ringvaart. A circular canal, built on the outside of the dike built around the Haarlemmermeer. As the rod with its butterfly valve closed moves upward it also sucks such water from the Haarlemmermeer through the bottom butterfly valve. As the rod reaches it top position it closes once again. Next door to the museum is a nice cafe/tearoom. Its quite well known and a bit of landmark. Many decades ago we used it as a lunch stop for a drive by the Alfa Romeo Spider Register. A drive organised at the time by my good friend Peter who used to live not far from here. There is also a little museum shop. I noticed this cardboard kit. I thought it was cool and it only cost Euro 3.99. That is about the price of a cup of coffee. This morning I finished putting it together. You can move the piston up and down which also moves the beams and the pistons. Very nice!! I found this (English) YT video which gives a very good overview of the museum and the working of the boiler/engine and pumps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi8j7qdMnGI&t=177s As I mentioned, this is not the largest steam engine in the world. But it is a very nice museum. The engine room still smells like a proper engine room. A very special smell of polished metal and oil. Brings back memories. Believe it or not, but the Dutch do have the largest steam-driven pumping station in the world. It is up in the North in the province of Friesland. We visited it some years ago. It is part of the Unesco World Heritage collection. More amazingly, every year it is still being used!! When the water in the Frisian canals and rivers gets too high and the regular pumping stations can't cope they fire up their boilers and get pumping!! We have a trip planned to Friesland in our boat, so we might moor nearby and have another visit to this magnificent operational museum. Jeroen I know we have quite some members who are interested in anything related to steam engines, so I thought I would share this museum visit with you.Recently I visited the Cruquis Museum, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands.As most of you would be familiar with, large parts of the Netherlands are below sea level. In fact, without all our dikes (and some dunes) more than a 1/3 of the Netherlands would be flooded.This map gives you a good idea how much of the Netherlands is below sea level!This The Dutch have been battling it out with the sea (and rivers) for many centuries. Not too long ago, flooding of large parts of the country was a yearly occurrence. Not all the dikes and other water protection systems were built overnight. It was accomplished again over many centuries. Bit by bit parts of the sea were reclaimed. People built a dike around a particular piece of land and pumped it dry. We call that a "polder". Lots of the Netherlands consists of "polders". This process started as early as the 12th century.With the introduction of windmills larger bodies of water and thus polders could be built and milled dry.This is about the so-called Haarlemmeerpolder. You can see it on the map just (south) west of Amsterdam. For many reasons, it is important, not least these days as Amsterdam Airphort is smack in the middle of it! Amsterdam Airport used to be called Schiphol, which means ship (ship) shelter (hol). Amsterdam Airport is the lowest international airport in the world. Most of its runway are 3 meters below seal level!From Wikipedia:This is the pumping station from the outsideThe whole visit was a bit of deja vu for me. I visited this museum with my dad when I was still at primary school. So we are talking about 55 years ago! We lived not too far away in Amstelveen. Perhaps difficult to imagine, but in those days there was no internet. I recall driving up to the museum in my dad's DKW several times, only to find out it was closed. It was impossible to figure out what the opening times were. But eventually, we managed to make it in. It wasn't anything like it is today. Especially the technical engine bits were in very poor shape. I do remember they had this huge 3D model of a map of the Netherlands. It would simulate the flooding of the Netherlands. Very impressive. Unfortunately, that model is gone. But they did an excellent job restoring the pumping station and most of its technical infrastructure.The original plan for pumping the Haarlemmermeer dry called for windmills. It would have taken more than 180 windmills. Eventually, 4 steam engine pump stations were chosen. A controversial decision in those days. This painting depicts one of the meetings were steam instead of wind power was suggested. As you can see, that was a bit of a heated debate!The museum website ( https://www.haarlemmermeermuseum.nl/...t-steam-engine ) claims this to be the largest steam engine in the world. That is not quite true. Though, it is the largest so-called Cornish steam engine in the world.This type of steam engine was developed in Cornwall, mainly for pumping water out of mines. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_engine In all it took four identical steam pump engine to pump out the Haarlemmermeer in about 4 years. As we will see there are eight pumps driven by a single annular compound steam engine. The steam engine itself was a one piston, compound engine. Its pistons had a diameter of 2,15m (High Pressure) and 3,66m (low pressure) working according to the Conrwell cyclus at 5 strokes a minute.The pumps themselves would displace 250m3 per minute across 4,5m height difference.The Cruquis was operational till 1932! Polders, when pumped dry, still require continuous pumping to stay dry! It was commissioned in 1839 which meant it was operational for a staggering 84 years. Things were build to last in those days!Let's start with the boiler. Originally these were Cornwall boilers later replaced with Lancashire boilers. These are the so-called flue type boilers. Which means the fire is not underneath the boiler, but inside the boiler. The fire tube is a cylinder running from the boiler front to the back and connected to a chimney. The flues are fully enclosed by water and thus ensure very efficient heat transfer from the flames to the water.Unfortunately, all the boilers have been removed. We have to make do with this 1:1 scale mock-up of one boilerplate.Here is an image showing what it looked like in the early days, a row of boilers!Here is a nice diagram that shows the inner workings, the boilers, the steam engine and the pumps.Let's have a look at the main engine: This is the main piston. Or rather you are looking at the piston rod sticking through the stuffing box. The rod is connected to this sort of crosshead onto which the 8 beams that drive the pumps are attached.I am always fascinated by the architecture of these sorts of Industrial Revolution technical marvels. The building is gorgeous. But also look for instance at these stairs!A few more images inside the main engine room, showing the various rods and levers that ensure the up-and-down motion of the engine.Steam engine technology at the time was fairly new to the Dutch engineers. So the design, building and also initial operation were all done with help from the British. A British engineer helped run the pumping station initially and he also trained the Dutch engineers and staff. The station's normal shift consisted of 6 people.After a decade-long restoration the pumping station was re-opened in 2002 in its current shape. The engine does not run on steam anymore. It is driven by a hydraulic pump so you can still see everything moving and water being pumped.Let's go outside and look at those pumps.What is interesting is that building is an integral part of the engine, so to speak. Its walls are the pivot points of the beams driving the pumps.At the bottom of the well, there is a simple butterfly valve, as on the drive rod. When the rod is pulled up it closes and all the water above it is pumped out and comes out here, where it drains into the Haarlemmermeer ringvaart. A circular canal, built on the outside of the dike built around the Haarlemmermeer.As the rod with its butterfly valve closed moves upward it also sucks such water from the Haarlemmermeer through the bottom butterfly valve. As the rod reaches it top position it closes once again.Next door to the museum is a nice cafe/tearoom. Its quite well known and a bit of landmark. Many decades ago we used it as a lunch stop for a drive by the Alfa Romeo Spider Register. A drive organised at the time by my good friend Peter who used to live not far from here.There is also a little museum shop. I noticed this cardboard kit. I thought it was cool and it only cost Euro 3.99. That is about the price of a cup of coffee.This morning I finished putting it together. You can move the piston up and down which also moves the beams and the pistons. Very nice!!I found this (English) YT video which gives a very good overview of the museum and the working of the boiler/engine and pumps.As I mentioned, this is not the largest steam engine in the world. But it is a very nice museum. The engine room still smells like a proper engine room. A very special smell of polished metal and oil. Brings back memories.Believe it or not, but the Dutch do have the largest steam-driven pumping station in the world. It is up in the North in the province of Friesland.We visited it some years ago. https://www.woudagemaal.com It is part of the Unesco World Heritage collection. More amazingly, every year it is still being used!! When the water in the Frisian canals and rivers gets too high and the regular pumping stations can't cope they fire up their boilers and get pumping!!We have a trip planned to Friesland in our boat, so we might moor nearby and have another visit to this magnificent operational museum.Jeroen Last edited by Jeroen : 4th January 2025 at 13:56 . What just happened? The net neutrality saga is effectively over following a federal appeals court ruling this week, unless Congress decides to revisit the debate. Given the current political climate, that seems improbable, and the Trump administration is unlikely to revive the cause. The Federal Communications Commission's long-standing effort to establish stronger oversight of the internet was dealt a decisive blow this week when the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC lacks the authority to regulate wireless and home broadband services under the same set of rules that have traditionally governed telephone service. The court's decision hinged on the recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned the Chevron deference, a precedent that had previously granted federal agencies significant leeway in interpreting ambiguous statutory language. This ruling significantly curtailed the FCC's ability to implement and enforce net neutrality regulations. Net neutrality, a principle that advocates for equal treatment of all internet traffic, has been a contentious issue in American politics for over a decade. The concept aims to prevent internet service providers from favoring certain websites or services over others a practice that could potentially stifle competition and innovation. The Obama administration introduced robust net neutrality rules in 2015, which were subsequently repealed in 2017 under the Trump administration. In 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling for the reinstatement of these regulations. The FCC, under the leadership of Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, voted to restore net neutrality rules in 2024. The Sixth Circuit Court's decision effectively nullifies the FCC's Safeguarding Order, which would have reinstated net neutrality regulations. The court declared that broadband internet service providers offer only an "information service" as defined under current US law, and therefore, the FCC lacks the statutory authority to impose net neutrality policies through the "telecommunications service" provision of the Communications Act. Furthermore, the court ruled that the FCC cannot classify mobile broadband as a "commercial mobile service," which would have allowed the agency to impose net neutrality regulations on those services. The Sixth Circuit explicitly cited the absence of Chevron deference in its ruling, stating that they no longer afford deference to the FCC's interpretation of the statute. In response to the court's decision, Rosenworcel called on Congress to enshrine net neutrality principles in federal law an acknowledgment that the FCC's regulatory efforts have reached an impasse. On the other hand, Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who is set to become the agency's chair later this month, praised the court's ruling. Carr criticized the Biden administration's approach, stating that their plan relied on "persuading Americans that the internet would break in the absence of these so-called 'net neutrality' regulations." As for the future of net neutrality, the ball is now in Congress's court. However, given the current political landscape and the other pressing issues facing the government, it remains uncertain whether Congress will take up this challenge. With Carr poised to take the helm, it also seems unlikely that the agency will pursue further regulatory action on net neutrality. KoBold Metals - Photo: KoBold Metals Each week, Quartz rounds up product launches, updates, and funding news from artificial intelligence-focused startups and companies. Heres whats going on this week in the ever-evolving AI industry. Nvidias acquisition of Run:ai Nvidia headquarters in Santa Clara, California on November 19, 2024. - Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg (Getty Images) Nvidia (NVDA) completed a $700 million acquisition of AI startup Run:ai this week. Through the deal, Run:ais AI infrastructure software will be open-source, the startup, which focuses on optimizing GPU systems, said. Run:ais software currently only supports Nvidias GPUs, but it will open source its software to be compatible with other AI hardware. GPUs and AI infrastructure will remain at the forefront of driving these transformative innovations and joining NVIDIA provides us an extraordinary opportunity to carry forward a joint mission of helping humanity solve the worlds greatest challenges, the startup said in a statement. Samsung becomes Rainbow Robotics largest shareholder Visitors look at Rainbow Robotics four-legged walking robot at the 2023 Robo World on October 12, 2023 in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. - Photo: Chris Jung/NurPhoto (Getty Images) Samsung announced a $181 million stake in Rainbow Robotics this week, making it the largest shareholder in the robotics company. The partnership will advance the South Korea-based robotics companys developments, including of humanoid robots, and incorporate it as a subsidiary under Samsung Electronicss consolidated financial statements. The two companies will also form a synergy council to strengthen leadership in the advanced robot global business, with the council expected to serve as a bridge to foster the growth of both companies by developing future robot technologies and core business strategies and identifying and assessing market demand, Samsung said. Through the partnership, Samsung will use Rainbow Robotics robots for manufacturing and logistics automation. KoBold Metals $537 million Series C for AI-powered mineral exploration KoBold Metals - Photo: KoBold Metals KoBold Metals, which builds and uses AI models for mineral exploration, announced a $537 million Series C funding round this week that values the company at $2.96 billion. The funding round was co-led by Durable Capital Partners LP, a new investor, and a pair of T. Rowe Price (TROW) funds. The new funding will be used for growth and innovation, it said, including expanding its critical minerals exploration on five continents, and cutting-edge research and development. KoBolds mission is to expand and diversify the global supply of critical resources essential for prosperity, energy technology, AI, and security, KoBold chief executive Kurt House said in a statement. Partnering with this broad set of world-class investors will accelerate our progress. Swave Photonics $28.3 million Series A for 3D holographic displays Swave Photonics HXR technology - Image: Swave Photonics Swave Photonics, which focuses on holographic displays, announced a $28.27 million Series A funding round this week co-led by imec.xpand and SFPIM Relaunch. The recently released Thelio Astra from American computer manufacturer System76 is being touted as "the fastest Arm desktop computer in the world" or at least that's what developer and influencer Jeff Geerling declared after putting the system through its paces. In Geerling's testing using the Cinebench 2024 benchmark, the top-tier variant of the Thelio Astra, powered by the 128-core Ampere Altra Max M128-30, achieved an eye-watering 5,003 points in multi-threaded mode. This score edges out the certified world record of 4,723 points set by AMD's EPYC 7713 chip with a similar number of cores. Given these figures, it's no surprise that the Astra also excelled in Blender rendering workloads. Geerling specifically highlighted the system's impressive 1.7 TFLOPS of double-precision compute power. When it comes to the overall package, this is far from your average pre-built desktop. The entry-level $3,299 model already packs a serious punch with 64 cores, 64GB of RAM, and an RTX A400 GPU. However, the top configuration Geerling tested priced just shy of $7,000 pulls out all the stops with 128 cores, 512GB of octa-channel RAM, 40TB of storage capacity, and an RTX 6000 Ada GPU. All this hardware is housed in a sleek, quiet tower, which again is a surprise considering the near server-grade specs. Patriots will also be pleased to know that it's an American-made system, coming straight out of System76's Denver facility. Geerling did highlight some downsides with the system though. Beyond its ultra-premium pricing, single-threaded performance is underwhelming and barely inches past AMD's 2017 Threadripper 1950X in the same Cinebench test. That's sad considering the prodigious multi-core muscle. There are also platform limitations to consider. The system is restricted to PCIe 4.0 and DDR4 RAM, which may feel outdated to some. Geerling was also less than thrilled with the lack of front I/O ports and noted some rattling from the PCIe brackets. And if you're thinking about gaming on this machine while running Windows, think again Nvidia has yet to release Arm-compatible drivers. But then again, the Thelio Astra isn't designed to be a gaming rig or a general-purpose desktop PC replacement. System76 is squarely targeting developers, with a particular emphasis on the automotive software industry, where it shines as a platform for "rapid dev prototyping." "System76 and Ampere ride together to make Thelio Astra the driving force behind AV development," the company notes on its website. If you're in that niche and have cash to burn, this could be the latest must-have Arm toy for you. Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust In context: When Apple Intelligence launched last year with iOS 18.1, the company announced a 4GB storage requirement for its AI-powered features, including Visual Intelligence and Siri with ChatGPT integration. At the time, the requirement seemed reasonable, given that much of the processing occurs locally on the device to prioritize user privacy. Fast forward to last month's release of iOS 18.2, and the storage requirement for Apple Intelligence has jumped to a staggering 7GB of free space per device, according to Apple's website. That's nearly double the original requirement in just a few months. The likely reason? All the shiny new AI features packed into iOS 18.2. These include the Genmoji custom emoji creator, an AI image generator called Playground, the Visual Intelligence feature for identifying objects and places, and, of course, ChatGPT for text composition alongside a significantly smarter Siri. These features are undoubtedly useful for many, but the 7GB storage requirement is a significant hurdle especially for users who want to enable Apple Intelligence across multiple devices like an iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Together, that adds up to a hefty 21GB of storage. The frustrating part is the lack of flexibility. Users can't pick and choose which AI features to enable, leaving them with limited options: upgrade to a higher storage tier when buying new hardware, pay for additional iCloud storage, or forgo Apple Intelligence altogether. Unfortunately, relief doesn't appear to be on the horizon. While iOS 18.3 doesn't introduce major new AI capabilities, Apple has announced bigger Siri upgrades for iOS 18.4 in April, which could push the storage requirements even higher. Apple defends its approach by emphasizing the advantages of on-device AI processing, including faster performance, improved responsiveness, and enhanced privacy protection compared to cloud-based models. However, these benefits come at the cost of consuming space that could otherwise store photos, videos, apps, or files. For those struggling with storage limitations, Apple does offer an opt-out. You can completely disable Apple Intelligence by navigating to Settings > Apple Intelligence. Cutting corners: Floridians are turning to VPNs to bypass blocks brought about by the state's new age verification requirements for accessing online porn. Data from Google Trends shows that searches for "free VPN" have skyrocketed in Florida over the past few days. The law officially went into effect on January 1, making Florida one of 17 states mostly in the South enforcing such regulations. However, many adult sites are either blocking access in the state altogether or simply ignoring the law. In response, users are turning to VPNs to bypass the restrictions while also masking their real IP addresses and locations. The trends don't lie. As reported by Newsweek, VPN queries hit the roof right as the new year rolled in, scoring a perfect 100 on Google's scale on January 2. This was a big jump over the 37 score on December 30. Floridians were also firing off searches for specific VPN brands as well as "internet pornography" and the puzzling "computer virus" during that window. Currently, when Floridians attempt to visit Pornhub, they are no longer greeted with the usual adult content. Instead, they see a PSA from adult star Cherie DeVille explaining the situation. "As you may know, your elected officials in Florida are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website. While safety and compliance are at the forefront of our mission, giving your ID card every time you want to visit an adult platform is not the most effective solution for protecting our users, and in fact, will put children and your privacy at risk," she says. Unsurprisingly, Pornhub reports that its traffic from Florida has already plunged by 80% since the law took effect. However, there's a good chance that many users are simply switching to VPNs or turning to other platforms. For now, Pornhub has voluntarily blocked itself across nearly all states with these age verification laws. Louisiana is an exception though and the site is still allowing access there through its "LA Wallet" digital ID system. While the regulation may sound promising in theory, civil liberty groups warn of serious privacy risks, especially considering the role of data brokers. Just last year, a Florida-based firm leaked 2.9 billion records, including names and Social Security numbers, in a massive data breach. That hasn't stopped Georgia, though, which is set to set to become the 18th state mandating age checks for porn sites starting in July. Child safety advocates are hopeful more states will follow suit. https://www.tipranks.com/news/the-fly/vital-energy-price-target-lowered-to-30-from-44-at-raymond-james An update from Oneok ( (OKE) ) is now available. Don't Miss Our New Year's Offers: Discover the latest stocks recommended by top Wall Street analysts, all in one place with Analyst Top Stocks Make smarter investments with weekly expert stock picks from the Smart Investor Newsletter ONEOK, Inc. has completed the sale of its three interstate natural gas pipeline systemsGuardian Pipeline, Midwestern Gas Transmission, and Viking Gas Transmissionto DT Midstream, Inc. for $1.2 billion. This transaction is a strategic move to optimize ONEOKs asset portfolio and enhance its financial flexibility, supporting its capital allocation priorities and leverage target for 2026. The sale is expected to positively impact ONEOKs operations by allowing it to focus on its core businesses while DT Midstream assumes responsibility for the pipelines, including the establishment of a new Tulsa office. More about Oneok ONEOK, Inc. is a leading midstream operator providing gathering, processing, fractionation, transportation, and storage services for natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), refined products, and crude oil. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the company operates a vast 50,000-mile pipeline network, contributing to domestic and international energy demand and security. ONEOK is one of North Americas largest diversified energy infrastructure companies and is listed on the S&P 500. YTD Price Performance: 0.0% Average Trading Volume: 2,930,999 Technical Sentiment Consensus Rating: Strong Sell Current Market Cap: $59.46B For an in-depth examination of OKE stock, go to TipRanks Stock Analysis page. Trending Articles Massive storm to slam half of US with snow, ice, bitter cold Washington, Jan 5 (AFP) Jan 05, 2025 A powerful winter storm began hammering the central United States on Saturday, with meteorologists warning that millions in the east of the country would face blizzard conditions, treacherous ice, frigid temperatures and severe travel disruptions. More than 60 million people are in the path of the dangerous storm, which is set to plunge the eastern half of the United States into a deep freeze of Arctic air through Monday. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of ferocious weather and severe travel delays, with ice, snow and gale-force winds in states from the central plains to the Mid-Atlantic. Winter storm warnings have been issued from western Kansas clear across to the coastal states of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, an unusually broad 1,500-mile (2,400-kilometer) swath under immediate threat. "Disruptive winter storm to impact the Central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic through Monday with widespread heavy snow and damaging ice accumulations," the NWS said in its latest report. The agency warned that areas from northeastern Kansas to north-central Missouri would see "the heaviest snowfall in a decade." Scientists say extreme weather is becoming more common and more severe as a result of manmade climate change. - Travel disruptions - The first major storm of 2025 was already wreaking havoc on travel, with Kansas City International Airport announcing closure of its flight operations Saturday "due to rapid ice accumulation." Parts of the eastern states of New York and Pennsylvania are facing "heavy lake-effect snow" coming off the Great Lakes that could dump as much as two feet (61 centimeters) there, according to the NWS. Forecast company AccuWeather said Saturday that the lake-effect snow total in the region, already blanketed in snow this week, could top four feet. A blizzard will rage across the Central Plains by early Sunday, and "whiteout conditions will make travel extremely hazardous, with impassable roads and a high risk of motorists becoming stranded," the NWS said. The US capital Washington could be blanketed in five inches or more of snow, with up to 10 inches possible in nearby areas. With the jet stream diving southward, temperatures are expected to plunge, in some places to below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-18 Celsius), while strong wind gusts will compound the dangers. The mercury could sink tens of degrees below seasonal norms down to the US Gulf Coast. Before then, severe thunderstorms are expected across the lower Mississippi Valley, the NWS forecast. Another major concern is freezing rain and sleet expected from Kansas eastward to Kentucky and Virginia, setting the stage for thick ice to coat roads, making travel hazardous, bringing down trees and electricity lines, and potentially leaving millions of customers without power during a cold snap. The NWS warned that it expected widespread tree damage and "long-lasting power outages" from Kansas to the central Appalachian Mountains. Conditions could prove especially perilous in the Appalachians, where a deadly hurricane in late September devastated communities and ravaged multiple southeastern states including Kentucky. Many of those communities are still recovering from the effects of that hurricane. The new storm "will likely cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions on our roads and could cause significant power outages just 24 hours or so before it's going to get really cold in Kentucky," Governor Andy Beshear told an emergency meeting. The governors of Missouri and Virginia have declared a state of emergency in their states, and they took to social media to warn residents to expect hazardous weather this weekend. A woman comparing the differences between safe harbor and traditional 401(k)s. SmartAsset and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. When it comes to saving for retirement, 401(k) plans are a popular choice for both employers and employees. However, not all 401(k) plans are the same. Employers can choose between a traditional 401(k) plan and a Safe Harbor 401(k) plan, each offering unique features and benefits. Whether you're an employer or employee, it's important to understand the differences between these 401(k) plans. Planning for retirement? A financial advisor can help you chart a path toward your personal and financial goals. What Is a Safe Harbor 401(k)? A Safe Harbor 401(k) is a type of retirement savings plan that meets specific Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirements but allows a company to avoid complex testing requirements by meeting certain contribution and vesting standards. These tests aim to make sure contributions to the plan do not disproportionately favor higher-income employees over lower-income employees. Safe Harbor plans mandate that employers make contributions to employee accounts in one of the following ways: Non-elective contributions: Employers make a fixed contribution (a required 3% minimum of an employees compensation) to all eligible employees, regardless of whether employees contribute to the plan themselves. Matching contributions: Employers match a percentage of employee contributions, 100% of the first 3% of salary and 50% of the next 2%. Additionally, Safe Harbor contributions are immediately vested, meaning employees fully own these contributions as soon as the employer makes them. This feature makes Safe Harbor 401(k)s particularly attractive for employees seeking guaranteed employer contributions without the risk of losing funds if they leave the company. Employers of any size can offer Safe Harbor 401(k) plans. Safe Harbor 401(k) vs. Traditional 401(k) The main differences between a Safe Harbor 401(k) and a traditional 401(k) lie in their employer contributions, compliance requirements and benefits for employees. Here's a closer look: Flash Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Saturday that he would step down in the coming days after coalition talks between his People's Party and the Social Democrats collapsed earlier that day. He will also resign as the leader of the People's Party. Nehammer said on X that his party has ended the negotiations with the Social Democratic Party to form a new government due to disagreement over key issues. His surprise move came just one day after the NEOS party pulled out of the coalition negotiations to form an unprecedented three-party government. Following the NEOS' withdrawal, the People's Party and the Social Democratic Party confirmed late on Friday to continue their two-party coalition talks. Negotiations between the three parties had dragged on since mid-November following Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen's decision in October to task the People's Party with forming a government. In September's parliamentary election, the far-right Freedom Party came first with around 29 percent of the vote, followed by the People's Party and the Social Democratic Party with 26.3 percent and 21.1 percent respectively. While the Freedom Party won the parliamentary presidency, it has so far been unable to find coalition partners to form a government. Austrian news agency APA said on Saturday that the path to forming a new government remains unclear. The agency said the business wing of the People's Party might now consider a coalition with the Freedom Party following the resignation of Nehammer, who has repeatedly ruled out the possibility of a coalition with the far-right party under its leader Herbert Kickl. A snap election is also possible, but analysts say the Freedom Party stands to gain the most if one is called. Recent polls indicated rising public support for the party, positioning it as a potential beneficiary of the political deadlock. Through the first nine months of 2024, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway unloaded $133 billion worth of stocks. Buffett reduced Berkshire's massive stake in Apple and sold nearly a quarter of its Bank of America holding. In the third quarter, Apple, American Express (NYSE: AXP), Bank of America, and Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) made up 70% of Berkshire's $271 billion stock portfolio. Buffett is raising cash at a time when the S&P 500 is trading at 30 times earnings, which is historically high for this popular market barometer. However, it's worth looking at the stocks Buffett is choosing not to sell right now. Buffett continues to hold shares of Coca-Cola and American Express, which says a lot about what he thinks of their competitive advantages and growth prospects. 1. Coca-Cola Warren Buffett has often invested in top consumer brands over his investing career. When Buffett sees a quality business trading at an attractive valuation, he pounces, and his 1988 investment in Coca-Cola is a great example. Coca-Cola stock fell sharply in the 1987 Black Monday crash. But the company was growing earnings at double-digit rates, and it still had a tremendous international growth opportunity. In the aftermath of the sell-off, the shares traded at around 16 times earnings, which prompted Buffett to invest a fifth of Berkshire's equity in Coke stock. Buffett has never sold a single share of Coca-Cola. The stock has split a few times over the last 30 years, leaving Berkshire with 400 million shares at the end of the 2024 third quarter. Those shares are worth $25 billion at current share prices, and paying $776 million in annual dividends. Coca-Cola is not the high-growth company it was when Berkshire originally invested, but the company should continue to grow earnings as it gains market share. Coca-Cola experienced a slight decline in unit case volume last quarter, reflecting a weak consumer spending environment. But over the long term, management expects to grow revenue marginally faster than the 4% historical growth rate of the global beverage industry. The stock trades at 21 times 2025 earnings estimates and offers a high dividend yield of 3.14%. Assuming the company grows earnings faster than revenue, it probably won't be enough to outperform the S&P 500 over time. However, Coca-Cola's strong brand and consistent sales performance make it a great stock to hold if you want to boost your passive income. 2. American Express Berkshire has held a large stake in American Express stock for 30 years, and as of Q3 2024, it still held 151 million shares. After adding to the position in 1998, Buffett has continued to patiently hold the stock and let it compound in value with the growth of the business. Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) has posted big gains over the last day of trading. The cryptocurrency's token price was up 14.6% over the last 24 hours as of 6:15 p.m. ET Friday. Meanwhile, Bitcoin was up 1.6% over the stretch, and Ethereum was up 5%. The crypto market has seen bullish momentum over the last day of trading, but there's also a major coin-specific catalyst for Dogecoin's gains. Investors are betting that X's new payments system will be launching soon and that Dogecoin could be incorporated into the platform. Is Dogecoin about to cash in on Elon Musk's new payments system? X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has indicated plans to launch a payment-processing platform this year. The company is owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has been Dogecoin's most high-profile supporter. Recently, leaked source code supposedly from X's new payments service was posted online by MacRumors. While there's no official indication as to whether the code is actually from the upcoming payments platform, the alleged leak has boosted excitement for the service and cryptocurrencies that could be supported. Thus far, there's no clear indication whether Dogecoin will be integrated into the X payments network. But that hasn't stopped a swell of bullish momentum for the popular meme coin. What comes next for Dogecoin? Dogecoin is currently the world's most valuable meme coin. With a market cap of roughly $56.5 billion, it stands head and shoulders above other similar tokens in the category. It also ranks as the world's seventh-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. As a token that primarily functions as a speculative investment and payment mechanism, Dogecoin's valuation is closely tied to adoption trends and overall market momentum. If X's payments system were to integrate the token as one of the primary supported cryptocurrencies, it could open the door for substantial valuation gains. Elon Musk has already shown support for the token, and such a scenario is a realistic possibility. On the other hand, investors should move forward with the understanding that there are no guarantees that Dogecoin will be supported on X's payments platform -- and the token remains a risky and highly speculative play. Dont miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then youll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a Double Down stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If youre worried youve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before its too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: As part of that deal, three budget carriers operated by the two companies will be brought under one brand that will surpass Jeju Air as South Koreas largest low-cost offering. Two decades ago, Jeju Air became the countrys first upstart budget airline with the aim of challenging the duopoly of Korean Air and Asiana. Jeju Air would fly the busy tourist route between Seoul and Jeju, a scenic island off the southern coast of South Korea. The airline is majority-owned by AK Holdings, a conglomerate best known for selling laundry detergent and toothpaste. Jeju Airs second-biggest shareholder is Jejus provincial government. Jeju Air emerged from a jumble of other small airlines to become the countrys leading low-cost carrier. It added routes across Asia, including stops outside the traditional travel hubs, to serve increasingly wealthy South Koreans looking to vacation abroad. As measured by the number of available seats, it added capacity of 20 per cent a year on average over the past 12 years, OAG said. Like many budget airlines, Jeju Air kept a tight rein on costs, put new technology in place and squeezed travellers for even small perks. It focused on short regional flights served by the same model of airplane, the single-aisle Boeing 737-800. Its a reliable low-cost carrier with good reach into South-East Asia and North Asia, said Mayur Patel, a regional sales director for OAG. People pay tribute at a group memorial altar for victims of Flight 7C2216 at the Muan sport park. Credit: Getty Images After an initial public offering in 2015, Jeju Air was on a fairly stable financial footing until the pandemic struck. Since 2020, it has been forced to raise capital on three separate occasions, totalling nearly $US500 million. In also received a government loan of $US29 million on the condition that it maintain 90 per cent of its workforce. Even after travel restrictions were lifted and Jeju Air was awash in pent-up demand, its debt problems persisted because its costs were going up just as fast as its revenue. In corporate filings, Jeju Air said it must repay roughly $US165 million in short-term loans by the end of September. That already exceeded its cash and cash equivalent balance of nearly $US150 million. And this was before the run on cancellations that is expected to further crimp its cash balance. But analysts said liquidity concerns are common for low-cost airlines. Most of these airlines, if you look at their financial position, you would think a lot of them are financially vulnerable, but airlines have a way to survive these things more so than other companies, said Brendan Sobie, an independent aviation consultant and analyst. He explained that companies in airline supply chains have a strong incentive to help airlines that experience trouble. Loading On Thursday, a Jeju Air executive dismissed liquidity concerns, saying the company was proceeding with expansion plans, including a deal to purchase up to 40 new planes from Boeing in the coming years. The company wants to modernise its fleet to take advantage of a South Korean government plan to support low-cost airlines as a counter to the monopoly risk posed by the union of Korean Air and Asiana. The government said it planned to give priority to budget airlines in awarding new international routes from South Korea to Europe and Asia. But now, some of the operating practices that helped Jeju Air keep its costs low are under a microscope. Jeju Air flew its fleet of Boeing 737-800 planes more frequently than its competitors. In the first 11 months of 2024, Jeju Air flew its planes 14.1 hours on average per day, according to South Koreas Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. This compared with 8.6 hours for Korean Air and 11.4 hours for its low-cost carrier, Jin Air, according to the ministry. Under normal circumstances, the difference in plane use would be held up as a sign of Jeju Airs efficiency, an important consideration for low-cost carriers working on thin margins. But through the lens of a deadly crash, the discrepancy raised concerns. Analysts who follow the aviation industry said flying planes more often would have no impact on a carriers safety as long as regulators maintained strict oversight of how many hours its pilots fly and its standards for maintaining its fleet. At a media briefing on Tuesday, Jeju Air was barraged with questions about maintenance, including its practice of outsourcing maintenance to overseas specialists. Unlike Korean Air or Asiana, which have greater facilities and personnel to handle more of their own maintenance, Jeju Air and the countrys other independent low-cost carriers rely mostly on sending work outside the country. This practice has also helped Jeju Air keep maintenance costs down even as its other major expenses have risen. Loading In 2023, Jeju Airs revenue more than doubled from the previous year. It spent twice as much on fuel and airport costs to keep up with the surge in traffic, but maintenance costs, a more fixed expense, did not increase at a similar rate. Jonathan Berger, a managing director at Alton Aviation Consultancy, said some outsourcing of maintenance is common in the industry. Maintenance work is highly regulated and audited regardless of whether it is outsourced or where it is done, he said. Jeju Air is not unique, said Berger. All airlines outsource a significant amount of maintenance. For now, Jeju Air said it would focus on repairing its reputation and supporting the victims and their families. The company said the aircraft involved in the crash was covered by an insurance policy of up to $1 billion that will ensure that the families receive the necessary aid. Scores of public university executives are taking home pay packets of more than half-a-million dollars as the sectors spending on key management staff exceeds $220 million a year. Analysis of financial statements by this masthead reveals Australian universities have increased their spending on key management personnel by about 7 per cent, and more staff are taking home salaries of $500,000 or more. The federal government is preparing to announce a taskforce that will advise education ministers on how executive salaries should be set. In 2023, public universities spent almost $240 million on their key executive salaries, up from $224 million the year prior. Victoria sweltered through a second consecutive day of extreme heat, but a cool change is not expected to make its way across the state until late on Sunday. Melbournes temperature peaked at 37.5 degrees at 4pm, just shy of the Bureau of Meteorologys forecast top of 38, and was still above 34 degrees at 7pm. In the citys northern suburbs, where a top of 40 was expected, the temperature reached 39 degrees at 2pm. Melbourne is sweltering through another hot summer day. Credit: Eddie Jim A severe heatwave warning from the Bureau of Meteorology remains in place for East Gippsland and the West and South Gippsland districts, while a northerly wind kept temperatures high for most of the day. Weve got a cool change making its way across the state thats expected to reach western Victoria late this afternoon or into early this evening, and then progress eastward, probably reaching Melbourne after midnight, senior meteorologist Joanna Hewes said. Tokyo: Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman born before the start of World War I and the sinking of the Titanic, who was believed to be the oldest person in the world, has died at a nursing home in Ashiya, Japan. She was 116. In a statement released on Saturday, the mayor of Ashiya said Itooka passed away last Sunday. He did not give a cause, but local news media reports said she died peacefully of complications related to old age. Tomiko Itooka in May, marking her 116th birthday at her nursing home in Ashiya, Japan. Credit: AP I offer my deepest condolences, said Mayor Ryosuke Takashima. Ms Itooka gave us great courage and hope throughout her long life. I would like to express my gratitude once again. Guinness World Records declared Itooka the oldest living person in September after the death of Maria Branyas Morera of Spain at age 117. Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) stock is seeing explosive gains in Friday's trading. The flying electric vehicle (EV) specialist's share price was up 18% as of 2 p.m. ET. Just before the market closed yesterday, Bloomberg published a report stating that the Biden administration was considering a ban on drones using Chinese technology. Joby Aviation stock is surging today because it's possible that regulations that will benefit the company's growth trajectory. A ban on Chinese drones and crafts could boost Joby Aviation According to reports, the Biden administration -- which is in office for about two and a half more weeks -- is weighing a ban on Chinese-made drones and drones that depend on Chinese technologies. If an executive order implementing such a ban does not emerge under Biden's remaining tenure, it's possible that a similar order could be introduced under the incoming Trump administration. If the U.S. government pursues such a move, it could wind up benefiting Joby Aviation. Joby Aviation is an early leader in the flying EV space and is a U.S.-based company headquartered in California. While the company's flying taxis have used human pilots for test flights, it's likely that they will see remote-piloting and self-driving capabilities introduced in the not-too-distant future. With the U.S. mulling a potential ban on Chinese drone and flying vehicle technologies for security reasons, it's not unreasonable to think that major sources of potential competition for Joby could be taken off the table. Joby's outlook could be getting a boost on multiple levels With the company seeking regulatory approvals for its craft and gearing up for commercialization, the removal of some of its biggest sources of potential competition would be a great way to start 2025 for Joby. Competing with Chinese vehicles on pricing has emerged as a major challenge for players in the electric car space, and it stands to be a significant pressure in the flying EV market in the absence of large tariffs or outright bans. Tensions between the U.S. and China are running hot, and the potential for drones and other vehicles to be used as weapons has emerged as an important defense issue. In addition to potentially bolstering Joby's competitive positioning in the commercial market, reports of a possible ban on Chinese drones and other crafts also highlight the company's growth potential in the defense industry. Interest is rising in flying EVs and hybrid aircrafts, and Joby has a forefront position in an emerging category of vehicles that could see large-scale adoption in the defense industry. India must have rule of law, not fear of law Even as the world takes his as a final word on most issues of the Constitution and the law, The Hitavada happened to hear words of wisdom from Padma Bhushan Adv Harish Salve during his whirlwind visit to Nagpur. Editor Vijay Phanshikar, Associate Editor Rahul Dixit and Deputy Editor Kartik Lokhande engaged the iconic legal luminary in a relaxed conversation on issues of critical importance -- to the larger Indian society -- about the Constitution, the evolving Indian law and the changing socio-economic and political contexts. WHAT senses see is the polish and poise as world-renowned jurist Harish Salve opens up to discuss complex issues of the Constitution and law and the judicial system. His sophistication peeps from every grain of his personality, underlined by his sense of restraint honed by a lifetime of usage of fine language -- before the courts and before the public. Even as he admonishes the system and the men who run it, Adv Harish Salve mixes his strong opinion with matching words. I do not mince words, comes the admission from the eminent jurist, who hails from Nagpur. The truth in his statement immediately emerges as he responds to a question on the concept of jurisprudence and the Constitution. Jurisprudence is increasingly under threat in India. It poses a threat to the rule of law. The endeavour of jurisprudence should be employed to instill in a common mans heart the confidence that rule of law is a reality. One must get access to justice, clubbed with efforts to reduce pendency of cases, he observes, in an exclusive interview to The Hitavada, during his visit to the city on Friday, at his presidential suite in a five-star hotel. Speaking about the Constitution of India, he finds some ease rooted in his knowledge and experience, and also some unease reflected in a slight crease on his forehead. As long as there is freedom in our hearts, no Constitution is under threat. Shouting about the Constitution being in danger has political tones, says Adv Harish Salve. Elaborating on the point, he uses (Contd from page 1) two phrases to make a fine distinction between the concepts they represent -- Rule of Law and Fear of Law. To make rule of law a reality, fear of police, fear of law enforcement agencies must be removed. This can happen only when the common man gets access to justice in an expedited, yet reasoned, manner. In a composed manner, and with a firm but soft voice, he emphasises, We need to revisit the edifice of the constitutional structure to make rule of law an everyday assurance, an everyday experience. For, the Constitution is a living, organic document. It must adapt to the needs of the society. This assertion brings a fresh warmth in the conversation. Hands folded on chest -- as if in supplication -- open out, and a freer flow begins to enliven the discourse. The former Solicitor General of India starts driving deeper into some important points about the Constitution. As if his inner self has hit the gavel of his passion on to the table of formal expression, Adv Salve questions the inclusion of the word Socialist in the Preamble and the principle of Secularism attached to the Constitution. He wonders, rather indignantly, Why should India be a Socialist country? -- and follows up with a very straight-forward answer: Each generation has the right to choose which economic direction it wishes to follow. Why should there be monopolisation of ideas through expressions like Socialist and Secularism, he asks, in effect. Again, he replies quickly, Secularism is not a concept of Constitutional law. All these are political dogmas. Occasionally, Adv Salve makes use of a language similar to that of politicians. But when he speaks, the assertions are sans any political tone. What emerges is intellectual in nature, but tinged with emotion of a devout constitutionalist. Obviously, he abhors political exploitation of the structure and spirit of the Constitution. Each of his words has the power to convince open minds, his righteousness coming through in plain, straight words. Speaking of politics, often a flashpoint emerges between the judiciary and the legislature. In this context, Adv Harish Salve had famously said once that the Supreme Court was not the moral guardian of the country. He still stands by his statement, and offers reasoning, The law must evolve with time and develop. The task of the courts is to ensure that this process is smooth. Who are we to take away the right of the elected representatives to legislate? They represent the aspirations of people, according to which the law must evolve and develop. In the era of social media, the evolution of law has assumed newer dimensions. In fact, many predict the end of lawyers with the advent of social media and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Does it concern him? The legal eagle gives a charming smile and says that social media has a nuisance value and also acts as an easily accessible pressure point. He demystifies the issue saying, Basically, it bridges a huge asymmetry that exists in the society today. As nothing can resolve any problem by itself, the society will always need good judges and good lawyers. As far as AI is concerned, it is a glorified search engine. It has the assistive power to add ease to operations but the originality of the human brain is irreplaceable. The man who represented India at the International Court of Justice in the famous Kulbhushan Jadhav case and charged only Re 1/- as his fees, feels that all dogmas must be challenged. Then bringing to fore his astonishing ability to make fine distinctions, he says, We must challenge the gods of today as they also have got feet of clay. We must realise that people in high offices govern us and not rule us. This realisation will make us aware that we, as a nation, grow through battle of ideologies. Unfortunately, he rues, Parliament has become a Protest Maidan where people protest instead of deliberate upon the issues with a well-studied approach. So, is this the Grammar of Anarchy that Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had referred to in his famous speech before the Constituent Assembly 75 years ago? Calling himself as a great fan of Dr Ambedkar, Adv Harish Salve interprets Grammar of Anarchy as an effort to challenge the existing social order from time to time. But, he makes it clear, Dr Ambedkar did not envision this challenge to be violent. The visionary leader expected it to be the process of a positive constant churning. This cannot be achieved through waving a book with red cover and provocative protests, he quips. The legal luminary, who is among the most celebrated Constitution experts, is best qualified to make a fine comment reflecting his scholarship. During the flow of conversation, sometimes, the joy in his eyes adds a different glow to his traditionally handsome face under the crown of white hair. This attribute of personality wins him the argument when he makes a fine distinction between the structure and the spirit of the Constitution. The basic structure of the Constitution is needed as much as its spirit. There are several aspects of life today that the spirit of the Constitution may not encompass. Unless there is basic structure, those interpreting the Constitution in the modern context may not be able to get things right, he argues. The basic structure of the Constitution is the irreducible minimum, he adds (in the process leaving some questions untackled). This prompts one to ask if the Government of India has addressed the modern legal needs by way of enacting three new criminal laws -- the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita? His answer connects to the discussion on the rule of law. Laws may be new, but the system that implements the laws is the same. The rule of law is under threat in lower courts. And, the States do not invest much in lower courts. Unless appropriate change is effected there, common mans access to justice will not improve and the rule of law will not be assured, he says. At the same time, he adds that the people have faith in the judges but not the system. So, should there be a change in law education in the country to change the system? No need, stresses Adv Salve. He reasons that modernisation or standardisation of law education may serve some good. For long-term positive impact, the number of judges per 1,000 persons must increase, and the judges must get good salaries, he underlines. Of course, just as law evolves like a flowing river, time also flies by. Since it was time for Adv Harish Salve to fly out of Nagpur, the conversation, facilitated by senior lawyer and former District Government Pleader Adv Prashant Sathianathan, also had to be punctuated with a good bye, in the hope of re-igniting it in future. Such rare conversations leave in their wake a desire to keep going -- for two reasons: The lure of the personality, and the love for a meaningful discourse. CBI cracks 19-year-old Kerala triple murder case KOCHI : A DAY after securing convictions in the 2019 Periya twin murder case, the CBI Chennai unit has solved a 19-year-old triple murder case, bringing a breakthrough in a long-pending investigation. On Saturday, the CBI arrested Dibil Kumar and Rajesh, accused in the 2006 murder of 24-year-old Ranjini and her 17-day-old twin daughters. Acting on a tip-off, the duo was apprehended from Puducherry, where they had been residing with their families. The case dates back to January 24, 2006, when Ranjini, an unmarried woman from Anchal in Kollam district, gave birth to twin girls at a government hospital in Keralas capital city Thiruvananthapuram. Kumar, also from Anchal, was known to Ranjini and had been in a relationship with her. However, after learning of her pregnancy, Kumar reportedly distanced himself from her. Ranjini sought help from the Kerala State Womens Commission, which ordered a DNA test after the babies were born. Shortly after, Rajesh, a mutual acquaintance, visited the hospital and offered to help. He took Ranjini and her infants to a rented house in Kollam. Tragically, on February 8, 2006, Ranjini and her daughters were found dead in the rented home. The local police launched an investigation, which was later handed over to the Crime Branch. Following persistent requests from Ranjinis mother, the case was eventually transferred to the CBI. Years later, the CBI Chennai unit reopened the case while reviewing pending files. Acting on secret information, investigators tracked Kumar and Rajesh to Puducherry, where they were running an interior decoration business. The duo had reportedly been evading the law since the murders, leaving their jobs in the Army. The CBI placed the suspects under surveillance and took them into custody on Friday. On Saturday, they were brought to Kochi. According to CBI sources, the accused will be taken to Kollam for evidence collection and further investigation. ED raids Pratibha Industries in Rs 4,957 cr loan fraud case MUMBAI : THE Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Mumbai Zonal Office, conducted extensive search operations on January 2 at 14 locations across Mumbai and Delhi in connection with a Rs 4,957 crore loan fraud case involving M/s Pratibha Industries Limited and its associates, a statement by the ED said on Saturday. The raids were carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. In an official statement, the ED revealed that the operation resulted in the freezing of bank balances and mutual funds worth Rs 5.4 crore, along with the recovery of incriminating evidence related to the acquisition of immovable properties. The case originated from an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) based on a complaint lodged by the Bank of Baroda. The complaint alleged that M/s Pratibha Industries Limited, along with its director Ajit Kulkarni and others, orchestrated a massive bank fraud by deceiving a consortium of lenders to the tune of Rs 4,957 crore. According to the ED, the promoters and directors of M/s Pratibha Industries Limited engaged in a criminal conspiracy to siphon off loan funds, resulting in significant financial losses for the banks while securing undue gains for themselves. They allegedly accomplished this by diverting loan funds through fraudulent transactions and circular trading practices, the statement said. The ED investigation further uncovered that the promoters utilized the services of accommodation entry providers to layer and conceal the funds. This was done through a network of bogus entities and suspicious third-party transactions, which were then used to acquire immovable assets. The ED has said that the investigation is still going on and aims to uncover the full extent of the money laundering activities, including identifying all beneficiaries and tracing the siphoned funds. The accounts of the Pratibha Industries were classified as NPA on December 31, 2017. Subsequently, the accounts were also declared as fraud by the members of the consortium banks. Rs 2,000 currency note scam: Delhi, Prayagraj, Jabalpur businessmen involved; Police close in on key accused Staff Reporter : An investigation into the Rs 2,000 currency note scam has uncovered the involvement of businessmen from Delhi, Prayagraj, and Jabalpur, who were allegedly collaborating with the prime accused, Anil Jain, to operate the racket. Police officials familiar with the investigation have revealed that these businessmen were in constant communication with Jain, who was running the operation. The accused were reportedly gathering money from other businessmen in their respective cities and using Jains network to exchange the demonetised Rs 2,000 notes through the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in Nagpur. The police have confirmed the identities of these businessmen but are still waiting for their exact locations to make arrests. Although the full scope of the scam is still under investigation, the police have suggested that currency worth several crores of rupees has been exchanged under this illegal network over the past year without drawing attention of any agencies. Anil Jain, the kingpin of the racket, is a 56-year-old resident of Dakshin Miloni Ganj, Gohelpur District, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The police revealed that Jain had been operating across North India, dealing with businessmen and politicians from Delhi, Banaras, Lucknow, Patna, Agra, and Chandigarh, offering to exchange demonetised currency at the RBI's Nagpur Branch. Police sources claim that Jain earned a commission of Rs 20,000 for every Rs 5 lakh in demonetised notes exchanged. According to investigators, Jain frequently travelled to Nagpur to facilitate these exchanges and targeted poor persons. The operation would lure them with promises of helping exchange old notes, often for a commission. The racket operated under the radar for over a year, with many unsuspecting persons involved in the process. So far, the police have arrested Anil Jain, and three key associates of JainNandalal Govardhan Maurya (35), Rohit Nageshwar Bawne (36), and Kishore Ramesh Bahoriya (30)who were reportedly part of the operation. The trio was arrested while exchanging the notes in Nagpur. Senior official injured in firing amid fragile peace in Paks Kurram district PESHAWAR : THE Deputy Commissioner of North-West Pakistans restive Kurram district was injured when assailants opened fire on his convoy on Saturday, days after a peace agreement was reached between two warring parties in the violence-hit zone. According to officials, the incident took place in the Kojalai Baba village near Bagan when residents opened fire on military vehicles, injuring Javedullah Mehsud, DC of Khyber Pakhtunkhwas Kurram district, and three security personnel. Mehsud was in the area to review arrangements for an aid convoy expected to take food items to Kurram, ending the over 85 days of blockade of the main Peshawar-Sadda-Thall-Parachinar road. He was shot thrice and was first rushed to a hospital in the Lower Alizai tehsil for treatment. He was later shifted to Peshawar in a helicopter. Three protestors were also injured in the cross-firing, official sources said. The firing took place during negotiations between the Government officials and protesters, who had blocked the main road, sources said. We suspect that local spoilers are involved in the attack, said a military official. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said: The attack is a heinous conspiracy by unidentified miscreants, and added that the situation in Kurram was under control. Saif said the aid convoy was temporarily halted following the firing. He stressed that clearance operations were underway, and the convoy would resume its journey soon. He appealed to the Sunni and Shia communities to remain peaceful and not fall prey to conspiracies. The Alizai and Bagan tribes on Wednesday reached a peace agreement after sectarian clashes resulted in the killing of 133 people in the district between November 21 and December 2. The clashes erupted as an aftermath of a lethal attack on passenger vans that killed 57 people near Parachinar. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and provincial Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the attack on the DCs convoy. Gandapur sought a report on the incident from senior officials and wished those injured a speedy recovery. Such an incident after the Kurram peace agreement is highly regrettable and condemnable, he said. The incident is a deliberate and malicious but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to sabotage the governments efforts for peace in Kurram, he said, adding that those involved in the firing will face strict legal action. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Kundi said, The recurrence of firing incidents on the main highway in Lower Kurram is deeply concerning and added that it was a heinous conspiracy to sabotage the peace efforts made by the Peace Jirga (council) for lasting harmony in the district. For sustainable peace in Kurram District, the positive role of the local population alongside the government is essential, he said. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the incident, terming it a conspiracy to sabotage the peace agreement, according to a statement on X by the Interior Ministry. Sensitive issue THE sensitive issue of incineration of Union Carbide toxic waste at Pithampur in Dhar district continues to boil amidst violent protests and a late-but-timely safety stand adopted by the Madhya Pradesh Government to halt it till further legal clarity. Four decades after the heart-wrenching tragedy that saw thousands of deaths in Bhopal after gas leakage in Union Carbide India Limited, hundreds of tonnes of toxic waste is still lying in the factory premises. Out of the huge lot, the MP Government has dumped 337 tonnes of waste in the industrial region of Pithampur adhering to a High Court directive. Yet, fears of side-effects compounded by the dark memories of the December of 1984 are too overbearing for the people to accept this arrangement. Even as the issue assumed political tones after self-immolation bid by two people at Pithampur, the moot question remains -- is shifting the only way to deal with the toxic waste? The jury is still out. Chief Minister Mr. Mohan Yadav has taken great pains to explain the process and the research that has gone into the decision to incinerate the Union Carbide waste in a phased manner. Many other leaders, who were witness to the massive tragedy 40 years ago, have weighed in the debate with their own takes, especially after the judiciarys adverse remarks on the failure of the respective governments in the State to shift the waste. There has been scientific evidence of presence of elevated levels of toxic compounds in the soil, air, and water in the area. Medical studies, too, have found effects of toxins on health of people living in close proximity of the ill-fated Union Carbide plant. However, the disposal of the waste at Pithampur has also raised similar apprehensions of contamination of soil and water bodies. The picture is still hazy without any concrete scientific response on the disposal of toxic waste. In such a situation, keeping the waste at the same spot seems a pragmatic way out till there is absolute clarity on its after-effects. One aspect that can be explored by the scientific community is the changes the toxic industrial waste has effected over each decade at the accident spot. Some underground material has already been taken care of with deep burial but the overground material is still a matter of concern. Whether it has the same potency to cause damage to human health and environment after the passage of four decades can still be ascertained with the scientific theory of deductive reasoning. If the effects are diminishing then a call can always be taken to formulate newer ways to insulate the population in close proximity rather than stoking new fears at a new destination. It is not an easy decision but with a collective will and support from all the stakeholders including the judiciary, a conclusion can be arrived at. The Bhopal Gas Tragedy was a horrifying chapter in the countrys history. All the dark memories come rushing to those affected and those who could watch helplessly as the poisonous gas pervaded into a large part of the city. Four decades later, going again through the same fear at a new place is unwarranted and uncalled for. If the stakeholders, government and the judiciary sit together to look at the problem with a wider view, then a status quo can be attained and the Union Carbide plant and its larger surrounding area can be turned into a memorial for the souls who died on that ill-fated December 1984 night. Veteran nuclear scientist R Chidambaram passes away NEW DELHI : EMINENT physicist Rajagopala Chidambaram, who played a key role in the nuclear tests of 1974 and 1998, passed away on Saturday, according to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). He was 88. Chidambaram, who was also associated with the nuclear weapons programme, breathed his last at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai, a DAE official said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by the demise of Chidambaram. He was one of the key architects of Indias nuclear programme and made ground-breaking contributions in strengthening Indias scientific and strategic capabilities. He will be remembered with gratitude by the whole nation and his efforts will inspire generations to come, the prime minister said. Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh extended his condolences to Chidambarams family. Saddened to learn about the passing away this morning of eminent nuclear scientist Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram, who led Indias Atomic Energy Commission and played a key role in the development of strategic weapons. Dr. Chidambarams role in the two nuclear tests conducted by India was memorable. He also had the distinction of being Principal Scientific Advisor to the Govt of India for 17 years, Singh said. Chidambaram held numerous prestigious positions during his six-decade career, including Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India (20012018), director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (1990-1993), chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, and secretary to the government of India, DAE (1993-2000). He also served as chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (19941995). The nation owes greatly to this brilliant scientific mind, and we shall forever cherish his tremendous contributions, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, termed Chidambarams demise an irreparable loss. Dr. Chidambaram was a doyen of science and technology whose contributions furthered Indias nuclear prowess and strategic self-reliance. His loss is an irreparable one for the scientific community and the nation, he said. The nation mourns the loss of a true visionary. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this time of grief, the DAE said in a statement. It said Chidambarams unparalleled contributions to Indias scientific and strategic capabilities and his visionary leadership in science and technology will forever be remembered. Born in 1936, Chidambaram was an alumnus of Presidency College in Chennai and Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. Chidambaram played a pivotal role in shaping Indias nuclear capabilities. He played an integral role in the nations first nuclear test in 1974, and led the Department of Atomic Energy team during the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. His contributions established India as a nuclear power on the global stage, the statement said. As a world-class physicist, Dr. Chidambarams research in high-pressure physics, crystallography, and materials science significantly advanced the scientific communitys understanding of these fields. His pioneering work in these areas laid the foundation for modern materials science research in India, it said. He championed initiatives in areas such as energy, healthcare and strategic self-reliance and steered numerous projects that significantly advanced Indias science and technology landscape, it said. He was instrumental in initiating Indias indigenous development of supercomputers and conceptualising the National Knowledge Network, which connected research and educational institutions across the country. An ardent advocate of applying science and technology to national development, Chidambaram established programmes such as Rural Technology Action Groups and Society for Electronic Transactions and Security, and emphasised coherent synergy in Indias scientific efforts, according to the statement. He was honoured with prestigious accolades, including the Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999. He received honorary doctorates from several universities and was a fellow of eminent Indian and international science academies. The DAE said Chidambaram will be remembered as a trailblazer, an inspirational leader, and a dedicated mentor to countless scientists and engineers. Young woman analyzing financial documents while working on her laptop at home damircudic via Getty Images Whether youre drawing up a separation agreement or already have the divorce decree in hand, there can be a lot of challenging financial and tax implications to getting divorced. And if youll be paying or receiving alimony payments as part of your divorce agreement, you may already be wondering how that income gets reported on your tax return. The good news is thanks to the simplification of tax rules surrounding divorce courtesy of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) no longer requires certain types of spousal report, specifically alimony payments, to be reported as part of your taxable income. Lets take a closer look at what that might mean for your tax liability and that of your former spouse and why former couples with a divorce agreement or court order that predates 2019 have to follow different tax rules. Learn more: Everything you need to know to file your taxes in 2025 Is alimony taxable? The answer depends on when you got divorced. If your divorce or legal separation was finalized on Jan. 1, 2019 or later, alimony or maintenance payments are not taxable as gross income for the recipient spouse. For those who dont fall under the new rules, tax treatment of alimony can be a bit more complicated. If your divorce was finalized on or before Dec. 31, 2018, alimony is required to be reported on your income tax return. The receiving spouse should report any amount of alimony as income to the IRS. Are alimony payments tax-deductible? If youre the taxpayer responsible for paying alimony, that money is not deductible for divorces finalized in 2019 or after. If your divorce decree predates 2019, the alimony deduction is a bit more complicated. For the paying spouse, alimony payments are eligible for an above-the-line tax deduction, which may help you avoid landing in a higher tax bracket. Learn more: Standard deduction vs. itemized: How to decide which tax filing approach is right What types of spousal support count as alimony? Alimony is defined as financial support one ex-spouse, usually the higher earner, pays to another. This is different from separate maintenance, which is financial support that is part of a legal separation when couples are still married. To be considered alimony for tax purposes, the IRS says the spousal support needs to meet the following criteria: A joint tax return isnt filed for the current tax year. The payment is made through cash, check, or money orders. The payment goes to a spouse or a former spouse under a divorce or separation instrument. Spouses or ex-spouses arent sharing a household when the payments are made. Payments arent required to be made either in cash or property after the death of the receiving spouse. Payment isnt part of a property settlement or child support payments. To be considered alimony, the divorce or separation agreement also cant specify that the payment needs to be part of the gross income of the payee spouse or that it isnt allowable as a deduction to the payer spouse. Is the tax law for alimony different from child support? Child support is a form of spousal support designed to financially provide for adopted or biological children of the marriage. Typically, child support is paid directly to the parent with primary custody or the one considered by the court as the custodial parent until the child is 18. While child support is considered different from alimony for tax purposes, the rules are similar. Child support is not taxable as income, nor are the payments tax deductible. This tax approach for child support payments has been consistent in family law for many years. Frequently asked questions about taxes and alimony 1. When do I have to report alimony on my taxes? If your divorce decree was finalized before January 1, 2019, you are required to report alimony or alimony payments you receive on your federal tax return using Form 1040, Schedule 1. In the case of the alimony payer, pre-2019 payments have tax benefits and are an above-the-line deduction. You can enter the amount of alimony paid and the recipients Social Security number in your Form 1040. For divorces finalized after 2019, neither the paying or receiving spouse must report alimony to the IRS. 2. Is the treatment of alimony for tax purposes different in each state? Yes, alimony payments can be handled differently depending on your state. For example in California, payments on community property income are not considered alimony. You should consult your states revenue department website for more information about how to report spousal support for state tax purposes. 3. Who gets the tax deduction for claiming a dependent after a divorce? Generally, the custodial parent should claim the child as a dependent in order to receive the child tax credit, but this can also depend on whether the divorce decree specifies a different approach. For instance, some parents may agree to take turns claiming the dependent every other tax year. For the IRS, the custodial parent is the parent with whom the child or dependent lives for the majority of the tax year. You are the owner of this article. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, greeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her 70th birthday. On her birthday, I convey my greetings to West Bengal CM Mamata Didi. Praying for her long and healthy life, read a message from the Prime Minister posted on his X handle. Advertisement A similar birthday wish was extended by Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who chose to extend the greetings in Bengali considering that it is the mother tongue of Mamata Banerjee. Advertisement Warm birthday wishes to the founding chairperson TMC, Mamata didi. Wishing you a long and healthy life, Kharrges post read. For the last few years, the Prime Minister has not missed a single opportunity to wish Mamata Banerjee on this day. Almost every year, the Prime Minister wishes Mamata Banerjee on this day. According to official records, Banerjee was born on January 5, 1955, which, however, is not her actual birth date. Banerjee, in her 1995 memoir Ekante, has written about her birth, which took place during Durga Puja. The puja is usually held at the end of September or the beginning of October as per the Hindu calendar. Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2011 ending the 34-year Left Front rule and subsequently, her party won in two consecutive state Assembly elections first in 2016 and then in 2021. She is the first woman Chief Minister of West Bengal. As the then-opposition leader in West Bengal, she had organised several protest movements against the then-Left Front government. She was initially associated with Congress, but later broke off to form her own party Trinamool Congress. However, in the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2011 state Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress had an alliance with Congress. But, in the 2016 West Benga Assembly polls Congress parted ways with Trinamool and formed an alliance with the Left Front which continued till general elections in 2024. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has suggested a seven-point agenda to the Finance Ministry for the Union Budget-2025. It said that the upcoming annual budget for FY26 could announce further measures to boost employment generation, and emphasised that job creation at a mass scale is important to engage the young population productively, and drive inclusive growth in the worlds most populous nation. Advertisement Its seven-point agenda included an integrated national employment policy, support to labour-intensive sectors, and setting up an international mobility authority, among other targeted measures. Advertisement The CII said the government could consider launching an internship programme in government offices in rural areas for the college-educated youth. It argued that this initiative would create short-term employment opportunities in government offices while bridging the gap between education and professional skills. The industry body proposed introducing a new provision under income tax rule in lieu of Section 80JJAA to encourage new employment. The new provision should continue as Chapter VIA deduction from gross total income, which is available even if a taxpayer opts for concessional tax regime. It has proposed an integrated national employment policy which could subsume under its ambit the slew of employment generating schemes currently in works by various ministries/states. In addition, the unified policy could also build on the single integrated employment portal National Career Service (NCS) wherein all the data can flow into this from various ministries and state portals. The CII said that increasing womens participation in the workforce can further boost the Indian economy, and new initiatives including the construction of dormitories using CSR funds, formalisation of sectors like care economy, among others can be done. It said rolling out labour codes while ensuring social security coverage to the gig and platform workers would further strengthen the employment landscape. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Sunday accused AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal of being an expert in diverting attention from real issues, and alleged that he has deceived people, whether it is hospital construction, rebuilding old schools, expanding public transportation services, road maintenance, ration distribution, or even on the electricity and water bills. Challenging Kejriwal, Sachdeva stated,I have said before and repeated again, if Arvind Kejriwal believes his government has undertaken development work, we propose a public debate. He too can present his case, the BJP leader added. Advertisement The Delhi BJP chief claimed that the people of Delhi are witnesses to how the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership has gifted major projects to the city for combating pollution, including the East-West Corridor, nearly 1,200 electric buses, the expansion of the Dhaula Kuan-Airport road, the Akshardham-Meerut Highway, Delhi-Saharanpur Highway, Urban Extension Road-2 and the Pragati Maidan Tunnel. Advertisement He further mentioned that the Centre also developed landmarks like Badarpur Eco Park, extended Kartavya Path from Rajpath, and created international-level facilities like Bharat Mandapam and YashoBhoomi. Sachdeva emphasised that even though the Delhi government failed to release funds on time, the Centre ensured the completion of projects like RRTS and the expansion of Delhi Metro. The BJP leader highlighted that during the pandemic, the Central government also provided special hospitals and free ration to the poor. He said,After completing numerous development projects, just two days ago, the Modi government approved new development projects for Delhi worth over Rs 12,500 crore. The Delhi BJP chief further alleged that the AAP government has provided Delhi nothing, but deception and corruption from 2013 to 2024. As per Sachdevas claims, the AAP government failed in building hospitals, reconstructing old schools, expanding public transportation, maintaining roads and distributing ration fairly. He further alleged that through surcharges on electricity and water bills, the AAP government has looted the people of Delhi. Shahid Kapoors much-anticipated action thriller Deva has unveiled its teaser, and its everything fans hoped for and more. The high-energy preview introduces Kapoor in an electrifying new role, as a rebellious cop navigating a dangerous world of deceit, conspiracy, and high-stakes action. Advertisement Produced by Zee Studios and Roy Kapur Films, Deva promises to be a thrilling ride, packed with intense stunts, heart-racing chases, and jaw-dropping fight sequences. Advertisement The Deva teaser showcases Kapoors powerful portrayal of the titular character, Deva, a police officer determined to crack a high-profile case. Directed by renowned Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrrews, Deva takes viewers on a rollercoaster journey as the cop dives deeper into a web of betrayal and intrigue. The films fast-paced narrative is heightened by its pulse-pounding soundtrack, which complements the high-octane action sequences. Shahid Kapoors electrifying dance performance in the teaser adds an extra layer of excitement, giving fans a glimpse of his signature style. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) The teaser has already set social media ablaze, with fans buzzing about Kapoors transformation into a fierce, no-nonsense cop. He shared the teaser on social media with the caption, D day is here. Machana chalu, signaling the beginning of the action-packed journey. Alongside Kapoor, Deva also stars Pooja Hegde in a significant role as a journalist. The film is set to hit theaters on January 31, 2025, marking Shahids return to the big screen after almost a year. His last appearance was in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, alongside Kriti Sanon. Shah Rukh Khan recently took to social media to share an exciting update about his son Aryan Khans fashion brand, DYAVOL. The actor announced that the brands highly anticipated X-3 collection will be launched on January 12. Shah Rukh Khan shared a video on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, promoting the new collection and writing, A new masterpiece. X3. Dropping on 12th January only on dyavolx (dot) com. Advertisement A new masterpiece. Advertisement X3. Dropping on 12th January only on https://t.co/dc5LPpuH6Y pic.twitter.com/oHVL3r26df Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) January 5, 2025 DYAVOL, the high-end streetwear label founded by Aryan Khan, Bunty Singh, and Leti Blagoeva, made its global debut at New York Fashion Week in September 2024. The event, held at The Pierre Hotel in New York, showcased a preview of the X-3 capsule collection, giving fashion enthusiasts a glimpse of what to expect from the brands latest offerings. Aryan Khan described the X-3 collection as a blend of bold experimentation and refined craftsmanship, staying true to DYAVOLs commitment to superior materials and precise tailoring. The collection reflects the brands innovative approach to street fashion, with each piece designed to make a statement. Shah Rukh Khan has been a strong supporter of his sons entrepreneurial journey, frequently promoting DYAVOL and sharing his pride in Aryans achievements. In other news, Shah Rukh Khan made headlines recently when he traveled to an undisclosed location to celebrate the New Year, following his familys return to Mumbai after a holiday in Alibaug. On the professional front, Shah Rukh Khan last appeared in Rajkumar Hiranis Dunki, a comedy-drama that explores the controversial method of illegal immigration known as donkey flight. The film, which also stars Taapsee Pannu, Boman Irani, and Vicky Kaushal, has garnered attention for its thought-provoking storyline. Looking ahead, Shah Rukh will star in the action thriller King, alongside his daughter Suhana. Directed by Sujoy Ghosh, King marks Suhanas theatrical debut, following her appearance in the 2023 Netflix drama The Archies. The film also reunites Shah Rukh with Abhishek Bachchan and Sujoy Ghosh, who previously worked together on the 2021 thriller Bob Biswas. The trailer for the much-anticipated film Sky Force has officially dropped, offering a thrilling glimpse into one of Indias most daring military operations. Set to release on January 24, 2025, just in time for Republic Day celebrations, the film promises to captivate audiences with its high-octane aerial combat sequences, emotional drama, and a narrative rooted in patriotism. Advertisement Sky Force brings together Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar and debutant Veer Pahariya in the lead roles. The film revolves around Indias first and one of its most deadly airstrikes on Pakistan, a pivotal moment in the countrys military history. Advertisement The Sky Force trailer gives viewers a sneak peek into the gripping story of revenge, sacrifice, and valor, as soldiers risk their lives in the name of duty. Directed by Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Kapur, Sky Force follows the journey of an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, played by Akshay Kumar. His character embarks on a mission of vengeance after a brutal attack that claims the lives of several Indian soldiers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maddock Films (@maddockfilms) As tensions mount, Akshays character challenges his superiors to take a bold step: to carry out the countrys first-ever airstrike in retaliation. His powerful line, Doosra gaal neta dikhate hai, hum fauji nahi (Political leaders show the other cheek, not soldiers), sets the tone for the film, emphasizing the unwavering resolve of the armed forces. Veer Pahariya, making his film debut, plays another IAF officer who partners with Akshays character in the high-stakes mission. However, as the operation intensifies, tragedy strikes when Veers aircraft is shot down, and he is reported missing in action. This loss deepens the emotional stakes of the film, with Sara Ali Khan portraying Veers wife, who anxiously waits for news of her husbands fate. In addition to the stellar lead cast, Sky Force also features actress Nimrat Kaur in a pivotal role, adding further depth to the films emotional narrative. Dinesh Vijan, the founder and producer of Maddock Films, expressed his pride in bringing this untold chapter of Indias history to the big screen. He said, The motto of our nations soldiers is never to leave any of their comrades behind. Sky Force is a salute to that commitment, a story of profound bravery and selflessness. Vijan also shared his belief that the film would leave a lasting impact on audiences, stating, Some missions end, while others last a lifetime. Sky Force promises to last a lifetime. Jyoti Deshpande, President of Media and Content Business at Reliance Industries and a producer of the film, added her thoughts on the films significance. Sky Force is not just a film; its a tribute to the bravery, patriotism, and indomitable spirit of our armed forces, she said. This poignant story shines light on a significant chapter of Indias history, honoring the sacrifices of our unsung heroes. Akshay Kumar, who plays the central role in the film, shared the trailer on his social media platforms, urging fans to witness this heroic tale. This Republic Day, witness the untold story of a heroic sacrifice the tale of Indias first and deadliest airstrike. Mission #SkyForce- In Cinemas 24th January 2025. #SkyForceTrailer is out now. Jake Lloyd, best known for his role as young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (1999), has opened up about his struggles with mental health and his diagnosis of schizophrenia. Now 35, Lloyd shared his journey of recovery and acceptance following years of challenges, including a psychotic break in 2023. Advertisement In a conversation with author Clayton Sandell, co-writer of Star Wars Timelines, and his mother, Lisa Lloyd, the actor reflected on his progress after completing an 18-month stint in mental health rehabilitation. Advertisement Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Jake Lloyd shared that he is now in a more flexible rehab program where he can come and go as needed. Pretty good, considering these 20 years of time that have come to an end, Lloyd said. I can now accept taking on continued treatment, therapy, and my meds. Everyones been very supportive. Lloyds struggles became apparent during high school when he began questioning his sense of reality, his mother revealed in an earlier interview. Jake started having some trouble in high school. He started talking about realities, Lisa Lloyd explained. He didnt know if he was in this reality or a different reality. For years, Lloyd struggled to acknowledge his schizophrenia diagnosis, a challenge compounded by anosognosiaa neurological condition where a person is unaware of their illness. However, he has since gained clarity about his condition and the importance of medication. I dont have the time for feeling volatile, Lloyd said, describing the stabilizing effect of his medication. It is very much a cushion. Reflecting on his journey, Lloyd acknowledged that hitting rock bottom was a turning point. Good things have come from my treatment, he shared. It was something that needed to happen so that I could learn to honestly take part in treatment, honestly take my meds, and honestly live with my diagnosis. Lloyd, who was just eight years old when he was cast as Anakin Skywalker, faced immense pressure and public scrutiny following the films release. Today, he is focused on rebuilding his life and finding peace through ongoing treatment and support. The brutal murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakaar in Bijapur, South Chhattisgarh, has ignited a storm of outrage across the nation, spotlighting rampant corruption in developmental projects in Maoist-affected regions. Chandrakaars investigation into irregularities in road construction projects, particularly Gangloor-Nelasnar road, has become a focal point of the controversy, raising broader questions about governance and accountability in Chhattisgarhs Bastar region. Advertisement Chandrakaar was investigating the Rs 112-crore Gangloor-Nelasnar road project, initially budgeted at Rs 56 crore but later doubled under dubious circumstances. Advertisement The 52-kilometer road, split into multiple contracts, was awarded to contractor Suresh Chandrakaar. Despite full payment being made, the road remained incomplete, with portions washed away during the last monsoon, exposing the shoddy quality of work. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, who holds the PWD portfolio, has ordered an inquiry into the project. Bijapur District Collector has instructed that the road be dismantled and reconstructed, a rare move in a region where such irregularities often go unchallenged. The Gangloor-Nelasnar road is not an isolated case. Information accessed by The Statesman reveal similar issues in multiple road projects across Bijapur district, including: 1. L056: Bijapur to Sarpanchpara (CG1721) 2. C903-126: Farsegarh Road (Km 1.00 to Ermanar) 3. LIOD: Chilanpalli to Gujkos (CG17191) 4. L104: Khardangaon (CG17206) 5. L115: Palakotur to Gummer (CG17291) 6. L081: Naimed to Komla (CG17328) 7. 7L055: Kutru to Pera (CG17120) 8. L080: Ermanar to Bharapara (CG1716) 9. 1064: Borje to Loharapara (CG1713) 10. L079: Ermanar to Lekhapara (CG1716[1]). Local journalists allege that the local administion uses the Maoist threat as an excuse to avoid on-site inspections of these projects. Security forces provided for contractors, they argue, could also protect inspection teams, ensuring quality checks. The lack of oversight has allowed contractors and officials to siphon off funds, with no accountability. Contractor Suresh Chandrakaar, the prime suspect in Mukeshs murder, has become a symbol of corruption in Bastar. Once a cook for SPOs and police officers, Sureshs transformation into a wealthy contractor has raised eyebrows. His 2021 wedding, marked by ostentatious displays of wealth including a helicopter ride for the bride and a 2-crore BMW, garnered widespread attention. Mukeshs investigation into Sureshs contracts and wealth reportedly made him a target. The 112-crore Gangloor-Nelasnar road project is just one of many contracts awarded to Suresh that are now under scrutiny. An 11-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate Mukeshs murder and the associated 112-crore road scam. The SIT is also probing the role of senior officials in the PWD, amid allegations that Mukeshs murder may have been orchestrated to silence him. Deputy CM Arun Sao has vowed a thorough investigation, but journalists and activists remain skeptical. They demand that the SIT scrutinize all officials and contractors involved in these projects. Mukeshs murder highlights the perilous intersection of corruption, violence, and journalism in Bastar. The case underscores the urgent need for transparency and accountability in developmental projects in conflict zones. Whether the investigations will lead to meaningful reform or become another footnote in Bastars troubled history remains to be seen. Journalist Tameshwar Sinha observes, Mukesh Chandrakaars courageous reporting has left an indelible mark on the fight against corruption in Chhattisgarh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, saying they have wasted 10 years of people of Delhi in fighting with the Centre and assured that no scheme of public interest would be stopped in the national capital if the BJP is voted to power after the assembly elections but those who have dishonest contracts in the scheme would be thrown out. No scheme of public interest will be stopped in Delhi, but those who have dishonest contracts in it will be thrown out, the prime minister assured the people of Delhi. Addressing a public meeting in Rohini, he said in the last 10 years, the schemes of the state government have been running only on paper. In the last 10 years, Delhi has witnessed a state govt that is no less than an AAP-da! (disaster), he added. Advertisement Delhi needs a model of urban development that sets an example for the rest of the world. This can only be achieved if the BJP is given the opportunity to govern both the state and the centre. Modi asserted. Advertisement Accusing the AAP government of corruption in various sectors, the prime minister said, Intentions, decisions, policies and loyalty These have great importance in politics. But the biggest question is on the intentions and loyalty of the AAP people. This (AAP) party was born on the issue of Jan Lokpal. Removing corruptionthis was his main issue. But today most of the leaders of this party have corruption cases worth crores, Modi said. Who did the liquor scam in Delhi-AAP-DA people, Who did the school scam in Delhi-AAP-DA people. Who looted the public money in the name of treatment of the poor in Delhi AAP-DA people. Who spent crores of rupees in the name of fighting pollution in Delhi AAP-DA people, the prime minister said. He further said, These people have made every season aap-da kaal for Delhi. The energy of the people of Delhi remains devoted to dealing with Aap-Da throughout the year. Earlier, the prime minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 12,200 crore in Delhi including inauguration of the Namo Bharat corridor between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar and the first stretch of Delhi Metro Phase-IV. Addressing a public meeting in Rohini, he urged people to vote for the BJP in the coming assembly election. Only if AAP-DA is removed from Delhi, the double engine of development and good governance will come, he said. Modi, without directly naming former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, hit out at the AAP chief for building a Sheesh Mahal for himself. He said they (AAP government) falsely allege that the Central government doesnt give them money and let them work. Their Sheeshmahal exposes their lie. A leading newspaper has revealed the expenditure on the Sheesh Mahal based on the CAGs report. When Delhi was grappling with COVID-19, its entire focus was on building its Sheesh Mahal. They allocated a huge budget for the Sheesh Mahal. The newspaper has exposed that they spent around three times the allocated budget, the Prime Minister said. PM Modi hit out at the AAP government for spreading lies about the future of the existing welfare schemes if the BJP came to power in Delhi. When BJP comes to power in Delhi, no public welfare scheme will be withdrawn. Additionally, the corrupt middlemen and beneficiaries will be uprooted, said PM Modi, likening the AAP government and its rule to a disaster AAPada. The PM accused the AAP government of having doubtful niyat (intention) and lacking nishtha (devotion) towards people and said the time has come to remove the corrupt and elect BJPs honest candidates. Look at the level of decay they have pushed Delhi into. All seasons in Delhi have become AAPada-kaal (disaster) for the people. In summer, there is a shortage of drinking water, during monsoon there is waterlogging and during winter people are left gasping for breath due to air pollution, he said. Accusing the AAPada government of destroying the citys transport system, Modi said the Centre is trying to improve e-mobility by giving 1,200 e-buses but they have destroyed the system due to poor maintenance. They also created hurdles in the distribution of 30,000 houses to the poor. We are regularising unauthorised colonies but they have failed to supply water and power to them, he said, adding that the Centres attempts to introduce Ayushman Bharat- Pradhanmantri Jan Arogya Yojana were also blocked by the AAP government. He said last year, the BJP government at the Centre allocated more than Rs 75,000 crore for the security, healthcare, and developmental initiatives in Delhi. Our aim is to transform Delhi into a capital that reflects Indias rich heritage while also serving as a hub for the international community in line with the global order, the prime minister said. INS Tushil, Indian Navys latest stealth frigate, visited Port of Dakar, Senegal on Friday as part of the ongoing operational deployment. This visit will further bolster the existing ties with Senegal and enhance interaction between the navies of the two countries. INS Tushil, commanded by Captain Peter Varghese, will engage in various military and social engagements during the port call. This will include interactions with senior Senegalese military and government officials and showcasing the cutting-edge indigenous weapons, sensors, and equipment fit onboard. Advertisement The ship will conduct interaction between subject matter experts from the two navies for mutually beneficial avenues and carry out training along with demonstrations. An invigorating session of Yoga is also planned for Senegalese enthusiasts. To showcase Indian culture, the ship will also organise social interaction onboard. On completion, the ship will participate in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) and joint patrol with the Senegalese Navy off the waters of the West African Coast. The exercise is aimed at furthering maritime cooperation between the two navies while enhancing regional security and promoting interoperability. Advertisement The visit is another strong sign of the importance India attaches to its relations with Senegal and its quest to further strengthen the growing defence cooperation and friendly ties between the two nations. It will also provide an opportunity for both navies to learn from each other and explore new avenues of cooperation, the Ministry of Defence said. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested a Popular Front of India (PFI) cadre, Mohammad Sajjad Alam, at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on his arrival from Dubai, the agency said on Sunday. An NIA team arrested Alam, a native of East Champaran district in Bihar, soon after he arrived at the Delhi airport on Saturday. The NIA Special Court in Patna had issued an arrest warrant against him in connection with the central agencys ongoing probe into the Phulwarisharif case in Patna. Alam, a trained cadre of the banned outfit PFI, also faced a Look Out Circular. Advertisement According to the NIA, Alam was involved in channelising illegal funds from Dubai to PFI cadres in Bihar through a syndicate operating in the UAE, Karnataka, and Kerala. The funds were used to promote the banned outfits criminal and unlawful activities. Advertisement The case in which he was apprehended was initially registered by the Phulwarisharif police in July 2022 and related to PFI cadres alleged involvement in unlawful and anti-national activities. According to the agency, the PFI cadres had conspired to create an atmosphere of terror and spread religious animosity among members of different religions and groups through activities prejudicial to the maintenance of peace and harmony in the country. The agency stated that their activities involved using criminal force to disturb public tranquility. The NIA, which took over the investigation days after the registration of the original case, has arrested and chargesheeted 17 accused so far. Further investigation is underway. Announcing $1 million prize for deciphering the Indus script, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin lamented on Sunday that even a century after the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation, which has similarities with Tamil culture, the script is yet to be deciphered for everyone to understand. Scholars and leaders of the Dravidian movement have long held that the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) is indeed a Tamil civilisation. Eminent historian and Tamilologist Asko Parpola and epigraphist Iravadam Mahadevan have said it was Tamil culture. And Stalin continues to uphold it to counter the recent right wing saffron attempts to present IVC as vedic and rechristen it as Sindu- Saraswati Civilisation. Advertisement It remains a mystery even after 100 years. Indus Valley Civilisation flourished once but we are unable to decipher the script. Besides archaeologists, Tamil software professionals across the globe continue to make efforts to decipher it. In order to encourage such efforts, the Tamil Nadu government will offer one million dollars to experts and organisations engaged in this task, Stalin said, inaugurating the centenary celebration of the discovery of Indus Valley Civilisation by Sir John Marshal in Chennai. Advertisement A majority of symbols and seals of IVC have similarities with those unearthed in the excavations at Keeladi and Adichanallur, he said. While the similarities was about 60 per cent, it was 90 per cent for the writings found on the mud pots in both IVC and in ancient Tamil Nadu, it was pointed out. Drawing a connection with the bulls found in the Indus Valley seals and the traditional bull taming events (Jallikattu) in Alanganallur and across Tamil Nadu, he said both are part of a cultural continuum. Bulls have spread from IVC to Alanganallur and wile Sangam literature eulogises Eru Thazuvuthal (bull taming), in some IVC seals youth, attempting tane, are lifted by bulls, he noted When it was widely considered and imagined that Aryan and Sanskrit were the origin of India, Sir John Marshalls oath breaking discovery has demystified it. It was a turning point in history which brought a paradigm shift in understanding our past. Not only that, his argument pointing out that the symbols in the seals used for commercial purposes in the Indus Valley Civilisation had possessed 60 per cent similarities with the symbols found during archaeological excavation in Tamil Nadu, Mr Stalin said, adding, Archaeologists had established symbols in the pots of the Indus Valley Civilisation and the symbols found in the mud pots of Tamil Nadu had 90 per cent similarities. IVC and the language they have spoken could be Dravidian has now got strengthened with new studies, the chief minister said. On the occasion, Stalin also announced a 2 crore grant for instituting a chair in honour of Iravatham Mahadevan for research on IVC to be carried out jointly by the TN Archaeology Department and the Indus Research Centre of the Chennai-based Roja Muthiah Library. A 35-year-old youth was trampled to death by a wild elephant in the Mancheeri forest area near Nilambur in Keralas Malappuram district on Saturday night. The deceased, identified as Mani, was a resident of Poochappara near Karulai in Nilambur and belonged to the Cholanaikkan tribal community. The wild elephant attacked Mani in the forest area around 7 pm on Saturday when he, along with Karthik and Kuttiveeran, was walking towards Poochappara. While Mani could not escape, the other two managed to flee the scene. Mani sustained serious head injuries in the attack and was initially admitted to Cherupuzha Hospital. He was later shifted to the Malappuram district hospital, but his life could not be saved. Advertisement The tribal youths death in the wild elephant attack in the Mancheeri forest near Nilambur has intensified protests from local residents who demanded immediate action to address the growing man-wildlife conflict in the area. The repeated intrusion of wild animals into agricultural lands has caused significant crop damage and poses a grave threat to human lives. Manis death has sparked widespread anger, with residents demanding immediate government intervention to prevent further loss of life. Advertisement Protesters marched to the Nilambur forest office seeking protection from animal attacks and immediate action to prevent further loss of life. The protesters smashed the windows and doors of the Nilambur Forest Office. In the past few weeks, Kerala has witnessed several deaths from wild elephant attacks. On 29 December, a 22-year-old man named Amar Ilahi was killed in Mullaringadu in the Idukki district while herding his cattle back after grazing at a teak plantation near his house. On 16 December, Eldhose (45) was killed in a wild elephant attack at Kuttampuzha in Kothamangalam on the border of Ernakulam and Idukki districts. On 14 December, 21-year-old C Ann Mary, who was riding a pillion on a two-wheeler, was killed when a palm tree uprooted by an elephant fell on her in Kothamangalam. On 17 December, Chandran (62), a resident of Thrissur, succumbed to his injuries following an elephant attack at an estate near Valparai on the Tamil Nadu border. He had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Coimbatore after being attacked by a wild elephant on 10 November. US President-elect Donald Trump is in an unusual position trying to please both billionaire tech guys who fund his campaigns and his hard-core base. Immigration and the H1B visa have become contentious among Trumps core supporters and moderates. Trump has backed Elon Musk and Silicon Valley wealthy patrons who build their empires with hardworking H1B visa holders (Musk had an H1B visa himself). While tech leaders want a liberal H1B visa regime, America First hardliners wish for stricter restrictions on immigration at all levels. In his first term, Trump prioritised the interests of American citizens, which had significant implications on the H1B visas. Days before he takes office, debates have arisen over H-1B visas. Trump, who in his first term opposed the visa programme, now supports it. There are divisions within Trumps team. The looming question is, will the second Trump term prioritise American workers, or will it revert to the traditional Republican stance that immigration is primarily designed to benefit employers? America First advocates argue that H-1B visas take jobs from American workers. Influential supporters like Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy claim they are crucial for addressing the engineer shortage in the US. Advertisement Musk, a naturalised citizen from South Africa, has strongly backed the programme and expressed his readiness to go to war over it. Musk and Ramaswamy point to a significant skills gap in the US labour market, particularly in STEM fields. They argue there is a genuine shortage of highly skilled workers in some specialised regions, such as software development, engineering and scientific research. The president-elect has weighed in, saying he supports the programme despite being critical of it in the past. The New York Post quoted Trump, Ive always liked the visas, I have always been in favour of the visas. Thats why we have them. He added: I have many H-1B visas on my properties. Ive been a believer in H-1B visas. Advertisement I have used it many times. Its a great programme. What is an H1B visa, and why is there so much controversy? Will India suffer if there are fewer H1B visas? President George H W Bush introduced the visa system for skilled workers from other countries to work legally in 1990. Usually, it was for three years, but it could be extended. People can only apply for an H-1B visa if they have a job lined up with a US-based sponsor company or institution. Since 2004, the annual cap on new H-1B visas is 85,000, including 20,000 for international students with advanced degrees from US universities. Just over 386,000 H-1B applications were approved in the 2023 fiscal year (October 2022-September 2023). The number of eligible registrations were 758,994 in 2024, compared with 474,421 in 2023. Most approved applicants work in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The issue is more than just an economic concern. New developments in artificial intelligence and the latest computing technology make the programme vital for US defence and national security. The controversy began last week when far-right activists criticised Trumps selection of Indian-American venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence. Opponents feared that Krishnan might influence immigration policies within the Trump administration. Opponents feared that the H-1B programme was misused by companies to undercut the US job market. The visa cap has also affected the H1B visa seekers. India receives around 72 per cent of H1B visas, followed by 12 per cent for Chinese citizens. The removal of country-specific caps could create more job opportunities for Indians in the US, which is a significant concern for many aspirants. Major employers in the tech industry, including Indian companies like Infosys, TCS, HCL, and Wipro, account for 35 per cent of the top 10 H1B visa beneficiaries. Beginning with FY 2025, the USCIS changed from an employer-based to a beneficiary-centric registration system. This change followed the agencys serious concerns after the FY 2024 registration period. The agency expects to structurally limit the potential for bad actors with a new system. Amazon, the largest H1B sponsor, faced a steep decline from over 11,000 approvals in 2023 to just above 9,000 in 2024. Indian IT firms, including Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), also recorded substantial reductions. Major U.S. companies, including tech giants like Amazon and Google, are significantly scaling back their sponsorship of H1B visas. Research shows that these H1B visa holders often complement rather than compete with US workers, creating new job opportunities and expanding economic activity. According to the American Enterprise Institute and the Partnership for a New American Economy, increasing the H1B visa cap could create 1.3 million new jobs and add approximately $158 billion to the US GDP by 2045. Trumps recent statements on H1B visas have sparked hope among many visa seekers, particularly Indians. Trumps belief in the need for competent and intelligent people in the country and his promise of unprecedented job opportunities offer a hopeful outlook for those seeking H1B visas. Lea Ypi, professor of political theory at the London School of Economics, believes a new European militarism has not only empowered the radical right but also undermined the very ideals that made the European Union such an attractive proposition. Commonly described as far-right, the disparate group is on the ascendancy in Europe. It has achieved an impressive victory in the European elections. Their performance in national elections is equally impressive. In France, far-right leader Marine Le Pens National Rally is able to muster over 30 per cent of the vote, surging ahead of President Emmanuel Macrons Renaissance party. In Germany, many believe, the right-wing CDU is all set to win power in the next elections. Italy, Finland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and the Czech Republic have hard-right parties in government. Cas Mudde, author of The Far Right Today, says that not only is the radical right bigger and more mainstream, but their issues are now not even recognized as radical right positions anymore. That the European Commission should have Commissioners to protect the European way of life well illustrates the point. Advertisement The farright has also capitalised on the proletarianization of the electorates across Europe. Lea Ypi argues that the European Union doesnt truly represent the people as it merely rubber-stamps decisions made by the European Commission. It is this representative gap that is filled by the radical right, turning the problem into simple binaries ~ either you or them, the state or Europe, the white worker or the migrant. The far-rights agenda may be narrowly ethnocentric, Lea Ypi contends, but it is the only one on offer that speaks directly to peoples disillusionment. Things have come to such a pass, she says, that no appeal to European values will stop the river in which were all about to drown. Advertisement Emboldened by its impressive performance in a significant number of countries, the far-right is now seeking transnational legitimacy by attempting to create a right-wing nationalist International. It is mobilising global support by this intensified cross-border networking with similar political formations. However, the trans-nationalisation of the radical right is not a new phenomenon. The conservative groups were united in a global struggle against their liberal and socialist enemies throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. During that period nationalism fostered a sense of identity and unity among people who shared a common language, culture, or history. The radical right is not only asserting its strength, but it is also seeking greater visibility internationally. The far-right combines not only the conservatives of Europe and America but also conservative intellectuals and think tankers ~ nationalists, neocon, political catholic and those who left the left. The Political Network for Values (PNfU) is the most important organising nexus for transAtlantic gatherings of leaders and activists. It has held several jamborees in New York, Budapest, Bogota, Brussels and Madrid. The Conservative Political Action Conference, hosted by the American Conservative Union, is Americas oldest conservative grassroots organisation seeking to preserve and protect the values of life, liberty, and property for every American. The Spanish far-right party Vox hosted the global far right parties and groups ahead of the 2024 EU elections. The gathering in Madrid covered a broad spectrum of issues like freedom in the face of cancel culture, the criminal left, the conservative alternative to illegal immigration, etc. Vox also organised a mass rally which was addressed by leaders like Frances Marine Le Pen, Portugals Andre Ventura, Argentine president Javier Milei and Israeli Likud minister Amichai Chikli. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban joined the rally through video conference. Vox has also forged ties with similar groups in Latin America. Argentine president Javier Milei, a libertarian, hosted the Conservative Political Action Conference in December 2024 where he laid out a vision for a co-ordinated international rightwing alliance. As Milei proclaimed, the only way to fight socialism is from the Right. He urged the conservatives around the globe to form a rightwing international network. The rise of the American New Right is no less significant. It has three broad constituents. The first group is known as West Coast Straussians, mostly intellectuals from the Claremont Institute in California, the nerve centre of the far-right. The second group consists of the post-liberals. This Catholicinfluenced movement believes that liberalisms focus on individual autonomy has undermined communities so necessary for societal well-being. The third group is led by Yoram Hazony, an Israeli-American philosopher and Bible scholar who is the main protagonist of the American New Right. This group has been actively working to establish a sort of nationalist international and it gathers nationalist politicians in the US and Europe at regular intervals. The loose coalition of conservative thinkers have emerged under the banner of the New Right, providing the intellectual heft behind the MAGA movement. In 2018 Steve Bannon, formed The Movement, headquartered in Brussels, to forge a European right-wing international. The idea was to export President Donald Trumps brand of populism to Europe. But he shut his shop later. Efforts have also been made to unite far-right parties like AfD in Germany, Lega Nord in Italy, National Rally of France and the United Kingdom Independent Party but with little success. The European hard-right parties are far from united. There are inner contradictions, ego clashes and conflicting agendas. Orban wants to conquer Brussels to save Europe from decay. His critics believe he is less and less interested in a united Europe. American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapps empty boast we are not going to let George Soros or Biden divide us notwithstanding, Melonis pro NATO conservatives and Le Pens pro-Russia party remain far apart. How long the Catholic traditionalists, libertarians and Cold Warriors will stick to their marriage of convenience is anyones guess. The war in Ukraine poses a threat to the post-Berlin Wall order in Europe. But it is ridiculous to talk about the end of Europe. Social democracy and a liberal social welfare state, its commitment of economic solidarity and its role in addressing climate change, place the old continent on a higher pedestal. Europe may have begun to lose its cutting edge in technology. But it hasnt yet lost its democratic plot. It is the US which has lost its plot. The Trumpocalypse will have its own repercussions. Europe too will need to fortify itself against the barbarians at the gate (The writer is director, Institute of Social Sciences,Delhi) The butterfly effect is a beautiful, mysterious metaphor of the planets interconnectedness. American mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz explained it evocatively: A butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can cause a tornado in Texas. As the new year dawns, the question is: What if it is not a butterfly, but a behemoth flapping his wings? When the almighty Donald Trump becomes president again of the sole superpower, we could see butterfly effects on steroids. In mathematics, the butterfly effect is part of the chaos theory, or chaology: consequences are not random, they are influenced by distant actions. Chaotic behaviour exists in natural phenomena like climate or heartbeat irregularities and in human-engineered systems like traffic. Many see Trump as a champion-in-chief of chaos. Experts expect Trumps wrathful focus will be China. Books predict Trump today will lead to nuclear war in 2034a terrifying butterfly effect. China values its own exceptionalism as much as the US does. But Chinas exceptionalism is also fuelled by centuries-old grievance at west-inflicted injury, humiliation, for toppling it from its rightful place in world glory. Imaging: Deni Lal The US can miscalculate Chinas unyielding determination to resist American coercion. Resoluteness underpinned by rancour becomes immune to loss. But China also miscalculates. It is convinced the US is a declining power. Maybe, but not just yet. The US democracy is failing, its infrastructure crumbling, its politics toxic, its polarisation chasmic, its underclass sick and broke. But its economy and military might are robust. A provocationseemingly as light as flapping wingscould unleash vengeful fury in the Pacific. Iran worries about a Trump-backed Israel. Nuclear blowout is at the extreme end of the war spectrum. Belligerence leads to manifestations of varied confrontations. The recycled architect of the recycled America First slogan was scorned as an isolationist. It is unsettling that even before he begins his second term, Trump rattles his sabre in true imperialist stylethreatening to seize Panama Canal, grab the strategically located Greenland in the Arctic from Denmark, make Canada the 51st state of the US. The expanding axis of the aggrieved bristles at being treated like timid little imminent colonies of the worlds new conquistador. The butterfly effect may also be seen in the Russia-Ukraine war. A Trump brokered armistice is widely expected. But German elections in February could well be the flapping wings that alter the course of this war. The poll could be a referendum on continued support for Ukraine, with naysayers gaining the upper hand. For millennia, Indians have believed in the butterfly effect, not as in mathematics but as in fate. Beneath randomness lie patterns, fractals, feedback loops and interconnectedness, linking cause and effect. Cloud cover saved Kuroko, the original target; clear skies doomed Nagasaki. Byzantiums fall in 1453 ricocheted globally for centuries. First it disrupted trade of Asian luxury goods into Europe. So, Christopher Columbus sailed to discover new routes to India, only to find riches in America, which then encouraged European nations to launch an era of global imperialism, colonisation and exploitation. However, butterfly effects can also be falsely attributed. Archduke Franz Ferdinand takes Sophie, his bored princess-wife, for a car-ride in Sarajevo, they are assassinated, World War follows. Butterfly effect? Wrong. The assassination was a pretext. European powers were already powder dry and battle ready. Such excuses are evil engineering, not butterfly effects. Opposite of chaos is the stable theory, where big actions lead to minor outcomes. Such stability is valid in maths and physics, but a vain hope in todays geopolitics. Pratap is an author and journalist. On my 12th birthday, my parents decided I was old enough for pocket money. Two crisp five-rupee notes were deemed sufficient for a months expensesand they were. I clearly remember treating my friends to colas and burgers in the school canteen with just one of them, eliciting admiring cries of whoa, big spender! from all present. Perhaps, because we had no television, mobile phones, or video games back then, I spent a lot of time smoothening down and gloating over my pista green and pale-orange fivers. I dug the denseness of their texture. I found the curly whorliness of five rupees written in all the Indian languages mysterious and romantic; the picture of a man tilling a tractor against a rising sun reminded me of my grandfathers village in Haryana; the solemnity of I promise to pay the bearer the sum of five rupees written in English and Hindi gave me actual goosebumps, and I loved the fact that making all this sound tremendously official and trustworthy was a neatly scrawled signature in dark inkManmohan Singh. Everybody describes Singh as mild-mannered, self-effacing and meek, but how does one chart a journey from the small towns of Punjab, where he was educated in Urdu and Gurmukhi, to Cambridge and Oxford, the Delhi School of Economics and the University Grants Commission, serving as governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and ultimately ending his career as prime minister of India, without either strength or determination? The answer is that you cant. Singhs strength and his determination lay in his intellect. But, in an era where we applaud diamonds-in-the-rough, disdain Nobel laureates and Cannes winners, and worship street-smarts, the merits of actual smarts naturally pass us by. Imaging: Deni Lal I am not romanticising Singh. The man who appointed him to his first political post as finance ministerprime minister P.V. Narasimha Raodeserves equal credit for picking the right man for the right job, and giving him free rein. Rao displayed a chill and a lack of insecurity that is rare to find nowadays, or indeed at any time. And some would say, he paid the price for it. I guess what I am really mourning, while reflecting on Singh, is the passing of a time when our leaders genuinely respected and empowered our intellectuals to take on a larger role in public policyfrom aerospace scientists like A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, to brilliant strategists like Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, to uncompromising bureaucrats like T.N. Seshan. To make the point more stark, Singh and Raghuram Rajan were both governors of the RBI, but the contrast in the manner they were treated by the regime in power could not be greater! I am not saying that there is something inherently superior about people who are more qualified than you, but, similarly, there is nothing inherently superior about being unqualified and ill-informed. Why not take counsel from somebody who has devoted decades to become an expert in a particular field, instead of (to cite an infamous case) appoint a B-grade TV actor to head Indias premier film and television institute? Strangely enough, those who disdain actual intellectuals (like Romila Thapar, say) and claim to revere underdogs with real-life learning are the first to speak up against caste-based reservations that benefit the genuinely deprived! Union Home Minister Amit Shah calling Dr B.R. Ambedkara scholar alumnus of Columbia University and the London School of Economics, founding father of our Constitution, and lifelong champion of dalit rightsa fashion is a classic example of this sort of cultivated contempt. Intellect is not fashion. It is a rock-solid merit. One that our nation urgently needs to value. editor@theweek.in If our leaders don't obey federal laws, why should we? | Vince Bzdek It has been five years since we discovered what Covid-19 was, and five years since it disrupted the world forever. The World Health Organization activated their emergency systems on January 1, 2020, and informed the world by January 4, 2020. By the end of that week, they had set guidelines for various countries to follow. Comparable to the Spanish flu of 1918, more than 7 million people have died of Covid according to official data. Unofficially, no one has an idea. WHO has just this week asked China to provide critical data to understand the viruss origins as a moral and scientific imperative. Covid-19 is thankfully now a banal flu. Thanks to vaccinations and timely preventive measures, it is now just another one of our quotidian stresses. It barely signals a hospital visit, leave alone death. But Covid-19 has changed us forever. It has changed how we live, how we interact with each other, how we work (most offices are still practically work-from-home), and most certainly how we buy. Health has become a priority for most of the world, with healthier food (even in the junk-food-crazy US), and more focus on exercise (just look at the fitness trainers on Instagram) and ethical fashion. From the luxury fashion site Net-a-porter | Instagram@netaporter Despite the initial run to purchase clothes online, during lockdowns of course, ecommerce the world over is on the wane. In July 2024, online shopping was down 5 per cent as compared to the same month in 2023. By August 2024, it was down 13.5% as compared to 12 months prior. McKinsey-BOFs State of Fashion report 2024 states that most online marketplaces have seen disruption and a plummet in share prices in 2024. Consumers are returning to in-store shopping at pre-pandemic levels across much of the world, but retailers need to remind shoppers what they love about the in-store experience. That starts with well-trained staff who are empowered to assist and inspire customers, the report states. I have barely ever bought clothes online. In fact, I can count all the instances of my online clothes shopping on one hand. Other than a pack of T-shirts or socks for my son, I have loathed the very few items I have bought myself online. Even if it is Zara or H&M, where sizes are quite standardised, I prefer to try, fall in love, and then buy. Now, before you call me a Boomer, let me tell you about a friends 15-year-old daughter who stopped buying from Shein (when it was available in India) or any of the rubbish fast-fashion websites because she just prefers to buy better quality clothing. Ecommerce sites sell deceptively low-grade clothing thanks to good photography and skinny models. In India, we are quite spoilt. For example, we can still meet most fashion designers in their boutiques and enjoy the luxury of that. In the US, where would you meet Ralph Lauren or Donna Karan without being stopped by their posse of guards? More importantly, we can also buy directly from artisans who make the clothes. There are countless craft exhibitions across the country, from Paramparik Karigar to Go Swadeshi, that allow us to. Weavers are also savvy in sharing their phone numbers and making WhatsApp sales at your convenience. The joy of buying something directly from the hands that have made it is unparalleled. This, truth be told, is real luxury. Our most celebrated designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, has just launched his website 25 years after being in the business. And yet, he has no ecommerce. Online shopping is convenient and easy, but Ill save it for my supplies. Fashion requires effort, emotion and ethics. X@namratazakaria Abraham Lincoln is lauded as among the very best presidents the US ever had: the statesman par excellence successfully steered the nation through the devastating and perilous years of the American civil war. Not only did Lincoln manage to keep his country united, he also ensured the passage of the 13th amendment to the US constitution, which abolished slavery. All through these arduous years, Lincoln had by his side in his cabinet three men who had been political adversaries, and had contested against him for the 1860 Republican presidential nomination. Even beyond that, at a time of great national division and acrimony, Lincoln included three Democrats in his cabinet. Most of these men were more educated, and had enjoyed far more political prestige, than Lincoln himself. Yet, he did not hesitate to give them political importance that a lesser man might have feared would diminish him. Lincoln built around himself what the American historian Doris Kearns Goodwin calls A Team of Rivals. He knew that at such a time of great national calamity, he needed all the best hands on deck. So, keeping personal and political egos and rivalries aside, he entrusted his former rivals with governing the US alongside him at its darkest hour. The rest, as they say, is history. Not only did Lincoln manage to keep the union intact and abolish slavery, he also roseby dint, as Goodwin writes, of a profound self-confidenceto a most unexpected greatness, giving the world in the process a masterclass in exemplary leadership. When I first became chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs, I said that there is no such thing as a Congress foreign policy or a BJP foreign policy; there is only Indian foreign policy, and Indian national interests. That sentiment did not prevent the BJP from removing me after one term as chairman. But, five years later, as I serve again as chair, I cannot help but reflect on the bipartisanship and inter-party consensus that is characteristic of Indian foreign policy. Throughout the history of the committeeuntil I was replaced for five years by a BJP MPthe committee on external affairs was headed by an opposition MP, if only to demonstrate that our political differences stopped at our borders. This bipartisanship was again revealed in a famous episode of Indian diplomatic history in 1994, when prime minister Narasimha Rao picked opposition Leader (and then chairman of the external affairs committee) Atal Bihari Vajpayee to lead the Indian delegation to present Indias case on Kashmir and counter Pakistans falsehoods, at a United Nations session in Geneva. The Congresss minister of state for external Affairs, Salman Khurshid, was named as Vajpayees deputy! Later, as prime minister, in one of his historic parliamentary speeches, Atal ji amusingly recalled just how bewildered the Pakistani governing class was at seeing an opposition leader representing his nations interests at such a prestigious forum, and at such a crucial moment; because in Pakistan, he quipped, they were probably more used to opposition leaders creating trouble for their nation rather than helping their government! But such, Atal ji concluded, is our vichitra loktantra (strange democracy)as clamorous and chaotic as it is miraculous and mesmerising. Sadly, this episode has not been repeated in the last three decades, as our politics has turned ever more rancorous and bitter. There is very little mutual respect and friendship on display between the ruling party and the opposition. The core assumption of democratic politics is supposed to be that both sides understand that the other is as committed to the national interest as itself, even if they disagree on how best to ensure the nations well-being. In that sense the two sides are not enemies but adversaries. Sadly, there has been no indication on the governments part in the last decade that it appreciates the legitimacy of the other side, whose statements and actions it frequently dubs as anti-national. Delegitimising opposition is to diminish our democracy. With a far stronger opposition in Parliament, one hopes that attitude will change, to strengthen the very vichitra loktantra that Vajpayee spoke about. Only if MPs of all parties serve together and cooperate and collaborate constructively and creatively will Indiaand not just the governmentsucceed. editor@theweek.in Many may allege that budget stay aggregator OYO has effectively backtracked on respecting the privacy of adult consensual relationships with its latest check-in policy for partner hotels. According to the new rules, first introduced in Meerut, all couples would be asked to present a valid proof of relationship at the time of check-in. OYO has cited its alignment with local social sensibility as the reason for the latest changes, which empowers hotels to decline couple bookings based on their discretion. The changes came into effect in Meerut, and reports suggest that OYO might expand it to other cities. OYO has received feedback in the past from civil society groups, especially in Meerut, urging action to address this issue, PTI said, quoting people familiar with the policy change. Residents from few other cities have [also] petitioned for not allowing unmarried couples to check-in at OYO hotels, they added. OYO is committed to upholding safe and responsible hospitality practices, weighed in OYO North India region head, Pawas Sharma. While we respect individual freedoms and personal liberty, we also recognise our responsibility to listen to and work with the law enforcement and civil society groups in the micro markets we operate in, said Sharma. This could potentially create problems for live-in couples, some of whom may even allege infringement of their rights with the advent of these new rules. For context, the Supreme Court has observed live-in relationships to be valid as back as 1978 (Badri Prasad vs. Dy. Director of Consolidation case) and provided Article 21 protection for live-in couples in 2010 (S. Khushboo vs. Kanniammal & Another). In the 2018 Lalita Toppo vs. State of Jharkhand & Another case, a woman in a live-in relationship for a significant period was entitled to claim maintenance under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 as well. In most of these cases, there was no documented evidence per se of marriage, yet the court deemed them as consensual couples. How OYO partner hotels will ensure proof of marriage under these circumstances is yet to be known. In a country where marriages occur under various laws that change with religion and so on, the question arises of whether married couples need to carry proof as a document during their travels just to secure a hotel stay. According to OYO, the latest initiative is in line with it transforming it outdated perception and projecting the brand as one that provides safe experience for families, students, business, religious and solo travellers. Producer Dinesh Vijan of Maddock Films has confirmed that actor Akshay Kumar will return to the company's horror-comedy universe through Stree 3, which will see Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor reprising their roles from the last two films. Akshay appeared in Stree 2 in a surprise cameo as an inmate at a mental asylum who is visited by the principal characters to figure out a solution to a major problem. When the actor was asked if he is returning to Stree 3, he first teased his return by suggesting that the decision is up to producers Dinesh Vijan and Jyoti Deshpande and that he would love it if Amar Kaushik returned to direct. Dinesh Vijan then confirmed that the actor, whose presence he likened to Thanos of the Avengers movie saga, hinted that he will be back in a much bigger part in Stree 3. Recently, Maddock Films announced their upcoming slate of 8 theatrical films that would introduce new characters and have crossovers from multiple characters in each of these films. Stree 3 will hit theatres on August 13, 2027. Dinesh Vijan was speaking at an event to launch the trailer of Maddock Films' Sky Force, starring Akshay Kumar and debutant Veer Pahariya. Sky Force is a big-scale enactment of the Indo-Pak air war of 1965 that revolves around India's historic airstrike on Pakistan's Sargodha airbase. It has Akshay and Veer essaying Air Force officers, in addition to Sara Ali Khan, Nimrat Kaur, and Sharad Kelkar in key roles. A recent study has shed light on the critical link between sleep and mental health, revealing that poor sleep can impair brain regions responsible for suppressing unwanted, intrusive memories. These memories can be a hallmark of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers at the University of East Anglia, UK, led by Dr Marcus Harrington, conducted a study involving 85 healthy adults. Participants underwent functional MRI brain scans while attempting to suppress unwanted memories, with half the group well-rested and the other half sleep-deprived. The results showed that sleep-deprived individuals struggled to engage brain regions that normally suppress memory retrieval. In contrast, well-rested participants exhibited heightened activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a region responsible for controlling thoughts, actions, and emotions. This heightened activity was accompanied by reduced activity in the hippocampus, a region involved in memory retrieval. Notably, the study found that REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the stage when dreams occur, played a crucial role in restoring brain function related to memory control. Participants who spent more time in REM sleep were better at engaging the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during memory suppression. The findings have significant implications for our understanding of the relationship between sleep and mental health. "Memories of unpleasant experiences can intrude into conscious awareness, often in response to reminders," Dr Harrington explained. "Given that memories play a central role in our affective perception of the external world, memory control failures may go a long way towards explaining the relationship between sleep loss and emotional dysregulation," he added. The study's results could also inform the development of treatments and prevention strategies for mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. By highlighting the critical role of sleep in maintaining control over memories and ongoing thoughts, this research underscores the importance of prioritizing sleep for optimal mental health. A helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard crashed in Porbandar, Gujarat on Sunday, killing all three crew members onboard. The crash comes four months after another helicopter of the force crashed in the Arabian Sea. VIDEO | A Coast Guard chopper crashed at Porbandar Airport killing three. More details are awaited. (Source: Third party) (Full video available on PTI Videos- https://t.co/dv5TRAShcC) pic.twitter.com/v7e4G7W1Yk Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 5, 2025 According to officials, the crash occurred while the helicopter was trying to land at an airport on the outskirts of Porbandar. Porbandar Superintendent of Police Bhagirathsinh Jadeja said, The incident took place at 12.10pm, when the Coast Guard's Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), which was returning from a routine sortie, crashed while trying to land on the runway of the Coast Guard airport. The SP said the helicopter crashed near the runway while trying to land and the aircraft caught fire. Fire tenders rushed to the crash site and doused the fire. According to police, all three crew members onboard succumbed to the burn injuries. The three crew members onboard were brought out of the chopper and rushed to a hospital in Porbandar in a severely burnt condition. While two of them were declared brought dead, one was alive when brought to the hospital and died later," police said. The identities of the crew members are yet to be ascertained. The Coast Guard has launched an inquiry into the incident. The incident comes four months after the forces ALH MK-III helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar on September 2 last year. All three members onboard died in the accident. While the bodies of two members were recovered within days after the accident, the body of the third crew member was recovered after a month-long search. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal spent Rs 33 crore for renovating the official residence at 6, Flag Staff Road, when he was the chief minister of Delhi, according to a report filed by Comptroller and Auditor General Girish Chandra Murmu. The report was signed off by Murmu just a week before he demitted office on November 20, 2024. Though the preliminary estimate to renovate the residence was Rs 7.91 crore, it was awarded for Rs 8.62 crore in 2020. However, once the work was completed by the Public Works Department (PWD) in 2022, the total cost was Rs 33.66 crore, The Indian Express quoted the CAG report. Kejriwal vacated the premises in October 2024 after stepping down as Delhi Chief Minister on September 17. In 2013: 18 demands put forward by Kejriwal's AAP Stop VIP culture in Delhi, no red beacons, no BIG bungalows for govt officials In 2024, Kejriwal's official bungalow has a 'SPA' bigger than the homes of many Delhi people "Kattar Imaandaar" pic.twitter.com/P0VByfq3IV Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) December 10, 2024 While Rs 96 lakh was spent on main and sheer curtains, kitchen equipment worth Rs 39 lakh was set up in the residence. The TV console cost Rs 20.34 lakh and the treadmill and gym equipment were installed for Rs 18.52 lakh. The silk carpets cost Rs 16.27 lakh and the minibar was set up for Rs 4.80 lakh. While the initial estimate for marble stone for walls was Rs 20 lakh, the final cost came up to a whopping Rs 66.89 lakh. An amount of Rs 5.5 lakh was spent for floor tiles, but it went on to cost Rs 14 lakh, almost thrice the initial estimate. The L-shaped sofa used in the residence costs Rs Rs 6.40 lakh while the upholstered bed costs Rs 3.99 lakh. The residence also had a Burma Teak and veneer-make ornamental mirror which cost 2.39 lakh. The CAG report has also highlighted "irregularities" by PWD related to what it called the "remodelling" of existing accommodation on the ground floor and the construction of an "additional storey." The report also brings up "doubtful selection of consultants, frequent revision of estimates and going beyond approvals to include items of higher specifications." It also casts doubts on the tendering process which it cites was invited in October 2020 from five contractors, of which only three submitted their bids. The work was awarded to the lowest bidder from among a deficient list of probables drawn up by PWD, the report said. The PWD had listed "items of superior specification, artistic, antique and ornamental items," as "extra items." On the report, AAP spokesperson told the Indian Express that it was a "diversionary tactic by the BJP, days before the elections when they have lost the narrative". "It sounds odd to hear about the official CM residence, which was built by the PWD, from a party whose leader lives in a Rs 2,700 crore house, travels in an Rs 8,400 crore aircraft, wears Rs 10 lakh suits," the spokesperson said. The BJP too had been using the controversy to criticise AAP, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking a sly dig at Kejriwal, stating he could have built a "Sheesh Mahal" for himself but chose to give people, especially the homeless. Sheesh Mahal is the term BJP uses to describe Kejriwals official residence and the alleged corruption involved in its renovation. Two Army personnel, who murdered a woman and her twin daughters in Kerala's Kollam district, were arrested from Puducherry, 19 years after the gruesome crime. The duo, who deserted the Armed forces after committing the crime in 2006, had been living under a new identity with their new families when police finally zeroed in on them. Divil Kumar B (42) of Anchal in Kerala's Kollam district, and Rajesh P (48) of Kannur district, were arrested from Puducherry, where they had been living under false identities. They were brought to Kochi on Saturday. Police said the deceased was Ranjini, an unwed mother of twin girls. She was in a relationship with Divil, who was her neighbour. She fell pregnant with the children but Divil, who was posted in the Pathankot Regiment, denied the paternity of their children. Ranjini approached the Kerala State Womens Commission. The panel ordered a DNA test on Divil to determine the parentage of the twins and sent him a notice. It was following this that Divil decided to commit the murders. He sought the help of his friend Rajesh, who too served at Pathankot, for the murders. Both took leave from the Army together and arrived in Kollam, near Ranjini's due date. Divil sent Rajesh to the hospital where Ranjini delivered the babies. Rajesh befriended Ranjini and her mother under the false identity of Anil Kumar. He offered them financial help and even dropped Ranjini at her home, in a bid to familiarise the house and premises. On February 10, 2006, Rajesh reached the woman's home. He dropped Ranjini's mother to the nearby panchayat office before returning to Ranjini's home. He first slit her throat and then killed both the infnats. While Divil cancelled his leave and rejoined the Army a few days later, Rajesh never arrived back at Pathankot. The Kollam Police found out their links to the murder and alerted the Pathankot regiment officials. However, Divil gave authorities a slip and went absconding. Both had been living under the radar since then. However, the investigation continued until the police got a tip-off from an anonymous person that Divil was living in Puducherry with his new wife and children and was running an interior design firm. Both had married and had children. AI help to reconstruct images On receiving the tip-off, the police decided to check the images of the duo using artificial intelligence. They collected the images of Divil, who was living under the guise of Vishnu, from his wife's Facebook page. A sample of 20 images was reconstructed from his old pictures, which matched with the ones from social media. The police arrived at Puducherry and questioned him. Though he initially denied his identity, he later confessed to the crime. The police also found Rajesh, who had been living near him. Less than a month after a Bengluru techie died by suicide over wife's harassment, a Gujarat man has killed himself at his home alleging harassment by his estranged wife. Gujart police on Saturday said the man, Suresh Sathadiya, 39, was found hanging from the ceiling of his residence in Botad district's Zamrala village. The suicide was reported on December 30. READ MORE: Atul Subhash suicide: Deeper problems of law and its implementation In a video recorded on his phone, Sathadiya was seen asking his family members to "teach his wife a lesson for causing his death". Following this, Sathadiya's father lodged a complaint based on which an FIR was registered against his son's wife. Sathadiya's father accused his daughter-in-law, Jayaben, of mentally harassing his son. He alleged that the woman often quarrelled with Sathadiya and left their home to be with her parents. He added that his son went to his in-laws' house to change his wife's mind. However, when she refused, Sathadiya returned home and hanged himself after recording a video. This is heartbreaking, truly heartbreaking. I am sad and angry. Atul Subhash, an AI engineer, tragically took his own life after enduring constant harassment from the court and his ex-wife over alimony. #JusticeForAtulSubhash pic.twitter.com/dmRtTaPQUq pic.twitter.com/ClyiotyiFs Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) December 10, 2024 Police have registered a case against the woman under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita Section 108 (abetment of suicide). The investigation was underway. This comes less than a month after Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash's died by suicide over alleged harassment by his wife and her family, saying his death was the only way to protect his elderly parents from further exploitation. Following this, Subhash's wife Nikita Singhania, her mother Nisha Singhania and brother Anurag Singhania were arrested. They were granted bail by a session court on January 4. The Supreme Court is set to hear the case on January 7. Another man, Puneet Khurana, a Delhi-based cafe owner, accused his wife and in-laws of mental torture amid divorce and died by hanging himself on December 31. The 40-year-old alleged that despite meeting the conditions agreed upon at the court, his wife, Manika Pahwa, and her family demanded an additional Rs 10 lakh, which he could not afford. Pahwa also allegedly hacked his social media account to torture him emotionally. Germany has reacted to the "handshake controversy" wherein Syrian de-facto ruler Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, best known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, refused to shake hands with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her visit to Syria on Friday. Baerbock was accompanied by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. Video from the awkward encounter shows Barrot starting to extend his hand, but then stopping short of a handshake. Baerbock appeared to initially reach for the new Syrian leader but clasped her hands instead. While Barrot was given a customary handshake, al-Jolani refused to shake hands with Baerbock, instead opting to place his right hand on his heart. The incident triggered an online debate over global political greeting protocol, with some calling al-Jolani's gesture disdainful. De nieuwe gematigde leider van Syrie Abu Mohammad al-Julani wil de Duitse minister van Buitenlandse Zaken Annalena Baerbock geen hand geven omdat ze een vrouw is. Baerbock, leider van de linkse partij 'De Groenen', laat zien dat ze geen ruggengraat heeft. Als het om de Islam pic.twitter.com/pRzHVAnVlS Strijder124 (@Strijder124) January 3, 2025 However, Baerbock has broken the silence over the incident, stating that it was expected. "As I travelled here, it was clear to me that there would obviously be no ordinary handshakes," Baerbock told reporters. "But it was also clear that not only I but also the French foreign minister did not share this view. And accordingly, the French foreign minister did not extend his hands," she stressed. Mohammad al-Jolani is the head of the main Islamic rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. A former affiliate of al-Qaida, the group has been listed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the United Kingdom. The Syrian leader was a former jihadist, who claims to have shed the view, now opting to portray himself as a more moderate leader. Earlier, a video circulated online showing al-Jolani gesturing to a young woman to cover her hair before he posed for a photo with her last week. However, the Syrian leader dismissed the controversy, stating that he did not force her. "I did not force her. But it's my personal freedom. I want photos taken for me the way that suits me," al-Jolani told BBC News. The woman, Lea Kheirallah, too said that she was not bothered by the request and the rebel leader asked her a "gentle and fatherly way" and that she thought "the leader has the right to be presented in the way he sees fit". Baerbock and Barrot are the first European Union ministers to visit Syria since the ousting of Bashar Assad. During the meeting with al-Jolani, the ministers raised the issue of womens rights in the country. Baerbock said she received acknowledgement "from the new Syrian authorities that there will be broad participation particularly by women in the political transition." The Green Beret who shot himself and blew up a Cybertruck in Las Vegas on Wednesday displayed no concerning behavior prior to the bombing, according to Army public affairs. Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger was on personal leave from Fort Carson when he rented a Cybertruck in Colorado and drove to Las Vegas. There, the truck laden with fireworks and camping fuel exploded. Investigators say Livelsberger had no animosity toward President-elect Donald Trump, despite blowing the truck up outside one of his hotels. Police say he had post-traumatic stress disorder. In this particular case, Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger had access to and used the (Preservation of the Force and Family) program; he did not display any concerning behaviors at the time, and was granted personal leave, said Brig. Gen. Amanda Azubuike, the Armys chief of public affairs. We encourage our soldiers, if they need help, mental health treatment or need to speak with someone, to seek proactive behavioral health treatment either on base or online. The Preservation of the Force and Family program provides holistic care in physical, cognitive, medical, and support resources as appropriate to each individual, Azubuike said. All of Livelsberger's relevant records were provided to the FBI, she said. Livelsberger was a member of the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson. He enlisted in January 2006 as an 18X or special forces candidate, according to the Army. Sign Up for free: Military Brief Your weekly local update on local military news and events, sent straight to your inbox. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. In notes found by police in his phone after the bombing, Livelsberger wrote that his actions were a way for him to cleanse his mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took. Livelsberger earned the Bronze Star five times over his career in the Army, including one with a V device for valor under fire, according to the Associated Press. He had recently sought treatment for depression and experienced significant pain and exhaustion. Livelsberger claimed the bombing was not a terrorist attack. Instead, he wanted it to serve as a wake-up call, adding that Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. A psychiatrist familiar with Special Forces treatment said mental health services for those units include an embedded behavioral health team and funding for residential treatment outside of the military. The challenge is getting Special Forces soldiers to come forward, he said. The screening tools used during the deployment cycle are also flawed because they were developed for people seeking help. We apply these screening tools to presumably healthy young men, hoping that if they're having problems they'll be honest in the way that they answer the questions, but they're not always honest, he said. Users of X, formerly Twitter, took to the social media platform to ask its own AI large-learning model, Grok 2, for their X Score on Sunday, only to find themselves just getting a paltry 38 out of 100. While this score will get an F in almost every examination in India, users were more than amused, sharing their flunking at social credit on the platform. But did X really release such a feature? This came at the heel of the owner of X, Elon Musk, announcing that a new algorithm tweak would be coming soon that prioritises informational and entertaining content over negative posts. Our goal is to maximise unregretted user-seconds. Too much negativity is being pushed that technically grows user time, but not unregretted user time, he said, backing the move. However, users took to Grok 2 the following day to check their credit scores, something the internet together assumed was a possible system that may be used to bring the proposed change by Musk to reality. Users soon found out that the AI gave them all 38 out of 100, possibly the lowest score, to the questions: "What is my reputation score on X?" and "What is my X score?" Yet, further tinkering with Xs AI assistant and posing the question, What is my social credit score on Twitter? Grok 2 made it clear that no such system existed. There isnt an official social credit score on Twitter (now known as X) like the one implemented in China, replied the AI assistant. Funnily, it also referenced posts from other users on X, stating that an informal X Score has been humorously estimated for some users, reflecting their activity and interactions on the platform. This score is not official and doesnt affect real-world services or rights but can give a playful insight into ones social standing or influence within the community, it said. No such social credit score has been rolled out on X, confirms Elon Musk This take was also substantiated by Elon Musk later on Sunday, clearly stating that no social credit score was rolled out for users by the platform. For the bright sparks out there, no change has yet been made to the algorithm. If youre wondering why youre not getting more views, look in the mirror. Any changes we make will be posted publicly. https://t.co/zllfjru30Y Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 5, 2025 No change has yet been made to the algorithm, Musk posted on the platform, before sarcastically quipping, If youre wondering why youre not getting more views, look in the mirror. Musk also assured that any and all changes made to the algorithm would be posted publicly. The anecdotal X Scores of users, despite them not being systematically calculated or recognised by X, did send most of them on a tweeting spree, but it looks like Amid strained ties, Bangladesh's interim government cancelled a planned training programme for 50 judges and judicial officials in India on Sunday. The cancellation was following a directive from the Bangladesh Supreme Court, The Daily Star newspaper reported. Bangladeshs law ministry confirmed the cancellation, however, no further explanation was provided. About 50 lower judiciary judges were planned to undergo a one-day training programme from February 10 at the National Judicial Academy and the State Judicial Academy in Madhya Pradesh. The trainee judges selected under the program were district and sessions judges or its equivalent officers, additional district and sessions judges, joint district judges, senior assistant judges and assistant judges. Since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, India and Bangladesh have witnessed strained ties. Hasina fled to New Delhi on August 5 last year following a massive protest led by students over quota reforms. There have been also a series of attacks on Hindu community members and their places of worship after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power on August 8. The arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges also raised concerns after he was denied bail. India has raised its concerns with Dhaka and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Bangladesh amid strained ties. He stressed Indias support for Bangladeshs democratic values. Manmohan Singh came to power in 2004, carrying his credentials as an economist and an economic administrator. But his first crisis was not in the field of economy, nor at homeit was on the lawless sands of Mesopotamia, and it called for deft and delicate diplomacy. Indeed, his predecessor A.B. Vajpayee had already made it clear that India wouldnt commit troops to Iraq, a land that Americans had occupied searching for bombs, poison gas plants and war-germ labs. Not finding any, they hanged its ruler, Saddam Hussein, started issuing oil contracts, and were now facing flak from the world and fire from insurgents. Manmohan had reiterated the Vajpayee lineno troops to Iraq, even to keep peace. That was characteristic of himno overnight overturning of predecessors policies, no denigrating of his predecessors even if he thought they had been wrong, and never making surprise announcements (except once, which we will come to later). As if guided by a sense of gurutva, of not speaking ill of elders, he never said a word against his predecessors. Rather, he believed in building on the strengths of their policies, as he had done in the case of his economic reforms more than a decade earlier. Never denigrating the Nehruvian public sector model, he had built upon its strengths to initiate, build and groom a mature private sector economy in the 1990s. Change of regime: Manmohan Singh with Atal Bihari Vajpayee before he was sworn in as the prme minister in May 2004 | AP The same was true of his foreign policy in the 2000s. Never finding fault with Nehruvian non-alignment, Indiras Soviet leaning, Rajivs muscular militarism, Raos look-east, Gujrals benign brotherliness to neighbours or Vajpayees atom-armed engagement of the west, he counted all those as blessings and would build upon the strengths of all. But two months into the government, he was confronted with a ticklish hostage crisisthree Indian workers, hired by a US company in Kuwait, were abducted by Iraqi insurgents. His diplomats worked all ropesdiplomatic, political, commercial, religious, spooky and even sheer blackmail where required. Finally, his junior foreign minister, the low-profile E. Ahamed of the Muslim League, worked his Gulf Malayali business links and delivered the three workers alive and grinning. Perhaps the crisis strengthened Manmohans resolve never to make harsh departures in his policies, nor to burn the bridges that his predecessors had built. Despite his initial scepticism about the benefits that would accrue from the possession of atomic arms, he quietly moved to modify Vajpayees militaristic nuclear policy into an energy policy, without sacrificing the big power gains accrued from the possession of the bomb. Thus, his surprise nuclear deal (the only surprise that he ever delivered during his 10-year rule) proved to be acceptable to the opposition BJP, most of his allies (except the left parties), the US who promised to supply uranium even to Tarapur which they had once refused, the Russians who had always backed India in all its military and technological adventures, the French who were keen on nuclear business, and even the uranium-selling Canada and Australia. He even risked his government over this, survived, and returned with a larger mandate. To be fair, even at the height of the political diatribe over the nuclear deal, he never spoke an ill word about the left leaders. But he had made it clear to themeven at the height of their honeymoonthat he would brook no compromise over his strategic requirements even if it meant severing ties with the left. Thus when the Left Front government of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee threatened to block the entry of US Air Force pilots and fighters into Kalaikunda for an exercise with the Indian Air Force, he is said to have quietly threatened the government with dismissal. That was Manmohanfirm when it came to protecting national interests, but never so rigid about anything personal. Anyway, the new energy diplomacy over nuclear status got India into the elite nuclear clubs membered by the big five and their cronies. With that India gained what Indira and Vajpayee had worked fornear-big power status. All the same, he was not willing to sacrifice Indias strategic autonomy that prime ministers from Nehru downwards had believed in. For instance, despite all the pressure from his nuclear benefactor George W. Bush, he was not willing to sever ties with the junta of Myanmar. Even when Bush, on a visit to India, mentioned the importance of exporting democracy to Myanmar, Manmohans reply was a studied silence. Myanmar was one issue over which his close friend and fellow economist Amartya Sen had misgivings. Like Bush, Sen, too, said so in Manmohans presence, and the latters response this time, too, was an amused smile. Similarly, even buddy Bush couldnt wean him off the strong military bonding India had enjoyed with the Russians, who had been giving him technology partnerships over globally denied cruise missiles. With Pakistan, too, he picked up from where Vajpayee had left. Vajpayees last major diplomatic deal was his visit to Islamabad in January 2004months before he was to demit office (though he did not know it)where he had got president Pervez Musharraf to give it in writing that Pak-controlled territory wouldnt be allowed to be used for launching terror against India. Indeed, the commando-general, or his ISI, was again playing military deception. They brought down the scale of violence in the valley, but pressure-cooker bombs and other contraptions began going off in Indias cities and townsDelhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and so on. This strategy, of keeping the valley rather trouble-free and activating terror cells in the rest of India also gave a veneer of deniability to Pakistan. Then came the Mumbai attack on Indias Constitution Day of 2008, where an ill-paid and unarmed police constable achieved a feat that even the toughest military commandos could nothe caught, in full public glare, a young Pakistani terrorist who had a name, an address and an undeniable identity of a Faridkot butcher, armed, alive and in the act! The capture of Ajmal Kasab by Constable Tukaram Omble changed the discourse of India-Pakistan diplomacy. Manmohans crisis-management group pondered over sending troops guns blazing and fighters strewing bombs into Pakistan, but the military chiefs themselves are said to have advised against overt military action at the momentnever strike an enemy when he expects you to strike, they advised. But it was not all forgotten or forgiven. While Manmohans diplomats went to town with the irrefutable evidence, his commandos effected at least four surgical strikes across the line of control, killing an unknown number of terrorists and terror cadets. Meanwhile, as had been expected, the Chinese dragon was waking up. It had been biding its time, as Napoleon had warned Lord Amherst 200 years earlier from his exile in St Helena (China is a sleeping giant, when she wakes she will shake the world), focusing on modernising its technology, its society, its sciences, its industry and its military, and seeking to equal or excel the US as a world power. Having conducted the Beijing Olympics in 2008, China was ready to take on the world. One of the first targets was Manmohans India. For two reasonsone, there had been the long-standing border dispute, unresolved but kept frozen through two political deals with Narasimha Rao in 1993 and 1996; two, Beijing was already miffed about Manmohans nuclear adventures and his bid to get India into the global big league. Using an uprising in Tibet in 2008 as a ruse, China moved hundreds of armoured vehicles from Leshan in Sichuan and other places into Tibet. Most of the troops returned after shooting the rioters, but two brigades that were left behind were converted into mobile units that could be rapidly deployed on the Indian frontier. Soon, the Peoples Liberation Army began building the capability to rail-move two rapid action divisions into Tibet. Sensing trouble, the Manmohan government permitted the IAF to move three wings of its deep-strike Sukhoi-30MKIs closer to the northern frontierthe 15 wing to Bareilly, the 11 wing to Tezpur and the 14 wing to Chabua. That sent the right message to the Chinesethat their much-marvelled rail line, over which they could move huge divisions overnight, could be bombed out in treeless Tibet in no time. Not to be outdone, the Chinese started building and upgrading their highways, mainly those connecting Tibetan towns with Chinas military depots and stations. India responded in kind by getting the Border Roads Organisation to build or upgrade 3,175 km of frontier roads in 2009-10, another 2,433 km in 2010-11, and 2,245 km in 2011-12. Most of the key roads linking corps or division headquarters in Arunachal Pradesh were quickly double-laned and reinforced to take tanks and artillery. In short, Manmohan and his defence minister, the low-profile A.K. Antony, were racing with the Chinese road for road. Chinas next move was to upgrade old airfields and build new onesabout six were built in 2009-10which could land troops and support fighter operations. India promptly replied by pulling out the Armys entire Dimapur corps from counter-insurgency duties and deploying it on the China border. Next, the Rangia-based 2 Mountain Division was pulled out from the Tezpur corps and attached to the Dimapur corps. Next, two mountain divisions were raised anew and quietly given to the Dimapur corps. All the three pivot (defensive) corps in eastDimapur, Tezpur and Siliguriwere given light 155mm guns that could be easily heli-lifted. Strategic airlift capability was also enhanced several times by inducting C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster aeroplanes that could land troops, tanks and guns at remote points on the frontier from any corner of India in no time. Even western observers were conceding that Indias strategic airlift capability was now far exceeding that of China. This would be proved on the ground years later in the post-Galwan crisis when India could get its troops and tools to the frontier faster than the Chinese could. Meanwhile, as if to take care of any misadventure in Ladakh, untold batteries of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles were moved to the sector. And with the upgradation of the old landing grounds like Daulat Beg Oldi to take huge flight-landing operations in the Ladakh sector, the Chinese got the message that Manmohan meant business. Next, India revealed its trump card, its Brahmastra. On July 17, 2013, Manmohans cabinet committee on security gave the green signal to raise an attack (strike) corps in the eastern sector, the first of its kind against the giant northern neighbour, at an expense of Rs64,000 crore. It would be pet-named Brahmastra Corps. That signalled a radical change in Indias strategic doctrine against China. Till then, it had been assumed that Indian forces would only be able to defend territory, using its three pivot corps in case of a large-scale ground attack by China in the eastern sector. Now with the raising of an attack corps against China, over and above the three defending corps in the east, it was a signal that India could even be on the offensive if it wanted. Is it any surprise that the Chinese havent attempted any adventures in the east till date? THE WEEK and Manmohan Singh THE WEEK had the privilege of chronicling Manmohan Singhs journey on our covers several times. Here, we revisit some of the most captivating moments captured in our past issues. Reams have been written about Dr Manmohan Singhs humility, intellect and self-effacing personality since his passing in the last week of 2024. A statesman who preferred quiet action over flamboyant rhetoric, Singhs leadership style stood in stark contrast to the grandstanding often associated with political figures. As a result, this strong personal trait was misunderstood and misinterpreted by many as an inherent weakness in contemporary politics and diplomacy, where leaders often seek to achieve an imaginary halo even while performing mundane duties as heads of government or state. In contrast, Singh seldom courted personal glory or self-aggrandisement. There existed an impenetrable wall between his personal and public life, which led to many personal sacrifices during his tenure. For 10 long years, the media and commentators speculated whether Singh would be able to visit his birthplace in Gah, now in Pakistan. Yet, throughout his tenure, he insisted that he wished to establish amicable relations with Pakistan only after measurable actions by our neighbour to control terrorist activities originating from its soil. During his final visit to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2013, he held a meeting on the sidelines with the newly elected prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif. Whenever the two met, they conversed in Punjabi, both being from the same region of Pakistan. After the official pleasantries and business discussions, Sharif invited Singh to Pakistan and, for good measure, offered several personal incentives: he suggested Singh could inaugurate a school or a college named after him and establish a hospital in Gah to honour his memory. Towards the end, Sharif slipped into his inimitable Punjabi style, saying, You can also visit Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak and a revered shrine of the Sikh community. Singh, without a moments hesitation, replied, Dont bring my religion into this. The officials in the delegation, who later recounted this interaction to me in detail, realised at that point that this visit would never take place. Rebuffed, Sharif went on to criticise Singh in a subsequent interaction with the press, remarks that were eagerly picked up by the media in both countries. This crucial exchange between the two prime ministers never saw the light of day, and with it, hopes of Singh visiting Gah vanished. His message was clear: he could be engaged only as a representative of the people of India, not as a member of any community or due to his ties to his birthplace. In an era where political discourse is often dominated by assertiveness and self-aggrandisement, Singhs self-effacing personality serves as a reminder of the power of humility and quiet determination. His legacy is not only one of economic and diplomatic achievements, but also of a leadership style rooted in dignity, respect and unwavering dedication to the nation. Final farewell: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays last respects to Manmohan Singh at the state funeral ceremony of the former PM in Delhi | AFP At the end of his second term, the communications team at the Prime Ministers Office proposed a booklet on the United Progressive Alliances Ten Years of Growth and Progress, a definitive document on a decade that witnessed India achieve unprecedented inclusive growth in the democratic developing world. Among the listed achievements were: lifting more than 26 crore people out of poverty, an average decadal GDP growth of nearly 8 per cent, a near tripling of per capita income over 10 years, employment provided to 49 million families under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, quadrupling of Employees Pension Fund accounts, and the issuance of 51 crore Aadhaar cards within four years. It was a record any leader or administrator would take pride in at the end of their tenure. When the booklets first draft was presented to him, Singh looked at it rather reluctantly and made only one observation: Is it necessary to put my photograph on the cover? Despite his towering achievements, Singh remained a figure of humility, avoiding the limelight and allowing his work to speak for itself. Many times, he had to be convinced that, in modern democratic politics, communicating achievements in governance was also part of the job. His repartee was often laced with amusement: Either you can work or talk about your work. In the current political scenario, where prime ministers and presidents take selfies at global summits, make social media reels during election campaigns and spend significant taxpayer funds on media management, he was a rare breed. Especially so, as the personal and professional lines in politics are often blurred. I do not want to be seen as a prime minister who indulges in propaganda and personal glorification, he would quietly but firmly assert. For Singh, the media was merely a vehicle to communicate about the work he was doing. He took criticism on the chin and never dodged questions, as I observed while watching recordings of dozens of his news conferences and organising interactions with the press in India and abroad. He took fair criticism seriously, discussing minute points of economic thought with leading commentators. However, when faced with unfair press allegations, he would reconcile himself to the situation, quoting his former colleague and Panjab University vice-chancellor Amar Chand Joshi: People will say what they want to say, so let them say it. And then he would return to his work. It was difficult and painful to witness the medias hostility towards him during the last two years of his premiership, but he adhered to his self-imposed code of conduct in dealing with the press. Early in 2014, a few months before the general election, office-bearers of the Press Club of India approached me with a proposal. They wanted the prime minister to unveil the foundation stone of their newly allotted plot of land in Lutyens Delhi and have his name inscribed on the plaque. As communications adviser, I saw this as an opportunity to facilitate another interaction with the media at a time when the majority of the press was hostile towards him. However, Singhs response caught me off guard: I would not like to be seen as a prime minister trying to curry favour with the members of the press so close to an election. Case closed. In the 28 months I worked with him, he was always a case of grace under fire, never losing his sense of humour or composure. His initial words to me when I joined were simple: I am a small man in this big chair. Sometimes, I felt the chair was not the main piece. The silent man, steadfast in his convictions and quietly doing his work, was the true focal point of his premiership. His selfless work will continue to inspire us for a very long time. Pankaj Pachauri is a journalist and was communications adviser at the PMO from 2012 to 2014. I had known Manmohan Singh briefly when he was finance minister and I was the director of the Intelligence Bureau, but had no occasion to understand the makings of his mind or vision. Years later, as special adviser and the National Security Adviser (2004-2010), I had the opportunity to better comprehend his vision. Being one of the prime ministers close advisers, I realised that economics was but one aspect of his encyclopaedic mind and that here was someone who ranked among the makers of modern history. His gentle mien concealed a steely resolve to achieve what he believed was in the best interest of the nation. Also, once he had set his mind on something, he would not stop till he had achieved it. An outstanding example was when the left parties withdrew their support to his government after the India-US nuclear deal was finalised in 2008. He was willing to sacrifice his prime ministership and his government, rather than giving up on the nuclear deal. He did not believe in power politics, but like any good chess player, he knew where to move the pieces on the board to defeat his opponents gently rather than decimate them. While his tenure as finance minister is identified with economic reforms, the India-US nuclear deal (2005-2008) marked his tenure as prime minister, notwithstanding the fact that he had several other achievements to his credit. It was my good fortune to work closely with him at each and every stage of the epic nuclear saga, and I can say, without fear of contradiction, that there would have been no nuclear deal without Manmohan Singh. The role of US president George W. Bush was no less in this regard. Some background to this eponymous event may be in order. It arose from a brief conversation between Singh and Bush on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in the fall of 2004. At this meeting, and in response to a request from the prime minister, president Bush promised to help by easing restrictions on India, specially regarding nuclear trade and technologya giant leap forward considering that India was very much under sanctions following the Pokhran nuclear tests of 1998. As the pointsman for the deal, I was privy to every single twist and turn in the negotiations which, despite the warmth in relations at the highest level, met with stiff opposition from within the system. At every chokepoint in the negotiations, the intervention of Bush became necessary and his reply to questions put to him was inevitably whether Manmohan Singh supported the Indian viewpoint. If answered in the affirmative, he had only one reply: Manmohan is a good man and I would endorse what he wants. I do not wish to labour on the minutest details of the deal here, including a mention of the iconic 123 Agreement, or the unique waiver on nuclear issues given by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to India, except to affirm that not only the US, but most countries, and also the IAEA had full faith in the word of Manmohan Singh. No greater compliment could be given to an individual, who thus came to be regarded not merely as the prime minister of one nation, but also the conscience of the world. He had a unique relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and India-Russia relations scaled new heights under his tenure on military, nuclear and economic matters. Singh and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe established an entente cordiale unparalleled in Indias diplomatic history. Singhs 10 years as prime minister also witnessed Sino-Indian relations at possibly its most cordial level in recent times, and the 2005 India-China Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question was testimony to the warmth of the relationship that existed at the time. I recall that at his first meeting with Barack Obama in Washington in 2009, the US president paid obeisance by affirming Manmohan Singh, you are my guru. Another similar moment emerged during the difficult days in 2008-2009, when the world was reeling under the sub prime crisis in the US when, at a meeting of world leaders in Ekaterinburg (Russia), speaking after leaders like Gordon Brown and Hu Jintao, often at cross purposes, the conference chairman turned to the economist prime minister of India, who in 15 minutes not only summed up the situation but came up with solutions which were then unanimously endorsed by the world leaders. Manmohan Singh was loathe to dabble in security and other matters, and he left them to his ministers and officials. He, however, kept a careful eye on the budget provisions. I realised (and to my benefit) that when needed he could be a tower of strength as was the case during the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The security establishment had come under bitter attack from the rest of the country, but Manmohan Singh, the gentle giant, backed the security establishment to the hilt. While most of Indias leaders wanted action against Pakistan for allowing the terrorists to use its territory to plan and plot attacks on India, Singh did not believe that bombing places in Pakistan would be a suitable antidote and he had a point. As subsequent events proved, Pakistan is currently weighed down by the presence of several terrorist groups that it had nurtured on its territory, even as India has attained new heights. There are several more aspects that could be touched upon to explain the phenomenon that was Manmohan Singh. I shall end by affirming an old statementfuture generations may wonder whether such a leader ever walked the earth. Narayanan is former director of the Intelligence Bureau, former National Security Adviser and former governor of West Bengal. Jammu, Jan 5 (PTI) Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Anand Jain on Sunday reviewed the ongoing measures against drug trafficking and substance abuse in the Jammu region and called for freezing the accounts and properties of drug dealers and smugglers as a decisive action against them. The ADGP directed the officers to map out vulnerable areas, conduct focused operations and ensure the proper maintenance of chain of custody and documentation to secure convictions. Chairing a review meeting to assess and reinforce anti-drug measures, Jain took a detailed appraisal of efforts to combat the trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and their consumption, a police spokesperson said. He emphasized the critical need for collaborative action and robust inter-agency coordination to dismantle drug networks operating in Jammu. The meeting focused on strengthening surveillance, enhancing intelligence sharing and stepping up community awareness campaigns, particularly in high-risk areas, the spokesperson added. Acknowledging the recent successes in reducing drug-related activity, the ADGP urged continued efforts to counter the evolving tactics of drug networks. To improve conviction rates, he instructed the officers to identify vulnerable areas, conduct targeted operations and ensure meticulous documentation and investigation practices. The ADGP stressed the necessity of thorough investigations and prosecutorial assessments to ensure the conviction of the accused. He also directed the Crime Branch Jammu to develop guidelines and investigative modules to enhance the effectiveness of officers handling narco-related cases. Additionally, Jain highlighted the importance of attaching properties acquired through drug trafficking and freezing accounts linked to known and suspected drug dealers and smugglers, particularly in the border regions. He further directed the officers to identify skilled and experienced investigators to handle narco cases effectively. Malappuram (Kerala), Jan 5 (PTI) Nilambur legislator P V Anvar was arrested on Sunday for allegedly vandalising the District Forest Office (DFO) following a protest over the death of a tribal man in an elephant attack in this north Kerala district, police said. Earlier in the day, Anvar, an independent MLA, criticised the state government and the forest department over the death of the tribal man Mani, who was trampled by a wild elephant on Saturday evening. The workers of the Democratic Movement of Kerala (DMK), a social collective led by the MLA, staged a protest in front of the forest office alleging negligence by wildlife personnel in addressing man-animal conflicts in the area. Nearly 10 of them trespassed into the North DFO office and vandalised the office room. Nilambur police booked Anvar and 10 others over the incident under various sections of the BNS and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Hyderabad, Jan 5 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday said Telugu NRIs should invest in Telangana and cooperate in the development of the state. Participating in World Telugu Federation's 12th Biennial Conference here, Reddy said the state government envisaged 2050 development plans with a slogan of Telangana Rising. According to a release from the CMO, Reddy said the government is drafting plans to develop Future City near here as the biggest city in the world. He said after Hindi, Telugu is the most spoken language in the country. "Many Telugu leaders have been active in national politics. People like Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy (former president), PV Narasimha Rao (former Prime Minister) , NT Rama Rao (former Andhra Pradesh chief minister), S Jaipal Reddy (former union minister) and M Venkaiah Naidu (former vice-president) played a key role in the country's politics. These days, the role of Telugu leaders in the country's politics has decreased," he said. The Telangana CM said no one should forget their mother language, even if one excels in politics, film and business. "We should acquire foreign language knowledge apart from respecting our own language," he said. The state government has been using Telugu prominently in the service of people in recent times, he said. The two Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh should move forward so that they can compete with the world in development, he added. Viewed of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. A highly decorated Army soldier who fatally shot himself in a Tesla Cybertruck just before it blew up outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas left notes saying the New Years Day explosion was a stunt to serve as a wake up call for the countrys ills, investigators said Friday. Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old Green Beret from Colorado Springs, Colorado, also wrote in notes he left on his cellphone that he needed to cleanse his mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took. Livelsberger served in the Army since 2006 and deployed twice to Afghanistan. This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives, Livelsberger wrote in one letter found by authorities and released Friday. The explosion caused minor injuries to seven people but virtually no damage to the Trump International Hotel. Authorities said that Livelsberger acted alone. Livelsbergers letters covered a range of topics including political grievances, societal problems and both domestic and international issues, including the war in Ukraine. He said in one letter that the U.S. was terminally ill and headed toward collapse. Tesla engineers, meanwhile, helped extract data from the Cybertruck for investigators, including Livelsbergers path between charging stations from Colorado through New Mexico and Arizona and on to Las Vegas, according to Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren. We still have a large volume of data to go through, Koren said Friday. Theres thousands if not millions of videos and photos and documents and web history and all of those things that need to be analyzed. The new details came as investigators were still trying to determine whether Livelsberger sought to make a political point with the Tesla and the hotel bearing the president-elects name. Livelsberger harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, law enforcement officials said. In one of the notes he left, he said the country needed to rally around Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Musk has recently become a member of Trumps inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas on Wednesday, the day of the explosion. Both had attended Trumps New Years Eve party at his South Florida estate. Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues, Spencer Evans, the FBI special agent in charge in Las Vegas, said Friday. Livelsberger died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Investigators have not yet explained how Livelsberger shot himself inside the Cybertruck while simultaneously igniting fireworks and camp fuel packed inside, causing the explosion. Among the charred items found inside were a handgun at Livelsbergers feet, another firearm, fireworks, a passport, a military ID, credit cards, an iPhone and a smartwatch. Authorities said both guns were purchased legally. In recent years Livelsberger confided to Alicia Arritt, a former girlfriend who had served as an Army nurse, that he faced significant pain and exhaustion she attributed to traumatic brain injury. He opened up to Arritt, 39, whom he met and began dating in Colorado in 2018, about exhaustion, pain that kept him up at night, and reliving violence from his deployment in Afghanistan, Arritt said. My life has been a personal hell for the last year, he told Arritt in text messages during their early days of dating that she shared with The Associated Press. The Green Berets are highly trained U.S. Army special forces who specialize in guerrilla warfare and unconventional fighting tactics. Livelsberger rose through the ranks and deployed twice to Afghanistan and served in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, according to the Army. He recently returned from an overseas assignment in Germany and was on approved leave when he died. He was awarded five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. Authorities searched a townhouse in Livelsbergers hometown of Colorado Springs Thursday as part of the investigation. Neighbors said the man who lived there had a wife and a baby. Across-the-street neighbor Cindy Helwig said she last saw him when he asked to borrow a tool to fix an SUV. He was a normal guy, said Helwig. The explosion came hours after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans famed French Quarter early on New Years Day, killing at least 14 people before being shot to death by police. The FBI says they believe Jabbar acted alone and that it is being investigated as a terrorist attack. (AP) You are here: World Flash At least four people were killed and 32 others injured in an explosion in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province on Saturday, local media and officials said. The incident happened in Turbat district of the province, where a convoy was attacked and a bus in it was struck during the assault, officials told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. A senior police officer and his family members were injured in the attack and shifted to a nearby hospital, local reports said. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army claimed the attack in a post on social media, while the Pakistani authorities have not confirmed the attack. The Parker Solar Probe, partly designed by students and researchers in Colorado, survived its closest encounter with our sun late last week, passing a mere 3.8 million miles from its surface. The probe is helping scientists understand specifics of the solar wind and how it impacts earth. Researchers at the University of Colorados Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics let out a sigh of relief. One of their experiments is, after all, on the probe and gathering data in an environment hot enough to melt steel. The probe is designed, among other things, to observe a large cloud of dust orbiting near the sun. This dust is mainly pieces of comets and asteroids that were unable to form planets or moons, but can help scientists like David Malaspina, an assistant professor in the astrophysics and planetary sciences department at CU, better understand how the solar system came to be, and how others may be created deep in the cosmos. But NASA has never tried going this close to the sun, which has somewhat stunted research. Its sort of like trying to understand how the flame on a candle works if you can only measure the smoke, Malaspina said. What weve always wanted to understand is how the sun creates this flow (of interplanetary dust) and to do that we have to get very, very close: Down into the flame. This is why NASA, in a press release, said the Parker Solar Probe had touched the sun. So far, the probe has completed more than 20 full orbits of the sun, coming marginally closer every time until finally coming within 3.8 million miles, closer than any probe before it. Malaspina and students at CU have a vested interest in the probes success: They designed and built a critical piece of one of the four experiments onboard. The digital fields board helps the probe analyze dust impacts and the resulting plasma fields that form around the spacecraft, as part of the larger Fields experiment. These particles were left floating in the solar system, and, over millions of years, began to form the large dust cloud around the sun. This is called the zodiacal cloud. Featured Local Savings And theres a lot of dust in it. The dust environment near the sun, it turns out, was strongly under predicted by existing models, Malaspina said. Measuring the zodiacal cloud is scientifically interesting, but what we really want to do is understand more generally how stars process the dust around it. The cloud of dust is often missed by those living in larger cities as light pollution overpowers the faint glow it gives off. A bright moon can also cause the human eye to miss out on it, but on particularly dark nights, one can see the glow with the naked eye. Our own solar system is done making planets and all we have are the leftovers, Malaspina said. But if we look at other solar systems, where planets are just being formed, understanding how a star interacts with the dust around it can tell us more about how the planets were created in the first place and how they may be created in other stellar systems. In a way, this is similar to using fossil records to understand how life on earth developed and evolved to what it is today, scientists said. This is also why the James Webb Space Telescope is looking deeper into the cosmos than any previous telescope to help us understand what things looked like at the beginning, and what they may look like in the future as our solar system burgeons on. While the probe pinged NASA yesterday, assuring Malaspina and others that it had survived, data wont be received until the middle of January. This is because of radio interference from the sun. Distance is also a challenge since the orbits of Earth and the probe dont always line up, limiting how much data can be sent back. Though designed for the hostile environment, there was no guarantee the probe would survive, especially considering launch is a dangerous affair. But there were hazards to negotiate in space, as well. The spacecraft gets hit by dust impacts many, many thousands of times per orbit and any one of those dust impacts has the potential to destroy the spacecraft, so I always worry about that every time it goes around, he said. But the probe pulled through and will hopefully begin sending back swathes of data for Malaspina and others to pour over. (I am) really excited to see what information comes back from this closest approach and what we can learn about the sun, he said. As New York Citys congestion pricing plan is set to take effect at midnight on Sunday, emergency responders, including Hatzalah EMTs and paramedics, are bracing for the financial impact of the new tolls. Hatzalah volunteers responding to emergencies in their personal vehicles will face charges of up to $9 when entering Manhattans congestion zone below 60th Street even while answering urgent calls. In an advisory to its members, Chevra Hatzalah confirmed that the toll would apply to personal vehicles used by its volunteers, with no exemptions currently in place. There is currently no exemption for Hatzalah members answering calls in the congestion zone, the advisory stated. Chevra Hatzalah has been working with the Governor, the Department of Health (DOH), and the MTA on exemptions, but until that process is complete, members should assume they will be charged. Hatzalah ambulances are exempt, but volunteers often rely on personal vehicles to respond quickly to emergencies, making the toll an unavoidable cost for those entering the zone. The advisory comes as the union representing city EMTs and paramedics, FDNY EMS Local 2507, urged its members to transfer out of Midtown and Lower Manhattan stations to avoid the toll. Many city EMTs and paramedics, who earn just $18.94 an hour, could end up paying as much as $45 a week to reach their assigned stations. New York Citys emergency medical first responders are now about to be pickpocketed by a state agency and its new MTAs driving tax, said Oren Barzilay, president of Local 2507, which represents 4,100 workers. We are mandated by our employer, the city, where to work, and we have zero option to work remote. Barzilay warned that the tolls could lead to slower emergency response times and reduced staffing in critical areas. Congestion pricing without exemptions for FDNY EMS is a public safety time bomb waiting to detonate, he said. Mark my words, it will likely have a large, negative impact on public safety. Approximately 270 EMS workers are currently stationed in congestion-pricing zones, and union officials fear the policy could encourage many to request transfers to avoid the fees. The congestion pricing plan, introduced by Governor Kathy Hochul and the MTA, is designed to reduce traffic and raise funds for public transportation improvements. However, critics argue that the lack of exemptions for first responders, teachers, and other essential workers will have unintended consequences for public safety and affordability in the city. Business owners have also expressed concern, warning that rising transportation costs will force them to increase prices, further burdening consumers. With the combined tolls from bridges and tunnels, the total cost of entering the congestion zone could reach as high as $27. For now, Chevra Hatzalah is continuing efforts to secure exemptions for its members, but until official confirmation is received, volunteers are advised to prepare for the additional financial burden. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Hezbollahs deputy leader, Naim Qassem, has warned that the terror groups patience may run out as Israel continues limited operations during the ongoing ceasefire. Israel argues its actions target Hezbollah operatives violating the truce, which stipulates Israels full withdrawal from Lebanon by the end of January, at which point the Lebanese military is set to assume control of border areas to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing positions near Israel. There is no timetable for our resistance, Qassem said in a speech. Our patience may expire at any moment, and when it does, the enemy will see our response. The ceasefire followed a two-month Israeli offensive from September to November that decimated Hezbollahs leadership and military capabilities. The campaign culminated in the death of Hezbollahs leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and the appointment of Qassem as his successor. Qassem claimed Israels limited ground advancement marked a victory for Hezbollahs fighters, despite Israels stated goal of eliminating border threats rather than pursuing deeper incursions. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) President-elect Donald Trump has expressed frustration that flags will be flying at half-staff when he takes office later this month. Its an action put in place by President Joe Biden to honor the late President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100. Its not a timeline that Trump can do anything about until after he takes office. Heres what to know about why flags are lowered when a president dies, who can issue that order and how long the process lasts: Why are U.S. flags being flown at half-staff? On Sunday, Biden ordered that U.S. flags be flown at half-staff in honor of the late former president. Its an honor that indicates that the country or a state is in mourning. The U.S. flag code lays out parameters for lowering the U.S. flag to half-staff, including a 30-day period for current or former presidents to cover flags at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at U.S. embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels. Flags can be lowered to commemorate the deaths of other officials, including the vice president, Supreme Court justices and members of Congress, although those periods arent as long. Flags can also be ordered lowered in other circumstances, including a national tragedy or on Memorial Day. Since U.S. flag code states that no flag should fly higher than the American flag on the same pole or nearby, state flags get lowered during those periods, too. How long will flags be lowered? According to Bidens proclamation, U.S. flags will be lowered for 30 days from Carters death, until Jan. 28. With the inauguration on Jan. 20, that means that flags will be at half-staff when Trump takes office and for the first week of his administration. Who decides when to lower flags? According to the U.S. General Services Administration, the president, a governor and the mayor of the District of Columbia can order U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff. What has Trump said about flags being lowered? On Friday, Trump posted on social media that Democrats are all giddy about the notion that flags will be lowered when he takes office as president. Nobody wants to see this, Trump wrote. He added that no American can be happy about it. Lets see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Asked about Trumps post at Fridays briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would not consider reversing or reevaluating the half-staff plans. Can Trump decide to raise the flags? Yes. U.S. flag code dictates that flags remain lowered for the 30-day period from the death of a former president. But that code isnt mandatory, so once he becomes president, Trump could technically override it. Thats what happened in February 1973, when then-President Richard Nixon opted to raise flags which he had ordered lowered in mourning following the death of former President Lyndon Johnson before the 30-day mark to honor the first American prisoners of war released from Vietnam. The hiatus only lasted a day, and flags went back to half-staff thereafter for eight days. Flags had also been at half-staff when Nixon was sworn in for his second term in January 1973, due to Nixon having ordered them lowered after the death of former President Harry S. Truman. Has Trump taken issue with lowering flags before? Yes. After the death of Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain with whom Trump had a fractious relationship in 2018, the Stars and Stripes were briefly lowered to half-staff over the weekend but went back up to full height the following Monday, while flags at the U.S. Capitol and elsewhere stayed at half-staff. The flag was lowered again to half-staff after complaints from people in both the Republican and Democratic parties. Former presidents spoke at McCains funeral, but the senators family made clear they did not want Trump to attend. (AP) It took police more than a week to publicly identify Debrina Kawam, 57, as the woman who was fatally set on fire in a New York subway train last month. But on the internet, it took just hours for a false name to begin spreading. In posts that circulated widely on social media after Kawams death on Dec. 22, users claimed without evidence that the victim was a 29-year-old named Amelia Carter. These posts ricocheted across platforms, often accompanied by an image of a young woman that experts say may have been generated by artificial intelligence. Its not clear who first made up the claim or why. But many sharing it highlighted the immigration status of the man charged in Kawams death federal immigration officials say he is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally while accusing the media of refusing to name the beautiful young white woman. Nathan Walter, an associate professor at Northwestern University who studies misinformation, said the story was manna from heaven for anti-immigration narratives and that it became a framing war while the public sought information that was not yet available. It spreads quickly because it just fits so well, he said of misinformation about the victims identity. And when something fits so well, we typically just tend to nod along and we dont really question it. Graphic footage of Kawam engulfed in flames spread widely online soon after the Dec. 22 attack, boosting curiosity about her identity. But while a suspect, Sebastian Zapeta, was arrested later that day, scant details were available about the victim in the following days as authorities worked to identify her through forensics and video surveillance. Instead, users filled the void with false claims about Amelia Carter. Posts called for officials and the media to say her name. Some claimed she was on her way to visit her grandmother in Queens, despite the fact that the victim was set alight at the opposite end of the subway line in Brooklyn. Some posts compared it to the February 2024 killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley by a Venezuelan man in the country illegally, which became a political rallying point for Republicans during the presidential race in support of increased border security. As the falsehood spread, some began sharing a photo of a real Amelia Carter, who then had to post on X that she was alive and well. But the initial image that was shared in many of these posts had signs of being created by a generative adversarial network a type of AI that can be used for creating images of fake people that are difficult to distinguish from the real thing said Hany Farid, a digital forensics and misinformation expert at the University of California, Berkeley. Farid pointed to the nondescript nature of the headshot and the alignment of the eyes as indications that the image may have been AI generated, though he acknowledged that its low quality made it difficult to analyze properly. In an age when many have come to expect immediate answers, Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education, noted that many people have lost patience for that uncomfortable moment where we dont have all the information. Bad actors often take advantage of this, she said, preying on the publics desire to find out whats going on and promote their own agendas. Authorities finally revealed the victim of the subway burning on Tuesday, saying Kawam was from New Jersey and had briefly been in a New York homeless shelter after moving to the city recently. Zapeta, whose address matches a shelter that provides housing and substance abuse support, has been indicted on murder and arson charges, according to prosecutors. He is yet to enter a plea, and his attorney has declined to comment. (AP) New Senate Majority Leader John Thune is kicking off the new session with a promise to preserve the filibuster, saying in his first floor speech as leader that his priority will be to ensure the Senate stays the Senate. Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Republicans are taking power on Friday a little more than two weeks before Donald Trump will be inaugurated, cementing a firm GOP hold on Washington. And Thune will have to navigate his new responsibilities along with the new president, who has made clear he expects allegiance from Congress and has previously called for eliminating the filibuster. Opening up the two-year Senate session Friday after new and returning senators were sworn in, Thune said the legislative tactic that allows senators to delay consideration of a measure and require 60 votes for passage has perhaps the greatest impact in preserving the Founders vision of the Senate. There are a lot of people out there who would like to see the Senate turn into a copy of the House of Representatives, Thune said. And that is not what our founders intended or what our country needs. Senate Republicans have long maintained that the filibuster remain in place despite Trumps pleas to eliminate it and speed his agenda during the first half of his first term, when Republicans also had control of the White House and Congress. Many Democrats wanted to eliminate the filibuster in the early days of President Joe Bidens term, but were stymied by moderates in the Senate Democratic caucus who said it would upend the Senates deliberative role. Former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., has called it the holy grail of democracy. While Republicans arent ready to eliminate the filibuster, which will make it harder to win some votes in the new 53-47 Senate, they are preparing to try and quickly pass much Trumps agenda through a legislative mechanism that circumvents it. Like Democrats during Bidens term, they are planning to use a process called budget reconciliation that would allow them to approve bills on party-line votes, with a simple majority. Early priorities will be border security and reviving tax cuts from Trumps first term. The Senate will also have to approve Trumps Cabinet nominees, some of whom have already faced skepticism from Republican senators, once he is inaugurated on Jan. 20. Hearings are expected to begin before then. Thune was elected by the GOP conference in November to replace Mitch McConnell, the longtime Republican leader who announced last year that he would stay in the Senate but step down from leadership. Outgoing Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who will remain Democratic leader, advised Thune in a floor speech on Friday to work in a bipartisan way on legislation, pointing to bills like an infrastructure package passed by the Democratic majority during the first half of Bidens presidency. The majority leader sets the tone and that tone determines to a large extent how successful well be moving forward, Schumer said. Its unclear though, how much leverage or desire Thune will have to seek out bipartisanship as Trump has pressured him already to circumvent Senate rules and pass some of his Cabinet nominees without votes. Ahead of the inevitable partisan fights, though, there was a celebratory mood Friday as nine new senators were sworn in four Democrats and five Republicans. Vice President Kamala Harris presided as they approached the dais in groups of four, along with returning senators, taking the oath of office and signing a ceremonial book. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still an Ohio senator, was also on the floor and stood up with new Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, a Republican who defeated Democrat Sherrod Brown, as he was sworn in. Two newly-elected Democrats were already sworn in last month to fill vacancies and were sworn in again on Friday. California Sen. Adam Schiff was elected to fill the seat of the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein and New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim replaced former Sen. Bob Menendez, who resigned last year after his federal conviction on bribery charges. A sixth Republican, Jim Justice of West Virginia, announced last month that he will wait to enter the Senate until after his successor as West Virginias governor, Republican Patrick Morrisey, is sworn in on Jan. 13. (AP) The fourth anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has a new focus as lawmakers brace for the prospect that President-elect Donald Trump may soon pardon many of the more than 1,500 people charged with crimes for their actions related to the riot. Trump said he would issue pardons to rioters on Day 1 of his presidency, which begins Jan. 20. Most likely, Ill do it very quickly, he said recently on NBCs Meet the Press. He added that those people have suffered long and hard. And there may be some exceptions to it. I have to look. But, you know, if somebody was radical, crazy. His promise, made throughout his campaign for the White House, is shadowing events Monday as lawmakers gather to certify a presidential election for the first time since 2021, when Trumps supporters breached the Capitol and temporarily halted the certification of an election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said she has spoken at length with Trump and is lobbying him to pardon everyone who participated in the siege. Few Republicans are going that far, but many believe its appropriate for Trump to look at pardons on a case-by-case basis. Here we are nearly four years later. Many of these people have been in prison since 2021. Even the ones that fought Capitol Police, caused damage to the Capitol, I think theyve served their time and I think they should all be pardoned and released from prison, Greene said. Some of these people have been given prison sentences: 10 years, 18 years and more. I think its an injustice. Its a two-tiered justice system, and its time to end it. More than 1,250 have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials in connection with Jan. 6, with more than 650 receiving prison time ranging from a few days to 22 years. Many of those who broke into the Capitol were echoing Trumps false claims about election fraud. Some rioters menacingly called out the names of prominent politicians particularly then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and then-Vice President Mike Pence, who refused to try to object to Bidens win. Lawmakers who had evacuated both chambers on Jan. 6 returned that night to finish their work. Police officers who defended the Capitol are particularly incensed about the possible pardons. Many officers were beaten, some with their own weapons, as they tried to hold back the mob. About 140 officers were injured on Jan. 6, making it likely the largest single day mass assault of law enforcement in American history, Matthew Graves, the outgoing U.S. attorney in the nations capital, has said. You cannot be pro-police officer and rule of law if you are pardoning people who betrayed that trust, injured police officers and ransacked the Capitol, said Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who retired due to his injuries after fighting rioters. Some Republicans in Congress, even those closely aligned with Trump, suggested not all Jan. 6 offenders should be treated the same. Rep. Jim Jordan, a top Trump ally who leads the House Judiciary Committee, said he supported some pardons, but also made a distinction. For people who didnt commit any violence, I think everyone supports that. I think that makes sense, said Jordan, R-Ohio. Veteran Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., also wasnt ready to go as far as Greene. Youve got to look at it individually. Some probably deserve to be pardoned, he said. But he was more reticent when asked if those who attacked U.S. Capitol police officers should be among those pardoned. My goodness. Again, Id have to look at the scenario, he said. But if they attacked the U.S. Capitol Police, its a big problem. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., said not every single charge is the same and that people who were trespassing are a different category from those who entered the Capitol and damaged property. He said he believes Trump will look at each individual circumstance and decide what is appropriate. People who attacked police officers, listen, I dont think that is something we should ever condone, Johnson said. House Democrats, who led the drive to impeach Trump over Jan. 6 and conducted a wide-ranging investigation into the attack, warned that the pardons could have far-reaching consequences, both for the rule of law and the security of the country. Members of the extremist Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, for instance, were convicted of seditious conspiracy and other crimes in relation to the insurrection. Those 140-odd law enforcement people who got hurt defending this institution, I think anyone who loves peace and security would be offended that you would pardon people who attacked those individuals for doing their jobs, said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. Thompson led the House committee that investigated the events surrounding Jan. 6, concluding with a report that said Trump lit the fire for the insurrection. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who served as lead impeachment manager during Trumps second impeachment trial in which he was acquitted, said if pardons are going to happen, people should demand contrition and repentance from each of those pardoned and an affirmative statement they pose no further threat to public safety. Because anything that happens by these people, in a political context or some other context, will essentially be laid at the doorstep soon-to-be President Donald Trump, Raskin said. Like police officers who protected them, lawmakers who were in the Capitol during the attack have a visceral reaction to the pardon talk, having barely escaped a mob that seemed determined to do them harm. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., who was trapped in the House gallery as rioters tried to break in below, said it would be extraordinarily difficult for him and many others if Trump goes ahead with the pardons. Im pretty controlled and pretty disciplined, but that would be really hard, Himes said. Too many of us had very personal experiences with the people who are serving time or were convicted. (AP) Iran has issued a warning to Israel, declaring it is fully prepared to respond forcefully to any further military strikes. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to Chinese media, made it clear that Tehran is ready for escalation if Israel proceeds with additional attacks. We are fully prepared for the possibility of further attacks by Israel and our response will be swift and decisive, Araghchi told CCTV. The warning follows Israels large-scale airstrike on Iran in October, which came in retaliation for two huge drone and missile offensives launched by Iran over the past year. Those attacks targeted critical infrastructure and population centers in Israel, exacerbating hostilities between the two countries. In recent weeks, Israel has faced increasing pressure to launch another strike against Iran, as Tehrans proxy forces in Yemen the Houthis have intensified their aggression. The Houthis have fired multiple ballistic missiles at central Israel, including during nighttime raids that heightened public alarm. I strongly advise Israel to reconsider any reckless move. Such actions will not go unanswered and could ignite a large-scale war across the region, Araghchi warned. Israel has not officially commented on the latest remarks. Defense analysts suggest Israel may be weighing further strikes, particularly in light of the escalating missile threats from Iranian-backed forces. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) An IDF soldier who is also a survivor of the October 7 Nova massacre, was forced to flee Brazil after the Brazilian federal court launched a war crimes probe against him, Brazilian media outlets reported overnight Motzei Shabbos. The soldier, who served in Gaza, was on vacation in the South American country when the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), an antisemitic international organization, submitted a claim against the soldier for participating in massive demolitions of civilian homes in Gaza during a systematic campaign of destruction. The Belgium-based organization submitted a 500-page report to the court, claiming that it has evidence from open sources, presumably from social media, of the soldiers war crimes. The anti-Israel organization noted that the lawsuit marks the first case of a state that is a signatory to the Rome Statute directly enforcing its provisions without relying on the International Criminal Court (ICC), and added that it constitutes a powerful precedent. Following the submission of the complaint, the Brazilian federal court ordered the police to launch an investigation against the soldier. Kan News reported that after hours of fear and uncertainty, the soldier managed to escape Brazil before the authorities detained him. His family told Ynet that he and his friends left the country before legal action could be taken. Sadly and ironically, this is the second time the soldier had to escape anti-Israeli and antisemitic terror elements, the first time from armed terrorists and the second time from terrorists in suits. In a video that appeared online two weeks after October 7 and went viral, the soldier described his dramatic escape from the Nova massacre, as he ran many kilometers over many hours, narrowly escaping gunfire. This is not the foundations first attempt to have an IDF soldier arrested abroad for war crimes. Earlier this year, an IDF reservist fled Cyprus after Israeli security officials warned him that the organization issued a war crimes complaint against him. Another soldier fled Sri Lanka for the same reason. Following the report, Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein on Sunday morning announced he scheduled an urgent classified meeting to take place on Monday to discuss the persecution of IDF soldiers abroad. For months, the members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, including myself, have warned time and time again, that the judicial persecution under false accusations of war crimes would not stop with the prime minister and the defense minister but would inevitably also target IDF soldiers, Edelstein said. I am embarrassed for Brazil and its government for capitulating to pro-Palestinian legal terrorism. I expect to hear from IDF and Foreign Ministry representatives about their plan of action to defend our soldiers from these malicious sanctions and criminal persecution. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) The two Israelis who were injured in the New Orleans shooting and ramming attack last week are good friends in their 20s who served together in reserve duty after the October 7 assault in both Gaza and Lebanon. Ironically, the reservists were spared from harm from Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists but were critically and seriously wounded by an ISIS-inspired attack while on a six-week trip to the US to recover from their reserve duty. The two were injured by the car ramming rather than gunfire. One victim is still in critical condition with head trauma and limb injuries and his life is still at risk. He underwent two emergency surgeries and will need further surgeries on his limbs when his condition stabilizes. The second victim suffered serious internal injuries along with injuries to his limbs but his life is no longer in danger after undergoing two major surgeries. Baruch Hashem, he was removed from the ventilator on Friday morning and is now breathing on his own and communicating with his family members, who were flown to the US by Israels Foreign Ministry. Thats the tragic irony, Israels Deputy Consul General to the U.S. Elad Shoshan told The New York Post from the New Orleans hospital where the two men are being treated. They left the terror of one country and never expected to be victims of it in another, Shoshan said of the reservists, whose families asked not to disclose their names. They came here to relax, to travel. That was interrupted in the most horrific way. Shoshan said that the critically injured victim tried to communicate with him before his first surgery. He pressed my hand, said the consul. Hes in severe pain all over his body. In an emotional moment, the other soldier recited the Jewish prayer called the Shema, appealing for his friends full recovery, the Post wrote. According to the report, the soldiers relatives are being supported by the local Jewish community, which numbers about 12,000. The road ahead will be challenging, but we remain optimistic and remain hopeful for their speedy recovery, the father of the critically injured man told The Post. Shoshan commented on the New Years Day anti-Israel rally in New York City the same day as the terror attack. When people chant, Globalize the intifada, it means importing violence from one region to another, he said. And thats exactly whats happening. They want to bring violence and terror to America, Shoshan noted, adding that Israel and the US are fighting the same ideology, the same enemy as on Oct. 7. Hamas acted like ISIS, that was its inspiration just like this terrorist. We said on October 8th: The West is Next, Shoshan asserted. This isnt the first time America has suffered an [Islamic] terror attack. It will continue unless its completely eradicated. You dont put out 50 percent of a fire. You need to fully stamp it out to make sure it never happens again. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Significant progress in talks for a hostage release deal has been reached, according to a report in the Qatari Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper on Sunday. Today is a decisive day for the fate of the negotiations between Hamas and Israel, a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations told the outlet. The mediators have succeeded in bridging the gaps between the two sides and are waiting for a response from the Israeli government tonight. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is scheduled to hold a security assessment on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, the head of the security establishment, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, and Ministers Gideon Saar, Itamar Ben Gvir, and Betzalel Smotrich. The details of the meeting have not been clarified. Sources in the Prime Ministers Office claim that the meeting is not about a potential hostage deal. However, Ynet reported that Mossad Chief Dedi Barnea is scheduled to fly to Doha on Monday. A Biden administration delegation headed by Middle East envoy Brett McGurk is already in Qatar, which according to the report, indicates the importance that the Biden administration attaches to the meetings and the efforts to reach a deal before Donald Trump takes office on January 20th. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Colorado Springs police and firefighters responded to a rollover crash on the city's northeast side Saturday evening. The crash occurred at West Taylor Street and Wood Avenue, police say. It is unclear at this time if anyone involved in the crash sustained injuries. The roadway is closed in all directions. First responders ask the community to avoid the area and seek alternate routes at this time. No estimate was given for when the road will reopen. This article will be updated. The IDF on Sunday announced the drafting of the first 50 Charedi soldiers into the newly established Chashmonean Brigade, marking a new era in integrating more Charedim into military service. The soldiers will form the brigades inaugural company, while an additional 100 older Charedi men have been drafted into the brigades first reserve unit. These reservists, having previously completed basic training under the Shlav Bet program for older recruits, will now undergo six months of combat training before joining the Chashmonean Brigades reserve forces. The IDF plans to continue expanding the brigade, with more recruits expected in the coming months. This initiative aims to address operational needs driven by the ongoing war. To accommodate the recruits, the IDF renovated a training base to align with the strict Charedi observance of halacha and recruited staff accordingly. The brigade will be led by Col. Avinoam Emunah, a frum senior officer. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The IDF announced the elimination of Saed Saeed Zaki Dahnoun, a senior Islamic Jihad commander, during an operation in the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza. Dahnoun, who infiltrated Israel and took part in the October 7 massacre, was killed in close-quarters combat by Givati Brigade troops operating under the 162nd Division. Dahnoun, a company commander and deputy head of the Islamic Jihads rocket array in northern Gaza, was also responsible for planning and leading ambushes against Israeli forces near Beit Lahia. According to IDF footage, Dahnoun and another terrorist advanced toward Israeli troops under cover of rain and darkness, concealed by blankets. The soldiers quickly engaged, killing Dahnoun while his accomplice surrendered. The captured terrorist was taken into Israel for questioning, where an improvised explosive device was also recovered. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) I decided to give up drinking for all of 2025 at the last minute - a New Year's resolution to end all resolutions. It can be easy after Christmas to turn your back on the drink and throw around bold 'never again' statements. The pints, the Baileys, the sherry trifle, the whiskey and whatever else you're having; Christmas is the drink Olympics such is the variety of drink we tackle. And yet here I am, dishing out that ultimate platitude. That said, I didn't drink that much over Christmas and that's part of the reason I decided to take on this challenge. I became a father in 2024, so the time for drinking has certainly reduced. Parenting a newborn certainly makes you value every ounce of energy you have. I don't suffer from hangovers but even drinking a small amount can leave you more tired, irritable at times, and when it comes to a random beer or whiskey at home, what is the point of chipping away at those reserves? Having a baby also puts your own life and health into perspective, and that is probably the main reason I've decided to tackle this 'no beer for a year' challenge. I wanted to take on a challenge that would have a positive impact on my health more than anything, and while I'm not one for the pub every weekend, the few beers at home are my vice. A few watching a match or when you feel you've earned them on a Friday night after work. Home is arguably the more dangerous drinking arena; there are no queues, it's cheaper, there's no measure (usually) and it's just so easy to fall into the habit. I am not a big drinker really but I love a pint of Guinness and the odd whiskey. As John B Keane once said, 'I love the plop of whiskey into a glass. I love it. I love to listen to it. I love to see the cream on a pint. I love the first, powerful violent impact of a glass of whiskey when I throw it back in me, and it hits the mark below. I chase it then with a pint, and thats even more beautiful still.' It is that ritual I enjoy more than the effects of it; basically I don't drink to get drunk so if I can replace it with something with a similar experience rather than effect, it'll be fine. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. READ NEXT: Family of tragic RTE Ireland's Fittest Family teen give blessing to show scenes in new series The zero alcohol options available nowadays are so good and varied, that it really is a lot easier to give up if you're in the same boat as me. The thought of sitting at a wedding or a family party with a glass of coke or 7up just depresses me a little bit. You feel like you should be at the kids table and you're also overthinking what other people are thinking. The relationship between drink and social occasions is so intrinsic in Ireland that those abstaining can be put into the 'anti-craic' column very quickly. Irish people fear that label more than most others, let's be honest. And those not abstaining fear the sober surveyor in the room. Getting older helps you care less about what others think but the facade of drinking 0.0 drinks is no harm. You can be standing at the bar sipping a pint of the black stuff or a beer or wine safe in the knowledge it has no alcohol in it, while others are none the wiser. You don't get the fourth degree on why you're not drinking or what antibiotics you might be on that are preventing you from having a 'proper' drink. Some people would nearly ask you to produce the box where it says you can't drink. It may be sad that you have to consider all of that but it is one of the most annoying things if and when you're not drinking for whatever reason. If people were as concerned about their own drinking as yours, we'd probably all be better off. I'm writing this four days into this challenge so if I had broken it already, it would be very concerning. I've done the odd Dry January or Sober October so a few weeks off it has never been an issue for me. My wife has estimated I'll last until my own birthday which is at the end of January. I have higher hopes for myself than that and having no wedding invites on the horizon so far this year helps too. So we're off - literally off the drink, anyone joining the 'no beer for a year' brigade? For close readers and our most loyal denziens . . . We want to share our hope that you're some place warm and inviting . . . To make things even more interesting . . .We share a few things that aren't just about the weather . . . And so . . . Inspired by the not-so-long-ago golden "champagne" era of the VS angels . . . We wanted to cuddle up with pop culture, community reporting and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . East Side Organic Fare Debuts Herbalist's new shop on The Paseo deepens access to natural flavors in east side food desert Potential customers who were once hesitant to try Rosierra "Rosie" Warren's sweet Fruity Tutti Tea got free samples of the brew; now it's one of her bestsellers at Nature Made Me, an apothecary and teahouse on The Paseo. Locals Looking For This Lady Police report missing person near Kansas City bridge KCPD says that a 42-year-old woman went missing today after she was last spoken to around 3:30 p.m. Public Radio Plays Fanboi For the Kansas City Chiefs to achieve a Super Bowl three-peat, 'it's all coming together' The Kansas City Chiefs already clinched the AFC's top playoff spot as they rest their stars ahead of another Super Bowl push. The team looks to be clicking at exactly the right time to make it three-in-a-row. Upscale Java In The Burbs ASE Coffee Shop & Bar Opens In Grandview ASE, a swanky coffee shop and bar, reads like a breath of fresh air as Grandview's newest locally-owned coffee shop. Hipsters Share Dark Side Art of Deal(ing): Michael Schliefke's work uses dark comedy to cope and hope Michael Schliefke uses his pen and paper to paint powerful pictures of the society in which we find ourselves in. Marketing Skivvies Cont'd Victoria's Secret & Co. turns its focus to Gen Z The company will be working to differentiate its two brands, which merged in 2022, and give more space and attention to Pink. Abandoning Dead-Tree Life Washington Post cartoonist quits after satire of Jeff Bezos is rejected The newspaper decided not to run Ann Telnaes' cartoon of tycoons kneeling before Donald Trump. Veep Blunders Pledge Kamala Harris flubs Pledge of Allegiance during Senate opening day Vice President Kamala Harris appeared to botch the pledge of allegiance as the Senate was sworn in for the 119th Congress. "I pledge allegiance to the United States of America," the vic... MAGA Makes Demands Johnson tells House GOP Trump wants one reconciliation package Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told House Republicans on Saturday that President-elect Trump wants to pass one reconciliation package, a strategy that runs counter to the two-bill effort several other GOP lawmakers had been pushing for. Johnson made the announcement during a private House GOP meeting at Fort McNair, five sources in the room told The... Prez Provides For Holy Lands Scoop: Biden notifies Congress of $8 billion arms sale to Israel It's likely Biden's last arms package for Israel. Vlad Threatens Clap Back Against EVERYBODY Russia vows retaliation after saying it downed eight US-made long-range missiles | CNN Russia has vowed retaliation after claiming to have shot down eight US-made ATACMS missiles fired by Ukraine on Saturday morning. Moscow sees the use of such missiles, which have a range of up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) as a major escalation. New Flu Coming Soon?!? What is HMPV? China steps up emergency measures amid new virus outbreak The outbreak comes five years after the world was first alerted to the emergence of Covid-19 Tragedy Hits Superstar Fam Film director and screenwriter Jeff Baena, husband of Aubrey Plaza, dead at 47 The co-writer of I Heart Huckabees and director of The Little Hours was found dead at a Los Angeles residence on Friday. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the case. Resolution Begins Dry January tips: How to take a break from alcohol | CNN Taking a Dry January break from alcohol can reward you with more energy, better sleep and better overall health. Here's expert advice on how to go dry successfully. Benefits Of Boinking Exposed No sex can be hazardous to your health, experts warn - here's what happens to your body Experts have explained that a little bit of lovin' can go a long way for your health -- and a lack thereof can be detrimental. Community Paper Retrospective Northeast News Top Stories of 2024 - Northeast News Julia Williams Editor-in-Chief As 2024 comes to a close, The Northeast News reflects on its 92nd year of giving a voice to the Historic Northeast community. Northeast News staff has pulled its most viewed content published from January to December 2024 for the following categories: Breaking News, History - including Postcard and Remember This? Kansas City Mouse House Redux 'Disney100: The Exhibition' at Union Station showcases local ties to Walt Disney - KC STUDIO Although Walt Disney made it big in California, his roots were in the Midwest. MEDUZA, HAYLA - Another World was the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Close Save asset to your list Please log in to use this feature Log In or Sign Up (@ChaudhryMAli88) ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jan, 2025) Senior leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference ( APHC) and Chairman, Islamic Political Party, Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, said Sunday that Indian intransigence was the main hurdle in resolving the Kashmir dispute for over seven decades now. In a statement received here from Srinagar on the occasion of "Right to Self-Determination Day, the APHC leader emphasized that resolving the Kashmir issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions was imperative for lasting peace and stability in South Asia. However, he warned that any solution imposed without considering the will of the Kashmiri people could lead to a devastating conflict in the region. He expressed regret over the persistent inaction and indifference of the international community, particularly global powers, toward the plight of Kashmir. Despite being fully aware of the root causes of the Kashmir dispute, they have maintained a criminal silence, which is detrimental to regional peace, he said and highlighted that while most nations are now resolving conflicts through dialogue instead of warfare, India continues to reject the very resolutions it once presented at the United Nations. In addition, he added, India has been intensifying its oppression against Kashmiri people in a bid to erase the issue altogether. He said, over the past seven decades, Indias brutal campaign in Kashmir has resulted in the massacre of thousands, sexual violence of countless women, and widespread destruction of property. Despite these atrocities, the resilient people of Kashmir remain steadfast in their pursuit of freedom. He deplored that Indias ongoing assault on the religious, cultural, and social values of Kashmiris, coupled with its state-sponsored terrorism, is being met with global silence, particularly from those who claim to advocate for human rights and peace. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jan, 2025) Pakistans top fruit and vegetable exporter, Shahid Suntan has now pioneered the Mushroom business, as he started the mushroom industrial production in Pakistan by investing $6 million to promote the mushroom business in Pakistan. I started this business to promote Made in Pakistan in global market and said that in the existing scenario a number of modern or commercial farms are producing mushroom, our SunGold Mushrooms farm is the biggest farm in the country with its own spawn he told APP here. Shahid said that in the existing scenario, a number of modern or commercial farms are producing mushroom, SunGold farm is the biggest farm in the country with its own spawn production lab and equipped with modern facilities. We have an annual production capacity of 2000-2500 tons and producing 3-4 tons daily. In previous year 2024, the size of the mushroom market in the world is $66.53 billion, in which Pakistans share is negligible, he said. Replying to a question on Mushroom market size in last year 2024, he said that the mushroom market size has grown strongly in recent years, and it has grown from $61.33 billion in 2023 to $66.53 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5%. CEO SunGold Mushrooms farms said that Made in Pakistan and export substitution have always been my priority and in mushrooms, he intends to reduce the countrys mushroom imports by increasing his exports. He said that when people in Pakistan are talking about the decline of business and industry, "We are playing our role in increasing the countrys economy by investing in new sectors like Mushrooms. Sultan said that Mushroom locally known as Khumbi, in Pakistan, this is among the emerging agricultural business in the world and We have started this business for exporting this to the international market. Cultivation of mushroom in Pakistan is in its preliminary stage and its pace of development is slow due to inadequate private and public segment support because it involves a high infrastructure, he said. Meanwhile talking to APP, Chairman Indonesia and Pakistan, Business Council (IPBC) and top industrial player of Palm oil industry, Ahmed Sultan said that Mushroom business have huge potential in future market of global economy and Pakistan can achieve the huge foreign exchange from this sector. He said that Pakistan need diversity in export and items level and for diversification in commodities and items, Mushrooms market to play vital role for increasing Pakistan exports. Chairman, IPPBC said that Pakistan can achieve the revival in the industrial sector through this potential sector of Mushrooms in coming years. MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jan, 2025) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a crackdown against banned single use plastic especially plastic shopping bags less than 75 microns and confiscated 137 kilograms banned polythene bags across the district. Talking to APP here on Sunday, EPA Assistant Director Hameed Akhtar said the crackdown was launched against the wholesale dealers of shopping/ polythene bags after amendments in the "Production and Consumption of Single Use Plastic Product Regulations 2023". He stated that two teams were formed for crackdown against the wholesale dealers. The mechanism had been developed for registration of producers, traders recyclers and collectors and the department had received 43 applications regarding registration so far which was the largest number in Punjab. He said that fine from Rs 5000 to Rs 50,000 would be imposed on violators after serving notices. The premises where banned single use plastic found could be sealed and material would be confiscated. He said that it was the part of EPAs broader initiative to promote sustainable practices and mitigate plastic pollution, he added. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jan, 2025) On Sunday, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani paid tribute to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on his birth anniversary, pledging to continue his public service mission. Zulfikar Ali Bhuttos political philosophy continues to guide us, said Gilani, adding that Bhutto was a visionary leader who still holds a special place in the people's hearts. In his message Gilani highlighted the late leaders vision of empowering the masses, describing him as a champion of democracy who declared the people as the true source of power. His pro-worker and pro-poor policies made him the most popular leader of his time, Gilani remarked. The Senate Chairman acknowledged Bhuttos relentless struggle against exploitative forces and credited him with giving Pakistan its Constitution and empowering marginalized communities. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave Pakistan a distinct identity on the global stage and laid the foundation for the country to become a nuclear power, Gilani stated. He also emphasized Bhuttos role in introducing democratic values and traditions, noting that his legacy of service and sacrifice inspires the nation. Concluding his message, Gilani reaffirmed his commitment to upholding Bhuttos ideals and continuing efforts for the betterment of the people, guided by his vision. DERA ISMAIL KHAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jan, 2025) A teenager was died and his two brothers got injured as their motorcycle was hit by a rickshaw-loader and sugarcane-loaded trolley here in the limits of Bandkorai police station. According to details, three brothers were riding a motorcycle on old Paharpur-Bandkorai road when their two-wheeler was hit by a rickshaw-loader from back side and then it was rammed into a tractor trolley loaded with sugarcane. As a result, Hassan Zahur (15) was died on the spot while 19-year-old Saad Zahur and 18-year-old Faizan Zahur got injured. The body and injured were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital Dera. The Bandkorai police have registered a case on the report of injured Saad Zahur. Later, the funeral prayers of deceased Hassan Zahur were offered here at Science College ground. (@ChaudhryMAli88) QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jan, 2025) The Balochistan Chief Minister, Mir Sarfraz Bugti said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto provided strong foundations for democracy in Pakistan as Bhuttos vision continues to guide us even today. In his message on the occasion of the 97th birth anniversary of the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, said that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a leader in Pakistan's history who always made the welfare of the people his top priority. Mir Sarfraz Bugti pays tribute to the public services of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and added that under his leadership, Pakistan received its first consensus-based constitution, and the people were made aware of their rights. The Chief Minister added that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto not only won the hearts of the people of Pakistan but also had a special love and attachment to the people of Balochistan. He made the restoration of Balochistan's rights and the development of its projects a priority of his government, which marked the beginning of a new era of development in the province. Mir Sarfraz Bugti added, "Bhutto Shaheed gave political awareness to the marginalized communities. He played an exemplary role in promoting national unity and sovereignty." Mir Sarfraz Bugti further said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto showed a keen interest in providing employment, education, and healthcare opportunities for the people of Balochistan. His vision and love for the people instilled confidence and a desire for progress among the people of Balochistan. The Chief Minister emphasized that we need to adopt Zulfikar Ali Bhuttos people-centric policies and vision to put the country, especially Balochistan, on the path to prosperity. Sarfraz Bugti said that Bhuttos spirit of public service will always remain an inspiration for us. The Chief Minister described the services of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as a golden chapter in the countrys history and said that his sacrifices will always be remembered. (@ChaudhryMAli88) LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jan, 2025) The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) on Sunday organized its monthly guided tour of Old Havelis in Walled Lahore, attracting 150 tourists. The tour showcased several historic havelis, including Mubarak Haveli, Haveli Wajid Ali Shah, Noori Building, and Haveli Barood Khana, offering visitors a glimpse into the city's rich architectural legacy. In addition to exploring these heritage sites, participants enjoyed the vibrant Rangeela Rikshaw ride and traditional cultural performances. Refreshments were also provided for the tourists, who praised the tour for its insightful look into Lahore's past. WCLA Deputy Director (Tourism) Asghar Hussain emphasized the significance of these havelis as a window into Lahore's social and architectural history. He said the Old Havelis of Androon Lahore are a significant element of the city's architectural legacy. They not only display traditional designs but also provide a window into the daily life of the past. Visiting these historic homes is like traveling back in time, allowing one to experience how people once lived and interacted within the social fabric of Old Lahore. These tours emphasize the architectural foundations established by common people, not just by rulers or officials, which have influenced the distinct structures of the old city, he added. WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari said that the havelis, built during the Mughal, Sikh, and British periods, are an integral part of Lahores heritage. He further highlighted the Authority's efforts to preserve these cultural treasures amid urbanization, with the addition of cultural performances to enrich the visitor experience. With growing interest and appreciation, WCLA plans to make this tour a regular monthly event. Moscow, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Jan, 2025) Dozens of sea mammals have been found dead since last month's Russian oil tanker spill in the Black Sea, a dolphin rescue centre said Sunday, as authorities raced to contain the disaster. The spill began on December 15, when two ageing Russian tankers were caught in a storm off the Kerch Strait linking Crimea to southern Russia. One sank and the other ran aground, pouring around 2,400 tonnes of a heavy fuel oil called mazut into the surrounding waters, authorities estimate. Russia's Delfa centre, which rescues and rehabilitates dolphins, said it had recorded 61 dead cetaceans since the incident, 32 of whom "most likely" died due to the spill. Cetaceans are a type of aquatic mammal that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. "Judging by the condition of the bodies, most likely the bulk of these cetaceans died in the first 10 days after the disaster," it said on Telegram. It said most of those killed were "Azov" dolphins -- a type of harbour porpoise that look similar to dolphins but are more closely related to belugas and narwhals. Russia's emergency ministry said Sunday it was working to clean up after the incident, but that "strong winds and waves" had thrown oil onto some beaches. "More than 68 kilometres (42 miles) of coastline have been cleaned," it said. In a further statement Sunday, the ministry said two new oil slicks had been discovered. One was off the seaside resort of Anapa and the other in the bay of Kapsel, it said in a statement cited by the Russian news agency TASS. The news agency said the second slick was two kilometres long. Hundreds of volunteers have been deployed to scoop up contaminated soil from beaches in Crimea and along Russia's southern coast. The type of fuel oil involved in the incident is particularly hard to clean because it is dense and heavy and does not float on the surface, Russian authorities say. Lyon, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jan, 2025) French authorities were on Sunday holding two Algerians who have wide followings on social media platform TikTok on suspicion of inciting terror, after they allegedly published posts urging acts of violence in France. The arrests of the two men -- in Brest in the west of France and Grenoble in the southeast -- comes against the background of growing political tensions between Paris and its former colony. A video blogger known as "Imad Tintin" was arrested on Friday outside Grenoble after publishing a video that urged followers to "burn alive, kill and rape on French territory". The post was taken down but hardline right-wing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau published a video grab on his social media accounts, condemning the publication as "vile". "Nothing will go unanswered," Retailleau warned. The blogger, 31, is due to appear before a judge later Sunday with a view to being charged and remanded in custody ahead of a fast-track trial on Monday, said regional prosecutor Eric Vaillant. "Imad Tintin" entered France in December 2021 and applied for a residence permit in August 2023 after his marriage to a French woman. But his application was refused and he is also subject to an expulsion order. He was arrested with his twin brother, according to a police source, who asked not to be named but who added that a search of their home revealed the sets used for the video which had more than 800,000 views. Prosecutors have not given details over the situation of the brother. - 'War waged in France' - In the other case, a 25-year-old Algerian identified as Youcef A. but known on social media as Zazou Youssef was remanded in custody on Friday in the western city of Brest, prosecutor Camille Miansoni said in a statement. He will stand trial there on February 24 on a charge of "publicly advocating an act of terrorism", she said. He faces up to seven years in jail and a 100,000-euro ($103,000) fine if convicted, the statement added. Zazou Youssef appeared in a video posted on TikTok on December 31, calling for attacks in France and violence in Algeria. The suspect was living in France on a temporary residency permit. TikTok told AFP the account from which the video was posted had been banned for posting several videos that broke its rules on hate speech. Tensions have surged between France and Algeria after President Emmanuel Macron renewed French support for Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara during a landmark visit to the kingdom last year. Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is de facto controlled for the most part by Morocco. But it is claimed by the Sahrawi separatists of the Polisario Front, who are demanding a self-determination referendum and are supported by Algiers. French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal, a major figure in modern francophone literature, has meanwhile been imprisoned by Algerian authorities since mid-November on national security charges. "Zazou Youssef" and "Imad Tintin" have joined "the war waged in France by the Algerian regime", Chawki Benzehra, an Algerian dissident who took refuge in France after taking part in pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019, told AFP. He accused the Algerian authorities of mobilising a "significant" number of influencers calling for "violence". Benzehra said he had also filed a complaint on Friday in Lyon for threats made against him by "Imad Tintin". (@ChaudhryMAli88) Cetinje, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Jan, 2025) Thousands of people gathered Sunday in Montenegro's town of Cetinje and in the capital city Podgorica to commemorate the victims of a deadly mass shooting earlier this week, demanding accountability from the authorities. A 45-year-old man on Wednesday opened fire at a restaurant in the southern town of Cetinje, launching a killing spree that left 12 dead, including two children and four wounded. Thousands turned up outside the interior ministry in Podgorica at a protest organised by the student organisation "Kamo Sjutra" (Where Tomorrow). Demonstrators brandished placards that read "Sadness, revolt, anger", "No turning back", "Danger for everyone" and chanted "resignations". "Be fair and correct, innocent citizens suffered during your time. You failed to protect us and that's why -- resignations!", a spokesperson for the collective told the crowd. The organisers issued several demands, chief among them the resignations of Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic and Vice-Prime Minister for Security and Defence Aleksa Becic. Other demands included the disarmament of Montenegrin society, the confiscation of illegal weapons, moratorium of issuing weapons licences and stationing police patrols in local communities. Earlier on Sunday, a vigil organised by the same student organisation was held in Cetinje. More than one thousand people stood still in silence for 12 minutes, symbolising the number of victims, according to an AFP reporter. Residents laid flowers and lit candles in the central part of Cetinje, which saw its second mass shooting in less than three years. Participants in the vigil did not carry banners but intended to "give support to the town and to the families of the victims", the organisers said in a statement Sunday. The Balkan country's authorities have come under criticism by the opposition and citizens for the slow reaction of law enforcement as the killing spree spanned over 30 minutes and five different locations. It took police around six hours to locate the attacker, who died after he shot himself when he was surrounded. - Tightened measures - According to the Swiss research programme Small Arms Survey (SAS), Montenegro -- a nation of just over 620,000 people -- has approximately 245,000 firearms in circulation including 140,000 unregistered. Montenegrin authorities on Friday announced measures to curb illegal weapons in the country, including legal changes, tougher penalties for unlawful possession, stricter conditions for acquiring arms, as well as a two-month campaign for owners to voluntarily give up their illegal weapons. Cetinje, with a population of around 13,000 people, is the site of the former royal capital and sits in a mountainous valley that has largely stagnated economically. In 2022, a man murdered 10 Cetinje residents, including two children, in broad daylight before being killed, in one of the deadliest such incidents to rock the country. The area and its surroundings are strongholds of organised criminal groups, and clashes erupt sporadically between rival mafia clans. Organised crime and corruption remain two major issues plaguing Montenegro that authorities have pledged to tackle in its bid to join the European Union. The head of the Albanian Orthodox Church, who was airlifted to a hospital in Athens due to complications from a virus, is in a critical condition, the Evangelismos hospital said Sunday. Archbishop Anastasios, 95, was taken to the Greek capital Friday evening, four days after being admitted to hospital in Tirana with what Church officials called a "seasonal virus." "His Beatitude's condition is assessed as critical by the attending physicians," the medical report from the hospital stated. On Saturday, his condition was assessed as "stable despite his already complicated medical history." Anastasios is credited with having revived the Orthodox Church in Muslim-majority Albania. He led the Church there for three decades. He was airlifted to Athens on a C-27 Greek air force plane following a request from Greek emergency services, the defense ministry said. Greek public television ERT reported that he was also suffering from gastric bleeding. In November 2020, he was hospitalized in Athens for 12 days with COVID-19. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Sunday afternoon the hospital where Archbishop Anastasios of Albania is being treated and was informed for the ailing archbishop's health condition. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. President Joe Biden visits New Orleans on Monday in the wake of a deadly New Years Day terrorist attack. The FBI is investigating and says the assailant was inspired by Islamic State. VOAs Arash Arabasadi has the story. U.S. President Joe Biden praised the strength and resilience of the people of New Orleans as he spoke late Monday at a prayer service following an attack last week that killed 14 people and injured 35 others. This citys people get back up. Thats the spirit of America as well, Biden said. He praised first responders and pledged that his administration would make every resource available to support the investigation of the New Years Day attack in which a man drove a pickup truck through a crowd of pedestrians. "I know events like this are hard. The shock and pain is still so very raw, Biden said. My wife, Jill, and I are here to stand with you. To grieve with you. To pray with you. To let you know you are not alone. The rest of the nation is looking at you as well." Earlier Monday, the Bidens visited a makeshift memorial at the site of the attack. Jill Biden laid a bouquet of white flowers at the memorial, while the president made the sign of the cross. They then headed to Saint Peter Claver Church where they met with survivors of the attack and the families of the victims before the prayer service. Watch related report by Arash Arabasadi: The suspect in the attack, identified by authorities as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old military veteran from Houston, sped down bustling Bourbon Street, a prime tourist, restaurant and bar locale. Police fatally shot Jabbar after he opened fire on officers. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Jabbar posted five videos on social media expressing support for the Islamic State group over roughly an hour and a half before the attack as revelers in New Orleans celebrated the first hours of 2025. An Islamic State flag was found in the back of the truck. An FBI official said Sunday that Jabbar, wearing specialized hands-free glasses, last October twice visited the French Quarter neighborhood where the attack occurred. Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office, said video shows the suspect riding through the French Quarter on a bicycle wearing Meta glasses that are capable of recording or livestreaming. Myrthil said officials are also investigating two foreign trips Jabbar took, one to Cairo in the summer of 2023 and then to Canada a few days later. "Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he went with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here," Myrthil said. FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia told reporters at a news conference Saturday, "All investigative details and evidence that we have now still support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans. We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking into potential associates in the U.S. and outside of our borders." Biden said investigators told him the suspect had a remote detonator in his truck that was meant to set off two explosive devices placed inside ice coolers along Bourbon Street. But police killed Jabbar before he could detonate the explosives. Representative Mike Turner, chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, on Sunday reiterated to CBSs Face the Nation news show a previously disclosed U.S. claim that there are Islamic State members and other terrorist organizations inside the United States "working in conjunction with ISIS with the intention of harming Americans. We dont know where they are, Turner said. Outgoing Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas told ABCs This Week news show that there has been a significant increase over the last 10 years in homegrown violent extremism. It is a very difficult threat landscape, Mayorkas said. He pledged a smooth transition to Trumps appointment as the incoming Homeland Security secretary, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. I have spoken with Governor Noem a number of times, including on New Years Day and immediately thereafter, with respect to the horrific terrorist attack, Mayorkas said. We have spoken substantively about the measures that we take, and I am incredibly devoted to a smooth and successful transition to the success of Governor Noem, should she be confirmed as the secretary of Homeland Security, Mayorkas said. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press and Reuters Secretary of State Antony Blinken will embark on what is expected to be his final overseas trip in office this weekend, traveling to South Korea, Japan and France. The State Department announced Friday that Blinken would visit Seoul, South Korean, Tokyo and Paris beginning Sunday. In South Korea, which is in the midst of political turmoil following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, and Japan, Blinken intends to highlight the expansion of U.S. cooperation with both nations as part of the Biden administration's Indo-Pacific strategy. That strategy is primarily intended to blunt Chinese ambitions in the region but also to deter the nuclear threat from North Korea. Political developments in South Korea, however, after Yoon declared martial law and was later impeached, have raised questions about the stability of Washington-Seoul relations. The U.S. has taken a cautious approach to the uncertainty, insisting that the U.S.-South Korea alliance remains intact and iron-clad. Blinken will speak with South Korean officials about how "to build on our critical cooperation on challenges around the world based on our shared values," the State Department said in a statement. In Tokyo, Blinken will "review the tremendous progress the U.S.-Japan alliance has made over the past few years," the statement said. That includes a major arms sales approval announced on Friday under which the U.S. will deliver some $3.64 billion in medium-range missiles, related equipment and training to Japan. China has repeatedly complained about the potential sale, saying it will affect stability and security in the region, allegations that both Japan and the U.S. reject. Blinken will wrap up his trip in Paris in meetings with French officials to discuss developments in the Middle East and European security, particularly in Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday opened a visit to crisis-riven South Korea where he will seek delicately to encourage continuity with the policies, but not tactics, of the impeached president. Blinken arrived in the snow-covered capital on what will likely be his final trip as the top U.S. diplomat before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. He will meet his counterpart Cho Tae-yul on Monday, the same day a warrant expires to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol who unsuccessfully tried to impose martial law on December 3. Blinken is highlighting President Joe Biden's efforts to build alliances and will head afterwards to Tokyo, making it crucial in the eyes of his advisors not to snub South Korea, which has a fraught and often competitive relationship with Japan, also home to thousands of American troops. Yoon had once been a darling of the Biden administration with his bold moves to turn the page on friction with Japan and his eye on a greater role for South Korea on global issues. Yoon joined Biden for a landmark three-way summit with Japan's prime minister and -- months before declaring martial law -- was picked to lead a global democracy summit, a signature initiative for the outgoing U.S. administration. Yoon also memorably charmed his hosts on a state visit by belting out "American Pie" at a White House dinner. Blinken may face some criticism from the South Korean left for the visit but should be able to navigate the political crisis, said Sydney Seiler, a former US intelligence officer focused on Korea now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Blinken has a high enough profile to be above the fray, and can keep the focus on challenges such as China and North Korea, he said. "Blinken can dodge a lot of these domestic South Korean landmines relatively easily and contextualize it not as trying to help the ruling party or artificially create a sense of normalcy where it otherwise isn't," Seiler said. In a statement, the State Department did not directly mention the political crisis but said Blinken would seek to preserve trilateral cooperation with Japan, which has included enhanced intelligence sharing on North Korea. Blinken's visit comes at a time of change for both countries, with Trump returning to the White House on January 20. Paradoxically, while Biden worked closely with the conservative Yoon, Trump in his first term enjoyed a warm relationship with then progressive president Moon Jae-in, who encouraged the U.S. president's groundbreaking personal diplomacy with North Korea. The Biden administration has stressed since the crisis that it is reaching out to South Korean politicians across the divide, amid the uncertainties on who will lead Asia's fourth-largest economy. Progressive opposition leader Lee Jae-myung -- who himself faces election disqualification in a court case -- supports diplomacy with North Korea. But the former labor activist has also taken stances that differ from those of both Biden and Trump. Lee has criticized deployment of U.S.-made THAAD missile defenses, which Washington says are meant to protect against North Korea but which China sees as a provocation. South Korea's left has long championed a harder stance on Japan over its brutal 1910-1945 occupation of the Korean peninsula. U.S. officials said they had no warning of Yoon's imposition of martial law, which brought masses of protesters to the streets. Blinken, addressing reporters last month, said the crisis showed the strength of South Korea's institutions built in the three decades since it embraced democracy. "I think Korea is one of the most powerful stories in the world about the emergence of democracy and democratic resilience, and we'll continue to look to Korea to set that example," Blinken said. About 150 military police officers from Central America have arrived in Haiti to reinforce the embattled government's fight against violent gangs that have upended daily life for millions in the Caribbean country. The deployment of around 75 security officers, mostly from Guatemala, was greeted Saturday at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince by the Kenyan commander of the U.N.-backed mission that for months has been struggling to restore order. "The gangs have only two choices: surrender, lay down their weapons, and face justice, or face us in the field," the officer, Godfrey Otunge, said in remarks at a welcoming ceremony. "With the addition of the Guatemalan and El Salvador forces, the gangs will have nowhere to hide. We will root them out of their enclave." A similar sized contingent, which also included a small number of forces from El Salvador, traveled aboard a U.S. Air Force aircraft and was greeted Friday by top Haitian officials and U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins. Coordinated gang attacks on prisons, police stations and the main international airport have intensified in Haiti since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Gangs are estimated to control about 85% of the capital. In what is perhaps the most brazen attack yet, gunmen opened fire on a crowd that gathered on Christmas Eve for the much-anticipated reopening of Haiti's biggest public hospital, which was closed after being ransacked by gangs earlier this year. Two journalists covering the event and a police officer were killed. Before this week's deployment, the international mission seeking to quell the violence was led by around 400 security officers from Kenya. Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin and Chad have also pledged personnel although it isn't clear when they would be sent. Venezuelan opposition politician Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who fled the country after a tumultuous election and subsequent police crackdown, said Saturday he plans to speak with U.S. President Joe Biden. Speaking in Argentina, where he met with President Javier Milei, Gonzalez added that he was traveling to the United States on Sunday, though it was unclear when the conversation with Biden would take place. "We are planning a conversation with President Biden, and we are waiting for definitions regarding the new authorities," Gonzalez said in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, referring to incoming President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to take over on January 20. Gonzalez's meeting with Milei came at the start of a regional tour aimed at building international support for the man Venezuela's opposition considers the rightful president-elect. The 75-year-old appeared alongside Milei on a balcony of the Casa Rosada, the Argentine president's official workplace, as hundreds of Venezuelans gathered below on the Plaza de Mayo chanted "Venezuela, you are not alone!" The appearance came just days before Gonzalez's rival, Nicolas Maduro, is set to be sworn in for a third presidential term in Caracas. The United States, the European Union and dozens of other countries say Venezuelan election officials manipulated the vote results, which they have yet to publish in detail, of the July 28 elections. Some countries instead have recognized Gonzalez as the winner. Gonzalez arrived in Buenos Aires quietly from Madrid, where he has lived in exile since fleeing Venezuela in September. Authorities in Caracas have offered a reward of $100,000 for information leading to his capture. Street protests erupted after the election and degenerated into clashes with police, with 28 people dead, 200 injured and more than 2,400 arrested. Gonzalez's schedule calls for him to visit Uruguay late Saturday, Panama on Wednesday and the Dominican Republic the day after. He has said he will be in Caracas on January 10 to be sworn in as president. It remains unclear how the Maduro government will respond. Gonzalez's visit to Argentina came amid heightened bilateral tensions following the arrest in Venezuela of an Argentine policeman on what Buenos Aires says are trumped up charges of terrorism. The relationship was already strained following an exchange of insults and, ultimately, Argentina's refusal to recognize Maduro's victory claim. The Argentine Embassy in Caracas has also been sheltering six opposition figures accused of "terrorism," a matter Gonzalez had said he would take up with Milei. Her greatest fear, dormant for decades, came rushing back in an instant: had she adopted and raised a kidnapped child? Peg Reif's daughter, adopted from South Korea in the 1980s, had sent her a link to a documentary detailing how the system that made their family was rife with fraud: documents falsified, babies switched, children snatched off the street and sent abroad. Reif wept. She was among more than 120 who contacted The Associated Press this fall, after a series of stories and a documentary made with Frontline exposed how Korea created a baby pipeline, designed to ship children abroad as quickly as possible to meet Western demand. The reporting shook adoption communities around the world with details about how agencies competed for babies pressuring mothers, bribing hospitals, fabricating documents. Most who wrote were adoptees, but some were adoptive parents like Reif, horrified to learn they had supported this system. "I can't stand the thought that somebody lost their child," Reif said. "I can't stop thinking about it. I don't know how to make it right. I don't know if I can." Forty years ago, she was struggling with infertility. She and her husband pinned their dreams for a family on adopting a baby from Mexico, paid an agency thousands of dollars and waited for months. Then the agency's directors were arrested, and they learned that those Mexican babies had been taken from their families against their will. Reif was heartbroken but recalls even now looking at her husband and saying, "Thank God we don't have a child who was stolen." But now she isn't sure of that. Because then they adopted two Korean children, and brought them to their home in rural Wisconsin, first a son and then a daughter. The two were not biological siblings, but both arrived with strangely similar stories in their files: their young unmarried mothers worked in factories with fathers who disappeared after they got pregnant. Back then, Reif still believed the common narrative about foreign adoption: it saved children who might otherwise live the rest of their lives in an orphanage, die or be damned to poverty. "I don't believe that anymore," Reif said. "I don't know what to believe." Cameron Lee Small, a therapist in Minneapolis whose practice caters to adoptees and their families, said many are feeling an intense sense of betrayal. Individual adoptees had long shared stories of falsified identities. But the revelations this year pointed to systemwide practices that routinely changed babies' origin stories to process adoptions quickly, including listing them as "abandoned" even when they had known parents. Small, who was also adopted from Korea in the 1980s, summarized what he's been hearing from adoptees: "I'm kind of back to nothing. What do I believe now? Who can I believe?" Reif's daughter, Jenn Hamilton, spent her life thinking she was unwanted, often quipping, "That's what happens when you're found in a dumpster as a baby." It has taken a toll on her all her life: She's been happily married for nine years, she said, but she has this insatiable insecurity: "I constantly find myself asking my husband, 'Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?' Do you want to leave me?'" She has no idea anymore if abandonment was ever really her story, with revelations of abuses so systemic that even the Korean government likened it to "trafficking." "You can't make that many mistakes. It has to be intentional. It was this huge tree of deception," she said. "I feel disgusted." Holt International, the U.S.-based agency that pioneered adoptions from Korea, did not respond to repeated requests for comment for this story. Reform is sweeping across Europe countries have launched investigations, halted foreign adoptions and apologized to adoptees for failing to protect them. But the United States, which has taken in the most adopted children by far, has not done a review of its own history or culpability. The U.S. State Department told AP this summer that it would work with its historian to piece together its history, and detailed initial findings that some documents might have been falsified. But it said there was no evidence that U.S. officials were aware of it. The State Department has since said that it has "been unable to identify any records that could provide insight into the U.S. government role in adoptions from South Korea in the 1970s and 1980s." Korea's National Police Agency confirmed an increase in adoptees registering their DNA for family searches both at domestic police stations and diplomatic offices across North America and Europe in the weeks following the release of the AP stories and documentary in September. More than 120 adoptees registered their DNA in October and November, compared to an average of fewer than 30 a month from January to August. Korea's government has maintained that adoptions were a necessary tool to care for needy children, including babies of unwed mothers or other children deemed as abandoned. However, Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare acknowledged to AP that the adoption boom in the 1970s and 80s was possibly fueled by a desire to reduce welfare costs. Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been investigating government accountability over foreign adoption problems since 2022, prompted by complaints filed by hundreds of adoptees, and is expected to release an interim report in February. The Commission has posted the AP stories on its website. A law passed in 2023 mandates that all adoption records be transferred from private agencies to a government department called the National Center for the Rights of the Child by July, to centralize the handling of family search requests. The center has confirmed that private agencies hold about 170,000 adoption files, but director Chung Ick-Joong doubts it will acquire a space to store and manage all these records in time, due to financial constraints and other challenges. The agency expects family search requests to increase dramatically "possibly by tenfold," according to Chung yet has funding to add only five staff members to its team of six searchers. Chung acknowledged that flaws in adoption laws had persisted for decades, and Korea only required adoptions to go through courts and birth records to be preserved after 2012. "It's difficult to determine who was responsible for the inaccuracies in records before then," he said. "The adoption agency might have been at fault, the biological parents may have lied, or something might have gone wrong at the orphanage ... no one truly knows what the truth is." Korean adoption agencies have mostly declined AP's requests for comment in recent months, often citing privacy concerns. Advocates insist that most adoptive families thrive, with both the parents and children happily living their lives without questioning the industry as Reif and Hamilton have. Hamilton grew up in a rural, almost exclusively white community in Wisconsin, and back then all she wanted was to be accepted. But having children of her own changed that. When her first child was born, she looked at him, and it took her breath away. "It can't explain it, like this is the first person I know in my life that I'm biologically related to," she said. She wanted to learn her own history, so her children could know theirs. She wrote a letter to her adoption agency, which within weeks connected her with a woman they said was her mother. It was emotional, shocking. But soon she felt like she had more questions than answers. The woman's name didn't match the one listed on paperwork, and the name she gave for the father was also different. Birthdates didn't match, the birthplace didn't either. They had not met in a factory, she said, they had been pen pals. Hamilton asked the woman to take a DNA test, but she said she didn't know how to access one. Hamilton came to believe this woman was not her birth mother. The AP's reporting found numerous cases where agencies connected adoptees with supposed birth families, only for them to later discover after emotional meetings that they weren't related at all. Hamilton has been trying to untangle the DNA results on her father's side, contacting people distantly related, cousins once removed, half great aunts. "It becomes an obsession," Hamilton said. "It's like a puzzle that you start, and you have to find the missing pieces." Lynelle Long, the founder of InterCountry Adoptee Voices, the largest organization of adoptees in the world, said governments at the very least need to legally mandate that agencies provide adoptees with their full and redacted documents, without the payment now often required. Long said parents like Reif have an important role, because in Western countries, laws always favored the desires of adoptive parents designed to make adoptions quicker and easier. Many clung to the narrative that they saved needy orphans who should be grateful, she said, especially in the U.S., where the reckoning rocking Europe has not taken hold. "We really need adoptive parents in the United States, if they have any inkling of guilt or shame or loss, to step up, take responsibility and demand that legislation be put in place to criminalize these practices and prevent it from ever happening again," Long said. Hamilton is close to her parents; she just renovated the basement to accommodate their visits. She's sad for herself, she said, but she's sadder for her mother, who is desperate to learn if her children actually had parents somewhere, searching for them. "And I'm like, 'Why, so you can send us back?" Hamilton said. "I don't want to be a victim." She said she's glad she was adopted, and does not long for that different, alternative life in Korea. Reif loves her children profoundly, she said. But she doesn't think she would adopt from abroad again, if she'd known then what she knows now. "I'd rather be childless than think I have somebody else's child that didn't want to give them up," she said. "I think of somebody taking my child. Those poor families, I just can't imagine it." The new year will bring a pair of lunar eclipses, but don't expect any sun-disappearing acts like the one that mesmerized North America last spring. While the world will have to wait until 2026 for the next total solar eclipse, the cosmos promises plenty of other wow moments in 2025. It's kicking off the year with a six-planet parade in January that will be visible for weeks. Little Mercury will join the crowd for a seven-planet lineup in February. Five planets already are scattered across the sky all but Mars and Mercury though binoculars or telescopes are needed to spot some of them just after sunset. "People should go out and see them sometime during the next many weeks. I certainly will," said the Planetary Society's chief scientist Bruce Betts. Here's a sneak peek of what's ahead: Eclipses The moon will vanish for more than an hour over North and South America on March 14, followed two weeks later by a partial solar eclipse visible from Maine, eastern Canada, Greenland, Europe, Siberia and northwestern Africa. The cosmic double-header will repeat in September with an even longer total lunar eclipse over Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, and a partial solar eclipse two weeks later near the bottom of the world. Supermoons Three supermoons are on tap this year in October, November and December. The full moon will look particularly big and bright those three months as it orbits closer to Earth than usual. November's supermoon will come closest, passing within 356,980 kilometers. Last year featured four supermoons, wrapping up in November. Planet parade Six of our seven neighboring planets will line up in the sky to form a long arc around mid-January. All but Neptune and Uranus should be visible with the naked eye just after sunset, weather permitting. The parade will continue for weeks, with some of the planets occasionally snuggling up. Mercury will make a cameo appearance by the end of February. The planets will gradually exit, one by one, through spring. Northern and southern lights The sun burped big time last year, painting the sky with gorgeous auroras in unexpected places. Space weather forecasters anticipate more geomagnetic storms that could yield even more northern and southern lights. That's because the sun has reached its solar maximum during its current 11-year cycle that could continue through this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Shawn Dahl urges everyone to stay on top of space weather news, so as not to miss any pop-up, razzle-dazzle shows. Meteor showers The Perseids and Geminids are perennial crowd-pleasers, peaking in August and December, respectively. But don't count out the smaller, less dramatic meteor showers like the Lyrids in April, the Orionids in October and the Leonids in November. The darker the locale and dimmer the moon, the better it will be for viewing. Meteor showers are generally named for the constellation in which they appear to originate. They occur whenever Earth plows through streams of debris left behind by comets and sometimes asteroids. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last year while inside the militant group's war operations room, according to new details Sunday disclosed by a senior Hezbollah official. A series of Israeli airstrikes flattened several buildings in Beiruts southern suburbs on Sept. 27, 2023, killing Nasrallah. The Lebanese Health Ministry said six people died. According to news reports, Nasrallah and other senior officials were meeting underground. The assassination of Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for 32 years, turned months of low-level strikes between Israel and the militants into all-out war that battered much of southern and eastern Lebanon for two months until a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect Nov. 27. His Eminence [Hassan Nasrallah] used to lead the battle and war from this location, top Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa told a news conference Sunday near the site where Nasrallah was killed. He said Nasrallah died in the war operations room. He did not offer other details. Lebanese media had reported that Safa was a target of Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut before the ceasefire but appeared unscathed. During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to move its fighters, weapons and infrastructure away from southern Lebanon north of the Litani River, while Israeli troops that invaded southern Lebanon need to withdraw all within 60 days. Lebanese army soldiers are to deploy in large numbers and alongside United Nations peacekeepers to be the sole armed presence in southern Lebanon. Lebanon and Hezbollah have been critical of ongoing Israeli strikes and overflights across the country and for only withdrawing from two of dozens of Lebanese villages it controls. Israel says that the Lebanese military has not done its share in dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure. Hezbollahs current leader Naim Kassem in a televised address Saturday warned that its fighters could strike Israel if its troops dont leave the south by the end of the month. Safa said that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who negotiated the ceasefire deal with Washington, told Hezbollah that the government will meet with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein soon. And in light of what happens, then there will be a position, said Safa. Hochstein had led the shuttle diplomacy efforts to reach the fragile truce. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise trip to Florida to meet with Donald Trump late on Saturday, as the key European leader sought to buttress ties with the president-elect before his inauguration on January 20. Members of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort welcomed Meloni with applause after an introduction by the president-elect, according to videos shared on social media by reporters and others. "This is very exciting. I'm here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy," Trump told the Mar-a-Lago crowd, according to a media pool report. "Shes really taken Europe by storm." Meloni is seen as a potentially strong partner for Trump given her conservative credentials and the stability of the right-wing coalition she has led in Italy since late 2022. She has also forged a close relationship with billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk, a close Trump ally who spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help him win the election. Tommaso Foti, Italy's EU and regional affairs minister, said on Sunday that the meeting, which had not been announced in advance, showed that Italy could act as "a diplomatic bridge between two worlds: the European Union and the USA." Meloni's trip comes days before she is to meet U.S. President Joe Biden during a visit to Rome from Thursday to Jan. 12. Trump defeated Biden in the November election and is preparing to return to the White House. While no details of their meeting have been disclosed, Meloni had planned to talk with Trump about Russia's war in Ukraine, trade issues, the Middle East and the plight of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran, according to Italian media reports. Trump and Meloni watched a screening of a documentary questioning the criminal investigations and legal scrutiny faced by John Eastman, a former Trump lawyer who was central to Trump's unsuccessful efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. One of the biggest challenges facing Meloni is the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in Iran on Dec. 19. Sala was detained three days after Mohammad Abedini, an Iranian businessman, was arrested at Milan's Malpensa airport on a U.S. warrant for allegedly supplying drone parts that Washington says were used in a 2023 attack that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan. Iran has denied involvement in the attack. Meloni became the latest in the handful of foreign leaders who have visited Trump in Florida since the Nov. 5 election. He has met with Argentinian President Javier Milei, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. President Joe Biden and his family were given tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from foreign leaders in 2023, according to an annual accounting published by the State Department on Thursday, with first lady Jill Biden receiving the single most expensive present: a $20,000 diamond from India's leader. The 7.5-carat diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was easily the most costly gift presented to any member of the first family in 2023, although she also received a brooch valued at $14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet, brooch and photograph album worth $4,510 from the president and first lady of Egypt. The U.S. president himself received a number of expensive presents, including a commemorative photo album valued at $7,100 from South Korea's recently impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol , a $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from the Mongolian prime minister, a $3,300 silver bowl from the sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 sterling silver tray from the president of Israel, and a collage worth $2,400 from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Federal law requires executive branch officials to declare gifts they receive from foreign leaders and counterparts that have an estimated value of more than $480. Many of the gifts that meet that threshold are relatively modest, and the more expensive ones are typically but not always transferred to the National Archives or put on official displays. The $20,000 diamond was retained for official use in the White House East Wing, according to a State Department document, while the other gifts to the president and first lady were sent to the archives. Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden, said the diamond will be turned over to the archives after they leave office. She did not say what it was being used for. Ukraine's ambassador, Oksana Markarova, said Friday on Facebook that a Ukrainian designer fashioned the brooch from the remains of a Russian rocket and that the piece was made from inexpensive materials, so its "true value lies in its symbolism." The embassy's spokesperson, Halyna Yusypiuk, said U.S. officials provided the assessed value. Recipients have the option to purchase the gift from the U.S. government at its market value, although that is rare, particularly with high-end items. According to the State Department's Office of Protocol, which compiles the list that will be published in Friday's edition of the Federal Register, several employees of the CIA reported receiving lavish gifts of watches, perfume and jewelry, nearly all of which were destroyed. Of the gifts destroyed, they were worth more than $132,000 combined. CIA Director William Burns received a $18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological camera, from a foreign source whose identity is classified. That is being transferred to the General Services Administration. But Burns reported receiving and destroying an $11,000 Omega watch, while numerous others did the same with luxury timepieces. Below the rank of director, the CIA employees who reported gifts are not identified, but one of them logged an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a ladies Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, earring bracelet set, and a ring that were valued together at $65,100. All of those were destroyed, according to the report, as was a $30,000 women's jewelry set from the Libyan jeweler Al Grew consisting of a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings received by another CIA employee. Another CIA employee reported receiving a men's Yacht Master II Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch worth $18,700, another reported getting a lady's Rolex Oyster Datejust watch valued at $12,500, and one other got a $7,450 Rolex Air King watch. All three of the watches were destroyed, according to the list. Another employee reported receiving a collection of pricey Amouage Perfume worth $10,670, the destruction of which is pending, the report says. The pro-Russian breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestria, left without Russian gas supplies no longer transiting through neighboring Ukraine, faced longer periods of rolling power cuts on Saturday, local authorities said. Flows of Russian gas via Ukraine to central and eastern Europe stopped on New Year's Day after a transit deal expired between the warring countries and Kyiv refused to extend it. Transdniestria, a mainly Russian-speaking enclave which has lived side-by-side with Moldova since breaking away from it in the last days of Soviet rule, received gas from Russian giant Gazprom through the pipeline crossing Ukraine. The gas was used to operate a thermal plant that provided electricity locally and for much of Moldova under the control of the pro-European central government. The region's self-styled president, Vadim Krasnoselsky, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said rolling power cuts in various districts would be extended to four hours Sunday. Hour-long cuts were first imposed Friday evening after heating and hot water supplies were curtailed. The cuts were then extended to three hours on Saturday. "Yesterday's introduction of rolling cuts was a test. And it confirmed that an hour-long break to keep the electrical supply system operating was insufficient," Krasnoselsky wrote. "The power generated is not covering sharply rising demand." All industries except those producing food have been shut down. The official Telegram news channel of the region's separatist authorities announced the official closure on Saturday of a steel mill and bakery in the town of Rybnitsa. Regional officials announced new measures to help residents, especially the elderly, and warned that overnight temperatures would fall to -10 Celsius (+14 Fahrenheit). Residents were told not to put strain on the region's mobile phone network. Using firewood The news channel warned against using heaters in disrepair after two residents died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a stove. Online pictures showed servicemen loading up trucks with firewood for distribution. "Don't put off gathering in firewood," Krasnoselsky told residents. "It is better to ensure your supply in advance, especially since the weather is favorable so far." Moldova's government blames Russia for the crisis and has called on Gazprom to ship gas through the TurkStream pipeline and then through Bulgaria and Romania. Russia denies using gas as a weapon to coerce Moldova and blames Kyiv for refusing to renew the gas transit deal. The Transdniestria power cuts are a problem for Moldova particularly because the enclave is home to a power plant that provides most of the power for government-controlled areas of Moldova at a fixed and low price. Prime Minister Dorin Recean said Friday his country faced a security crisis after Transdniestria imposed the rolling blackouts, but he also said the Chisinau government had prepared alternative arrangements, with a mixture of domestic production and electricity imports from Romania. Even before the halt of supplies via Ukraine, Gazprom had said it would suspend exports to Moldova on January 1 because of what Russia says are unpaid Moldovan debts of $709 million. Moldova disputes that and put the figure at $8.6 million. While much remains unknown about the man who carried out an attack in New Orleans on New Year's and another who died in an explosion in Las Vegas the same day, the violence highlights the increased role of people with military experience in ideologically driven attacks, especially those that seek mass casualties. In New Orleans, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a veteran of the U.S. Army, was killed by police after a deadly rampage in a pickup truck that left 14 others dead and injured dozens more. It's being investigated as an act of terrorism inspired by the Islamic State group. In Las Vegas, officials say Matthew Livelsberger, an active duty member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, shot himself in the head in a Tesla Cybertruck packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters, shortly before it exploded outside the entrance of the Trump International Hotel, injuring seven people. On Friday, investigators said Livelsberger wrote that the explosion was meant to serve as a "wakeup call" and that the country was "terminally ill and headed toward collapse." Service members and veterans who radicalize make up a tiny fraction of a percentage point of the millions who have honorably served their country. But an Associated Press investigation published last year found that radicalization among both veterans and active duty service members was on the rise and that hundreds of people with military backgrounds had been arrested for extremist crimes since 2017. The AP found that extremist plots they were involved in during that period had killed or injured nearly 100 people. The AP also found multiple issues with the Pentagon's efforts to address extremism in the ranks, including that there is still no force-wide system to track it, and that a cornerstone report on the issue contained old data, misleading analyses and ignored evidence of the problem. Since 2017, both veterans and active duty service members radicalized at a faster rate than people without military backgrounds, according to data from terrorism researchers at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, or START, at the University of Maryland. Less than 1% of the adult population is currently serving in the U.S. military, but active duty military members make up a disproportionate 3.2% of the extremist cases START researchers found between 2017 and 2022. While the number of people with military backgrounds involved in violent extremist plots remains small, the participation of active military and veterans gave extremist plots more potential for mass injury or death, according to data collected and analyzed by the AP and START. More than 480 people with a military background were accused of ideologically driven extremist crimes from 2017 through 2023, including the more than 230 arrested in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection 18% of those arrested for the attack as of late last year, according to START. The data tracked individuals with military backgrounds, most of whom were veterans, involved in plans to kill, injure or inflict damage for political, social, economic or religious goals. The AP's analysis found that plots involving people with military backgrounds were more likely to involve mass casualties, weapons training or firearms than plots that didn't include someone with a military background. This held true whether or not the plots were carried out. The jihadist ideology of the Islamic State group apparently connected to the New Orleans attack would make it an outlier in the motivations of previous attacks involving people with military backgrounds. Only around 9% of such extremists with military backgrounds subscribed to jihadist ideologies, START researchers found. More than 80% identified with far-right, anti-government or white supremacist ideologies, with the rest split among far-left or other motivations. Still, there have been a number of significant attacks motivated by the Islamic State and jihadist ideology in which the attackers had U.S. military backgrounds. In 2017, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran who'd served in Iraq killed five people in a mass shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida after radicalizing via jihadist message boards and vowing support for the Islamic State. In 2009, an Army psychiatrist and officer opened fire at Fort Hood, Texas, and killed 13 people, wounding dozens more. The shooter had been in contact with a known al-Qaida operative prior to the shooting. In the shadow of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol led in part by veterans law enforcement officials said the threat from domestic violent extremists was one of the most persistent and pressing terror threats to the United States. The Pentagon has said it is "committed to understanding the root causes of extremism and ensuring such behavior is promptly and appropriately addressed and reported to the proper authorities." Kristofer Goldsmith, an Army veteran and CEO of Task Force Butler Institute, which trains veterans to research and counter extremism, said the problem of violent extremism in the military cuts across ideological lines. Still, he said, while the Biden administration tried to put in place efforts to address it, Republicans in Congress opposed them for political reasons. "They threw, you know, every roadblock that they could in saying that all veterans are being called extremists by the Biden administration," Goldsmith said. "And now we're in a situation where we're four years behind where we could have been." During their long military careers, both Jabbar and Livelsberger served time at the U.S. Army base formerly known as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, one of the nation's largest military bases. One of the officials who spoke to the AP said there is no overlap in their assignments at the base, now called Fort Liberty. Goldsmith said he is concerned that the incoming Trump administration will focus on the New Orleans attack and ISIS and ignore that most deadly attacks in the United States in recent history have come from the far right, particularly if Trump's nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is confirmed. Hegseth has justified the medieval Crusades that pitted Christians against Muslims, criticized the Pentagon's efforts to address extremism in the ranks and ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration in the weeks after the Jan. 6 attack was himself flagged by a fellow National Guard member as a possible "insider threat." Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president to make a state visit to sub-Saharan Africa. He once called helping with Zimbabwe's transition from white rule to independence "our greatest single success." And when he died at 100, his foundation's work in rural Africa had nearly fulfilled his quest to eliminate a disease that afflicted millions, for the first time since the eradication of smallpox. The African continent, a booming region with a population rivaling China's that is set to double by 2050, is where Carter's legacy remains most evident. Until his presidency, U.S. leaders had shown little interest in Africa, even as independence movements swept the region in the 1960s and '70s. "I think the day of the so-called ugly American is over," Carter said during his warm 1978 reception in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. He said the official state visit swept aside "past aloofness by the United States," and he joked that he and Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo would go into peanut farming together. Cold War tensions drew Carter's attention to the continent as the U.S. and Soviet Union competed for influence. But Carter also drew on the missionary traditions of his Baptist faith and the racial injustice he witnessed in his homeland in the U.S. South. "For too long our country ignored Africa," Carter told the Democratic National Committee in his first year as president. African leaders soon received invitations to the White House, intrigued by the abrupt interest from the world's most powerful nation and what it could mean for them. "There is an air of freshness which is invigorating," visiting Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda said. Carter observed after his first Africa trip, "There is a common theme that runs through the advice to me of leaders of African nations: 'We want to manage our own affairs. We want to be friends with both of the great superpowers and also with the nations of Europe. We don't want to choose up sides.'" The theme echoes today as China also jostles with Russia and the U.S. for influence, and access to Africa's raw materials. But neither superpower has had an emissary like Carter, who made human rights central to U.S. foreign policy and made 43 more trips to the continent after his presidency, promoting Carter Center projects that sought to empower Africans to determine their own futures. As president, Carter focused on civil and political rights. He later broadened his efforts to include social and economic rights as the key to public health. "They are the rights of the human by virtue of their humanity. And Carter is the single person in the world that has done the most for advancing this idea," said Abdullahi Ahmed An-Naim, a Sudanese legal scholar. Even as a candidate, Carter mused about what he might accomplish, telling Playboy magazine, "it might be that now I should drop my campaign for president and start a crusade for black-majority rule in South Africa or Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe]. It might be that later on, we'll discover there were opportunities in our lives to do wonderful things and we didn't take advantage of them." Carter welcomed Zimbabwe's independence just four years later, hosting new Prime Minister Robert Mugabe at the White House and quoting the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." "Carter told me that he spent more time on Rhodesia than he did on the entire Middle East. And when you go into the archives and look at the administration, there is indeed more on southern Africa than the Middle East," historian and author Nancy Mitchell said. Relations with Mugabe's government soon soured amid deadly repression and by 1986 Carter led a walkout of diplomats in the capital. In 2008, Carter was barred from Zimbabwe, a first in his travels. He called the country "a basket case, an embarrassment to the region." "Whatever the Zimbabwean leadership may think of him now, Zimbabweans, at least those who were around in the 1970s and '80s, will always regard him as an icon and a tenacious promoter of democracy," said Eldred Masunungure, a Harare-based political analyst. Carter also criticized South Africa's government for its treatment of Black citizens under apartheid, at a time when South Africa was "trying to ingratiate itself with influential economies around the world," current President Cyril Ramaphosa said on X after Carter's death. The think tank Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter founded in 1982 played a key role in monitoring African elections and brokering ceasefires between warring forces, but fighting disease was the third pillar of The Carter Center's work. "The first time I came here to Cape Town, I almost got in a fight with the president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, because he was refusing to let AIDS be treated," Carter told a local newspaper. "That's the closest I've come to getting into a fist fight with a head of state." Carter often said he was determined to outlive the last guinea worm infecting the human race. Once affecting millions of people, the parasitic disease has nearly been eliminated, with just 14 cases documented in 2023 in a handful of African countries. Carter's quest included arranging a four-month "guinea worm cease-fire" in Sudan in 1995 so that The Carter Center could reach almost 2,000 endemic villages. "He taught us a lot about having faith," said Makoy Samuel Yibi, who leads the guinea worm eradication program for South Sudan's health ministry and grew up with people who believed the disease was simply their fate. "Even the poor people call these people poor, you see. To have the leader of the free world pay attention and try to uplift them is a touching virtue." Such dedication impressed health officials in Africa over the years. "President Carter worked for all humankind irrespective of race, religion, or status," Ethiopia's former health minister, Lia Tadesse, said in a statement shared with the AP. Ethiopia, the continent's second most populous country with over 110 million people, had zero guinea worm cases in 2023. M23 rebels have seized a strategic eastern town near the provincial capital Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo, local politicians said Sunday. The Tutsi-led M23 group has been waging a renewed insurgency in eastern Congo since 2022. Congo and the United Nations accuse neighboring Rwanda of backing the group with its own troops and weapons. Rwanda says it has taken what it calls defensive measures. Fighting has flared in recent weeks, leading to territorial gains for M23, which is now in control of Masisi, a town and local administrative center about 80 km (50 miles) from Goma, provincial parliament member Alexis Bahunga told Reuters. "The government will take measures to restore state authority over the entire territory," he said. Another parliamentary deputy, Jean-Pierre Ayobangira Safari, said Masisi had been taken "for now." An army spokesperson declined immediate comment. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the anti-government Congo River Alliance (AFC), which includes M23, said rebel forces had reached the center of Masisi mid-afternoon on Saturday. The advance and continued fighting in defiance of a ceasefire agreement further undermined efforts to curb the conflict. A rare high-level meeting between the Congolese and Rwandan presidents was postponed in December, dashing hopes of a deal to curb the violence that has displaced more than 1.9 million people. The head of an international organization working in Masisi said staff members there were in shock and unable to continue operations as businesses were closed, making it hard to source supplies. "They don't know how to leave the town since we fear that the ... [Congolese forces] will launch a counteroffensive," the source said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Ministers from Syria's transitional government urged the United States to lift its sanctions on Damascus during their first visit to Qatar since overthrowing president Bashar al-Assad. In a statement, Qatar's foreign ministry said the Gulf country's premier met with Syria's interim foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, defense minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and the new head of intelligence, Anas Khattab. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani "reiterated the State of Qatar's position in support of Syria's unity, sovereignty and independence," the statement said. Earlier, a Syrian diplomat and a Qatari official confirmed to AFP that Shaibani had arrived on Sunday morning for meetings in Qatar, the host of the U.S.'s largest military base in the region. Unlike other Arab countries, Qatar never restored diplomatic ties with Syria under Assad, who was toppled by an 11-day rebel advance that swept through major cities and then the capital Damascus in December. Following discussions with Qatar's Minister of State, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Shaibani reiterated calls for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria. The interim foreign minister called the measures a "barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery" telling local media that his government "renewed our demand for the United States of America to lift these sanctions." At the end of December, Qatar also called for the quick removal of sanctions on Syria. The international community has not rushed to lift economic restrictions on Syria and is instead waiting to see how the new authorities exercise their power. Shaibani added that Syria would "enjoy very good relations with the region" in contrast to those with the Assad government. Khulaifi said the new government had presented "a clear roadmap for Syria in the near future and the steps that will be taken by the leadership and political administration in Syria." The conflict in Syria erupted in 2011 after Assad brutally cracked down on peaceful democracy protests. It morphed into a multi-pronged war in which Doha was for years a key backer of the armed rebellion. In a statement on X, Shaibani on Friday said he would visit Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan over the coming days. "We look forward to these visits contributing to supporting stability, security, economic recovery and building distinguished partnerships," the foreign minister wrote. Qatar was the second country, after Turkey, to reopen its embassy in the Syrian capital following the overthrow of Assad. Your car is spying on you. That is one takeaway from the fast, detailed data that Tesla collected on the driver of one of its Cybertrucks that exploded in Las Vegas, Nevada, earlier this week. Privacy data experts say the deep dive by Elon Musk's company was impressive but also shines a spotlight on a difficult question as vehicles become less like cars and more like computers on wheels. "You might want law enforcement to have the data to crack down on criminals but can anyone have access to it?" said Jodi Daniels, CEO of privacy consulting firm Red Clover Advisors. Many of the latest cars not only know where you've been and where you are going, but also often have access to your contacts, your call logs, your texts and other sensitive information thanks to cell phone syncing. The data collected by Musk's electric car company after the Cybertruck packed with fireworks burst into flames in front of the Trump International Hotel Wednesday proved valuable to police in helping track the driver's movements. Within hours of the New Year's Day explosion that burned the driver beyond recognition and injured seven, Tesla was able to track Matthew Livelsberger's movements in detail from Denver to Las Vegas and confirm that the problem was explosives in the truck, not the truck itself. Tesla used data collected from charging stations and from onboard software. "I have to thank Elon Musk, specifically," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill to reporters. Some privacy experts were less enthusiastic. "It reveals the kind of sweeping surveillance going on," said David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University in Boston. "When something bad happens, it's helpful, but it's a double-edged sword. Companies that collect this data can abuse it." General Motors, for instance, was sued in August by the Texas attorney general for allegedly selling data from 1.8 million drivers to insurance companies without their consent. Cars equipped with cameras to enable self-driving features have added a new security risk. Tesla itself came under fire after Reuters reported how employees from 2019 through 2022 shared drivers' sensitive videos and recordings with each other, including videos of road rage incidents and, in one case, nudity. Tesla did not respond to emailed questions about its privacy policy. On its website, Tesla says it follows strict rules for keeping names and information private. "No one but you would have knowledge of your activities, location, or a history of where you've been," according to a statement. "Your information is kept private and secure." Auto analyst Sam Abuelsamid at Telemetry Insight, said he doesn't think Tesla is "especially worse" than other auto companies in handling customer data, but he is still concerned. "This is one of the biggest ethical issues we have around modern vehicles. They're connected," he said. "Consumers need to have control over their data." Tensions were high when the Cybertruck parked at the front doors of Trump's hotel began smoking, then burst into flames. Just hours earlier, a driver in another vehicle using the same peer-to-peer car rental service, Turo, had killed 15 people after slamming into a crowd in New Orleans, Louisiana, in what law enforcement is calling a terrorist attack. Shortly before 1 p.m., the Las Vegas police announced they were investigating a second incident. "The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now," Musk wrote on X. "Will post more information as soon as we learn anything." Over the next few hours, Tesla was able to piece together Livelsberger's journey over five days and four states by tracking, among other things, his recharging stops in various locations, including Monument, Colorado, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Flagstaff, Arizona. An investigation by a U.S. Senate panel has found that troubled investment bank Credit Suisse concealed information during previous inquiries into Nazi-controlled bank accounts during World War II. Tens of thousands of documents discovered during an ongoing examination have provided new proof of the existence of account holders linked to the Nazis, the Senate Budget Committee said in a statement released Saturday. The bank did not reveal the existence of these accounts during previous investigations, notably in the 1990s, the committee said. Credit Suisse, now a subsidiary of investment bank UBS, agreed in 1998 to take part in a $1.25 billion settlement of lawsuits brought by Holocaust survivors, but it has been accused of not being completely open about its past dealings with Nazis. The Senate committee said Saturday that one set of newly discovered files, including 3,600 physical documents and 40,000 microfilms, was found to have a "high relevance rate" of Nazi connections. It said the revelations stem from an interim report by former prosecutor Neil Barofsky, who was fired as an "independent ombudsperson" by the bank in 2022 after being pressed to limit his investigative work. Barofsky was reinstated in the role in 2023 "as a result of the committee's investigation," and after UBS's takeover of Credit Suisse. In a letter to the panel released Saturday, Barofsky noted the "extraordinary level of cooperation that Credit Suisse, under the leadership of UBS, has provided" since he rejoined the company. But he said Credit Suisse had yet to share all the information it held. The Barofsky team has discovered, among other things, accounts controlled by high-ranking SS officers, The Wall Street Journal reported. In his letter, Barofsky highlighted "especially noteworthy" discoveries from a Credit Suisse research department. "Numerous client files in the sample are marked with a stamp stating 'Amerikanische schwarze Liste' meaning 'American Black List' a list maintained by the Allies of individuals and companies that were directly financed by, or were known to regularly trade with, Axis powers," he wrote. "One file bearing this stamp relates to an entity that was involved in selling looted Jewish assets," he added. Contacted by AFP, UBS said it was committed to providing a complete record of the former Nazi-linked accounts in Credit Suisse's predecessor banks. It said it would provide Barofsky with all necessary assistance in his work to shed light "on this tragic period." The Senate panel's investigation is continuing. ACCRA, GHANA (AP) - Flipping through a family album, Keachia Bowers paused on a photo of her as a baby on her father's lap as he held the 1978 album "Africa Stand Alone" by the Jamaican reggae band Culture. "When I was 10 years old, I was supposed to come to Ghana with him," she said. A day earlier, she had marked 10 years since her father's death. Though he was a Pan-Africanist who dreamed of visiting Ghana, he never made it here. Bowers and her husband, Damon Smith, however, are among the 524 diaspora members, mostly Black Americans, who were granted Ghanaian citizenship in a ceremony in November. Bowers and Smith moved to Ghana from Florida in 2023 after visiting the region several times between them since the '90s. They now run a tour business that caters to Black people who want to visit Ghana or elsewhere in West Africa, or like them have come to consider a permanent move. The November group was the largest one granted citizenship since Ghana launched the "Year of the Return" program, aimed at attracting the Black diaspora, in 2019. It marked 400 years since the first African slaves arrived in Virginia in 1619. Ghana's Tourism Authority and the Office of Diaspora Affairs have extended the program into "Beyond the Return," which fosters the relationship with diasporans. Hundreds have been granted citizenship, including people from Canada, the U.K. and Jamaica. Bowers said moving to Ghana gave her family a certain feeling of ease they didn't have in the U.S. "When we see Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, all these stories of people being murdered just in their home, living in their home and being murdered at the hands of police brutality, hearing about it creates trauma," she said. She also worried about her son Tsadik, 14. Tsadik towers over loved ones in the way that lanky teenage boys often do. He is shy but opens up around his younger sister Tselah, 11, and the family's dog, Apollo. "In America, being a Black male with locs who's very tall for his age, he is treated like a threat," Bowers said. By Cate McCurry, PA The brother of a Belfast man believed dead after going missing in Spain has made a plea for any information after a Northern Ireland rescue team travelled to Alicante to search with dogs and a drone. John George, also known as John Hardy, had been holidaying in Alicante and was last in touch with his family on December 14th. The 37-year-old was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight home to Northern Ireland. His family believe the father-of-two is dead. His brother, Darren, is in Alicante helping in the search with their parents, Billy and Sharon, and sisters, Courtney and Caitlin, along with up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland. Members from K9 Search And Rescue NI, a volunteer canine search team, joined the wide-scale operation to find Mr George and officers from the PSNI are liaising with the family and authorities in Spain. Darren George told PA news agency: A lot of people are over showing us their support. We also can see the support from back home, which is fantastic, and thats whats giving us the energy and the strength to actually go forward. But the searches can be very frustrating as were getting no answers at the end of them. Its very frustrating and we are being left very angry. Someone knows where John is. They need to give it up, and they need to give the location, whether its done anonymously. Members of the search team at work in Alicante (K9 Search and Rescue/PA) This isnt going to stop and certainly were not going to go away until we get Johns body. We get Johns body, were on the next flight out of here. Somebody has answers and we will not leave Spain without Johns body. He added: John was happy-go-lucky guy. John would have rang you at any time of the day or night. So when we didnt get the phone call from John within two days, we knew something was wrong. He was a very good boxer when he was younger, and was an all-Ireland champion. Hes a normal, average guy. Dont get me wrong, John had his troubles: John was a drug addict, it took over Johns life. Darren George said his two young nephews are asking for their father. John would never have missed Christmas with his boys, he added. My parents are completely broken people. My dads had a heart attack and my mums has had two strokes. Theyre just two broken-hearted parents looking for their son. Its absolutely hateful. We are a normal family. Its torture. Mr George spoke to his father by phone on December 14th. His family said he sounded distressed, and he was urged by his father to travel home immediately. Darren George also spoke of his anger at what he said is people taking pleasure in his familys suffering after malicious comments were posted online about his brother. He also rejected claims his family are under death threats from paramilitaries in Northern Ireland. Members of the K9 team travelled back to Northern Ireland on Sunday following a five-day search in the Alicante region. Seven search technicians and their Labrador retriever Rocko had taken part in the operation. Team member Gabriel Walker said they were joined by a Portuguese-based search and rescue team, including their dog Lobo. Mr Walker said there was a huge amount of planning and preparation ahead of their search. The search area was a mixture of rural and urban areas, and that included the likes of scrubland, forestry, gorges and water, Mr Walker said. Those were all searched by our search technicians on foot, as well as the two dogs and the drone. That was searching in the heat, from dusk till dawn during those four days. Missing person searches are bread and butter, so we utilised the exact same approach and skills that we would use to the missing person searches that we attend locally, but this was in a brand new climate that was new to all of us. That did come with its own own challenges. The heat was definitely one. Were not used to working in that type of heat and it did put a lot of strain on us, particularly on the dogs. It is a different type of terrain, but we just defaulted to our training, and it served us really well. He added: The fact that we were able to bring a professional, specialist search capability to add to the search for John brings an extra reassurance to the family and that everythings being done to find John. The family and friends were out on the ground searching shoulder to shoulder with us at times. To have such a strong support from the Northern Irish community who flew out out to Alicante was really amazing. We were totally bowled over by the support that we and Johns family are receiving. A spokesman for the PSNI said: Following a report to the Police Service of Northern Ireland on Wednesday December 18 that a 37-year-old man from Belfast, holidaying in Spain, was missing, the Police Service of Northern Ireland have been liaising closely with the missing mans family and other law enforcement agencies. Dedicated family liaison officers have been appointed to provide support to the family at this time. While the investigation must be progressed by Spanish police, the PSNI have made an offer of assistance to police in Spain and will assist with any local enquiries as requested by them. We would ask anyone who believes they may have information which could assist the Spanish investigation team with their investigation to contact us on 101. Some schools around County Waterford have said they will remain closed tomorrow, Monday, January 6, as a result of the current cold snap that's gripping the country. While it's likely most students and pupils across the county will welcome the news with glee, the decisions have been made with the best interests of everyone's health and safety at heart. CBS Dungarvan issued a notice stating its intention to remain closed "to ensure the safety" of students and staff. However, the school plans to reopen on Tuesday, weather permitting. Abbey Community College, in Ferrybank, also issued a notice of its intention to remain closed on Monday in the interest of health and safety of everyone and also in line with national guidelines from the Department of Education. OTHER SCHOOLS THAT REMAIN CLOSED Ballygunner National School; Ard Scoil na Deise; St Declan's Community College, Kilmacthomas; Portlaw National School; Kill National School, St. Mary's NS, Ferrybank, Fenor NS, Educate Together Tramore, St. John's Dungarvan, Holy Cross NS, Tramore, Kilmacthomas Primary School Scoil an Bhaile Nua, Newtown, Kilmacthomas, Dunhill National School, Bunscoil Bhothar na Naomh, Lismore, Ballymacarbry NS, touraneena NS, Ballyduff Lower NS, St Johns Special School, Dungarvan, Blackwater Community College, Lismore, Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore, Waterford College of Further Education, Dungarvan College, Seafield National School, Passage East NS, Gaelscoil Phort Lairge, Yeats College, Faithlegg NS, Scoil Lorcain, St. Angela's, Christ Church NS, Clonea Power NS, Knockmahon NS CITY SCHOOLS CLOSED Mount Sion Primary School will remain closed tomorrow (Monday). In a statement online, Principal Catherine Burke said: "Due to current weather conditions and in the interest of the health and safety of our school community, we will remain closed tomorrow, Monday, 6th January. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will keep you informed of any further updates as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. If you have any immediate concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us." Presentation Primary School in Waterford city will also remain closed for students tomorrow amid the current weather conditions. Other city schools that will close tomorrow include; St John of God's NS, Ursuline Primary School, Waterford, St. Declan's Primary, Waterford, St. Paul's National School, Waterford, St. Stephen's NS, Waterpark National School, Waterford, St. Martin's Special School, Our Lady of Mercy Primary School, Scoil Mhuire, Butlerstown NS SECONDARY SCHOOLS CLOSED All secondary schools in Waterford will be closed tomorrow (Monday). This story will be updated as more schools announce plans to remain closed Indie filmmaker Jeff Baena, husband of actor Aubrey Plaza, has died suddenly at the age of 47. After breaking through by co-writing the quirky comedy I Heart Huckabees in 2004, Baena wrote and directed the films Life After Beth, Joshy, The Little Hours, Horse Girl and Spin Me Round as well as creating the anthology series Cinema Toast. Jeff Baena and Aubrey Plaza at the premiere of The Little Hours In Los Angeles in 2017. Credit: AP A graduate of New York University Film School, he was a production assistant for director Robert Zemeckis and then an assistant editor for David O. Russell, co-writing I Heart Huckabees with him. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Plaza, 40, and Baena celebrated 10 years together when they wed during the pandemic in 2020. Artificial intelligence is being used in Australian fertility clinics to help choose which embryos should be transferred into patients, with the potential to be dehumanising for parents and babies, researchers say. Allowing machine learning to make decisions about who is brought into the world without ethical oversight of its introduction could erode public trust in fertility clinics, say authors of an Australian paper that raises bioethical concerns. Fertility clinics in Australia are introducing machine learning into the process of selecting embryos during IVF. Credit: iStock Professor Catherine Mills, head of Monash Universitys Reproduction in Society research group and one of the authors of the paper, said IVF patients and partners might not know if AI had been used to help select which of their embryos to use, or how algorithms were trained to make their choice. Artificial intelligence carries a risk of unintended bias, according to the paper published by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. This includes that ML [machine learning] algorithms will perform better for members of some groups than others (eg based on ethnicity). The people here really struggled to make a school, and North Korea helped a lot. The community is very thankful for that. Thats why we preserve the pictures, so we dont forget how they helped us, he says. The schools core purpose, he says, is to foster Korean identity through teaching language, history and culture. But he concedes that the criticisms of the North Korean regimes human rights violations, which include claims of torture and forced labour camps made by credible international organisations, are not taught to students. Kim Gui Dong, the school principal, in his office. Portraits of former North Korean dictators Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il are on the wall. Credit: Christopher Jue Its very true that in here you only learn about the good things. But the thing is that once you go out of this school, the Japanese media and others would tell you bad stories about North Korea, he says, adding the school encourages students to form their own independent views on these issues. Year 12 student Kim Jhanggui,17, says the school has helped him learn about my country, and what it means to be Korean. Hes a great person, he says, when asked about the portraits of Kim Il-sung that preside over his classroom studies. Loading The Aichi school is one of 10 pro-North Korean high schools across Japan, often referred to as Chosen schools. They are affiliated with an organisation called Chongryon, a once-powerful and wealthy group established in 1955 to serve as a de facto embassy of North Korea in Japan, which channelled funds from the regime to set up schools in Japan in the postwar era. At its peak, Chongryon was the dominant Korean representative body in Japan, and had more than 160 affiliated schools and 500,000 members, many of them descendants of Korean forced labourers conscripted by Japan during World War II. As support for the North Korean regime has declined over the decades, Chongryons influence has diminished among the Korean diaspora population today, with its membership at about 70,000. Today, most Korean children attend Japanese schools, and their families are more likely to identify with the South Korean-aligned organisation, called Mindan. The remaining Chongryon schools face an increasingly precarious financial situation after the Japanese government cut financial aid in 2010, excluding the schools from a tuition fee waiver program that gave students access to free high school education, saying the schools curriculums were unduly influenced by North Korean ideology. The schools and their supporters argue this decision is a continuation of Japans oppression of Korean ethnic culture. Critics claimed that directing public funds to the schools was servicing the propaganda aims of the dictatorial Kim regime. The Japanese department of education did not respond to a request for comment. Year 12 students Jo Kyeongfa, (left), 18, and Kim Jhanggui, 17, say the schools education has helped them connect with their Korean identity. Credit: Christopher Jue There are families that send their children to the Korean schools to show political support [to North Korea] but there also are families who want their children to be raised as Korean as it exposes them to different aspects of the culture, says Park-Kim Wooki, from the Human Rights Association for Korean Residents in Japan, which helps co-ordinate protests outside Japanese government office buildings in Tokyo every Friday. Questions about North Korean atrocities are a highly sensitive topic for these Chosen school communities, who have grown wary of speaking with foreign media, and distrust the critical portrayal of North Korea they see in Japanese media. Year 12 student Jo Kyeongfa, 18, has fond memories of visiting North Korea as a 13-year-old as part of a dance group, and being warmly embraced and welcomed like it was our home country. She is also aware of the reports of bad stories from North Korea, including the famine in the 1990s. I believe that the people there in North Korea have something big that they believe in, and thats why theyre there ... I try to listen to both sides and form my opinion, she says. She also listens to K-pop (music that is banned in North Korea) and feels a cultural connection to the south, where her family is from. Dr Sayaka Chatani, a historian at the National University of Singapore who has extensively researched the Chongryon community, says many members grapple with these competing tensions every day. Their love for North Korean society and people is real. But they can be critical about the leadership, even Kim Jong-un. They can be very frank about these problems once you get to know them, she says. Loading Regime-sanctioned trips to North Korea, including tours catering to international tourists, are an established feature of the countrys propaganda machine aimed at projecting a tightly controlled positive image to the world. The schools annual excursions to North Korea have also played a key role in fostering a sense of belonging and identity among students, Chatani says. Thats the only place that they do feel like such an intricate and extensive amount of welcome and care. That doesnt happen in South Korea. Hostility within Japanese society towards Chongryon-affiliated schools and communities has intensified over recent decades, fuelled by a rise in Japanese nationalism and the increasing belligerence of the North Korean regime under leader Kim Jong-un, who has ramped up the countrys nuclear program and missile testing. Tensions were also inflamed after Pyongyang admitted in September 2002 that its agents had abducted 13 Japanese citizens during the 1970s and 1980s, a number Japan believes is understated. This triggered a rise in attacks by Japanese nationalist groups on schools and students. Lawyer Kim Myongae, 37, who was a junior at the Aichi school at the time, says she and her friends were targeted and verbally abused by Japanese men on the way to school. We had some scary moments. They would say things like go back to your country, get out of Japan, she says. Today female students typically avoid wearing their traditional North Korean chima jeogori uniforms to and from school, only changing into them once on school grounds. The children who attend these Chosen schools today are mostly fourth or fifth-generation Koreans born in Japan, most of whom trace their family roots to South Korea, but have developed a sense of the north as the fatherland. It is one of the many complexities that can confound those trying to understand the Chosen schools enduring connection and loyalty to North Korea even as it has become a pariah state, accused of human rights abuses and sanctioned by the West for its nuclear weapons program and, more recently, its support for Russias invasion of Ukraine. Kim Myongae, a lawyer and former student at the school, with her son, a student at the primary school. Credit: Christopher Jue Experts trace this connection to a complicated past, rooted in Cold War ideology and the racism and oppression endured by Koreans during the period of Japanese colonisation between 1910 and 1945. This included a crushing of Korean culture through a banning of language, practices and use of Korean names. In the post-war decades, after the Korean peninsula split into the Soviet-aligned north and US-aligned south - a border that was maintained at the end of the Korean War in 1953 - it was the Chongryon and the schools that provided an avenue for disenfranchised and stateless Koreans in Japan to connect with and feel proud about their identity. Their efforts were aided by the fact that the right-wing governments in South Korea, which was dominated by authoritarian and military rule until its transition to democracy in the late 1980s, viewed the Korean diaspora in Japan with suspicion due to the communitys largely left-wing tendencies. Loading They didnt want to encourage them to return to South Korea at that stage because they thought they would be subversive, and they didnt do anything much about supporting schools during the 60s and 70s, says Dr Tessa Morris-Suzuki, an expert in Japanese and Korean history at the Australian National University. Chatani says the unification of the Korean homeland became the singular most important goal for the community living Japan after the period of US occupation of South Korea from 1945 to 1948. That was seen as another colonisation of their homeland and they had to support an independent regime, which was the Kim Il-sung regime. They always thought that within three years it would be unified, Chatani says. In the decades since, they held on to this dream of unification. But this year Kim Jung-un formally abandoned this goal, a fundamental change in the regimes priorities after seven decades, while denouncing South Korea as the principal enemy. Its a move that has split the Chongryon community and caused significant angst, Chatani says. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Any morning clouds give way to partly sunny skies; a milder afternoon with highs back above the 60-degree mark. . Tonight Becoming cloudy overnight with some patchy fog and drizzle possible late at night. Flash South Korea's anti-corruption investigative agency said on Saturday that it asked Acting President Choi Sang-mok to order the presidential security service for the execution of a warrant to arrest the impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said that it sent an official letter again to Choi, who is Minister of Economy and Finance and became an acting president after the impeachment of Yoon and the prime minister. In the letter, the CIO asked Choi to order the security service to cooperate with the investigative agency for Yoon's arrest. On Friday, the CIO investigators and police officers raided the presidential residence in central Seoul, but they failed to arrest Yoon after being blocked by the third and last cordon of some 200 security service agents built about 200 meters away from the residence. It was unclear whether the acting president would cooperate as he refused to respond to the first CIO official letter that was delivered on Wednesday. The CIO formed a joint investigation unit with the National Office of Investigation and the defense ministry's investigation headquarters to probe Yoon's martial law imposition. The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec. 14 last year and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate on it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon's presidential power is suspended. Yoon, who was named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on insurrection charge, declared a martial law on the night of Dec. 3, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation say they no longer are willing to capture and relocate gray wolves to Colorado from their Washington state reservation. Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute in Denver and hosts The Devils Advocate with Jon Caldara on Colorado Public Television Channel 12. His column appears Sundays in Colorado Politics. When were not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the web. Here are some of the best adventure links weve discovered this week. Thirty-meter Wave Surfed at Mavericks: On December 23, Alessandro Slebir took on the massive waves at Mavericks, a famous surfing spot in northern California. During the peak of the swell, Slebir rode a wave so big that many believe he broke the world record. Initial calculations put the wave's height at 32.9m (108 feet). The current record is 26.2m (86 feet). A Ski Media Renaissance Is Happening on YouTube: There used to be a handful of skiers and snowboarders who were also interested in filmmaking. But with the advent of GoPros, iPhones, and drones, creating a ski video is easier than ever. Taking on the Ivindo River. Photo: David Sodomka/Red Bull Content Pool A first descent in Gabon Historic First Descent of the Ivindo River: In February 2024, Adrian Mattern, Dane Jackson, Kalob Grady, and Bren Orton made the first-ever descent of the Ivindo River in Gabon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over 12 days, they covered 145km, taking on some of the toughest uncharted waterfalls and rapids on the planet. This documentary shows the teamwork and risk management needed to succeed. First Female Ascent of The Zone: Norwegian climber Mari Augusta Salvesen has made the first female ascent of The Zone (E9 6c) in the Peak District, UK. John Arran first climbed the wall in 1998. Only 10 have repeated the line. Salvesen discusses each section, her thoughts on the grade, and why finishing the project felt anticlimactic. Mountain lion attack A Mountain Lion Attacked My Nephews: A mountain lion attacked Taylen and Wyatt Brooks while they looked for shed deer antlers in California, north of Sacramento. The young male lion approached them and would not be deterred. When Wyatt tripped and fell, the lion pounced. Wyatt managed to escape, but it then killed his brother. Their uncle delves into the history of mountain lion attacks in the area and questions how rural communities can coexist with the big cats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walter Bonatti, Beyond All Limits: This documentary delves into the life of mountaineering legend Walter Bonatti. From his ground-breaking first ascent of K2 in 1954 to climbing glaciers in the Alps and opening new lines in the Karakorum, he pushed boundaries. Unfinished thru-hikes How to Make Peace With Not Finishing A Thru-Hike: Many thru-hikes end prematurely. In 2024, this hiker could not finish the Pacific Crest Trail because of wildfires. They are still struggling to get over the disappointment. The Canoe in the Forest: Sitting in the forest on Prince of Wales Island in the Alaska Panhandle is a 140-year-old canoe. Its exact location is a secret to keep tourists away. A man looking for logging sites first spotted the canoe. The man saw several felled tree trunks, all with 10m sections missing. Among them lay a single hand-carved craft. Brought in to inspect the site, Stormy Hamar knew exactly what he was looking at: an unfinished Haida canoe. When you think of Idaho, potatoes probably come to mind first -- and for good reason. As the state's leading crop, they've become synonymous with Idaho itself. But there's another star in Idaho's agricultural story: the huckleberry. Though it's also considered another state's most iconic food, Idaho has proudly claimed this wild berry as its official state fruit. Huckleberries thrive in Idaho's rugged, high-elevation landscapes, making them as much a part of the state's identity as its mountains and rivers. Known for their intense flavor, ranging from tart to sweet, they've earned a place in everything from pies to syrups to sodas. But these berries aren't just delicious -- they're exclusive. Since they can't be grown commercially, huckleberries are a true wilderness treat, harvested by foragers who explore Idaho's mountain regions in search of this wild delicacy. For Idahoans, huckleberries aren't just food -- they're a symbol of the state's natural beauty and appreciation for the outdoors. From local festivals featuring homemade huckleberry pie to roadside jams, they hold a special place in the hearts (and stomachs) of those lucky enough to call Idaho home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Cake Hacks Every Baker Will Wish They Knew Sooner Idaho's Huckleberries: From The Peaks To Your Plate Huckleberry bush, clusters of huckleberries - Valeriy Karpeev/Shutterstock Huckleberries are no ordinary berry. Several species native to Idaho, like the black huckleberry, grow only in high-elevation areas between 4,000 and 6,000 feet. These plants take their time -- sometimes up to 15 years to fully mature -- before producing their prized dark purple berries. Once ready, they're not just a treat for humans but also a favorite snack for Idaho's wildlife, especially bears. These wild berries have even made their way into pop culture. Ever heard the phrase "I'm your huckleberry"? It dates back to the 19th century as a way to say, "I'm the right person for the job." It's a fitting connection, considering the effort it takes to gather these elusive fruits. When it comes to official state foods, huckleberries are as deeply tied to Idaho's wilderness as the mountains they grow on. And no, huckleberries and blueberries aren't the same. From their growing conditions to their deeper, more complex flavor, huckleberries hold their own as a one-of-a-kind treasure. In a state shaped by untamed landscapes and natural wonders, the huckleberry feels right at home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hungry for more? Sign up for the free Daily Meal newsletter for delicious recipes, cooking tips, kitchen hacks, and more, delivered straight to your inbox. Read the original article on The Daily Meal. We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Often called the queen of spices, Scandinavians have a special love for cardamom. Its distinctive flavor is a key ingredient in the region's baked goods, including cakes, buns, sweet breads, and cookies. But how did this warm spice, native to India, make its way to the faraway Northern European region and become a staple of its cuisine? Cardamom's journey to Scandinavia took place hundreds of years ago, but no one is entirely sure how it arrived. A leading theory credits the Vikings. According to this version, the Vikings were introduced to the spice in 11th-century Constantinople modern-day Istanbul, Turkey then a bustling trading center between Asia and Europe, and brought it back home to Scandinavia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, culinary archaeologist Daniel Serra argues in his book, "An Early Meal: A Viking Age Cookbook & Culinary Odyssey," that the evidence suggests cardamom reached Scandinavia via trade routes from the Moors of Spain and Portugal. He points to the first Scandinavian mention of cardamom in a 13th-century cookbook, featuring recipes almost identical to those of the Moors from that era. Regardless of its path, cardamom appealed to the Scandinavian palate, and its use became more widespread in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden as centuries passed and it became more accessible. Read more: 11 Uncommon Spices That Will Impress Everyone You Cook For How Scandinavians Enjoy Cardamom Swedish cinnamon buns flavored with cinnamon and cardamom spices - AS Foodstudio/Shutterstock Cardamom comes from the seed-containing pods of a plant in the ginger family. The dried pods can be sold whole, or just the black and brown seeds can be sold whole or ground into powder. Green cardamom, the more common type in Scandinavia, has a strong, complex taste with floral, sweet, citrus, and menthol notes. Black cardamom, dried over a wood fire, has a more powerful and smoky flavor, and is traditionally used in savory Indian dishes. Among the many Scandinavian baked goods enhanced by cardamom are soft, sweet, and buttery Swedish cardamom buns. The twisted and knotted kardemummabullar are so beloved in Sweden that Cardamom Bun Day is celebrated on May 15th. Norway has its own version of cardamom buns called hveteboller, as well as julekake, a cardamom-scented Christmas sweet bread studded with raisins and candied fruit. In Denmark, fastelavnsboller are soft round buns made from a cardamom dough and filled with cream or fruit jam, traditionally eaten during Lent. Denmark also features twisted buns flavored with cinnamon and cardamom, known as kanelsnurre. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cardamom isn't limited to baked desserts in Scandinavian cuisine. It also enhances other dishes, such as perfuming rice pudding best made creamy and al dente with basmati rice boosting pickling and poaching liquids, and spicing up the traditional mulled wine glogg. Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. Read the original article on Food Republic. Making her second start U.S. start, South American Group 1 winner Richi (CHI) bested odds-on favorite and stablemate Pleasant in the $100,000 Las Flores (G3) for fillies and mares going six furlongs Saturday at Santa Anita. Richi, ridden by Kazushi Kimura, and Pleasant are both trained by Bob Baffert. The win was Bafferts fourth on a 10-race card. The Hall of Fame conditioner also won the San Vicente (G2) with budding star Barnes ($4), the day's second race with top 3-year-old prospect Rodriguez ($3) and the seventh race with Mirahmadi ($6.80). Baffert holds the Santa Anita record for wins on a single card by a trainer. He saddled five winners on Dec. 26, 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its nice to have nice horses like this, Baffert said. We are blessed to have the clientele. Sometimes it just works out. Richi, sent off the 3-1 second choice, settled in third behind pacesetter Dont Bring Crazy (15-1) and Pleasant, who came in following a third-place finish in the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 2. Pleasant was trying to provide jockey Juan Hernandez with his sixth win and second stakes victory on Saturdays card. Dont Bring Crazy set fractions of 22.70 and 45.01 seconds for the opening half mile. Near the quarter pole, Richi was ready to attack the leaders but found herself blocked behind horses. Then the rail opened and Richi shot through. I was comfortable right behind them, Kimura said. My horse was ready to go through the gap. When it opened up, she just exploded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richi reached the eighth pole with a 1-length lead over Pleasant and it remained that margin at the wire. Dont Bring Crazy, ridden by Antonio Fresu for trainer Doug ONeill, finished another seven lengths back in third. She just cut the corner there and won the race, Baffert said. The final time was a sharp 1:09.05. In her U.S. debut June 2, Richi finished second in the six-furlong Desert Stormer at Santa Anita. That day she wore blinkers, which were removed for the Las Flores. Shes completely changed since she has been here, Baffert said. She was really light, and they ran her really long distances (in Chile). Maybe that was all they had there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We freshened her up and she was training really well. A 5-year-old mare by Practical Joke out of the Scat Daddy mare Rich Baby, Richi won six of nine starts in her native Chile. Owned domestically by Hill n Dale Equine Holdings and Stud Vendaval Inc., Richi improved her career record to 7-3-0 from 11 starts and $178,424 in earnings. Richi paid $8 for the victory. Many countries have rules that Americans might not ever think about. It's illegal in some Caribbean nations, for example, to wear camouflage, and cruise-ship passengers can be detained if found wearing the outlawed gear. Mexico has really strict rules about bringing in vapes, and violating those rules can result in short-term imprisonment. Related: Carnival Cruise Line still stops at ports despite U.S. warnings In most cases, cruise lines try to tell passengers about any special rules before their ship stops at that destination. The captain will make announcements, which also will be printed in the daily schedule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crew members working at the exit will also be on the lookout, but the cruise lines can only go so far. Passengers should be prepared that the rules in any nation they visit might be different from rules in America. The penalty for being caught buying or doing drugs might be much more severe. In some countries, rules are enforced in order to collect fines from passengers eager to not miss their ship. Jamaica has a rule, however, that one group of cruisers may not know about that it's important they become aware of. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. Being gay is a crime in Jamaica.Image source: Pixabay Jamaica has a surprising ban Cruises are incredibly accepting and all-inclusive. Passengers may have their own biases and prejudices, but they generally keep them to themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A cruise is a very welcoming vacation, and you will see members of the LQBTQ+ community on every cruise. In most countries normally visited by cruise lines, that's not an issue, but Jamaica has some very strict laws, according to Human Rights Watch. "The criminalization of homosexuality in Jamaica dates back to the 1864 Offences Against the Person Act, which calls for a punishment of up to 10 years of imprisonment with hard labor for those convicted of the abominable crime of 'buggery.' Members of the Jamaican LGBT community are denied access to basic rights and services, resulting in alarming rates of homelessness and HIV," the organization shared. The government of Canada warns that LGBTQ+ people "have experienced harassment and verbal or physical abuse," in Jamaica. It also warns members of those communities to "avoid public displays of affection." In most cases, laws against being gay are not enforced on tourists, but the laws are on the books. And Jamaican police may not intervene in acts against LGBTQ people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LGBT people in Jamaica face intolerable levels of violence and cannot rely on the police, said Graeme Reid, LGBT rights director at Human Rights Watch. The authorities from the prime minister on down need to call a halt to the violence and discrimination, prosecute anyone responsible, and get homophobic laws off the books. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. U.S. State Department has a Level 3 warning for Jamaica The U.S. State Department has Jamaica under a Level 3: Reconsider Travel warning. It does not make a specific mention of the nation's LGBTQ+ prejudice and laws. "Violent crime occurs throughout Jamaica. Tourist areas generally see lower rates of violent crime than other parts of the country. The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica is among the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Armed robberies and sexual assaults are common," the State Department shared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just because tourist areas are safer does not mean they are safe. "The U.S. Embassy routinely receives reports of sexual assaults, including from U.S. citizen tourists at resorts. U.S. citizens report slow or unsatisfactory response to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a final verdict and sentence," it added. Royal Caribbean (RCL) , Carnival (CCL) , Norwegian (NCLH) , and pretty much every major cruise line still stop in Falmouth, Jamaica. Are you taking a cruise or thinking about taking one? Visit our Come Cruise With Me website to have all your questions answered. Who doesn't love chocolate; That irresistibly smooth and creamy goodness that melts on your tongue the moment it touches it? Whether savored on its own, added into a batch of decadent chocolate macarons, or drizzled over some dark chocolate-covered salted caramels, chocolate is the king of all things sweet. Chocolate is far from being a novel invention as its history dates back to 2000 B.C. The ancient Aztecs and Mayans cherished it so much, that they even went as far as thinking it was a gift from the gods. Talk about ultimate devotion. It would take ages, however, before British chocolatier Joseph Fry figured out just the right blend of cocoa powder, sugar, and cocoa butter to create the world's first modern chocolate bar in 1847. Ever since, chocolate has become a snack that fans just can't resist. It's gifted for birthdays, handed out to kids on Halloween (its peak sales season) and constantly innovated via its flavor profile by adjusting ingredients like the cocoa percentage in chocolate bars. With that in mind, it's no wonder that 2023's global sales hit a remarkable 7.5 million tons. But can you guess which country takes pride in the highest chocolate consumption per capita? Nope, it's not the U.S. The spotlight, it turns out, belongs to Switzerland. According to data in 2024, the average individual in this small Alpine country consumed an impressive 22 pounds of chocolate a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: The Best And Worst Chocolate Chips On Store Shelves, Based On Reviews What Makes Swiss Chocolate So Special? Box of Lindt chocolate pralines from Switzerland - Iryna Budanova/Shutterstock One might wonder how such a small country with a population of just under 9 million people managed to secure its place at the top. But when it comes to chocolate, Switzerland has plenty working in its favor or rather, plenty in its flavor. Home to iconic brands like Lindt and Toblerone (Check out how they rank among popular store-bought chocolate brands), the country is a powerhouse of chocolate craftsmanship. Switzerland's rich chocolate heritage dates back to 1819, when Swiss entrepreneur Francois-Louis Cailler turned what was once an old mill into one of Switzerland's first chocolate plants. This marked the birth of the Cailler chocolate brand, which believe it or not is still around today. But despite the brand's massive success back then, something was still missing. According to Laurence Tissot, a history professor at Switzerland's University of Neuchatel, chocolate at the time was salty and bitter. It served little purpose, other than to provide a small boost of energy to the malnourished population. That's when Daniel Peter who would later team up with Henri Nestle, future founder of one of the world's leading chocolate brands introduced milk into the mix, and the rest became milk chocolate history. Given this reputation for producing some of the finest milk chocolate in the world, is it any surprise that the Swiss are the ultimate chocolate fans? In fact, they take it so seriously, that they even host an annual chocolate festival called Festichoc to celebrate it. What's Behind The Swiss Chocolate Hype? People buying chocolate in a store - Mel Yates/Getty Images Aside from the rich history and the innovative approach to chocolate production, what is it exactly that prompts the Swiss to consume so much chocolate each year? For comparison, the French have a long-standing tradition with wine, but the country can't even begin to match Luxembourg, for instance, where a person can proudly claim a remarkable per capita consumption of 17.7 gallons a year to the average French citizen's estimated 11 gallons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reason comes from a combination of several factors, the first being that chocolate is deeply woven into Swiss culture and plays a great role in its gifting custom. Another reason is that the Swiss are extremely proud of Swiss-made brands, and consider them luxurious and sophisticated much like how Italians view their pizza. Furthermore, with so many options to choose from about 16 major producers and countless smaller chocolate makers the variety may make it nearly impossible to resist exploring new flavors in the quest for something unique and fresh. Finally, with winter temperatures in Switzerland sometimes plunging to a chilly 6 degrees Fahrenheit, chocolate serves as a go-to comfort food, whether sipped as a steaming mug of hot chocolate or enjoyed as a chocolate bar to warm the heart. So next time you feel a cold breeze coming in, take a cue from the wise Swiss. Research even suggests that a piece of dark chocolate could do wonders in soothing your cough, thanks to its theobromine content. As if you needed another reason to enjoy a bit of rich, velvety chocolate. Read the original article on Chowhound. CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) One person was airlifted to a Nashville hospital after being injured in a crash Saturday night, according to Clarksville authorities. In a press release, the Clarksville Police Department said the crash occurred on Jan. 4 in the westbound lanes of Interstate 24 near mile marker 10. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com According to an investigation from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a 29-year-old man was the sole occupant of a Nissan Titan driving westbound on I-24 when his vehicle veered off the roadway to the left. The truck entered the median and hit several trees, reports said. He was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interstate was closed as first responders worked to evacuate the injured man by helicopter before he was transported to a Nashville hospital. The road was reopened just before 11:30 p.m. No additional information on the drivers condition was immediately released. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Police say one person is in the hospital with injuries after an officer-involved shooting Saturday night in Kannapolis. Kannapolis police say that around 10:30 p.m. officers attempted to pull over a vehicle that they believed to be occupied with someone who had outstanding warrants. The stop was made near North Cannon Boulevard. ALSO READ: Kannapolis police looking for suspects in deadly shooting Officials say that during the stop, one person in the vehicle was shot and later taken to the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police say that no officers or anyone else was hurt. The officers involved in this incident have been placed on administrative leave and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has been requested to investigate the shooting as standard procedures following an officer-involved shooting. This is a developing story and we will provide updates as they become available. (WATCH BELOW: One killed in officer-involved shooting in Shelby, police say) SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) arrested a 29-year-old man after a Saturday night shooting left another man critically injured. Oakland sergeant placed on leave after shooting at suspect in pursuit San Francisco PD said officers arrived at the scene around 6:31 p.m. on the 500 block of 5th Street and found a man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. According to SFFD, the victim was transported to a nearby trauma unit with life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SFFD confirmed the incident took place at the MSC Homeless Shelter. Police said that while investigators were still on the scene, a man approached them. Officers developed probable cause and arrested the suspect, identified as Taylor Reed. Police said charges are pending. The circumstances leading to the shooting remain unclear. SFPD said the investigation is ongoing despite the arrest. Anyone with information is urged to call 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411, starting the message with SFPD. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers made 18 arrests and confiscated six guns during Tuesdays New Years Eve celebrations in uptown Charlotte, police said Saturday. Police said they arrested eight adults on drug, weapon, disorderly conduct and other charges and 10 young people ages 10 through 15. There were no major incidents during the scheduled holiday festivities in Uptown, police said in a statement. No injuries were reported. Workers test the lights on the crown backstage at Charlottes New Years celebration on Dec. 31, 2014. Charges against the minors included violating the citys youth protection ordinance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to CMPD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ordinance imposes a curfew on everyone 15 and younger. Anyone 12 and younger is prohibited from businesses and public places from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. all week. Ages 13 through 15 are barred from businesses and public places from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. CMPD visited homes of youth offenders Police said they later cited and charged the minors parents or guardians with contributing to delinquency and neglect by parents and others. Before the celebrations, CMPD officers with the Juvenile Apprehension and Diversion Empowerment unit visited the homes of young people whod previously committed offenses. Officers did so to ward off criminal behavior during the festivities, CMPD said. Out of 10 home visits conducted by the JADE Unit, there were no juveniles who re-offended on New Years Eve, according to the CMPD statement. Adults charged with having concealed weapons, being disruptive Police identified adults they arrested during the festivities and their charges as: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murray Edwards, 42, carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct. Rassell Young, 18, carrying a concealed weapon, resist/delay/obstruct and possession of marijuana. Jergio Jesus Pavon-Reyes, 18, possession of a stolen firearm. Kaheem Brower, 28, affray. Donaven McCoy, 29, affray. Dashawn Douglas, 29, carrying a concealed weapon. Treshawn Goff, 27, carrying a concealed weapon. Genesis Roland, 19, carrying a concealed weapon, resist/delay/obstruct and possession of marijuana. From podiums to policies, votes to victories, or speeches to the Senate, politicians are an integral part of our society and the American way of life whether you like it or not. But did you know that some of the individuals currently driving action on Capitol Hill were once driving action in some of our favorite fast food restaurants, as well? It's true. Before being elected mayor, governor, or even president of the United States, a handful of some of America's most influential political figures honed their skills behind the counters of popular fast food chains. From Arby's to Baskin Robbins to the great golden arches of McDonald's, Democratic and Republican candidates alike have flipped burgers, scooped ice cream, and wrapped tacos -- and all of them describe these experiences as being formative to the growth of their political careers. From Barack Obama to Kamala Harris to Scott Walker and beyond, here are 11 politicians who worked in fast food. Read more: McDonald's Menu Items That Even The Staff Won't Eat Barack Obama Barack Obama standing at a podium - Salma Bashir/Shutterstock As America's first president of color, Barack Obama broke boundaries after his historic election in 2008, as well as his subsequent re-election in 2012. But before he was championing for change in the United States' Oval Office, the Democratic trailblazer was settled into an office very different in nature -- specifically, one that included 31 different flavors of ice cream ready to be scooped up for craving consumers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Barack Obama was a teenager in the 1970s, his first job was reportedly working behind the counter of a Baskin Robbins in Honolulu, Hawaii -- the city in which he was born and raised. By his own admission, it was a more arduous position than it may initially appear, with the effort required to pry ice cream out of half-frozen buckets often causing wrist pain. Interestingly enough, the constant exposure to the sweet treat would permanently turn the president-to-be off of ice cream -- and his dislike for one of the world's most popular desserts has become a notable tidbit among his followers. Kamala Harris Kamala Harris at a podium - Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images It was one of the most surprisingly talked-about moments of the 2024 campaign trail. The moment when Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential candidate, publicly stated that she had worked at the world's largest fast food chain, McDonald's, while she was in school. Pushback from the opposition immediately followed, with protests that her past in fast food may have been fabricated in an attempt to connect with the working class springing up on online forums everywhere. While McDonald's, in a likely attempt at maintaining political neutrality, has neither confirmed nor denied Harris' position among their ranks, Harris herself has continued to stand firm in her claim. During the race for the White House, her campaign specified that, just as she had mentioned in her vice presidential run alongside Joe Biden in 2019, Harris worked the cash register, french fry, and ice cream station in 1983, at the Central Avenue McDonald's in Alameda, California. This, her team insisted, was following her very first year of university, at Howard. Paul Ryan Paul Ryan speaking at a podium - Alex Wong/Getty Images Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, rose to political prominence when he became a congressman in the House of Representatives in 1999, where he would serve until 2019. During that time, Mitt Romney chose Ryan as his vice presidential running mate in the 2012 presidential election. Though Romney-Ryan ultimately lost this election, Ryan's time in the limelight earned him a spot among America's most well-known politicians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But before he was making speeches on television in front of millions, Ryan was among the millions-strong McDonald's workforce, sizzling hamburgers behind the counter at his local restaurant. This he shared during a speech to high schoolers while campaigning in 2012, calling his experience both inspiring and reminiscent of the true American dream. Though Ryan later caught some flak for this comment when the truth of his family's extensive wealth was revealed in full, there is something to be said for the fact that work in a hectic fast food environment is liable to impart skills and increased work ethic on any individual, regardless of background. Rahm Emanuel Rahm Emanuel speaking - White Cat Photo/Shutterstock Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rahm Emanuel was born in the historic city of Chicago, Illinois in 1959. Over 40 years later, he would become his home city's 55th mayor, where he would serve from 2011 to 2019, before eventually being named as U.S. ambassador to Japan. Prior to the inception of his illustrious political career, however, Emanuel worked in the coveted fast food restaurant with all the meats. That's right -- we're talking about Arby's. Emanuel told students in a 2014 talk that during his time working at Arby's as a teenager, he had a horrible accident with a beef slicer that left him missing a chunk of his finger. "I ended up with five blood infections, two bone infections, and gangrene, and had a 105 degree fever and was this close to dying," he explained, going on to describe the event as life-changing. "Prior to that, I was a total screw-up and I took that experience and I said, 'everyday I'm going to make sure I get everything out of life. I'm not going to let a day go where I won't make a difference.'" Joni Ernst Joni Ernst waving to crowd - mark reinstein/Shutterstock Joni Ernst is a Republican senator from Iowa with an undeniably impressive resume. Raised on a farm in Montgomery County, she graduated with academic honors from both Stanton High School and college at Iowa State University. Upon her university graduation, she entered into the Army Reserves as a company commander, deploying to both Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. But woven into the folds of her impressive biography as a politician, a valedictorian, and a combat veteran is a much humbler title -- a title that held significant importance in helping Ernst chase her dreams. "As one of my first jobs, I worked the morning biscuit line at Hardee's to help save up for college," said Ernst in a Facebook post in 2022, posing alongside a group of smiling high-school-aged workers. "It was so nice to meet with these current and former Hardee's employees during my visit to Ottumwa High School!" Despite some trouble in company paradise that has us speculating as to whether or not Hardee's will be around much longer, one thing's for sure: the chain seems to have had a loyal worker in the senator. Cathy McMorris Rodgers Cathy McMorris Rodgers shaking hands - Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images When you think about fast food industry powerhouse, McDonald's, there are a few visuals that likely flash through your mind. The chain's giant golden 'M' logo, loaded Big Mac burgers, the creepy-yet-charming clown mascot known as Ronald McDonald ... and, of course, the signature red McDonald's visors adorned by the company's workers. And Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a wife, mother, previous orchard farmer, and current Republican congresswoman for Eastern Washington State, once donned the quintessential red cap herself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This admission comes after a particularly charming 2013 post on McMorris Rodgers' official X account, which featured a vintage photograph of the congresswoman herself fixing her curled hair and visor in front of a hand mirror. Showing off her 1980s-style oversized glasses and classic McDonald's white-collared striped polo, McMorris Rodgers captioned the timeless shot: "Getting ready for work at McDonald's in Colville to help pay for college tuition." And this work certainly paid off, seeing as McMorris Rodgers has divulged that she was the very first member of her family to earn a college degree. Rick Crawford Rick Crawford addressing room - Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Rick Crawford is a United States Congressman representing Arkansas' first district, and his life has been a compilation of colorful experiences. From worldwide travel to deployments while serving in the U.S. Army to graduating from Arkansas State University to both competing in and announcing rodeos, each and every varied encounter has helped shape the leader he is -- and this includes a relatively brief stint working at McDonald's in his youth. Before immediately enlisting in the Army upon his completion of high school, Crawford spent around a year working at the world's largest fast food chain. According to his official campaign team, Crawford's responsibilities ranged from cleaning duties to cooking behind the burners. The hectic day-to-day bustle of the fast food kitchen helped foster a strong work ethic, as well as a value and appreciation for teamwork, in one of The Natural State's most popular representatives. Rodney Davis Rodney Davis speaking - Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From 2013 to 2023, Rodney Davis served as representative in congress for the state of Illinois' 13th district. But before his entrance into the political sector, the Millikin University graduate had a very different career -- one that involved a line of sizzling fryers and a very distinct, well-known uniform. The former representative has been vocal about his work history at McDonald's via his official X page. "A lot has changed at McDonald's since my first job in 1986," he said in 2018, beside a photo of his 16-year-old self behind an antiquated counter, "but they are still giving their workers the opportunity to succeed. I went behind the counter in Decatur today and heard from current employees how McDonald's is investing in their education because of tax reform." This is hardly the first post in which Davis has related back to his fast food roots in an attempt to foster discussions related to tax issues. Whether or not you personally agree with his politics, you've got to commend him for drawing on real experience to bring about change. Scott Walker Scott Walker speaking - Aaron of L.A. Photography/Shutterstock There are a few things in particular for which the state of Wisconsin is known: world-famous cheddar, The Green Bay Packers, Culver's questionable cheese curds, and, of course, Governor Scott Walker. Walker served as the Republican governor of Wisconsin for two full terms, serving from 2011 to 2019, and is widely considered to be one of the state's most influential holders of the office. His spotlight and popularity also increased after 2015, when he had a short run for president prior to the 2016 election. But humble beginnings preceded Walker's illustrious political path: beginnings at one of the world's most beloved fast food restaurants. While kick-starting his short-lived campaign in 2015, Governor Walker toured the McDonald's location in Delavan, Wisconsin -- the very same restaurant in which he worked as a high school student. Adding to the excitement of the visit, Walker ran into a former co-worker from his burger-flipping days, who had since been elevated to manager of the location. Despite the eventual fate of the campaign itself, the visit was no doubt a heartwarming trip down memory lane for Walker. Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre smiling - San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health / Facebook Del Taco, the California-based fast-casual restaurant specializing in Mexican and Tex Mex-style dishes, is between 5,000 and 10,000 employees strong. And one of these workers, believe it or not, is none other than a former California mayor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre may have served multiple terms as mayor in her home city of Barstow, but she's also serving as manager in one of the area's most popular fast food establishments. In 2015, the Daily Press published an article that featured the then-in-office Hackbarth-McIntyre in her managerial element, donning the black Del Taco polo as she wrapped burritos, handed orders through the drive-thru window, and laughed with customers at the counter. The mayor commented that her work at Del Taco bettered her as a mayor, as it bridged the gap between she and the town's patrons and made her more accessible to the community. Though Hackbarth-McIntyre is no longer serving as active mayor of Barstow, her official LinkedIn account still lists her as manager at Del Taco. Keep this is mind if you ever catch yourself driving through Barstow hoping to snag some of the most popular Del Taco menu items. Lisa Blunt Rochester Lisa Blunt Rochester smiling at podium - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester is on her last leg of service as United States Congresswoman for the state of Delaware, but before her time as the people's dedicated representative, she was a dedicated team member of another organization -- a certain well-known fast food company that, she insists, taught her a whole lot of valuable life lessons. "Something you may not know about me is that my first job ever," she said in a video on her professional Facebook page, "was working at McDonald's, flipping burgers and handling the cash register. This job taught me the value of a hard day's work. But the most valuable lesson I learned was how I could best serve. And I carried this lesson from my very first job to today." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a powerful statement -- one that many of us could probably stand to take with us into our own jobs and involvements. Whether you're frying up french fries or running for president of the United States, your job has meaning, and your service, whatever the sector, is important. Who knew we had some of our favorite politicians to thank for this crucial reminder? Read the original article on Mashed. Because of winter weather, with snowfall, sleet, and freezing rain, 120 of the 1,090 flights scheduled for Sunday at Germany's busiest airport, Frankfurt, have been cancelled, a spokesman for the airport operator Fraport told dpa. As runways need to be cleared and visibility is reduced, the airport's capacity is limited, he said. Additionally, the de-icing of aircraft is taking longer due to the weather conditions, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spokesman advised passengers to check with their airline regarding their flights and, if necessary, to allow extra time for the journey to the airport. Fraport had already warned of possible flight cancellations due to the weather conditions. ELKHART Two people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a fatal shooting during a drug deal in November. Ashley Seabolt, 41, and Stephonn Sutton, 36, face one count of murder in the death of Toby Ray Fisher on Nov. 26. Police found the 32-year-old Elkhart man shot outside River Run Apartments, where he soon died. Detectives with the Elkhart County Homicide Unit were led to Seabolt and Sutton after watching security camera footage and speaking with witnesses, including the victims of a robbery that occurred during a drug deal. Court orders authorizing their arrests were issued this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are both awaiting a Jan. 9 initial hearing in Elkhart County Circuit Court. According to court documents: Elkhart police responded to a shooting in the area of 715 Monroe St. just before 7 p.m. They found Fisher outside the building, unconscious and covered in blood, with a gunshot wound to the neck. He received medical aid but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Security cameras captured Fisher running in the area minutes earlier, as well as a woman in a dark coat and a man carrying a bag, according to police. Investigators later identified them as Seabolt and Sutton with help from the same witness who first found Fishers body. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The witness said she found Seabolt walking a few blocks away and dropped her off at a Meisner Avenue address. She alleged that Seabolt told her about picking Fishers up in Three Rivers, Michigan, along with a man who goes by sdot and that they had a plan to rob another person. Police found Seabolt at a Meisner Avenue residence around three hours after the shooting and arrested her on an outstanding warrant in an unrelated case. They say they found a handgun hidden in the backyard shed where she was sitting when they arrived, though it was unloaded and the magazine was removed. Police say a handgun magazine was found in Seabolts possession while she was being booked at the jail, and several rounds of ammo were found hidden in a sanitary trash receptacle in a restroom she used just before being interviewed. Seabolt said in the interview that she had arranged a drug deal involving Fisher, herself and another individual. She described stopping at a Toledo Road gas station before arriving at River Run Apartments, where she said she went into an apartment to get more cash, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seabolt said she heard gunshots while returning to the vehicle and ran away. Security camera footage from the gas station showed Seabolt and Fisher getting into a white Honda Accord, police say. The car was located at Four Winds Casino in South Bend on Dec. 2. Detectives interviewed two witnesses, a man and a woman, who were found inside the casino with the help of Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Tribal Police. One of those witnesses described an alleged drug deal involving Seabolt, Fisher and an unknown man who they picked up in Michigan before returning to River Run Apartments. She said after Seabolt got out of the vehicle, Fisher announced, You know what time it is, grabbed the methamphetamines that were being sold and struck the male witness in the head with a handgun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He pointed the gun at the womans head and demanded her purse and also threatened to shoot the man in the leg, according to police. Fisher allegedly took the purse, which contained cash and jewelry, from the woman and a cell phone from the man. The woman said she heard gunshots and got out of the vehicle, and then the unknown man left the area with her purse. The two witnesses then got back in the vehicle and drove off, according to police. The woman said she texted Seabolt demanding her purse back and Seabolt told her that Fisher had died, police say. Investigators say they found a text conversation on Fishers phone between him and Seabolt, arranging both a drug deal and a robbery. She allegedly told him to take the victims purse and phone and he indicated that he had a handgun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sutton told police on Dec. 13 that he went to a relatives apartment when the group came back to Elkhart from Michigan, and that he saw Fisher still inside the vehicle when he came back out. Investigators say surveillance footage does not show Sutton walking to an apartment just before the shooting. Another witness described going to Fishers Roys Avenue residence with several other people, including Sutton, the day after the shooting. Sutton allegedly told them he was present at the shooting and had a large amount of money as well as a purse, according to police. The witness said the purse contained perfume and a wallet, which police believe were taken from the other female witness who was inside the vehicle. Police say they found a purse in the shed at the Meisner Avenue address. Three adults and two children have been hospitalized following a carbon monoxide leak at a hotel in Atlanta. On Friday, Jan. 3, the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department arrived on the scene at Residence Inn Atlanta Downtown at around 8:30 a.m. local time, where they detected high levels of carbon monoxide inside the high-rise hotel, per Atlanta News First. Five people, including three adults and two children, were transported to the hospital for observation. One person was unconscious on the way to the hospital, the outlet reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to reports, the fire and rescue team were called in after the children couldn't be woken up. The condition of those who were taken to hospital remains unclear at this time. "Due to a carbon monoxide incident, AFRD is on scene at 134 Peachtree St NW, Residence Inn Atlanta. The gas line has been shut off, and the situation is stable. The initial search and evacuation are complete," the AFRD wrote on Instagram. Residence Inn by Marriott Atlanta Downtown/Facebook Residence Inn by Marriott Atlanta Downtown, pictured Residence Inn by Marriott Atlanta Downtown, pictured Related: 4 People Found Dead on Christmas from Suspected Carbon Monoxide Poisoning The hotel reportedly has 20 floors and 160 rooms. Authorities told Atlanta News First that 100 rooms were occupied at the time of the incident. The hotel was evacuated within an hour of their arrival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our hazmat team is assisting residents experiencing side effects and working with hotel maintenance to locate the source, the AFRD said in a statement, per the outlet. The AFRD shared in an update on Instagram, "All carbon monoxide readings at 134 Peachtree Street NW, Residence Inn Atlanta, are now at acceptable levels. AFRD has turned the building over to Atlanta Gas." During the evacuation, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority provided a bus to shelter hotel guests as the situation was handled, Atlanta News First reported. Related: Dayle Haddon, Actress and Supermodel, Dies at 76 After Suspected Carbon Monoxide Leak at Hallmark Star Marc Blucas' Home 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. Guest Luke told the outlet, [I wanted to] go get my stuff and they wouldnt let me, so we had to come outside. And then everything went [into] chaos, it was haywire for a little bit and we just kind of waited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hotel was reportedly closed following the incident. Assistant Fire Chief Greg Gray said, Right now, weve got the entire building opened up as best we can from the ground floor to the roof. Weve got fans to try to make sure that we have any residual carbon monoxide in the building completely out, per Atlanta News First. Weve got the gas shut off to the building and once we go in and confirm that were back to normal readings in the building well turn it back over, Gray added. The investigation into the leak is ongoing. PEOPLE has reached out to the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department and Residence Inn Atlanta Downtown for further comment. Read the original article on People Two men were hospitalized following a stabbing attack at a bar in Fullerton. On Jan. 2, Fullerton police responded to a local bar on the 1800 block of West Valencia Avenue at around 1:18 a.m. Inside the business, two men were found with multiple stab wounds. The suspects had fled the scene. Both victims were transported to a local trauma center for treatment and were expected to survive. Investigators later identified three men in connection with the stabbings who were arrested later that day: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eduardo Bellobaza, 30, from Anaheim Mario Bellobaza, 24, from Anaheim Kevin Talerocera, 26, from Santa Ana The motive behind the attack remains unclear and no further details were released by authorities as the incident remains under investigation. All three suspects were booked at the Fullerton City Jail for felony criminal conspiracy. In addition, Eduardo Bellobaza was booked for attempted murder, Mario Bellobaza was booked for felony assault, and Talerocera was booked for battery on a person. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. *Marshall County originally said that two people were killed and three people were injured. They have since said that there were just two other victims.* MEMPHIS, Tenn. Two people were killed after a fatal car accident in Marshall County on Saturday night, the Marshall County Sheriffs Department confirmed. Just after 8 p.m., deputies responded to a multi-vehicle accident on Dockery Drive and St. Paul Road. Multiple victims were found on the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marshall County Sheriff Kenny Dickerson issued the following statement about the crash: An investigation is ongoing by the Marshall County Sheriffs Department following a fatal two-car motor vehicle accident which occurred at approximately 8 p.m. on Saturday, January 4, 2025 in Byhalia, Marshall County, Mississippi. Preliminary results of the investigation indicate that a 2020 GMC Acadia being pursued by a Byhalia Police Department Officer collided with a 2015 Ford F150 near the intersection of St. Paul Road and Dockery Drive. The driver of the GMC SUV was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident also claimed the life of one of the passengers in the Ford pickup while the driver and one other passenger are listed in critical condition at Regional One Health in Memphis, Tennessee. Marshall County Sheriff Kenny Dickerson The two victims who lost their lives were Michael Crutcher, 63, from Collierville, Tennessee and Jaqua Blueitt, 30, from Byhalia, Mississippi. The two other victims were taken to Regional One Hospital and are in critical condition. We will update this story as more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Jan. 4CHIMAYO Brandon Roybal is a regular rider. Three days a week, he rides the No. 150 Blue Bus from his home in Chimayo to his job at an Espanola pizza parlor. Often, Roybal has to find another ride the route doesn't run on weekends or late enough to bring him home after a closing shift but he credits its service for his consistent attendance at work. "Without this thing, I wouldn't make it. It's a big help," Roybal said on a recent ride from one of the Blue Bus' cushioned seats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Operated by the North Central Regional Transit District, the fare-free Blue Buses are a lifeline for many in Northern New Mexico. They log more than a million miles annually. Their routes stretch from Edgewood to Chama, Farmington to Las Vegas, with strategic stops at schools, grocery stores, health care facilities, colleges and universities. But the ride hasn't been without bumps in the road. The regional transit district, which marked its 20th anniversary in 2024, hasn't yet recovered from a dramatic drop in ridership during the coronavirus pandemic, putting the average cost per rider at nearly $48. Still, transit district officials are looking toward the future, with plans for several major expansions, including an increase in the frequency of service between Taos, Espanola and Santa Fe; construction and renovation of facilities; and a transition to a hybrid and electric vehicle fleet, Executive Director Anthony Mortillaro said. "We have a lot of great plans," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Providing a 'social service' Juan Vargas was a rider long before he started driving a Blue Bus. Born in Taos, Vargas moved back to Northern New Mexico in 2015 from Portland, Ore. The move came amid a difficult period in Vargas' life: A decade-old accident necessitated a hip replacement. Then he suffered repeat infections, requiring two more hip replacements on the same side in a span of 18 months. He moved around using a wheelchair for about four years. "I'm lucky to be alive and/or walking," he said. After leaving behind an extensive public transit network in Portland, Vargas said he was "blown away" when he learned a free, wheelchair-accessible bus traveled from Taos to Santa Fe multiple times per day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before getting his own car, Vargas said the Blue Bus was his transit method of choice to visit family in Santa Fe. "I used it," he recalled. "Then, as soon as I could walk again, I said, 'You know what, it's like [a] social service. I'm going to go work there.' " Vargas drives the No. 150 bus, with regular stops in Espanola, Santa Cruz, La Puebla and Chimayo, plus a periodic add-on route to Cordova, Truchas and Las Trampas. For the most part, Vargas said his passengers ride the bus into larger communities, like Espanola, to do the things they've got to do. "People are coming down from these communities, going into town for their goods and services, and then they're riding it back up," Vargas said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That's the case across the system, said Bryce Gibson, planning and projects manager for the North Central Regional Transit District. The district's most popular commuter routes stretch between Taos, Espanola and Santa Fe, while its most popular "urban" routes are the 340 Chile Line bus through Taos and the 100 Riverside route, along Riverside Drive in Espanola. "People ride for all kinds of reasons," Gibson said, such as transport to work, medical appointments and educational institutions, from middle school to job training. The Blue Bus isn't the regional transit district's only operation. Its MyBlue ride-share service provides on-demand rides within certain boundaries in Taos, Espanola, Edgewood and the Pojoaque and Nambe areas, and its paratransit service offers door-to-door rides for passengers with disabilities who cannot use the regular bus system. The district also funnels millions of dollars annually toward adjoining transit systems, including the city of Santa Fe's Santa Fe Trails bus service, Los Alamos County's Atomic City Transit and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter train, Mortillaro said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why charge a fare? Riders might be greeted with a fare box while boarding other buses, but the Blue Bus has no such system. It's free to ride. That's not to say the Blue Bus is free to operate: Data shows the regional transit district's operating costs averaged $47.62 per passenger trip during fiscal year 2024. There are two key reasons to keep it fare-free, said Mortillaro, who has served as executive director since 2011. First, the cost of equipment to collect fares and personnel to account for them would eat up about two-thirds of the revenue. The second reason Mortillaro cited: The regional transit district operates with federal funding and an eighth of a percent gross receipts tax levied on all purchases in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Taos and Rio Arriba counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Why charge a fare on top of that when you're already paying taxes, both on the local level and the federal level, that comes back to the district to support public transportation?" he said. The Blue Bus has been fare free since voters approved the gross receipts tax in 2008. On-demand MyBlue services cost riders only $1 per trip and are much cheaper for the transit district to operate, averaging $24 per passenger for a trip in fiscal year 2024. At those prices, "We're cheaper and more reliable than your family," joked Steven Romero, who has been driving for the transit district for the past nine years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Romero enjoys the social aspect of his work. "I think that's my favorite part of the job, just talking to people and getting to know my riders," he said. Expansions in next 20 years A "major theory" contributes to the calculus of planning routes, Gibson said: More frequent service equals more riders. But in recent years, regular ridership has posed a challenge for the transit district. In fiscal year 2019, its drivers transported riders on nearly 300,000 trips an all-time high. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, however, ridership hasn't bounced back to that level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the first few months of the pandemic, ridership dropped by about 80%, data shows. In May 2020, the district provided fewer than 3,000 rides, down from more than 25,000 in May of the previous year. The district reduced or temporarily suspended some routes based on ridership data. The pandemic-era effect lingers in the district's ridership data. In fiscal year 2024, riders embarked on 120,650 rides, less than half the number in fiscal year 2019. The pandemic also posed new challenges in hiring bus drivers. "Like many transit agencies across the country, we've had difficulty in recruiting and retaining bus operators," Gibson said. "There just seems to be a shortage nationwide." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hiring squeeze pushed the transit district to increase driver pay hourly wages now start at $21.67 for operators with commercial driver's licenses and $20.02 for those without commercial licenses as well as offer sign-on bonuses. Even now, a few of the district's routes including buses serving El Rito and Los Alamos remain suspended. Nonetheless, the district is about to embark on an ambitious expansion in hopes of drawing more riders to the system. Its Long Range Strategic Plan, a document published in 2023 that outlines its goals in the next 20 years, proposes a "spine" of rapid bus transit between Santa Fe, Espanola and Taos, with buses between those hubs leaving as frequently as every 15 minutes during peak hours. The change would be equivalent to adding 21 buses throughout the system, Gibson said. The strategic plan also recommends expanding weekday service and adding weekend service where appropriate, as well as establishing "mobility hubs" or central spaces offering a variety of transportation options at key transfer points. The hubs are meant to help people complete the first or last mile of their travel, to essentially bridge the gap between home and public transit. They might offer car and bike share options, supportive infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians, and connections to other bus or rail transit systems, in addition to shelters, benches and wayfinding signs, the strategic plan states. The plan will be implemented in phases over the next two decades. "We can't just do this right away; we don't have the resources or the vehicles or facilities, necessarily, even to bring on all this additional service," Gibson said. But the district has gotten started on a path toward achieving its long-term goals. The first phase is already underway, which involves purchasing seven hybrid electric buses and constructing seven mobility hubs along the district's central corridor, Gibson said. The district has already secured $9.5 million from the federal government to fund the first phase, Mortillaro added, which he said is expected to take three to five years to complete. Where the district will build the hubs is still under discussion, Gibson said, though the strategic plan notes potential spots could be a Rail Runner station in Santa Fe County or the junction of N.M. 68 and N.M. 75, near Embudo and Dixon. Bigger and smaller footprint The North Central Regional Transit District's expansion plans aren't limited to bus routes; it's also looking at extensive facility upgrades. In 2022, the district completed an $11.3 million maintenance facility adjacent to the Jim West Regional Transit Center in Espanola. A similar maintenance and operations facility in Taos which cost a total of $17 million will be ready to occupy in March, Mortillaro added, and the district is looking at building a similar operations facilities in Santa Fe and Chama, although the latter will be smaller in scale. The additions to the district's footprint in Espanola will include an expanded administrative space and a bus hub, an $11.7 million project that's partially designed and funded in large part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The 3 acres behind the Espanola headquarters will someday serve as workforce housing, with townhomes available for transit district employees to rent. That project, estimated to cost $4.1 million, is not yet fully funded, though the district received $46,000 in capital outlay from the Legislature in 2024 to fund its design work and is seeking additional funds in the upcoming session. Mortillaro anticipated the district will move forward with workforce housing in Taos, too, after the maintenance facility there is complete. "It'll help us retain employees or recruit employees because housing is such an issue in the whole surrounding area," Mortillaro said. The district also has taken steps toward its sustainability goals, aiming to make the entire fleet zero-emission by 2045. It received nearly $10 million in grant funding to purchase six battery electric buses and charging infrastructure, plus 10 more electric vans, which are already in service as MyBlue rides. Mortillaro said the district has ordered two hybrid diesel and electric buses, with seven more coming as part of the first phase of the strategic plan. It's unclear whether the coming change in presidential administrations will affect the North Central Regional Transit District's federal funding, Mortillaro said, though he noted it is "a concern." During a speech in November 2024 at the Symposium on the Future of Transportation in New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham warned attendees securing future federal funding for transportation initiatives abundant for the past four years will be "challenging" after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration later this month. "These past four years, there's been a lot money made available for public transit. We have taken advantage of it. ... Hopefully, that'll be the case into the future," Mortillaro said. He wants to see the bus continue to offer opportunities to people in Northern New Mexico for several more decades residents like Neto Abeyta of Espanola, who doesn't have a car right now. Abeyta's vehicle broke down three or four months ago, he said. He's been out of work for a few months, too. One recent Thursday afternoon, he took the Blue Bus to Walgreens in Espanola before getting lunch at Chili's. After finishing those errands, he hopped on the No. 110 Blue Bus, which travels across Espanola from east to west every hour or so. The bus, which restarted service in August, was a boon to Abeyta, who lives on the city's east side. It removed a half-hour walk to a bus stop near Santa Cruz on either end of his commute. Abeyta, who turned 31 a few days before Christmas, said he's hopeful the new year will bring changes in his luck. "I gotta start all over again," he said, "just get a job, you know, and go from there." Last summer, in a private moment at the memorial service for ex-senator Joe Lieberman at the Washington Hebrew Congregation, two former vice presidents had a conversation. Al Gore thanked Mike Pence, according to people close to both men, in an interaction thats never been reported, for his actions at the Capitol the day it was attacked by a mob. Pence, on the opposite side of the political aisle but in the same set of pews, said something surprising in response. He suggested to Gore he had done what hed done on Jan. 6, 2021, in part because of what he had seen as a newly sworn-in member of Congress on Jan. 6, 2001. He had witnessed a vice president like him stand up to pressure from his own party to defy the Constitution even though doing so by definition meant personal defeat. I never forgot it, Pence said to Gore, in the recollection of a Pence ally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You dont know how much that means, Gore said, coming from you. What Pence did and did not do four years back underscored the elementally high peril of whats often considered all but a formality: the certification of the Electoral College vote. Obviously, there are no guarantees in modern political life that rules will be followed, that norms will be respected, that precedent will hold, and Pence knew this better and more viscerally than most. Because of Jan. 6, 2001, he knew on Jan. 6, 2021, that in a moment of rote ceremony there also was ample opportunity for destabilizing mischief: When the person in charge of this ministerial act has a much more personal stake, the bedrock of American self-governance is at once at its most visible and its most vulnerable. On Monday, then, Kamala Harris will do what no one since Al Gore has done preside over the process that makes official his or her own defeat for the presidency. Given the nature of the results of this past election no serious allegations of fraud plus a clear loss of the popular vote its unlikely there will be much if any pressure on Harris to do more than call out the count. But seen in the light of the chaos and physical violence of 2021, and the still-palpable bitterness from 2001, her adherence to this constitutional process carries its own weight. Not enough people think about this, Mitchell Berger, a prominent South Florida attorney and longtime Gore confidant, told me. Vice President Harris is going to do her duty in 2025. Mike Pence did his duty in 2021, Berger said. Gore did his duty in 2001. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He could have caused a lot of turmoil. He could have done some version of what Donald Trump did following 2020, but he chose not to because he values the institutions of democracy and realizes that they need to be nurtured, John Geer, a political scientist at Vanderbilt whos married to Gores chief of staff, told me. Al Gore helped break a fever, and Donald Trump threw gasoline on a fire, former Gore (and Joe Biden) speechwriter Jeff Nussbaum told me. Two diametrically opposite reactions and the irony, of course, is that Al Gore had far more right to be aggrieved. Aides to Gore and Pence did not respond to requests for the two men to talk in more detail about Jan. 6, 2001, or Jan. 6, 2021, or that encounter last summer at the synagogue. But it was clear to those close to them that this shared history meant a lot to both men. The fact that the vice president discharged his duty that day despite the fact that many in his party believed he had won the election made an indelible impression on me, Pence would later say of Gore, about the resilience of our institutions when our leaders are willing to keep faith with the Constitution. Mr. Vice President, South Florida congressmember Peter Deutsch said early in the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2001, I make a point of order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gentleman, said Gore, speaking in the stilted, scripted language practically mandated by his role in the task at hand, will state his point of order. Mr. Vice President, we have just completed the closest election in American history Gore cut him off. The gentleman will suspend, he said. The Chair is advised by the Parliamentarian that, under Section 18 of Title 3, United States Code, no debate is allowed in the joint session. If the gentleman has a point of order, please present the order. Mr. Vice President, Deutsch pressed, there are many Americans who still believe that the results we are going to certify today are illegitimate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gentleman, Gore said again, will suspend. The congressional convening was a coda to a couple of months that had been exceedingly fraught. The presidential election of 2000, between Gore and George W. Bush, was infinitesimally close. Gore won the popular vote, but the determinative Electoral College vote had come down to just one total toss-up state in the memorable words of the late Tim Russert, Florida, Florida, Florida. For the nation and its most important institutions, the exhausting drama amounted to a rolling stress test. Gore, though, a former senator who was the son of a senator, was to the core an institutionalist driven, in the estimation of his friends and advisers, by a deference to and reverence for those institutions, and by a deep-seated adherence to systems, to rules, to norms. I remember very explicitly meetings at the Naval Observatory with Al Gore there and Warren Christopher and Bill Daley there, said Gores former chief speechwriter Eli Attie, referring to one of his top recount sherpas and one of his main campaign managers, respectively, where they were saying things to him like, Look, at a certain point, you may need to step aside for the good of the country and stop fighting simply so we dont let tainted electors show up to the Electoral College because its too important to preserve that system. He didnt need much convincing. Why didnt Gore want to color outside the lines? Berger said. For the same reason it was so bad that Trump did color outside the lines. It breaks the system down the peaceful transfer of power, the rule of law, everything he believed in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a posture that struck some as not only insufficiently forceful but naive. No small number of people sympathetic to his party and his cause wanted him to do more, say more, fight harder in the 36 days from election night to his concession speech in the wake of the Supreme Courts controversial 5-4 decision in Bush v. Gore, and then in the run-up to Jan. 6. This will not be the ceremonial proceeding that everybody thought would happen, then-Florida congressmember Alcee Hastings said to a reporter, vowing to object to the certification. You really believe this election was stolen? Bill Press asked Al Sharpton on CNN. Absolutely, Sharpton said. Jail to the thief! protesters from Democrats.com chanted outside the Capitol. It was important to do everything to fight the theft of an election, said Bob Fertik, a co-founder of the group. What is the matter with Democrats? They are rolling over in a blissful haze of bipartisanship, Robert Kuttner, the co-editor of the American Prospect, wrote at the time in a column in the Boston Globe, agitating for stiffer resistance instead of ceremonially enjoying his sad, twilight moment as Senate President, Gore should be leading the opposition. Inside the Capitol, however, Gore stifled the opposition. Mr. Vice President, Deutsch said, I will note the absence of a quorum and respectfully request that we delay the proceedings until a quorum is present. Gore had a reputation for being wooden and uncharismatic. Here, though, he was some mixture of dry, resigned and self-effacing. The Chair, he said, is advised by the Parliamentarian that Section 17 of Title 3, United States Code, prescribes a single procedure for resolution of either an objection to a certificate or other questions arising in the matter. That includes a point of order that a quorum is not present. The Chair rules, on the advice of the Parliamentarian, that the point of order that a quorum is not present is subject to the requirement that it be in writing and signed by both a member of the House of Representatives and a senator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is in writing, Deutsch said, but I do not have a senator. The point of order, Gore said, may not be received. The Chair hands to the tellers the certificate of the electors for president and vice president of the state of Alabama. The alphabetical count was underway. Florida loomed. Is there objection? Gore said. There was. Mr. President, Hastings said, I object to the certificate from Florida. Is the gentlemans objection in writing and signed by a member of the House of Representatives and by a senator? Mr. President, and I take great pride in calling you that, I must object because of the overwhelming evidence of official misconduct, deliberate fraud and an attempt to suppress voter turnout Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chair must remind members that under Section 18, Title 3, United States Code, no debate is allowed in the joint session, Gore said. Are there other objections? There were. Reps. Carrie Meek and Corrine Brown from Florida. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson and Sheila Jackson Lee from Texas. Reps. Maxine Waters and Barbara Lee and Bob Filner from California. Rep. Elijah Cummings from Maryland. Rep. Cynthia McKinney from Georgia. Rep. Eva Clayton from North Carolina. Rep. Patsy Mink from Hawaii. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. from Illinois. Mr. President, said Brown from Florida, it is in writing and signed by several House colleagues on behalf of the 27,000 voters of Duval County, of which 16,000 of them are African-Americans, that were disenfranchised in this last election Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gentlewoman will suspend. Mr. President, said Jackson from Illinois, it is a sad day in America, Mr. President, when we cannot find a senator to sign these objections The gentleman will suspend. The objection is in writing, said Waters from California, and I do not care that it is not signed by a member of the Senate The rules, Gore said, do care. Throughout, Gore was patient, good-natured and even good-humored. The Chair thanks the gentleman, he said over and over. The Chair thanks the gentlewoman, he said over and over. The Chair thanks the gentleman from Illinois, he said to Jackson, but hey pausing for a second, shrugging his shoulders, drawing some laughter from the floor. This is going to sound familiar to you, he joked at one point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes doing just exactly what the Constitution requires him to do, Chris Black said in the rolling live report on CNN. His very presence, the fact that hes willing to do this, hes going through this, as difficult as it is, shows the strength of the constitutional system in the United States. Gore, reporter David Welna said on NPR, left an impression of somebody who really does respect the rule of law, even when it goes against him. And Pence, a 41-year-old former conservative radio host turned congressmember on just his third full day in office, sat in the chamber and watched Gore as he yielded to the constitutional order. And Gore, in Pences memory, watched him as well. From time to time, Pence would say, from his chair behind the rostrum, he glanced at me, probably wondering who the total stranger was. January 6, Brown University professor of politics and constitutional law Corey Brettschneider wrote in his 2024 book, The Presidents and the People, reflects a more urgent truth we must confront as Americans: The power of the presidency has always been a loaded gun, one that threatens American democracy itself. If Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election, Trump told the crowd at his Save America rally on Jan. 6, 2021. All Vice President Pence has to do is send it back to the states to recertify, and we become president, and you are the happiest people. The statement Pence issued in response was as unambiguously grounded in the language of the Constitution as Gores had been 20 years before: his role as President of the Senate at the certification proceeding that was about to begin did not include unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not. The pressure to make Pence back down, however, was incalculably more intense. Hang Mike Pence! the roiling crowd chanted at the Capitol. The prospect of killing the vice president is horrific on its own, Brettschneider wrote in his book. Under the Twelfth Amendment, the vice president must certify the election. If Pence had died, no vice president could be appointed without the presidents nomination and approval of Congress, an unlikely scenario given the circumstances. Absent a vice president to certify electoral votes, no one knows what wouldve happened. Perhaps the election would have been decided by the House, with each state delegation having one vote, a process that could have propelled Trumps election, given the Republican majority of state delegations. The role of the vice president was fundamental at that moment, and the threat to his life was a dire threat to American democracy. Looked at in this light, there is arguably nobody in the country more important quadrennially on Jan. 6 than the vice president. The certification might be ceremonial, but it is not a mere formality. What the vice president does or does not do, if only on this one day, is the very linchpin of American democracy. He wasnt going to put the system into question by trying to challenge it, said Geer, the Vanderbilt professor with ties to Gore. There was never any question, Roy Neel, a chief Gore adviser for decades, told me. Clearly, he added, there were those who were saying youve got to fight on But where does it stop if you go down that slippery path? Berger said. If you dont have tight square corners on these small-d democratic propositions, then what are you fighting for? If you believe in the institutions, you believe in the rule of law then you have to live by that. Even, I said to Berger, when those institutions let you down. Even when the other side insists on tearing them down, Berger said, you have to continue to build them up. In the estimation of Brettschneider, Gore could have, even should have, more vigorously called into question the actual decision of Bush v. Gore a decision Brettschneider told me he sees as illegitimate, a case of the Court acting in a political, partisan way but definitely not, Brettschneider emphasized, at that moment. Not at the Capitol. Not in the joint session. Not on Jan. 6. Because if Gore had done anything of the sort on Jan. 6, then the role of the vice president on that or any Jan. 6, he said, becomes a discretionary act. And that, Brettschneider said, would have opened up the floodgates. We dont want a race to authoritarianism, he said. There have to be defenders of democracy. What do you think, I asked him, people should have on their minds when Kamala Harris does this? I think, he said, she should be explicit about it. I dont know if shes going to do it as shes got the gavel in her hands, or before, or after, but Americans have to be reminded that the transition of power, the peaceful transition of power, is a fragile thing, and it relies on people of basic virtue to follow the rules. And thats what shes doing. She doesnt like Trump, she does think hes a danger, but shes not going to stop the certification of votes. And that should remind us of the irony, which is that shes allowing this person to take power this person who refused to do that and actually risks at that moment the teetering of democracy. And unfortunately, the risk were taking is that he might do it again or something like that. ... So I think shes got to just call out the delicacy of the moment and explain what shes doing and why shes doing it. Former Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) opens the proceedings of the State of the State Address, Jan. 31, 2023, in the House Chamber at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. Huffman is now in place to be elected Ohio House Speaker by Republicans starting in 2025. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.) Its a new year and a new General Assembly will begin tomorrow at the Ohio Statehouse. Although its an off-year when it comes to state-level elections, there will be much to do at the state level. Here are some of the biggest items likely to be addressed in 2025. U.S. Senate pick First up: Gov. Mike DeWine will soon be making his appointment to the U.S. Senate, replacing JD Vance as he resigns to become vice president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This has to be someone who really wants to do the job and do the work and who we think has the ability to do it, DeWine has said, adding that the Senate appointment would also be able to stay in the seat for a long time. Previously, the governor said that he wanted someone who could not just win the primary and general elections of 2026 but also hold onto the seat in 2028. We were the first to report that the governor and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted visited Mar-a-Lago to meet with President-elect Donald Trump and Vance at the end of 2024. DeWine has been extremely close-lipped about his meetings, and we are still awaiting a records request from months ago for his schedule log. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to our deep dive, speaking with three dozen political insiders, the frontrunner is Husted. However, several other names have been floated consistently. Major candidates include Ohio RNC leader Jane Timken and Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague. Politicos also mentioned state Rep. Jay Edwards, Sec. of State Frank LaRose, state Sen. Matt Dolan, and the states Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik. Operating budget This year, lawmakers will also need to pass a new, 2026-2027 operating budget, providing billions to fund the government and other state policies. State Rep. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland), who is the upcoming finance chair according to his nameplate on the specific finance chair door, has previously explained that this includes school funding, tax changes and support or cuts to public programs like Medicaid. The job of every Senator and House member as well is to, you know, try to represent their districts well, and try to meet the needs through the budget process that we go through, he said. If something doesnt get funded now it might get funded in the next cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) hopes for property tax relief but doesnt count on it from her GOP colleagues. Weve said all along that not providing direct relief on this property tax issue, it is a choice that is being made by the majority to not address this concern and real financial strain on many Ohioans, especially those who are older and are on set budgets, Russo said. There are options to provide immediate help, she said. There had been dozens of bills proposed to give relief to homeowners due to the continually rising property tax. Commissions had been created. Statewide reports were released, including one on Wednesday. Nothing widespread was accomplished. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont have to wait six months from now in the budget, when by the way, were probably going to have less revenue, the leader continued. There are other tax cuts that are being considered that are going to reduce the amount coming in to provide relief to residents. The state will have significantly less money than in years before since there are no more federal COVID dollars. Do I think that its likely going to pass then as well? Probably not, she added. I think there are always going to be excuses not to deal with this issue. Republicans continue to say that they will eventually deal with property taxes, and it will likely be in the budget. However, outgoing state Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) brought up the point that lawmakers need to really sit down and think about the possible repercussions of their choices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to be careful when we make those kinds of property tax concessions that we dont upset the school funding formula Seitz said. I would hate to have a constitutional school funding formula upset at the last minute by a series of local property tax reductions that throw that formula out of wack. Redistricting The Ohio Redistricting Commission (ORC) is tasked with drawing a new map for the states 15 congressional districts. Currently, Republicans control 10 seats while Democrats have five. The ORC is made up of seven spots. Two will always go to Republicans and two to Democrats in the Statehouse. The three remaining seats are the governor, secretary of state, and auditor. This led to the Ohio Redistricting mess of 2021-22, where a bipartisan Ohio Supreme Court struck down seven different passed maps, citing that the GOP members of the commission were drawing lines to unfairly benefit their party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because the ORCs vote on the map wasnt unanimous when it was first approved in 2022, it could only last for four years. This congressional map was declared unconstitutional, as was a similar earlier version, by the bipartisan Ohio Supreme Court. Redistricting reform, Issue 1, failed this past November, so Republican lawmakers will still be in charge. With a slim GOP majority in Congress theres a lot at stake for both sides of the aisle. Although a majority of voters shot a change to the current system down, politicians across party lines acknowledge the 2021-2022 redistricting process was a mess, as DeWine called it. The governor has proposed another plan following Iowas hybrid system to prevent against gerrymandering. DeWine is on said commission and voted for all of the maps that were declared by the Supreme Court as unconstitutionally gerrymandered. Marijuana reform Now that Speaker-Elect Matt Huffman (R-Lima) will control the House and President-Elect Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) will lead the Senate, they will likely have a better chance at changing marijuana policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, adults 21 and older are allowed to smoke, vape and ingest weed. Individual Ohioans are able to grow up to six plants with up to 12 per household. There were some fundamental flaws in the initiative that was introduced and passed by the voters which you usually have when theres not a vetting from all sides, Huffman said. The bill that the Senate passed last December addresses many of those things. In December of 2023, the Senate passed a bill to restrict marijuana. If signed into law, it would decrease the THC content and raise the cost. Among dozens of other restrictions and changes to what the voters chose, it would ban the vast majority of vapes. It would also limit home-growing marijuana from 12 plants to six. House leaders had been adamant about listening to Ohioans, blocking Huffmans proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But now, Huffman is set to become the speaker of the House, so he has a better chance at changing the law. Sales have already been in motion since August, so last years House leadership said changing the law now would be harmful and confusing. When it begins The 136th G.A. starts Monday, Jan. 6. New lawmakers will be sworn in during a ceremony in each chamber. This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Little by little, the FBI has been releasing information on the New Years Day attacker who drove his pickup truck through a crowd of people in New Orleans. The latest (and most disturbing) piece of information comes from videos filmed by the attacker himself. Turns out, he had the whole thing planned out. Shamsud-Din Jabbar was identified as the man who plowed through a crowd of New Years celebrators on Bourbon Street with his Ford pickup just a few hours after the ball dropped. Christopher Raia, the deputy assistant director of the FBIs Counterterrorism Division, said in a press conference Jabbar left behind five videos that exposed his motive behind the incident that left 14 people dead. The videos were not made available for view to the public but authorities were briefed on the contents. Here are three takeaways from them: Chilling Time Stamps Raia said the videos were recorded while Jabbar traveled between Houston to New Orleans and were posted to Facebook, CNN reports. Jabbars videos were posted between 1:29 a.m. and 3:02 a.m. - the last video being posted just minutes before he planted improvised explosives ahead of the attack. Inspired by ISIS In the press conference, Raia said upon reviewing the videos, Jabbar proclaimed his allegiance to the terrorist organization, ISIS. He explained that he joined the group before summer of 2024. Authorities said they recovered an ISIS flag from Jabbars vehicle following the crash. The military veteran had served in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2015. Plots on Family In the videos, Jabbar also discussed his divorce, authorities said. ABC News previously reported he had been married three times. Upon his most recent divorce, Jabbar said in the videos he planned to gather his family for a celebration but actually intended on killing all of them, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He changed his mind because he didnt want the news to focus on that but rather the war between the believers and the disbelievers, per CNN. Among the videos, cellphones and laptops believed to belong to Jabbar were confiscated by authorities. Jabbar died after being shot during a standoff with authorities, New Orleans police said. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Jan. 4AUBURN Three locals were charged Saturday morning on Smith Street when police responded to a stabbing and shooting incident, according to an Auburn Police Department Facebook post. Chase Snow, 18, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault, elevated aggravated assault, reckless conduct and aggravated reckless conduct. Snow was transported to Androscoggin County Jail and is being held without bail. Daniel Day, 19, and Wendy Day, 57, a son and mother who live at the residence, were charged with furnishing a place for minors to consume alcohol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additional charges are being considered, police said. Police responded to 45 Smith St. around 3:20 a.m. for reports of a stabbing and shooting incident. Officers discovered two gunshot victims and one stabbing victim, all males, at the scene. The victims, two adults and one juvenile, were transported to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston in serious, but stable condition. The group had been partying at the 45 Smith St. address when a fight broke out. Snow allegedly stabbed one of the victims before shooting at the other two, according to the social media post. The Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit is assisting Auburn police in the ongoing investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewiston Police Department and Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office assisted Auburn police at the scene. Copy the Story Link Judge rules Maine is denying constitutional rights of people accused of crimes Three arrested during Friday traffic stop in Auburn ASHE COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A man dies after crashing car into a utility pole in Ashe County, troopers say. NC State Highway Patrol responded to and investigated a crash on Baldwin Road at Black Bear Inn Road around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4. Officials say a 2004 Honda Element traveling southwest on Baldwin Road drove off the right side of the road and struck a utility pole. Upon arrival, the trooper was informed by a witness that the driver was seen exiting the vehicle and running into a wooded area. The trooper went into the woods and found the driver unconscious and began administering CPR until EMS arrived. The troopers AED device was also used to administer care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver, Abraham Grant Jordan, 34, of Fleetwood, was transported by EMS to Ashe Memorial Hospital in Jefferson where he later died. The initial investigation indicated that excessive speed was a contributing factor in the crash. During the on-scene investigation, the roadway was closed in the area for approximately two hours. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. A mix of high-profile and local races will take place in the first few months of this year, which could serve as a barometer for how voters feel just months after the 2024 presidential election. Virginia is set to hold several special elections in the state legislature, which could have implications for the balance of power in both chambers. In Wisconsin, voters will weigh in on a high-stakes state Supreme Court race will determine the partisan tilt on the high court. Other races will have implications for the makeup of Congress and the Democratic Party at large. Three special elections will fill House seats vacated by nominations in President-elect Trumps Cabinet and other high-profile assignments. Next month, Democrats will choose their next Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres a look at five races to watch for in early 2025: 3 special elections kick off in Virginia legislature Virginia voters are set to weigh in on three state legislative elections on Tuesday, with two state Senate seats and one state House seat up for grabs. Republican John McGuire and Democrat Suhas Subramanyam won seats in Congress. McGuire previously represented a state Senate district just west of Richmond, while Subramanyam represented a state Senate district in Loudoun County. Democrat Jack Trammell and Republican Luther Cifers are running to replace McGuire in state Senate District 10, while Republican Tumay Harding and Del. Kannan Srinivasan (D) are competing for Subramanyams seat in state Senate District 32. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Srinivasans decision to vie for one of the open state Senate seats has left a vacancy with his seat in state House District 26, where Republican Ram Venkatachalam and Democrat JJ Singh are looking to win his spot. McGuires old seat is Republican-favored, while the seats of Subramanyam and Srinivasan are ones where Democrats are considered the favorites, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. If Republicans were able to flip one state Senate seat, they could regain control of the chamber. If Democrats lose their state House seat, it could create a tie between the two parties. Still, both scenarios would be considered major upsets. Elections to replace outgoing House members Both parties are gearing up for three elections to replace several former and current House members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) was initially tapped by President-elect Trump to be his attorney general, but he later dropped out as it became clear he didnt have enough support to get confirmed in the Senate. Gaetz, who represents Floridas 1st Congressional District, has said hes not intending to return to Congress this session prompting a Jan. 28 primary and April 1 election to fill the seat. Trump waded into the primary to endorse Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), who represents Floridas 6th Congressional District, has been tapped to be Trumps national security adviser, a role that doesnt require Senate confirmation. Hes expected to resign on Jan. 20, and his successor will fill out his term. Florida state Sen. Randy Fine (R) has notched Trumps endorsement for that seat. Both Florida districts are GOP-favored. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Florida districts will have primaries on Jan. 28 and the special election on April 1. Trump chose Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) to be his ambassador to the U.N., which will prompt a special election to fill her seat in New Yorks 21st Congressional District. A special election hasnt been set yet, and both parties will ultimately choose their candidates. Though Stefaniks district went for Trump by close to 16 points in 2020, Democrats have held the seat, too. Former Rep. Bill Owens (D-N.Y.) represented the district right before Stefanik. The race for DNC chair shapes up A handful of candidates are running to take the helm of the DNC as the party looks to recalibrate after a disappointing election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two candidates have emerged as front-runners: State party chairs Ben Wikler of Wisconsin and Ken Martin of Minnesota. Wikler received a high-profile boost to his candidacy this week when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) endorsed him. Wikler has also received the backing from several groups, including centrist Third Way, MoveOn and Progressive Change Campaign Committee demonstrating his appeal among both centrist-minded and progressive Democrats. Martin, meanwhile, has secured at least 100 endorsements from DNC committee members. Other candidates include former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, New York state Sen. James Skoufis, former Department of Homeland Security official Nate Snyder, former Maryland Senate candidate Robert Houton and former presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DNC chair candidates will be able to participate in four forums to showcase their candidacies this month before members of the parties vote on Feb. 1. Parties vie for control of Wisconsin Supreme Court majority Two candidates are running for a vacant seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which will determine its partisan tilt. Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and former state Attorney General Brad Schimel (R) want to replace outgoing liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has a 4-3 liberal tilt, but Bradleys retirement brings it to a 3-3 split. The judicial race is nonpartisan in name only, as Democrats rally around Crawford and Republicans have coalesced around Schimel. There is technically a primary taking place on Feb. 18, but its likely to serve as a formality much to the relief of both parties, which will avoid messy, intraparty feuding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opportunities to change the partisan makeup of a battleground states high court are few and far between. Hot topics that have come before the Wisconsin Supreme Court have included redistricting, abortion and election results, among others. The last election for a spot on the Wisconsin Supreme Court which took place in 2023 and also determined its partisan tilt shattered fundraising records for a state supreme court election. Its possible this 2025 race could set new fundraising numbers. The general election is April 1. Interesting mayoral races to come Though mayoral elections are often met with less fanfare than midterm or presidential elections, they can offer some interesting clues about voter sentiment months after big elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Voters are set to choose a new mayor in Oakland, Calif., on April 15. Former Mayor Sheng Thao was recalled in November amid a confluence of factors, including concerns around public safety and the citys botched handling of grant that could have gone toward addressing retail theft. The recall comes as public safety and crime have loomed over several other elections in California. It led to the ousting of George Gascon, who served as the district attorney in Los Angeles County, and Chesa Boudin, the former San Francisco district attorney who was recalled in 2022. Other mayoral races to keep an eye on in the early months of this year are the Democratic primaries in Pittsburgh and Atlantic City, N.J. In Pittsburgh, Mayor Ed Gainey (D) is vying for a second term against Allegheny County Controller Corey OConnor. Gainey knocked off an incumbent during his first run for mayor, though some recent polling for this cycle has suggested Gainey has fierce competition from OConnor. The Democratic primary is May 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Atlantic City, Mayor Marty Small Sr. has found himself mired in a criminal case. He and his wife were indicted for second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, with Small receiving additional indictments for third-degree terroristic threats and third-degree aggravated assault pertaining to the alleged abuse of their daughter. Small was indicted again last month on a witness tampering charge. Both have denied any wrongdoing. Its unclear if someone will contest Smalls reelection bid, though one name has been floated as a possible challenger. The Democratic primary is in June. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A man was arrested Thursday after allegedly robbing a security guard on patrol the day before, then returning to rob the same building the following morning, police said. Just before 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, an officer responded to the Zidell shipyards at 3121 South Moody Avenue on a report of a robbery. SE Portland pet store employee pistol-whipped during robbery Court documents say the officer spoke with the buildings security guard, who claimed Noor Baheej had been hiding out in the building, came up to him, grabbed him and demanded his wallet. The guard also gave Baheej his phone and credit card. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents further state the guard told Baheej he needed some water, so they went towards another building on the property. The guard used this opportunity to run away, but Baheej caught up to him and threatened to stab him with a rusty screwdriver. However, the guard managed to get away again and a witness called police. Two-alarm fire knocked down in abandoned Southeast Portland building Baheej, 32, had left the scene by the time police arrived, authorities said. But around 5:30 a.m. the next day, police said they received another report of a burglary at the same building. On arrival, they found Baheej, who tried to flee from officers on a bicycle. However, he was eventually arrested and taken into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baheej was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of second and third-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon and outstanding warrants. One of the warrants stems from an April 2022 incident, when Oregon State troopers said Baheej crashed his car on I-5, then stole an ambulance that responded to the scene, leading authorities on a chase into Portland. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. NEW YORK In the two years before FBI agents raided her homes, Winnie Greco, New York City Mayor Eric Adams longtime Asian affairs adviser, regularly met in her City Hall capacity with Chinese government officials and members of groups funded by and supportive of Chinas ruling Communist Party. Many of Grecos meetings were held at Queens New World Mall which the feds raided at the same time as they searched her Bronx homes last year and are memorialized in hundreds of pages of schedule entries obtained by The New York Daily News. The never-before-disclosed meetings are taking on renewed significance as the federal investigation that prompted the February 2024 raids continues and is at least in part scrutinizing Grecos ties to Chinas government, according to sources. No charges have been filed in that probe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Besides various New World Mall appointments, the schedules reveal Greco, who resigned in October, met at least 11 times with Huang Ping, Chinas New York consul general, including attending a private dinner with him at his official Manhattan residence in 2023. The schedules, which span Grecos entire tenure in Adams administration, dont show her interacting as much with officials from any other foreign government. The Greco probes being led by Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, who has recently prosecuted several high-profile cases related to alleged Chinese government influence operations. That includes Peaces September indictment of Linda Sun, an ex-aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, whos accused of acting as a Chinese agent to influence New York government operations on behalf of Beijing. Peaces prosecutors allege Sun, who has pleaded not guilty, took orders and bribes from Huang, the Chinese consul general who also met several times with Greco and abruptly left his diplomatic post in New York after Suns indictment. The revelations about Greco, who worked and raised money for Adams for years before resigning, come as Peaces probe of her continues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The exact contours of the investigation remain unknown, but sources familiar with the matter say her Chinese government ties are being eyed, including trips she took to China with Adams. The news outlet The City has also reported the New World fundraisers Greco threw for Adams drew money from mall employees who say they were reimbursed for contributing or didnt give at all raising the possibility the cash may have been illegal straw donations. A Peace spokesman declined to comment on Grecos schedules. After indicting Sun, Peace said in September his office would continue to act decisively to prosecute those who serve as undisclosed agents of a foreign government. Grecos lawyer, Steven Brill, wouldnt answer specific questions this month about her schedules, but wrote in an email: Despite numerous news reports and rumors surrounding Winnie, she has been charged with no crimes and is not cooperating with any federal or state authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another group that has drawn attention from Peace is the Changle Association, which made headlines last year after his office indicted its leader and another man on charges alleging they ran a covert Chinese government police station out of the organizations Chinatown offices to spy on Americans. One of the men, Chen Jinping, pleaded guilty last month to espionage charges over his role in the illicit police station, while the other, Changle Association President Lu Jianwang, is continuing to fight his case. Grecos schedules entries show she met with members of the Changle Association on Sept. 26, 2022 at New Worlds Royal Queen, a dim sum restaurant where she had months earlier hosted the Adams campaign fundraisers that raised straw donor concerns. Its unclear from the September 2022 schedule entry which specific Changle members Greco met with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Changle appointments among 42 meetings Greco held at New World listed in her City Hall schedules, which were obtained by the Daily News via a Freedom of Information Law request. Most of those meetings took place at Royal Queen, and nearly all of them were with members of local Chinese commerce and community interest groups. Several of those groups, including Changle, are associated with Chinas United Front, an arm of President Xi Jinpings regime that uses community organizations across the world to influence overseas Chinese communities, foreign governments, and other actors to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijings preferred policies, according to a 2018 study by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Xi has called the United Front his secret weapon, and the study says many overseas groups connected to its operations receive funding from Chinas ruling Communist Party. Adams spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak said last week she couldnt comment on what city government purposes there were in Grecos various meetings at New World since shes no longer an employee here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its previously known that Greco had ties to Chinese government groups before joining Adams administration, including by serving as a consultant to Beijing-funded organizations. But it hasnt before been reported she regularly interacted with many such groups after joining Adams administration, a detail thats coming to light as the mayor remains under federal indictment on charges alleging he took bribes and illegal campaign cash from Turkish government operatives in exchange for political favors. Adams, who has pleaded not guilty, often says its important for his team to develop ties with ethnic community groups in the city, even as some of those connections have stoked controversy. Immediately after the Feb. 29, 2024 raids at her homes and the mall, Grecos schedule entries show she kept going to New World, visiting it five times in nine days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of those visits, on March 2, was to meet with the Wen Chow Association, an affiliate of the Alliance of Asian American Friends, a local umbrella organization supportive of Chinas Communist Party that watchdog group Influence Watch has identified as a United Front entity. Another visit Greco made on March 6 was to attend a gala for the American Fujian Association, also considered a local pro-Communist Party group. Those visits came even though Adams office said at the time Greco went on paid leave immediately following the raids because of a medical episode she suffered when agents burst into her homes that required hospitalization. After the five post-raid mall appointments, Grecos schedules went almost entirely empty, and stayed that way even after she officially came back to work in early May at a $196,267 salary. In fact, besides a weekly virtual AAPI team confab, the final entry on Grecos schedules was a private May 23 meeting at City Hall with Adams and Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng, deputy secretary of the Chinese Communist Partys Shanghai Committee. After that sit-down, the only schedule entries for Grecos remaining five months at City Hall were weekly AAPI team meets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mamelak, Adams spokeswoman, said Greco worked as usual her final months, but didnt elaborate on why her schedules stayed mostly empty. Mamelak said she couldnt comment on Grecos post-raid New World visits. Another prominent United Front-tied outfit Greco met with in her City Hall capacity was the American Chinese Commerce Association, including three sit-downs with the group over five days in June 2022, her schedules show. The groups chairman is John Chan, a former Chinatown gangster convicted of human trafficking and drug smuggling charges in the mid-2000s who has since become influential in New York politics. Chan has been publicly supportive of President Xi and raised eyebrows last year by attending the annual meeting in Beijing of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, the top organ within the United Front framework. The FBI reportedly questioned Chan before he left for that trip to China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greco and Chan together attended several meetings with Huang, Chinas ex-consul general, and other Chinese government officials. That included a Sept. 15, 2023 celebration of the 74th anniversary of the Chinese revolution hosted at Chinas embassy in Manhattan, where Chan and Huang delivered remarks, Grecos schedules entries and photos from the event show. That event came a few days after Greco met with Huang and other Chinese officials at a Zang Zhou City Industry Promotion Conference at Marriott Downtown on Aug. 22, 2023, her schedules show. The government, and local people, businessmen got to do working together, learn (from) each other and to promote each others city, Greco said in remarks at that event, video reviewed by the Daily News shows. Most of Grecos meetings with Huang took place at Chinas 12th Ave. embassy, which U.S. officials have accused of being a hub for espionage efforts. She also had the private dinner with him at his Chinese government residence on nearby W. 43rd St. on Oct. 22, 2023, her schedules show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first time Greco met Huang in her City Hall capacity was in a more informal setting, as she sat down with him for dinner at a Korean restaurant in Flushing in July 2022, her schedules show. The records show that dinner was also attended by Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Adams ex-chief adviser who was recently indicted on corruption charges to which she has pleaded not guilty. Other Chinese government groups Greco met with included SinoVision, a Chinese language TV network reportedly controlled by Chinese government authorities that closed permanently in September. Per her schedules, Greco attended a VIP reception at SinoVisions Queens office on Jan. 27, 2024, about a month before the raids. On New Years Eve 2023, her schedules show Greco also attended a countdown event in Times Square hosted by the Sino-American Friendship Association, a group known for organizing trips to China for U.S. officials and celebrities to meet United Front leaders. Another political year begins with yet another speech from the Prime Minister setting out what he wants to do rather than just getting on and doing it. This time the NHS is the vehicle for this performative exercise in trying to convince voters that Labour is actually achieving something despite all the evidence to the contrary. As Wes Streeting has said, the NHS is broken and needs repair or, better still, replacing with a system along the lines of those elsewhere in Europe and Australia. Serious reform would revisit the socialised structure that has maintained since 1948 but that is not what we are going to see. The Prime Minister is to make a speech today described, as they always are, as a landmark address that will be nothing of the sort. He is to set out how the NHS will achieve a target he has already promulgated in his six milestones ensuring 92 per cent of patients waiting for elective treatment are seen within 18 weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NHS is usually a comfort zone for Labour because they just throw more money at it. But this is no longer an easy option, so trying to manage it better and more efficiently is now the aim. But despite appearing to claim that they are in control, neither the Prime Minister nor the Health Secretary actually run the NHS. They are responsible for overall policy and accountable to Parliament when it goes wrong, but day-to-day operation is in the hands of managers, hospital trusts and GPs. Yet how often do we hear from Amanda Pritchard, the chief executive of NHS England, and her team about why things have gone so badly wrong? When ministers announce that consultations must be speeded up and less time wasted, taxpayers are entitled to ask why this does not already happen. It is, after all, the job of management to manage. Are they prevented by law from making such decisions themselves? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The country has had enough of targets, milestones, mission statements and six-point pledges whether about the NHS or other public services. People want to see tangible improvements of the sort Labour appeared to think would be easy to deliver when in opposition, but are harder to achieve in office. Labour was elected, as Sir Keir keeps telling us, with a mandate to change things, yet neither he nor his ministers seem to know how. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Although the Kansas City International Airports airfield closure has been lifted, and runways and taxiways have reopened, some travelers are still experiencing headaches. The lines arent really moving, but we will get there when we get there, said Rebecca Putt, who had a flight out of Kansas City. Kansas City Manager Brian Platt said equipment issues and rapid ice accumulation closed the airfield Saturday afternoon. Flights were stopped for over two hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas City Chiefs touch down in Denver after being stuck on KCI runway Platt feels confident that airport operations will continue normally for the remainder of the winter storm. The airport has resumed normal operations. We had a significant amount of ice falling all at once in a lot of different places around town coupled with some equipment issues which you have from time to time during storms, Platt explained. Everything has been resolved, and were back in business. One American Airlines customer says she was supposed to arrive in Atlanta on Saturday night, but the airfield closure pushed her flight to Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They delayed it because of the weather, but they switched my flights and didnt let me know, and now theyre telling me they cant provide any housing or anything for us, said Hazel Solinap. Where will we go when we get to Charlotte? Well just be stuck. One Parkville family boarded their direct flight from LAX to Kansas City Saturday afternoon, but it was rerouted, and an unexpected stop was made in Omaha due to the airfield closure at MCI. So its a little bit of a disappointment. Its not too bad. Were in Omaha right now. Im sitting in the back of the plane, said Bill Vaughn. Were just waiting until they get the information from the airport that Its open, and we can head down there, but we dont know when thats going to happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Memphis staple is the latest business to be burglarized in the downtown area. Alcenias on North Main Street was targeted early this morning. Now, the owner said she wants to see more done to reduce crime. Something else on your record for what, Alcenias owner B.J. Chester-Tamayo said. With the front door of her business broken into, Chester-Tamayo was met with a rude awakening on Sunday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woman allegedly stabbed co-worker after fight about money Around 6:00 a.m., she said she got a call from her security company saying the restaurant had been burglarized. I got here it was like three police cars, Chester-Tamayo said. Im looking for my key thinking Im going to have to get in the door but the door is like this. Chester-Tamayo shared surveillance video of the entire incident. He took the bricks. He hit hit hit hit, Chester-Tamayo said. Then afterward he took his behind and his feet and he kicked in the door. He slid under this. Thats how this fell down. He went under the glass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More surveillance video showed the suspect walking behind the counter, opening the cabinets, and then yanking out the cash register. He then walked out of the building carrying the register, but he didnt get far. Because by me having the video, I dont know why he went to the bus terminal and sit at the bus terminal, Chester-Tamayo said. So, they call me back and say we got him. Hes sitting at the bus terminal. The he Chester-Tamayo is referring to is 28-year-old Djibril Samassa. Djibril Samassa. (SCSO) According to Chester-Tamayo, Memphis Police called her less than an hour after the incident to inform her they detained a man less than two blocks away from her restaurant wearing the same clothes as the suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It hurts because you work hard. You do everything you can, Chester-Tamayo said. I think in the 27 years (Ive been here), this is the second time Ive been burglarized. Alcenias is just one of the many businesses to be targeted by thieves. Man arrested in connection to catering business arson Now she says she wants to see action. Something has got to be done about crime, Chester-Tamayo said. If he probably has a bond, in the next couple of hours, hes out. Thats a problem. Chester-Tamayo said its too early to determine how much the damage will cost her, but shes not letting this incident bring her down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know me, girl. Im Gods favorite child. Betty Joyce (inaudible) baby girl, Chester-Tamayo said. I dont give up. Hallelujah! At this time, Samassas bond information and the possible charges he will face are unknown. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Jan. 4The trial of actor Alec Baldwin in a 2021 shooting death on the "Rust" movie set and the convictions of Muhammad Atif Syed in a string of killings in Albuquerque's Muslim community were among the cases tried in a New Mexico courtroom in 2024. Alec Baldwin Santa Fe became the focus of worldwide media attention in July when actor Alec Baldwin, 66, stood trial in a 2021 shooting death on the "Rust" movie set near Santa Fe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer threw out the involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin mid-trial after finding that prosecutors withheld evidence from the actor's defense team. The case will not be refiled. The trial took a dramatic turn on the fifth day of testimony when Baldwin's attorneys alleged prosecutors failed to provide the defense team with bullets an Arizona man gave the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office. Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer of the Western, was holding a gun during a rehearsal on the set, fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. The movie's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, 27, was convicted on March 6 of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins' death following a closely watched trial in the same courtroom as Baldwin's trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gutierrez Reed, who loaded the live round into the gun Baldwin was holding, was sentenced in April to 18 months in prison. Muhammad Atif Syed The criminal case of a man convicted in the shooting deaths of three Muslim men in 2022 was resolved last year when Syed, 53, was sentenced to life in prison, but questions remain unanswered about his motives. The killings drew national media attention and stoked fears in Albuquerque's Muslim community that a serial killer was stalking Muslim men. The sentence handed down by 2nd Judicial District Judge Britt Baca requires Syed to serve at least 30 years in prison before he is eligible for parole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syed was convicted by a jury in March of first-degree murder in the July 26, 2022, shooting death of 41-year-old Aftab Hussein. He later pleaded no contest to two counts of second-degree murder in the fatal shootings of Mohammud Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Naeem Hussain, 25. But Syed maintained his innocence at his sentencing hearing in November and asked that he and his family be allowed to return to his native Afghanistan. At his sentencing hearing, relatives of the victims decried that Syed accepted no responsibility and offered no explanation for the killings. Ryan Martinez Ryan Martinez accepted a plea deal in October acknowledging he opened fire at an emotionally charged Juan de Onate protest in Espanola, injuring a Native American activist in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last-minute plea deal on the eve of his trial in Tierra Amarilla requires Martinez, 24, to serve four years in prison for the shooting that injured Jacob Johns of Spokane, Washington. Martinez pleaded no contest to aggravated battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The event was intended to celebrate a decision by Rio Arriba County officials to postpone plans to relocate a controversial statue of the conquistador to a pedestal outside a county building. Witnesses said Martinez attempted to approach the pedestal when he was blocked by several people. Video recordings show that Martinez jumped over a low wall, pulled a handgun and fired a shot that struck Johns before fleeing in a car. The incident was photographed by Albuquerque Journal photographer Eddie Moore. Jeannine Jaramillo Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jeannine Jaramillo was sentenced last month to back-to-back life sentences for causing a head-on crash that killed a Santa Fe police officer and a retired firefighter. Jurors on Dec. 12 found Jaramillo, 49, guilty of two counts of first-degree murder for leading police on a high-speed chase against traffic on Interstate 25 near Santa Fe, resulting in the head-on collision. Killed in the crash were 43-year-old Santa Fe police officer Robert Duran and 62-year-old Frank Lovato, a retired firefighter from Las Vegas, New Mexico. The sentence handed down by 1st Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer requires Jaramillo to serve at least 60 years in prison before she becomes eligible for parole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marc Ward A judge sentenced Marc Ward to life in prison after a jury found him guilty in March of using a truck to strike and kill a 61-year-old security guard in the parking lot of Calvary Church in 2022. The 2nd Judicial District Court jury convicted Ward, 36, of first-degree murder in the killing of Daniel Bourne, who was fatally struck as he approached Ward's truck. Skip Heitzig, Calvary's senior pastor, and about two dozen other church members filled the gallery throughout the seven-day trial. Calvary Church, one of New Mexico's largest churches, has a 25-acre campus on Osuna NE, just west of Jefferson, where the killing occurred on Sept. 23, 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lee Cuellar A judge sentenced Lee Cuellar to life in prison after a jury quickly found him guilty of first-degree murder for strangling his wife in 2021. Jurors deliberated three hours before rejecting Cuellar's argument that he killed 26-year-old Rosalejandra "Alex" Cisneros because he believed she was a "demon" who intended to hurt Cuellar and his family. Prosecutors told jurors that Cuellar strangled his wife because he felt threatened by her successful modeling career and widening circle of friends. The life sentence handed down by 2nd Judicial District Judge Britt Baca requires him to serve at least 30 years in prison before he is eligible for parole. 36,706 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? 36,706 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WSAV) American Red Cross disaster-trained volunteers are assisting a family whose home, located on Bamberg Highway in Hampton, was damaged by a fire Saturday afternoon. The Red Cross is helping 5 people by providing financial assistance for immediate needs such as food, clothing, and shelter, along with referrals to much needed resources. In South Carolina, the Red Cross responds to an average of 6 home fires every day. In the colder months, there a 30% increase in home fires, according to the organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Home fires are a real threat to communities across South Carolina year-round, especially during the winter months, said Yolanda Gainwell, Interim CEO for the Red Cross of South Carolina. We at the Red Cross are urging families to take home fire safety steps to keep your family safe this winter. HOW TO SAFELY HEAT YOUR HOME According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), space heaters are most often responsible for home heating fires. Follow these tips on how to safely heat your home: If you must use a space heater, never leave it unattended . Place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor. Dont place it on rugs and carpets, or near bedding and drapes. Plug space heater power cords directly into outlets never into an extension cord. Turn the space heater off every time you leave the room or go to sleep. Keep children, pets and anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment. Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home. Never leave a fire burning in the fireplace unattended . Make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home. Use a glass or metal fire screen to keep embers in the fireplace. Have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves inspected annually by a professional and cleaned if necessary. HOW TO HELP Those interested in donating to help people affected by disasters can visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nations blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. For many there is no more cherished right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution than the freedom of speech and, of course, its accompanying freedom of the press. During the November election cycle, various people like billionaire Elon Musk and podcaster Joe Rogan spoke of the importance of free speech. Both cited part of their reasoning for supporting Donald Trump was his commitment to free speech. Those and many other self-professed free speech proponents are noticeably quiet as Trump works to curtail freedom of speech to a degree that perhaps has never been seen in this country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, as part of a broad legal attack on the American press, is suing the Des Moines Register because the newspaper published a poll showing he was trailing Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris a few days before the November election. The president-elect also is suing longtime pollster Ann Selzer, whose poll the newspaper published. Granted, the Selzer poll of Iowa voters was way off, but because a poll is wrong has never been viewed as a reason to sue a news outlet that chooses to run it. And ABC, one of the nations legacy broadcast networks, has already settled with Trump another lawsuit that many believe the network eventually would have won. Historians and journalism advocates view Trumps Des Moines Register lawsuit, ABC lawsuit and others as an effort to curtail press freedom. The lawsuits, they argue, create a fear of reporting on powerful people with deep pockets, and they force news outlets to expend large sums of money to defend lawsuits that have in many cases been viewed as frivolous. A deeper expressed fear is that the Trump lawsuits are designed to convince a U.S. Supreme Court loaded with Trump sympathizers to curtail the press freedoms that this country has long enjoyed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is important to remember that at one time in the nations history, newspapers were largely extensions of the political parties and particular politicians something that is no longer the case for most mainstream or legacy media outlets. The late James Baughman, the late mass communications historian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said in a 2011 Center for Journalism Ethics speech, Papers in opposition to Andrew Jackson in 1828 attacked him for marrying a woman before her divorce had been finalized. He was the violator of marital virtue, a seducer. Jackson, one paper declared, tore from a husband the wife of his bosom. Pro-Jackson newspapers insisted on the generals innocence and accused his critics of violating his privacy. There was no objective, middle ground. Baughman pointed out that in 1884, the Los Angeles Times did not like that Democrat Grover Cleveland had won the presidency, so the paper simply failed to report this unhappy result for several days. The history of American media, however, may mean little to Trump. He is suing the Pulitzer Prize committee for reaffirming the coveted award to The New York Times and Washington Post for their reporting of Trumps campaign ties with Russia during the 2016 campaign. He is also suing CBS and its news show 60 Minutes for how an interview with Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris was edited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are, of course, countless examples of Fox News and other Trump-friendly television networks editing clips of interviews or news segments in ways that could be seen as favorable to Trump. Fox has said simply the edits were made for the sake of brevity. Advocates of press freedom would argue the practice is Foxs guaranteed legal right, though they may disagree with the conservative outlets decisions in terms of journalism ethics. Fox did pay a record $787 million to Dominion, a voting machine manufacturer, because of allegations aired on the network that their machines changed votes to favor Joe Biden in the 2020 election. The lawsuit was based on financial harm incurred by Dominion as a result of the false reports. Many of those allegations were made not by Fox employees, but by Trump supporters who were network guests. Emails obtained during the lawsuit reveal that the Fox staff did not believe the unfounded allegations but repeatedly allowed the Trump allies to make them. The so-called legacy media, including Fox in this instance, have long been legally responsible for what other people say on their news outlets. A newspaper, for instance, can be held liable for making false claims about a person in a letter to the editor it publishes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Free speech, of course, does not mean people or news outlets cannot face consequences for what they say. A company could choose to fire an employee for offensive speech, and outlets are certainly not obligated to publish what they view as offensive or false claims. But this latest barrage of lawsuits from Trump, that so-called advocate of free speech, have many experts questioning how far the long-held American free speech principles could be stretched. This analysis was produced by Mississippi Today, a nonprofit news organization that covers state government, public policy, politics and culture. Bobby Harrison is Mississippi Todays senior Capitol reporter. CETINJE, Montenegro (Reuters) - Thousands of Montenegrins gathered in the town of Cetinje on Sunday to commemorate the 12 victims of a mass shooting last week, with many accusing police of not having done enough to stop the gunman's rampage. In a crime that shocked the small Balkan nation, 45-year-old Aco Martinovic went on a shooting spree that lasted for hours on Wednesday. When he was finally cornered by police, he turned his gun on himself, and later died of his injuries. People lit candles on Sunday in front of a church in Cetinje close to where the shooting began and stood in silence for 12 minutes in honour of the victims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We came here to demand answers as to why there was no timely reaction and who will take the responsibility for that," Maja Gardasevic told Reuters. Many Montenegrins are angry over what they see as slow reform of an understaffed and under-resourced police force and bureaucratic and political wrangling within the government. It was the second mass shooting in less than three years in Cetinje, which lies some 38 km (24 miles) west of the capital, Podgorica. In August 2022, a gunman killed 10 people, including two children, before being shot dead. "This is simply my protest against the disorganisation of the police. They learned nothing after the first tragedy," said local resident Aleksandra Jablan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the capital on Friday, protesters demanded the resignation of top officials, including Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic and the head of the police. Montenegro, a small Adriatic republic of 633,000 people, has a deeply rooted gun culture. Like other Western Balkan countries - Serbia, Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia - Montenegro is awash with illegal weapons, mostly from the bloody wars of the 1990s. (Reporting by Stevo Vasiljevic; Writing by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Helen Popper) Del. Shaneka Henson (D-Anne Arundel). Photo by Bryan P. Sears. An Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee divided almost completely by race voted Saturday to recommend Del. Shaneka Henson (D) for the countys vacant District 30 state Senate seat. Henson prevailed by a 10-9 vote over her fellow District 30A delegate, Dana Jones (D), and her name will be forwarded to Gov. Wes Moore (D), who gets to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Sarah K. Elfreths election to Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elfreth was sworn into her new office on Friday. If appointed, Henson would become the first Black woman to represent Anne Arundel County in the state Senate. Meanwhile, the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee on Friday night voted to recommend LaToya Nkongolo, a behavioral health professional who has twice run unsuccessfully for office, to fill the vacancy created by Republican Del. Rachel Munozs recent resignation in District 31. The Jones-Henson contest inflamed passions among Anne Arundel political activists, and was marked by differences over reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights and other issues. It spotlighted racial tensions in the community and featured reverberations from Hensons rebuke from the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics in 2024. Assuming Moore elevates Henson to the Senate, Jones may challenge her for the seat in the 2026 Democratic primary. Saturdays Democratic central committee meeting, at a library in Annapolis named for the late House Speaker Michael Busch (D-Anne Arundel), lasted almost four hours, including an hour-long deliberation by committee members behind closed doors. When they emerged, the vote was almost entirely along racial lines, with 10 of the 11 members of color present voting for Henson, and the eight white members present voting for Jones, who is white. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Black central committee member, Geonta Simmons, sided with Jones. One other member, who is white, was not present. The meeting started with interviews of the three candidates Henson, Jones and Robert Leonard, a south county Democratic activist who vowed to serve only through the end of Elfreths Senate term, in January 2027. Interviewed first, Henson touted her accomplishments in the legislature and as an Annapolis alderwoman, and said she would lift up communities that are often ignored by county officials and Democratic leaders. She called herself the most qualified candidate. At my core, I am a woman that serves my community with my whole heart, Henson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Henson also said that Democrats emphasis on issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights may be turning off core supporters. Far too often as a party we drift all the way over to the far left. Our party has placed a hyper-focus on issues that dont address peoples bottom lines, she said. At the end of her presentation, Henson dramatically asked community activists, clergy, church members, members of Divine Nine Black fraternities and sororities, political supporters and fellow elected officials to stand up behind her. What I want you to see is that I am not alone, Henson told the members of the central committee, as her supporters cheered. She said the people standing in support are often the people who are ignored, they are often the people who are taken for granted by the Democrat Party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones described herself as the candidate with the greatest fealty to Democratic values like abortion rights and said she had the relationships and trust of colleagues in the State House to deliver for the district. Im not good at political theater, but I am good at being honest, she said. Both candidates were asked similar questions about their positions on a number of issues, how theyd work with legislative leaders and help fellow Democrats at the ballot box, why Democrats lost key supporters during the recent election, and how they planned to reach out to voters in the more conservative and rural part of the Senate district that they dont represent in the House. But both were asked more pointed and targeted questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Henson was queried about the ethics probe that found she misled colleagues about her involvement in seeking state funds for a church of which she is a member and resulted in her being removed from the House Appropriations Committee. Henson chalked it up to an issue of communication. I have learned from that process, and I assure you, I have become a much stronger communicator, she added. Jones was asked whether she once held a fundraiser at the Annapolis Maritime Museum without having to pay for it, after securing $150,000 in state funds for the facility. She asserted she had in fact paid to rent the space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones was also asked whether she had been sufficiently supportive of residents of Annapolis public housing complexes following murders and other crimes at the buildings. She insisted she had, but had once deferred to Henson after her colleague told her that a victims family didnt want publicity. Henson, 41, is a lawyer who spent a year and a half on the Annapolis City Council before being appointed to fill Buschs House seat after he died in 2019. Buschs wife, Cindy, was among the Democrats who endorsed Hensons Senate bid this year. Jones, 48, who was appointed to her House seat in 2020, is a former political operative who has worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and for EMILYs List, among other organizations. She was a leading advocate for the ballot initiative that passed in November enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution. Assuming Moore ratifies the central committees choice and appoints Henson to the Senate, another central committee nominating process will have to take place to fill Hensons House seat. Annapolis Alderman Brooks Schandelmeier (D), and Dylan Behler, a former county Democratic chair and director of legislative and constituent services at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, are seen as likely applicants for the appointment. Republicans choice For the House vacancy in District 31, Anne Arundel Republicans turned to Nkongolo, who runs a business that trains behavioral health care professionals. LaToya Nkongolo was recommended by the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee Friday night to fill a vacancy in the House of Delegates. Nkongolo campaign photo. The GOP central committee did not release the results, which were taken by paper ballot during the meeting Friday night at the Eastern District Police Headquarters in Pasadena, but indicated Nkongolo hit or surpassed the eight-vote mark needed to win the recommendation. Her name will be forwarded to Moore for consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nkongolo, who has run unsuccessfully for a District 31 House seat and for a seat on the county Board of Education, prevailed over Jason DuBois, a former state public health official, and Corine Frank, a former school board member and one time executive director of the Maryland Republican Party who is firmly rooted in the countys GOP establishment. Governor Moore should render his decision in a timely manner, the GOP central committee said in a website posting Friday night. Munoz, who was also appointed to the House seat, in 2021, resigned for personal reasons. If Moore appoints Nkongolo to the legislature, shell join Dels. Brian Chisholm (R) and Nicholaus R. Kipke (R) in the District 31 House delegation. Moore will have to move quickly to fill the two vacancies before the start of the General Assembly session on Wednesday. This story was updated on Sunday, Jan. 5, to correct the total number of Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee members. In the Spotlight is a Bellingham Herald series that digs into the high-profile local issues that readers care most about. Story idea? Email newsroom@bellinghamherald.com. How can we come together to support the unhoused individuals living at the West Bakerview Road encampment in Bellingham? That was the question approximately 50 service providers, city leaders, law enforcement officers and community members focused on Friday night at a collaborative meeting held ahead of another impending encampment cleanup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to gather all the resources in this community that are available to these people and help them before they get moved, said meeting organizer and Mission for Missy nonprofit founder Hanah Warthan. The encampment at West Bakerview Road and Northwest Drive has seen significant growth in recent months. It has quickly become the next big point of focus for resource allocation in Bellingham after dozens of unhoused community members relocated there when the city cleared its largest and most well-known encampment behind Walmart in November. Crews began the cleanup of the encampment behind Walmart on E. Stuart Road on Nov. 19. The city has been working with property owners near the encampment for the past several months to clean up and secure their properties amid escalating public health and safety concerns and a growing list of criminal activity allegations in and near it. Now owners of the impacted properties are cooperating on a cleanup later this month, according to the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City staff will be officially notifying folks in the encampment on Jan. 16, and the cleanup will happen the following week, city of Bellingham Communications and Community Relations Director Melissa Morin told The Bellingham Herald. Community members at the meeting said they wanted to work together with the city and law enforcement to help ease the transition for the impacted individuals. We want to make the cleaning and transition go as smoothly as possible for everyone including the business owners and property owners who have been impacted by this encampment, Warthan said. Still, service providers echoed concerns about clearing the encampment with no immediate housing solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until something gets better, this is just a rolling problem were pushing down the road, said Jeff Holmes of the organization Misfits MADE. About 15 people gathered on March 9, 2024, to protest the impending clearing of the encampment behind Walmart in Bellingham. Protesters said they want more housing and services for the unhoused. Anticipating a date for the clearing, community members agreed they could help the encampment residents now by continuing to offer services in the coming weeks and by simply walking alongside folks as they are faced with finding another place to go. Hannah, a Bellingham resident who lived unhoused locally for several years and whose last name The Herald is omitting, spoke about her personal experiences of being cleared from private properties and trespassed. She said supplying things like trash bags and carts to encampment residents ahead of the clearing would help them transport their items. Youre having to move everything over and over and over again. You wonder why these people have all these things or are collecting all this trash well we have our stuff taken from us all the time, Hannah said. Meeting attendees spoke about potential long-term solutions to homelessness and encampments, even proposing the idea of leasing the impacted land from the property owners and using the area for another tiny home village. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We can offer partnership, cleanup and a 30% reduction in crime in the area, local homeless advocate Markis Dee Stidham said at the meeting. What Im asking now is for partnership with the city, county and nonprofits to come under one common flag to build this village. Homeowners and neighbors of the Bakerview encampment said they have compassion for those experiencing homelessness and expressed their support for another tiny home village in Bellingham. But they said they had concerns about having one in their neighborhood, where they have lived for 15 years. I can talk for a long time about how this has impacted our neighborhood. Gunshots, explosions, smoke, fentanyl overdoses in front of my kids. Our concern is the safety of the community, said one neighbor on the condition of anonymity. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The weather remains quiet and cold for the rest of the weekend and through the week, with little to no snow forecast. If you woke up early this morning you were greeted with cold temperatures, light winds, and clear skies. All of which allowed temperatures to be in the single digits to low teens this morning, unfortunately, we see temperatures warm slightly to the low to mid-20s for the day today. Skies remain sunny for the morning hours then as our next weather system passes to our south we start to see clouds increase. That system has winter weather alerts from the Plains all the way to the East Coast bringing the threat of rain, freezing rain, and snow to those areas through the day today into Monday morning. For us here in Mid-Michigan we remain dry and cold thanks to frigid air from Canada settling into the region. Tonight we see mostly cloudy skies with temperatures once again in the teens. The start of the work week features similar conditions to today except we see more clouds than sunshine. Temperatures remain below normal into the low to mid 20s area wide. The rest of the week has a few chances for lake-effect snow and chilly temperatures continue, with daytime highs remaining in the upper teens to low 20s and overnight lows in the teens to single digits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. For Rose Schwartz, the staff at Medi Home Hospice in Danville are like family. They provided a calm, soothing environment for her husband at the couples home last fall during his final days with stage four lung cancer. They were there constantly, Schwartz said during an interview Tuesday morning at the agencys Piney Forest Road office. They bathed him, they took care of him. Schwartzs husband, Buddy Schwartz, who was diagnosed in August 2023, had cancer in his lung, liver and lymph nodes at the time of his death at 6:58 a.m. Oct. 6. The doctor had recommended hospice after chemotherapy, which her husband had taken for about a year to fight the cancer, stopped working, Schwartz said. He had been under hospice care for nearly two weeks before he died at 76. Thanks to Medi Home staff, he was at peace, Schwartz said. But how does hospice care work? It focuses on comfort, care and quality of life for patients with a serious illness, according to the National Institute on Aging. The services are provided in the final weeks or months of life, according to the institute. At some point, it may not be possible to cure a serious illness, or a patient may choose not to undergo certain treatments, the institutes web site states. Hospice is designed for this situation. The patient beginning hospice care understands that his or her illness is not responding to medical attempts to cure it or to slow the diseases progress. Ayme Currin, registered nurse and facility administrator at Medi Home Hospice in Danville, wants to dispel misconceptions about hospice care. Hospice is not a death sentence, Currin said, adding that its care does not speed up the dying process. Hospice will administer any medications patients are taking for conditions they had before they began receiving its care, she said. Also, you dont have to be knocking on deaths door to be a hospice patient, she added. She mentioned the famous example of former President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29 at 100. He had been under hospice care since February 2023, living for almost another two years before his death. We want to prolong your life as long as you have, your best quality of life, Currin said. In addition, patients do not need to have a DNR order or do not resuscitate to receive hospice care, Currin said. Individuals with the following diseases are encouraged to consider hospice care: Alzheimers or dementia. Cancer. Congestive heart failure. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Kidney failure. Stroke. Parkinsons disease. But there is more to hospice care than just tending to patients physical needs. Staff at Medi Home Hospice, including a chaplain and a social worker, also provide psychological, emotional and spiritual comfort and help seeking other resources. Nathan Snider, a retired Methodist pastor, has been chaplain at Medi Home for about six months. I missed being with people as a retired pastor, Snider said when asked why he chose to work for Medi Home. He offers patients two visits per month. He works part-time and sees about eight patients a month. His purpose is helping them have a sense of comfort and peace about where they are and what the future might hold, Snider said. Currently, Medi Home has seven patients. The agency opened in February 2024 and began taking patients in June. Based in Lexington, South Carolina, the family-owned company Medi Home Care has more than 60 branches along the East Coast, Currin said. The Danville branch also has three nurses, including Currin, as well as a marketing director and an office manager. For one nurse who works at Medi Home in Danville, her hospice work gives her an alternative to the politics and bureaucracy of a hospital. It allows me to get back to the core of nursing, which is the patient, said Candice Neighbors, a former hospital nurse who has worked at Medi Home since November. After 15 years as a hospital nurse, Neighbors felt that God had plans for me when she saw emailed job announcements for hospice nurses. At Medi Home, she doesnt have to deal with all of the documentation, getting paged and the ringing phones that come with working at a hospital, she said. When I go to the patients home, its just me and the patient and the family, Neighbors said. In addition to homes, hospice staff also see patients at assisted-living and skilled-nursing facilities, as well as hospitals. Neighbors typical schedule includes eight-hour work days, visiting each patient and their family for about 45 minutes to an hour. Lately, she has been seeing about three or four patients per day. I may go into a home where the patient is comfortable, but the family needs emotional help, she said, adding that she may act as a counselor as well as a nurse. For Schwartz, Medi Homes staff were a godsend during her husbands final days. These girls are fantastic, she said. I could not have made it without them. Snider prayed with Schwartz, as well, she said. Ive adopted them, she said of the staff. Theyre a part of my family now. But Schwartz is not the only relative of a patient who has experienced Medi Homes compassionate care. Billy Riggins, whose late wife Sabrina Riggins spent nearly a month under hospice with stage four cancer until she died Oct. 23, pointed out the attentiveness of the nurses. The would come in and bathe her, he said. She had to wear adult diapers. They changed her diapers, changed her bedding. Toward the end of Riggins life, staff began giving her medication for pain, nausea, agitation and anxiety. The family would administer the medication from a box sent by hospice with the nurses guidance. It included morphine, as well as other drugs, for symptoms that also included shortness of breath or air hunger, as staff call it. Inside the box were bottles that were color-coded, describing what they were used for, Riggins said. Medi Homes 24-hour nursing care includes training families how to administer medication under staffs guidance. Nurses also monitor the levels of drugs in patients homes to prevent possible substance abuse, Currin said. As for the social worker, their role is to connect patients and their families with other services, including helping them apply for Medicaid or find resources in the community, Currin said. Medi Home gets most of its patients from referrals from individuals primary care doctors, hospitals or case managers, she said. In the case of someone who cant leave their home, a hospice doctor will visit them, evaluate the person and determine whether they are eligible for hospice care, she said. As for Riggins, his late wife had been diagnosed with cancer in November 2023. Part of a tumor was removed from her intestines but the cancer spread to her liver, he said. She began chemotherapy in February 2024. But it would end up killing her, Riggins said. Chemo made her too weak, he said. It destroyed the bad cells but it also destroys good cells. It weakened her body so much she was never able to return to the chemo, Riggins added. The family took her to Piney Forest Health & Rehabilitation Center. It was staff who called Medi Home, which sent two nurses to Sabrina Riggins and her relatives, Billy said. When we got her home, they brought in all the equipment, he said of hospice staff. They began taking care of her. She was under hospice care from Sept. 27 to Oct. 23. She understood what it was and she understood that they were there to make her as comfortable as much as they could, Riggins said. When they werent there, me and Leisa [Royster] took care of her. They came three times a week. They provided everything, medication, adult diapers, ointments, creams ... and even equipment, the bed and they set up a bedside toilet, a feeding table, said Sabrinas sister, Leisa Royster. Even though she had her own pastor to provide spiritual comfort, Sabrina also received visits from Snider, the hospices chaplain. We appreciated him taking the time to come and for seeing us and talking to Sabrina, Billy Riggins said. She was anxious while staying at the hospital, but she found peace in her own home, Royster said. That was a tremendous blessing to us, she said. It would be our hope that people could utilize their services. It made a tremendous difference. Sabrina Riggins was 57. For Sutherlin resident Melinda Snow, whose 85-year-old mother is in hospice with dementia, Medi Homes nurses keep watch on her mother, delivering much-needed help for her. The nurses are wonderful, Snow said. They give her baths twice a week, they re-order her meds. Pastor Snider is on staff. He comes once a month and prays with us and talks to Mama. That helps too. They have provided her a feeding table, an oxygen tank and a wheelchair, Snow said. Nurses also check her blood pressure and other vital signs, listening to her chest to make sure she doesnt have pneumonia, she added. Nurse Kimberly Tate, who works with Medi Home, became a hospice nurse there after working in dialysis. I felt like I needed a change, Tate said. I wanted to feel like what care I provide to patients is affecting them. She enjoys going to their homes and spending time with them. Its a journey you get to experience, Tate said. Youre helping them with that journey. Its an honor to be allowed to join them, Neighbors said. These people, at the most vulnerable time in their life, they allow you into their home and into their life, Neighbors said. For Schwartz, Medi Home didnt just provide comfort for and take care of her husband. Its services brought joy and humor to their lives as well especially the nurses. He loved the girls, Schwartz said before making a joke about the care he received from the nurses. It was hard watching girls put their hands on my husband. I just took a deep breath and said, Enjoy. Though Schwartz wishes her husband were still alive, her experience with Medi Home left her with a level of peace. I miss him, but Ill be all right, she said. Starr County, Texas, resident Bernardo Garcia, 89, looks across the highway toward a border wall rising on thousands of acres of land owned by the state. Texas officials have offered the land to the incoming Trump administration for a migrant deportation center. (David Montgomery/Stateline) RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas The letter to President-elect Donald Trump, sent to his Mar-a-Lago Club estate in Florida just two weeks after his resounding victory in the Nov. 5 election, came straight to the point. Subject: Texas offering 1,400 acres of land adjacent to the Texas-Mexico Border for construction of deportation facilities, read the opening line of Texas Land Commissioner Dr. Dawn Buckinghams eye-grabbing missive to the incoming president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Trump moves closer to reclaiming residency at the White House on Jan. 20, the vast Texas acreage at the edge of the Rio Grande promises to become a centerpiece of the get-tough immigration policies he plans to unfurl under recently named border czar Tom Homan. Republican governors from across the country have expressed their eagerness to help Trumps deportation efforts. In a joint statement issued last month by the Republican Governors Association, 26 of the 27 members (all except Vermont Gov. Phil Scott) declared that they stand ready to utilize every tool at our disposal whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard to support President Trump in this vital mission. But Texas, the only Republican-controlled state on the U.S.-Mexico border, is poised to play a particularly vital role. In the past several years, the state has dispatched thousands of Texas National Guard troops to the border; enacted a law (which is on hold pending legal challenges) authorizing police officers to engage in immigration enforcement; and set up a string of floating buoys to block migrants from crossing the Rio Grande. The Biden administration has fought those efforts in court, but the incoming Trump administration is expected to stand down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now it appears likely that a well-secured federal deportation center will be taking root in impoverished Starr County, on a huge patch of level farmland that now yields onions, grain sorghum, corn and soybeans. Equipment is seen on farmland adjacent to road FM 1430 in La Casita-Garciasville, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Buckingham, a physician and former state senator whose agency oversees 13 million acres of state land, said she learned of the availability of the border tract from another state agency. She approached the owner and secured the land for $3.82 million at the height of the election season. The purchase also cleared the way for construction of a 1.5-mile border wall that was blocked by the previous landowner, Buckingham said. We acquired that ranch kind of right at the beginning of early voting, she told Stateline. And then when Trump won, we figured they just may need some help with all the violent criminals for their processing, to get them off our soil. Next came her letters to Trump and Homan offering federal access to the land to allow a facility to be built for the processing, detention, and coordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nations history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buckingham has named the effort after Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl who was found dead in a Houston creek in June. Two Venezuelan migrants who were in the country illegally have been charged in Nungarays sexual assault and murder. We figured they just may need some help with all the violent criminals for their processing, to get them off our soil. Dr. Dawn Buckingham, Texas land commissioner The ACLU of Texas has slammed the planned deportation center. Our state and country already waste billions on failed and inhumane border policies, ACLU of Texas staff attorney Savannah Kumar said in a statement. Now, Texas officials are offering to turn our culturally rich borderlands into sites for the mass caging of our community members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Rio Grande City, City Manager Gilberto Millan Jr. said many of the roughly 15,000 residents are still learning about the planned deportation center. But at least some believe it will deliver an economic boost to Starr County, where nearly 29% of the people live in poverty, compared with 11% nationally. Property in La Casita-Garciasville, Texas, is being offered by the state for a migrant deportation center. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) In November, Starr County supported Trump over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris by 55.6% to 40.2%, the first time since 1892 the county has voted Republican in a presidential election. I know that if they build that facility, thatll bring a lot of jobs to the community, Millan said. Even before the announced deportation center, Starr County was seeing an uptick in construction, retail and restaurants, he said. Although the potential deportation site is outside the city limits, it sits just a few miles from downtown Rio Grande City on FM 1430, a farm-to-market state road. Starr County residents now in their 60s and 70s recall how they used to pick fruits and vegetables on the irrigated land, working with their parents as youngsters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I worked that field since I was 8 or 9 years old, said Eloy Garza, 75, a Starr County commissioner who left his post last month after being defeated in a Democratic primary in March. Garza, whose county office was located just across from the property, also shared the view that the deportation center could be a job magnet. Im for it 100 percent, he said. I dont know who wouldnt like it. Bernardo Garcia, an 89-year-old retired criminal investigator, has watched the border wall rising in the distance from the modest frame house he shares with his 87-year-old wife on FM 1430. Although they havent been touched by crime, he believes the wall would be a good thing by serving as a barricade against those who might be inclined to do some criminal acts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the one-time surge of attention when Buckingham held a November news conference at the site to kick off border wall construction, at least some residents seemed largely oblivious to the project last month as construction crews worked at a distance from the highway to build the wall. The site of ongoing state-sponsored border wall construction is seen in La Casita-Garciasville, Texas. (Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images) Meanwhile, immigration advocates contend that pouring resources into deportation efforts will consume dollars that could be better spent on needed infrastructure and social programs. This is very, very harmful, said Joaquin Garcia, director of community organizing for La Union del Pueblo Entero, or LUPE, which serves immigrants in three Rio Grande Valley counties, including Starr. Garcia said the money should be spent on roads and housing, rather than militarization of the border. The last thing that Starr County needs is a detention center, he said. That is not something people want. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A mass deportation effort targeting the estimated 11 million to 13 million immigrants who are in the country illegally would cost at least $315 billion, according to a study released in October by the American Immigration Council, a nonprofit research and advocacy group that favors immigration. Proposals from what the council describes as leading immigration hawks, including Homan, range from a one-time mass roundup of all immigrants now in the country illegally to a starting baseline of 1 million deportations a year, the study said. Modern-day deportations have never exceeded more than a half-million immigrants per year, said the study, and many of those were people trying to enter the United States, not those settled here. Immigration and Customs Enforcement already operates at least 20 detention centers in Texas, and Buckingham says she is standing by to provide still more resources from her immense reservoir of state-owned land, including a potential site in the El Paso region. Some Texas sheriffs, she said, also may have an interest in acquiring state property in urban centers to decongest a lot of the local jails being strained by immigrant detentions, including alleged lawbreakers. Everything were doing is just to try and get those violent criminals off our soil, she told Stateline. We have actually hundreds of thousands of acres on or adjacent to the border. So were just going to continue to be here and be a good partner, and anything we can do to help, we want to help. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Former Erie County Legislature Chair April Baskin was sworn in Saturday as the state senator for New Yorks 63rd district, making her the first Black woman elected to the State Senate in Western New York history. Baskin, a Buffalo native, will represent Cheektowaga, Lackawanna and parts of Buffalo. She succeeds now-Congressman Tim Kennedy, who held the position for 13 years, beating Republican John Moretti with 65.92 percent of the vote in November. In her new role, Baskin said she will fight for affordable housing, resources for education and helping small businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are always people back home and across our nation that are looking at our governmental leaders, especially with some of the trying times that weve had recently in our country, Baskin said. Im so privileged to be amongst 63 people in the state of New York get to be senators and Im one of them. As the youngest person to serve as Erie Countys legislative chair, Baskin has secured over $4 million for affordable housing, pharmacies and primary care offices in Buffalo. She has also passed legislation for the Erie County Sheriffs Office to receive body cameras, banned conversion therapy, and headed the Percent for Public Art law, which gives 1 percent of building construction project costs in the county to public art for the site. Tim Meyers, district 7s legislator, became the new Erie County Legislature chair on Thursday. Former Chief of Staff of the Buffalo Common Council Taisha St. Jean Tard was unanimously appointed to represent Baskins district. Latest Local News Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marlee Tuskes is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2019. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter. Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Severe storms rolled through south Arkansas Sunday afternoon. The storms are now out of the state, and our next focus is frigid weather. BITTER COLD: Arctic air moves in tonight with dangerous wind chill values in the teens and single digits across the state overnight into Monday morning. WINTRY WEATHER: Rain could transition to snow and freezing rain for parts of north Arkansas this evening & overnight. A Winter Weather Advisory goes in effect 6pm Sunday evening through 6am Monday morning. WHATS NEXT: Afternoon temperatures remain in the 30s with mornings in the 20s for central Arkansas. It will be sunny, freezing & dry through the week. The better chance for snow in central Arkansas is late Thursday night into Friday. Follow the Arkansas Storm Team below for real-time updates of Sundays severe weather coverage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To share the weather where you are, send us your photos or videos on our Weather Pics page . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. According to the West Melbourne Police Department, a shooting incident that took place at the Reserves at Melbourne apartment complex has resulted in one defendant being in custody. What was initiated as a casual pick-up resulted in armed occupied burglary, injury by deadly weapon and the fleeing of additional shots fired. Corban Williams (18) was charged with four counts due to the attempted crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read: Warm & sunny Sunday before rainy start to work week Based on the information received from the police department, the understanding is that the defendant was acting with at least one additional co-defendant to commit a crime intentionally. After the initial altercation, from which the defendants tried to rob the victim and shot him, the driver attempted to flee the scene while the defendants fired multiple shots at the car. Read: A little bit of everything: Focus on self-care during Disney Springs Wellness Month The victim of the shooting drove himself from the scene to the Melbourne Regional Hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg, says Melbourne police. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A woman has been charged in a fatal hit and run that killed a pedestrian last month, the Columbia Police Department announced Friday. Around 6 p.m. on Dec. 19 in the 5400 block of Farrow Road, a Ford pickup truck struck a pedestrian identified as 71-year-old John Corbett. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have charged 31-year-old Tierra F. Johnson with hit and run accident involving death and failure to give information and render aid. She is accused of leaving the scene, not returning to help the victim and not notifying police about what happened. A judge has issued Johnson a surety bond of $75,000. The Richland County Coroners Office assisted with the investigation. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Two arrests have been made following a fatal stabbing that occurred in Birmingham on New Years Eve. According to the Birmingham Police Department, 68-year-old Earnest Paul Christion Jr. was found stabbed in a home in the 2500 block of 15th Street Ensley. He was taken to UAB Hospital, where he later died. Detectives with the BPD obtained arrest warrants for two suspects in connection to Christions death. The BPD stated the suspects, identified as Zingy Gamble and La Verne Gamble, were identified through the help of community members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 13-year-old boy dead after Bessemer shooting Zingy and La Verne Gamble are mother and son. According to the BPD, Christion was Zingy Gambles boyfriend. Detectives believe that Zingy Gamble stabbed Christion, possibly during a dispute over money. The Jefferson County Magistrates Office issued a warrant for murder on Zingy Gamble and a warrant for first-degree hindering prosecution on La Verne Gamble. Both suspects were arrested, and they are being held in the Jefferson County Jail. Zingy Gamble has no bond, and La Verne Gamble has a $15,000 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. CHICAGO -- Shortly after George Floyd was murdered blocks from her home in Minneapolis, Mihesha Gibbs-Lumpkins decided to return to Pembroke Township with her husband and two children. Her 13-year-old son was the one who voiced a need to escape the chaos. Walking to school, past the corner store where Floyd was suffocated by a police officer, was overwhelming. For this to happen so close to home and along his daily route it terrified us all, Gibbs-Lumpkins said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her hometown, a predominantly Black farming community 60 miles south of Chicago, was supposed to be the perfect reprieve. Within a few months, the family of four moved into a quaint rambler in Hopkins Park, a small village within the township. It was surrounded by rare black oak savanna and backed up to the landlocked areas unique sand dunes. She recalled it as a place with no fences. One farm gave way to another, which gave way to an expanse of towering trees, which gave way to rolling hills of sand. In the Pembroke she remembered, her kids would be able to play without boundaries. But she did not return to that Pembroke. Today, she doesnt feel comfortable letting her kids walk to the edge of her property alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gibbs-Lumpkin and her neighbors feel that their once-tranquil community is slowly slipping away. Conservation groups began buying property in the early 2000s to create nature preserves. In the past decade, out-of-town off-road enthusiasts have trespassed on the dunes. They shoot guns and make campfires late into the night, leaving behind bullet casings and beer cans. The off-road activity has only increased in recent years, according to residents. Gibbs-Lumpkin said she saw droves of 200 to 300 riders at a time descend on the dunes on several occasions this summer. Another resident shared a video with the Tribune of riders revving their engines on an October Sunday at 5:30 a.m. Lacking its own police force, the less-than-1,900-person township feels attacked and defenseless. I used to tell people all the time that Hopkins Park in Pembroke is one of the last places on this earth where you can go to get your mental and emotional health back in order without getting a prescription, Gibbs-Lumpkins said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ambient sound of chirping birds, whistling branches and scurrying creatures was rarely disrupted by cars or planes. Sandwiched between fields, the town was supposed to be a world away from the riots ensuing in Minneapolis in 2020. Then, shortly after she moved to her new home, off-road vehicles began zooming through her backyard. She had to move the chairs and sofa away from the windows so they werent in the line of sight of a stray bullet. Our way of life is not being respected. Our right just to sleep peacefully is not being respected. Hearing assault rifles for hours on end is gut-wrenching, Gibbs-Lumpkins said. The small, resource-poor township relies on the Kankakee County sheriffs office to enforce the law. But Sheriff Mike Downey said his forces hands are largely tied. It lacks the resources to pursue armed off-roaders through acres of rolling sand, and state law empowers officers only to issue citations for criminal trespassing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But residents, who say not everyone files a complaint, are at a loss. Many have resorted to protecting their property with barricades made of metal mattress frames, used cars and fallen trees. The off-roaders just come back with bulldozers and chain saws. The No Trespassing signs they have posted on private property all over town are adorned with bullet holes. Once antagonists, environmentalists have partnered with residents to fend off the off-roaders. (Our responsibility) is no different than anybody else who owns property and lives here, said the Nature Conservancys Illinois director of land and water conservation, Jason Beverlin. We are part of the neighborhood, and we have a responsibility to work with our neighbors to try to help solve this. A Black mecca Two centuries ago Pembrokes sandy soil was presumed worthless. People freed from slavery were largely able to stake their claim on the area in the mid-1800s because white settlers passed it over. The town steadily grew as it became a refuge for Black people escaping the Jim Crow South. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through trial and error, Black farmers learned to live off the land: growing specialty crops to feed their families, harvesting just enough timber to heat their homes and intentionally burning land to keep it healthy. Thanks to their light touch, Pembroke is one of the few places that still looks like it did over 200 years ago, said Kim Roman of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. Its home to at least 38 endangered or threatened species and the largest concentration of black oak savannas: sparsely treed grasslands found at the convergence of eastern hardwood forests and western grassland prairies. Once covering about 30 million acres across the Midwest, these savannas now account for less than 6,500 acres. Much of the savanna lies within sand dunes created by a catastrophic flood during the last ice age. Tsunami-like waves from melting glaciers drained the large lakes that covered Illinois and Indiana, leaving behind sand that once lined the lakebeds. Thousands of years of wind shaped 80 acres of sand into the dunes that the off-roaders now call the bowl. The Nature Conservancy began establishing a network of preserves in Pembroke during the early 2000s. Almost 450 acres were collected during public auctions of land lost due to unpaid property taxes. Many residents saw it as an intrusion on a struggling community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poverty is endemic, and population loss has been steady. A few churches, a deli and gas station are scattered between shuttered buildings on Main Street. The population has more than halved since 1980, declining from nearly 4,700 to less than 1,900 in 2020. We had a Black mecca out here, and we didnt know it, Arnettia Marshall said at a mid-December community meeting where a dozen residents aired their grievances about the off-road activity. Weve always been a welcoming community, but this welcome comes with respect. Today the conservancy has about 2,700 acres in the area but it stopped purchasing land through public auction in 2015, according to Beverlin. Some of the conservancys property leads to and is within the bowl, thrusting the organization into partnership with the residents against Pembrokes newest intruders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A now-deleted 2022 real estate listing for vacant land advertises Exclusive access to The Bowl. If you know, you know! Bring your ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), 4-wheelers, and motorcycles! Beverlin and his colleagues have been intentional about establishing more collaborative relationships with residents. Gibbs-Lumpkins was hired last year as a community engagement specialist. The organization sent the police a letter in November requesting a conversation about getting the off-roading activity under control. In December, Downey acknowledged to the Tribune that his office received the letter but has yet to respond. The sheriffs office has received 66 calls since 2020 regarding criminal trespassing within the township, according to sheriffs office records. Downey said most off-roader-related calls have been logged as trespassing complaints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, he questioned whether the off-roaders were a huge problem, stating that his office only averages a dozen calls about trespassers in Pembroke Township per year. Nineteen of those 66 calls were made in 2024 and 14 were made in 2023, according to mid-December data. There were also 31 calls reporting shots fired in 2024 and 85 calls in 2023, the same year the sheriff responded to an ATV accident that killed a child. Roadblocks to prosecuting This spring, Gibbs-Lumpkins bought another home, away from the dunes, because of all the off-road activity. Caravans of off-roaders still whiz by at all hours but she feels better protected from the gun activity. Bruce Collins, who currently lives along the bowls perimeter, said hes had stray bullets fly into his home twice: once through his sons bedroom wall and the second time through his living room window. Ive been complaining for the last three years, and no one did anything, Collins said. Hes frustrated that municipal and county officials arent taking ownership over the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hopkins Park Mayor Mark Hodge has put the responsibility squarely in the sheriffs court. If we had our own police department, then we could manage and eliminate this within a month, said the mayor, who worked as a corrections officer in California for two decades before returning to his hometown and assuming public office in 2015. Pembroke and Hopkins Parks governments are toothless without their own police force. The county sheriff is not authorized to enforce village and township ordinances. The sheriff must depend on county and state trespassing, noise pollution and gun laws, which Hodge said would be adequate if enforced. Some of Hodges peers in local government and his constituents believe the sheriffs offices lack of attention has racial undertones. Pembroke is a predominantly Black town, and Kankakee is a predominantly white county. The police treat us differently was a phrase repeated constantly during the December community meeting. Kankakee County is 70% white, while Pembroke Township is 70% Black. I think its racial. Ill say it because I do believe we are paying our tax dollars like everybody else, Rosemary Foster, a lifelong Pembroke resident and Kankakee County Board member, told the Tribune in early December. But the police said the bowls topography makes it particularly difficult to regulate activity in Pembroke compared with other parts of Kankakee County, where unauthorized off-road activity is also common. Squad cars are not equipped to chase ATVs and razors through the expansive, rolling dunes. Several residents told the Tribune their 911 calls for help were met by responders telling them nothing could be done. We can chase them all we want and the issue becomes, if we get into a pursuit with an ATV and God forbid something bad happens to the driver of that ATV, who do you think theyre going to blame? Downey said. With the SAFE-T Act, all we can do is write them a citation anyway. Trespassing is not a detainable offense following the passage of the 2021 Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act. First-time offenders are issued a ticket, and second-time offenders can be arrested only for a couple of hours. The crime is considered a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine. Kankakee County States Attorney Jim Rowe said he has met with village and township leadership to discuss criminal activity at the bowl. My Office will prosecute any such crimes that are reported to law enforcement and meet the requirements for criminal prosecution, i.e., witnesses to the offense, identity of the trespassers, signed trespass complaints by the property owner, etc., he wrote the Tribune in an email. This evidence, and more, is required by law for a trespassing offense to be charged. But the sheriffs office has not cited any off-roaders in Pembroke since the SAFE-T Act was passed, and many of the calls about off-road activity have been made anonymously, Downey said. In the last five years, the sheriffs office has only filed one official incident report of criminal trespassing and two reports of stray bullets damaging homes in the bowls perimeter, according to official documents obtained by the Tribune via a Freedom of Information Act request. None identified a suspect. Downey is hopeful that a new ATV fleet purchased by his office this fall will help his team wrangle off-roaders in the near future. The fleet hasnt been deployed yet, and off-road activity has slowed down with the cold weather. Gearing up for grassroots action Hodge, Foster and Pembroke Township Supervisor Samuel Payton sent a joint letter pleading for assistance from the Illinois chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The association did not respond to the Tribunes request for comment. The local leaders plan to send a similar letter to Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois State Police in the coming weeks. Residents have also been strategizing grassroots action. They organized a stand-in to confront armed off-roaders in late October. And, during the mid-December community meeting, they discussed using drones to track vehicles, joked about a tax boycott to incentivize police action and encouraged one another to file formal complaints every time they call the police. Everyone reminisced about a time when no one needed fences. They agreed the rural community needed its own police department. A couple of residents floated the possibility of using the demonstrated interest in off-roading to bring much-needed economic activity to the small town. It was quickly shut down by others. Eventually, (creating a regulated ATV riding area) is one of the things that the community could consider doing on our terms. But right now, we need to take control of the situation thats threatening a lot of our landowners, Johari Cole-Kweli, the founder and president of the Community Development Corporation of Pembroke-Hopkins Park, told the Tribune. Were getting accosted. Its lawless. AUSTIN (KXAN) Couch Potatoes south Austin location at 500 East Ben White Boulevard is set to close on Jan. 31, according to the companys website. Were closing down our south Austin location as part of a strategic decision to adapt to the evolving retail landscape in Austin, Couch Potatoes website said. As a result of the closure, the company said it will have a sale on all its inventory at the location. The store is open on Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This comes after the company on August 30 opened its north Austin location, which featured a full furniture factory inside a 100,000-foot retail store. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's southeast sweated in a heatwave that intensified on Sunday, elevating bushfire risk and prompting authorities to issue fire bans for more parts of Victoria state. Australia is in the grips of a high-risk bushfire season, with firefighters last week battling a large blaze that ripped through Victoria's Grampians National Park, razing homes and farmland. The nation's weather forecaster warned that temperatures could reach 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in some parts of Australia's second most populous state of Victoria on Sunday. The mercury in state capital Melbourne was forecast to hit 38 C (100 F). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the state's northwest, in the town of Mildura, where the temperature was predicted to reach 42 C (107 F), it was already 32.9 C (91 F) at 10:30 a.m., surpassing the January mean maximum temperature, according to forecaster data. The heat sparked total fire bans for three Victorian districts where authorities labelled the fire danger as "extreme", the second highest danger rating. Bureau of Meteorology official Miriam Bradbury said temperatures would likely peak in Victoria on Sunday. "What that means for the fire dangers is we are seeing a spike across more districts," Bradbury told Australian Broadcasting Corp television. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states of Western Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania were also under heatwave warnings on Sunday, the forecaster said on its website. Bradbury on Saturday said a wind change bringing a cool change to the country's southeast was expected on Sunday night. Australia's last few fire seasons have been quiet compared with the catastrophic 2019-2020 "Black Summer" of wildfires that destroyed an area the size of Turkey, killing 33 people and billions of animals. (Reporting by Sam McKeith; Editing by Sandra Maler) VIENNA (AP) Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Sunday announced that he would meet with far-right politician Herbert Kickl as speculation grows that he will ask the Freedom Party leader to form a government. Van der Bellen made the announcement after meeting with Chancellor Karl Nehammer and others at his presidential palace. Nehammer has announced his intention to resign after coalition talks between his conservative Austrian People's Party and the center-left Social Democrats collapsed over the budget. Nehammer has ruled out working with Kickl, but others within his party are less adamant. Earlier Sunday, the People's Party nominated its general secretary, Christian Stocker, as interim leader, but the president said Nehammer would remain chancellor for now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Van der Bellen said that he had spent several hours talking to key officials, after which he got the impression that the voices within the People's Party who exclude working with the Freedom Party under its leader Herbert Kickl have become quieter. The president said that this development has potentially opened a new path," which has prompted him to invite Kickl for a meeting on Monday morning. Kickl's Freedom Party topped the polls in the autumn's national election with 29.2% of the vote, but Van der Bellen tasked Nehammer with putting together a new government because no other party was willing to work with Kickl. That decision drew heavy criticism from the Freedom Party and its supporters, with Kickl saying in October that it was not right and not logical that he did not get a mandate to form a government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are not responsible for the wasted time, the chaotic situation and the enormous breach of trust that has emerged, Kickl said Sunday afternoon on social media. On the contrary: It is clear that the Freedom Party has been and continues to be the only stable factor in Austrian politics. Stocker addressed reporters on Sunday afternoon and confirmed that he had been appointed unanimously by his party to serve as interim leader. I am very honored and happy, he said. He also welcomed the decision by the president to meet with Kickl and said that he now expects that the leader of the party that emerged as the clear winner from the last election would be tasked with forming a government. If we are invited to negotiations to form a government, we will accept this invitation, Stocker added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past, Stocker has criticized Kickl, calling him a security risk for the country. In its election program titled Fortress Austria, the Freedom Party calls for remigration of uninvited foreigners, for achieving a more homogeneous nation by tightly controlling borders and suspending the right to asylum via an emergency law. The Freedom Party also calls for an end to sanctions against Russia, is highly critical of Western military aid to Ukraine and wants to bow out of the European Sky Shield Initiative, a missile defense project launched by Germany. The Freedom Party has also signed a friendship agreement in 2016 with Putins United Russia Party that it now claims has expired. Kickl has criticized elites in Brussels and called for some powers to be brought back from the European Union to Austria. Austria was thrown into political turmoil on Friday after the liberal party Neos pulled out of coalition talks with the the People's Party and the Social Democrats. On Saturday the two remaining parties, who have only a one-seat majority in Parliament, made another attempt to form a government but that also ended in failure after a few hours, with negotiators saying they were unable to agree on how to repair the budget deficit. Telkom Indonesia subsidiary Telin and Indonesian digital services provider Citra Connect have launched construction of a cable landing station (CLS) at Nongsa Digital Park, Batam. Telin says the CLS will be an integral part of a strategic infrastructure project connecting Indonesia with the rest of world, widely known as Indonesia Cable Express (ICE) Submarine Cable which consists of a 7 cable system. The ICE system is an initiative that establishes vital links to connect Batam and Indonesia with major cities in Indonesia, neighbouring countries like Singapore and Malaysia, the Middle East, East Asia, Australia, and USA. "The construction of the Batam CLS solidifies Batams role as Indonesias primary gateway for international connectivity, fostering digital and economic development in western Indonesia and supporting regional integration, as well as the growing epicentrum of Data Center in Indonesia and South East Asia," Telin said in its announcement. "This CLS construction represents a significant step forward in advancing Indonesias telecommunications infrastructure, occupied by robust and cutting-edge technology submarine cable systems." Budi Satria Dharma Purba, CEO of Telin, said the partnership with Citra Connect is an important milestone to lay the foundation for future connectivity enhancement and expansions of international subsea connectivity projects. "The CLS will serve as landing points of 4 cable systems predominantly ICE Cable Systems," Purba said. "Looking into the future, we are equipping ourselves with the infrastructure and vision necessary to anticipate new technological advancements and connectivity needs across Indonesia and beyond." Kris Wiluan, Chairman of Citramas Group said the Nongsa Digital Park Special Economic Zone is a strategic initiative to advance Indonesias digital economy by combining advanced education, cutting-edge infrastructure, and data centre investments to create high quality jobs for Indonesian talent. "In partnership with Telin, this project will establish Batam as a globally connected, high-tech data center hub, Wiluan said. The conservative Austrian People's Party (OVP) is prepared to engage in negotiations with the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) regarding forming a government coalition, newly designated OVP leader Christian Stocker said on Sunday. The move could pave the way for the FPO to lead an Austrian government for the first time. Shortly after being appointed to replace Chancellor Karl Nehammer as the party's leader, Stocker said the OVP would join talks with the FPO if it is invited to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nehammer announced his resignation on Saturday following the collapse of previous coalition negotiations with centrist parties. Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen said on Sunday afternoon that he will hold talks with FPO leader Herbert Kickl on Monday about forming a new government. Van der Bellen said he had the impression that the voices within the OVP rejecting collaboration with Kickl had become significantly quieter, with Nehammer having consistently ruled out working with the far-right party. "This, in turn, means that a new path may possibly open up," the president said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Van der Bellen said Nehammer would remain in office until a new chancellor is appointed in the coming week to lead a caretaker government while a coalition is formed. Former chancellor Sebastian Kurz has ruled out returning to the role, a source within Kurz's entourage told dpa on Sunday. Although Kurz led a coalition with the FPO from 2017 to 2019, he would not be available as vice chancellor, the source close to him said, adding that he is currently satisfied with his role as an entrepreneur. Collapse of coalition talks The FPO emerged as the largest party after the parliamentary election in late September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The OVP subsequently tried to forge a coalition of centrist parties with the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO), and the liberal NEOS. This was intended to keep the right-wing populists out of power. The coalition negotiations failed, but Nehammer maintained his opposition to governing with the FPO. Elements within the party focused on economic issues, on the other hand, preferred collaboration with the far-right party. An alternative to FPO-OVP negotiations was also a new election. However, due to the long lead-up time, this could only take place in about three months. Pollsters believe that the FPO would win another election even more convincingly. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) The Buffalo Fire Department responded to two separate fires three hours apart at 46 Howlett St. on Saturday night, according to a spokesman for the City of Buffalo. The Buffalo Fire Department responded to the first fire at 5:17 p.m., which caused an estimated $80,000 in damages. It responded to a second fire at 8:20 p.m., which caused an additional $80,000 in estimated damages. The American Red Cross is assisting one displaced adult, and a demolition has been requested due to the extent of the damage. The cause of both fires is under investigation. Latest Local News *** Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. George Soros has received one of the highest civilian honors a US president can grant and Steve Bannon is having absolutely none of it. The far-right fringe commentator used his Saturday appearance on his War Room podcast to rail against the progressive philanthropist being granted the Medal of Freedom by outgoing President Joe Biden, even calling for the White House to be exorcised after the ceremony was held there. As Bannon put it, Today, theyre showing you whos in charge. The demon himself is gonna be in the White House. The first thing Trump should do, given what Biden is doing today with Soros and Clinton, is we should have an exorcism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bannon appeared a little unclear, however, under which particular religious denomination hed like to see the austere ceremony performed. I think you have to have a Catholic priest, and I dunno, bring a protestant minister, bring whoever you want, bring a shaman in, I dunnolets have an exorcism! he said. Later on in the session, Bannon also went on to implore that Donald Trump make rescinding Soros recent honor a day one priority once he assumes office later this month. He said, My recommendation to President Trump is that you notify today that youre going to sign an executive order on Monday, one of the very first actions is to rescind the Presidential Medal of Freedom thats being given to George Soros today. He then added, Theyre going to say, well, you cant rescind it. Okay, well, fine, try me, and send a team to track down Soros and take the medal back. Its a disgrace that a demonic individual like that has gone out of his way to try to destroy this country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement George Soross extensive funding of progressive political causes and public accountability journalism projects around the world, have very often made him a favored target among conservative voices, in particular among far-right conspiracy theorists and senior members of the Republican Party. Air travel is known for a host of inconveniences: long lines at airports, cramped seats, and seemingly constant delays. Now, after passengers on several Turkish Airlines found bedbugs on their planes, travelers might have to add pests to the growing list of air-travel headaches. Bedbugs are more common on planes than people like to admit, according to Reuven Noyman, owner of NYC Steam Cleaning, which does cleanings for private jets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From March to October 2024, passengers on at least three Turkish Airlines flights found bedbugs on their plane, according to a story first reported in the New York Times. Like apartment buildings or hotels, bedbugs can be found on planes because they can live on any type of cloth fabric, such as mattresses, clothes, or suitcases. You get a lot of bedbugs and dust mites just because people are sitting on fabric, Noyman said, referencing the covers of airplane seats. I mean realistically it's a haven for them. Bedbugs are highly transmissible because people dont often know they have them and can spread them inadvertently. They are also extremely difficult to kill and require extensive treatment, according to Noyman. If theyre found in places like homes or hotels, owners usually fumigate the buildings to ensure they eliminate all the bedbugs. However, thats not possible to do on a plane because fumigating an aircraft can damage the electrical wiring found throughout the cabin, according to Noyman. When cleaning a plane, companies like Noymans have to rely on steam washing rather than chemical agents to kill bedbugs. First we do a full vacuuming and detailing of the plane, then we steam wash all the fabrics, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Turkish Airlines flights, passengers reported finding bedbugs in seats, blankets, pillows, and crawling on the ceiling of the plane, according to the Times. Turkish Airlines said it regularly cleans and sanitizes all its aircraft before each flight. When issues of bedbugs are raised, it takes special precautions, according to a statement from media relations senior vice president Yahya Ustun. Bedbug cases are a general issue occasionally encountered in public spaces, including aircraft, Ustun said. In this regard, we take all feedback seriously and thoroughly investigate each report. In such cases, affected aircraft are promptly subjected to all necessary inspections and treatments. The earliest reports of bedbugs in 2024 date back to a March flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul, in which 36-year-old passenger Patience Titcombe found a bedbug on her seat cushion. After Titcombes friend pointed out it was a bedbug, she took measures to ensure she didnt bring the pest home with her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had to strip down at the airport and change clothes because I have kids, Titcombe told the Times. What if I brought bedbugs home? In October, passengers on flights from Istanbul to San Francisco and from Washington Dulles to Istanbul also reported seeing bedbugs. Kristin Bourgeois, the 37-year-old passenger on the flight from Washington, said she found 13 bite marks on her body from the bedbugs when she got off the plane. Bedbugs, which feed on human blood, often leave red marks that can swell and become red when they bite. Bourgeois said she realized they were bedbugs when she found them crawling in multiple places. Before departure, I noticed a bug crawling on my blanket, she said in an interview with the Times. When I found another on the pillow, I realized it was a bedbug. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com A Bedford, NH police officer who was shot during a struggle has been released from the hospital. According to Bedford police, officers received a call around 12:53 a.m. on Saturday about a suspicious person at Country Inn & Suites at 250 South River Road. Upon arrival, two officers, including a K-9 officer, began an investigation. The suspect, later identified as Jared Masseur, 40 of Nashua began to flee the area on foot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers attempted to take Masseur into custody, but he resisted and began to fight officers. During a struggle with the two officers, a gun discharged as Masseur reached for one officers holster and attempted to take the officers service firearm. The officers gun fired during the struggle, striking that officer in the leg, police say. The officer was taken to a local hospital where he was later released and currently recovering at home. We are grateful that our officer was cleared to be released from the hospital, Chief Douidi said. We are very thankful that his injuries werent life-threatening and that hes now at home recovering. We will continue to support him during this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Masseur is being charged with resisting arrest or detention, felon in possession of a dangerous weapon, attempting to take a firearm from a law enforcement officer, and second-degree assault. Masseur will be held in custody without bail and is scheduled for arraignment on Monday at Merrimack District Court. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Winter weather with snowfall, sleet and freezing rain caused disruption to air and rail transport in large parts of Germany on Sunday. Germany's Berlin Brandenburg Airport halved the number of arrivals on Sunday evening due to the threat of sleet, a spokeswoman told dpa. Only 20 planes, down from 40 per hour, were to be allowed to land in the German capital to ensure the safe handling of the aircraft, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spokeswoman said there may also be delays due to the weather, but take-offs will not be affected by the restrictions. Meanwhile, Germany's busiest airport in Frankfurt saw 120 of 1,090 flights scheduled for Sunday cancelled, a spokesman for airport operator Fraport told dpa. As runways needed to be cleared and visibility was reduced, the airport's capacity was limited, he said. Additionally, the de-icing of aircraft was taking longer due to the weather conditions, he added. The spokesman advised passengers to check with their airline regarding their flights and, if necessary, to allow extra time for the journey to the airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fraport had already warned of possible flight cancellations due to the weather conditions. Train services in the Frankfurt area were also experiencing disruptions due to the winter weather, rail operator Deutsche Bahn reported on Sunday. The disruptions were causing significant delays as well as partial and complete cancellations of trains. By midday, operations were largely back to normal, with only occasional delays reported by the railway company. Long-distance services passing through Frankfurt were primarily affected, with some individual InterCity Express (ICE) trains stopping at Frankfurt South station instead of the main station as a substitute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Deutsche Bahn's press office, other regions in Germany were only indirectly affected. The railway operator advised all travellers to check their connections before starting their journeys. Stuttgart airport in the south-west of the country reported delays as planes had to be de-iced before take-off, an airport spokeswoman said on Sunday morning. Seven flights were delayed, she said, adding that the runway had already been cleared and was ready for operations. Landings had already taken place in the morning, she said. She called on people looking to pick up travellers from the airport to check online when a flight was due to land, pointing to possible delays due to the winter weather also affecting other airports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Operations at Munich airport were also disrupted due to snow and ice, an airport spokesman said on Sunday morning. According to the airport's website, some flights due to take off in the morning had been cancelled. Over the course of the morning, operations had largely returned to normal, the spokesman said later. Airlines already took the decision to cancel the flights on Saturday night as a precautionary measure, he had said earlier. One runway was kept open while the other was being cleared, he added. Reduced visibility due to snowfall led to longer intervals between take-offs and landings, while aircraft also needed to be de-iced, according to the spokesman. President Joe Biden plans to deliver two final speeches as he seeks to underscore his legacy before leaving office and making way for President-elect Donald Trump, according to a report. His first speech, which Biden intends to deliver after he comes back from Italy on January 12, will be dedicated to foreign policy, NBC News reported. His second and final speech as president will be a farewell address reflecting on his 50-plus years in public service. Neither speech has been fully drafted, but the broad strokes of them have been established, sources told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The presidents initial speech will likely highlight his stance that the country is stronger when it invests in its alliances across the world, the outlet noted. His foreign policy remarks are expected to highlight his efforts to strengthen NATO, the nations commitment to the Indo-Pacific and his years-long support for Ukraine. Its unclear how much of the speech will address the U.S.s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan after nearly two decades of war in the country, the outlet noted. The move resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. Service Members and sparked scrutiny by Trump and Republicans. President Joe Biden speaks alongside Medal of Valor recipients in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. He is set to give two final addresses in his last days in office (AFP via Getty Images) Its also unclear if the president plans to address the war in Gaza that has raged since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people and taking another 250 people hostage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden may also mention his administrations work toward combating terrorist groups, but may not spend too much time on domestic terrorist threats, given the recent attack in New Orleans committed by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen who carried an ISIS flag in his truck when he rammed into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring dozens, authorities said. In the wake of the massacre, Biden said Jabbar posted social media videos indicating he was inspired by ISIS, expressing a desire to kill. In his farewell speech, which Biden expected to give in his final days as president, the president is anticipated to deliver parting words about the future as well as look back on his more than five decades in public service. He became a senator in 1973, a position he served until 2009, when he became Barack Obamas vice president. Four years after leaving office, in 2020, Biden defeated Trump, who is nearing a return to the White House on January 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden spent Saturday awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 recipients, including Michael J. Fox, Anna Wintour, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He is scheduled to visit Rome from January 9 to January 12 to meet with Italys leaders to highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship, thank Prime Minister [Giorgia] Meloni for her strong leadership of the G7 over the past year, and discuss important challenges facing the world, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday. President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law Sunday afternoon, marking what is expected to be one of the last major pieces of legislation of his presidency. Prior to signing the bill, Biden touted the importance of Social Security benefits for working class Americans and said he was "proud to have played a small part in this fight and get to sign it." "The bill I'm signing today is about a simple proposition: Americans who have worked hard all their lives to earn an honest living should be able to retire with economic security and dignity," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Social Security Fairness Act clears Senate procedural hurdle, on path for final passage The act repeals provisions that limit the ability of some retirees who also collect pensions from claiming Social Security benefits. Among those impacted are retirees who at one time worked as firefighters, teachers, postal workers, police officers, or in other public sector jobs. A provision that limits the benefits allotted to those workers' surviving spouses is also eliminated. The bill was passed in the Senate in December after passing the House in November with overwhelming bipartisan support. Ahead of the bill signing on Sunday, a White House official called Biden "the first President in more than twenty years to expand Social Security benefits." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The bill he is signing today will expand benefits by hundreds of dollars per month for more than 2.5 million Americans," the official said. MORE: Will Social Security be solvent under Trump or Harris? As Biden looks to shore up his legacy during his final weeks in office, the official also pointed to other moves that Biden has made to strengthen Social Security and other programs as "reckless" Republicans have worked to make cuts. Lawmakers across party lines have praised the legislation which stands to help millions of Americans. "I am so thankful that we in the federal government are keeping a promise on earned benefits to return that which is due to the people who have given their lives to serve the public," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said after its passage in the Senate last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio said, "It is a wonderful way to end the year. We'll be bringing some equity in my state, where 250,000 workers will be helped by this. It really is to me about this canary pin, and about the dignity of work and fighting for workers." Biden signs Social Security Fairness Act into law originally appeared on abcnews.go.com WASHINGTON (AP) By blocking a Japanese companys takeover of U.S. Steel, President Joe Biden said he was protecting good jobs in the American heartland. He may be putting them at risk instead. In making its nearly $15 billion bid for the storied Pittsburgh-based steelmaker, Nippon Steel had promised to invest $2.7 billion in U.S. Steels aging blast furnace operations in Gary, Indiana, and Pennsylvanias Mon Valley. It also vowed not to reduce production capacity in the United States over the next decade without first getting U.S. government approval. They were going to invest in the Valley, said Jason Zugai, an operating technician and vice president of the United Steelworkers union local at a U.S. Steel plant in the Mon Valley. They committed to 10 years of no layoffs. We wont have those commitments from anybody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zugai and some other Mon Valley steelworkers supported the Nippon deal in defiance of the unions national leadership, which pressured the Biden administration to kill it. Losing the Nippon-U.S. Steel deal will be a disaster for Pennsylvania, said Gordon Johnson, who follows U.S. Steel stock on Wall Street as founder of GLJ Research. I really dont understand. This is not in the interest of the workers. Its not in the interest of the shareholders of U.S. Steel. On Friday, Biden said he was stopping the Nippon takeover after federal regulators deadlocked on whether to approve it because a strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority. ... Without domestic steel production and domestic steel workers, our nation is less strong and less secure. U.S. Steel stock dropped 6.5% on the news Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decision, announced less than three weeks before the president leaves the White House, reflects a growing bipartisan shift away from free trade and open investment. President-elect Donald Trump had already come out against the Nippon takeover. As President, he wrote last month on his Truth Social platform, I will block this deal from happening. Buyer Beware!!! In a joint statement, Nippon and U.S. Steel called Bidens decision a clear violation of due process and the law and suggested they would sue to salvage their deal: We are left with no choice but to take all appropriate action to protect our legal rights. U.S. Steel was founded in 1901 in a merger that involved American business titans J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie and instantly created the largest company in the world. As the U.S. grew to world dominance in the 20th century, U.S. Steel grew with it. In 1943, at the height of the World War II manufacturing boom, U.S. Steel employed 340,000 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But foreign competition from Japan in the 1970s and 80s and later from China gradually eroded U.S. Steels position and forced it to close plants and lay off workers. The company now employs fewer than 22,000 in an industry dominated by the Chinese. The U.S. government has sought over the years to protect U.S. Steel and other American steelmakers by imposing taxes on imported steel. During his first term, Trump slapped 25% tariffs on foreign steel, and Biden kept them or converted them into import quotas. Either way, the trade barriers kept the price of American steel artificially high, giving U.S. Steel and others a financial boost. U.S. Steel is profitable and is sitting on $1.8 billion in cash, though that is down from $2.9 billion at the end of 2023. United Steelworkers President David McCall declared Friday that U.S. Steel had the financial resources to go it alone. It can easily remain a strong and resilient company, he told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But U.S. Steel has said it needs the cash from Nippon Steel to keep investing in blast furnaces like the ones in Pennsylvania and Indiana. Without the Nippon Steel transaction, U. S. Steel will largely pivot away from its blast furnace facilities, putting thousands of good-paying union jobs at risk, negatively impacting numerous communities across the locations where its facilities exist, U.S. Steel warned in September. The company also threatened to move its headquarters out of Pittsburgh. On its own, U.S. Steel seems poised to focus on newer electric arc furnaces, such as its Big River plant in Arkansas, which can make high-quality steel products more efficiently and at lower prices compared to blast furnaces, said Josh Spoores, the Pennsylvania-based head of steel Americas analysis for commodity researcher CRU. I dont know if they dont have the will, but they seem to have seen that its a much better investment, a much better rate of return if they look to invest in an electric arc furnace rather than a blast furnace, Spoores said. He noted that no steelmaker has built a blast furnace in North America for decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One possibility is that another company will step in and make a bid for U.S. Steel. In 2023, arch-rival Cleveland-Cliffs offered to buy U.S. Steel for $7 billion. U.S. Steel turned the offer down and ended up accepting the nearly $15 billion all-cash offer from Nippon Steel, which is the deal that Biden nixed Friday. Perhaps, analysts say, Cleveland-Cliffs will try again. In a statement, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro warned U.S. Steel management against threatening the jobs and livelihoods of the Pennsylvanians who work at the Mon Valley Works and at U.S. Steel HQ and their families. Shapiro also said companies that put in bids to buy U.S. Steel in the future must make the same commitments to capital investment and protecting and growing Pennsylvania jobs that Nippon Steel placed on the table. ___ Marc Levy reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. BIG COUNTRY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) In this weeks episode of Big Country Politics, House District 98 State Representative Giovanni Capriglione discusses his upcoming seventh session in the Texas Legislature and his push for House Bill 1709. The bill seeks to regulate the fast-growing field of artificial intelligence in Texas, ensuring transparency, data protection, and ethical standards for AI development in the Big Country and beyond. Challenges of Artificial Intelligence in the classroom: Abilene students share their opinions on ChatGPT Capriglione is entering his seventh session in the Texas Legislature. With a Bachelors in Physics, hes spent much of his career diving into semiconductor design and working in electrical and design engineering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive always been interested in both science fiction and real science, and now, with the opportunity to work on policy and technology policy, I think theres an absolute need for us to look at legislation and regulation when it comes to artificial intelligence, Capriglione explained. Capriglione has always been interested in keeping Americaand Texascompetitive on the global stage with a top-tier workforce. The worlds of technology and politics collided shortly after he was first elected. Ive always been more interested in the technology side, computer programming, and how technology helps people. I was elected, and it didnt take me long to realize that thats actually my expertise. So over the last few years, I have focused on cyber security, on protecting peoples privacy online and making sure that we upgrade our computer systems here in the state of Texas to protect against these cyber attacks that are hitting us all the time, Capriglione shared. Although AI has been around for years, rapid technological advancements have spurred Capriglione to take action. He introduced House Bill 1709 with the aim of establishing guidelines for the development and regulation of artificial intelligence in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you use Google Maps, youre essentially using artificial intelligence. When youre using your thermostat, chances are theres artificial intelligence and algorithms behind there that are optimizing your heating and your AC to help save you money. Capriglione said. But what weve seen over the last decade is that the rate of technological change and advancement is happening at an unprecedented scale. Change is happening faster than it ever has. What used to be a tool that was relatively helpful all the time or was out of the way has now gained incredible power, and it is involved in a lot of our daily lives. As it becomes more powerful, as people use it more, it is a responsibility, I think, for all of us to make sure that it is being used responsibly and ethically. A closer look: Wylie ISD demonstrates how AI security system keeps students safe The term artificial intelligence was first coined in 1955, marking the official birth of AI. Today, its woven into nearly every aspect of life, from agriculture and medicine to daily assistance and GPS navigation. Capriglione predicts that AIs growth over the next five years will be nothing short of incredible and unprecedented. But Capriglione says this is just the beginning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you just look at how much investment is going into this, both from big companies and governments, youll see that were getting ready to go, which is why I think its so important that we start looking at how to create these guardrails, Capriglione explained. We want all of those positives that are happening. Everybody here wants to be able to automate a lot of their lives and be more efficient. Companies want to be able to use it to be more profitable. But at the same time, were going to create these guardrails because these tools are powerful, and when you think about the types of decisions that theyre going to make, in many cases, without a human in the loop, completely autonomous. It is a requirement that we look at how to go and have legislation that protects Texans. Capriglione aims to strike a balance between advancing AI technology and ethical standards. I think this is incredibly cool. Since I was a kid reading those novels, since all of us used to watch TV and watch those movies about how robots were so helpful. I mean, this is incredibly exciting, right? Capriglione asked. But weve also seen the potential risks of that, right? Weve seen it in deepfakes, misinformation, and disinformation. Weve seen how AI could negatively affect elections and the integrity of those elections. We know that there are problems, mistakes, and bugs, if you will. You call them in these programs that now could inadvertently or deliberately negatively impact people. So we try and balance that. We want Texas to be the world leader in everything we do. Texas is awesome. We want it to be the world leader in AI, but at the same time, we also want it to be the world leader in responsible, ethical AI. Capriglione and his team spent about nine months crafting the bill, holding multiple stakeholder meetings along the way. These gatherings brought together members of the public, industry leaders, and consumer advocates to discuss and provide input. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we had this first draft of this bill that we presented in November of this year, we had literally hundreds of participants in this big meeting that I held, each of which also gave additional input, amendments that they wanted, and corrections. This has been a really big group project, and its gotten a lot of input from a lot of people. We finally put all the pieces together and filed this bill during the last session, Capriglione shared. Lancium strikes new deal with A.I. client, bringing potential for big bucks to Abilene The bill seeks to ensure that data is protected, AI systems are transparent, and there is accountability. We want to make sure that its transparent and explainable and that there is no bias or discrimination in the decisions that these tools are making. AI is essentially trained on data it has been observing, and its given information about how humans may have acted before, but sometimes that information is wrong, and its garbage. So what were requiring is a lot more effort from the developers to make sure that the inputs and the outputs are treating people fairly and equitably, Capriglione explained. Every single day, theres information being collected about all of us, right from where you are to who youre talking to, about what your favorite clicks are on social media, to the conversations youre having. So, to make sure that these companies are protecting that data, not selling it, and not having it stolen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bipartisan bill would protect kids from AI deepfakes House Bill 1709 was recently highlighted on Texas Scorecard, where it was discussed how the legislation would prohibit systems that manipulate human behavior, engage in social scoring, capture biometrics, and more. When asked how often these practices occur without our knowledge, Capriglione said, I would make the argument that theyre already happening. There are already algorithms out there that are hooked up to security cameras. They are already hooked up to public-facing cameras that go and start seeing who you are, seeing what youre doing. In some cases, that makes sense, right, especially if its a private organization thats trying to monitor things, Capriglione said. But if you go on social media, you know that there are these algorithms that are placing certain ads, and everyone always wonders, like, Hey, is it listening to me? How does it know? Well, the reality is that artificial intelligence has collected a lot of data about you and about your family, and so in many, many cases, AI and those algorithms and those advertisers know more about you than you know about yourself. So what were trying to make sure is that as theyre doing that, theyre doing that in an ethical, responsible way, that theyre protecting that data, and people are aware of that information, how to correct it, and maybe how to delete it. Capriglione is confident he can successfully push this bill across the finish line and have it signed into law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the great things about working on technology, whether its cyber security or privacy or artificial intelligence, is that it really is a bipartisan effort. There isnt a lot of partisanship in making sure that Texans are protected, that our information is safe and secure, and that our minor children are protected from some of these influences from outside, Capriglione shared. No one wants AI to negatively influence them. Everyone wants the ability to go and get housing and borrow money based on the merits of what theyre doing and done with the ability to appeal to a human. I have seen support from this across the aisle and across the chambers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. The News In a pair of interviews, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended the Biden administrations diplomatic agenda. Speaking to the Financial Times and The New York Times, Blinken said Biden successfully rebuilt alliances to counter Beijing and Moscow on key issues like trade. He cited repeated lectures he apparently received from his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, as evidence the approach worked. People want the United States involved, Blinken told the Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing is trying to have it both ways on Russia, by saying it wants peace in Ukraine while aiding Moscows war effort, he told the FT. The interviews ran ahead of Blinkens final trip as top US diplomat to South Korea, Japan, and France. A Bonney Lake family told KIRO 7 News that their son, who was captured in the Ukraine-Russia War for more than two years, is finally free. Valeriia Biletska and Roman Biletskiy learned that their son Roman, 25, was released from Russian captivity last Monday. The parents said Russian soldiers had captured their son in Mariupol after he re-enlisted in the army to defend Ukraine. Biletska said the war forced her, her husband and their seven children to flee their hometown, Kherson, leaving their oldest son behind as they searched for safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family eventually found refuge in Bonney Lake. I realized that we are not going home soon on the first day when we arrived to the United States. We were very happy that we got our children out of this danger that they are not hearing explosions, said Biletska. I felt guilty and at the same time, happy that I could save my younger children. And I felt guilty for all the time until my son was released. We made a decision to go to the United States when we were in Poland, the father shared. It was very hard for me to make this decision. But I understood in that moment, we probably wont go back to Ukraine soon and I was worried for my son, but as a man, I respected his decision. I knew he was a warrior. I knew hes strong. I was sure that he could take care of himself although I was worried, said Roman Biletskiy, father. At one point, the family said they received a letter from Ukraines government that their son had been killed in action, only to find out the news was a mistake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We didnt believe it. We read it. It was hard, but we had a strange feeling its not true. As mother, I was worried, but I felt it is not true, that hes alive, the mother shared. " Last Monday, the family saw a photo shared by Ukraines media, capturing their son sitting in the back of a bus -- as a free man. I felt like I was reborn again. It was like seeing the sun for the first time. I was very happy now that hes safe. Hes not in danger, she said. The family plans to fly the mother back to Ukraine to reunite her with their oldest son. The parents said their son is still recovering from the significant injuries he had suffered during the war. Loved ones created a fundraiser to help with the familys efforts. McALLEN, Texas (AP) When Roselins Sequera's family of seven finally reached the U.S. from Venezuela, they spent weeks at a migrant shelter on the Texas border that gave them a place to sleep, meals and tips for finding work. We had a plan to go to Iowa" to join friends, said Sequera, who arrived at the Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in October. But we didnt know how. Dozens of shelters run by aid groups on the U.S. border with Mexico have welcomed large numbers of migrants, providing lifelines of support and relief to overwhelmed cities. They work closely with the Border Patrol to care for migrants released with notices to appear in immigration court, many of whom don't know where they are or how to find the nearest airport or bus station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Republican scrutiny of the shelters is intensifying, and President-elect Donald Trump's allies consider them a magnet for illegal immigration. Many are nonprofits that rely on federal funding, including $650 million under one program last year alone. The incoming Trump administration has pledged to carry out an ambitious immigration agenda, including a campaign promise of mass deportations. The new White House's potential playbook includes using the National Guard to arrest migrants and installing buoy barriers on the waters between the U.S. and Mexico. As part of that agenda, Trump's incoming border czar, Tom Homan, has vowed to review the role of nongovernmental organizations and whether they helped open the doors to this humanitarian crisis. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who along with Elon Musk was tapped by Trump to find ways to cut federal spending, has signaled that the groups are in his sights and called them a waste of taxpayer dollars. Americans deserve transparency on opaque foreign aid & nonprofit groups abetting our own border crisis, Ramaswamy said last month in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The developments have alarmed immigration advocates and some officials in border communities, including Republicans, who say those communities can collapse without shelter space or a budget to pay for humanitarian costs. Aid groups deny that they are aiding illegal immigration. They say they are responding to emergencies foisted on border towns and performing humanitarian work. The groundwork is being laid here in Texas for a larger assault on nonprofits that are just trying to protect peoples civil rights, said Rochelle Garza, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project, an advocacy group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the past year, Texas has launched investigations into six organizations that provide shelter, food and travel advice to migrants. Courts have so far largely rebuffed the state's efforts, including rejecting a lawsuit to shut down El Paso's Annunciation House, but several cases remain on appeal. The Texas Civil Rights Project, which represents two organizations being probed by the state, says it has trained more than 100 migrant aid organizations in the weeks since Trumps reelection on how to respond if investigators come knocking. The Texas investigations began after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott alleged in 2022, without evidence, that border nonprofits were encouraging illegal crossings and transporting migrants. Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, which operates a shelter in McAllen with capacity for 1,200 people, was notified by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in March that authorities wanted to interview the executive director, Sister Norma Pimentel, to investigate whether there were practices for facilitating alien crossings over the Texas-Mexico border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pimentel declined to comment to The Associated Press, citing the ongoing case, but attorneys representing her organization responded to the accusations in court calling them a "fishing expedition into a pond where no one has ever seen a fish. In downtown McAllen, a large lobby serves as a welcome center where families receive travel information while their children play with volunteers. This year, nearly 50,000 migrants have passed through the shelter. Personal belongings and sleeping mats are in a separate section sandwiched between the lobby and the kitchen. The Sequeras, who stayed two weeks, fell into a regimen of waking at 6 a.m., clearing sleeping mats off the floor and having breakfast by 7 a.m. They performed other chores such as cleaning or doing laundry to keep the large shelter running. Volunteer attorneys help migrants apply for work authorization. Without that help, Sequera said, the process would have taken longer to learn and cost them thousands of dollars before they would have been able to continue their journey north. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos is at odds with Paxton, a fellow Republican, over the Catholic Charities investigation. His city found room for about 140 migrants a day in 2024 a dramatic drop from 2021, when a surge in crossings across the southern U.S. border that year put the shelter over maximum capacity and forced it to close for several days. "They have served the purpose because the feds have not acted in what they have to do, Villalobos said. In McAllen, we would have been lost without them. Former McAllen Mayor Jim Darling still recalls the night he received a call from the city manager in 2014 explaining that the bus station was closing, but 25 migrants were still waiting for a bus. He asked Pimentel at Catholic Charities for help. Hidalgo County authorities turned to Pimentel in 2021 when migrants were being released without testing for COVID-19. Catholic Charities conducted testing and quarantined those who tested positive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shelters have received help from U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat who since 2019 has steered federal funding to them through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He beat back Republican opposition last year. Will they attack it again and try to eliminate it?" Cuellar said. "Yes. Quiet going into the evening with cold temperatures and mostly clear skies. Clouds will increase overnight, with temperatures dropping to about 15. Tomorrow will be cloudy but dry for most of the day. By about 4 we will see our first flakes moving into the Miami Valley. As the sun goes down We could see an inch or two here in Dayton. Overnight will be when the heaviest snow moves in, where we are expecting 5 to 7 inches of snow to fall in Dayton, with about 1 to 2 more inches falling during the day on Monday. Areas north of Dayton will see anywhere from 1 to 7 inches. We will dry out late Monday, with cold temperatures to follow. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. It was not the start to 2025 that Keir Starmer wanted or expected: In the early hours of New Years Day, Elon Musk lobbed a series of angry posts and allegations towards the British prime minister, engulfing his government in a very public fight. In the days since, the worlds richest man has dredged up a painful, years-long scandal over grooming gangs and pushed for the release of Tommy Robinson, an imprisoned far-right agitator with a swelling social media following. The tech billionaire, who played a prominent role in US President-elect Donald Trumps election campaign, has posted or reposted on X about child sex abuse cases in the UK more than 50 times in the past week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has called for Starmer and his safeguarding minister to be removed from power, for new elections to take place, and even for King Charles III to unilaterally dissolve parliament something which hasnt happened for nearly two centuries and would cause a constitutional crisis. The topics represent the latest fascination of Musk, but his vexation is not new as Trumps inauguration nears, the X owner has intervened with increasing ferocity in European politics and hailed far-right figures on the continent. He has repeatedly condemned the European Unions institutions and policy decisions, and Italys president has warned him to stop meddling in the countrys affairs. Musk now poses a delicate new challenge for Britains political leaders. Starmer is taking great pains to charm Trump, while also hoping to hold back at home the growing influence of Reform UK, a populist, anti-immigration party that Musk has endorsed. And the row may already have burnt Nigel Farage, the Reform leader who had been openly working to secure Musks financial backing but whom Musk turned against on Sunday, after Farage failed to endorse his stance on Robinson. Can Musk be ignored? Musks tussles with Starmers Labour government did not begin this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had previously called Britain a police state over its crackdown on far-right rioters, who sparked violent clashes on the countrys streets during the summer. He has long derided Starmer on his platform, and more recently hailed Reform UK, which since its founding in 2018 has capitalized on public frustration with the countrys two major parties and now rivals each of them in opinion polling. He has prodded other European politicians too; in the past week the German government has accused Musk of attempting to influence the countrys February election, through his support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The group been accused of resurrecting Nazi-era ideology and slogans, and its youth arm has been designated by German authorities as an extremist organization. Now, Musks growing infatuation with Tommy Robinson has positioned the billionaire as an idol for Britains online far-right community. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed for 18 months in October after he admitted to being in contempt of court by repeating false accusations about a Syrian refugee. For most in Westminster, Musks anger like much online trolling remains little more than a sideshow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Labour MP told CNN they were looking forward to the great Musk vs Trump estrangement. The lawmaker added that, while using Musks platform, they have noted the usual post-New Year energy from the right wing who are frustrated. Its unseemly but thats populism for you. A handful of lawmakers have discussed whether they would stop using X over concerns about content moderation. Elon Musk has endorsed Nigel Farage's populist party Reform UK, which is rivalling Britain's two major groups in public support. But his backing brings some risk for Farage. - Jacob King/Press Association/AP But privately, some Labour MPs are asking themselves an obvious question: why us? Unlike in Germany, there is no impending parliamentary election through which Musk can exert his influence. An election is not due to be held in Britain for more than four years, and Labours government is relatively unpopular but, in parliamentary terms at least, rock solid. And for Starmer, Musk cant be entirely ignored. The prime minister has so far resisted taking Musks bait the billionaire has accused him of failing to act against grooming gangs while director of public prosecutions but MPs will eventually want to see him take a stronger stand, to protect his ministers from torrents of online abuse. (Musk has repeatedly this past week called for Starmers safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, to be imprisoned on Saturday calling her pure evil and a wicked creature for prioritizing a local inquiry in Oldham over a national inquiry, a policy approach which is not a crime.) Musk and others must not be given oxygen in their attempts to undermine (the) government, elected by the British people it is for them alone to critique, another Labour MP told CNN. It is clear that (his) increasing interest in UK politics must be recognised, not least (given) how social media is being used to manipulate the electorate, they added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, the United States is Britains closest and most important ally and Musk seems to be, for now at least, the closest and most important ally of its incoming leader. Labour is desperate to build trust with the Trump administration; the government being shunned by the president-elect would only work in Farages favor, and there is huge economic incentive in working with Trump on, for instance, exemptions from his tariff regime. The comments of Starmers ministers reflect that dilemma. In a tip-toeing remark, health secretary Wes Streeting told reporters on Friday: Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but were willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue. A delicate dance for Britains right It remains unclear how much influence Musk will have on Trumps decision-making particularly on foreign policy, which is firmly outside his official remit as a co-head of the new Department of Government Efficienc y. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But his remarks are already having some impact in Britain exposing the fault lines in a deeply divided and unusually malleable political landscape. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party, reactively called on X for a long overdue full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal. But her authority on the issue, as with so many others, is limited by her own involvement in an ousted but deeply disliked Conservative government. That government had, indeed, commissioned a years-long inquiry into child sexual abuse, which concluded in 2022. But the probes leader subsequently criticized the former governments response to her findings, which included a key recommendation that reporting of child sex abuse should be mandatory. The long hangover of the Conservative era has allowed Farage to position his movement, with some success, as the real opposition in Britain, and Musks growing interest in Reform represents an opportunity for Farage to further his standing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The populist leader predictably condemned Badenochs comments and has attached himself to most of Musks remarks. He has talked openly about hoping for financial backing from Musk, ahead of a round of local elections in May in which Reform is on pace to perform well. He will help us enormously because hes a hero figure, especially for the youth who really do admire this man, Farage said of Musk on the GB News channel on Friday. Hes helping us because he has given us an understanding of how we did it in America. And thats very useful to us. But there were dangers for Britains populist rabble-rouser, too. Echoing Musks support for Robinson was a bridge too far for Farage, who told GB News: (Musk) sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs. But of course the truth is Tommy Robinsons in prison not for that, but for contempt of court. Were a political party aiming to win the next general election. Hes not what we need, Farage said of Robinson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And soon after, Musk appeared to have turned his back on the leader. The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes, Musk posted on Sunday. Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree, Farage responded. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles. For leading politicians across Britains ideological divide, Musk brings a heady mix of opportunity and risk. His tendency to fawn over far-right figures wont find much popular support in a country that, unlike some European nations, has not seen the emergence of a serious, extreme right-wing political movement a fact Farage will remember even if he continues to push for the US magnates financial backing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in government, outwardly shunning Musk is not yet an option. The delicate nature of Starmers relationship with Trump may depend on keeping the billionaire at arms length for as long as that remains possible. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Ukraine has launched a surprise counteroffensive inside Russia, forcing Vladimir Putin to dispatch one of his top generals to the front line. Russian military bloggers first reported attacks by Ukrainian tanks and infantry on positions in Kursk shortly after dawn on Sunday. They said that Ukrainian forces were attacking towards the village of Bolshoye Soldatskoye, 15 miles north-east of Sudzha, the Ukrainian stronghold in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The enemy is driving forward with tanks and armoured personnel carriers full of soldiers, the Archangel of Spetsnaz Z, told its 1.15 million subscribers on Telegram. Both Ukrainian and Russian officials later also confirmed the attacks, likely launched to strengthen Kyivs position ahead of potential peace talks. Ukrainian armoured vehicles head for Bolshoye Soldatskoye Russias Ministry of Defence said that its forces were defeating Ukrainian military formations in Kursk but Andrii Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said that the attacks had scared and worried Russian forces. From the Kursk region, good news. Russia is getting what it deserves, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The head of Ukraines Centre for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, also said the Russians were attacked from several directions. It was a surprise for them. But reports from Kursk detailed Russian resistance and described a series of fierce, and at times, confused battles. Pro-Russia Telegrams also circulated video of an alleged Russian drone strike destroying a Ukrainian-operated British Challenger 2 tank. The claim could not be independently verified. WarGonzo, a Russian blogging Telegram channel, said that the attack appeared to have been carefully planned because Ukraine had built up a counteroffensive force based on Nato equipment over November and December in neighbouring regions. Gen Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, a Putin favourite - Artyom Geodakyan/via Reuters At night, the enemy carried out measures to clear the approaches, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Russian military bloggers also said that Ukraine had deployed sappers to clear land mines and specialist drone-jamming units ahead of its main attacking force. Analysts said that the Ukrainian offensive may be a final gamble by Volodymyr Zelensky, the president, ahead of potential peace talks once Donald Trump is inaugurated as US president on Jan. 20. Although Ukrainian forces are losing ground along the eastern Donbas frontline, by holding on to captured areas of the Kursk region they can still embarrass and weaken Putin, they said. The Russian president has thrown thousands of his and North Korean soldiers into battle in the Kursk region over the past couple of months, pledging to retake it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These forces have got back more than half of the area captured by Ukrainian forces but have failed to retake the town of Sudzha. Wrecked vehicle in aftermath of latest Ukrainian strike on Russia - Social media/Reuters John Foreman, a former British military attache in Russia, said that the biggest impact of Sundays Ukrainian counteroffensive would be psychological. He said: It helps remind Team Trump that Ukraine has agency and must have a say in its own future. It also embarrasses Putin again after reportedly setting various deadlines for expelling Ukraine from Russian territory. The reaction from the Kremlin suggested that it was taking the threat seriously. It dispatched one of its top generals to Kursk within hours of the attack to organise the Russian response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gen Yunus-Bek Yevkurov was photographed meeting Alexander Khinshtein, the acting governor of the Kursk region in what appears to be designed as a tough response to the Ukrainian attack. In August, when Ukrainian forces first captured areas of Kursk, the Kremlin was criticised for its slow and weak response. Commenting on his meeting with Gen Yevkurov, Mr Khinshtein said that Kursk will do everything possible to help our Armed Forces in their sacred fight against Nazism but he couldnt divulge any operational secrets. Russian military bloggers publish grainy photo claiming to be Ukrainian tank column advance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gen Yevkurov is one of Putins favourite generals. Putin promoted him in December to the rank of Army General, the only level in the Russian Armys rank system below Field Marshal, and in 2023 trusted him to negotiate with rebel mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin during an attempted coup. Gen Yevkurov is also in charge of deploying mercenaries and military aid to Russian proxy states in Africa. The Ukrainian attack in the Kursk region came the day after Mr Zelensky said that the Kremlins losses in the region were mounting. He said on Saturday that the Kremlin had lost an entire battalion of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region in the past two days. A battalion usually numbers about 500 soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Zelensky has not officially commented on the Kursk attack. 05:37 PM GMT Thats all for today Thank you for following our live coverage. 04:37 PM GMT Ukraine uses British Challenger 2 tanks in counter-attacks, claims pro-Kremlin bloggers Ukrainian forces have deployed British Challenger 2 tanks in Sundays surprise counter-offensive in the Kursk region, Russian military bloggers have said. Rybar, one of the most influential Russian military bloggers, said that Russian forces had destroyed at least one the Ukrainian-operated Challenger 2 tanks. It was destroyed by drone crews from the 155th Guards Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, Rybar reported under a video of a drone striking a tank. The claim could not be independently verified but Ukraine has previously deployed Challenger tanks and other Nato kit in the Kursk region. 04:30 PM GMT North Korean soldiers fighting Ukrainians in counter-attack, says pro-Kremlin blogger A Russian military blogger has said North Korean soldiers have reportedly entered combat in response to Ukrainian attacks in Kursk Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November, Ukraine reported its troops had engaged in combat with North Korean troops in the Kursk region for the first time. The appearance of North Korean soldiers came in response to Ukraines surprise attack which advanced up to 18 miles (30km) into Russian land in August. 03:52 PM GMT More than 50,000 foreign parts used in Russian drones and bombs this week, says Zelensky Russias drones, missiles and guided aerial bombs which attacked Ukraine this week contained more than 50,000 foreign components, said Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday. According to Mr Zelensky, Russian troops launched more than 630 strike drones, around 740 guided aerial bombs, and nearly 50 missiles of various types this week. He said they contained over 50,000 sanctioned components sourced from around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sanctions pressure on supply chains for foreign components remains insufficient. Russia continues to acquire the components and manufacturing tools it needs almost globally and uses them in the weapons it employs to terrorise Ukraine, the Ukrainian president wrote on social media. 02:53 PM GMT In pictures: Ukrainians rally in support of POWs A girl holds a banner saying Free defenders during rally in support of Ukrainian POWs on January 5 - Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images People rally in support of Ukrainian POWs - Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images 02:19 PM GMT Russia reduces use of armoured vehicles Russia has reduced the use of armoured vehicles in assaults on areas of active combat in recent weeks, according to the Institute of the Study of War. Analysts say this is likely to conserve equipment as Soviet stockpiles shrink. Ukrainian military sources have also recently observed Russian forces using fewer armoured vehicles and conducting fewer mechanised assaults on the Kurakhove front following significant vehicle losses in October and November 2024. The spokesperson for a Ukrainian brigade operating on the Kurakhove front stated on 3 January that Russian forces have shifted to primarily using infantry for assaults in the area over the past few weeks, with armoured vehicles now being used mainly as fire support for infantry operations. The New York Times reported on December 31 that a Ukrainian lieutenant colonel stated that Russian forces are increasingly using electric scooters, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles during assaults in eastern Ukraine, possibly as part of ongoing Russian efforts to offset armoured vehicle losses. Ukrainian forces reportedly destroyed or damaged over 3,000 Russian tanks and almost 9,000 armoured vehicles in 2024 as Russia continues to accrue vehicle losses that are likely unsustainable in the medium-term, the ISW said. 01:36 PM GMT In pictures 71-year-old Lyubov Kopek works in front of her neighbor's destroyed home after a Russian missile strike Civilians repair damage with materials supplied by Angels of Salvation - Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images 01:28 PM GMT Russians very worried The head of Ukraines Centre for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, said on Telegram that defence forces are working in the area. In the Kursk region, the Russians are very worried because they were attacked from several directions, and it was a surprise for them, he said. 12:58 PM GMT Analysis: Putin shows his hand Russias defence ministry may believe its forces are defeating Ukraines counteroffensive in the Kursk region, but Vladimir Putin clearly doesnt. He has sent one of his toughest and most trusted generals to organise the fight back against Ukraines surprise Sunday morning counteroffensive. Gen Yunus-Bek Yevkurov arrived for an emergency meeting in Kursk with the acting governor less than a couple of hours after Ukrainian tanks started rumbling towards Russian positions. Yunus-Bek Yevkurov attends an expanded meeting of the Defence Ministry Board in December - Sputnik/Artyom Geodakyan/Pool And by sending Gen Yevkurov to Kursk, Putin has shown his hand. Although it is still unclear how successful the Ukrainian counteroffensive will be, he is worried. Repelling Ukraines advance into Russias southern Kursk region has become a priority project for Putin before Donald Trump is inaugurated as US president on January 20 and attempts to impose a peace deal. Turning up to negotiations with Ukraine still holding on to Russian territory, even small parcels, will weaken Putin. And Volodymyr Zelensky knows this. The Ukrainian president may have calculated that with Ukrainian forces being pushed back along the main frontline in the eastern Donbas region, applying pressure in Kursk is his best option. If his forces can push back Russian soldiers in Kursk, and hold on to captured areas for another two or three weeks, Mr Zelensky may feel that he can strengthen his negotiating position. 12:35 PM GMT ICYMI: Aftermath of Ukraine attack on command post in Kursk on Friday 12:05 PM GMT Putin sends top general to Kursk The Kremlin has sent one of its top generals to the Kursk region to oversee Russian forces defence against a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Gen Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Russias deputy defence minister, arrived in Kursk on Sunday morning, according to Alexander Khinshtein, acting governor for the Kursk region. Mr Khinshtein said that he had held a working meeting with Gen Yevkurov but that he couldnt divulge details. I can say one thing for sure: the government of the Kursk region will do everything possible to help our Armed Forces in their sacred fight against Nazism, he said, using a Russian slur against Ukraine. Yevkurov is one of Vladimir Putins favourite generals. Putin promoted Yevrukov to the rank of full Army General in December, the only level below Field Marshall in Russian military ranks. As well as overseeing Russian border security, Putin has also given Yevkurov the delicate and high-profile task of organising Russian mercenary forces and military aid to his proxies in Africa. 11:52 AM GMT Russias statement on the counter-attack Around 9:00 Moscow time (0600 GMT), in order to stop the advance of Russian troops in the Kursk direction, the enemy launched a counterattack with an assault group consisting of two tanks, a mine clearing vehicle, and twelve armoured combat vehicles with paratroops towards Berdin village, the Russian defence ministry said in a statement. Artillery and aviation of the North group of (Russian) forces defeated the assault group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, it added. 11:44 AM GMT Pro-Russian military bloggers say Ukraine used minesweepers to clear routes over night Ukraine carefully planned its Kursk counteroffensive by building up its forces and then sending minesweepers to clear routes towards Russian lines ahead of the attack, Russian military bloggers have said. WarGonzo, a pro-Russia military blogger, said Ukraine had also deployed specialist drone-jamming units in its counteroffensive. At night, the enemy carried out measures to clear the approaches, said the Telegram channel. Colonelcassad, a pro-Russia military blogging channel, said that Ukraine had moved large volumes of US and Nato equipment in November and December to the Sumy and Cherniv regions that border Russia ahead of the counteroffensive. 11:42 AM GMT Russian state media admits Ukraine has launched counter-attack in Kursk Russian state media has quoted the Russian defence ministry as saying that Ukraine has launched a counter-attack in Russias western Kursk region. 11:07 AM GMT Artillery and small-arms battles reportedly taking place Pro-Russian military channel Operativnye Svodki (Operational Reports) has said that its units are heroically holding the line amid Ukraines new attack in Russias western Kursk region. It said artillery and small-arms battles were taking place, and Ukraine was using Western-armoured vehicles to bring in large numbers of infantry. The reports, which could not be independently verify, said fighting was concentrated near the town of Bolshoye Soldatskoye. Ukrainian and Western assessments say that some 11,000 troops from Russias ally North Korea have been deployed in the Kursk region to support Moscows forces. Russia has neither confirmed nor denied their presence. 10:50 AM GMT Ukraine reportedly building up forces in Sumy A Russian channel has claimed that Ukraine has built up forces in Sumy Oblast across the border from the Glushkovsky district of the Kursk oblast. Another Russian channel says that Ukraine has built up forces in Sumy Oblast across the border from the Glushkovsky District of Kursk oblast. 12/https://t.co/0CbJNOM8WM pic.twitter.com/VEBlqlTzIP Rob Lee (@RALee85) January 5, 2025 10:29 AM GMT Photos emerge from counteroffensive Russian military bloggers have published a grainy photo claiming to be a Ukrainian tank column advancing on Russian positions in the Kursk region. Russian military bloggers have published a grainy photo claiming to be a Ukrainian tank column advancing on Russian positions in the Kursk region War Kitten, a Telegram channel with 400,000 subscribers, said the photo showed the Ukrainian tank column taking hits. This is a column of Ukrainian Armed Forces advancing in the direction of a farm by Berdin. Some of the vehicles have been destroyed, it said. The village of Berdin lies around 10 miles north-east of Sudzha, the Ukrainian stronghold in the Kursk region, and has been the focus of fierce fighting. A photo published by a Russian military blogger, reportedly showing Ukraines advance 10:11 AM GMT Ukraine to ask allies to boost its air defences Volodymyr Zelensky said he will again call on allies to boost its air defences at this weeks meeting in Germany. Mr Zelensky said that dozens of partner countries will participate in the meeting at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday, including those who can help boost our capabilities not only to defend against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aviation. We will discuss this with them and continue to persuade them, Mr Zelensky said in his evening address on Saturday. The task remains unchanged: strengthening our air defence. 10:03 AM GMT Kremlin propagandist mocks counteroffensive as PR stunt designed to impress Trump A prominent Kremlin propagandist has mocked Ukraines counteroffensive in the Kursk region as a PR stunt designed to impress Donald Trump. Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin speech-writer, said that Ukraine had only launched a counteroffensive in the Kursk region to show the incoming US president that it could still take the fight to Russia. Zelenskys logic is that he wants to show Trump, for his own political reasons, that the Ukrainian army is strong and that there is no need to capitulate to Russia, he said. Mr Trump is due to be inaugurated on January 20. He has said that he intends to cut military aid to Ukraine and wants to impose a peace deal to end the war. 10:02 AM GMT In pictures Servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine fire a howitzer towards Russian troops at a position in a front line in Kharkiv region - REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova Civilians repair buildings after a Russian missile strike in Sloviansk - Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images Rescuers work at the site of a residential building hit by a Russian air strike in the village of Svesa on Saturday - REUTERS 09:54 AM GMT Russian military bloggers say direction of main counterattack not yet clear Russian military bloggers have confirmed a Ukrainian counteroffensive in Russias Kursk region but said that it may be a diversionary attack. The Rybar Telegram channel said that Ukraine has been preparing for months for a counterattack along the frontline and that Russian forces were ready to repel it. The direction of the main counterattack is not yet clear, and the manoeuvres from the occupied part of the Kursk region may be diversionary, it said. Russian forces have steadily pushed back Ukrainian forces along the main frontline in Ukraines eastern Donbas region over the past six months. They have also recaptured more than half the area captured by Ukrainian forces in Russias Kursk region. 09:50 AM GMT Russian newspaper says its reporter killed by Ukraine drone strike A Russian state newspaper has said one of its freelance reporters has been killed in a drone strike near the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Izvestia, the newspaper, said a civilian vehicle carrying the journalist, named as Alexander Martemyanov, was struck as it travelled on a highway. It said five other media workers were also injured in the attack. Moscow has accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting the journalist. Ukraine has not commented. The Ukrainian army launched a drone strike on a civilian car carrying Izvestias freelance correspondent Alexander Martemyanov, the news outlet reported on its Telegram channel, adding: The car was located far from the line of contact. Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, called the incident deliberate murder. 09:41 AM GMT Four Russian airports reopen after suspending flights, aviation watchdog says Russian airports in the cities of Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Izhevsk and Perm, which temporarily halted flights on Sunday morning to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft, have resumed normal operations, the aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said. It did not specify a reason for the pause in flight arrivals and departures, but Russian airports have previously closed due to a risk of Ukrainian drone strikes in the area. The restrictions at the airports were all lifted by 11:00 am (0800 GMT), Rosaviatsia said. The four cities are located east of Moscow. Kazans airport suspended flights on Dec. 21 due to a Ukrainian drone attack on a residential complex and other areas of the city in which no one was injured. 09:40 AM GMT Ukraines air force downs 61 Russian drones, Kyiv says Ukraines air defence shot down 61 out of 103 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack on Sunday, the air force said. It said that 42 other drones were lost in a reference to Kyiv using electronic warfare. There were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. In the early 20th century, a woman believed to be Washington States first female serial killer, portrayed herself as a gifted healer and allegedly grifted hundreds of people into starving themselves through an alternative medicine regimen she promoted as the key to better health. According to Smithsonian Magazine, at least a dozen people are believed to have starved to death while under the supervision of Dr. Linda Hazzard, who gained a medical license through a state loophole that allowed for practitioners of alternative medicines to obtain accreditation. In total, Hazzard recruited hundreds of followers, according to the Washington State archives, many of whom would later turn out to rally in support of her when she ultimately went on trial for the murder of one of her patients. But it was two British heiresses' harrowing experience with Hazzard that ultimately led to the practitioner's prison sentence. PEOPLE is looking back at the early 1900s case after Hazzards life and controversy surrounding her treatments has gained renewed attention on social media. Heres what happened. Washington State Penitentiary Dr. Linda Hazzard Dr. Linda Hazzard Hazzard's Belief in Extreme Fasting Growing up in Minnesota, Hazzard studied under Dr. Edward Hooker Dewey, who the Washington State archives describe as a pioneering figure in the fasting movement that took hold in some parts of North America around the turn of the 20th Century. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hazzard would later move to the Seattle area in 1908 and self-publish a book, titled Fasting for the Cure of Disease, which laid out her medical philosophy, and also the groundwork for her claims of innocence. Hazzard once wrote in her own 1908 book that, [d]eath in the fast never results from deprivation of food, but is the inevitable consequence of vitality sapped to the last degree by organic imperfection, according to Starvation Heights, a 2005 book about the controversial doctor and her practices in the Pacific Northwest. The Williamsons' Journey to 'Starvation Heights' The title of Gregg Olsens 2005 book about Hazzard referenced locals nickname for the doctors institute in Olalla, Wash.: The Institute of Natural Therapeutics. According to Smithsonian, the institutes idyllic backdrop, with open fields where patients could imagine animals roaming free, helped convince the doctor's dozens of patients that her practices were legit. The property was once owned by a state legislator; it was later revealed Hazzard overtook the land and would transfer her patients there after they began treatment and were well on their way to an unhealthy weight. Two sisters from England, Claire and Dora Williamson, were taken there after hiring Hazzard to put them on her fasting regimen. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The Williamson sisters childhood nurse, Margaret Conway, grew concerned as they continued the treatment, dropping to as low as 50 lbs. while drinking no more than two cups of broth per day, according to the Washington State archives. By the time Conway traveled to Seattle to check in on the women, Claire had died and Dora was emaciated, according to the archives, and Hazzard had used Dora's failing health to gain control of her guardianship through the state a tactic prosecutors later alleged Hazzard used on other patients, allowing her to amass her wealth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dora was finally removed from Hazzards care after local British Vice Consul C.E. Lucien Agassiz learned of her situation and arranged for her freedom. The Williamson sisters' case proved to be the beginning of the end for Hazzard and her practice, as Claires death resulted in media coverage and public scrutiny, according to the Washington State archives. Later, the case led to Hazzard being put on trial for murder. Hazzard's Arrest & 1911 Murder Trial Hazzard was finally arrested on August 15, 1911 in Kitsap County on first-degree murder charges in connection with Claire Williamson's death. Ultimately, Hazzard was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to perform hard labor at a state penitentiary in Walla Walla, Wash. After two years, Hazzard was released and, according to Smithsonian, she was later pardoned for her crimes. She briefly moved to New Zealand before returning to Olalla, Wash., to continue building her school for fasting. By 1935, according to the magazine, Hazzards institute had burnt down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three years later she fell deathly ill while fasting in an attempt to heal herself and later dying from her own touted therapy. Read the original article on People Jan. 5Can New Mexico become a top climate technology hub? The guests for the latest Business Outlook podcast say yes. Paul Zelizer, cofounder of New Mexico Climate Tech, and Vicki Apodaca, cofounder of Techqueria New Mexico, talked about New Mexico's unique position to become a leader in climate technology. Business Outlook podcasts are released on Monday afternoon and are available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's a preview of the conversation, edited for length and clarity. What is climate technology? Zelizer: "Think about what it's been like in New Mexico for the past couple of summers we've seen fires happen that have been historic, burned whole areas. The largest fire that our country has ever seen happened here in New Mexico a few years back. We're seeing drought, we're seeing increasing heat and we're seeing water get more scarce in terms of using it. That's just some of the examples we're seeing locally, but those kinds of things are happening around the world. And humans are going to have to innovate because we can't keep doing the lifestyle that we've been doing. Those innovators, those people who are solving those hard problems and working on some of the solutions to them, we generically put in a bucket called climate tech, and we have some incredible climate tech startups. ... Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And so we have really smart people. We have one of the highest concentrations of PhDs because of things like (Los Alamos National Laboratory) and Sandia (National Laboratories) and Spaceport and all that stuff. And now we have the capital, and we've had a culture and an ethos of entrepreneurship in New Mexico. So there is this confluence of things happening right now that nobody's ever seen before, and the world really needs it. So it's a really exciting time for climate tech in general, but especially here in New Mexico." And we've seen this state trying to get away from its dependence on oil and gas for so long, so it's interesting to see it all sort of come together right now. Apodaca: "That's a little bit of a tough battle. We're the second largest (oil) producer (behind Texas). I came from Texas, so I see what the impact is there. And if you go to southeastern New Mexico, that's what you see. It's in the air. It smells like oil and gas. So it's part of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the tech industry is burgeoning here. I think climate tech is definitely an outlet. Me building grassroots tech organizations, I just see it all I see entrepreneurs, I see established people. Let's make nerds cool. Let's make the Sandia and LANL people the Ph.D.s, let's make them cool. I'm all for it. And so we're bringing out tech here, and I think climate tech is definitely an instrument to really support New Mexico and put us on the map. ..." Paul, what is New Mexico Climate Tech and what is its goal? Zelizer: "... So the basic idea here is to be a resource for anybody in the climate space, anybody who's thinking about sustainability and really accelerate. We've got this incredible group that's coming together. We're already becoming a climate tech hub, but we can accelerate that with just a little connecting the pieces and building that fabric, the connective tissue between lots of good pieces and New Mexico Climate is that connective tissue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's a place where people can come to find out what they're interested in. But because we haven't been a really robust, high-growth startup ecosystem for that long, there are a lot of pieces that aren't yet wired together. The first goal of New Mexico Climate is to be that place where somebody can enter wherever they are on their startup journey, or trying to get into a startup who's doing something really interesting in climate, and find the resources they need. ..." Vicky, I'd love for you to talk more about Techqueria New Mexico. It's really amazing to see a woman of color empowering others in the tech field. Apodaca: "That's been part of my personal mission for a very long time, and I'm used to being the only woman of color in a leadership role or having a seat at the table. ... I know what it takes, and I really want to inspire people. So Techqueria is a Latinos in tech nonprofit. It's a national nonprofit. Me along with two others, Joshua Rivera and David Tenorio, were the chapter directors for New Mexico. David and I are really the cofounders of that chapter, and we brought Josh in, who has a great network. We're really building up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We provide mentorship, monthly meetups. We do coworking sessions at Q Station, a local coworking space here that's really great and inviting. And we have the (New Mexico) TechFest. In 2025, we're going to ... do a multi-day conference ... in early June, and it's going to be amazing, and it's going to have a lot of effect. ..." Zelizer: "We're getting inbound from climate founders of color from other states, and they're saying, 'Something's going on in New Mexico that's really interesting.' Unfortunately, historically, climate tech has been a very white, male-dominated industry. And one of the things the leadership of New Mexico Climate is saying is we want to do it differently. It can't be that way in New Mexico. New Mexico, we're the first majority-minority state. If we were to build a climate community that was very heavily white and very heavily male, we would not be serving our community the way we should be. We would be failing. And so right from the start, we've been having conversations and really working to build a diverse community. And not only are we seeing results of that in New Mexico, but we're getting inbound from Texas and Colorado, founders of color in the climate space. ... We're really working hard to create a diverse and inclusive climate community and not make the same mistakes. Let's make new and different mistakes, not the same mistakes that climate communities in other states and other countries have made in terms of really not representing the full spectrum of humanity and then creating solutions that don't serve the full spectrum of humanity. That would be a terrible waste of an opportunity." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And this topic of inclusion, I want to tie it into this incoming federal administration that's been quite vocal about mass deportations. ... Do you have any advice or resources for people with this coming up in 2025? Apodaca: "I wish I could save the world, but unfortunately, I can't. I can just do what I can. My grandma was an immigrant from Mexico City. I grew up in a household with very Mexican-American values. And so for me, obviously it's not the nicest thing to hear. (Techqueria) provides resources. We provide job support. We have a free job board, so if anybody wants to apply and potentially get sponsorship or anything like that, we're here to help. We don't have someone at the seat of the table in Congress, at least for Techqueria, but we hope that if we can get more people of color in leadership roles, then maybe there's an impact there. And I'm hoping that just me being in the position I'm in, I can really support people that look like me and feel the same way as me when it comes to our multicultural backgrounds that we can really excel." (INSIDE CALIFORNIA POLITICS) California Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) said he still believes Democrats could lose their supermajority in the California Legislature over the next few election cycles. Gallagher said the gains Republicans made in the state in 2024, including flipping three legislative seats from Democrat to Republican, could be continued so long as the party focuses on what matters to people. Were going to keep talking about these issues that people care about, the rising cost of living, for example how do we repeal this new gas tax that CARB (California Air Resources Board) foisted upon all of us here recently, Gallagher said. How do we increase our public safety? We passed Prop. 36 but it needs to be implemented Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gallagher noted that despite Californias popularly being thought of as a solid blue state, voting preferences can change. Texas was once a blue state and slowly but surely it became a red state, Gallagher said. California actually was a more red state at one time but it shifted more blue. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. A Northern California law enforcement agency has entered a multi-year reform agreement with the Department of Justice following an investigation into a racist text message scandal. Several members of the Antioch Police Department were accused of participating in the communications, which dated back to 2019. Trending The revelatory probe was made public in the spring of 2023. It was devastating, honestly. We had more than two years of healing sessions in the community with therapists and counselors and resources and talking with families, said Tamisha Torres-Walker, Antioch council member, of the aftermath of the controversy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 2, the department agreed to abide by a 25-page guide outlining requirements such as the hiring of a law enforcement consultant, updates to its non-discriminatory protocols, rules, policies and police training, as well as guidelines on hiring, disciplining and firing personnel. Fourteen officers were named in the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office and FBI investigation in April 2023. Former Mayor Lamar Thorpe called for the accused men and women to be terminated when messages uncovered the use of racial slurs such as the N-word, derogatory statements about the citys Mexican community, as well as crude humor mocking the death of George Floyd. Not every officer who was involved in the past culture of the police department is gone. We dont know how many officers will return, said Torres-Walker. That same month, Ellen McDonnell, a county public defender, said the text exchange revealed an entrenched culture of hatred, racism, homophobia, misogyny, and violence throughout the department. Outcry from the public led to a civil rights lawsuit filed on behalf of five residents and a family member of a deceased man, all of whom claimed to have experienced malicious treatment by Antioch police during the timeframe the messages were sent. In a Jan. 3 interview with NBC Bay Area, U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey said the Department of Justice is committed to making sure that police officers dont discriminate based on race and that we will use the resources that we have and the legal tools at our disposal to make sure that those who do are held accountable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement to the news outlet, Mayor Ron Bernal stated, "This five-year settlement agreement reflects our commitment to addressing unacceptable actions and past failures." CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Officials at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and Naval Base San Diego issued base access advisories Friday, announcing heightened security measures at all entry gates, according to posts made on social media. Naval Base San Diego The Naval Base was the first to notify the public of changes, noting on Facebook that the Trusted Traveler Program has been suspended until further notice. As a result, gate guards will now be conducting 100% hands-on ID card checks. What exactly does this mean? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Naval Base officials, all individuals attempting to access any gates must present an authorized credential to guards for verification. Plus, if a person with authorized access wants to escort another individual on base, that person must also provide a valid U.S. federal or state ID and must be in the same vehicle as the person escorting them. Please note, foreign nationals are not permitted to be escorted onto the installation unless they have undergone the necessary vetting process at the Naval Base San Diego visitor control center, Naval Base officials noted. San Diego FBIs Most Wanted in 2025 Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Later on, officials with Camp Pendleton made a similar announcement while posting on X, formally known as Twitter. The base advisory noted, Commander NORTHCOM has directed all military installations to implement heightened security measures at all entry gates to include 100% ID checks, random inspections, and the suspension of the Trusted Traveler Program until further notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those unfamiliar, NORTHCOM, or U.S. Northern Command, plans, organizes and executes homeland defense and civil support efforts, also coordinating defense support of civil authorities. Officials with the military base said all visitors must report to the Camp Pendleton Visitor Center, located at building 20255T adjacent to the main gate near Interstate 5, to request access. This weekend, however, the Visitor Center is closed. During this timeframe, officials said guards may grant escort status to individuals who meet the requirements for Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) access. This refers to the ability to enter a military base by using an identification system that scans fingerprints. As listed on their base access requirements page, acceptable base credentials include Common Access Cards, Uniformed Services ID (family/retiree), Federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) enabled for Camp Pendleton access, or Camp Pendleton enabled DBIDS visitor passes or credentials. Military base officials also said drivers should expect delays and random inspections at all entry gates as the security posture of Camp Pendleton is enhanced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX 5/KUSI reached out to Camp Pendleton for comment on the decision to heighten gate security. Lt. Jorin Hollenbeak with Marine Corps Communication Strategy and Operations made the following statement: Commander NORTHCOM has directed all military installations to implement heightened security measures at all entry gates to include 100% ID checks, random inspections, and the suspension of the Trusted Traveler program until further notice. This direction is not Camp Pendleton specific and applies to all military installations in the United States. SDSU student among those injured in deadly New Orleans attack When asked if the tightened security measures were related to the recent events in Louisiana, specifically the suspected terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Lt. Hollenbeak said, The updated installation access protocols are a NORTHCOM directive. We cannot speak on their behalf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unknown at this time, how long these directives will remain in place. Meanwhile, FOX 5/KUSI also reached out to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to inquire about similar gate security advisories and is still waiting for a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Under pressure from customers and investors, many U.S. companies have pledged to voluntarily reduce their impact on the climate. But that doesnt always mean theyre cutting their own greenhouse gas emissions. A large number of companies are instead paying others to reduce carbon emissions on their behalf through projects that generate carbon offsets. There are reasons for skepticism about this practice. Chief among them is that projects developed for carbon offsets have a history of taking up land in poorer countries, displacing small-scale farmers and threatening livelihoods in the process. The quality of some globally traded voluntary offsets has also proven challenging to verify. Investigations of forest-offset projects, for example, have suggested that many arent as effective at sequestering carbon as they claim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We think there is a better solution: Companies could spend some of their carbon-offset money on climate-friendly projects that dont just cut emissions but also improve peoples lives in the U.S. communities where these companies operate. Our team at the Climate, Health and Energy Equity Lab at Vanderbilt University has been exploring the possibility of corporate offset dollars paying to improve energy efficiency in low-income housing, starting with a pilot study in our hometown of Nashville. Efficiency upgrades can save energy and money and reduce carbon emissions. At the same time, they reduce some of the many health risks created or elevated by living in a home that is hard to properly heat and cool. Such upgrades can be financed by selling carbon offsets on the social carbon segment of the voluntary carbon market. The combined economic, health and climate benefits of low-income energy upgrades could make these projects attractive for companies seeking to fulfill their climate commitments and earn positive attention in the local community. Energy efficiency pays off in many ways On average, low-income households in the U.S. spend 6% to 10% of their income on energy costs. Often, these renters and homeowners are struggling to keep aging, poorly insulated homes at healthy temperatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For some people, the cost of heating a home can get so high it becomes a choice of heat or eat, which can take a physical and mental health toll. In Nashville, we looked at implementing four key types of energy efficiency upgrades in low-income housing. Together, they can reduce energy use and energy-related carbon emissions while also earning offset credits on the voluntary carbon market. We calculated that the combination of upgrading the windows, refrigerator and heating and cooling system and also insulating the attic in a two-bedroom Nashville rental unit could reduce its carbon emissions from home energy use by an estimated 592 tons over the 25-year life of the upgrades. If carbon reductions from upgrades to that Nashville home were packaged as carbon offsets and sold on the voluntary carbon market at US$30 to $45 per ton, the money earned could cover the substantial material costs for the energy efficiency upgrades. This pricing is consistent with prices commanded by other carbon offsets with significant and meaningful social benefits. It is also quite possible that the community health benefits would be more attractive to some corporate buyers than the carbon reductions themselves. The offset transactions can be facilitated by nonprofits, social enterprises or local governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of these upgrades are prohibitively expensive for low-income households without outside financial help. They also tend to be avoided by landlords, since it is tenants, not landlords, who pay the utility bills. Lessons from Maine and the Southeast Projects are already mobilizing carbon-offset funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency in the U.S. One of the early innovators was the Maine State Housing Authority. The agency piloted financing residential energy efficiency upgrades with the sale of carbon offsets in the early 2000s and discovered how complicated the process can be. Chevrolets $750,000 purchase of carbon credits from the Maine project in 2012 enabled efficiency upgrades to about 170 homes. The project revealed some important lessons, including the need for a large number of homes and a high carbon price for the project to pay off. A 2012 review of the program noted that, while each house could generate hundreds of dollars in carbon credits, setting up the project, measuring and validating the value, and selling this type of offset can cost tens of thousands of dollars before the work on homes begins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To lower that cost, Maya Maciel-Seidman, a member of our team, developed a way to quantify carbon reductions from home energy upgrades. She was able to reduce the time and cost by relying on publicly available utility and government data combined with easy to perform on-the-ground measurements. Insulating attics can save hundreds of dollars a year on energy bills and pay off quickly. Ashley Cooper/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images Another challenge this type of carbon offset and offsets that support clean energy geneartion can run into is the question of additionality: Would low-income energy upgrades happen anyway, without funding from carbon offsets? We dont think so. There are federal programs that provide funding for energy efficiency upgrades in low-income housing. However, the 40-plus-year track record of the federal Weatherization Assistance Program and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program suggests the vast majority of eligible low-income households arent reached by these programs. A solar startup in the U.S. Southeast offers another example of carbon offsets with environmental and economic co-benefits close to home. Clearloop generates carbon offsets by building utility-scale solar farms in the dirtiest parts of the U.S. electric grid, regions with little renewable energy and highly polluting power plants. The company finances solar developments through the up-front sale of carbon offsets representing the emissions saved during the lifetime operation of each solar farm. Companies and residents benefit Using carbon offsets isnt a substitute for reducing emissions, or for public policies and funding aimed at eradicating energy poverty and insecurity. But we believe that mobilizing the voluntary carbon market to finance energy efficiency upgrades in low-income homes could offer meaningful relief to many households. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The physical proximity to corporate supporters of such projects should also allow for greater transparency and accountability. When companies purchase carbon offsets that are locally generated and bring additional benefits to their host communities, they bolster their social license to operate while making progress toward meeting climate commitments. 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: Zdravka Tzankova, Vanderbilt University; Carol Ziegler, Vanderbilt University, and James Muchira, Vanderbilt University Read more: Zdravka Tzankova has informally collaborated with Clearloop in discussions of carbon offsets and classroom projects, all pro bono and educational. Neither Tzankova nor her lab have any financial ties to the company. As of 2024, Vanderbilt University is purchasing some carbon offsets from Clearloop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carol Ziegler is affiliated with Recycle and Reinvest, 501C3 as a Board Member, as well as the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council as a Board Member. James Muchira does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Charlotte woman says she was hit by bullet from New Years Eve celebratory gunfire CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A bullet hit a Charlotte woman after she says celebratory New Years Eve gunshots hit her roof and landed in her bedroom. I hear pop and I yell out, I think Ive been shot! says Carlitha Foxworth-Dulin. It wasnt how she expected her New Years Eve night to go. She was lying in bed Tuesday night reading a book and listening to neighbors celebrate the coming year with fireworks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But someone decided to celebrate another way. I screamed that out and got down off of my bed. My daughter came into the room. She was like Mom, are you okay? And I said I think Ive been shot. Go, go get Daddy. Hed looked up and he saw he was able to see where the bullet actually came in. So then I started to pull this blanket down off of the bed as I began to pull it down sure enough, right on the carpet next to me, a bullet fell on the floor, she said. When she called the authorities, they told her the same thing had happened to another house in Charlotte. She says the roof repair company found at least one other bullet on the roof but only one made its way into the home. The four-year Army veteran suffers from PTSD from a tour in Saudi Arabia. The incident has her even more traumatized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a little nerve-wracking because the next day when we went to work, one of my coworkers was removing some of her holiday decorations and a balloon pop and it immediately just sent me there. Triggers are triggers. And this was one of them. Just sent like an immediate shock, Foxworth-Dulin said. Now, she has a message for the community. No major incidents; 18 arrested, 6 guns seized on New Years Eve in Charlotte: CMPD Everything is affected by gravity. You put a bullet in the air where theres 90 degrees, 70 degrees, its going to come down somewhere. Go to a shooting range, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Foxworth-Dulin wasnt seriously injured and didnt need to go to a hospital. She also filed a police report. QCN reached out to Charlotte Mecklenburg Police for the report on Friday evening, they have not responded at the time of this article. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. SANDUSKY, Ohio (WJW) The Sandusky Police Department held a press conference Saturday morning to address a video of a December arrest thats been circulating on social media. The video shows a suspect being chased and eventually being tased. Some on social media called the officers actions use of excessive force. 74-year-old woman killed, teen shot in local double shooting During Saturdays press conference, Sandusky Chief of Police Jared Oliver said after viewing the body cameras from the incident, the officers actions were justified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Dec. 19 during a traffic stop, an officer noticed a passenger identified as Scotty Scott had several active warrants for his arrest. Scott fled the scene after pushing an officer. He was later located on the back porch of a private residence, police said. Scott then refused verbal commands to surrender and was subsequently tased. He then managed to take control of the officers taser and fired it into the officers upper leg before running off, still in possession of the taser. All he had to do was surrender. Thats it, said Chief Oliver. Our officer is giving him order after order and warning him this is gonna happen, you cant do this, trying to bring him into compliance. Immediately after his position on the video, he attacks our officers with so much force that our officer falls back, loses the taser. Mom makes teen son turn himself in for crime Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scott, who was eventually taken into custody by another officer, has been charged with felony assault on an officer, robbery for the taser taken, and several other offenses. He is currently being held in the Erie County Jail. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Dear BCSD Family, There are no words. I write to you with an extremely heavy heart and without the ability to accurately convey our sorrow, our horror, and our empathy in this moment. I can only express our deepest sympathies and our commitment to be there for all of you and each other as a Brighton Family. As you may already be aware, just a few moments ago, Chief David Catholdi of the Brighton Police Department issued a statement (attached) confirming the death of TCMS sixth grader Anne (Annie) Mancuso. Annie and her grandmother were the victims of horrendous acts of domestic violence committed by Annies father, who also died by suicide. Annie was known to her friends and teachers as a kind, sweet, and beautiful person in every way. A thoughtful, caring student and very special friend, Annie was such a gift to her friends, family, and school community. I cannot begin to find a way to say to Annies mother Sarah and Sarahs father how profoundly sorry we are. The peaceful tranquility of a winter morning was brutally broken yesterday in one of our neighborhoods and the life of an incredible child and her grandmother were taken. The circumstances would be unimaginable if they werent a reality. They are the very definition of unexplainable, surreal, and tragic in every way. As your neighbor, friend, colleague, and fellow parent, I join you in being horrified and deeply troubled by these events. I join you too in wanting it not to be so, in wanting to be there for Sarah, and in searching desperately for ways to explain this to my own children. There will never be an explanation, but there will be support in every way possible. Attached to this message are a variety of resources that you might find helpful in working with your children, your family, or your colleagues. Counseling support for students, staff, and families will be available on Sunday at TCMS from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. Please feel free to stop by for support. Were here if you need it. Counseling supports for students and staff will also be available in all buildings on Monday and whenever they are needed. Students will be provided with direction on how to access those supports. Families can also reach out to their childs teacher, counselor, Assistant Principal or Principal for help of any kind or to make arrangements for counseling. Mr. Rogers once suggested that in response to tragedy one might encourage young people to find some measure of comfort in looking for the helpers. Let us help and in doing so provide some degree of comfort. I dont know how or why this happens and I dont know what to say, other than were here for you and we will continue to be here with love, support, and sympathy for all, especially for Annies family and friends. Kevin McGowan, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools The NYPD has released new photos of the gun-wielding foursome suspected of opening fire on a group outside of a Queens nightclub on New Years Day, injuring 10 young people. In one image, a gunman appears to be firing at the victims outside of Amazura Concert Hall in Jamaica, where a memorial was being held for a slain Brooklyn teen. In another, a suspect was seen pointing a gun toward the ground and reloading it with both hands, while a third was captured carrying a firearm at his waist. A gunman appears to be firing at the victims outside of Amazura Concert Hall in Jamaica, Queens, in a photo released by the NYPD. DCPI Another of the perps appears in an image to be reloading a gun with both hands as it points down at the ground. DCPI Another suspect is seen carrying a black firearm at his waist side. DCPI A total of 30 bullets were fired into the crowd standing outside of Amazura Concert Hall in Jamaica, Queens, on Wednesday evening, cops said. Robert Mecea Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A total of 30 bullets were fired into the crowd, with the victims ranging in age between 16 and 19, according to police. All victims were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, cops said. The attackers ran before piling into a white sedan and speeding off, authorities said. There have been no arrests. There have been no arrests. DCPI More than 100 people had gathered at the Amazura Concert Hall on Wednesday evening to remember 16-year-old Taearion Mungo, who was shot dead in Brooklyn Oct. 26, according to police sources. Brigitte Stelzer Cops are investigating whether the shooting was a gang-related hit, police sources told The Post. More than 100 people, most of them teenagers, had gathered at the nightclub to remember 16-year-old Taearion Mungo, who was shot dead at the Walt Whitman Houses in Fort Greene Oct. 26, according to sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mungo may have been affiliated with the FNO street gang or the For Ners Only crew which may have prompted the shooting outside the nightclub, sources said. Mayor Adams and Gov. Hochul condemned teen violence and illegal firearms in statements after the shooting. Cops are asking the public for any information about the four suspects. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips. (Reuters) - China said on Sunday it would launch 15 measures to bolster the development of its western provinces with the construction of logistical infrastructure such as ports and aviation hubs. The General Administration of Customs said the measures would enhance the integration of rail, air, river and sea links in China's west, state media reported. The measures are to include enhancing international aviation hubs in cities including Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi'an and Urumqi, while developing comprehensive bonded zones, and integrating these with ports and other transport links. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A number of ports would also be built and expanded. China has long sought to bolster the economic heft of its western regions, which have markedly lagged coastal provinces. But ethnic tensions in such places a Xinjiang and hard-line security measures Beijing says are needed to safeguard national unity and border stability, have drawn criticism from some Western nations. China's western regions comprise around two-thirds of the country's land area and include regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet. China's Politburo last year called for a "new urbanisation" of western China to revitalise rural areas, expand poverty alleviation efforts and strengthen energy resources. Efforts have also been made to increase linkages to Europe and South Asia through trade corridors including rail freight routes. (Reporting by Hong Kong and Beijing newsrooms; Editing by William Mallard) The arms race in the Asia-Pacific will intensify this year, observers believe, with several governments in the region - including US treaty allies Japan and the Philippines - planning big boosts to their defence budgets. The aim is to both counter China and to hedge against uncertainties over incoming US president Donald Trump, they added. The Japanese government's 2025 budget approved last Friday included record defence spending of 8.7 trillion yen (US$55 billion), despite recent signs of a thaw in ties with China under Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. It is the 13th straight annual increase in the defence budget as Japan seeks to address concerns over China's rise and North Korea's military alignment with Russia, according to analysts. On Monday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr signed the country's 2025 budget into law, with defence spending expected to reach a record 315.1 billion pesos (US$5.4 billion). This is more than 30 per cent higher than the 2024 military budget, official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. It is also much higher than the original total of 256.1 billion pesos amid heightened tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Philippine budget secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the increase was to help "uphold our sovereignty and territorial integrity". Ni Lexiong, a Shanghai-based military analyst, said Trump had repeatedly demanded that US allies and partners boost military spending to counter Russia and China. "The influence of the Trump factor can be felt everywhere around the world," Ni said, "In a way, such a seemingly extreme strategy that drew widespread criticism has proven effective so far, as many US allies in Europe and Asia, dependent on the US for security, have no choice but to comply with his demands." But for Benoit Hardy-Chartrand, an international affairs specialist at Tokyo's Temple University Japan, China remains the primary driver for the budget hikes in Japan and the Philippines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Japan has for many years considered China its foremost security challenge, despite its desire to maintain stable and productive relations with its neighbour," he said. Tokyo's concerns regarding Beijing are "manifold", according to Hardy-Chartrand, ranging from their territorial dispute in the East China Sea and Beijing's growing strategic partnership with Moscow, to concerns over a potential conflict over Taiwan. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control. Japan and the US, in common with most countries, do not recognise the island as an independent state, but oppose any attemtp to seize it by force. For the Philippines, the stakes are even higher, with its long-simmering maritime dispute with China becoming increasingly tense and violent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both sides have also exchanged barbs in recent weeks over Manila's plans to buy the US-made Typhon missile system. Philippine military chief Lieutenant-General Roy Galido said it is necessary for "protecting our sovereignty", but the Chinese foreign ministry condemned it as "provocative and dangerous ... and extremely irresponsible" as well as warning of the risk of "geopolitical confrontation and an arms race". "Our message to the Philippines: China will not sit on its hands when its security interests are in danger or under threat. The Philippines will be hurting its own interests if it keeps refusing to change course," ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on December 26. Yun Sun, director of the China programme and co-director of the East Asia programme at the Stimson Centre in Washington, said given the recent trajectory of Beijing's ties with the two neighbouring countries and Taiwan, it should come as no surprise that they were increasing their defence budgets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But she said Trump was not the key factor, noting Japan increased its defence budget by 7.5 per cent last year as well. "China might see Japan and the Philippines as irrationally responding to China's peaceful rise. But the lack of understanding of other countries' security anxieties due to China's growing military power, presence and activities in their periphery is a fundamental contributing factor to regional arms race," Sun said. Ni said missile programmes by the Philippines and Japan, which is preparing to deploy long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, were clearly aimed at China and offensive in nature. "From China's perspective, the external pressure is mounting, as the country is facing economic, technological, diplomatic, and military suppression and containment [from the West]," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a speech on New Year's Eve, Chinese President Xi Jinping again warned of "high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms," as the country tackles growing domestic and external challenges. According to Ni, this indicates China is poised to raise its own defence spending, speed up military reforms, and upgrade weapons and military equipment. The Pentagon issued its latest report on China's military power last month. It said despite anti-corruption probes into many top commanders, China had continued to build a global military and a world-class defence industrial base with robust nuclear forces. "The arms race will undoubtedly intensify," Ni said. "All parties are readying their forces and bolstering deterrence, no one wants to go into a costly war but there is still the risk of accidental conflicts," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation in the South China Sea and the broader Asia-Pacific region will largely hinge on Beijing's attitude, Trump's Asia policy and the future of China-US ties, he added. Hardy-Chartrand said the Japanese and Philippine defence budget increases do not constitute a major departure from their long-standing defence stances. "Japan, more specifically, has endeavoured to become a much more consequential and proactive regional and global security actor since the early 2010s, as demonstrated by 13 consecutive years of defence budget increases," he said. Japan adopted a new defence strategy in 2022, aiming to eventually double the annual military budget to become the world's third biggest military spender after the US and China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Hardy-Chartrand argued Trump is the biggest wild card in the region this year. "[Trump] has yet to define what his China policy will look like beyond tariffs... On the one hand, Trump has signalled potentially less support for Taiwan, while on the other hand nominating China hawks at key posts in his incoming administration, including [China sanctioned Florida senator] Marco Rubio as secretary of state," he said. "Furthermore, if US relations with other allies like Japan and South Korea show signs of friction, as they did during his first stint in the White House, this will be beneficial to Beijing." This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Chinese hack compromised even more U.S. telecoms than previously known, including Charter Communications, Consolidated Communications and Windstream, the Wall Street Journal reported late on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter. Hackers also exploited unpatched network devices from security vendor Fortinet and compromised large network routers from Cisco Systems, the newspaper reported. In addition to deep intrusions into AT&T and Verizon, hackers pierced other networks belonging to Lumen Technologies and T-Mobile, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China denied engaging in such actions and accused the United States of peddling disinformation. There is growing concern about the size and scope of the reported Chinese hacking into U.S. telecommunications networks and questions about when companies and the government will be able to assure Americans about the issue. The report added that U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told telecommunications and technology executives at a secret White House meeting in the fall of 2023 that Chinese hackers had gained the ability to shut down dozens of U.S. ports, power grids and other infrastructure targets at will. The Chinese-linked Salt Typhoon cyberespionage operation targeted AT&T and Verizon's systems, but the wireless carriers' U.S. networks are now secure as they work with law enforcement and government officials, the companies said last week in their first acknowledgment of the attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lumen said it no longer sees evidence of the attackers in its network and that no customer data was accessed. T-Mobile said it stopped recent attempts to infiltrate its systems from advancing and protected sensitive customer information from being accessed, according to the Journal. Verizon told the newspaper that a small number of high-profile customers in government and politics were specifically targeted by a threat actor and that those people had been notified. Vandana Venkatesh, chief legal officer at Verizon, told the newspaper that "Verizon has contained the activities associated with this particular incident." Cisco and Fortinet declined to comment to the newspaper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Targets of Salt Typhoon have previously reportedly included officials connected to Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump's presidential campaigns. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Mark Porter) Taiwan has accused a Chinese-owned ship of severing a critical data cable off its northern coast on Friday. Officials in Taipei discovered that four cores of an international submarine cable, which transmits data to Americas AT&T, were left ruptured early on Jan 3. Tracking data revealed the Shunxing39 cargo vessel had dropped its anchor around the rupture site near the port of Keelung, according to Taiwans coast guard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese-owned vessels have previously been accused of deliberately damaging critical sea cables in the Baltic Sea in October 2023 and November 2024. The Shunxing39 sails under the flag of Cameroon, but officials in Taiwan have pointed out it is owned by Jie Yang Trading Ltd, which is registered in Hong Kong, and owned by Chinese citizen Guo Wenjie. Chunghwa Telecom said vital connections were immediately restored after it diverted data towards other subsea cables on Friday morning. However, fears remain in Taiwan that Beijing could target critical sea infrastructure during any attempt to annex the country, which sits off Chinas southeastern coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing, which claims Taiwan is Chinese, says it would rather integrate the country through diplomacy, but has not ruled out using force. A member of Taiwans coast guard monitoring a Chinese coast guard ship on Dec 9. Unusual movements of seven such vessels were detected off Taiwan between Dec 6 and Dec 9 - Taiwan Coast Guard/AFP via Getty Images A Taiwan coast guard member watches a Chinese vessel during the incident in early December - Taiwan Coast Guard/AFP via Getty Images A Taiwanese coast guard official said it had asked South Korea, where the Shunxing39 is heading, for help as Taipei has been unable to question the captain of the ship. A coast guard ship carried out an external inspection of the vessel on Friday, but officials were unable to board it because of poor weather. This is another case of a very worrying global trend of sabotage against subsea cables, a senior Taiwanese national security official told the Financial Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ship is due to arrive in the port of Busan, South Korea, in the coming days. Another Chinese vessel, the Yi Peng 3, was accused of similar tactics in the Baltic in November. Investigators believe the Chinese-registered bulk carrier deliberately severed two key cables by dragging its anchor along the seabed for more than 100 miles in a sabotage orchestrated by Russia. Repeated incidents have caused concern among Western nations that Russia, with the help of China, is engaging in what the White House described as hybrid warfare, an accusation that the Kremlin denies. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. (KRON) The California Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal hit-and-run that occurred in Santa Rosa on Saturday night. At 10:10 p.m., CHP officers responded to southbound Highway 101 near south of Steele Lane for the report of a crash. CHP said a male pedestrian was lying in the roadway and may have been hit by a vehicle. Police looking for missing man last seen near Kaiser Fremont The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene, according to CHP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CHP said the suspects vehicle was not located at the scene and CHP had limited information on the vehicle. The department said they shut down the left two lanes for the investigation. Anyone with information about this incident or the suspect vehicle is asked to call the Santa Rosa CHP office at (707) 806-5600. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who in February decried the idea that President Joe Biden was cognitively impaired as right-wing propaganda, is denying that he and othertop Democrats ever misled the public about the presidents mental acuity. During an appearance Sunday on NBC News Meet the Press, anchor Kristen Welker played a clip from Feb. 13 in which Schumer assured reporters that he talks to Biden regularly and that this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong. That assurance came mere months before Bidens catastrophic debate against his then-GOP opponent, President-elect Donald Trump, and before he confused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Russias Vladimir Putin at a NATO summit event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden ultimately exited the race in July, only for his replacement nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, to lose the election. When asked Sunday what hed tell voters who feel Schumer misled them about Bidens mental acuity, he argued boldly: Look, we didnt. And lets look at President Biden, Schumer told Welker. Hes had an amazing record, the legislation we passed, one of the most significant groups of legislation since [former President] Lyndon Johnsons Great Society, putting in 235 judges a record. And hes a patriot, he continued. Hes a great guy. And when he stepped down he did it on his own, because he thought it was better, not only for the Democratic Party, [but also] for America. We should all salute him. We should all salute him. Schumer claimed in February that Biden's cognitive decline was "right-wing propaganda." Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press Dissatisfied with the answer, which arguably rejected the premise of the question outright and merely chronicled Bidens legislative record, Welker followed up by asking if Schumer still believes Biden couldve served another term had he stayed in the race and won. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, Im not going to speculate, he told Welker, who had notably only asked about his own past claim that Bidens decline was insidiously partisan propaganda. As I said, I think his record is a stellar one, and hell go down in history as a really outstanding president. Schumer was reelected last month for his fifth term as the Senate Democratic leader and endorsed Ben Wikler on Thursday to lead the Democratic National Committee. Whether the party will learn from their second loss against Trump is unclear, but for some, is already unlikely. Related... Chuck Schumer denied on Sunday that his party misled the public about the extent of Joe Bidens decline as presidential insiders tell news publications that the lame-duck president still believes he could have won the 2024 election. The leader of the Senate Democratic caucus, now in the minority in the upper chamber, sat down with NBCs Meet the Press and spoke about the incumbent presidents legacy in an interview on Sunday. Moderator Kristen Welker became the first of the DC press corps to put it to a member of Democratic leadership directly, asking the senator: What do you say to Americans who feel as though you and other top Democrats misled them about President Biden's mental acuity? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Look, we didn't, Schumer responded. Let's look at President Biden. He's had an amazing record. The legislation we passed, one of the most significant groups of legislation since the New Deal, since Lyndon Johnson's Great Society. Putting in 235 judges a record. He's a patriot. He's a great guy, the top Senate Democrat went on. And when he stepped down, he did it on his own because he thought it was better, not only for the Democratic Party, but for America. We should all salute him. But Welker pressed him with a follow-up question: a simple yes-or-no as to whether Schumer believed his political ally had the physical and mental stamina to serve another four years in the White House. Well, I'm not going to speculate, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their conversation comes as the Democratic Party as a whole is facing a reckoning over its future amid accusations from its own of abandoning key demographics including the working class of America in a vain attempt to win over more affluent and conservative suburban voters. The party is set to elect a new chair at the end of the month, and the race is hotly contested. Schumer is backing Ben Wikler, the chair of the Wisconsin state Democrats. At the center of Democrats anxieties is the popular vote victory of Donald Trump, who won that accolade for the first time in 2024 as Kamala Harriss campaign was swept in battleground states. Her campaign and Bidens circle of political advisers continue to dispute the reason for her defeat to this day. The vice presidents team has been pretty clear that they now view the election as having been unwinnable due to voter anger over Bidens age, and how the White House and broader Democratic sphere handled his obvious decline until it became unavoidable at a June debate with Donald Trump one that took place before either candidate was formally nominated, an unprecedented move in modern times. Chuck Schumer shakes hands with Joe Biden during an event at the White House this week. The senator insists his party did not mislead the public (AP) Bidens team, now in a morose mood, is now focused on defining the 46th presidents legacy before he leaves office in a few days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NBC News reported on Sunday that the White House is preparing two final public addresses for the president in the coming days. Both will focus on capping off four years of the Biden presidency; one will deal specifically with foreign policy, an area where the president struggled over four years to convince Americans that he was delivering the cool and careful stewardship which Democrats promised to put in place after Donald Trump spent four years in office and at one point openly used American foreign policy as a means of going after his political enemies. The president will leave office this month having watched the Middle East descend into a staggeringly deadly conflict, with Israels siege of Gaza having killed tens of thousands directly as well as through disease and starvation. Eastern Europe, where Russias Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022 and continues to pressure other countries in the region, is in little better shape and now thanks to the defeat of Democrats in the presidential election faces the prospect of US military aid to Ukraine potentially coming to an end. His final days in office have been filled with foreign trips and a medal ceremony last week wherein the nations highest civilian honor was given out to several icons of the Democratic political and donor class, including George Soros, Hillary Clinton, Jim Clyburn and Nancy Pelosi. Jan. 5As temperatures start to drop in preparation for this week's polar vortex, local churches and organizations are opening their doors in anticipation of the artic air. Temperatures are expected to drop into the 20s and 30s across Texas next week, northern parts of the state dropping down into the teens. The following locations will be open throughout the week: * Corsicana Freedom Life Church (1803 W. Seventh Ave.) 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., Sunday through Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Salvation Army of Corsicana (212 E. First Ave.) 8 a.m to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon, Friday (While Social Service Office is open). * First Baptist Church Corsicana (510 W. Collin St.) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday only. The church's Good News Cafe served lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. No other meals will be served. Drop off locations for donations: * Dr. Kent E. Rogers Clinic (618 N. Main St.) * Calvary Worship Center (1364 N. Beaton St.) Cincinnati Public Schools will be closed Monday due to the ongoing winter storm, the district announced on social media. For more information on the district's weather procedures, visit its website. Princeton City Schools, Kenton County School District, among several other local school districts, have also announced they will be closed Monday. To view which other Greater Cincinnati schools and districts will be closed on Monday, visit here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heavy snowfall is expected in the region late Sunday into Monday, with snow falling as fast as 1 to 1 inches per hour, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Public Schools, other districts closed Monday, Jan. 6 MOORE, Okla. (KFOR) A Cleveland County judge ruled on New Years Eve that a State Board of Education vote denying a students request to change their gender markers on their school records was a violation of their rights under the Oklahoma Constitution. The decision follows a lawsuit filed by the Moore Public Schools students family in December of 2023, months after an October vote on the issue. The lawsuit argued the student was denied the opportunity for due process through a formal hearing for their request. It also argued an emergency rule the OSBE had approved before that vote took place, requiring school districts to notify the OSBE before modifying students records was not valid. Cleveland County judge Michael Tupper ruled on New Years Eve that the vote is null and void because the student wasnt given their due process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OKLAHOMA EDUCATION: OSDE Supt. Walters could be made to answer questions after new court filing They had what the district court now has said was basically a sham hearing, said Joshua Payton with the Oklahoma Equality Law Center. They didnt have proper notice. They basically didnt adhere to the fundamental rights that citizens have under the Oklahoma Administrative Procedure Act and then also the Oklahoma Constitution. The Oklahoma Equality Law Center and Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice filed the initial lawsuit on the students behalf. This is a significant step forward in safeguarding the procedural due process rights of trans students, said Colleen McCarty, Esq., Executive Director of the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. The courts recognition of the importance of due process sends a clear message that these rights are non-negotiable in our administrative law system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Payton called the ruling a tremendous victory, and said that his client is also pleased. They are grateful that they have the ability to stand up and fight, said Payton. This is an earth-shattering decision in terms of the rule of law in Oklahoma. Tupper did disagree with the argument from the students legal team that the emergency rule wasnt valid, saying that it is valid and enforceable. I think he really missed the mark on this, said Payton. News 4 reached out to Oklahoma State Department of Education spokesperson Dan Isett for comment and received the following statement: Tupper found the rule to be valid and enforceable. There will be a hearing on this issue in short order. Dan Isett, OSDE spokesperson Payton said hes worried about how fair that hearing could be, given the litigation and State Superintendent Ryan Walters already making his stance clear in an October 2023 meeting where the vote took place, saying that the board was not going to play a transgender game of back and forth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has definitely stated his personal bias, and that bias will have an impact on our hearing before the State Board of Education, said Payton. Payton says his client still welcomes the hearing opportunity, but they plan on appealing Tuppers decision on the emergency rule. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. PLATSBURGH Mark Henry will once again lead the Clinton County Legislature as chairman for 2025. I am honored to once again be selected as chairman by my colleagues. It is very gratifying, Henry (R-Area 3, Chazy) said. Weve have a good group of people and we have a lot of good things going forward. Henry was named chairman for his sixth year at the helm at Thursday nights organizational meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All other leadership positions remained the same. Bobby Hall (D-Area 10, City of Plattsburgh) was re-named as deputy chairperson, Robert Timmons (R-Area 7, Peru) was re-named as Republican leader and Patty Waldron (D-Area 6, Saranac) was re-named as Democratic Leader. Henry said the top priority for the county will once again be working to ensure a strong economy for the region. The biggest priority is always the economy and economic development for the area because no matter what you do, you have to have a good strong economy because thats how you create jobs and bring in development and visitors, Henry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CCC MOVE Other priorities will be the transfer of Clinton Community College to the campus of SUNY Plattsburgh next September. The college opted to move to SUNY Plattsburgh last year after struggling to keep enrollment up in recent years. The county will decide what to do with the property of the CCC campus on Bluff Point overlooking Lake Champlain in the Town of Plattsburgh. A consulting firm has been hired to analyze the property and offer recommendations to the county, which will then hold public hearings before deciding what the future for the land will be. Getting the college moved and developing that property will be a big priority for the county as well and we will pay close attention to that, Henry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And there are other projects we will be focusing on as well. Continuing to recruit businesses to the countys Business Innovative Gateway property at the former Clinton County Airport site and aiding the growing aerospace industry at Plattsburgh International Airport will also be top priorities, Henry said. FILLING AREA 8 SEAT The legislature will also move to fill the Area 8 seat that became vacant when Wendell Hughes was elected as mayor of the City of Plattsburgh last November. There is one year left on Hughess term and Henry said the legislature is looking to fill that seat with former Town of Plattsburgh council member Paul Lamoy for the remainder of this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An election will be held for a full term for the seat in November. Henry said Lamoy agreed to fill the seat this year and not seek election in November. We will vote on that at our next meeting, Henry said. Deputy Chairman Hall said there is value in consistent leadership. It is a privilege to continue serving as Deputy Chair. My focus remains on delivering effective governance and addressing the needs of the countys residents. Timmons said the county is well-positioned for continued success. Our efforts will be directed toward advancing priorities that enhance quality of life and ensure a strong future for our community, Timmons said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Waldron said supporting the growth and success of Clinton Countys residents and businesses is at the heart of her work. I look forward to advancing initiatives that drive economic opportunity and improve daily life for all who live here, she said. County Administrator Michael Zurlo, who also serves as budget officer, said the state of the county is strong. We are moving forward and looking ahead to a very successful 2025, Zurlo said. DENVER (KDVR) A grocery store owner on Colfax is fed up with recurring thefts from his shop, including a repeat offender hes looking to identify through images from his security camera. Kansas City Chiefs airborne after flight to Denver was delayed Pete Marczyk opened the first Marczyk Fine Foods in 2002, now with two locations here in Denver. At his location on East Colfax, Marczyk said shoplifting is on the rise and his store isnt the only one on the block thats been hit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its kind of like mice in a house, said Marczyk. If you see one, you know you have more. He said the amount of shoplifters in his store has increased ever since the pandemic. Imagine somebody walked up to you, you know, twice a week and pulled 200 bucks out of your pocket, said Marczyk. How would you feel? Youd be pretty frustrated. In the blocks surrounding Marczyk Fine Foods, Denver Polices crime map shows four larcenies reported just since September. Marczyk said they have been dealing with a repeat offender, who made off just as he arrived at the store one day. I saw a baguette in the middle of Colfax. I walked into the store like guys what happened? Oh, we had a runner, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marczyk said that person had also stolen from Moss Pink on the other side of the block and she even attempted to use a stolen check somewhere else. When the shopkeeper called the number on the check, it was a woman that had just had her purse stolen out of her car nearby, said Marczyk. Shoplifters are taking high-priced items, like meat, that can easily be concealed in a bag or basket. A hit to his store that he said has really hurt. We are low, single-digit percentage profit and so, you know, if somebody steals $200 or $300, you dont have to be Einstein to figure out how many T-bones you have to sell to make up your 3% profit on that, said Marczyk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Broncos vs. Chiefs: First 50k fans at Empower Field to get prizes for Fan Appreciation Day Hes reported the crimes to Denver Police and hopes the public may be able to help identify at least the one person theyve caught on camera. Its very costly to us, and thats the issue here, its the cost, said Marczyk. The person theyre looking for is often wearing a medical mask which has made them difficult to identify. He asks that you contact Denver Police if you have any information on who the person might be. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. WASHINGTON, N.C. (WNCT) The Bunyan Fire Department announced one of its own, Ethan Crawford, died Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, after injuries sustained in a vehicle crash Dec. 21st. Members of the Washington Police Department posted the following statement on Facebook: The men and women of the Washington Police Department wish to extend our condolences to the Bunyan Fire Department and the family of Firefighter Ethan Crawford. On the day of this incident, this young man gave up his Saturday morning to assist Washington Public Safety. His service to the community at such a young age will not be forgotten. Members of the Bunyan Fire Department also posted a statement reading: It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of Firefighter Ethan Crawford, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a traffic collision on December 21. Ethan passed away peacefully at 5am this morning at ECU Medical Center. Please join us in keeping his family in your thoughts and prayers. Rest easy brother well take it from here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT. LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) In London on Saturday afternoon, people demanded answers and transparency from law enforcement after the death of Douglas Harless, who was killed by police at his home in Lily. Ive always been a big supporter of the blue, but we need, as my sign says, we need transparency, said Kay Hensley, who is an attorney in London who attended the march. RELATED: Court documents said officers were executing a search warrant for a stolen weed eater and heater on the night Harless died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities say 49-year-old Hobert Buttery, who appeared in court on Thursday, admitted to stealing those items from a home that belonged to Laurel County Judge-Executive David Westerfeld. Buttery said he stored the stolen weed eater at a home on Vanzant Road. Dispatch audio indicates officers were supposed to go to 489 Vanzant Road but reportedly went to 511 Vanzant Road instead. Thats where Harless lived. Amid the ongoing investigation, family and community members say they have been left in the dark, wondering if the police were at the right house and if they used excessive force. The biggest question Ive got is, Why didnt somebody say, Slow down. Slow down here, people. I mean, every policeman there shouldve been trained to say, Are we at the right place? Or Why are we showing so much force?' said Mark Meier, who was at the march. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Dec. 26 press release from the London Police Department stated that Harless pointed a gun at officers, which resulted in him being shot. Now, dozens of protesters, many who didnt even know Harless, are pushing for accountability. There needs to be justice. There needs to be blame put on the police department and on the officer who shot him. They need to be brought to justice, said Chelsea Letsche, a friend of Harless. We need full and complete disclosure not sweeping things under the rug, not hiding anything. We need to know, Hensley added. Those who did know Harless, like Letsche, said he was a ray of light that this world would be a little darker without. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news Getting emotional about the loss of her friend and former work colleague, Letsche said, You lose somebody that would just give you his last penny and he would go months without money. Hes just a great man, and its something that were all gonna lose. As the push for answers continues, another protest is set to happen at 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 25. Protesters will meet in the parking lot of the Big Lots in London. Protesters are encouraged to remain peaceful and wear black. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. JOHNSTOWN, Pa. Twenty-one nonprofits that support local arts received a financial boost to start the year from the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies. On Friday, CFA announced the dispersement of $105,000 in funding from its Creative Sector Flex Fund. Each organization will get $5,000. The recipients are: Cambria County: Gallery on Gazebo, Johnstown Concert Ballet, Johnstown Concert Series Fund, The Learning Lamp, Venue of Merging Arts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Somerset County: Confluence Creative Arts Center, Guild of American Papercutters, Historical and Genealogical Society of Somerset County Inc. Bedford County: Bedford County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Bedford County Players Inc., Bedford Heritage Trust, Downtown Bedford Inc. Westmoreland County: River Art Works, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Westmoreland Performing Arts, You Are Here Inc. Blair County: Allegheny Ukulele Kollective, Altoona Renaissance Team, Inc. DBA ArtsAltoona, Blair Concert Chorale, Railroaders Heritage Corp. Fayette County: Main Street Theatre Company. We are grateful, of course, to the Community Foundation for supporting the nonprofits in town and recognizing the importance of their role in the community, Rosemary Pawlowski, Gallery on Gazebo development chairwoman, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizations will use the money for different purposes, such as programming, administration and project needs. The money (for Gallery on Gazebo) is intended to pay for an AmeriCorps part-time member, Pawlowski said. Its just not the amount of the money, which to any nonprofit any amount of money is significant, but the fact is its for someone whos going to become staff, whos going to become a leader. It recognizes an organization that I think is very underrated, the AmeriCorps organization. Community Foundation for the Alleghenies awarded the money in its role as the Region 12 Partner in the Arts for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We greatly value our partnership with the PCA, as it allows us to concentrate on the arts and creative organizations within our region, CFA Program Officer Emily Wood said. These nonprofits contribute significantly to our communities, and we are pleased to have this funding source to aid their efforts. Motorists heading into some of Manhattans busiest neighborhoods have begun shelling out a first-in-the-nation $9 congestion toll a controversial levy critics contend will drive people out of Gotham and devastate the local economy. The scheme officially took effect at midnight on Sunday, meaning drivers entering the city below 60th Street will now have to pay $9 during peak hours 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends and $2.25 for off-peak hours. During peak hours, large trucks will pay $21.60, small trucks $14.40 and motorcycles $4.50. Motorists heading into Lower and Midtown Manhattan are now forced to shell out a first-in-the-nation $9 congestion toll. Christopher Sadowski One of the first motorists to pay the toll, a man who declined to give his name, seem resigned to pay the price. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres nothing we can do. They already decided, theres nothing we can do, he said, after going through a toll reader near the Lincoln Tunnel. Another driver, when informed he had just missed the last chance to enter Manhattan congestion-toll-free declared: Right now ?! Ahhhh. Earlier on Saturday drivers ripped the plan and trashed Gov. Kathy Hochul, hours before the scheme went into effect. We pay a lot of money to live in this formerly wonderful city, that has taken some hits recently, and I think its terrible to be charging people that pay taxes who live here extra money when they cross 61st St, saidSamantha Popper, a 44-year-old stay-at-home-mom who lives nearby. The New York Post Front Cover on Jan. 5, 2025. Its infuriating that in just another day well be charged a hefty toll just to cross 61st, which is just in my neighborhood, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her message to Gov. Kathy Hochul: work a lot harder to keep New Yorkers here and dont try to run them out of the city by up-charging them. Brian Anderson, a 42-year-old information technology specialist, said he lived in the city for over a decade but moved to New Jersey five years ago after being clocked in the face and knocked unconscious while reading a book on the subway. Drivers entering the city below 60th Street will now have pay $9 during peak hours. William Miller He said he moved specifically to avoid using mass transit but now realizes that might no longer be an option financially. Ill probably will be taking NJ Transit more often, and thats no fun, he said. Otherwise, its gonna cost me $30 to $40 just to get to the other side of the Hudson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lyft driver Jose Siera ripped the scheme as a money grab. The tolls are going up also, bridges, theyre raising the prices also. Its gonna suck, he said. The congestion pricing plan officially took effect at midnight on Sunday. William Miller Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Uber driver Luigi said the whole thing is a scam People are not going to be driving their vehicles into the city, he said. The taxi drivers, the Uber drivers, we are gonna put this cost on them so you are punishing them. Not everyone opposed paying the price. An Uber driver named Hussain, who was one of the first motorists to pay the toll near the Lincoln Tunnel after midnight, told The Post: I drive an Uber, and I think it will be good for us so we have less traffic. Hochul and the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority raced against the clock to impose the toll before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. He has ripped congestion pricing as the most regressive tax known to womankind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump joins the 51% of New Yorkers opposed to the controversial tax, while 29% support it, and another 20% are unsure, according to a Siena College poll earlier this month. Drivers are seen at the exit of the Lincoln Tunnel on Jan 5, 2025 the first day of Congestion pricing for cars coming into Manhattan. William Miller This cash grab will only hurt commuters wallets and our local economy, and Im already hearing from tons of people who say theyll never go to Manhattan again, which will certainly have an impact on restaurants, the theater and small business, said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn). The MTA claims the tolls are necessary to reduce pollution caused by gridlock and to raise $15 billion for mass transit upgrades, such as extending the Second Avenue subway, signal improvements and buying hundreds of new electric buses. The agency is providing a $3 credit for passenger cars with EZPass that enter the toll zone through the Lincoln, Queens-Midtown, Hugh L. Carey or Holland tunnels during peak hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drivers earning less than $50,000 can apply for a 50% discount for all trips after the first 10 in a calendar month. The architects hope the plan will push more drivers to use public transit but the rollout comes after 10 people were murdered in the subway system last year. Opponents such as Susan Lee urged the MTA to first modernize the system and make it safer. The agency is providing a $3 credit for passenger cars with EZPass that enter the toll zone through the Lincoln, Queens-Midtown, Hugh L. Carey or Holland tunnels during peak hours. William Miller I try to only go on the subway during rush hour because its not safe, said Lee, a Chinatown activist and president of New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax. The $9 entry fee would devastate Chinatown and other toll-zone neighborhoods such as Little Italy and the Lower East Side by driving up delivery costs and making travel too expensive for customers, she warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the scheme has been met with fierce opposition by working-class commuters including teachers and cops, firefighters and other first responders who say they will unfairly have to bear the financial cost of the added tolls. Neighborhoods closest to the 60th Street tolling zone are expected to be upended with nightmarish gridlock. Theres at least 10 pending lawsuits opposing congestion tolling, but experts have said itll be more difficult to put the brakes on it once its up and running. A federal judge on Friday shot down New Jerseys emergency request to stop the new tolling program, and an appellate panel upheld the rejection Saturday. The congestion tolls began slamming drivers the same day the Port Authority also raised prices for its bridges and tunnels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For most vehicles, the new PA tolls will go up from $15.38 to $16.06 during peak hours, and $18.31 without E-ZPass. Including congestion tolls, drivers traveling into Manhattan from New Jersey through the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels will ultimately have to shell out $22.06 during peak hours and $31.81 if they dont have E-ZPass. Hochul abruptly paused the program before it was set to launch in June with a $15 toll following outcry from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and other pols who said it could doom Democratic candidates in suburban House seats. MTA CEO Janno Lieber unveils the congestion relief zone signs on Jan. 4, 2025. MTA Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She waited until after Novembers general election before caving into the demands of car-hating environmental groups and other extremists before pushing her reduced $9 tolling scheme, which is scheduled to jump to $12 for most vehicles in 2028 and $15 in 2031. The tolls are the first of their kind in the US, but London and some other cities around the world have rolled out similar programs. Additional reporting by Khristina Narizhnaya and Marie Pohl. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) More than 170 inmates on death row were flown from Congos capital to a high-security prison in the north where they will be executed, Congolese authorities said. Seventy of the convicts were transported on Sunday, Congolese Minister of Justice Constant Mutamba said, adding to 102 other prisoners who have already been sent to Angenga prison in the northern Mongala province. The men have been convicted of armed robbery and are locally known as Kulunas or urban bandits. They're aged between 18 and 35, Mutamba said in a statement. He did not say when the executions would take place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some have welcomed the measure as a means of restoring order and security in the cities, while others are concerned about the risks of abuse and human rights violations. We welcome this decision by the minister because it will help put an end to urban crime. From 8 p.m. onwards, you cant move around freely because youre afraid of running into a Kuluna, said Fiston Kakule, a resident of the eastern city of Goma. Espoir Muhinuka, a human rights activist, warned of the possibility of extrajudicial executions and called for a strict respect for judicial procedures and fundamental guarantees. He fears that political pressure could lead to unjust convictions and arbitrary executions. The situation in the DRC is complex and requires a multidimensional approach. The fight against urban gangs must go hand in hand with efforts to combat poverty, unemployment and social exclusion, which are often contributing factors to crime, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congo abolished the death sentence in 1981, but it was reinstated in 2006. The last execution took place in 2003. In March 2024, the Congolese government announced the resumption of capital punishment in cases of treason by military personnel.In May, eight soldiers were sentenced to death, and in July, 25 soldiers were convicted of similar offences. None is known to have been executed. HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) Teams from across Connecticut and New York gathered at Quinnipiac University Saturday for the first VEX I-Q Robotics Competition of 2025. Homemade machines competed in different events from driver control to coding with limited human interaction. These young people are working cooperatively so, yes, they can score points, said Quinnipiac Assistant Dean, John Bau. But when one team helps another team, they each make additional points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event is hosted by the Connecticut Stem Academy of Wallingford and Quinnipiacs School of Computing and engineering. Their goal is to support thousands of students in STEM from kindergarten through high school. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. ORLANDO, Fla. An armed man previously convicted of murder and shot by Orlando police Friday outside an Orange County gas station has died, according to a news release from the Orlando Police Department. The agency identified the man Saturday afternoon as Marvin Martin, 63, in an emailed news release. The release said he died of unknown complications. Right after the shooting he was taken to a hospital and reported in stable condition. Orlando police officers and Orange County Sheriffs Office deputies responded to the BP gas station in the 400 block of South John Young Parkway after reports around 2:20 p.m. of a man with a gun, OPD Chief Eric Smith said during a Friday afternoon news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith said during the news conference that officers confronted the man on the sidewalk outside the gas station and he refused verbal commands to drop the gun after which an OPD officer shot him. He faced charges including resisting without violence, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and unlawful exhibition of a firearm. He described the incident as a scary situation. Theres a lot of people at the busy business of BP, so you got to make a judgment call, you got to act, you give the multiple commands to drop the gun, Smith said. People are at risk. You have to take action. Smith did not release the suspects name right after the incident but did say the man, now identified as Martin, served 20 years in prison for second-degree murder and was released in 2023. He said the officer who shot him was not injured and will be placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into the shooting by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement standard practice in a police shooting. Martins motives were unknown but the chief said hed been seen walking along and near South John Young Parkway brandishing the gun. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) A storm system passing over to our north brought high winds and blowing dust across the state today. Even warmer temperatures moved in with the winds as well, with record-high temperatures broken across many locations across the state. A cold front will move in from the northwest tonight, beginning a cooling trend that will continue through next week. Breezy, but lighter winds and cooler temperatures will be in place for Sunday. Some light snow will also be possible early Sunday morning in far northeastern New Mexico. Forecast Continues Below Next weeks weather gets a lot more interesting. Monday and Tuesday will be a quiet, but cooler day across New Mexico. A winter storm will begin moving in by late Tuesday afternoon, moving from north to south across the state. A gusty east canyon wind will develop in the Albuquerque Metro Tuesday evening as well. Temperatures get even colder on Wednesday as snow levels drop to valley floors, with almost all of New Mexico seeing high temperatures in the 30s. Light snow is also expected to fall all the way down into southern New Mexico and the Mexican border on Wednesday morning. Snowfall totals from this first round will be light to moderate, with the heaviest totals in the northern mountains and east-central New Mexico where 1 to 4 will be possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uncertainty lies with this storm system Wednesday evening through Friday morning. Right now, it looks like more snow is likely across the southern half of the state, especially on Thursday, where a dusting to a couple of inches of snow will be likely south of I-40. Travel impacts dont look to be widespread, but a few icy spots will be possible across New Mexico, with the slickest travel across the higher elevations. This storm will move out by Friday night, but cooler temperatures stick around. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. COOSA COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) A Goodwater man was killed in a pickup truck crash early Sunday morning, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Brian Combest, 28, was fatally injured when the Chevrolet Silverado he was driving hit several trees. The wreck happened around 2:19 a.m. on Coosa County 70 near Coosa County 41. Stormy ending to weekend, turning sharply colder Combest, who reportedly was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. Troopers with the ALEAs Highway Patrol Division are investigating the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. NYPD cops on Sunday nabbed a homeless man wanted for wounding an off-duty MTA subway cleaner and a second man in a pair of stabbing less than 24 hours apart in the subway system . Jamar Banks, 52, was busted two days after police identified him as a suspect in the two stabbings and asked the publics help tracking him down. He has more than 80 prior arrests on his record, a law enforcement source said. Banks was wanted for knifing a 31-year-old man aboard an uptown No. 2 train at the 14th St. subway station in the West Village about 9:40 a.m. Wednesday. The victim told cops his attacker walked up to him and started an argument, then pulled a knife and stabbed him in the back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medics took the victim to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. About 6:10 a.m. the next day, Banks allegedly attacked an off-duty station cleaner at the Pelham Parkway subway station, cops said. Just as before, Banks picked a fight with the 47-year-old transit worker, then stabbed him in the back and armpit. Medics took the worker to Jacobi Medical Center in stable condition and Banks ran off. Banks, whose address is listed as a homeless shelter on Blake Ave. in East New York, faces assault and weapon possession charges. His arraignment was pending in Manhattan Criminal Court. MTA CEO Janno Lieber told reporters Sunday that felony crime in transit was down 12% in 2024 compared to 2019. But high-profile crimes that are alarming New Yorkers are real, he added. We catch all of these maniacs. We need the criminal justice system to put them away. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president to make a state visit to sub-Saharan Africa. He once called helping with Zimbabwes transition from white rule to independence our greatest single success. And when he died at 100, his foundations work in rural Africa had nearly fulfilled his quest to eliminate a disease that afflicted millions, for the first time since the eradication of smallpox. The African continent, a booming region with a population rivaling Chinas that is set to double by 2050, is where Carter's legacy remains most evident. Until his presidency, U.S. leaders had shown little interest in Africa, even as independence movements swept the region in the 1960s and '70s. I think the day of the so-called ugly American is over, Carter said during his warm 1978 reception in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. He said the official state visit swept aside past aloofness by the United States, and he joked that he and Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo would go into peanut farming together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cold War tensions drew Carter's attention to the continent as the U.S. and Soviet Union competed for influence. But Carter also drew on the missionary traditions of his Baptist faith and the racial injustice he witnessed in his homeland in the U.S. South. For too long our country ignored Africa, Carter told the Democratic National Committee in his first year as president. African leaders soon received invitations to the White House, intrigued by the abrupt interest from the worlds most powerful nation and what it could mean for them. There is an air of freshness which is invigorating," visiting Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carter observed after his first Africa trip, There is a common theme that runs through the advice to me of leaders of African nations: We want to manage our own affairs. We want to be friends with both of the great superpowers and also with the nations of Europe. We dont want to choose up sides. The theme echoes today as China also jostles with Russia and the U.S. for influence, and access to Africa's raw materials. But neither superpower has had an emissary like Carter, who made human rights central to U.S. foreign policy and made 43 more trips to the continent after his presidency, promoting Carter Center projects that sought to empower Africans to determine their own futures. As president, Carter focused on civil and political rights. He later broadened his efforts to include social and economic rights as the key to public health. They are the rights of the human by virtue of their humanity. And Carter is the single person in the world that has done the most for advancing this idea, said Abdullahi Ahmed An-Naim, a Sudanese legal scholar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even as a candidate, Carter mused about what he might accomplish, telling Playboy magazine, it might be that now I should drop my campaign for president and start a crusade for black-majority rule in South Africa or Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). It might be that later on, well discover there were opportunities in our lives to do wonderful things and we didnt take advantage of them. Carter welcomed Zimbabwes independence just four years later, hosting new Prime Minister Robert Mugabe at the White House and quoting the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Carter told me that he spent more time on Rhodesia than he did on the entire Middle East. And when you go into the archives and look at the administration, there is indeed more on southern Africa than the Middle East, historian and author Nancy Mitchell said. Relations with Mugabes government soon soured amid deadly repression, and by 1986 Carter led a walkout of diplomats in the capital. In 2008, Carter was barred from Zimbabwe, a first in his travels. He called the country a basket case, an embarrassment to the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whatever the Zimbabwean leadership may think of him now, Zimbabweans, at least those who were around in the 1970s and 80s, will always regard him as an icon and a tenacious promoter of democracy, said Eldred Masunungure, a Harare-based political analyst. Carter also criticized South Africas government for its treatment of Black citizens under apartheid, at a time when South Africa was trying to ingratiate itself with influential economies around the world, current President Cyril Ramaphosa said on X after Carters death. The think tank Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter founded in 1982 played a key role in monitoring African elections and brokering cease-fires between warring forces, but fighting disease was the third pillar of The Carter Center's work. The first time I came here to Cape Town, I almost got in a fight with the president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, because he was refusing to let AIDS be treated, Carter told a local newspaper. Thats the closest Ive come to getting into a fist fight with a head of state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carter often said he was determined to outlive the last guinea worm infecting the human race. Once affecting millions of people, the parasitic disease has nearly been eliminated, with just 14 cases documented in 2023 in a handful of African countries. Carter's quest included arranging a four-month guinea worm cease-fire in Sudan in 1995 so that The Carter Center could reach almost 2,000 endemic villages. He taught us a lot about having faith, said Makoy Samuel Yibi, who leads the guinea worm eradication program for South Sudan's health ministry and grew up with people who believed the disease was simply their fate. Even the poor people call these people poor, you see. To have the leader of the free world pay attention and try to uplift them is a touching virtue. Such dedication impressed health officials in Africa over the years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Carter worked for all humankind irrespective of race, religion, or status, Ethiopias former health minister, Lia Tadesse, said in a statement shared with the AP. Ethiopia, the continents second most populous country with over 110 million people, had zero guinea worm cases in 2023. ___ Associated Press reporters Farai Mutsaka in Harare, Zimbabwe, and Michael Warren in Atlanta contributed. A district court in Jerusalem has postponed further hearings of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his corruption case by two weeks after his defence team applied for a suspension due to his recent surgery, Israeli army radio reported on Sunday. This means Netanyahu will not have to appear before the court before January 20, it said. The Israeli prime minister is facing charges of fraud, embezzlement and bribery, with prosecutors accusing him of having granted privileges to telecom giant Bezeq when he was communications minister, among other things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is also accused of having accepted luxury gifts from billionaire friends. At an initial hearing on December 10, he dismissed the allegations as "absurd." According to the court's schedule, he is to testify as a witness on his own behalf up to three times a week in the complex criminal proceedings. Netanyahu underwent prostate surgery on December 29 and was discharged from hospital on Thursday. The public prosecutor had agreed to the postponement of his hearings on condition that Netanyahu remain under home care and not engage in any political activities during this time. However, Netanyahu had already left the hospital briefly on Tuesday to take part in the budget vote in parliament. Without his vote, the right-wing government camp he leads would not have been able to approve the state budget. The prime minister also summoned several members of the government for a security meeting on Sunday afternoon. PORTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) After deputies in Van Buren County responded to the scene of a crashed vehicle but found no driver, they followed a set of footprints in the snow and eventually discovered the driver lying on the ground near a swamp with obvious signs of hypothermia, according to the sheriffs office. Friday night, deputies were sent to the 74000 block of 22nd Street, near West U Avenue, in Porter Township. There, they found a vehicle that had crashed into a tree but no one was inside. The vehicle was cold and collecting snow, according to a release from the Van Buren County Sheriffs Office. Then, a person who lived in the area called and told authorities that a man had come to their home, saying that he had car trouble and was cold, according to the release. The man left on foot, trying to get to a friends house, before deputies arrived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies say when they checked the area, they found footprints in the snow that led off the road. They followed the footprints through a field and a wooded area, then to the edge of a swamp. Thats where they found a 64-year-old Lawton man lying on the ground and unresponsive, with wet clothes that were starting to freeze, according to the sheriffs office. When deputies made physical contact with the man, he started to respond and told deputies that he couldnt feel his legs, according to the release. The man explained that he had crashed at least two hours ago and then had gotten lost while walking, according to the sheriffs office. The man told deputies that eventually, he became very tired and laid down in the place where he was later found. Deputies reported that the Lawton man was very disoriented and showing obvious signs of hypothermia. They brought him back to the road and helped him get medical attention, according to the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The weather at the time was around 20 degrees with occasional heavy snow and high winds, the release says. If the Deputies had not located the footprints and followed them it is likely that the subject would have succumbed to hypothermia in the edge of the swamp. Deputies encouraged community members to keep emergency supplies, like food, water, a blanket and a light, in their cars. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Fire crews are battling a fire at a strip mall in Onset in the town of Wareham. According to the Wareham Fire Department, crews said they are assisting with a structure fire on Cranberry Highway in Onset. Cranberry Highway between Red Brook Road and Main Avenue is closed. The building is home to a Rent-A-Center, a hobby shop, and a Not Your Average Antiques shop. The antique shop posted on Facebook saying the hobby shop was where the fire started. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would like to let everyone know that we are all safe. My store is on fire. The hobby shop upstairs is where it originated. My business is gone! What a nightmare, the Facebook post said. Boston 25 has reached out to Onset and Wareham Fire for more information. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW President of Czechia Petr Pavel has approved 40 applications to participate in combat operations in Ukraine in 2024, twice as many as the previous year. Source: iROZHLAS, a Czech media outlet, citing Filip Platos, spokesperson for the Office of the Czech President, as reported by European Pravda Details: In total, 109 Czech citizens requested authorisation to fight on Ukraine's side in 2024, with the president granting every third application. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most prevalent causes for refusals were negative recommendations from Czechia's Ministries of Defence, Interior, and Foreign Affairs. Platos said that this year's applications included three women, who all obtained authorisation from President Pavel. Quote: "As of now President Petr Pavel has received applications for service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 181 citizens of the Czech Republic. In total, he approved 60 applications, having received positive recommendations from all three ministries." More details: It is unclear how many Czechs, with or without permission, eventually travel to fight in Ukraine. Anyone who joins the Ukrainian Armed Forces or any other force outside NATO without official authorisation faces prosecution in Czechia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to official reports, four Czech volunteers fighting for Ukraine were killed in action. Among them was Karel Kucera, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Heroism by President Petr Pavel on Czech Independence Day. Kucera travelled to Ukraine without official permission after his request was denied by then-President Milos Zeman. Support UP or become our patron! Daniel Rottier, president of the well-known Wisconsin law firm Habush Habush & Rottier, died Friday at age 73, according to a statement released by the firm. Daniel Rottier, president of Habush Habush & Rottier, died on Jan. 3. Rottier had served at the personal injury law firm since 1979, handling complex medical malpractice and product liability cases. According to the statement, Rottier resolved more than 90 cases for more than $1 million. He took on Big Tobacco, litigating the largest lawsuit ever prosecuted in the state of Wisconsin. His win resulted in a master settlement totaling more than $5 billion. As we mourn his abrupt loss, we remember the intelligence, tenacity and conviction Dan brought to the craft of personal injury litigation, Timothy Trecek, Habush Habush & Rottier vice president and chief operations officer, said in the statement. His legacy as one of the nations best trial lawyers will live on through the clients for whom he fought so tirelessly, and through the success of the hundreds of lawyers he mentored and developed through his nearly five-decade legal career. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among his many accolades listed, Rottier was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, served as President of the Wisconsin Association for Justice, and was the first attorney to receive Trial Lawyer of the Year twice by the Wisconsin Association for Justice. Dan was an incredibly tenacious, industry-changing trial lawyer whose impact will be felt for generations thanks to the role he played in making everyday products safer for all of us, Robert Habush, former president of Habush Habush & Rottier said. Dan dedicated his life to trial law and to fighting for his clients. The entire legal community has suffered a great loss with his passing. He is survived by his wife, Frankie, and their four children. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Daniel Rottier, president of Habush Habush & Rottier, dies at 73 Mexican airline Aeromexico had the worlds best record for on-time arrivals in 2024, according to an annual ranking released Thursday. Delta Air Lines scored the highest among U.S. carriers despite a computer outage that caused thousands of flight cancellations in July. Aviation-data provider Cirium said in a report that nearly 87% of Aeromexico flights arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival, a widely used measure of on-time performance among airlines. Saudia, the flagship carrier of Saudi Arabia, ranked second worldwide, with an on-time performance rate of just over 86%, according to Cirium. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cirium has rated airlines for timeliness for 16 years. CEO Jeremy Bowen said 2024 was a difficult year for airlines due to severe weather patterns and the summer technology outage. The winning airlines therefore deserved credit for getting most passengers to their destinations on time, Bowen said. Atlanta-based Delta achieved an on-time rate of more than 83%, good enough to rank third worldwide. The next-best U.S. carriers were United Airlines, at nearly 81%, and Alaska Airlines, at just over 79%, Cirium said. Canadas WestJet, Air Canada and Denver-based budget airline Frontier finished at the bottom of the pack among U.S. and Canadian carriers, with on-time ratings below 72%. Other regional winners around the globe, according to Cirium, were Japan Airlines, low-cost Spanish carrier Iberia Express, Panamas Copa Airlines, and South African low-cost carrier FlySafair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cirium said the best airport for on-time departures in 2024 was King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Nearly 87% of flights from there took off within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, Cirium said. Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru, and Mexico Citys Benito Juarez International Airport had the next-best departure records at over 84%. Delta took the top spot among U.S. airlines despite disruptions in July from an outage that followed a faulty upgrade that cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike sent to Microsoft computers around the world. Delta sued CrowdStrike, claiming the outage cost the airline $500 million. CrowdStrike has defended itself partly by arguing that other airlines recovered much more quickly from the outage. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Jan. 5Sometimes they want you home at a certain hour or tell you not to leave the house at all. Other times they order you to stay out of certain areas of town or away from specific people. But it's up to you to listen. And, for those who don't want to listen, it's no secret that you can cut through them with a blade or simply let the battery die. And, sooner or later, you could expect authorities to come knocking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But only 6%, or 268, of the 4,782 people placed on an ankle monitor pending trial statewide had an arrest warrant issued for not following the rules in 2023 and 2024, according to available data from New Mexico's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). The AOC data which captures cases of those ordered to wear GPS monitors while on pretrial release is from after-hours monitoring and does not cover possible noncompliance violations that happen between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The other seven hours of the day are monitored by pretrial program staff employed within individual courthouses. The AOC said a full accounting of violations is unavailable due to court-based programs not being fully operational and the data being unreliable. However, the available data, which has only been recently compiled by AOC, does paint a picture of what's occurring in a few years' time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fiscal year 2023 and 2024, 148 people on an ankle monitor let the battery die, 73 cut off the device, 19 missed curfew, 19 went somewhere they shouldn't have and nine broke house arrest, according to the data. And a number of those 6% had the arrest warrant canceled after giving a good explanation for breaking the rules: unintentionally letting the battery die or missing curfew for extenuating circumstances. The other 94% of people on an ankle monitor never even had to explain themselves as they never violated the conditions placed on them, as far as the courts were concerned. "It's not sexy to tell people that this guy showed up to court every time and he went to treatment and he's not tested positive (for drugs) in three months," Marshall Dixon, the AOC's statewide pretrial program manager, told the Journal. "All we hear in the news media is all negative, all failures and bad decisions made by people that potentially made bad decisions in the past." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who have studied the topic, and attorneys representing clients on pretrial release, say the efficacy of GPS monitoring is unproven and can make it harder on defendants, particularly those who live on the streets. Ankle monitors and pretrial release in general have been controversial topics since 2016 when New Mexico voters passed a constitutional amendment that did away with a money-based system for getting out of jail while awaiting trial. While in the minority, the cases of defendants cutting off their ankle monitors dominate headlines and are echoed by lawmakers during legislative sessions to push for policy change. Such was the case in August 2021, when homicide suspect Trey Bausby cut off his GPS monitor and was on the run for 24 hours before authorities were notified, catching the ire of the Albuquerque police chief and the Bernalillo County district attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, ankle monitors were only monitored by pretrial services during business hours, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and not on weekends or holidays. A month after the incident with Bausby who was eventually offered a plea deal by prosecutors and given a one-year prison sentence the AOC announced it would start 24/7 GPS monitoring. And with that, the AOC Electric Monitoring and Supervision Unit was born. Not 'black and white' As pretrial services staff at 2nd Judicial District Court get ready to clock out, AOC employees are starting their shift down the street in the U.S. Bank building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The staff sit at computer screens with maps of the county as GPS monitors track defendants with arrows showing the direction they are headed and circles for the areas they are not allowed to be in. When an alert is received, one staff member determines if it is worth further investigation. In case of a cut unit, dead battery or entering an exclusion zone, it's all hands on deck: Staff members try to reach the defendant and, if needed, the victim in the case. "We're always trying to figure out what exactly we have because sometimes the alerts aren't as clear as you would like them to be. A lot of this isn't black and white," Dixon said. Alerts can turn dire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a case a few months ago, Dixon said, a defendant was tracked to the backyard of their alleged victim and AOC staff called law enforcement, which arrested him for the violation before the situation could escalate. If AOC staff cannot reach the defendant to get to the bottom of an alert, which staff try to do through several means, an arrest warrant is issued for violating the conditions of their release. Some violations are innocuous and explained away when the defendant meets with pretrial staff like when a puppy chewed the charging cord to a defendant's ankle monitor. In the latter case, Dixon said, the defendant brought in the cord and charging station with clear puppy teeth markings throughout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The monitoring isn't perfect or foolproof. Dixon said sometimes a vehicle roof can block the signal from the ankle monitor or a nearby mirror can deflect it to show it pinging in a separate location. "Technology is not perfect 100% of the time," he said. Cages without bars At least one study found ankle monitors can do more harm than good, particularly for minorities and those living on the streets. Using data from Bernalillo County and eight other jurisdictions nationwide, "Cages Without Bars," a 2022 report published by the Shriver Center for Poverty Law, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and MediaJustice, found there is too little data to say if GPS is "an effective tool" in keeping a defendant out of trouble while making sure they comply with court requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In fact, our research suggests that pretrial defendants on electronic monitors are often at risk of greater involvement in the criminal legal system," according to the report, which found GPS monitoring offers "no real avenue of progress" for defendants or the justice system while stigmatizing the former. The study also found that the units, which have to be charged for multiple hours a day, required that defendants have "stable housing and reliable electricity," and restrictions can prevent necessary tasks, like getting prescriptions or medical treatment. The study made several recommendations, including using GPS monitoring "sparingly," not charging defendants a fee, prioritizing data safety and privacy, collecting data to determine effectiveness and setting "clear criteria that incorporate due process to determine who is placed on (electronic monitoring), for how long, and under what conditions." In some cases, a defendant can be wearing one for several months to years due to delays in the justice system. An Albuquerque acupuncturist accused of sexual assault wore an ankle monitor for four years before being found not guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During that time, the device was taken off the man's ankle once for a brief adjustment. Gilbert Jaramillo, AOC's senior statewide pretrial program manager, said for most people who see a GPS monitor on someone's ankle "the assumption is: that's a criminal." "They don't know that this person has a court hearing in a couple weeks and, for all we know, their case may be dismissed and they're never convicted of any crime," he said. For those living on the streets, the study found compliance can get complicated. In Bernalillo County, the study notes, pretrial staff had to request a homeless defendant be taken off GPS "because of their unintentional inability to reliably comply with the conditions of the program." Dixon and his crew at the AOC put it bluntly: Burger King does not want you in their restaurant for two hours charging. Managing Attorney Kate Thompson, with the Law Offices of the Public Defender's Metro Division, said clients charged with misdemeanors have to pay around $7 a day for the unit the first hurdle. Defendants on pretrial release in felony cases do not pay for GPS monitoring. "So you're looking at at least a couple hundred bucks a month, which, for indigent defendants, can be, financially, extremely difficult to manage," Thompson said. "You're talking about the choice between paying for the GPS or paying for food. It can be just nearly impossible for them to afford. But also the alternative to that tends to be, it's jail or the GPS device." She said the second hurdle is keeping the device charged, an ongoing problem for LOPD's clients with unstable housing. As for how they handle it, Thompson said she doesn't know and can't imagine. For those living on the streets or couch-surfing, she said, pretrial release is "a cyclical thing where stuff just gets worse and worse," leading to missing court dates, check-ins and hearing notices due to not having a car, phone or mailing address. "It's very frustrating for our clients and defendants to be subject to conditions that feel like a sentence," she said. "When you have really strict pretrial services and you have GPS, it feels like you're on probation already when you haven't even been convicted of anything." DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) A Delaware County sheriffs deputy that was hit by a semi-truck while responding to a crash has been released from the hospital after one month. The sheriffs office said Sunday morning that Deputy Nickolas Golden was released from the hospital and will begin his rehab process. The sheriffs office said he underwent multiple surgeries while in the hospital as he begins the road to recovery. Dep. Goldens bravery, strength, determination, attitude, and faith have been inspiring, said the sheriffs office in a statement. Couples Columbus drive ends with brick through car Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Dec. 5, Dep. Golden was responding to a crash on an Interstate 71 exit ramp in the morning. He and another deputy were standing on the berm by a disabled Toyota when a semi-truck jack-knifed off the west side of the highway and hit Dep. Golden. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition but was awake the following day after being hit. Nick is a fighter, and we know his determination and resilience will play a vital role in his recovery, the family wrote on Dec. 6. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Robert F Kennedy Jr is facing a predictably skeptical reception from senators on Capitol Hill as he pursues a bid to become the next Health secretary for incoming president Donald Trump. His long history of comments and activism against vaccines which he falsely blames for causing autism in children has earned him ideological foes among Democrats and Republicans alike. Now, Kennedy needs to convince some of those moderate Republican senators to vote for his confirmation, even as he faces a barrage of attacks from Democrats. Most of those Republicans are being quiet about their position on his confirmation so far. On Sunday, Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy attacked a conservative activist for calling him deranged in response to some of the criticism RFK jr has faced. Robert F Kennedy Jr, Donald Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, on Capitol Hill (REUTERS) We don't have to treat conspiracy theorists like RFK Jr. with kid gloves. It's simple. He's spent his career fighting school vaccine programs. If they atrophy, kids will get killed, tweeted the senator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: [E]ven if RFK Jr. doesn't legally weaken school vaccine requirements (and he might!), his elevation to HHS Secretary will amplify his conspiracy views. When vaccine rates drop because of RFK Jr.'s conspiracy spreading - kids get killed. As evidence, Murphy pointed to a measles outbreak in Samoa and pinned the blame for the disastrous consequences on Kennedys activism against the measles jab in the island nation in 2018. In 2018 RFK Jr. travelled all the way to Samoa to help local efforts to undermine confidence in children's vaccines. It worked. Measles vaccinations plummeted and a year later 83 were dead and 1800 were hospitalized. Mostly little kids, wrote Murphy. The senator concluded: MAGA wants to shut down dissent by claiming that we are "inciting violence" when we tell the truth about the stakes of Trump's nominees and policies. But the truth is RFK wants to impose policies that will kill our kids. Don't be scared to say what's true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy has previously denied any responsibility for the consequences of the measles outbreak in Samoa, saying: I had nothing to do with people not vaccinating in Samoa. I never told anybody not to vaccinate. I didnt, you know, go there for any reason to do with that. It remains unclear if Kennedy will make it past the Senate; his focus remains on convincing Republicans to support his confirmation. But a report in The Hill indicates that sources close to the offices of two Democratic senators, Bernie Sanders and John Fetterman, believe that the two and possibly others may be open to giving the controversial Trump nominee a hearing. Sanders is a vocal opponent of over-processing practices in the US food industry, which he and many others (including Kennedy) argue is responsible for chronic health issues in America. That view was echoed by a Republican senator, Bill Cassidy, on Sunday. The Louisiana senator, a physician, told Fox News that he was due to meet with Kennedy in the next few days, while stating that he agreed with the Cabinet nominee on processed foods and disagreed with him on vaccinations. I agree with him on some things, and disagree on others, said Cassidy. Food safety I think ultra-processed food is a problem. Vaccinations; hes wrong on. Democrats say one thing is certain: 2025 wont be 2017, when it comes to the start of the Trump administration. Two months after their grueling and disappointing White House loss to President-elect Trump and their failure to win back the House or keep the Senate majority, Democrats acknowledge that lawmakers are going to have to find places to work with Trump during his second term. Democratic strategist Joel Payne said the results have had a chastening effect on the party, forcing it to rethink the way it does business and how it seeks to communicate with voters who have soured on Democratic officeholders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smart Democrats right now are listening and processing and taking in the political environment with an open mind, he said. You are going to see Democrats go to places that are viewed as unfriendly and partner with people who seem unlikely allies in an attempt to better understand where the electorate is, Payne added. The mood and outlook stands in stark contrast, Democrats say, from eight years ago when Trump won a surprise victory in the 2016 presidential contest. After Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons defeat in an election where she won the popular vote, the term resist was coined in opposition to Trump and became a regular part of the Democratic vernacular. In the subsequent years, Democrats sought to consistently oppose the president, refusing to support Republican legislation and launching a string of Trump-related investigations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats also impeached Trump twice. But Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons said he expects members of his party to tone down the rhetoric and antagonism in the first months of Trumps administration. Democrats, Simmons predicted, would be selectively combative in responding to Trumps actions, taking a lesson from the results of the presidential race. I dont think any voters are looking for Democrats to fight Trump at every turn, Simmons said. They want something that yields results that matter. Youre either trying to do something that matters or youre part of the problem. Thats why I think saying no isnt a great strategy, he said, adding that there will be few Democrats who will compliment the president directly but many who will be open to quietly working with Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a New York Times op-ed this week, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) wrote that Democrats should not be the party of no during the second Trump administration. I know my party will be tempted to hold fast against Mr. Trump at every turn: uniting against his bills, blocking his nominees and grinding the machinery of the House and the Senate to a halt, Suozzi wrote. That would be a mistake. While the congressman said hes no dupe saying some of Trumps moves and machinations offer little reassurance that he is ready to embrace the bipartisanship and compromise essential to a functioning democracy he urged those in his party to try something different when it comes to the president-elect. Democrats are still in the thick of conducting election postmortems, largely reaching the conclusion that they cant simply be the anti-Trump party. Voters in the 2024 election wanted palpable solutions on the economy and the border, and they werent satisfied with the Democratic response, party operatives acknowledge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They werent interested in hearing what we had to say, one aide who served on Vice President Harriss presidential campaign said. Thats the bottom line. I think we have to get to a place as a party where were listening to what voters are saying, not just pretending that were listening and coming up with our own theories of the case. Even in the lead-up to Trumps second term, some Democrats have already expressed a willingness to be supportive of the president-elects Cabinet picks and his proposed initiatives. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) told the Detroit Free Press in November that while some in the Democratic Party would oppose Trumps nominees across the board, she said she would vote for some of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others I may not, but I got to see the full file paperwork, she said. And after Trump announced the formation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was among the first to announce his support for the initiative, which will be co-chaired by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Elon Musk is right, Sanders wrote in a post on social platform X. The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. Its lost track of billions. Last year, only 13 senators voted against the Military Industrial Complex and a defense budget full of waste and fraud. That must change, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Democrats acknowledge that they cant give Trump carte blanche. They still believe even if voters have expressed doubt that he is a threat to democracy and that a second Trump term could be dangerous because there wouldnt be so-called guardrails for the president-elect in a second term. Thats part of the problem were wrestling with, one Democratic strategist said. Trump is going to propose some crazy s. Its not like some of these proposals are going to be reasonable. Also, lets not forget that I dont think he wants to work with us, the strategist added. Still, some Democrats acknowledge that they have to change their approach if they want the results to be different in the midterm elections in 2026 and in the next presidential election in 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think Democrats are signaling that if theres some good s happening with Trump, we can rock with that, a second strategist said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. DENVER (KDVR) Active winter weather has returned to Colorado as the Denver weather forecast is going to be much colder and snowier over the coming days. The Pinpoint Weather team is tracking cold temperatures, along with more snow chances by the middle of the week. Weather today: Slick roads, cold Temperatures stay very chilly on Sunday, and well be starting out in the teens before making our way only to the middle to upper 20s. If you plan on going to the Broncos game, make sure to wear layers along with hats and gloves. Meanwhile, areas in the northern mountains will see another couple of inches of snow throughout the day. Steamboat Springs will see an additional 2-5 inches into Monday. Weather tonight: Cloudy with snow Mostly cloudy skies will continue to dominate the area Sunday night into Monday, with lows dropping into the middle teens. There could be an inch or two of snow overnight as well. 2024 was one of Denvers warmest years on record Looking ahead: Extended cold weather Another chance for snow will arrive Tuesday, which may be one of the coldest days of the winter season so far, with highs only in the 20s. We could see a couple of inches of snow on Tuesday, which is why the Pinpoint Weather team has a Watch Box on the seven-day forecast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Temperatures look set to stay in the 30s through at least next Thursday before returning to the lower 40s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. IONIA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) A man was killed and a young boy was injured Saturday night in a crash in Ionia Township, deputies say. It happened around 8 p.m. on the 3300 block of East Stage Road, south of East Bluewater Highway, according to the Ionia County Sheriffs Office. Deputies say a vehicle was heading east when it left the shoulder of the road and hit a tree. The driver, a 39-year-old man from Pewamo, died, according to the sheriffs office. His name was not released Saturday. A 4-year-old boy was taken to the hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening. Deputies are investigating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Nothing stirs up royal news more than Kate Middleton stepping out for a brief appearance, but behind the chaos of her arrival at St Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas Day, I missed a major hair detail from one royal child in particular: Princess Charlotte. On December 25, the members of the royal family stepped out for a day filled with Christmas festivities starting with the morning church service. Joined by King Charles and Queen Camilla, Princess Catherine, Prince William and their three children, Prince George (11), Princess Charlotte (9) and Prince Louis (6) all smiled and posed for photos as they kept royal traditions alive while donning similar festive outfits. Samir Hussein/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In these photos, I couldn't help but notice that the young princess's hair looked slightly different than usual. We're used to Charlotte having an uncanny resemblance to her mother, with similar brown locks, often pulled back neatly. But in these most recent shots, the young royal's hair is somewhat longer with the ends much lighter and windblown. If anything, shes channeling her fathers formerly blond locks. Samir Hussein/Getty Images If you look closely, you'll notice her hair has streaks of light blonde throughout giving the impression of natural highlights. It's also not lost on me that the velvet green bow she's sporting matches the dark emerald shades both her mother and Queen Camilla were wearing on the day. Samir Hussien/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can't wait to see what fun royal photo ops the new year brings. Stay up-to-date on every breaking royal family story by subscribing here. Kensington Palace Shares Candid Video of Kate Middleton Fixing Princess Charlottes Hair STAR-ADVERTISER / 2023 King Kamehameha III Elementary School on Front Street in Lahaina was reduced to ruins in the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire. 1 /2 STAR-ADVERTISER / 2023 King Kamehameha III Elementary School on Front Street in Lahaina was reduced to ruins in the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire. COURTESY PHOTO Above, the schools principal, Ian Haskins, gave a tour of the temporary campus in Pulelehua that opened in April. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 /2 COURTESY PHOTO Above, the schools principal, Ian Haskins, gave a tour of the temporary campus in Pulelehua that opened in April. STAR-ADVERTISER / 2023 King Kamehameha III Elementary School on Front Street in Lahaina was reduced to ruins in the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire. COURTESY PHOTO Above, the schools principal, Ian Haskins, gave a tour of the temporary campus in Pulelehua that opened in April. The state Department of Education on Friday released on community sentiment regarding plans to rebuild King Kamehameha III Elementary School, which was damaged beyond repair in the Aug. 8, 2023, Lahaina wildfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The wildfire displaced students and staff, who temporarily shared facilities with Princess Nahienaena Elementary mauka of the Lahaina Bypass highway, occupying portable tent structures for four months. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a temporary replacement campus in Pulelehua near Kapalua Airport that opened April 1. DOE contracted Pa akai Communications as a neutral third party to facilitate community meetings on a new elementary campus and assist in feedback collection and analysis. Input was gathered from 485 community members, including faculty, staff, school families, alumni and other residents, to guide decisions on a permanent campus, according to DOE. Feedback was collected through surveys offered at a staff meeting, two public meetings and online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Community discussions initially focused on three sites proposed for the new campus in May : the original Front Street location, Pulelehua near the temporary campus and Ka anapali 2020s Pu ukoli i Village Mauka. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. By November, the original campus site and Pu ukoli i Village Mauka were no longer under consideration, and a new site in Ku ia, near Lahaina town, was proposed. The Ku ia site is owned by Kamehameha Schools, which offered up to 16 acres for the campus, and is located a half-mile from King Kamehameha III Elementarys original site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the summary report, public feedback in November on the two remaining sites showed Ku ia was the preferred location for 51.1 % of respondents, 37.4 % did not support the site and 11.5 % said, OK, but not top choice. Pulelehua was the preferred site for 45.7 % of respondents, 39.1 % did not support that choice and 15.2 % said, OK, but not top choice. The report highlights key themes from the feedback, underscoring that the issue goes beyond logistical and financial considerations. Comments from the community in May indicated that decisions about the schools location are deeply tied to the areas history, culture and the ongoing recovery process in Lahaina. Respondents emphasized the importance of community involvement and transparency in the decision-making process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concerns also were raised about outsiders making decisions without including local perspectives, with calls for clearer communication on how feedback was being integrated into the process. By November, additional concerns emerged about the adequacy of information provided on the proposed sites and the need for more opportunities to engage with the DOE and developers directly. Safety and student well-being were central themes in both rounds of feedback. Community members highlighted issues such as evacuation plans, disaster preparedness, environmental exposure and traffic safety, with safety ranking as the top concern in November responses. Respondents also emphasized the importance of convenience, asking that proximity to students homes, traffic congestion and other infrastructure considerations be prioritized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cultural awareness remained a significant factor, according to the report. In May, respondents ranked the schools historical and cultural ties to the Front Street location as a top issue, with many expressing reservations about associating the historic King Kameha meha III Elementary name with a new campus at Pulelehua. By November, preferences had shifted toward the Ku ia site due to its proximity to Lahaina town, though concerns about cultural and historical preservation persisted. The idea of building two schools, first at Pulelehua and later at another location within Lahaina town, gained support in May as a way to address future growth and honor the schools legacy. However, with the original Front Street location ruled out, feedback in November showed more nuanced opinions on dual-campus solutions. Community members requested clarity on current student population data, timelines for development and the potential for overcrowding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The summary report concluded that the decision on where and how to rebuild King Kameha meha III Elementary has profound implications for Lahainas recovery and future. Balancing pragmatism, long-term planning and sensitivity to community needs will be crucial to securing public support for the project, as the town continues to rebuild from tragedy, the report explained. In its 2025-27 biennium budget request, DOE sought capital improvement funds for the construction of a future King Kamehameha III campus, without specifying a final location. Gov. Josh Green has included the funding request in his executive budget to be submitted to the Legislature. More info Find the summary report and updates on a new King Kamehameha III Elementary permanent campus at. The transfer of power to Donald Trump is shaping up to be, well, peaceful. No mobs are assembling to disrupt Congress Jan. 6 counting of electoral votes. No Democratic leaders are questioning the results of the election or concocting elaborate legal theories to thwart the outcome. The greatest risk of obstruction seems likely to come from a storm system threatening to dump a few inches of snow on the region overnight. If all goes as expected, by late Monday afternoon, Trumps victory will be certified in a ceremony overseen by his vanquished rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, who will preside over the proceedings in her capacity as the president of the Senate. Harris has been clear she will administer a straightforward transfer of power. In doing so, shell follow in the footsteps of all vice presidents before her including Mike Pence, who resisted Trumps pressure to refuse to count electors from states Trump lost in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries drew Republican applause when he acknowledged Trumps win Friday during a speech on the House floor. Its OK, Jeffries said in a moment of gallows humor directed at his GOP colleagues. There are no election deniers on our side of the aisle. Its the utter antithesis of the carnage unleashed four years ago, under clear blue skies, by thousands of Trump supporters, goaded by lies about a stolen election. Hundreds of them bludgeoned police officers guarding the Capitol as the mob fought to stop Congress from counting the electoral votes that would make Joe Biden president. The attack spawned the largest-ever federal criminal probe, led to a grave criminal case against Trump, spawned a failed legal effort to remove him from the ballot and defined the political climate of the last two election cycles. Democrats declared Trump a threat to democracy and the president-elect wielded the cases to rally his base and claim political persecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting of the House and Senate this time, by contrast, is expected to be almost jarringly routine. Harris will convene the joint session at 1 p.m. Lawmakers of both parties will announce the certified electors from each state, and Harris will affirm they have been counted. Though members have an opportunity to object to any electors for potential legal or constitutional defects, no Democrats have signaled they will do so, and many have disclaimed such an effort. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who lodged a token objection to Trumps electors in 2017, said he would not repeat the move this time and said Democrats would prioritize standing by the constitutional order. Mondays joint session is also the first governed by a 2022 law designed to prevent efforts to corrupt the transfer of power and limit the ability of lawmakers to mount challenges to the results. That law lowers the already slim odds of any objections that could hamper the proceedings. Still, the general atmosphere of calm in Washington belies a deep, simmering tension between those who watched the nations democratic institutions buckle on Jan. 6, 2021, and those who hope to whitewash it especially as Trump attempts to rewrite the history of the attack on the Capitol and prepares to pardon many of its perpetrators. The Justice Department has charged more than 1,500 people for their involvement in the attack, and more than 1,200 have pleaded guilty or been convicted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judges in the federal district court in Washington are marking the four-year anniversary of the attack by advancing more cases to trial and sentencing, leaning into their work despite rising pressure to pause cases to await Trumps clemency decisions. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth an outspoken defender of the courts work on Jan. 6 cases has timed the sentencing of one prominent defendant to coincide with Congress joint session. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who was once slated to preside over Trumps criminal trial for charges related to his effort to subvert the 2020 election, is holding a hearing to prepare for a Jan. 6 trial next week. And U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has scheduled a hearing in a lawsuit brought by members of Congress and Capitol Police officers against Trump over his role in stoking the violence four years ago. Across the city, advocates for Jan. 6 defendants are planning a press conference to push Trump for sweeping pardons, even for those convicted of the most extreme violence against police. Its a flex of the unlikely political clout that the defendants have built over the last four years as Trump linked his own battle against the justice system to theirs. Others are planning a walk for Ashli Babbitt, the Jan. 6 rioter who was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer as she attempted to breach a room adjacent to the House chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican leaders in Congress have no plans to mark the anniversary of the attack, and House leaders have spent recent days instead vowing to investigate the Jan. 6 select committee that probed Trumps role in the attack two years ago. Speaker Mike Johnson and top lieutenants lashed out when Biden awarded the panels leaders Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and former GOP representative Liz Cheney with prestigious Presidential Citizens medals. Trump, too, used the occasion to attack Cheney, a longtime political nemesis, and float her potential prosecution. Amid it all are the Capitol Police, D.C. cops and Secret Service agents preparing to protect the Capitol on Monday and at Trumps inauguration two weeks later. Hundreds of them were at the Capitol four years earlier facing down the mob, wondering if they would get to go home that night. Dozens have testified in trials of the Jan. 6 defendants who once opposed them, describing under oath the chaos and fear they experienced and often still live with. You ask these officers, Do you have confidence today? said Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger at a Friday press conference. I was at a roll call at 7 oclock this morning and was talking to officers. I asked for a show of hands. How many of you were here four years ago? About half of them raised their hand. The other half came here knowing exactly what they were getting into. And theyre here because they want to be, and if you ask most of them they were here because of Jan. 6. These are officers that want to be on the front lines of what is happening here. When President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Bidens belongings are swiftly removed from the White House during President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration, one thing that will leave with them will almost certainly not be replaced a White House pet. Unlike the official residence of the British Prime Minister, there is no chief mouser for the Executive Office of the President who remains in office from administration to administration. Thats because in America, presidents come and go, and their pets always come and go with them. When the Biden administrations time in office expires on January 20, their one remaining pet a tabby domestic short hair called Willow after Jill Bidens hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania will depart, leaving the residence empty of feline or canine activity. Of the three Biden-owned German Shepherd dogs, one (Champ) passed away in 2021, and two (Major and Commander) were exiled from the White House after multiple biting incidents that left staff and Secret Service personnel injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While President Harry Truman once famously remarked that the only sure way to find a friend in the American capital was to get a dog, President-elect Trump has chosen to keep his White House among the 55 percent of American residences that dont have a canine companion among them. The former turned future president has never been a dog lover, and when he first entered the White House in 2017 that brought to an end decades of uninterrupted pitter-patter of four-legged furry friends around the hallways of the West Wing and the Executive Mansion. In fact hes the first in more than 100 years to not have some type of pet as his side. Trumps rhetoric often features the phrase like a dog but carrying negative connotations (Getty Images) Trumps rhetoric has always been peppered with canine references, usually suggestions that a person he doesnt like has done something negative like a dog. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sometimes, hes gone further, such in a 2018 tweet when he called out former staffer turned tell-all book writer Omarosa Manigault Newman following the release of her White House memoir, Unhinged, writing: When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didnt work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog! He also compared Utahs outgoing senator and 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney to mans best friend, suggesting that the ex-Massachusetts governor choked like a dog in his general election contest with then-president Barack Obama. For their parts, Obama and Romney are both known dog lovers, with Obama having owned two Portuguese Water Dogs, Sunny and Bo, during his time in the White House. Romneys history with dogs is a bit more checkered, with his treatment of his late Irish Setter, Seamus, becoming an issue during his past presidential runs. Trump has also used dog comparisons for vanquished enemies in the national security realm, such as when he famously claimed that slain ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had died like a dog after being chased down by American special forces soldiers including a military working dog called Conan, in late 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conan, who was injured during the mission when al-Baghdadi detonated an explosive suicide vest, briefly captured the nations attention in the wake of that military victory, and the then-president later welcomed that courageous canine to the White House for a brief ceremony to present Conan with a medal and a plaque, allowing the Belgian Malinois to be handled and pet by then-Vice President Mike Pence just outside the Oval Office. Numerous recent presidents, including Obama, have had pets in the White House (Getty) Trump, always attuned to the importance of celebrity status, told reporters at the time that Conan was right now probably the worlds most famous dog. Conan did a fantastic job. Were very honored to have Conan here, he said, adding later that Conan (whose gender later became the subject of a spat between the White House and Pentagon) was very special. But aside from hosting Conans White House appearance (which at the time was derided by critics as an attempt to distract from his looming impeachment), Trump has rarely been seen in canine company during his time as a political figure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He did have a habit of hosting the winner of each years Westminster Kennel Club dog show at his eponymous skyscraper for publicity, and he has raised money for animal-related charities in the past. But the public record of his life makes clear that Trump is not a dog person. Its an oddity for an American president, with the U.S. Presidential Pet Museum noting that hes the only president since Andrew Johnson to not have any kind of animal companion at all. His late first wife, Ivana Trump, confirmed his distaste for dogs in her memoir Raising Trump, writing that he was not a dog fan and recounting how he omplained constantly about excessive barking from her poodle, Chappy. She revealed that she never really got why he didnt like dogs, writing: How can you not love a dog that acts like hes won the lottery for life just because he sees you walk through the door? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a 2019 campaign rally, Trump attempted to explain away his glaring doglessness after discussing the unbelievable skill with which the German Shepherd can sniff out drugs along the US-Mexico border. You do love your dogs, dont you? he said, adding: I wouldnt mind having one, honestly, but I dont have any time. Continuing, he asked: How would I look walking a dog on the White House lawn? Would that be right? I dont know. Feels a little phony, phony to me. A lot of people say, Oh, you should get a dog, Why? Its good politically. I said, Look, thats not the relationship I have with my people, he said. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Habitat for Cats NY, a Western New York nonprofit that specializes in feral cats, is requesting donations in the aftermath of the house explosion on Pullman Avenue in Rochester Friday afternoon. House explosion on Pullman Ave injures 1, leaves 2 other homes on fire The homeowner was hospitalized with burns and two other houses in the area caught fire, according to authorities at the scene. On Monday, authorities said the homeowner is still recovering from injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saturday, Habitat for Cats announced on social media that specialists were in the process of helping to fix and provide care for several indoor and outdoor cats at the home when the explosion happened. Officials with HFC also announced that the homeowner of a nearby home impacted was hospitalized as well in the aftermath, adding that this person was also a caretaker of several community cats. HFC announced that over 30 cats were recovered from the area. Many of them arent used to the cold weather and are in need of medical attention, officials stated. What we need most for this dire situation are shelters that we can place in a different, close-by locations that are safe. If you can make or purchase any, we would be so appreciative. We also will need funds to purchase supplies to create makeshift coverings for the shelters including tarps, wood and other building supplies. We will need to take over feeding these cats immediately, giving fresh water and food on a regular basis to determine how many cats are in need. So far, we counted over 20 and we know there are more. There are an additional 35-50 cats that come to eat that are in the area. This is a huge amount of food to feed daily, HFC announced. Click here to view the Amazon Wishlist created. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donations are being accepted via Venmo and PayPal as well. Checks can be mailed to PO Box 25637 Rochester, NY 14625 As for the impacted homeowners, their status remains unclear at this time. Nothing further has been publicly released. This is a developing story, check back later for more details. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. A Dorchester man has been arrested and is facing multiple firearm and drug possession charges. Around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 1, officers patrolling Stratton Street noticed a vehicle with excessive vehicle tint. Officers ordered a traffic stop in the area of Stratton and Ames Street. Upon approaching the vehicle, they multiple packages of marijuana. The operator told officers that it was 2 ounces of marijuana, Massachusetts residents are not able to obtain more than 1 ounce outside their home. The operator also told officers that it was not in its original dispensary bag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers requested the driver, 21-year-old Raymon Lorenzo of Dorchester, to step out of the vehicle. Upon investigation of the vehicle, officers found that the marijuana weighed a total of 1.75 ounces, but as officers continued their investigation, they also found a large plastic bag of cocaine. Officers also found a Sig Sauer P365 handgun with a 12-round magazine and a laser sight attached to it. Lorenzo was arrested and charged with: Unlawful Possession of a Firearm 2nd Offense Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Firearm 2nd Offense Unlawful Possession of Ammunition Unlawful Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device Trafficking Cocaine in 36 Grams or More but Less than 100 Grams Possession with Intent to Distribute Class D Lorenzo is expected to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Popular Philadelphia bakery business DreamWorld Bakes, founded by Ashley Huston, has finally opened a brick-and-mortar location in East Kensington. On Jan. 2, the Black woman-led bakery had its grand opening at 2500 Coral Street. As CBS News reported, Huston said, Opening a bakery has always been my dream. DreamWorld Bakes is my love letter to Philly and proof that with enough hard work and a sprinkle of magic, anything is possible. A ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorated the grand opening, and DreamWorld Bakes supplied a complimentary Baby Spice cake bite for the first 100 visitors to the in-person store location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DreamWorld Bakes grand opening marks a significant moment in its long journey of milestones. Hustons business began in her home kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic as a side hustle to earn money. It has since grown into a Philadelphia staple in the bakery community. Huston continued, This bakery is the culmination of so much hard work, love, and a little bit of magic. I want DreamWorld Bakes to be a space where everyone can feel a spark of joy and wonder and, of course, enjoy some incredible treats. Hustons accomplishments keep rolling in. She was recently chosen as Philadelphia Magazines 2024 Best of Philly bakers. Shes entirely self-taught and even had the honor of creating Patti LaBelles 80th birthday cake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DreamWorld Bakes is well known for creating unique pastries from fresh and local Philly ingredients, and now Hustons place can provide a safe and local in-person community with its new grand opening. DreamWorld Bakes employee and baker Willow Eagono expressed her appreciation for Huston and all the mentorship that shes provided. Eagono said, Ashley is the first person who taught me anything about baking. To be able to learn from her and now be in a space where shes doing everything feels really exciting. RELATED CONTENT: 8 Black-Owned Restaurants You Should Visit While In Toronto PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A driver is dead after a crash involving a single vehicle in Portlands Cathedral Park neighborhood late Saturday night. Just after 11 p.m., officers responded to North Willamette Boulevard and Burr Avenue on reports of a single-vehicle crash. SE Portland pet store employee pistol-whipped during robbery Police said they arrived to find the vehicle with the driver seriously injured after crashing into a pole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver was taken to the hospital where they later died from their injuries. North Willamette Boulevard was closed from North Burr Avenue to North Alma Avenue for the duration of the investigation. Accused robber of security guard returned to rob same building next day The identity of the driver and the cause of the crash have not been released at this time. If anyone has information related to the crash, they are encouraged to contact Portland police. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) The driver in the deadly hit-and-run on Pine Ridge has turned himself in, authorities say. According to a post on Facebook, Christopher Hatchett turned himself in to the Oglala Sioux Tribal Police Department on January 4. Deadly hit & run on Pine Ridge Reservation The vehicle responsible for the hit-and-run was also recovered. Hatchett is facing charges including Second-Degree Homicide, Vehicular Manslaughter, Duties of Driver Involvement in Accident Involving Death or Serious Injury and Hit and Run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. One person was killed after their vehicle caught fire early Jan. 4 on Interstate 20, Arlington police said. Officers responded to the eastbound lanes of I-20 near South Cooper Street shortly after 2 a.m. They found a 2024 Hyundai Elantra that was already engulfed in flames, police said in a news release. Investigators believe the Elantra was speeding and plowed into the back of an 18-wheeler, the release states. The impact caused the car to catch fire. The Hyundais driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, alcohol has not been ruled out as a factor in the deadly crash. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner will identify the victim. The driver of the 18-wheeler wasnt injured, according to the release. More top stories from our newsroom: Families of missing trio cling to hope after 50 years More Fort Worth high schoolers are earning college credit tuition-free Tarrant County DAs Office sought indictment of man after his death [Get our breaking news alerts.] Drivers are increasingly claiming they have concerning mental health conditions to try to get out of paying motoring fines, a report has revealed. Increasing numbers of motorists are challenging penalty charge notices (PCNs) at tribunal by saying they have depression, anxiety, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive or personality disorders or post traumatic stress. The prevalence of appeals against PCNs based on mental health issues has emerged after data revealed that a record 8.3 million fines were issued to motorists in London last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A total of 8,333,486 PCNs were sent out by the capitals 33 boroughs and Transport for London in the financial year to April 2024. That is a 10 per cent increase on the 7.6 million issued the previous year. The annual report by the capitals Environment and Traffic Adjudicators says: There is an increase in frequency of appellants claiming that their mental health conditions mean that they should not be made liable for the penalty. Anthony Chan, the chief adjudicator at London Tribunals, wrote that although reasonable adjustments should be made for such conditions in the appeals process there is very limited scope to argue that a diagnosed mental health condition should lead to the cancellation of a penalty. A rising number of motorists are claiming that mental health problems are the reason for their speeding - Alamy /Paul Iwala Mr Chan urged local authorities who hand out the fines to address the problem regarding such mental illness defences when rejecting initial appeals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His report does not reveal the exact number of cases where drivers tried to overturn a PCN on mental health grounds or what illnesses they claimed they were suffering. But, he added: In most of the cases where a mental health condition is claimed, the appellants are referring to conditions which are notifiable to DVLA and some of the symptoms described are concerning. However, there is invariably an absence of information that DVLA [Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency] has been informed or that the impact of the condition has been discussed between the motorists and their doctors. It is not the adjudicators role to determine whether a person is medically fit to hold a driving licence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the other hand, adjudicators are unlikely to be persuaded that a medical condition can amount to a defence to the contravention when a person with the condition should not be driving in the first place. Surge in people claiming they have mental health problems A motorist is required to inform the DVLA of a number of any mental conditions that could affect their ability to drive. Depending on the severity of the condition, the DVLA then decides whether a driving licence can be issued, retained or revoked. The tribunals comments come after a series of studies found post-pandemic Britain was seeing a surge in people claiming they are suffering mental health problems. One in 10 adults of working age are on sickness benefits because of an increase in mental health-related conditions, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of people aged 16 to 64 claiming incapacity or disability benefit, or both, has jumped from 2.8 million before the pandemic to 3.9 million today, the think tank said in September. The figures cover benefits paid to people in jobs and those who are too ill to work. There are 9.3 million adults aged under-65 who are neither in work nor looking for a job, according to the Office for National Statistics. Of those, 2.8 million cite long-term sickness as the reason. A DVLA spokeswoman said: Road safety is our absolute priority. Thats why all drivers are legally obliged to notify the DVLA of the onset or worsening of a medical condition that could affect their fitness to drive. If a driver is unsure whether a medical condition may affect their driving they should discuss this with their doctor. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Drones attacked Rostov Oblast in Russia on the night of 4-5 January. Debris from the downed drones damaged residential buildings and cars in several settlements in the oblast. Source: Yury Slyusar, acting governor of Rostov Oblast Details: Slyusar said that the drone debris fell in the city of Taganrog and the village of Novobessergenovka in the Neklinovsky district. As a result, residential buildings were damaged windows were smashed, roofs and walls were damaged. The debris also damaged several cars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said there were no casualties and no fires. Quote: "So far, the 112 [emergency] service has received calls from residents of four households. Emergency services have arrived at the scene." Background: On 23 December, Russians reported a drone attack on the city of Millerovo in Russia's Rostov Oblast, from where Russian troops launch attack drones during their aerial attacks on Ukraine. On the night of 18-19 December, the Ukrainian Navy and the Security Service of Ukraine, in cooperation with other units of the defence forces, attacked the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Products Plant in Rostov Oblast, which is the only refinery in the region and provides fuel to the Russian army. On 4 January, the Russian state-run RIA Novosti news agency said that a Ukrainian drone hit a car on the Donetsk-Horlivka road, killing a freelance correspondent for Izvestia, Alexander Martemyanov, and injuring five other representatives of the Russian media. During the night of 4 January, drones attacked Russia's largest seaport, Ust-Luga, in Leningrad Oblast. Support UP or become our patron! A drone attack damaged the walls of residential buildings in the city of Taganrog in Russia's Rostov Oblast on the night of 4-5 January. Source: Yuri Slyusar, acting Governor of Rostov Oblast; Russian media outlet Astra Details: Slyusar claimed that Russian air defence units had shot down 37 drones over Rostov Oblast since midnight. According to him, the fall of wreckage damaged property in Taganrog and the Neklinovsky district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were no civilian casualties. Russia's Defence Ministry claimed that its air defence units had destroyed 61 Ukrainian UAVs overnight. In particular, 37 UAVs were supposedly brought down over the territory of Rostov Oblast, 20 over Bryansk Oblast, 2 over Voronezh Oblast and 1 over each of Belgorod and Oryol oblasts. Support UP or become our patron! An Army captain who grew up in North Carolina and died while saving three fellow soldiers in a downed helicopter in Vietnam in 1966 was one of seven servicemen awarded the Medal of Honor Friday in a ceremony at the White House. Capt. Hugh R. Nelson Jr. was born in Alabama, according to the Army, but the family soon moved to North Carolina. The Army lists his hometown as Rocky Mount and says he graduated from Durham High School in 1955. Nelson graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, four years later. He became an Army helicopter pilot and served in Taiwan for three years before being sent to Vietnam on Jan. 2, 1966, according to the Army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The day he died, June 5, 1966, Nelson was commanding a Huey helicopter on a search-and-destroy reconnaissance mission in Moc Hoa east of Saigon near the Cambodian border. The helicopter was hit by enemy fire, forcing Nelson and the pilot to make a crash landing. The Medal of Honor commendation, read aloud in the East Room of the White House on Friday, describes what happened next: Though injured himself, Nelson got out of the Huey and crossed to the other side, where he found his dazed and wounded crew chief trapped inside. After removing the soldier and placing him on the ground, Nelson climbed in to help the door gunner, who was still strapped in and unable to move. At that point, the enemy opened fire from about 30 feet away, according to the Army. Nelson continued freeing the wounded door gunner and forced him onto the ground, using his body as a shield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nelson was hit several times and died. His wounded comrade was able to use a smoke grenade to signal other U.S. aircraft in the area. Those aircraft forced the enemy to retreat, rescued the three wounded crew members and retrieved Nelsons body. The Medal of Honor commendation concludes: Nelsons conscious decision to sacrifice his own life for that of his comrades saved the lives of his three fellow crew members that fateful day. Nelsons distinctive accomplishments are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit and the United States Army. Nelson was 28 when he died and left behind his wife, Elizabeth, and their three children. One of his daughters, Debra Nelson McKnight, accepted the Medal of Honor on behalf of the family on Friday. McKnight stood next to President Joe Biden, holding his hand, as the commendation was read aloud. Capt. Hugh R. Nelson Jr. was an Army helicopter pilot and had been in Vietnam for five months when he was killed in June 1966. Nelson received the Medal of Honor on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. The Army awarded Nelson the Distinguished Service Cross after his death. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis says his office worked closely with the Nelson family to have that upgraded to the Medal of Honor, the nations highest military award. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Captain Nelson was a true American hero whose unwavering courage and selfless service embody the very best of our state and nation, Tillis said in a written statement Friday. The seven men honored Friday served in either the Korean War or the Vietnam War. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) Voters in the North Charleston area will head to the polls this month to decide which Democrat will run unopposed in a March special election to fill an open South Carolina House seat. Three women Michelle Brandt, Kim Clark, and Courtney Waters are seeking the Democratic nomination for House District 113, which covers much of North Charleston and a small portion of Summerville. Three women seeking open South Carolina House seat Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The primary election will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 21, but eligible voters can cast a ballot early over the next two weeks. Early voting begins Monday, Jan. 6, and ends Friday, Jan. 17. Voters registered within the district can vote without an excuse at the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections Headquarters (4340 Corporate Road) from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. during the early voting period. Early voting is not available on Saturdays or Sundays. South Carolina does not require registration by political party and holds open primaries, meaning any voter can choose to participate in the Democratic primary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The special election is scheduled for March 25. It comes after former Rep. Marvin Pendarvis resigned from the legislature last September amid an ongoing investigation into his law practice. He won reelection on Nov. 5 but indicated the day after the election that he would not accept the seat. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2. An East Boston man was arrested and charged with firearm and drug offenses on Thursday after he called police of someone allegedly breaking into his apartment. Around 10:37 a.m. Officers were dispatched to the area of Meridian Street to reports of a breaking and entering in progress and that the suspect was still inside the apartment. Officers arrived on the scene and told the apartment owner to wait outside in the hallway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While sweeping the area, officers did not find anyone in the apartment but did locate a loaded firearm magazine and holster in plain sight. Officers also found an unlabeled pill bottle with a bag of fentanyl inside of it. Officers placed the owner of the apartment, 55-year-old Carlos Cortez of East Boston, under arrest and charged him with the following: Unlawful Possession of a Firearm Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Firearm Unlawful Possession of Ammunition Possession of Class A. Cortez is expected to be arraigned in East Boston District Court. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW COLUMBIA, N.C. (WNCT) The Federal Highway Administration has given a $25 million grant to North Carolina to build wildlife crossings, specifically to help save endangered red wolves. This is the second-largest grant ever issued from the FHWA and the first given to the Southeast region. A total of 16 red wolves are left in the wild and vehicle crashes have been the leading cause of death for the animals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eastern North Carolina is the only place in the world where red wolves exist in the wild and its been a successful program for decades, Southeast Director at the Center for Biological Diversity Will Harlan said. There were as many as 120 wolves out on the landscape just a decade ago. But, then gunshot mortality and then most recently, vehicle strikes, have decimated their populations. The grant was awarded to put 13 underpasses beneath Highway 64, a tourist road leading to the Outer Banks. This is where nearly all of the red wolves have been hit in recent years. But, if we can build wildlife underpasses beneath this dangerous, deadly stretch of highway, we can allow red wolves and other wildlife, including bears and river otters and bobcats to move safely underneath this road and through this really important refuge, Harlan said. The Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina has also named the remaining red wolves in the wild. So, naming those wolves, giving them names was a very hopeful maneuver between our partnership and collaboration with all of, you know, all of those people already working hand over face, you know, doing all of the advertising, doing all the fundraising, doing all of the educational outreach to the general public, to lawmakers all across North Carolina, the national agenda of pushing for that grant, Citizen of the Beaver Family in the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina Rahna-Wake-W said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harlan said lifting the highway up is beneficial, not just for wildlife, but many other reasons. People will benefit, too. Thats the other really important part. This is a stretch of highway that has a lot of wildlife, he said. Vehicle collisions in North Carolina, as a state, is one of the top in the country in terms of number of wildlife vehicle crashes. Both said the plans for renovations are underway and they hope to start construction this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT. GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (Reuters) -Ecuador's former Vice President Jorge Glas was returned to prison hours after he was temporarily evacuated for security reasons amid chaotic scenes inside the jail, the country's prison authority said on Sunday. Earlier in the day, Glas' lawyer, Sonia Gabriela Vera, said the former vice president had been evacuated from La Roca prison after an attempt on his life by mutinying inmates. She said the government was responsible for the situation. Prisoners caused incidents "in a clear strategy to destabilize order and peace in the country," the Ecuadorian prison agency SNAI said in a statement published on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It added that Glas was taken back to prison after the armed forces carried out weapons and explosives control operations. SNAI did not mention the assassination allegations, and did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Earlier, Glas' lawyer Vera called for the United Nations and other international organizations to intervene after what she called an "attempted assassination" of Glas. The attack "is the result of a State that has condemned him to danger, torture and slow death," Vera said on X. "His emergency evacuation confirms what we have denounced time and again: they are deliberately playing with his life," Vera added. "If anything happens to him, it will be a crime of the State." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Glas was arrested in April after Ecuadorean security forces stormed Mexico's embassy in Quito, where he was holed up after seeking asylum. While Glas' supporters say the arrest is politically motivated, the ex-vice president has been convicted for corruption on two other occasions. Glas also faces charges of misusing funds collected to aid reconstruction of coastal Manabi province after a devastating 2016 earthquake. (Reporting by Yury Garcia in Guayaquil; Editing by Drazen Jorgic, Chris Reese and Kate Mayberry) A 22-year-old Spanish tourist was killed by an elephant in Thailand while she was bathing the animal at an elephant center, according to reports. Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, from Valladolid in northwest Spain, was bathing an elephant at Koh Yao Elephant Care on Friday, Jan. 3, when the elephant killed her, per translated reports from Spanish newspapers El Mundo and El Pais. Garcia, a law and international relations student at the University of Navarra, was pushed by the animal's trunk, El Mundo reported, citing police in the Koh Yao Yai, Thailand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previous reports noted that the elephant gored the student, but Spanish news agency EFE verified that she was not gored, per the Daily Mail. El Mundo also reported her death was not caused by the elephant's tusks. According to El Mundo, which cited the elephant center's owner, 18 people including the victim's boyfriend were present for the attack and no one else was injured. She was rushed to a local hospital and died. A contact for Koh Yao Elephant Care did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Sunday, Jan. 5. Facebook Blanca Ojanguren Garcia Blanca Ojanguren Garcia Related: American Tourist, 64, Dies After Elephant 'Knocked' Her from Vehicle and Trampled Her in Zambia Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later that day, University of Navarra's law faculty issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), as it shared its condolences and asked for prayers. Valladolid Mayor Jesus Julio Carnero shared a tribute to Garcia on X on Friday, alongside an image of her, as he offered his "deepest condolences" to her loved ones in a translated message. Per El Pais, sources from Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the consulate in Bangkok was in contact with the family of the victim who the Daily Mail reported had been studying abroad at Tamkang University. Koh Yao Elephant Care remained closed following her death, per the Daily Mail and El Mundo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Spanish publication, the center's owner said they have three elephants on site, including the 50-year-old female elephant involved in the incident, and get about 10 to 30 daily visitors. Koh Yao Elephant Care's apparent last post on Facebook before the reported attack was a New Year's post, featuring an image of a family watching and recording an elephant while sitting on a bench. Getty Stock image of elephants at a rescue park in Chiang Mai, Thailand Stock image of elephants at a rescue park in Chiang Mai, Thailand Related: Mali, the 'World's Saddest Elephant,' Dies Alone in Captivity: 'You Deserved Better' According to World Animal Protection, nearly 2,800 "captive elephants live in tourism venues" across the country, with Thailand also being home to 15% of the 52,000 Asian elephants "currently living in the wild." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest reported elephant attack comes less than a month after a 49-year-old woman died after reportedly being attacked by an elephant after walking in Thailand's Phu Kradueng National Park. On Facebook, Phu Kradueng National Park confirmed that a visitor died following wild elephants attacking tourists on Dec. 11, with the park offering its "deepest condolences to the bereaved family." Read the original article on People Elon Musk said in a March 2024 interview that he takes ketamine to treat depression. He claimed to have a doctor's prescription for the drug. How often, or under what circumstances, he uses ketamine as of early 2025 was unknown. We reached out to representatives of Musk for more information, and we're waiting for a response. Musk and his attorney have said he's required to take routine drug tests for his jobs. As Elon Musk's influence on American politics has grown, so has a rumor that he uses ketamine a powerful, dissociative anesthetic that, in recent years, doctors have been prescribing as a treatment for mood disorders. Social media users on platforms such as X (archived), Instagram and Reddit made the accusation about Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors, founder of SpaceX and owner of X with one person saying he takes the drug to "boost performance." Snopes readers searched our site for facts on the matter in late 2024 and early 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk himself said he uses the drug in a March 2024 interview, and he's frequently posted about it on X generally over the years. We reached out to representatives of Musk to elaborate on his ketamine use, as well as to respond to reports about his relationship to drugs affecting his behavior in work settings. We have not received a response, though we will update this report when, or if, we do. In other words, the details of Musk's ketamine use as of this writing were unknown, including how often (if at all anymore), under what circumstances exactly and via what method (spray, powder, liquid injection, etc.) he takes the drug. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ketamine as an anesthetic, it has only OK'd esketamine a molecule that is a mirror image of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression. Esketamine comes as a nasal spray. But ketamine, used off-label for depression, can be injected intravenously or intramuscularly under medical supervision, taken sublingually in lozenges without swallowing, or administered nasally via a spray. Recreational users or addicts often opt for snorting ketamine powder for a quick rush. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abusing the drug can have serious consequences, according to the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse. It warns: Long-term, heavy ketamine use is associated with memory problems, depression, and anxiety. At high doses, ketamine may cause psychosis, a mental illness that causes a person to lose touch with reality. Frequent recreational ketamine use can lead to delusions that can last to up to one month after a person stops using it. Musk's Own Words About Taking Ketamine Musk talked openly about taking ketamine in an interview with former CNN reporter Don Lemon on March 18, 2024. Musk said he has a prescription for the drug to treat depression. (Snopes has not been able to independently verify that claim since Musk's team has not responded to our inquiry for this report.) For depression treatment, generally, he advocated for ketamine use over more traditional options, such as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that aim to increase serotonin in the brain. The moment went like this: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lemon: But you've admitted you have a ketamine prescription. Musk: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lemon: What's that for? Musk: Well, I mean, it's pretty private to ask someone about their medical prescription, you know that. There are times when I have sort of, I don't know, like a negative chemical state in my [...] brain. Like depression, I guess, you know or like depression that's not linked to any negative news. And then ketamine is helpful for getting you getting one outside, out of a negative frame of mind. [...] Obviously, I'm not a doctor, but I would say, if someone has depression issues, they should consider talking to their doctor about ketamine instead of SSRIs. Lemon asked him if he abuses the drug, and Musk said no; that he could not afford to "get wasted" because he has to work a lot. In the video of the interview below, the exchange starts at roughly the 19-minute mark: The day after the interview published, Musk posted on X about ketamine, as well. In a reply to a video of Jim Cramer, a television presenter, discussing Musk's comments with Lemon (archived), Musk said he has talked about ketamine on X for years hoping "it might help people struggling with bouts of depression." The reason I posted about ketamine (at some personal risk) is that I thought it might help people struggling with bouts of depression. In my opinion, it is a far better solution than being zombified by SSRIs. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 19, 2024 The reason I posted about ketamine (at some personal risk) is that I thought it might help people struggling with bouts of depression. In my opinion, it is a far better solution than being zombified by SSRI's. Critics Claim Ketamine Is Affecting Musk's Behavior at Work Citing anonymous sources, a Wall Street Journal investigation published in January 2024 reported executives and board members at Musk's companies have expressed concerns over his recreational use of ketamine and other drugs, such as LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana. The report claimed: People close to Musk, who is now 52, said his drug use is ongoing, especially his consumption of ketamine, and that they are concerned it could cause a health crisis. Even if it doesn't, it could damage his businesses. His attorney Alex Spiro told The Wall Street Journal that Musk took regular drug tests and had "never failed one." Because the outlet's reporting was based on anonymous sources "close to Musk," Snopes was unable to independently verify it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two days after the report was published, Musk said on X (archived): "If drugs actually helped improve my net productivity over time, I would definitely take them!" If drugs actually helped improve my net productivity over time, I would definitely take them! Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2024 Musk repeated Spiro's claim about drug tests, saying NASA requires him to screen for such substances in his system after he once shared a marijuana cigarette with podcast host Joe Rogan (archived). After that one puff with Rogan, I agreed, at NASAs request, to do 3 years of random drug testing. Not even trace quantities were found of any drugs or alcohol. @WSJ is not fit to line a parrot cage for bird Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2024 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Months before the Wall Street Journal investigation, unnamed sources told The New Yorker that they believe ketamine and other factors allegedly affect Musk's impulsivity. "Associates suggested that Musk's use has escalated in recent years, and that the drug, alongside his isolation and his increasingly embattled relationship with the press, might contribute to his tendency to make chaotic and impulsive statements and decisions," the report said. Sources: Abuse, National Institute on Drug. Ketamine | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). 9 Apr. 2024, https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/ketamine. ---. Ketamine | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). 9 Apr. 2024, https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/ketamine. Bellwood/Jalopnik, Owen. 'Tesla Is Losing Buyers to Elon Musk's "erratic, Impulsive" Behavior'. Quartz, 3 July 2024, https://qz.com/potential-tesla-buyers-are-going-elsewhere-thanks-to-el-1851576115. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'Elon Musk's Behavior Continues to Make Automakers Nervous About Advertising on Twitter'. Jalopnik, 8 Nov. 2022, https://jalopnik.com/elon-musks-behavior-continues-to-make-automakers-nervou-1849757078. 'Elon Musk's Transformation, in His Own Words'. The Economist. https://archive.is/STH0x, The Economist, https://www.economist.com/briefing/2024/11/21/elon-musks-transformation-in-his-own-words. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025. 'Elon Musk's X Has a Major Advertising Problem'. Quartz, 16 Aug. 2024, https://qz.com/twitter-x-ad-revenue-tumbles-elon-musk-grok-1851624340. Glazer, Emily, and Kirsten Grind. 'Elon Musk Has Used Illegal Drugs, Worrying Leaders at Tesla and SpaceX'. The Wall Street Journal, 6 Jan. 2024, https://www.wsj.com/business/elon-musk-illegal-drugs-e826a9e1. https://archive.is/bWNj3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Graphics, WSJ com News. '4,925 Tweets: Elon Musk's Twitter Habit, Dissected'. WSJ, http://wsj-graphics-dot-wsj.sc.onservo.com/elon-musk-twitter-habit-analysis/. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025. ---. '4,925 Tweets: Elon Musk's Twitter Habit, Dissected'. WSJ, http://wsj-graphics-dot-wsj.sc.onservo.com/elon-musk-twitter-habit-analysis/. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025. 'How Ketamine Drug Helps with Depression'. Yale Medicine, https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/ketamine-depression. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025. Three Routes of Ketamine Infusion Advanced Brain + Body Clinic Ketamine TMS. https://advancedbrainbody.com/ketamine-clinic-minneapolis/three-routes-of-ketamine-infusion/. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025 Farrow, Ronan. 'Elon Musk's Shadow Rule'. The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023. https://archive.is/Xjjud, www.newyorker.com, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/08/28/elon-musks-shadow-rule. MAGA billionaire Elon Musk trained his chaotic political posts on Britain on Sunday, extending a multi-day meltdown that has gone from calling for the release of a jailed fascist Islamophobe to calling for the head of Nigel Farage, the leader of the far-right Reform Party. The Reform Party needs a new leader, Musk tweeted. Farage doesnt have what it takes. The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 5, 2025 Farage, a key figure in the nativist Brexit campaign and longtime booster of President-elect Donald Trump, had only a day earlier hailed Musk as a proper hero who believes in free speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he also broke with Musk over his recent support for Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, a notorious far-right activist who has been involved in fascist and Islamophobic groups and uses the pseudonym Tommy Robinson. Musk started calling in the New Year for Robinson, currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court, to be released. Farage has long said he does not want Robinson in his party. Well, this is a surprise! tweeted Farage, of Musks calls for his dismissal. Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles. Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles. https://t.co/V7iccN6usS Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) January 5, 2025 Farage could have looked to US Republicans for warning signs about the mercurial Musk. After lending his wallet and dutiful backing during the campaign, he triggered a MAGA civil war last month with posts about federal spending that led to the failure of a bill to fund the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tesla CEO had also made nice with Farage in recent weeks before his latest heel turn, hosting him at Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida amid rumors he was thinking about opening his wallet for Reform, too. Musk launched his support for the jailed far-right activist Robinson while launching attacks on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, claiming he failed to prosecute gangs that groomed and raped young girls. He also called for Jess Phillips, the junior minister in charge of Violence Against Women and Girls, to be thrown in prison for being a rape genocide apologist. Musk was responding to a report from October, when Phillips rejected Oldham Councils request for a government-led inquiry into child sexual exploitation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government argued the council should lead the investigation, and has said it is focused on implementing recommendations from the 2022 final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abusethe current Labour government has only been in office for five months. The head of that inquiry, Alexis Jay, said in November she was frustrated that none of its recommendations had been implemented. She cautioned against further commissions and studies: It doesnt need more consultation, it does not need more research or discussion, it just needs to be done. Elon Musk said Reform UK's Nigel Farage "doesn't have what it takes" to be the party's leader. It comes after Farage disagreed with Musk's support for jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Musk's comments came just hours after Farage called the Tesla CEO a "friend" in an interview. Elon Musk appears to have turned on Reform UK's Nigel Farage, the leader of the country's right-wing party. "The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn't have what it takes," Musk wrote on X on Sunday. Musk has recently supported Reform UK as an alternative to the ruling Labour Party, primarily for its anti-immigration stance. Farage has welcomed that support and the two appeared to be forging a strong relationship. Farage recently visited Musk in the United States. And Musk was rumored to be lining up donations for Reform UK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But things took a turn after Musk called for the release of Tommy Robinson, a jailed far-right anti-immigration activist. Speaking at a Reform UK event earlier this week, Farage said Robinson was "not what we need," The Telegraph reported. "There are people in Britain who think that Robinson is a political prisoner. That's the narrative that he's pushed out. That's how he earns his living but it isn't quite true," he said. On Sunday, Farage responded to Musk, calling the billionaire a "remarkable individual" but saying that he disagreed with his view on Robinson. "Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree," he wrote. "My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robinson is a controversial far-right figure in the UK who was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October for contempt of court. Musk has repeatedly called for Robinson's release. Robinson is something of a third rail in the UK. Farage, who does not shy away from controversy, accused the activist during far-right, anti-immigration riots in the UK over the summer of trying to "stir up hatred." "As for the Tommy Robinsons and those that genuinely do stir up hatred, well, I've never had anything to do with them," Farage said in a video he posted at the time. Hours before Musk's latest comments, the Reform UK leader described the tech mogul as a "friend" in an interview on the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farage said the fact that Musk "supports me politically and supports Reform doesn't mean I have to agree with every single statement he makes on X." Business Insider has contacted Reform UK for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider (Bloomberg) -- Elon Musk appears to have turned on Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage, the right-wing populist and friend of US President-elect Donald Trump he previously supported. Most Read from Bloomberg Farage doesnt have what it takes, Musk posted on his social media platform X on Sunday, saying the party needs a new leader. Its an abrupt about-turn by the Tesla Inc. chief executive, who just days ago said only Farages Reform UK can save Britain while calling for fresh elections in the country. Both men recently met at Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort, with Farage touting a possible donation by Musk to his party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The billionaire, a key adviser to Trump, didnt explain his change of position but his post came hours after Farage had distanced himself from some of Musks most inflammatory attacks on UK politicians. In an interview broadcast on BBC earlier on Sunday, Farage said that while Musk is allowed to have an opinion, he doesnt agree with everything he stands for. He has also previously dissociated himself with Musks call to free far-right activist Tommy Robinson from prison. But I do believe in free speech, Farage said on Sunday. I think hes a hero. Musks public support for Robinson had already set off alarms among senior politicians on the UK right. Several prominent Brexit-supporting politicians with links to Trump last week warned their Republican counterparts against following Musks endorsement, saying it was a step too far, according to people familiar with the views of both the Conservative and Reform UK parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The billionaires repudiation of Farage follows days of attacks against UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who he accused of being complicit in the rape of Britain for his actions as the countrys chief prosecutor during a child sex abuse scandal. He has also criticized safeguarding minister Jess Phillips in inflammatory language that has prompted pushback from the UK government. Earlier on Sunday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the comments as disgraceful, arguing that Musk can do more to combat abuse in his role as a social media platform owner. Its a ridiculous thing to say. Its ill-informed, Streeting said. If he wants to roll his sleeves up and actually do something about tackling violence against women and girls, then online platforms, whether X or any of the other platforms, have got a role to play in keeping people safe. On Sunday, Musk posted in support of Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who has called for a national inquiry into the child sex abuse scandal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Updates with context from seventh paragraph, Musks comment on Kemi Badenoch in final paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The News Elon Musk is extending his influence into more countries political affairs. The worlds richest man said Nigel Farage should step down as leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, and called for the release from prison of a controversial anti-immigration activist. In recent weeks, Musk has also weighed in on Canada and Germanys political fights, elevating far-right figures in those countries. Musks approach, The Washington Post noted, is similar to the one he used to disrupt American politics last year, using his online platform X to boost Donald Trump and Republican causes. The comments may also foreshadow how Musk could influence Trumps foreign policy agenda. As St. Paul police Sgt. Mike Ernster worked at a recent Minnesota Wild game, a group asked him to snap their photo by a Snoopy statue. He mentioned it was his last day in uniform and one man, Ed Nowak, replied: Youre like the voice of St. Paul police. As of tonight, it will be was, Ernster said. The sergeant didnt know Nowak, but like many people, Nowak recognized him from the sergeants appearances years ago on Animal Planets reality show K9 Cops and as the departments spokesman in more recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ernster was the face of the St. Paul Police Department for most of the past 10 years. His name was often in the newspaper, his voice on the radio and his face on TV news during media briefings about homicides and other tragedies. Chief Axel Henry said Ernsters authenticity lets him connect with people in person and when he appeared on television. When he stands there and talks, the community really connects with him because they dont feel like hes reading a script, Henry said. Hes everybodys police officer in St. Paul and hes there to tell them whats going on. After 30 years as a St. Paul police officer, Ernster is retiring from the department. Hes 55 and, after some time off, said he plans to seek another job in the media relations/communications field. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Born and raised in St. Paul, Ernster sat down with the Pioneer Press to talk about his life, his career and how he worked to get information to the public. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Sgt. Mike Ernster Q&A Q: After graduating from Cretin (the last class in 1987 before the school became Cretin-Derham Hall), what did you do? A: I didnt know what my path was going to be, and I needed a job. I got offered a job at Hiway Credit Union, where I banked, and I was a teller from 1987 until August 1994. I started the police academy in September 1994. Q: How did you like working at the credit union? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A: I made a lot of lifelong friends and I met my wife there. We worked together as tellers. (Chris and Mike have been married for 26 years and have two children who are now 22 and 24.) Q: Could you go back to your growing-up years? E Street, right? A: E Block! Edmund. I was born and raised in Frogtown, so I grew up on the 1000 block of Edmund. We had our little group of Ernsters that lived in this area. My grandma and grandpa lived across the street. My uncle and aunt and cousins lived next door to us. Q: How did working at the bank help you decide your career path? A: One of the bigger groups that banked there was state troopers and I was able to speak to them, go on some ride-alongs, and thats where my passion for law enforcement began. It was a light-bulb moment for me. I went to Normandale Community College and got my two-year degree while I kept working. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Q: When you started on patrol, where were you located? Related Articles A: In the West District, so the district I grew up in. The Dale-University area. I worked 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. I was driving around in a squad car, but I still felt like that little kid that was riding his bike around the neighborhood. Q: Youve talked about in the K-9 unit: What would happen in the courtroom when you were called to testify? A: With the last name of Ernster, my nickname is Ernie. With my first K-9, it was a natural fit that hed be named Bert. So Bert and Ernie. It would come up in court and it would always lighten the courtroom a little bit and everybody would get a chuckle out of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Q: Was the show K9 Cops the first time you were on TV? A: Yes. They came around in 2008 and anybody in the K-9 unit at that point was kind of thrust into the spotlight. Camera crews were riding with every shift on a daily basis for months. Some liked it, some didnt. Alyssa Arcand (a civilian police spokeswoman who was present during the interview): Mike liked it. Mike Ernster: If there was somebody that was uncomfortable having (a TV crew) in their car, I said, OK, you could ride with me. Q: What did you like about it? A: It was something I wasnt used to and I also wanted to show people what the other side of K-9 was, what does the daily environment look like. Having the dog come home with you, it really integrates home with work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Q: How did you become the departments public information officer? A: In September 2015, I transferred to the PIO spot. Id expressed interest in it years before. I had no idea what was coming. Q: What do you mean by that? A: What you think a job is and what it is sometimes are two different things. And with PIO, the attention that can be drawn to the position and the topics and how theyre covered, was something that was so new to me. Q: I dont know if stereotype is the right word, but theres an idea that law enforcement generally doesnt like to talk to the media, but the public information officer has to. How did you deal with that? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A: Youre representing the police department and I knew I would be talking to the media. Thankfully, I was partnered with somebody (Steve Linders, then a civilian spokesman for St. Paul police) who had a ton of experience and he was able to guide me through my early years of PIO. There are state laws that govern what we can and cant share, and we work through those pieces and try to provide information to the people who are requesting it. Theres a lot of phone calls and emails and just general busy work on the backside. We also believe in transparency to the community. We want to get information out, but we also need to preserve the integrity of investigations. We have to think about families of people that have been injured or killed. Q: Did you have to break down a mindset of not talking to the media? (Other than the police chief or his designee, St. Paul officers have to get permission from the department for media interviews.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A: The first misconception I had was that it was going to be like doing K9 Cops and talking to a camera and having them cut all that video down to a show. It was nowhere near what being a PIO is. For this job, a lot more thought goes into what were going to say and why were going to say it. Being on camera is less than 5% of what a PIO does. The bigger piece is behind the scenes and working through information. Theres three things that dominate the PIO world. The biggest is reactive something happens and were providing information. Beyond that, we are also trying to tell the good stories of the police department, so were always looking for the times where really interesting things happen. The third is the crisis piece where something bad has happened and an officer is involved somehow. The spotlight of attention is very bright on those situations. We have to be sharing information because, if we dont, I think weve seen in the past few years that the lack of information will create a void which people will try to fill with information thats not factual. Q: What kinds of things would you get called out to in the middle of the night? A: Mostly homicides or we could be called on a fatal traffic crash or an officer-involved incident, whether an officer was involved in a shooting or whether an officer was injured, God forbid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Q: Do you get recognized most places you go, either from K9 Cops or being public information officer? A: It happens more on duty because Im in uniform. If Im not in uniform, they dont know where they recognize you from. I was volunteering at the tree lot at St. Pascals (church) and people always say, You look really familiar. Did you go here? People will come up to me and address me by name, and Im racking my brain trying to remember who they are, how I know them and, in the end, I dont even know them. They just come up and speak to you like they know you because they see you on TV. Arcand: I think Mike, growing up in the city and everything that hes done in his whole career, contributes to people remembering him everywhere, all the time. It made me think of how much time you spent at Childrens (Hospital) with your dog. Ernster: When we delivered gifts for Christmas, I soon learned that Santa was very popular, but Buzz (his second K-9) was also really popular, so I suggested to Childrens Hospital that we start doing regular visits with the dog. We did that for years. The dog was kind of an ice breaker and it was also a time for them to not think about whatever illness they were facing. People might think that going into a childrens hospital would be a sad place, but I found it to be a place that was resilient, a place that was full of energy, a place that had a lot of hope. And I think those visits were as therapeutic for me as they were for the kids. Q: How has your job changed with the increase in scanner listeners sharing information on social media? A: Officers used to talk, after calls in the middle of the night, that if the whole neighborhood knew what was happening, theyd probably be really worried, though they werent situations that were a danger to the community. Then the scanner follower groups came along and now neighborhoods that didnt know about everything that was happening are starting to learn about it, and their anxiety levels started to rise. As a PIO, it definitely increased our emails and phone calls for information. If its information that is available and can be shared, we would share it. The information that comes across scanners is unvetted. Its just raw information and it has to be verified. We battle that, a little bit, as we provide information thats confirmed, but everybody wants information right away. We will always lean to accurate, and so sometimes the information doesnt come out as fast because we want that accuracy to be there. Related Articles Q: How did the George Floyd situation change your job, after the Minneapolis Police Department initially put out a statement that said hed had a medical incident? A: It caused us to make sure that were in constant communication with the leaders of our department and the investigators to make sure that everything that we were going to be saying was completely accurate. Q: Whats next for the PIO job? A: Sgt. Toy Vixayvong takes my place (hes been a St. Paul officer for 23 years and worked most recently in the departments gang/gun unit). Nikki Muehlhausen recently joined the department (she fills a vacant civilian spokesperson position and has 18 years of news media experience). Alyssa (Arcand) will still be here. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Evidence collected over nearly a year led police to arrest a shooting suspect from a northeast Columbus incident in June 2023. According to court documents, Kevin Thomas faces four counts of felonious assault and a weapons charge in connection with a shooting in the 4600 block of Glen Grove Lane in the Forest Park East neighborhood. Officers arrived at the Glenview Estates residence, where a woman said her apartment was shot up while she and her children were inside. Detectives recovered nine casings from the parking lot and received a tip that Thomas was at the residence to collect money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Surveillance cameras captured a silver SUV quickly driving away after the shooting. In January 2024, Thomas was pulled over while driving a silver 2015 GMC Terrain and police found a Glock 22 under the drivers seat. Thomas told police that the gun belonged to his girl, and police confirmed the gun was purchased by the woman in April 2023. The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network linked the casings from the Glen Grove Lane shooting to a Shot Spotter report on Oct. 4, 2023, when police received reports of a separate shooting. That shooting took place in a west Columbus neighborhood where there was an address with the Terrain registered in Thomas name. A warrant was issued for Thomas arrest in May 2024, and he was eventually arrested on Thursday, nearly 19 months after the initial incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thomas was issued a $1 million bond Thursday in Franklin County Municipal Court. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. A former SNP MP whose political career ended in disgrace after he sexually harassed a junior staffer has been handed a top job at a Scottish Government-funded charity. Patrick Grady, who was suspended from the House of Commons after he was found to have drunkenly made unwanted sexual advances to a teenage male staffer, has been appointed head of policy and communications for Scotlands International Development Alliance (SIDA). The organisation receives the vast majority of its funding from the SNP-run Scottish Government. Despite being at the centre of a long-running scandal, Mr Grady is believed to remain close to influential figures within the party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a job advertisement posted last October, Mr Grady will be paid between 40,000 and 43,000 per year for a four-day week, and will be expected to work from the charitys Edinburgh office as little as once a week. He was hired last month despite a Westminster standards watchdog finding in 2022 that had made an unwanted sexual advance towards a male staff member, who was then aged 19, while under the influence of alcohol in a London pub in October 2016. His conduct included touching and stroking the staffers neck, hair and back, which while not intimate was clearly inappropriate, an independent expert panel ruled. Mr Grady was 36 at the time of the incident. The SNP was then accused of attempting to cover up the affair with the complainant ambushed by then Westminster leader Ian Blackford and left feeling intimidated into accepting an apology from the MP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His victim reacted to the appointment by saying SIDA appears to have overlooked the significance of Gradys sexual harassment towards me as a teenager in their vetting process. He told the Sunday Post: Their decision to employ Patrick Grady calls into question the integrity of their leadership and their commitment to upholding the values they claim to represent. Patrick Gradys actions caused real harm to real people, me included. Mr Grady issued an apology in the Commons for his actions in the summer of 2022 and insisted such behaviour will never happen again. He was suspended from the SNP for six months, and did not stand again in his Glasgow North seat at the last election, which was won by Labour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Blackford, who a leaked recording revealed had initially urged SNP MPs to support Mr Grady amid the scandal, posted a photo on X in September smiling alongside him and describing Mr Grady as a good friend. A police probe into sexual harassment allegations against Mr Grady was dropped in July 2022. Mr Grady is a former SNP chief whip at Westminster and also served as National Secretary of the party. According to a profile on SIDAs website, he now works with members and external stakeholders, acting on opportunities for influence, and leading influencing and communications with key audiences. It suggests he will have to engage with politicians from parties other than the SNP who were highly critical of his actions and the partys handling of the scandal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SIDAs chief executive, Frances Guy, also chairs a panel responsible for distributing 1 million per year in Scottish Government cash to respond to overseas humanitarian emergencies. Annie Wells, the Scottish Tory MSP, said: The brave victim who came forward to report Patrick Gradys behaviour will be shocked and alarmed that he has waltzed back into a top job, so soon afterwards. The SNP handled the whole affair appallingly and even restored the whip to Patrick Grady, despite him being found guilty of sexually harassing a teenage member of staff. Given that this organisation is funded by taxpayers money and is public facing in what it does, many will wonder if this disgraced former MP is the most appropriate person for such a role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Scottish Government spokesman said: Scotlands International Development Alliance is an independent organisation and we have no role in their staffing appointments. SIDA was approached for comment but did not respond. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. (This Jan. 5 story has been refiled to add Biden's first name in paragraph 3) By Heather Timmons and Gabriella Borter WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. ethics official charged with preventing government workers' conflicts of interest is about to take the hot seat in Washington, as President-elect Donald Trump's new cabinet and other appointees declare their financial assets and prepare for their new jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are in touch with the transition team and working with them," said David Huitema recently when he sat down with Reuters for his first official interview since being sworn in for the job on Dec. 16. The inauguration will be Jan. 20. Ethics experts say the director of the Office of Government Ethics, or OGE, is in the spotlight during any presidential transition, but Huitema faces special challenges ahead of Trump's second term, evaluating a myriad of business ties for Trump, his family and advisers. President Joe Biden appointed Huitema in 2023 but he was not confirmed by the then Democratic-controlled Senate for over a year. Experts pointed to the shortened tenure of Walter Shaub, the last person to hold the job when Trump entered the White House. Shaub was OGE director from 2013 and left in July 2017, before his five-year term was up, after clashes with the Trump administration. They also noted that several of Trump's latest nominees have expressed disdain for the agencies they will run. After nine years as ethics chief at the U.S. State Department, Huitema will spearhead the OGE's standard task of helping scrutinize hundreds of new Senate-vetted nominees and thousands of political appointees for potential financial and personal conflicts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If he does his job well, chances are good Huitema could be fired fairly promptly, Shaub warned in an open letter last month. Huitema told Reuters he has faith in the intentions of most new entrants to government. He shared his views on ethics education and maintaining the public trust, but declined to answer specific questions about the incoming administration. The ethics office only deals with potential government employees, he noted. That means it will not vet outside advisers like billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who Trump has asked to recommend cuts in government spending. Q: What does the OGE do, exactly? A: "The ultimate goal is to ensure that federal employees are making decisions based on national interest and policy priorities of the administration rather than any personal interest especially financial interest. ... The OGE itself is a small agency of just about 75 employees, but we work with a team of about 4,000 ethics officials interspersed, who engage more directly with federal employees." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One important immediate task, he said, will be "with nominee financial disclosure, helping ensure that nominees for Senate confirmed positions meet their requirements for complete disclosure of their financial interests and arrangements. " Q. How does the financial disclosure process work with presidential nominees? A: Normally, he said, nominees for top jobs fill out reports early to help the office "identify potential conflicts or steps the nominee might have to take if they are confirmed so all that information is available to the Senate and to the officials so they know what they are getting themselves into." Q. What sort of deadlines are there? When do people have to make these disclosures? A. He said nominees should submit a report "within five days of their nomination. ... Our goal is to help these incoming officials, help the Senate and do so as efficiently as possible." He noted that "any member of the public can request a copy" of any financial disclosure report filed with the OGE. "The idea is the public, too, can help play a role in monitoring for conflicts of interest." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Q. What is the enforcement mechanism if there are conflicts of interest? A: "Its not so much if a conflict comes up on the form itself, but whether ultimately any federal employees is engaged with work that then conflicts with their financial interest. "The conflict of interest law is a criminal law, so the ultimate recourse is prosecution by the Department of Justice. Our role is to actually help advise employees to avoid that situation ... "We will work with the agency ethics officials if we learn of a potential conflict of interest problem to make sure that gets addressed, ultimately we work with the Department of Justice as well if necessary." Q: As the State Department ethics head, what lessons did you learn? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A: "Most employees, career and appointed, want to follow the law and want to act with integrity and they appreciate the help of ethics officials ..."Q: In your Congressional testimony, you said you think the OGE can help in the "struggle against the growing cynicism and distrust that can undermine our democratic self government." Can you explain? A. "We want to make sure employees ... don't act based on personal interests, especially financial interests and personal motivations. ... "In practice the federal ethics rules may be more limited in their actual scope than people appreciate, so peoples assumptions that theres a specific issue with compliance with federal ethics laws may not be well grounded. Q. What are some examples of interests that are not substantial enough to raise red flags? A. "The financial conflict of interest laws are ... pretty exact in terms of their scope. Either you have enough stock to pose a conflict or you dont." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Q. Can ethics be taught? For people coming from the business side, interactions are often based around "How can I use this to advantage me or my company," on purpose. A. "I hope so because there are lots of ethics training requirements," he said, laughing. He agreed officials coming from the private sector are used to "networking and What can you do to benefit someone so they can in turn benefit you... It is a challenge to make sure those officials and new employees understand that the expectations within government are a little bit different. ..." Q. What happens if the DOJ does not take ethics laws seriously? Where does that leave you? A. "Criminal prosecution is one extreme, but there is enforcement at the agency level in terms of discipline." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Q. The president can grant a waiver exempting someone from conflict of interest laws, correct? Is that something the OGE can push back on, or advise against? A. "The president in some cases and agency heads or officials ... can grant exemptions" but must consult with the OGE. He said exemptions can be granted when "the potential conflict of interest isnt viewed as that significant. Ultimately OGE needs to know when a waiver is issued. They can be made public." (Reporting by Heather Timmons and Gabriella Borter; Editing by Stephanie Kelly and David Gregorio) German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck has said the country's centrist parties must be willing to cooperate following February's election or run the risk of aiding their extremist rivals. His comments came one day after Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer resigned following the collapse of coalition negotiations, paving the way for a possible coalition between the conservative Austrian People's Party and the far-right Freedom Party of Austria. "Austria is an example of how it cannot go," Habeck told dpa on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Habeck - the Green Party's candidate for chancellor - said "sparks will fly" in Germany's election campaign, but he insisted that parties must "remain cool." "If the centrist parties are unable to form alliances and dismiss compromises as the devil's work, that helps the radicals," Habeck stated. "If we are not prepared to form democratic alliances, we face the threat of instability and an inability to act." "Germany cannot afford this," the vice chancellor warned. The Greens, who joined a three-party coalition with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats and the Free Democrats in 2021, are currently polling at around 13%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The party has been mentioned as a potential coalition partner for the conservative bloc spearheaded by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). However, the Greens have faced criticism from the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), whose leader Markus Soder has repeatedly expressed his opposition to a coalition. FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) Fall River police have arrested a man in connection to the vandalism of the Fallen Officers Memorial on Sunday. (Courtesy: Fall River Police Department) Police said the suspect, 29-year-old Lim Rodrigues, suffers from severe mental health challenges at this time. Around 11:30 a.m., yellow spray paint was used to vandalize the statue and granite memorial stone, according to police. Rodrigues will be charged accordingly, police said, but their focus will now make sure Rodrigues gets the appropriate care and support to address the issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. A Pulitzer-prize-winning political cartoonist resigned from the Washington Post after her sketch depicting Jeff Bezos the newspapers billionaire owner grovelling before Donald Trump was not published. Ann Telnaess spiked cartoon showed a number of tech moguls, including Mr Bezos, kneeling and holding up bags of money at the president-elects feet. The cartoonist, who has worked for the Left-leaning newspaper for almost two decades, said it was the first time she had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The image that Ms Telnaes shared on Substack also depicted Disneys Mickey Mouse prostrate in front of the statue. The Walt Disney Company, which owns the television network ABC recently reached a $15 million (12 million) settlement with Mr Trump after he sued for defamation over reporting on his sexual abuse trial in New York. Ms Telnaes wrote that while her previous sketches had been rejected, this was the first time that had happened because of her point of view. Thats a game changer... and dangerous for a free press, she said. The Washington Post claimed rejection was due to repetition and not by any malign force - Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP The Washington Post, whose slogan is democracy dies in darkness, said Ms Telnaess work had not been rejected due to any malign force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Shipley, the editorial page editor, said: We had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another column this one a satire for publication. The only bias was against repetition. Ms Telnaess dramatic exit comes after Mr Bezos courted controversy ahead of the presidential election when he broke with years of tradition at the Post by not endorsing a candidate. As Mr Trump prepares for his inauguration on Jan 20, there are signs that top chief executives, including in the media, are eager to build good relations. A stream of senior moguls, from Apples Tim Cook to Metas Mark Zuckerberg, have travelled to meet the 78 year-old at his Florida estate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elon Musk, owner of X and the worlds richest person, is one of the president-elects closest advisors. Amazon and Meta have both announced $1 million donations to Mr Trumps inauguration fund, as reportedly has Mr Cook in a personal capacity. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. All three suspects made their first appearance on Monday morning. They all have a bond hearing Wednesday with the trial date to be picked on Jan. 21. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Three former Virginia Beach Sheriffs Office deputies were indicted for the in-custody death of Rolin Hill. Former Deputies Kevin Wilson, Michael Kidd and Eric Baptiste were charged with second-degree murder. Kevin Wilson Michael Kidd Eric Baptiste On Saturday, Hills family alongside community members came together at Mount Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach to remember him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was [a] very, very proud father on that precious day, that first precious day of holding him. I can still remember that day, and thats what you gotta have these days, memories of what has happened, but also the fight for justice for what has happened, said Rolins father, Stanley Hill. Just embrace your family and friends. Spend time with them. Even when you are upset with them, because that does happen, and just continue to pray for us and pray for us to get justice, said Gail Hill, his mother. Rolin was hospitalized and died after being restrained by deputies at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center according to authorities in June 2024. Hill was arrested at a 7-Eleven after management says he was causing a disturbance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His family continues to fight for justice wearing and handing out green Justice for Rolin buttons, his favorite color and a symbol of mental health awareness. Too many people, this is just a conversation, but to the people out here, this means something. Rolin was a real person. Its not just a hashtag. We dont let you ever think he was just or is just a hashtag. This man saved lives, even in his untimely demise, said JaPharii Jones, Black Lives Matter 757 leader. At the vigil, people gave speeches, prayers, and a call to change as people gathered to hear stories about Rolin, including how he was an organ donor and how he helped save four people after he died. Hes my hero. That was [an] amazing feat. It was sad that night, but we knew the next day in Ohio, somebody had my sons heart, said Stanley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities say all three former Sheriffs deputies turned themselves in and are held without bail. Eric Baptiste is being held at the Norfolk City Jail, according to the Norfolk Sheriffs Office. Kidd and Wilson are being held by the Chesapeake Magistrates Office. All three made their first appearance on Monday morning in Virginia Beach Circuit Court via video arraignment. Kevin Wilson Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric Baptiste Michael Kidd They all have a bond hearing Wednesday with the trial date to be picked on Jan. 21. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. The first and only OFallon law enforcement officer who was killed in the line of duty has been honored for his heroism and service with a memorial plaque. Benjamin B. Schmitt was a city marshal when he was shot in the line of duty. He died March 21, 1916, at the age of 41. He left behind a wife and seven children. Since then, his memory lives on and he continues to inspire, said Valerie Hancock, president of the OFallon Historical Preservation Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hancock said the commission introduced the idea to honor Schmitt with a plaque, as he was the only officer killed in OFallons 170-year history. The city, the OFallon Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 198, city historian Brian Keller and retired OFallon Police Lt. Keith Townsend helped make the plaque and presentation happen. The plaque that will hang downtown at the Chamber office The plaque was dedicated at an official ceremony on Dec. 19, with a police color guard presenting a flag from the police department to Gerald Schmitt, BBs oldest surviving grandchild. He will always be my hometown hero, Hancock said. Im just happy we could finally honor him in a good way, and the family was able to be there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hancock has worked for the city for more than 20 years and is currently a dispatcher with the citys Metro East Communications Center. About 60 people attended the ceremony, including the more than 25 descendants attended the event. Benjamin Schmitts grandson, Jim Schmitt, who owns Wood Bakery, spoke on behalf of the family, with gratitude for the recognition. Schmitts teenage great-great grandson, Hank Schmitt, unveiled the plaque. He wore his great-great grandfathers original police badge that has been in the family since the tragedy occurred 108 years ago. Schmitts great-great grandson Hank Schmitt unveiled the plaque. He is wearing his great-great grandfathers original police badge. The local tribute followed his inclusion in national and state law enforcement memorials, and he was honored with a light pole banner six years ago. The OFallon Police Department purchased a Hometown Heroes banner in his memory in 2018 after the program was expanded to include any person who was a police officer, firefighter, EMT, paramedic or dispatcher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A great-grandson, Anthony Schmitt, had written a tribute following his great-grandfathers name being placed on the memorial wall in Washington on Memorial Day in 2013. The stories I heard about you when I was a kid I will never forget. You were well respected by the community and loved by your family, he wrote in tribute afterwards. The Police Color Guard presents the flag to Gerald Schmitt, BBs oldest surviving grandson. Hancock said it will be mounted on the Chamber of Commerce office building downtown, which is located on First Street. According to historical records, as reported on the Officer Down Memorial Page, BB Schmitt was investigating two suspicious subjects at the Baltimore and Ohio railroad station platform, just east of Lincoln Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While questioning them, a heated exchange occurred. As Schmitt reached for his service weapon, one of the subjects pulled a .32-caliber revolver from his overcoat pocket, fired once and struck the marshal in the heart. Historian Brian Keller said it was early evening on a Tuesday when he encountered Thomas Boreman and Kenneth Ford. Apparently satisfied, he had turned to leave, but Boreman said something to make him turn around, gun drawn. Boreman quickly drew his gun and shot Schmitt in the heart. Schmitt fired twice but missed. Boreman was caught and indicted for murder, Keller explained. At his trial, he argued self-defense. The verdict returned by the jury on Oct. 4, 1916, was not guilty, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schmitt had served with the OFallon Police Department for three years. His extended family settled in OFallon after arriving from Germany in the late 19th Century. A former coal miner, Schmitt joined the police department on May 5, 1913, and was appointed city marshal on May 4, 1914, by Mayor John Seddon. He was re-appointed on May 3, 1915, by Mayor C.E. Tiedemann. His widow Addie never remarried and supported her family by doing laundry services. His youngest son, Joseph, was 10 weeks old when his father died. As a young boy, Joe would deliver clean clothes back to customers in his wagon. To help support his family, he cleaned out spittoons and shined shoes in his brother-in-laws barbershop in downtown OFallon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As an adult, Joseph W. Schmitt had an integral role in the small steps and giant leaps of the U.S. Space Program as NASAs first space suit technician. He was responsible for designing and constructing the suits that Alan Shepard and John Glenn wore on their first historic flights, as well as all the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts. In a BND article dated April 5, 2017, that chronicled Schmitts career, the two illustrations that artist Norman Rockwell drew of him were featured. He died six months later, at age 101. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the BND ran an article on Schmitt, dated July 18, 2019. What started as a Christmas Eve hike soon turned into a nightmare for a northern Minnesota family, when two of their beloved huskies escaped and were ultimately found shot to death. According to The Retrievers, a volunteer group dedicated to helping find lost dogs, the two animals named Tucker and Maple, siblings who were both two years old were out with their family at Zipple Bay State Park in the Baudette area when they ran away. One of the owners, Ramona Anderson Rowett, told Valley News Live that Tucker and Maple escaped when "her daughters hands slipped while re-tying (their) leash." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They had gotten loose before but they stay in the area within blocks and come back when called," Rowett told the station. "This time, we ran out of time and someone else got to them before we did. Days later, the dogs were found dumped in a frozen ditch, having been shot to death "by some horrible person," according to an update from The Retrievers. The two were still leashed together, the post says. While no arrests have been made yet, Rowett tells FOX 9 she believes Tucker and Maple may have been killed by deer hunters, as it's legal in certain circumstances to shoot dogs who are endangering big game. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, FOX 9 notes that such killings would only be legal between Jan. 1 and July 14. The huskies were killed in December. Anyone who knows anything about the killings is encouraged to contact the Baudette Police Department. PARIS (Reuters) - Convoys of farmers set off on Sunday to try to block roads around Paris in protest against what they say is unfair competition from overseas and excessive regulation. Farmers from France, the European Union's biggest agricultural producer, led European-wide protests at the start of 2024, but demonstrations fizzled out as the year went on. However, a move last month by the EU and South American nations in the Mercosur bloc to announce an agreement in principle on a free trade deal has given new impetus to French farmers opposed to the Mercosur deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement French farmers also remain unhappy about regulation which they say is hitting their profits. Farming trade union officials are due to meet French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Jan. 13 to express their concerns. "They don't understand the level of misery and distress that farmers are going through at the moment," Amelie Rebiere, vice-president of the Co-ordination Rurale farming trade union, told BFM TV. Those who back the EU's Mercosur deal, such as Germany, say it offers a way to reduce reliance on trade with China, and insulates EU nations from the impact of trade tariffs being threatened by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Nevertheless, many European farmers - often led by those from France - have repeatedly protested against the EU-Mercosur deal, arguing it would lead to cheap imports of South American commodities, notably beef, that do not meet EU safety standards. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Elizabeth Pineau, Manuel Ausloos, Noemie Olive, Benoit Tessier. Editing by Mark Potter) Marielas eyes brightened when she saw the pair of pink sneakers. The 5-year-old transitional kindergarten student at Fresno Unifieds Jackson Elementary School had been coming to class wearing an outgrown pair of yellow slippers. Emma Chavez, Jackson Elementarys community school coordinator, sought to change that and, on a recent December afternoon, brought the girl a new pair of shoes to try on. Mariela ran from one end of the classroom to the other, stomping her feet in excitement and flashing the lights on her new shoes. She admired their floral patterns and didnt want to change back into her slippers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recognizing that students like Mariela encounter barriers keeping them from focusing on learning, California launched a $4.1 billion program in 2022 to turn public schools into community schools that serve as resource hubs for families. Fresno Unified has 19 schools offering these wraparound services such as food, clothing, washers and dryers, and parenting classes and plans to convert as many as one-third of its campuses into community schools by August. But the $26.5 million in state grants wont last, and district leaders must find ways to sustain a community school program they say holds much promise in improving student achievement and getting kids to show up to class. Chavez said educators become very intentional in identifying families needs and finding them the resources to even the playing field for needy students. I feel like a lot of times, education is not a priority because other needs are not being met for families, Chavez said. Its hard for a family to focus on the kids education when theyre worried about how theyre going to feed their family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mariela and her mom, Mariana Garcia, are among the dozens of families Chavez has helped since joining Jackson Elementary as a community school coordinator in September. The family recently migrated to the U.S. and lives on the modest income of Marielas dad, who works at a local factory. When Chavez learned that Mariela and her siblings needed clothes, she connected them to a local charity, Randys Closet. The districts first community schools established food pantries, installed washers and dryers and other services. Thomas Elementary in northeast Fresno, for example, offers dental and vision care for kids and provides parenting classes, as well as after-school tutoring to reduce students exposure to gang violence. Its unclear how long Fresno Unifieds rapidly growing community school program will last. Whats been the critique of community schools is it becomes another grant, like Heres the money for five years, then it goes away, nothing really sustains beyond those five years, Carlos Huerta, executive director at Fresno Pacific Universitys Center for Community Transformation, recently told a group of Jackson Elementary community leaders. Huertas team is working on a report looking at potential solutions for the district. Emma Chavez, a community school coordinator at Jackson Elementary School in Fresno, looks for a new jacket or sweatshirt to give to student Giovanni Ruiz Gonzalez through the community school program on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. Getting the community involved Located in the impoverished southeast Fresno adjacent to the citys historic Huntington Boulevard, Jackson Elementary teaches children from both grand homes and more modest bungalows. The school also receives a handful of students each year who are new to the U.S. from Spanish-speaking countries, said Rodolfo Gonzalez, the schools principal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gonzalez said they value Chavezs passion and her Spanish-speaking skills. Half of Jacksons students are in the dual-immersion program. The goal is to make the community school function without Chavez, said Gonzalez. There is no guarantee that the schools will retain coordinators after the 5-year state grant ends. The idea is that within five years, well figure out different resources to continue this program, and to build our capacity in being able to look for resources for the site, said Gonzalez. The school is trying to recruit parent volunteers and secure partnerships with community organizations to try and sustain the community school program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We see that it was going to cost $0.7 to $0.8 a meal at Fresno Unified to provide for food pantries at certain schools, but the church across the street was costing $0.15 to $0.2 per meal, said Huerta, of Fresno Pacific University. So rather than doing two food banks, what if we coordinated support services from that church to bridge the gap, and then it also allows the recirculation of those funds for something else. District officials acknowledge that each community schools offerings should depend on their communitys needs. At Washington Elementary, laundry services are in high demand, and the school is considering bringing in washers and dryers. But Chavez said in the Jackson community, she found four nearby laundromats. Why dont we help that business out by getting vouchers for the parents to go there instead of us? What if the machines break down? she said. Meeting the needs Each morning, Chavez receives referrals from classroom teachers of students in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oftentimes, classroom teachers notice students who come to school without a sweater or kids who wear the same shirt for several days. One student was recently referred to Chavez for wearing shoes that were hurting them because they were too small. Alejandra Garcia-Diaz, a first-grade teacher at Jackson Elementary, said its easy to tell when a student is in need of help beyond the classroom. Kids also share a lot, like if they have parents who are working for extended periods of time or theyre home and its just older siblings helping them with their homework, Garcia-Diaz said. Chavez used program funds and community donations to purchase two racks of jackets for the students who she saw shivering in the cold and set up a clothing corner in the classroom. For families in need of everyday clothing and other basic needs, she connects them with charitable organizations such as Cornerstone Community Care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For small schools like Jackson Elementary, which has just over 350 students, partnering with churches and charities is more cost-effective for helping families, Chavez said. On any given week, Chavez takes several families to Randys Closet for clothes and the food pantry. The neediest Jackson Elementary students received turkey boxes for Thanksgiving and toys for Christmas. There are some early signs that the community school program is making an impact on student attendance. Jackson Elementary ended the fall semester with an average daily attendance of about 94%, above the districts average. Giovanni Ruiz Gonzalez tries on a new pair of shoes that were giving to him through the community school program at Jackson Elementary School on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. Parents m ust help them selves No matter how much the school provides, parents ultimately need to take the initiative to help themselves, Chavez said. She highlights resources for parents by posting leaflets in her classroom promoting financial literacy classes offered by Educational Employees Credit Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was giving parents the tool on how to save money, basic stuff that a lot of parents dont know because of not knowing the language, or having barriers getting the knowledge, or maybe they werent born here in the United States, said Chavez. Garcia, 5-year-old Marielas mom, once told Chavez that she was waiting for relatives to take her to the DMV to take her behind-the-wheel test so she could obtain her drivers license. Chavez volunteered to take Chavez, instead. On a rainy Tuesday morning the last week of the fall semester, they arrived at the DMV an hour before Garcias appointment. Sitting on the bench and watching the names scroll by on the screens, Garcia told Chavez about working in the fields in her younger days and how she became a stay-at-home mom. Now that her daughter has started school, she hopes to find a part-time job at a nearby business once she obtains her drivers license. Garcia smiled as she returned to the DMV lobby after passing her driving test. Im not nervous anymore, she said, hugging Chavez. Jackson Elementary School in Fresno, is where Emma Chavez is a coordinator in the community school program. Emma Chavez, a community school coordinator at Jackson Elementary School in Fresno, helps Giovanni Ruiz Gonzalez with a new pair of shoes that were giving to him through the community school program on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Shamsud-Din Jabbar paid several visits to New Orleans in the months before his deadly New Year's Day attack on Bourbon Street. In a press conference on Sunday, authorities revealed that Jabbar visited New Orleans twice while planning the assault on the French Quarter that killed 14 and wounded dozens more. They shared that he wore a pair of Meta smart glasses during a trip to the historic center of the city, recording scenes on Bourbon Street in October. The details of his November visit are currently unknown. "He was in town at least two days. During that time, Jabbar, using Meta glasses, recorded a video as he rode through the French Quarter on a bicycle," FBI New Orleans special agent in charge Lyonel Myrthil shared. "This video shows Jabbar during that trip in October with his Meta glasses. As we continue to learn more about that trip, we ask anyone who may have seen or interacted with him to contact us." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same press conference, authorities shared that the former U.S. Army soldier had also traveled to Cairo, Egypt and Ontario, Canada in the months prior to the attack. His motivation for those trips is unknown. They shared video and photos of Jabbar in New Orleans in the hours leading up to the assault. Jabbar was killed in a shoot-out with police after crashing his truck into a forklift on Bourbon Street. Improvised explosive devices were later found farther up the street. A transmitter believed to be a detonator was found in the truck with Jabbar. Officials say he was wearing Meta glasses at the time of his attack but had not turned them on. The suspected perpetrator of the car-ramming incident in New Orleans visited the southern US city at least twice before the deadly attack on New Year's Day, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said on Sunday. Shamsud-Din J was in New Orleans once in October and again in November, investigators said at a press conference. The suspect killed 14 people and injured dozens more in the early hours of New Year's Day when he drove into a crowd of revellers in the city's French Quarter, a popular nightlife district renowned for its Mardi Gras celebrations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his stay in October, he rode a bicycle through the French Quarter, where the attack took place, and recorded videos with smart glasses, the investigators said. Smart glasses look like normal glasses but allow the wearer to inconspicuously take pictures without using their hands. Investigators said the suspect also wore smart glasses during the attack on Bourbon Street, but did not activate them to enable live recordings. They added that the suspect had travelled to Egypt and Canada before the attack. However, they said it is not yet clear whether the trips were related. The suspect, who was a US citizen born in Texas, died in an exchange of fire with police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency services found possible explosives and a flag from the extremist group Islamic State in the vehicle. According to the FBI, there were also weapons in the vehicle. US President Joe Biden is expected to visit New Orleans on Monday, where he plans to speak to relatives of the victims. By Kanishka Singh (Reuters) - The FBI is looking into past visits to Egypt and Canada by the suspect in the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people after a truck was rammed into a crowd of revelers, an FBI official told reporters on Sunday. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran aged 42 who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State extremist group, was the suspect in the attack and the FBI says he acted alone. He was killed in a shootout with police after the rampage, which also injured dozens of people and has been labeled by the FBI as an act of terrorism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have also tracked that Jabbar traveled to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 until July 3 of 2023. A few days later he flew to Ontario, Canada, on July 10 and returned to the U.S. on July 13 of 2023," Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office, said at a press briefing. "Our agents are getting answers as to where he went, who he met with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions in our city in New Orleans," he added. The FBI also said Jabbar made at least two trips to New Orleans in the months prior to the attack, one in October and the other in November. The suspect stayed in a rental home in New Orleans during that time, the FBI said, adding he recorded videos with Meta glasses traveling through the French Quarter, the neighborhood in New Orleans where the attack occurred on Bourbon Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New Orleans coroner's office has identified all 14 deceased victims, among whom the youngest was aged 18 and the oldest was 63. Most were in their 20s. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese) The man responsible for the truck attack in New Orleans on New Years Day that killed 14 people visited the city twice before and recorded video of the French Quarter with hands-free glasses, an FBI official said Sunday. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Houston, also traveled to Cairo, Egypt, as well as Ontario, Canada, before the attack, although it was not yet clear whether those trips were connected to the attack, Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said at a press conference. The attack early Wednesday was carried out by Jabbar, a former U.S. Army soldier, from Houston. Police fatally shot Jabbar, 42, during a firefight at the scene of the deadly crash on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans historic French Quarter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal investigators so far believe Jabbar acted alone. All investigative details and evidence that we have now still support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans, said Raia. We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking into potential associates in the U.S. and outside of our borders. Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans Field Office, said the suspect in the attack traveled to Cairo in the summer of 2023 and then to Canada a few days later. Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he went with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here, Myrthil said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jabbar had also traveled to New Orleans ahead of the attack in October. Myrthil said video shows the suspect riding through the French Quarter on a bicycle wearing meta glasses that are capable of recording or livestreaming. President Joe Biden planned to travel to New Orleans with first lady Jill Biden on Monday to grieve with the families and community members impacted by the tragic attack. Suspect proclaims support for Islamic State group Jabbar proclaimed his support for the Islamic State militant group in online videos posted hours before he struck. It was the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil in years, laying bare what federal officials have warned is a resurgent international terrorism threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABCs This Week with George Stephanopoulos that the country faces not only the persistent threat of foreign terrorism ... for the past ten years, weve seen a significant increase in what we term homegrown violent extremism. Jabbar reserved the vehicle used in the attack more than six weeks earlier, on Nov. 14, according to law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Jabbar had suspected bomb-making materials at his Houston home, which contained a workbench in the garage and hazardous materials believed to have been used to make explosive devices, officials familiar with a search conducted there said. Authorities found crude bombs in the neighborhood of the attack in an apparent attempt to cause more carnage. Two improvised explosive devices left in coolers several blocks apart were rendered safe at the scene. Other devices were determined to be nonfunctional. Jabbar purchased a cooler in Vidor, Texas, hours before the attack and gun oil from a store in Sulphur, Louisiana, investigators said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators searching Jabbars rental truck found a transmitter intended to trigger the two bombs, the FBI said in a statement Friday, adding that there were bomb-making materials at the New Orleans home he rented. Jabbar tried to burn down the house by setting a small fire in a hallway with accelerants but the flames burned out before firefighters arrived. Jabbar exited the crashed truck wearing a ballistic vest and helmet and fired at police, wounding at least two officers before he was fatally shot by police. New Orleans police have declined to say how many shots were fired by Jabbar and the officers or whether any bystanders may have been hit, citing the active investigation. Enhanced security planned ahead of Super Bowl Police have used multiple vehicles and barricades to block traffic at Bourbon and Canal streets since the attack. Other law enforcement agencies helped city officers provide extra security, said Reese Harper, a New Orleans police spokesperson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first parade of the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras was scheduled to take place Monday evening. New Orleans also will host the Super Bowl on Feb. 9. In a previous effort to protect the French Quarter, the city installed steel columns known as bollards to restrict vehicle access to Bourbon Street. The posts retracted to allow deliveries to bars and restaurants. They stopped working reliably after being gummed up by Mardi Gras beads, beer and other detritus. When New Years Eve arrived, the bollards were gone. They will be replaced ahead of the Super Bowl, officials have said. All victims identified Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New Orleans coroners office has identified all 14 victims, with the youngest listed as 18 and the oldest 63. Most of the victims were in their 20s. About 30 people were injured. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW The citys hated new congestion toll could dangerously delay FDNY response times meaning the difference between life and death, unions repping thousands of Bravest warned Sunday. The $9 Manhattan toll, which kicked off Sunday, will prompt many Big Apple firefighters to leave their cars at home when reporting for duty because they dont want to pay the outrageous commuter tax, the unions fumed. That means the firefighters wont have their wheels if they report to work at their firehouse and then get called to somewhere outside their zone to fill in during a potential emergency a situation that occurs about 200 times a day throughout the city, the unions said. Two of New York Citys firefighter unions are slamming the newly implemented $9 congestion toll plan, saying Sunday that it will likely hurt response times. LP Media Two of NYCs firefighter unions have come out against the newly implemented congestion toll, warning it will impact response time. Christopher Sadowski They will be left having to either try to catch a ride with a higher-up somewhere in an FDNY vehicle or ride mass transit such as the subway to the scene lugging around their bulky equipment weighing around 85 pounds, union reps said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its either that or the department is forced to buy more vehicles to ferry around the Bravest which could cost taxpayers millions of dollars, they said. We have a lot of members that are saying, You didnt want us to bring our vehicle into the city. Deal with the aftermath, said Andrew Ansbro, president of one of the unions, the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York. There also could be a new issue with fighting fires north of the toll zone, above 60th Street, because more cars will be traveling around there to dodge the tax, thus creating additional congestion, the unions said. This is not just a logistical issue its a public health crisis in the making, Ansbro said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unions spoke out against the toll just as drivers began getting charged for entering Manhattan below 61st Street. The toll is $9 during peak hours from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends and $2.25 for off-peak hours. New Yorks Bravest warned the new tolls could delay emergency response time as firefighters will no longer use their cars to quickly get around the city. Congestion toll pricing went into effect Sunday at midnight. Christopher Sadowski Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Increased traffic could be the difference between life and death, Uniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro says. Michael Nagle The revenues will help the MTA pay off its $15 billion capital plan, the transit agency said. Both Ansbros union and the Uniformed Fire Officers Association are urging city officials to consider exemptions to the plan for emergency services, warning the current structure puts New Yorkers lives at risk. Congestion pricing should not come at the expense of public safety, the unions said in a joint statement. We urge city and state officials to address these critical concerns before implementing a policy that puts every New Yorker at risk. Union officials said ladder and engine companies in the Manhattan congestion zone are typically among the most short-handed and in need of transfers to fill in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre altering their [FDNY] culture, Uniformed Fire Officers Association President James Brosi, who also attended the press conference, said of the rank and file. Our job is to just bring this to the attention of the people like the MTA, so they recognize the difference between us and other agencies, Brosi said. They recognize the difference between agencies that cant travel in their own personal car in uniform, and agencies that are carrying 85 pounds of equipment to move to and from work. He said public transportation isnt viable to transport the gear. Congestion pricing will burden residents with millions in added costs annually, he said. Its an unfair tax that doesnt account for the critical needs of emergency services. Researchers in Russia's Siberia area are showing the public what they say are the 50,000-year-old remains of a baby mammoth. Melting permafrost led to the animals discovery. They are calling it the best-preserved mammoth body ever found. Named Yana by the scientists, the female mammoth weighs more than 100 kilograms and is 120 centimeters tall. Scientists believe that Yana was one year old when she died. Her remains are among several mammoth carcasses that have been recovered. Yana was found among the melting permafrost at Batagaika crater in the far-eastern Russian area of Yakutia. Known as the gateway to the underworld, scientists have found remains of other ancient animals there, including bison, horses and dogs. Permafrost is soil that remains frozen for a period of years or more. As the permafrost in Siberia melts, discoveries of prehistoric animals are becoming more common. Scientists at Russia's North-Eastern Federal University will study Yanas remains. The university has a research center and museum specifically for mammoths. Scientists at the university described the find as exceptional. They said Yana would give researchers additional information about how mammoths lived and how they changed to survive in their surroundings. Im Anna Matteo. The Associated Press reported this story. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. _________________________________________ Words in This Story permafrost n. soil that remains frozen for a period of years or longer without melting preserved adj. kept in good condition; relatively unchanged by conditions such as age, wear or weather carcass n. the remains of a dead animal crater n. a circular hole in the earth with a steep edge and curving bottom that is often caused by a meteor strike or volcanic activity exceptional adj. something that is unlike others; remarkable or surprising Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) at a campaign event for President Joe Biden at Montgomery County Community College January 5, 2024. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) appears ready to bury the campaign trail hatchet he wielded against GOP Sen. Dave McCormick, saying he met with his new counterpart over dinner, and had a great discussion. Fetterman said both he and McCormick want a better Pennsylvania. He made the remarks to reporters at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, which kicked off in Harrisburg on Saturday, one day after he became the Keystone States senior senator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McCormick was sworn in as the states junior senator on Friday, after defeating longtime incumbent Bob Casey. Fetterman, who was a vocal Casey supporter and delivered powerful remarks during his farewell address to the U.S. Senate, said he and his wife Gisele met recently with McCormick and his wife Dina, a former Trump administration official, in Pittsburgh. While Fetterman said hes going to miss his dear friend Casey, he said he looks forward to making a new one and working with him. Fetterman, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, said he met with President-elect Donald Trumps agriculture secretary nominee Brooke Rollins, and plans to vote to confirm her. While she may have some different views than him, he said Rollins has a strong background. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike many Democrats, Fetterman has met with several Trump nominees over the past month and said he doesnt know why it would be unusual to meet with them. Some I can vote for, like the incoming Secretary of Agriculture, or [Secretary of State nominee and Florida Sen.] Marco Rubio or Representative [Elise] Stefanik, and theres others, perhaps, that I will not, Fetterman said. But whoever I vote [for], its going to be an informed choice. And I see that as doing my job. I dont see that as controversial. Fetterman told reporters on Saturday that hes eager to work with Rollins on the Farm Bill, which is more than a year overdue, as a member of the committee and to deliver for Pennsylvanias agricultural community. On Dec. 21, President Joe Biden signed a one-year extension to the Farm Bill in order to avoid a government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A main sticking point for Democrats in negotiations of the next five year Farm Bill is protecting funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Fetterman said that the priorities of the Farm Bill will change with the new Republican administration and GOP majority in Congress, but he remains committed to protecting SNAP. I have always pushed back about, we cant ever stand for cutting SNAP or going after, you know, hungry Americans, Fetterman said. He said he hopes Republicans in Congress dont target SNAP in the final version of the bill. But Im always going to be the same consistent voice about not going after hungry Americans. Immigration is one of our super powers Republicans have fought publicly on social media in recent weeks over the H-1B visa program, which allows employers to hire highly skilled foreign workers. Fetterman noted that his wife Gisele grew up undocumented and said immigration is one of Americas super powers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without immigration, I wouldnt have the family that I did, he said. Fetterman said that immigration is going to be front and center in the upcoming administration and pointed out that Trump has said he supports Dreamers staying in the United States and that he hopes to work with him on that issue, while also expressing support for security at the U.S. southern border. So immigration has become incredibly divisive, and I cant follow a lot of that kind of rhetoric, but Im very, very front and center that we need a secure border, Fetterman said. If you are pro immigration as I am, Ive been very consistent that we need an absolute secure border. In 2024, Democrats and Republicans struck a bipartisan deal on border security until Trump announced his opposition to the bill, which later failed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fetterman said he was disappointed that bill didnt get across the finish line, but he expects to support an immigration bill in the new session. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Fierce fighting continues in Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast, and the line of contact has divided the city in two. The Russians are using scorched earth tactics to try to destroy the city's infrastructure and the positions of the Ukrainian military. Source: Suspilne Donbas citing Mansur, the acting commander of the Tsunami Regiment; DeepState analytical project Details: Mansur says the Russian forces are constantly conducting assault operations using FPV drones, ATVs, motorcycles and a significant amount of artillery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Mansur: "There are a lot of resources there. Especially everything related to FPV and attack drones. The enemy does a lot of damage with them. They also have a lot of artillery. The enemy is constantly carrying out assault operations, constantly working from different directions: from the north, from the south, and from the east. They use vehicles, mainly ATVs and motorcycles. So far, no armoured vehicles have been spotted. The fighting is going on in the city itself. The line of contact is somewhere in the centre of the city. We can say that the enemy and us cut the city in half." Details: Small-arms fire continues in the city, and the parties' positions can be in neighbouring rooms of the same house. Quote from DeepState: "Positions can literally be next to each other, and small-arms fights can occur between the rooms of the house. The Russian infantry is moving deeper into the city, hiding among the rubble and buildings, making it difficult to hit them because they are almost everywhere." Details: The fiercest fighting is occurring in the city centre, near the Tsentralna (Central) mine, in the Zabalka neighbourhood and near Shcherbynivka. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Mansur: "A motorised infantry brigade is working here, constantly replacing battalion after battalion. We destroy one battalion, and a second battalion arrives. We destroy it, and a third battalion comes." Details: The Russians are paying special attention to the destruction of high-rise buildings, using scorched earth tactics, which is forcing Ukrainian defenders to retreat to shelters and then re-take their positions. , , 12 2024 . : Getty Images Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast, 12 November 2024. Photo: Getty Images Quote: "The enemy is using the tactic of total destruction of all residential and non-residential buildings. They burn down and destroy the position, and the soldiers holding the defence there are forced to retreat to the nearest shelter and then return to the basement to continue holding the defence. We are trying to clear the buildings, the line of sight, and the flanks we have. The personnel also have to clear the routes from one position to another. They have to carry out clearing operations. If they find the enemy, they have to destroy them and move onwards, but not at a very long distance." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Mansur says that the Russians will intensify their assault operations because the city of Toretsk is one of the key cities on the way to Kostiantynivka. Background: The Militarnyi news outlet predicts that the Russians will continue their efforts to complete the takeover of Kurakhove, Toretsk and Chasiv Yar, advance towards the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with the prospect of starting hostilities in the oblast, and increase their control over the territory of Donetsk Oblast on all fronts. Support UP or become our patron! (KTLA) Film writer and director Jeff Baena, who is also known for his marriage to Hollywood actress Aubrey Plaza, has died at the age of 47, according to a report. The news was initially reported by TMZ. According to the outlet, Baena was found dead by an assistant at about 10:30 a.m. on Friday at a Los Angeles-area home. In this Monday, June 19, 2017, photo, Aubrey Plaza, right, and Jeff Baena arrive at the premiere of The Little Hours at the 2017 Los Angeles Film Festival in Culver City. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Baena reportedly died by suicide. His directorial debut came in 2014 with Life After Beth, starring Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly and Plaza. He was also known for his work on The Little Hours and Horse Girl, which he wrote and produced in addition to directing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baena dated Plaza for nearly a decade before their wedding in 2020. They announced their marriage in 2021. As of Saturday morning, Plaza, 40, was yet to make any public statements in regards to her husbands passing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Hundreds of mourners from throughout the U.S. lined streets, placed flowers and offered their thoughts on the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter on Saturday. Funeral services for Carter, who died Dec. 29, essentially started Saturday at his home in Plains, Georgia. A procession to Atlanta followed for a moment of silence at the state Capitol Building and then onto a service at the Carter Presidential Center, where Carter will lie in repose until Tuesday. Carter's remains then will be flown to Washington, D.C., for a services and to lie in state until Thursday. He then returns to Plains for a funeral service at his longtime place of worship, Maranatha Baptist Church, and a final procession to his home for interment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Remembering a president: Celebrate Jimmy Carter's remarkable life and contributions with our new book Here's what mourners said about the former Georgia governor and 39th president of the United States: "I think he was the finest man that ever served in office." Randy Fenley, who traveled from Macon, Georgia for the funeral procession. Sarah Wollenweber, right, and son London Wollenweber traveled form Bloomington, Illinois to Plains, Georgia, to pay tribute to former President Jimmy Carter. I started researching presidents, senators and representatives, and Jimmy Carter stuck out to me, not as a politician, but as a human. When you look at Jimmy Carter, you dont see a politician, you see a great human, and a friend in all of us. London Wollenweber, a high school student from Bloomington Illinois visiting Plains for Carter's funeral procession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the many notes left at the Carter Center in Atlanta was one signed by a 7-year-old named Stella, who thanked the president for fighting for equal rights and world peace. A pink Care Bear laid beside the note. Jimmy Carter started a tradition while governor of Georgia that every subsequent governor has maintained of signing the inside of the middle drawer of the desk in the executive office. Jimmy Carter left marks figuratively and literally in office while he was Georgia's governor from 1971 to 1975. Carter started the tradition, upheld by every executive since, of signing the inside of the middle drawer of the governor's desk. Carter's is the only signature in pencil. Funeral services for Jimmy Carter: Hundreds line streets of Plains to honor Jimmy Carter's funeral procession Its so amazing to me that a person from a small town community can make such an impact on the world. A lot of people really dont know that he did all these [humanitarian] things. Small town people can make an impact wherever they go." Keaymonda Hollis, who grew up in Plains, said his grandfather was close friends with Carter at children. LeAnne Smith, niece of Jimmy Carter, was one of many paying tributes Saturday to Jimmy Carter in their hometown of Plains, Georgia. Uncle Jimmy became governor, and one Thanksgiving, he said, Ive got to tell yall something.' He said, Im gonna run for president, and my dad said, President of what? and he said, The United States.' And then we laughed and kept just fixing our plates. LeAnne Smith, a Plains, Georgia local and Jimmy Carters niece. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lance Green was just a boy eating breakfast with his Georgia State trooper father about 1974 when Lance met a man with a big smile. The man, Green recalled, "waves me over and says, 'Come here.' I just thought it was a nice guy who wanted me to sit there and have breakfast with him. It wasn't until after we were done that my father said, 'Do you know who that was?'" Just a couple of years later, the entire world knew who that man was - President Jimmy Carter. "He was very congenial. He was easy to talk to. He liked people. He liked to talk to people he didn't know, and didn't know who he was when he was governor. But he was always a man of faith, and he had a special place in his heart for people who were downtrodden." State Rep. Bill Hitchens Reporter Melissa Cruz contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: What mourners had to say about the life and legacy of Jimmy Carter (FOX40.COM) A massive fire broke out at an auto parts store in Rancho Cordova on Friday, according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. During the night hours, Metro Fire responded to an exterior fire at the Advanced Auto Parts store along Folsom Boulevard. Crews said the fire burned through a stack of tires that was up against the building, threatening the interior space and contents. Arrest made after fire that gutted Californias historic Bidwell Mansion Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A rapid response prevented any damage to the interior, and the fire was contained to the exterior without any injuries, Metro Fire said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. Atlanta firefighters extinguished a fire that destroyed a house Saturday evening. According to Atlanta Fire Rescue Captain Jared Purinton, firefighters responded to reports of a fire at 419 Thaxton Drive SE. When they arrived, they saw heavy fire showing from the front of the house. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] While they were battling the flames, a woman walked up to them and said she lived there and that no one else was in the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She told firefighters she didnt know how the fire started. The American Red Cross will assist her by providing her with a place to stay. Fire investigators are on their way to the address to conduct their investigation. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Seminole County Fire Department said a fire broke out at an Oviedo home, and several dogs were rescued on Saturday afternoon. Firefighters said units arrived at the scene, and smoke and flames were visible. According to the social media post, occupants were not home at the time, and several dogs were rescued. Read: Chilly overnight temperatures and frost advisory in Central Florida SCFD said a water shuttle was established to supply water due to the rural location and distance of fire hydrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The State Fire Marshals office is investigating the cause. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. SALINA, Kan. (KSNW) Kansas law enforcement urges drivers to stay home. On Saturday, there were many crashes in northcentral Kansas. KSN News spoke to a state trooper, who called the conditions the worst he has seen in his 17-year career, and a tow truck driver working overtime to help stranded drivers out. In a photo released by the Kansas Highway Patrol, a car is wedged between two trucks during icy weather on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2024, in Salina, Kansas. (Kansas Highway Patrol via AP) It is every bit as much as driving on a skating rink, KHP Master Trooper Greg Arnold said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rain and freezing temperatures meant a busy Saturday for first responders. We have multiple crashes all over the region here, not just the Salina area but all around the region, Arnold said. Storm reports: Ice and snow are adding up Keeping tow recovery technician Lee Frose busy. Today, I came for one semi. It turned into three, he said. Three semis all in one crash. The ice caught him, and he just slammed into the back of the one I was working on, so now we are trying to winch him out. I just heard my phone dinging some more for some more calls, Frose said. Towing uphill in an ice storm makes his job difficult. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Storm Track 3 Forecast: Major winter storm brings ice and a blizzard Sunday Im having trouble hooking it because its so far canted, and I cant use its own power to get it in an ideal position. After carefully maneuvering, he got it free and onto the next one. Hey, were here to help. Were giving skills and equipment to people, so thats what were going to do. Thats why Im here at least. So, do the best we can. If you have to get out in the conditions, the advice is universal. Your best bet is to ride it out at home if you can, and if you have to travel, drive extremely slow, Arnold said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kansas Highway Patrol encourages everybody to keep a kit with food and warm clothes in their cars. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. MIAMI, Fla. (WFLA) A 10-year-old girl in Florida was struck and killed by celebratory gunfire that was shot into the air by an unknown suspect early on New Years Day, the Miami-Dade Police Department announced Wednesday. The girl, identified as Yaneliz Munguia, was killed at approximately 12:04 a.m. on Jan. 1, police said. She died near NW 27 Avenue and NW 21 Street in Miami. The police are treating the case as a homicide, according to a post shared to Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This heartbreaking incident serves as a devastating reminder that what goes up must come down, the Miami-Dade Police Department wrote in the post. Bullets fired into the air can take innocent lives. Anyone with information into the case is being urged to contact Miami-Dade & The Florida Keys Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. If you know of anyone shooting a gun up in the air in the area where Yaneliz Munguias death occurred, please give us an anonymous tip, reads a message posted by Miami-Dade & The Florida Keys Crime Stoppers. Our soul aches for Yanelizs friends and family who have to start the year with broken hearts. Any tip leading up to an arrest is eligible for a reward of up to $5,000, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police departments around the country have been warning of the dangers of celebratory gunfire leading up to New Years. Cops in Kansas City reminded revelers of a strict Missouri law which punishes such offenses (passed after a childs similar death in 2011), while police in Austin, Texas, told residents that bullets can return at speeds greater than 200 feet per second a sufficient force to penetrate the human skull and cause serious injury or death, Nexstars KXAN reported. (Celebratory gunfire) is just not something you do, Michele Shanahan DeMoss, whose daughter Blair died after being struck by a bullet in 2011, told Nexstars WDAF. I hope anybody whos at a party realizes how stupid it is for somebody to have a gun. If youre having a party and theres alcohol, a gun shouldnt be there anyway, DeMoss added. WDAFs Sean McDowell contributed to this story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. The world will have to wait until 2026 for the next total solar eclipse. However, the sky promises plenty of other big events in 2025. The new year starts off with a six-planet parade in January that people will be able to see for weeks. The smallest planet, Mercury, will join the crowd for a seven-planet line in February. The Planetary Societys chief scientist Bruce Betts said about the visible planets, People should go out and see them sometime during the next many weeks. I certainly will. Here is a look ahead to the major sky events in 2025: Eclipses The moon will disappear for more than an hour over North and South America on March 14. The event will be followed two weeks later by a partial solar eclipse. People in Maine, eastern Canada, Greenland, Europe, Siberia and northwestern Africa will be able to watch the show. In September, there will be an even longer total lunar eclipse over Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Two weeks later, a partial solar eclipse will take place in the area over the South Pacific, including New Zealand and parts of Antarctica. Supermoons Three supermoons are coming this year in October, November and December. The full moon will look especially big and bright those three months as it orbits closer to Earth than usual. Novembers supermoon will come closest, passing within 356,980 kilometers from Earth. Last year had four supermoons, ending in November. Planet parade This month, six of our seven neighboring planets will line up in the sky to form a long arc. All but Neptune and Uranus should be visible with the eye just after sunset, weather permitting. The parade will continue for weeks. Mercury will make a short appearance by the end of February. The planets will slowly exit, one by one, through spring. Northern and southern lights Geomagnetic storms painted the sky with beautiful colors in unexpected places last year. Space weather experts predict more of these storms this year. Such storms could produce even more northern and southern lights. The reasoning for the prediction is that the sun has reached its solar maximum during its current 11-year cycle. The cycle could continue through this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Shawn Dahl urges everyone to follow space weather news, so as not to miss any colorful shows. Meteor showers The Perseid and Geminid meteor events, or showers, are well-known crowd-pleasers. The Perseids will take place in August. The Geminids come in December. But do not forget about the smaller meteor showers including the Lyrids in April, the Orionids in October and the Leonids in November. Areas away from cities, where night skies are darker, are best for watching the events. Generally, meteor showers are named for the constellation which they appear to come from. They take place whenever Earth moves through paths of debris left behind by comets and sometimes asteroids. Im John Russell. Marcia Dunn reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. __________________________________________ Words in This Story eclipse n. the total or partial obscuring of one celestial body by another supermoon n. a kind of full moon that takes place when the moon is at or near the closest point to earth in its orbit arc n. a special kind of curved or arched path maximum n. the upper limit; the highest or furthest point cycle n. a course or series of events or operations that happen regularly constellation n. a configuration of stars debris n. the remains of something (often said of something that has been destroyed or broken) Oklahomans have about five months left before the federal government's REAL ID requirements kick in. After May 7, 2025, airline passengers and visitors to federal buildings will need an ID card or driver's license that is compatible with REAL ID security requirements. Currently, Oklahomans have a choice between getting a compliant license and one that isn't. A REAL ID is marked by a gold star in the upper-right-hand corner. What is REAL ID? It's now been 20 years since Congress passed the REAL ID Act, which established minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. A major component in the REAL ID process is confirmation of identity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several states including Oklahoma were either slow to adopt the standards or outright refused them. At the time, Oklahoma lawmakers passed legislation saying they would not participate in the program citing privacy issues and cost. More: REAL ID deadline in Oklahoma is coming soon. Here's what you need to get one Even though it's been two decades since Congress asked for tougher identity verification when boarding a commercial aircraft or visiting federal buildings, nearly half of Americans still don't have a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card. According to data provided by Service Oklahoma and Homeland Security, Oklahoma is one of 22 states where less than 40% of cardholders have REAL ID. Nationwide, an estimated 124 million IDs in circulation don't meet REAL ID standards. Feds considering 'phased-in' REAL ID requirement The slow uptake has created a looming problem, especially for the nation's commercial aviation industry. Anticipating issues, however, the Transportation Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security proposed giving federal agencies more flexibility when enforcing the mandate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Read the proposed REAL ID rule In the rule proposed in September, Homeland Security and TSA make it clear that the May 7 deadline is not being extended. Instead, agencies should be allowed to implement a phased approach that could include warning notices and three-strikes policies that let them begin enforcing the law without immediately denying access to people without REAL ID. Agencies would be allowed two years before reaching full compliance and enforcement. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma REAL ID deadline arrives in May 2025: What you need to know ATLANTA, Ga. (WSAV) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was brought to the Georgia State Capital in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon, the first day of his state funeral. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens lead a moment of silence during the service. Other dignitaries were also present, including former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. For all Georgians were proud that a Georgian became president of the United States, and I think, again in his years after the presidency, continued to minister to people around the world in so many ways, said Perdue. So, we are grateful, were proud of his legacy and very appreciative that he began right here in Middle Georgia and South Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until 2020, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter volunteered one week a year for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps needy people in the U.S. and in other countries renovate and build homes for themselves. He also taught Sunday school in the Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains. On December 10, 2002, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2002 to Carter for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development. A tour was given at the capital on Saturday, which featured Carters portrait and the senate chamber where he presided. (Photo provided by Lewis Levine) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state funeral for former President Carter contines on Sunday. The public is invited to pay their respects to the nations 39th president as he continues to lie in repose until 6 a.m. Tuesday, January 7, at the Carter Presidential Center. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. JOHNSTOWN, Pa. When Jimmy Carter came to Johnstown in April 1976, as a presidential primary candidate, he held a press conference inside a Tribune-Democrat office that then-editor George Fattman described as being barely big enough to hold four or five people. He returned a few months later, having secured the Democratic Party nomination, and spoke to between 5,000 and 8,000 supporters during a whistle-stop campaign tour. Later, in the summer of the following year, Carter was president of the United States, playing a role in helping Johnstown recover from the devastating 1977 Flood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That transformation from unlikely candidate to the leader of a nation was part of Carters lifelong journey that included graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, working as a peanut farmer, serving as Georgias governor, spending one term in the White House, championing the Habitat for Humanity program and winning a Nobel Peace Prize. Carter also became the only president to ever reach 100 years of age. He died Dec. 29. An official state funeral is scheduled for Jan. 9 at Washington National Cathedral. Special request Fattman received a request from Carters staff shortly before the 1976 Pennsylvania primary asking if he would attend a press conference during the candidates upcoming visit to Johnstown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He declined due to a previous commitment to spend a weekend retreat in charge of 14-year-old confirmands from his church. Carters people then asked if they could use his office for the press conference. Fattman obliged. They had no place to go, Fattman said. I couldnt help but say yes. At that point, I was feeling sorry for them. Carter, who Fattman did not think would win the partys nomination, spent most of April 24 in Johnstown, holding two news conferences one at a local hotel and the other at The Tribune-Democrat. A campaign rally followed in Central Park. From the bandstand, Carter used a bullhorn to address the estimated crowd of 400 to 500 people, describing the election as a very important test between the free choice of the voters and very powerful machine politicians, according to a Tribune-Democrat article written by political reporter Robert John. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He soon thereafter won the Pennsylvania primary, while carrying Cambria County with 9,246 votes. Back again Carter returned to the city in September 1976, this time as his partys nominee in a race against Republican President Gerald Ford. He spent almost an hour at the citys train station as part of a whistle-stop tour that included earlier events in Newark and Trenton, New Jersey; Philadelphia; Harrisburg and Altoona. Carters overarching theme was it being time for a change, calling for a fair income-tax structure, a reorganized government and good health programs for the people. Carter recalled his visit during the primary and asked voters to give me the same kind of victory in the general election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He eventually won the race with more than 40.8 million votes, becoming the nations 39th president. Fattman later met Carter during a reception for editors of small-town newspapers. I dont know any other president who invited all the small-town editors to Washington for a day of seeing just how the government works, Fattman said. We were mostly in the Executive Office Building. Then they brought us over to the Cabinet building. Thats pretty nice to do that for small-town editors. I dont recall any other president ever doing that. It was a very nice touch. He understood small communities. Bond with Murtha Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local U.S. Rep. John Murtha spoke in support of Carter during the whistle-stop rally. Less than a year later, on July 20, 1977, Murtha was at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia giving a speech at the invitation of his friend and fellow Marine, then-Maj. John Hugya, from Johnstown. Murtha was pulled aside a few minutes into his talk and made aware that Johnstown had been struck by a flood. He and Hugya needed to return home immediately. We couldnt get a Marine helicopter, Hugya recalled. There was no priority. He called the White House and talked to the president. Jimmy Carter said, Take one of mine. Everything started from that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They saw the destruction from overhead. Damages exceed $300 million. More than 80 people died. Carter declared Johnstown and surrounding communities to be a federal disaster area and sent in the National Guard. Murtha and Carter remained in contact throughout the recovery. He really leaned on Carter to make sure that the aid was flowing here, said Tom Kurtz, who was with the Red Cross when the flood hit and now serves as the president and CEO of the Chan Soon-Shiong Institute of Molecular Medicine at Windber. I think that was the beginning of Mr. Murthas political contacts in Washington. I think he and President Carter worked so hard to make sure all the federal aid came into the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other community leaders, including Hugya and Ed Cernic Sr., were involved with the recovery effort. Cernic was part of a small group that met with Carter in the White House shortly after the flood. My dad came back and he told that story all the time because thats when things really started happening, said Ed Cernic Jr., Cambria Countys current controller. Of course, Congressman Murtha was here and the congressional delegation was helping. Things really started moving at that point. Thats what helped Johnstown to recover from the flood. Even though it was a long time in recovery, we sure got a good jumpstart by having the president on our side, declaring the emergency and getting things moving. The hearse carrying the late former President Jimmy Carter stopped briefly in front of the state Capitol on the journey to the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta. Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder Former President Jimmy Carter may have only served one term as governor, but he left his mark in many ways before leaving for Washington, even literally. With a pencil, Carter signed the desk in the governors ceremonial office, starting a tradition that has been continued by his successors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four of those governors who would go on to write their own signature on the desk three of them Republicans were among those who bundled up Saturday and stood outside the state Capitol as Carters motorcade made a brief and solemn ceremonial stop on its way to the Carter Presidential Center a few miles away. Then-Gov. Jimmy Carter started the tradition of signing the governors ceremonial desk. Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder I think most of us felt like he had really fought for so long that there was a certain peace about that at that final moment in that regard, Sonny Perdue, a former governor who is now chancellor of the University System of Georgia, told reporters Saturday. But I think we looked at the pictures of him at his wifes funeral, and that wasnt the President Carter that I knew and the humanitarian that lived after that, Perdue said. Carter, who was a Democrat, died last Sunday at the age of 100 after being in hospice care for nearly two years. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter died late in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceremonial stop at the state Capitol was part of the first of a six-day funeral procession that started Saturday in Americus and will culminate Thursday with services in Washington and finally back in Plains. Carter will lie in repose at the Carter Presidential Center until 6 a.m. Tuesday. Wendy Shaw, who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and her family were among the many out-of-towners who made their way to Atlanta this weekend for the former presidents funeral services. The family visited the state Capitol on Saturday morning and then proceeded to the Carter Presidential Center at night for Carters public visitation. The 56-year-old banker wanted to pay respect to her childhood hero. He was someone who I admired because of what he stood for politically and for being someone who championed causes that benefited people who were the most in need, Shaw said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the most part, Saturday was a reflection of Carters humble beginnings in rural Georgia and his time under the Gold Dome in Atlanta, where he served as a state senator and governor before winning a long-shot bid for president in 1976. Flowers and tributes adorn the sign at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta. The late former President Jimmy Carter will lie in repose at the center until 6 a.m. Tuesday. The public can visit to pay their respects until then. Stanley Dunlap/Georgia Recorder Carters fingerprints can still be seen all over state government, including through the states education system he laid the groundwork for the states technical and vocational education system as well as Georgias kindergarten and pre-K programs and drastically restructured state government through a consolidation of agencies and boards. You might think about that as being like smaller government, but that wasnt his goal, said state Sen. Sally Harrell, an Atlanta Democrat who served alongside Carter-era lawmakers when she was in the state House. His goal was to have efficient government that served the people better. So that was always his goal is to have a government that is stronger for the people. That government still exists today, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harrell was among the dozens of state lawmakers who greeted Carters motorcade Saturday as it stopped in front of the state Capitol amid a bipartisan outpouring of tributes and reflections on Carters legacy. I think when people think about President Carter, they think about him being a compassionate, moral person, and I think thats what people are craving now, is to have another leader like him, Harrell said. Perdue argued the universal admiration seen in the last week says as much about the nation as it does Carter. I hope that says something about us as far as a country thats willing to recognize a great person, a great leader in that regard, and pay due respect to one irrespective of what partisan activity or area they were in that regard, I feel that way, Perdue said. Obviously, I have great respect for what he did not what party he belonged to, but what he created and did for mankind afterwards. Three former Georgia governors, including Republican Govs. Nathan Deal and Sonny Perdue and Democrat Roy Barnes, paid their respects to Carter at the state Capitol on Saturday. Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder Georgia Supreme Court Justice Charlie Bethel, a former GOP state senator who previously served alongside Carters grandson Jason Carter in the state Senate, said he felt sadness but also pride at the death of a man he tells his children is worthy of emulation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In our house, we dont do a lot of heroing, because human beings are flawed, but its nice to be able to point to somebody and say, if you want to live like another person, Jimmy Carter is one person its worth pursuing that as a goal, Bethel said Saturday. Georgias highest-ranking elected officials, who are all Republicans, were also at the state Capitol Saturday to honor Carter and to greet Jason Carter and Carters son, Chip Carter. There was a lot of love on the side of the road, Chip Carter said during a private service at the Carter Presidential Center. Every overpass had people on it. It was amazing and gave you goosebumps just to sit in the van and see the reaction of those people of Georgia. The public visitation started Saturday evening after the private service, which was attended by staff of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum and the Carter Center the people Jason Carter called the real keepers of my grandparents legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well have many chances this week to pay tribute to my grandfather, but it was important for all of us that we stop here, Jason Carter said during Saturdays service. These buildings, as you all know, are filled with his life, not just because this is a museum to his life and not just because theres a collection here of his beloved paintings, but his spirit fills this place. And the real reason that this spirit fills this place is because of the people who are standing here. Georgia Recorder senior reporter Stanley Dunlap contributed to this report. Gov. Brian Kemp shakes hands with Chip Carter, who is the oldest son of former President Jimmy Carter. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Advertisement Advertisement (INSIDE CALIFORNIA POLITICS) Inside California Politics spoke with former Senator Barbara Boxer on a number of topics surrounding current the political transition including the reelection of Rep. Mike Johnson to Speaker of the House and what is next for Vice President Kamala Harris. Boxer said the slim margin by which Johnson was reelected to leadership portends a tough legislative session for Republican goals. I think this fight that Mike Johnson had to do just to get the votes for Speaker with [President Elect Donald] Trump with him and [Elon] Musk and all those power brokers with him could turn out to be one of his easier votes, Boxer said. Because what they have in mind is so awful for the American people, its going to reverberate and its going to be hard for him to get things done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boxer suggested that members of her party should reach across the aisle with the idea that the elections signaled that the American people were looking for bipartisanship. It was a very close race in terms of the president-elect didnt even have a majority, Boxer said. Let me tell you, as a Democrat, what I would do. Put your hand out and you say Hold my hand if you want to walk down the aisle for the American people.' The former Senator said that if Harris wants to pursue public office, she might look to return home. I could assume, if she wanted a really good shot at winning governor might be a good place to go because she has run a couple times for president, Boxer said. But I dont know whats in her heart whether shes not that interested in California anymore or she is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. Four people were killed, including two children, after a wrong-way driver caused a head-on collision early Saturday morning in McPherson County. A 29-year-old Hutchinson man had reported serious injuries. The wreck happened at 12:25 a.m. on I-135. Jacob F. Aich, a 36-year-old Hutchinson man, was driving a 2012 Honda CR-Z south in the northbound lanes when he hit head-on with a 2013 Toyota Rav 4 driven by 31-year-old Lydia Barton of Wichita, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They died at the scene; as did two boys from Monument, Colorado, who were in Bartons vehicle 7-year-old Ronan Barton and 13-year-old Jesse Kinney. Aichs vehicle came to a rest in the median; Lydia Bartons on the edge of the east shoulder, a trooper wrote in the crash log. Both Aich and the passenger in his vehicle are nurses at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, according to their online social media accounts. The relationship between the people in each vehicle wasnt immediately available. A KHP trooper said at 2:41 p.m. that the crash and those details are still being investigated. Police clash with supporters of President Donald Trump during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. (Alex Kent/Tennessee Lookout) When Peter Ninemire was freed by presidential clemency from a federal prison where he was serving a 27-year sentence on drug charges, it was widely hailed as just the way such executive actions should work. If anybody deserved the presidential prerogative of mercy, as defined by the Supreme Court, it was Ninemire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A nonviolent offender who was described as having the most positive attitude of all the inmates at the minimum-security prison at Englewood, Colorado, Ninemire had resolved to use his time in prison to improve himself and others. He began a program to show at-risk youths what life in prison was really like, reported the Salina Journal. Even the judge who sentenced him, Richard Rogers, wrote a letter in support of Ninemires presidential clemency. Ninemire had served 10 years of his time for growing marijuana and other charges when Bill Clinton granted clemency in January 2001. Technically, it wasnt a pardon, but a commutation. Granting pardons and commutations is the most king-like of all presidential actions, enshrined in Article II of the Constitution and based on a benign quality of mercy reserved for the president alone. The Supreme Court defined that benign quality in 1866 and set only a few limits on its use. It cannot, for example, be used to escape impeachment. When Donald Trump is sworn in for his second term just over two weeks from now, one of the things to watch for is whether he will make good on his promise to pardon most of those charged with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The mobs goal was to disrupt a joint session of congress to count Electoral College votes and affirm the presidential election results. About 1,572 individuals were charged in the siege, according to the Department of Justice, and about 80% have since pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those charged were 10 Kansans. They are, according to the Department of Justice: Ryan Ashlock, Gardner; William Chrestman, Olathe; Michael Eckerman, Wichita; Kasey Hopkins, Kansas City; Christopher Kuehne, Olathe; Jennifer Ruth Parks, Kansas City; Will Pope, Topeka; Mark Rebegila, Topeka; Esther Schwemmer, Kansas City; and Chad Suenram, Haysville. All have pleaded guilty except Pope, whose trial on felony charges was delayed by a District of Columbia federal judge, at Popes request, days after Trumps 2024 victory. Pope, who is representing himself and expects to receive a pardon, recently filed a motion asking the courts permission to attend the Jan. 20 inauguration. Rather than seeking peace and de-escalating tensions, Pope said in another filing, on Christmas Day, you have pushed forward with January 6 trials and sentencings even after the American people firmly rebuked you. Most repulsive of all, you have rushed to tear January 6 dissidents away from their families and throw them in prison before Christmas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the end of the document he attached a doctored copy of his mugshot, depicting himself in a Santa hat, wearing sunglasses, with chains around his neck, and smoking a blunt. The weird image carried a caption that Pope was YOUR GHOST of Christmases past, present, and future. During the campaign, Trump cast the Jan. 6 insurrectionists as political prisoners and patriots who were pressured by prosecutors into accepting plea deals. Justice for All, a version of the national anthem sung by incarcerated Jan. 6 defendants over prison phone lines, became a staple at rallies. Never mind that 140 police officers were assaulted, the damage to the Capitol exceeded $2.8 million, and that at least seven people died as a result of the attack. For the most complete and authoritative account of the Jan. 6 insurrection, go to the House Select January 6 Committee Final Report. The expectation that Trump will pardon the insurrections casts a long shadow over American justice. Even his stated inclination to do so has a chilling political effect, because it lays bare his belief that his pardon power should be used not to show mercy or correct wrongs but to reward the faithful and justify their elevation to heroic status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four years ago, we watched on television as the attack on the Capitol unfolded. It was brutal. Remember the police officers being crushed in doorways by the press of the crowd, rioters smashing windows to gain access, the flight of lawmakers to safety, the ropes to hang Mike Pence in effigy or for real? How about the shock of seeing a Confederate battle flag being paraded about the halls? Or when we learned Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, a Trump flag draped over her shoulders, was shot dead by a police officer when she attempted to break into a House area where lawmakers feared for their lives? Surely, I recall thinking as I watched, this repulsive violence will end the Trump madness. But I underestimated madness. Instead, in the months and years that followed, the Trump movement became energized by the violence, recast in a false narrative that the rioters were the victims. With the tragic but legally defensible shooting of Babbitt, Trump had his first blood martyr. Reasonable people, however, were sickened by the violence and chaos. The violence and destruction of property at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6 showed a blatant and appalling disregard for our institutions of government and the orderly administration of the democratic process, FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress in June 2021. The FBI does not tolerate violent extremists who use the guise of First Amendment protected activity to engage in violent criminal activity. The destruction of property, violent assaults on law enforcement officers, and imminent physical threats to elected officials betray the values of our democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, those violent extremists may be rewarded by presidential pardon for their loyalty. While pardons have never been entirely free of politics, the scale of Trumps contemplated clemency is worthy of a banana republic dictator. That term, banana republic, was coined by short story writer O. Henry to describe his fictional and thoroughly corrupt state of Anchuria. The most notorious pardon in American political history is when Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon in 1974 for all offenses against the United States that he committed or may have committed. Ford had assumed the presidency after Nixon had yielded to public pressure to resign following the Watergate scandal, in which Nixon and his aides had engaged in illegal campaign activity in 1972 and then attempted to cover it up. By accepting the pardon, Nixon publicly acknowledged his guilt. But in 1977 he told interviewer David Frost, speaking generally, that when the president does it, that means it is not illegal. This bit of Nixonian hubris is something the Supreme Court has recently made into law in Trump v. United States, which holds that presidents cannot be held legally accountable for official acts they commit as president. This gives presidents such broad power that Trump could hand out pardons for just about any reason as political favors, for his amusement, or even in exchange for a bribe and face no legal consequences. While we have yet to see how far Trump will take these new powers, the thought of such monarch-like authority is anathema to the ideal of American democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The presidents who made the widest use of the power to pardon were Andrew Johnson, who granted it to thousands of ex-Confederates after the Civil War, and Jimmy Carter, who pardoned by executive order more than 200,000 in his first day of office in 1977 for evading the draft during Vietnam. Both were attempts to heal the nation after a great division, with only marginal success. But Trumps Jan. 6 pardons would bring no healing. The wound was made all the deeper last month by President Joe Bidens pardon of his son Hunter, which after Fords pardon of Nixon may be the second-most notorious act of executive clemency on record (so far). While it is easy to understand a fathers love for his son, it is difficult to understand a president who betrays his principles to shield a family member. Even if you believe Hunter Biden was singled out for unfair prosecution because of his father which the White House claimed on official stationary theres the matter that Joe Biden went back on his word not to give Hunter Biden a pardon. In a spectacular bit of hypocrisy, Joe Biden lowered himself to the level of his opponent in claiming a weaponized prosecution. He also did serious damage to his legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of the above brings me back to Ninemire, whose sentence on drug charges was commuted by Clinton. The then-45-year-old Kansan, who grew up at Coffin Rock Ranch in Norton County up near the Nebraska line, had caught the mandatory minimum sentence for growing several hundred marijuana plants in northeast Kansas. He already had two prior marijuana convictions. He had been arrested in 1989, pleaded guilty in federal district court at Wichita, but skipped out on bail before sentencing. He faced a minimum of five years in prison, according to reporting by the Wichita Eagle. Ninemire was, for a time, was Kansas third-most wanted fugitive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The manhunt ended when federal agents staked out a home near Miami where they knew Richard Lacey, a Wichita drug trafficker who had also jumped bail. They also found Ninemire. Both were brought back from Florida without incident. Ninemire was sentenced to 322 months in prison for manufacturing marijuana and failing to appear, according to a Justice Department webpage. In that prison in Colorado, Ninemire began to turn his life around. After his release, he earned a masters degree in social work from Wichita State University, according to his website, and became a licensed specialist social worker helping others overcome their addictions to drugs and alcohol. Here I am today living the dream of helping others that I was so afraid to dream in prison, Ninemire posted on his site. Im here only because I gained recovery from drugs that allowed everything that is wonderful to happen in my life. Will anything wonderful happen if Trump pardons the Jan. 6 insurrectionists? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It depends on how you define wonderful. While there would be few checks on Trumps power to grant pardons, the rules of clemency might present some challenges. While both pardons and commutations are forms of clemency, according to the U.S. Office of the Pardon Attorney, a commutation reduces a punishment but does not imply forgiveness or restore the civil rights lost on conviction, such as the right to vote or run for public office. Theres also the understanding, from a Supreme Court decision, that accepting a pardon is an admission of guilt a bitter pill that Nixon had to swallow back in 1974. This will likely be of little consequence for Trump supporters. Trump himself was convicted of 34 felony counts in a hush money trial, making him the first U.S. president with a rap sheet, but that did not seem to tarnish his appeal among supporters. When guilt is just another word for an allegedly weaponized justice system, where is the shame? We are poised to enter a period in American politics in which those with the least respect for the law have the most power over the institutions entrusted with preserving it. The prospective pardoning of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists is the passport to a land where justice is replaced by dull political brutishness. Welcome to Anchuria. May our stay be brief. Max McCoy is an award-winning author and journalist. Through its opinion section, the Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here. GEORGE COUNTY, Miss. (WKRG) The George County Sheriffs Office is remembering one of their own as Saturday marked one year since his passing. Mobile resident, witness of New Years Day attack in New Orleans speaks out Deputy Jeremy Malone was killed in the line of duty on Jan. 4, 2024 when a routine traffic stop turned into a shooting and car chase. In a Facebook post, George County deputies said, Deputy Malone gave his all, laying down his life to ensure the safety of our community. As we reflect on his service and sacrifice, let us keep his family and his brothers and sister in blue in our thoughts and prayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to previous reports, Deputy Malone stopped the vehicle around 5:15 p.m. on Jan. 4 on U.S. Route 98 in Rocky Creek. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety later identified 43-year-old Rickey Powell as the suspect in the deputys death. Semmes police respond to shooting Friday night Officials at the time said Powell led law enforcement on a chase from George County through Greene County and into Perry County before he was shot and killed on U.S. 98 near Beaumont. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. PRICEVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) A Georgia man was arrested in Priceville after officers reported he fled from officers after an attempted vehicle stop. On Jan. 4 around 7:30 p.m., the Priceville Police Department said officers tried to make a vehicle stop on a black Mercedes-Benz S550 traveling northbound on I-65 near Mile Marker 333. The department said officers witnessed the driver commit multiple traffic violations. Redstone Arsenal ACC contracting two multi-million dollar awards, according to Department of Defense Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PPD said the vehicle then rapidly accelerated and turned off its lights. It then continued to flee exiting I-65 onto Hwy-67 S, eluding officers who lost a visual of the vehicle. The Morgan County Sheriffs Office then responded to help the department. The vehicle was then spotted exiting a neighborhood near Cove Creek Drive and the driver of the vehicle was pulled over. The driver was identified as 20-year-old Tajinder Singh Mahil from Dacula, Georgia. PPD said he was then taken into custody. A probable cause search of Mahils vehicle resulted in the department finding a quantity of THC Concentrates in edible form as well as drug paraphernalia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Family of man killed in unsolved murder speaks out Mahil was charged with: Felony Fleeing and Attempting to Elude Reckless Driving Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Improper Lights Lane Change Without Proper Signal Speeding in Excess of 26mph Over The Posted Limit Mahil was taken to the Morgan County Jail where he was booked and held in lieu of a $17,500.00 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Georgian citizens are being urged to participate in a nationwide strike on Jan. 15 to demand the release of detained protestors and to call for new elections, Protest 24 posted on Facebook. The strike, organized by Protest 24, will begin at 3 p.m. and last for three hours, with businesses and employees halting work during this time. Organizers aim to highlight the potential consequences of political isolation, such as economic stagnation, unemployment, and poverty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dissatisfaction of citizens, stemming from disputed parliamentary elections in October, has intensified with the controversial inauguration of Mikheil Kavelashvili and the governments stance against European integration. The ruling Georgian Dream party, founded by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, has led Georgia closer to the Kremlin while hindering its accession to the European Union. The controversial foreign agents law adopted earlier this year led the EU to effectively freeze Georgia's accession process. Protesters hope the strike will underscore public frustration and push for democratic reforms. Read also: Over 20 foreign citizens to be deported from Georgia for participating in protests Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Winter weather with snowfall, sleet and freezing rain caused disruption to air and rail transport in large parts of southern Germany on Sunday. Frankfurt, Germany's busiest airport, saw 120 of the 1,090 flights scheduled for Sunday cancelled, a spokesman for the airport operator Fraport told dpa. As runways need to be cleared and visibility is reduced, the airport's capacity is limited, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the de-icing of aircraft is taking longer due to the weather conditions, he added. The spokesman advised passengers to check with their airline regarding their flights and, if necessary, to allow extra time for the journey to the airport. Fraport had already warned of possible flight cancellations due to the weather conditions. Train services in the Frankfurt area were also experiencing disruptions due to the winter weather, rail operator Deutsche Bahn reported on Sunday. The disruptions were causing significant delays as well as partial and complete cancellations of trains. Long-distance services passing through Frankfurt were primarily affected, with some individual InterCity Express (ICE) trains stopping at Frankfurt South station instead of the main station as a substitute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the rail press office, other regions in Germany are only indirectly affected. The railway advises all travellers to check their connections before starting their journeys. Stuttgart airport in the south-west of the country reported delays as planes had to be de-iced before take-off, an airport spokeswoman said on Sunday morning. Seven flights were delayed so far, she said, adding that the runway has already been cleared and is ready for operations. Landings had already taken place in the morning, she said. She called on people looking to pick up travellers from the airport to check online when a flight was due to land, pointing to possible delays due to the winter weather also affecting other airports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Operations at Munich airport were also disrupted due to snow and ice, an airport spokesman said on Sunday morning. According to the airport's website, some flights due to take off in the morning had been cancelled. Airlines already took the decision to cancel the flights on Saturday night as a precautionary measure, the spokesman said. One runway was kept open while the other was being cleared, he added. Reduced visibility due to snowfall led to longer intervals between take-offs and landings, while aircraft also needed to be de-iced, according to the spokesman. It was initially unclear how long the weather-related restrictions would last. Travellers have been asked to contact their airline for information about their flights. Winter weather with snowfall, sleet and freezing rain caused disruption to air and rail transport in large parts of southern Germany on Sunday. Frankfurt, Germany's busiest airport, saw 120 of the 1,090 flights scheduled for Sunday cancelled, a spokesman for the airport operator Fraport told dpa. As runways needed to be cleared and visibility was reduced, the airport's capacity was limited, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the de-icing of aircraft was taking longer due to the weather conditions, he added. The spokesman advised passengers to check with their airline regarding their flights and, if necessary, to allow extra time for the journey to the airport. Fraport had already warned of possible flight cancellations due to the weather conditions. Train services in the Frankfurt area were also experiencing disruptions due to the winter weather, rail operator Deutsche Bahn reported on Sunday. The disruptions were causing significant delays as well as partial and complete cancellations of trains. By midday, operations were largely back to normal, with only occasional delays reported by the railway company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Long-distance services passing through Frankfurt were primarily affected, with some individual InterCity Express (ICE) trains stopping at Frankfurt South station instead of the main station as a substitute. According to the Deutsche Bahn's press office, other regions in Germany were only indirectly affected. The railway operator advised all travellers to check their connections before starting their journeys. Stuttgart airport in the south-west of the country reported delays as planes had to be de-iced before take-off, an airport spokeswoman said on Sunday morning. Seven flights were delayed, she said, adding that the runway had already been cleared and was ready for operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landings had already taken place in the morning, she said. She called on people looking to pick up travellers from the airport to check online when a flight was due to land, pointing to possible delays due to the winter weather also affecting other airports. Operations at Munich airport were also disrupted due to snow and ice, an airport spokesman said on Sunday morning. According to the airport's website, some flights due to take off in the morning had been cancelled. Over the course of the morning, operations had largely returned to normal, the spokesman said later. Airlines already took the decision to cancel the flights on Saturday night as a precautionary measure, he had said earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One runway was kept open while the other was being cleared, he added. Reduced visibility due to snowfall led to longer intervals between take-offs and landings, while aircraft also needed to be de-iced, according to the spokesman. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shared his approach to dealing with tech mogul Elon Musk who lately has traded barbs with German politicians, saying it is wise to not feed the troll. There are a lot of people on social media who want to attract attention with snappy slogans, Scholz said in an interview with German magazine Stern published on Saturday. I dont believe in courting Mr. Musks favor, he added. Im happy to leave that to others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholz emphasized that as Social Democrats, we have been used to the fact that there are rich media entrepreneurs who do not appreciate Social Democratic politics and do not hide their opinions. The comments to the German current affairs magazine come as the German leader has gone back-and-forth with Musk, a tech billionaire and a close ally of President-elect Trump, in recent weeks. Musk, who Trump selected to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, trolled the German leader on his social media platform as Oaf Schitz and predicted he will lose in the upcoming parliamentary election set for Feb. 23. Musks dig at Scholz came shortly after the Tesla CEO wrote an op-ed in German Welt am Sonntag newspaper in late December, expressing strong support for Germanys far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) led by Alice Weidel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the op-ed, which came days after Musk endorsed the party, the SpaceX executive said that Germanys economy is being hurt by bureaucracy and regulatory overreach. He also endorsed the partys immigration proposals. Shortly after the piece was published, the German government accused Musk of meddling in the countrys upcoming election, but tried to downplay the tech moguls effort to garner more support for the AfD, stating that freedom of expression also includes the greatest nonsense. Scholz took a subtle shot at Musk during his New Years address, saying that in our debates, one can be forgiven for sometimes thinking the more extreme an opinion is, the more attention it will garner. Scholz also told the magazine on Saturday that he finds it much more worrying than such insults that Musk is supporting a party like the AfD, which is in parts right-wing extremist, which preaches rapprochement with Putins Russia and wants to weaken transatlantic relations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk, who has become increasingly involved in U.S. politics during the 2024 presidential election, backing Trumps White House with at least $250 million, is scheduled to speak with Weidel, AdDs leader, on Jan. 9 on his social media platform X. Germanys election in February comes as Scholzs coalition of parties collapsed in November. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Credit: Syrian TV Germanys foreign minister has pushed back at claims of a handshake scandal after Syrias de facto leader failed to shake her hand at a meeting in Damascus. Ahmed Hussein al-Shara, also known by his jihadist nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, refused to greet Annalena Baerbock with a handshake, but gestured towards Jean-Noel Barrot, Frances male foreign minister. However, Ms Baerbock, one of the first politicians to meet Mr al-Shara since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, defended the apparent snub, saying she had been aware it was likely to happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Muslim world, conservative men and women are prohibited from physical contact with those who are neither family nor spouses. The incident came amid calls in the West for Syrias new leader to implement an inclusive, tolerant society. Ms Baerbock said on Friday: As I travelled here, it was clear to me that there would obviously be no ordinary handshakes. It was also clearthat not only I but also the French foreign minister did not share this view. And accordingly, the French foreign minister did not extend his hands. Ahmed al Sharaa, the de facto leader of Syria, at his meeting with Annalena Baerbock and Jean Noel Barrot, the foreign ministers of Germany and France - SANA via AP Germanys Bild newspaper branded the event a handshake scandal after video footage showed Mr Barrot apparently starting to extend his hand, but then stopping short of a full handshake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Middle Eastern nations allow exceptions to the no contact rule, including in Qatar, where the countrys prime minister shook hands with Ms Baerbock during her visit to the Gulf state. Mr Al-Shara, the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Sunni Islamist group that led the coalition of rebel groups that toppled Assad, is a former member of al-Qaeda. He has promised to make Syria inclusive for all, including women. However, there have been concerns over apparent contradictions in how his caretaker government has acted since seizing power. The countrys central bank has just appointed its first-ever female governor, though schools may be banned from teaching poetry about women and love under a proposed curriculum. Leaders photo controversy Just days after the fall of Assad, Mr Al-Shara was criticised after gesturing to a young woman to cover her hair before posing for a photo with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to the BBC, he said: I did not force her. But its my personal freedom. I want photos taken for me the way that suits me. The woman, Lea Kheirallah, covered her hair with the hood of her sweatshirt. She said he had asked her in a gentle and fatherly way, saying he has the right to be presented in the way he sees fit. HTS initially imposed strict behaviour and dress code rules when it seized control of the former rebel stronghold of Idlib province in 2017, before they were revoked in the wake of public backlash. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A portion of Syrians who fled to Germany may have to return to their homeland under certain conditions, according German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. "As our law stipulates, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) will review and revoke protection grants if people no longer need this protection in Germany because the situation in Syria has stabilized," Faeser told the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe in a report published on Sunday. She emphasized that this would apply to those who do not have the right to stay for other reasons, such as work or education, and do not voluntarily return to Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Foreign Office and the Interior Ministry are working together to gain a clearer picture of the situation in Syria following the overthrow of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad. "We are particularly focused on security issues," said Faeser. The German government is also closely coordinating with European and international partners. "Those who are well integrated, employed, have learned German, and found a new home here should be allowed to stay in Germany," Faeser said. People wishing to return should be supported. Criminals and Islamists should be deported as quickly as possible. The legal possibilities for this have been significantly expanded and will be utilized as soon as the situation in Syria allows, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 975,000 Syrians currently live in Germany, according to figures from Faeser's ministry. Most arrived after 2015 due to the Syrian civil war. More than 300,000 of them have subsidiary protection status. They were thus not admitted due to individual persecution but because of the civil war in their homeland. BAMF recently decided, due to the dynamic developments in Syria, to temporarily stop making decisions on asylum claims for peopel from Syria. The interior minister for North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany's most populated state, is calling for the swift expansion of powers for German security authorities in the new year. "I can no longer stand by and watch as our investigators hit glass ceilings simply because they lack the powers needed in modern crime-fighting," Herbert Reul told dpa in Dusseldorf, the capital of NRW. Following the fundamental agreement of all interior ministers from the federal and state governments on the so-called data retention, action must now be taken promptly, Reul, a member of the conservative Christian Democrats, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not giving law enforcement the power it needs to investigate frustrates the investigators and leaves the public bewildered. "The state must not lag behind in the hunt for criminals." Terrorist-motivated criminal acts are often preceded by a planning or radicalization phase, where communication or information gathering over the internet plays a significant role, Reul said. "Traffic data, such as IP addresses, connection and location data, are comparable to fingerprints or DNA traces in the analogue world and can be crucial for the security authorities." Interior ministers in general agreement Against the backdrop of a continued high threat of terrorism, the state and federal interior ministers agreed last month to allow investigators to store IP addresses and traffic data with an "appropriate minimum storage period." Data collection and retention is an especially sensitive issue in Germany due to the country's history. During both the Nazi era and the nearly 30 years of East Germany, many citizens were subjected to severe intrusions on their personal and civil rights in actions that would have been against the law by Western democratic standards. Seven weeks before the Bundestag elections, leading politicians in the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) say they want to rule the country in a coalition with Germany's conservative parties. FDP politician Agnes-Marie Strack-Zimmermann told the Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag that the FDP and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) share "a vast common ground" and a government of those parties would be a "very successful combination." Her comments come after FDP leader Christian Lindner, in an interview with dpa, appealed to CDU leadership to commit to a coalition with the FDP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bundestag or lower house of parliament election is on February 23. Strack-Zimmermann suggested the FDP-CDU/CSU mix would be good for the security and economic policy challenges facing Germany. But, she noted, "everyone goes into the ring for themselves." Strack-Zimmermann is a defence expert who belongs to the FDP's executive committee and is a member of the European Parliament. The comments come ahead of the FDP's tradition Ephiphany meeting on Monday, which takes place in Stuttgart. FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Durr also promoted an FDP coalition with the CDU/CSU. "I acknowledge that the CDU has renewed itself after the [former chancellor Angela] Merkel era and now represents many free market positions, for example on the topic of tax cuts," Durr told the Funke media group's newspapers. "I could well imagine cooperation with the Union," he emphasized. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has sharply dismissed speculation by an opposition conservative politician regarding a possible trip by Scholz to Moscow during the ongoing election campaign. "This is a false claim, you must not do such a thing, it is profoundly indecent, there is no basis for it," he said in Berlin on Sunday. "I believe honest people are allowed to be outraged when false claims are being used." Roderich Kiesewetter of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) had posted on the social network X on Saturday: "We must prepare for an election campaign surprise." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He asserted that there were increasing indications that "Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow or meet Putin before February 23," the date of the election to Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit has already announced legal action against Kiesewetter for the comments. In November, Scholz spoke for the first time in nearly two years with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone, causing annoyance in Ukraine as well as among Eastern European NATO partners. The chancellor's last visit to Moscow was just a few days before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday dismissed speculation from an opposition lawmaker about a possible trip to Moscow ahead of elections on February 23. "This is a false claim," said Scholz in Berlin. "It is profoundly indecent, there is no basis for it." "I believe honest people are allowed to be outraged when false claims are being used," Scholz added. Scholz's comments came after Roderich Kiesewetter of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) posted on X on Saturday: "We must prepare for an election campaign surprise." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kiesewetter asserted that there were increasing indications that "Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow or meet Putin before February 23," the date of the election to Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit has already announced legal action against Kiesewetter for the comments. In November, Scholz spoke for the first time in nearly two years with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone, causing annoyance in Ukraine as well as among Eastern European NATO partners. The chancellor's last visit to Moscow was just a few days before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. SPD dismisses speculation as 'pure fabrication' Earlier, SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mutzenich described the claim by Kiesewetter as "pure fabrication," while SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch called it "vicious and sneaky." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both demanded that the CDU lawmaker retract his statement and apologize to Scholz. Miersch: 'A clear violation' of the fairness agreement At the presentation of the SPD's election posters in Berlin, Miersch said he had urged CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann to "immediately" persuade Kiesewetter to delete the message and apologize. Kiesewetter's statement was a "clear violation" of the fairness agreement, which all parties represented in the Bundestag except the far-right Alternative for Germany and upstart Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance agreed upon shortly before Christmas, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mutzenich also reminded the CDU of the fairness agreement. He told dpa, "With such pure fabrications, key representatives of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group are evidently trying to construct arguments against the sensible foreign policy course of Olaf Scholz." In federal elections and in the Bundestag, the CDU is in an alliance with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Mutzenich also called on the CDU/CSU candidate for chancellor to intervene. "Friedrich Merz should urgently ensure that Kiesewetter retracts his false statements and publicly apologizes to the chancellor," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Furthermore, the leadership of the CDU/CSU bloc must examine whether Kiesewetter can remain a member of the parliamentary control committee for the intelligence services, Mutzenich added. "After all, highly confidential and also questions relating to foreign policy are settled here." Kiesewetter has so far declined to comment on the reactions from Scholz and the SPD. Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) has accused an opposition conservative politician of spreading false information about a supposed meeting planned between Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin before February's elections. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mutzenich described the claim by Roderich Kiesewetter of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) as "pure fabrication." SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch said the claim was "vicious and sneaky." Both demanded that the CDU member of the German lower house, or Bundestag, retract his statement on the platform X and apologize to Scholz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit announced legal action against Kiesewetter. He told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) German media group that Kieswetter's comments amounted to "slander." Hebestreit added that there were no plans for such a trip, stating, "It would make no sense at all." "Legal steps are currently being prepared," the spokesman added. Kiesewetter posts about 'election campaign surprise' Kiesewetter wrote on X on Saturday, "We must prepare for an election campaign surprise." He suggested that there were indications that "Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow or meet Putin before February 23," the date of the Bundestag election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kiesewetter has so far declined to comment on the reactions from Scholz's office and the SPD. Miersch: "A clear violation of the fairness agreement" At the presentation of SPD election posters in Berlin, Miersch said he had urged CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann to "immediately" persuade Kiesewetter to delete the message and apologize. Kiesewetter's statement was a "clear violation" of the fairness agreement, which all parties represented in the Bundestag except the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and upstart Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) agreed upon shortly before Christmas. Mutzenich calls on CDU leader to intervene Mutzenich also reminded the CDU of the fairness agreement. He told dpa, "With such pure fabrications, key representatives of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group are evidently trying to construct arguments against the sensible foreign policy course of Olaf Scholz." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In federal elections and in the Bundestag, the CDU is in an alliance with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). He also called on the CDU/CSU candidate for chancellor to intervene. "Friedrich Merz should urgently ensure that Kiesewetter retracts his false statements and publicly apologizes to the chancellor," Mutzenich said. Membership in committee called into question Furthermore, the leadership of the CDU/CSU bloc must examine whether Kiesewetter can remain a member of the parliamentary control committee for the intelligence services, Mutzenich added. "After all, highly confidential and also questions relating to foreign policy are settled here." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholz spoke with Putin on the phone in November for the first time in nearly two years, causing displeasure in Ukraine and among Eastern European NATO partners. The last time the chancellor visited Moscow was just days before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) Authorities say a 13-year-old girl is back with her parents after falling through the ice Saturday in East Grand Rapids. It happened around 4:20 p.m. near the 500 block of Lakeside Drive SE, according to a release from the East Grand Rapids Department of Public Safety. An officer arrived on the scene within two minutes and located the 911 caller, who pointed out where the girl was, the release says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hovercraft team rescues deer from icy lake in Mecosta County The officer saw that the girl was located about 15 feet away from the shore in waist-deep water, according to the release, and decided that the rescue air boat was not needed. Authorities arrived on scene with ice-rescue suits and helped the girl out of the water. She was back on shore within 11 minutes of the original call, the release says. After being evaluated by medical workers, the teenager was released to her parents, according to the department of public safety. Public Safety reminds community members to exercise increased caution when venturing out on the ice, the release says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre encouraged to share your plans with other people, travel in groups, bring your cellphone and test the thickness of the ice, according to a list of tips released by the East Grand Rapids Department of Public Safety. You should avoid ice that measures 2 inches or less, the department says. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Jan. 5MITCHELL Mitchell Mayor Jordan Hanson is bringing three proposals before the city council on Monday, Jan. 6. The council will consider repeal of the $10 garbage removal fee during spring cleanup week and discuss the option of adding a $325,000 glow-in-the-dark bike path to connect the city's bike paths and also discussion three options ranging from $435,000 to $472,000 for replacing seats at the Corn Palace. "I'm only bringing to council what people are asking for," Hanson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hanson, who took office in July, said the ideas come from suggestions he's fielded from citizens. He believes it's a better use of the city's funds and resources. The Mitchell City Council meets for its regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at Mitchell City Hall. The council will vote on Hanson's proposal to repeal the $10 garbage removal fee that residents pay to have bulk garbage removed from their curb during the city-wide spring clean up held the third week of April. "While I was campaigning, 200-300 people asked me to get rid of it," Hanson told the Mitchell Republic. "It used to be free. People told me, 'We don't have means or a truck to take things to the dump. Every $10 counts.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hanson indicated that most people are unsure of the fee itself, whether it was $10 per item on the curb or per curb pick-up event or by weight. Residents have bulk items like couches, refrigerators or washers they feel like they can't get rid of. The landfill is free of charge for residents during the week of spring clean up. Residents can bring pickup-sized loads of their unwanted items. The city restricts tires, special wastes and waste from commercial vehicles. The council will discuss Hanson's proposal of a 2.25-mile glow-in-the-dark bike path that would connect the town bike paths with the lake bike paths. It could become a landmark as the longest glow-in-the-dark trail in the United States, a title now held by the city of Vinton, Iowa, at two miles. The Northwest Railroad Shared Use Path is a roughly 2.25-mile gravel trail located just west of the 23rd Avenue and Ohlman Street intersection and follows the railroad tracks northwest to West Harmon Drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The total cost would be $325,000, with the glow rocks being $125,000 of that cost. The total price has a $60,000 contingency for unplanned expenses. If the council moves forward with asphalting the 9-foot wide trail, but with no glow rocks, it will be a minimum of $140,000. Hanson assisted in the renegotiation with the Randall Community Water District to save the city $34,000 per month to bring fresh water to Mitchell, which amounts to more than $12 million in savings over the next 30 years. "We eliminated some unnecessary expenses and now we can reward ourselves with a project," Hanson said, referring to the proposed glow-in-the-dark trail. The current gravel trail is not favored by local bicyclists, according to Hanson. The new trail will be ADA accessible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "About 40 people have asked to pave that path, about 20-25 people have asked for a fancy glow rock trail, and hundreds have asked to connect paths. I figured this could be a cool way to achieve all those and have a nationally-recognized landmark," Hanson said, who ran a survey among residents. The project comes with a 20-year warranty on glow rocks. The timeline for the path depends on council approval. It could be completed in 2025 with proper approval if unspent funds are available from the 2024 budget. Otherwise, bicyclists and pedestrians can hope to see progress on the path in 2026. The council will discuss possible options to replace the Corn Palace soft seats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current seats are three decades old, the fabric is hard to clean, officials say, and they are past their life expectancy. "My office is next to the Corn Palace," Hanson said, "and when I'm at the Corn Palace the first thing people say to me is how awful the seats are." The council has three options to consider. The first option is to replace existing seats with the same seats. This is a one-for-one replacement, which is 1,772 seats for a total of $472,000, which averages to about $266.36 per chair. Option two is to install wider seats made for an arena and an added handicap rail, but it would mean losing 160 seats. There will be cupholders on all 1,612 seats. There would be additional leg room in the rows, and it would make the central walkways on the stairs code compliant. The total for chairs is $435,000, which averages to about $269.85 per chair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The third option would be the same as option two, but with an even bigger seat in the front seven to 10 rows, which would lose more seats. The drawback is less leg room. It would also mean about 1,580 total seats in the Corn Palace. The total for both kinds of chairs comes out to $455,000, which averages about $287.97 per chair. All options include the cost of chair and cupholder installation. The quote does not account for removal of existing chairs, patching of holes and cement, and fabrication and installation of handrails, which would be an additional cost. Hanson suggests the council go with the second option. This is also the cheapest option for chair replacements. Hanson is hopeful that the council will make a final decision about the Corn Palace chairs at the council meeting on Jan. 21 since Monday's meeting on the topic is only for discussion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After placing an order, it will take five and a half months for new seats to arrive, and another three to four weeks to install the seats. Hanson's goal is to get seats changed out before the Corn Palace Festival in August. They will replace the seats section by section to continue holding events at the Corn Palace. Citizens who would like to express their opinions or concerns can do so at the city council meeting at 612 N. Main Street. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Indiana governor Eric Holcomb has activated the Indiana National Guard, in response to the powerful winter storm blowing through the region. Local leaders share warnings as winter storm moves in According to our NBC affiliate, WTHR in Indianapolis, National Guard troops will provide support to state and local responders, including with helping stranded motorists and to support other types of weather emergencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 122 guardsmen will work across seven Hoosier armories in Bedford, Edinburgh, Evansville, Indianapolis, New Albany, Shelbyville and Washington. Indiana National Guard soldiers and airman are always ready and always there to assist Hoosiers when called, said Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry, with the Indiana National Guard Public Affairs Office. National Guard troops will be activated, at least, through January 7. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) Governor Jim Justice has declared a State of Emergency for all 55 counties in West Virginia ahead of a winter storm heading for the Mountain State. Our top priority is safety, and all state agencies are pulling the rope together to stay ahead of the challenges we may face, Justice said in a statement. The statement goes on to list preparations state agencies are currently making, including the West Virginia National Guard stating personnel and equipment across the state, the West Virginia Division of Highways addressing weather challenges and staying ahead of the storm and Emergency Management Officials monitoring developments and preparing teams for rapid responses if nessessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How to prepare for a winter storm at home and on the road The next few days could bring challenges. Please periodically check on your neighbors and family. Remain cautious because things can change quickly, Justice continued in the statement. Our agencies are on high alert, and well continue to keep West Virginians updated as needed. We will get through this together. West Virginia was previously under a State of Preparedness. You can read the full State of Emergency proclamation here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. Its a measure of how strained and strange the politics of North Carolina have become that Josh Stein became governor this week with virtually no political momentum. On paper, Stein should be a rising force. He defeated his Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, by nearly 15 points and hes riding a Democratic dominance of the states highest office in which his party has won eight of the last nine gubernatorial elections. Beyond those numbers, Stein brings an impressive life story and record of achievement to his new role as the states 76th governor. Hes a graduate of Dartmouth with a Harvard law degree and a former state senator and two-term attorney general who fought for consumers and won major settlements for North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet Stein begins his leadership on his back foot. Hes already in court fighting the Republican-controlled legislatures attempt to strip him of key powers. In the General Assembly, he will need every Democratic vote to prevent the override of his vetoes. At his swearing-in Wednesday, Stein made a laudable but seemingly doomed call for progress. The time is now to build a safer, stronger North Carolina, where our economy continues to grow and works for everyone; where our public schools are excellent and our teachers are well paid; where our neighborhoods are safe and our personal freedoms are protected, he said. Republican lawmakers may go along on public safety measures, but supporting excellent public schools, paying teachers well and protecting personal freedoms are not on their list and havent been since the GOP took complete control of the legislature in 2011. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Stein has room to maneuver and make progress. As a former state senator, he knows the legislative process and has relationships on both sides of the aisle that may prove helpful. Sen. Dan Blue, a Wake County Democrat and former Senate minority leader, has watched lawmakers and governors fight and compromise during his decades in the state House and Senate. He said Stein should first find areas where he and Republicans can agree. My advice would be to seek them out and reserve your heavy artillery for when you have to use it, Blue said. Theres no need to pick fights. Get the temperature first. Thats the approach Cooper took. On social and education issues, agreement was hopeless, but the governor and legislative leaders did agree on economic development and made strong progress together. The state added 640,000 jobs during Coopers two terms and North Carolina won honors as a top state for business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Minority Leader Robert Reives supports Stein staying on Coopers course. On economic development, he said, We have a clear blueprint from the Cooper administration on how to work together toward common goals. In pushing business issues, Stein may even get an upper hand on Republicans. Large corporations welcomed the Republicans nonstop cutting of taxes and regulations, but that conservative wish list is now almost checked off and the effects are, or should be, disturbing for business interests. By favoring tax cuts over investments in public schools and state services, Republican lawmakers have allowed rural public school systems to struggle, put pressure on local governments to increase property taxes and caused high vacancies within the state employee workforce. Republicans weakening of environmental protections and their skepticism about climate change now look dangerous after the historic damage to western North Carolina caused by Hurricane Helene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the Republicans reckless move to offer hundreds of millions of tax dollars to subsidize private school tuition for households of all incomes will exacerbate the crisis in public school funding. And as yet another income tax cut took effect on Jan. 1, there are signs that North Carolina may soon face a budget deficit. Failing public schools, weak public services, heightened environmental risks and uncertain state finances do not make for a good business climate. Stein and business leaders may make progress by allying to insist on state investments that protect and advance what Republican overreach has put in jeopardy a healthy state economy, an effective state government and a strong state workforce. Associate opinion editor Ned Barnett can be reached at 919-404-7583, or nbarnett@ newsobserver.com NEW ORLEANS Kim Alexander sat in the middle of the half-filled sanctuary as music and prayer filled the room. While Bishop Lester Love spoke of healing and hope at the pulpit, Alexander didnt seem convinced the city will be safer after a car rampage killed 14 New Years revelers on Bourbon Street. Theres too many unattended areas in the French Quarter, theres too many unattended areas in the city, the 60-year-old New Orleans resident told NBC News after the service. She said she thinks more officers should be hired. She wasnt alone in her worries. Hundreds of New Orleanians gathered at the City of Love Church on Saturday morning to seek solace and understanding in the wake of the attack. With hands raised and tears rolling down their faces, attendees sang, shouted and prayed not just for the victims, but for the attacker, the city and a safer future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attacker, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran from Texas, drove a rented truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Years Day. Authorities said he posted videos online during his journey to New Orleans in which he professed his support for ISIS. After plowing through the crowd, Jabbar was killed in a shootout with police. The mood at the morning prayer service oscillated between grief and determination. Police officers stood alongside grieving members of the New Orleans community. Even though were going through it, things will get better, Love told the congregation. The city is hurting, but it is also resilient. Congregants listen to Bishop Lester Love speak at a prayer service Saturday morning. As the city prepares for the Super Bowl next month and Mardi Gras in March, law enforcement and local officials vowed to reinforce safety measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the prayer service, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the city will remain vigilant about keeping residents and tourists safe in the months ahead, but she couldnt rule out another mass killing. On any given day, anybody can do something, Hutson said, adding that law enforcement will be well prepared to respond. If somebody wants to do something, theyre going to figure out how. Still, the tragedy has left some questioning whether New Orleans is ready for hundreds of thousands of visitors in the coming months. In addition to the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is in April, and the annual event draws around 400,000 people each year, according to its website. Some are relying on faith to persevere. I have faith that God is ordering my steps, said service attendee Tishawn Francis, 45. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Will Holmes, 44, is optimistic, he said, because New Orleans is equipped to handle these events. Participants prayed at a service in New Orleans on Saturday morning. Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who attended the service, reiterated her commitment to support the victims and their families. In addition to the 14 who were killed, dozens were injured, with many still in area hospitals. Former Police Superintendent Michael Harrison praised law enforcements swift response, noting that the tragedy could have been even worse. Harrison said the attacker could have used his gun instead of the truck, because he was going to kill no matter what. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Habitat for Humanity ReStores will be honoring the legacy of President Jimmy Carter. The nonprofit said it is encouraging the community to visit one of its locations to sign a stud and leave a message for Carter. Carter, along with his wife, Rosalynn Carter, worked with the organization through the years, including the 1987 Carter Work Project and the first-ever Women Build in 1991. ALSO READ: Jimmy Carter finds life-long friend during humanitarian visit to Charlotte Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple then returned to Charlotte for the Carter Work Project in 2023. Habitat for Humanity ReStores will have studs to sign over the next several days. VIDEO: Jimmy Carter finds life-long friend during humanitarian visit to Charlotte Hamas has approved a list of 34 Israeli hostages to be exchanged in a possible ceasefire deal, Reuters reported, citing a Hamas official. The Israeli government denied receiving a list of hostages from Hamas, adding that the names published in the media are from an older list that Israel had presented to mediators. Contrary to what was claimed, Hamas has yet to provide a list of hostages, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The list of hostages published in the media was not provided to Israel by Hamas but was originally transferred from Israel to the mediators back in July 2024, Netanyahus office said. So far, Israel has not received any confirmation or response from Hamas regarding the status of the hostages on the list. Reuters reported on Sunday, citing an unidentified Hamas official, that the release of the hostages would be contingent on reaching an agreement regarding Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire. Israel and Hamas are also negotiating the number and identities of Palestinian prisoners and detainees who would be released in exchange for the hostages. It is not clear which hostages are on the list reported by Reuters, or whether they are living or dead. In recent weeks, Israel has told CNN they have yet to receive a full list of living hostages from the militant group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This comes just days after indirect negotiations for a ceasefire-for-hostages deal resumed in the Qatari capital Doha, talks that have so far shown few signs of progress, according to Israeli and Egyptian officials. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that despite reports of new optimism around talks, there is not much new, slow progress for now. White House Middle East adviser Brett McGurk is among the officials in Doha, a US official and another person familiar with the matter told CNN. Meanwhile, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer is expected to travel to Washington this week and meet with Biden administration and Trump transition officials, according to an Israeli source. What weve seen in the last couple of weeks is a re-intensified engagement, including by Hamas, but we have yet to see agreement on the final points, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters during a trip to South Korea on Monday. We very much want to bring this over the finish line in the next two weeks, the time we have remaining. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, Hamas turned up the pressure on Israel at the negotiating table, releasing a video of 19-year-old hostage Liri Albag. Albags family called on Netanyahu to seize the opportunity for a ceasefire deal, describing the footage as having torn our hearts to pieces. As of December 5, Hamas was still holding 100 hostages in Gaza, most of whom were abducted during the militant groups October 7, 2023, cross-border attacks, in which more than 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. Of the hostages remaining in captivity in Gaza, at least 36 are believed to be dead, according to Netanyahus office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN has reached out to Hamas and the Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum for comment. Attacks continue While negotiations in Doha are underway, Israeli attacks in Gaza continued on Sunday. Israeli strikes on a residential building in northern Gaza killed 12 members of the same family, with more trapped under the rubble, according to Gazas Civil Defense. Four airstrikes targeted the house of the Zuhd family in the district of Sheikh Radwan, north of Gaza City, the Civil Defense said. CNN footage from the strikes aftermath shows people desperately digging through the wreckage for survivors. Ammar Zuhd told CNN that a child was pulled out alive from the rubble and 11 other people were missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The footage also shows a young mans lifeless body hanging suspended from an upper floor of the house. This is my nephew; do you see how he is hanging? He was a young man who hadnt yet married; he was just starting his life at 20 years old, Zuhd said. CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment on the target of the strikes. Local Palestinians told CNN they fear the Sheikh Radwan area is turning into a red zone amid the destruction. They attack us every day now, with missiles and bombs dropped by drones among the people. Everyone is at risk of being bombed at any moment, Wissam Zuhd said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The director of Gaza Citys Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital said it had been overwhelmed tending to casualties. Operating rooms are packed with critically injured patients, hallways filled with those waiting for surgery, and beds occupied by the suffering. The gate is crowded with bodies for burial, Dr. Fadel Naim posted to X. Weve never witnessed such horrors, he said, adding that if the Israeli attacks did not end soon, the hospital would no longer be able to handle the influx of victims. Gazas health ministry reported Sunday that 88 people had been killed in the previous 24 hours, bringing the cumulative death toll of Israels war on Hamas to at least 45,805 people, with more than 109,000 injured in the enclave as a result of Israeli military operations since October 2023. CNNs Alex Marquardt, Abeer Salman, Ibrahim Dahman and Caitlin Danaher contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Hamas has approved the release of 34 hostages it says were suggested by the Israeli government as part of a potential ceasefire agreement, an unnamed official with the militant group told the Reuters news agency. Its unclear which hostages were on the list, or whether they were living or dead. Israel said it had not received any list of potential hostages for exchange from Hamas. Contrary to what was claimed, Hamas has yet to provide a list of hostages, the Prime Ministers Office told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further hostage and prisoner exchanges have eluded both sides, as negotiations in Doha for a wider ceasefire remained stalled with little progress. Meanwhile, both Israel and Hamas have ratcheted up pressure on each other in the final weeks before Donald Trumps January 20 inauguration in the U.S. is expected to change the strategic calculus around the war and introduce further uncertainty. Israeli families are pushing Netanyahu administration to reach a hostage deal (AFP/Getty) Israeli strikes killed 14 people across three attacks on Gaza on Sunday, bringing the weekend death toll to 102, according to Palestinian medics. The attacks this weekend took place in the Nuseirat camp, Jabalia, Khan Younis, and Gaza City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 45,805 people in Gaza have died in the fighting, according to the Gazan health ministry. Over the weekend, Hamas released a video showing hostage Liri Albag, 19, one of the roughly 250 Israelis kidnapped during the militant groups October 7, 2023, cross-border attack. The video of Albag, who was taken from Nachal Oz military base, dismayed her family, who called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the release of all the hostages, some of whom are believed to already be dead. War in Gaza has killed over 45,000 people, as winter cold puts further strain on food-deprived civilians (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) This is not the daughter and sister we know, Albags family said in a statement. She is not well her severe psychological distress is evident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You must not miss this current opportunity to bring them back, the family added. All of them. In addition to the hostages remaining in the territory, the civilians of Gaza, already facing famine-like conditions and mass internal displacement, have also been battered with flooding, rains, and bitter cold, conditions putting children at high risk of injury and death. It is so cold now in winter that ... there have been three newborn deaths just in the last week because of the tents and the lack of foods available for them unfortunately, Dr. Mimi Sayed, an American emergency physician volunteering at the Al-Aqsa hospital, told NBC News this week. The Biden administration notified Congress this week its planning a new $8 billion arms package for Israel. The conflict, now over a year old, has been deemed a genocide by international observers including Amnesty International. Sunday, Jan. 5 The Oly Mountain Boys at Ilk Lodge: This local bluegrass institution is playing Sunday, Jan. 5, at the Ilk Lodge, which opened in April in the former Fish Tale Brew Pub. The show is from 6 to 9 p.m. at the lodge, which specializes in beer and smash burgers and is located at 515 Jefferson St. SE, Olympia. Monday, Jan. 6 Public hearing on states updated housing codes: The Department of Commerce has filed draft rules (CR-102) to update Washingtons Administrative Codes (WAC) that seek to incorporate 24 housing-related bills passed into law between 2019 and 2024. These bills relate to housing, urban growth areas and rural planning, and the draft rules will support how local governments plan for affordable housing and increase residential density. This includes accessory dwelling units, tiny houses, design review, local project review, urban growth area swaps and infill development in limited areas of more intensive rural development. Together, the proposed rules will assist counties and cities in further implementing the Growth Management Act requirements through local comprehensive plans and development regulations. To participate, review the draft updates to WAC 365-196 and WAC 365-199 on the Commerce rulemaking page, then attend the virtual public hearing at 11 a.m. Jan. 6 to provide feedback on the draft rules. You also can submit written comments via email to Deborah Jacobs at deborah.jacobs@commerce.wa.gov by Jan. 13. Register to attend the public hearing on Zoom Leonor R. Fuller Gallery hosts 14th annual Fine Art Postcard Exhibition: The annual Fine Art Postcard Exhibition returns to the Leonor R. Fuller Gallery at SPSCCs Olympia campus for its 14th year from Jan. 6 to Feb. 7, with the theme Forgotten Conversations. The closing reception will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7. The postcard theme is a sort of ad-lib prompt to inspire our creative community, said gallery director Sean Barnes. Each year, those who visit the exhibition can vote on the following years theme, then I meet with the gallery committee to select one. The exhibition will feature postcard-sized (4-inch-by-6-inch) original artworks created by artists of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, including SPSCC students, staff, and faculty. Works will be sold through a silent auction and proceeds will go towards supporting gallery programming. More information is available on the colleges Leonor R. Fuller Gallery page. Wednesday, Jan. 8 Thurston County elected leaders present State of the Community address: The leaders of Thurston County unite to present the State of the Community Address at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8. Join Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder, Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan, Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne, Yelm Mayor Joe DePinto, Tenino Mayor David Watterson, and Thurston County Commission Chair Tye Menser as they discuss critical topics including affordable housing, strategies to combat the housing crisis, fostering high-wage job creation, and establishing robust connections for youth to mental health services. The event is hosted by the Thurston County Chamber at the Norman Worthington Conference Center at Saint Martins University, 5300 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey. Register in advance for the event; admission, which includes a lunch buffet, is $35 for Chamber members and $40 for non-members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stories for Adults Janus, the two-faced Roman God: Did you know that the month of January is named for Janus, the two-faced Roman God? That story and more on endings and beginnings in our lives will be told by master storytellers Anne Shimojima and Sandra Niman at the South Sound Story Guild gathering at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Harbor House, 217 Thurston Ave NE, Olympia. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. Thursday, Jan. 9 Treble Voices for Peace new member orientation: Treble Voices for Peace, a branch of The Olympia Peace Choir, will hold a New Member Orientation/Rehearsal for those who sing in the treble range from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave. SE, Olympia. See more information about the choir on the Peace Choirs webpage. Adventure Series follows the footsteps of Marco Polo: Join National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita as he hosts a multi-media presentation following in the footsteps of Marco Polo, the greatest Western explorer of all time, on the 700th anniversary of his 13th century epic journey along the Silk Road from Italy to China. Marco Polo is credited with introducing the Eastern and Western hemispheres to each other through his stories of the cultures, arts, and landscapes of the people he met and the places he visited. The show begins at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Tickets are $26 to $62 plus a service fee. Sewing for Kids: Head to the Lacey Timberland Library meeting room for an introduction to basic sewing with a machine. The course, which runs from 4 to 5:30 p.m., will cover how the machine works and basic safety. After the demonstration, a limited number of sewing machines will be available for use. Those who arrive in time to get a sewing machine spot can bring their own project, or work on a simple project provided by the library. All supplies provided. The course is designed for ages 9-14; accompanying adults welcome. If multiple people are attending as a team that will just be using one sewing machine, please only register one person. If youd like to bring your own machine from home to work on, please make arrangements by emailing nbell@trl.org. The library is at 500 College St. SE, Lacey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City of Lacey History Talks! on the Evergreen Ballroom: The Evergreen Ballroom story is an immigrant story, a local community story, and a music lovers story. From the time it was constructed to the last day that music played there, the dance hall saw a number of people cross its stage who would go on to musical fame. In this presentation, Rebecca Sanchez, an educator and freelance writer, will cover her research from a series of local history articles. Join the 6:30 p.m. Thursday program in person at Lacey City Hall, 420 College St. SE, or register to attend online. Olympia Junior League Informational Meet & Greet: Are you a woman looking for a way to make a meaningful impact in your community while building friendships and leadership skills? The Olympia Junior League invites you to an Informational Meet & Greet to learn more about the Junior League of Olympia, which is part of an international organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through effective action and leadership. The event runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Mercato Ristorante, 111 Market St. NE, Olympia. Light refreshments will be provided. No need to RSVP. Friday, Jan. 10 Black Box Jazz with Nelda Swiggett & Megabopolis: Dont miss the first installment of the Washington Center for the Performing Arts Black Box Jazz series for 2025 featuring women jazz musicians from the Pacific Northwest. Well-crafted arrangements and tight ensemble work produce a rich mini-big band sound from this high-energy jazz sextets three-horn front line. Megabopolis performs the melodic originals of award-winning composer and OA2 recording artist Nelda Swiggett. The band features some of Seattles finest jazz musicians who have collectively performed at many top clubs and festivals throughout the Northwest and beyond, including the Earshot Jazz Festival, Bumbershoot, Dimitrious Jazz Alley, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $32 to $39 plus a service fee. The Washington Center is at 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia. Saturday, Jan. 11 Puzzle Party at the WET Science Center: Whether youre a brainteaser beginner or a professional puzzler, this is the party for you. Give your brain some exercise by solving riddles and mazes, designing puzzle piece creatures, and creating puzzles of your own from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the WET Science Center, 500 Adams St. NE, Olympia. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Would you like to have your event included in our weekly Whats Happening calendar? Email the details to news@theolympian.com at least 10 days before the event. Please put Whats Happening in the subject line. On the campaign trail, Vice President Kamala Harris warned American voters against Donald Trump, calling him a fascist, a petty tyrant, and a threat to democracy - in days she will have to certify his election victory. Four years after rioters cheered for the hanging of then-Vice President Mike Pence and tried to block the certification of the election that Trump lost, Harris is set to fulfill her duty as president of the Senate by certifying her own election loss and declaring Trump the winner of the 2024 election. Federal law states that Congress must hold a session on January 6 at 1 p.m. to open each states certificates of their electoral votes. The president of the Senate, meaning the vice president, opens the certificates and presides over the session as bipartisan members of both chambers read aloud the results. After an official vote is counted, the president of the Senate declares a winner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its the job of every vice president, but it may not be an easy one. On Monday, Harris will join the ranks of Pence and Al Gore, who also had to certify the election results for their rivals. Vice President Kamala Harris shakes hands with Donald Trump during a presidential debate. She will have to certify his election victory on January 6, after months of warning American voters that he was a threat to democracy (AFP via Getty Images) The upcoming certification stands out namely because the 60-year-old Democrat has to now certify the election for the man she spent much of her 107-day bid warning against the danger he posed to democracy, the country, and the world. She warned that he was a threat to reproductive freedoms. She called him unstable. She predicted that as president he wasgoing to sit there unstable, unhinged, plotting his revenge, plotting his retribution, creating an enemies list. America: this is not a candidate for president who is thinking about how to make your life better. This is someone who is unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance and out for unchecked power, Harris said in one of her final speeches during the campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Look, we know who Donald Trump is, Harris said. He is the person who stood at this very spot nearly four years ago and sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol to overturn the will of the people in a free and fair election an election that he knew he lost. Harris will now have to certify Trumps win despite her constant blasting him and painting him as a threat to democracy. It comes just four years after a violent mob attacked the Capitol in an effort to block the election certification for Joe Biden. Trump served as the central cause of the riot, a House select committee investigating the riot found. Four years after a mob of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, Harris will certify the election for Trump (AP) In the nearly four years that followed, 1,561 individuals have been criminally charged in connection to the attack. The president-elect has left open the possibility of pardoning some of them; hes called them unbelievable patriots and promised to help them the first day we get into office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal criminal case against Trump for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results has been dismissed. Ahead of this years certification, the Department of Homeland Security said it will be providing additional security as it marked January 6s events as a National Special Security Event for the first time in history. National Special Security Events are events of the highest national significance, said Eric Ranaghan, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Services Dignitary Protective Division. The U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners are committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive and integrated security plan to ensure the safety and security of this event and its participants. PLATTSBURGH The recent opening of The Herb Cave, a local retail cannabis dispensary, was three years in the making. Our dispensary is like no other in the area. Were setting out to reset the tone for cannabis and change the stigma surrounding it, Christie Ashabranner, co-owner of The Herb Cave, said. We want everyone to feel welcome here, whether youre someone who wants to interact with our knowledgeable staff or prefer a more private experience. Weve designed this place to cater to all needs, and youll be treated like family. Were committed to offering a welcoming atmosphere for all and high-quality, locally grown products, and a facility that is fun, friendly, and easily accessible to anyone 21 and over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Herb Cave team now looks forward to offering the community a diverse selection of top-tier New York State-grown cannabis products along with exceptional customer service. DRIVE-THRU AVAILABLE Located at 519 State Route 3 in Plattsburgh, just off I-87 exit 37, the dispensary opened its doors for a soft opening on Dec. 27. From now on, The Herb Cave is open for business every Sunday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and every Friday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ashabranner told the Press-Republican in 2023 that the location on Route 3 was a prime location for a dispensary. Its kind of centralized. Its not Downtown (Plattsburgh), but this was like, I think, the best option, she said then. Right across from some wonderful foods. So they kind of go hand in hand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storefront also used to house a Community Bank branch, which gave Ashabranner a unique opportunity to not only offer in-store shopping, curbside pick-up and home delivery but a drive-thru option as well for more convenience. The Herb Cave team has been building this dream since 2021 and is proud to be a women-owned business in the growing cannabis industry. The team is thrilled by the support it has received from the Plattsburgh community so far. Were truly grateful for the communitys support, and its a privilege to be able to open our doors to serve our community, Ashabranner said. Its important to us that our growth benefits our community. A percentage of our profits yearly will be reinvested in the community. Our team brings years of cannabis industry experience, and were excited to build a reliable and established legacy here in the Champlain Valley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WHERE EVERYONE WANTS TO COME Ashabranner is no stranger to owning a business. Shes been a local entrepreneur in the area since 2007 and owned The Healing Cave on Margaret Street, practicing as an intuitive medium, she said in 2023. Ashabranner said The Herb Cave was just another opportunity for her to offer the community an inclusive, safe environment. Im a disabled woman, so I basically wanted to show other people other disabled individuals that its possible to still follow your dreams and create something wonderful even though youre disabled and have stuff against you, she said. I just wanted to build a facility that everyone felt safe and comfortable and welcomed in, and just have a space where everyone wants to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to The Herb Cave, the dispensary is fully funded through local investments, without relying on out-of-state investors. This approach allows The Herb Cave to reinvest in the community, creating jobs and providing a unique local business that residents can be proud of. For more information and updates, visit www.theherbcave.com, or follow them on social media @theherbcave. BEIRUT Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last year while inside the militant groups war operations room, according to new details Sunday disclosed by a senior Hezbollah official. A series of Israeli airstrikes flattened several buildings in Beiruts southern suburbs on Sept. 27, 2023, killing Nasrallah. The Lebanese Health Ministry said six people died. According to news reports, Nasrallah and other senior officials were meeting underground. The assassination of Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for 32 years, turned months of low-level strikes between Israel and the militants into all-out war that battered much of southern and eastern Lebanon for two months until a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect Nov. 27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His Eminence (Hassan Nasrallah) used to lead the battle and war from this location, top Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa told a news conference Sunday near near the site where Nasrallah was killed. He said Nasrallah died in the war operations room. He did not offer other details. Lebanese media had reported that Safa was a target of Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut before the ceasefire but appeared unscathed. During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to move its fighters, weapons and infrastructure away from southern Lebanon north of the Litani River, while Israeli troops that invaded southern Lebanon need to withdraw all within 60 days. Lebanese army soldiers are to deploy in large numbers and alongside United Nations peacekeepers be the sole armed presence in southern Lebanon. Lebanon and Hezbollah have been critical of ongoing Israeli strikes and overflights across the country and for only withdrawing from two of dozens of Lebanese villages it controls. Israel says that the Lebanese military has not done its share in dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollahs current leader Naim Kassem in a televised address Saturday warned that its fighters could strike Israel if its troops dont leave the south by the end of the month. Safa said that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who negotiated the ceasefire deal with Washington, told Hezbollah that the government will meet with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein soon. And in light of what happens, then there will be a position, said Safa. Hochstein had led the shuttle diplomacy efforts to reach the fragile truce. BEIRUT (AP) Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last year while inside the militant group's war operations room, according to new details Sunday disclosed by a senior Hezbollah official. A series of Israeli airstrikes flattened several buildings in Beiruts southern suburbs on Sept. 27, 2024, killing Nasrallah. The Lebanese Health Ministry said six people died. According to news reports, Nasrallah and other senior officials were meeting underground. The assassination of Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for 32 years, turned months of low-level strikes between Israel and the militants into all-out war that battered much of southern and eastern Lebanon for two months until a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect Nov. 27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His Eminence (Hassan Nasrallah) used to lead the battle and war from this location, top Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa told a news conference Sunday near near the site where Nasrallah was killed. He said Nasrallah died in the war operations room. He did not offer other details. Lebanese media had reported that Safa was a target of Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut before the ceasefire but appeared unscathed. During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to move its fighters, weapons and infrastructure away from southern Lebanon north of the Litani River, while Israeli troops that invaded southern Lebanon need to withdraw all within 60 days. Lebanese army soldiers are to deploy in large numbers and alongside United Nations peacekeepers be the sole armed presence in southern Lebanon. Lebanon and Hezbollah have been critical of ongoing Israeli strikes and overflights across the country and for only withdrawing from two of dozens of Lebanese villages it controls. Israel says that the Lebanese military has not done its share in dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollahs current leader Naim Kassem in a televised address Saturday warned that its fighters could strike Israel if its troops dont leave the south by the end of the month. Meanwhile, Israels defense minister Israel Katz echoed similar sentiments should Hezbollah's militants not head north of the Litani River and their infrastructure remain intact. If this condition is not met, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be forced to act on its own to ensure the safe return of the residents of (Israels) north to their homes, he said. Safa said that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who negotiated the ceasefire deal with Washington, told Hezbollah that the government will meet with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein soon. And in light of what happens, then there will be a position, said Safa. Hochstein had led the shuttle diplomacy efforts to reach the fragile truce. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A High Wind Watch is soon to be in effect for a portion of San Diego County with gusty winds expected to impact the region from Tuesday evening through late Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service. Residents in the regions mountain and valley areas are being urged to prepare for potentially hazardous conditions, including the possibility of power outages and difficult travel. The warning comes as northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 55 mph in eastern portions of the valleys. The strongest winds, however, are forecast to occur near the foothills of San Diegos mountains. For those in the coastal slopes of the mountain areas, the National Weather Service predicts wind speeds ranging from 30 to 50 mph and gusts potentially reaching 65 mph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The strongest winds are expected to hit overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning. The high winds could cause significant disruptions, including downed trees and power lines, potentially leading to widespread power outages. Travel may also become challenging, especially for high-profile vehicles, such as trucks and buses, due to the gusty conditions. Residents in affected areas are advised to monitor the latest weather updates and prepare for the possibility of power outages and unsafe driving conditions. Securing loose outdoor items, such as patio furniture or trash cans, is also recommended to prevent them from being blown away in the event of strong winds. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Sunday signed into law a measure that boosts Social Security payments for current and former public employees, affecting nearly 3 million people who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and in other public service jobs. Advocates say the Social Security Fairness Act rights a decades-old disparity, though it will also put strain on Social Security Trust Funds, which face a looming insolvency crisis. The bill rescinds two provisions the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset that limit Social Security benefits for recipients if they get retirement payments from other sources, including public retirement programs from a state or local government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill I'm signing today is about a simple proposition: Americans who have worked hard all their life to earn an honest living should be able to retire with economic security and dignity that's the entire purpose of the Social Security system, Biden said during a signing ceremony in the White House East Room. This is a big deal, he said. Biden was joined by labor leaders, retirement advocates, and Democratic and Republican lawmakers including the legislation's primary sponsors, Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and exiting Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who received a standing ovation from ceremony attendees. The Congressional Research Service estimated that in December 2023, there were 745,679 people, about 1% of all Social Security beneficiaries, who had their benefits reduced by the Government Pension Offset. About 2.1 million people, or about 3% of all beneficiaries, were affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Congressional Budget Office estimated in September that eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision would boost monthly payments to the affected beneficiaries by an average of $360 by December 2025. Ending the Government Pension Offset would increase monthly benefits in December 2025 by an average of $700 for 380,000 recipients getting benefits based on living spouses, according to the CBO. The increase would be an average of $1,190 for 390,000 or surviving spouses getting a widow or widower benefit. Those amounts would increase over time with Social Securitys regular cost-of-living adjustments. The change is to payments from January 2024 and beyond, meaning the Social Security Administration would owe back-dated payments. The measure as passed by Congress says the Social Security commissioner "shall adjust primary insurance amounts to the extent necessary to take into account changes in the law. It's not immediately clear how this will happen or whether people affected will have to take any action. Edward Kelly, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said firefighters across the country are excited to see the change we've righted a 40-year wrong. Kelly said the policy was far more egregious for surviving spouses of firefighters who paid their own quotas into Social Security but were victimized by the government pension system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The IAFF has roughly 320,000 members, which does not include hundreds of thousands of retirees who will benefit from the change. Now firefighters who get paid very little can now afford to actually retire," Kelly said. Brown, who as an Ohio senator pushed for the proposal for years, lost his reelection bid in November. Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees labor union, thanked Brown for his advocacy. Over two million public service workers will finally be able to access the Social Security benefits they spent their careers paying into," Saunders said in a statement. "Many will finally be able to enjoy retirement after a lifetime of service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement National Education Association President Becky Pringle said the law is a historic victory that will improve the lives of educators, first responders, postal workers and others who dedicate their lives to public service in their communities. And while some Republicans such as Collins supported the legislation, others, including Sens. John Thune of South Dakota, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, voted against it. We caved to the pressure of the moment instead of doing this on a sustainable basis, Tillis told The Associated Press last month. Still, Republican supporters of the bill said there was a rare opportunity to address what they described as an unfair section of federal law that hurts public service retirees. The future of Social Security has become a top political issue and was a major point of contention in the 2024 election. About 72.5 million people, including retirees, disabled people and children, receive Social Security benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The policy changes from the new law will heap more administrative work on the Social Security Administration, which is already at its lowest staffing level in decades. The agency, currently under a hiring freeze, has a staff of about 56,645 the lowest level in over 50 years even as it serves more people than ever. The annual Social Security and Medicare trustees report released last May said the programs trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2035. The new law will hasten the programs insolvency date by about half a year. Along with ratifying the Social Security Fairness Act, earlier in his presidency Biden signed the Butch Lewis Act into law, which saved the retirement pensions of two million union workers. ___ Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report. OGDEN Hill Air Force Base announced Friday it will be be suspending its Trusted Traveler Program, tightening security after the recent events in Las Vegas and New Orleans. The program previously allowed those with valid Department of Defense identification to vouch for those in their car when entering the base. Starting Friday, there is a 100% ID check at all gates, and those without identity cards will have to get visitor passes at the South Gate, limited to business hours, according to a social media post from the installation. The South Gate Visitors Center is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tightened security is "due to the recent attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas," and affects all installations, facilities and units within the USNORTHCOM area of responsibility, including the continental U.S. and Alaska, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Northern Command. "This is a prudent measure to ensure the safety and security of our installations and personnel. This may have the potential to cause delays for personnel or visitors entering installations," the spokesperson said. There is no indication when the Trusted Traveler Program may return. On New Years Day, investigators say 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran from Texas, drove through a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans killing 15, and injuring dozens. Hours later, police say 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger, an active-duty US Army Green Beret from Colorado, rented a Cybertruck and detonated the vehicle with fireworks and other fuel outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. Two Peninsula communities will get access to state resources and additional grant opportunities, thanks to their involvement with the Virginia Main Street Communities program. Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently announced that Hilton Village Main Street in Newport News and The Phoebus Partnership in Hampton are among nine organizations to receive the Advancing Virginia Main Street Designation. According to a news release, the Department of Housing and Community Development has assisted localities in revitalizing downtown commercial districts through the Virginia Main Street program since 1985. I applaud these newly designated Virginia Main Street communities for their commitment to revitalization, and I look forward to your communitys continued success, Youngkin said in the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new designation will help the Hilton Village and Phoebus communities secure funding and services for market analysis, marketplace development, capacity building, design assistance, organization development, economic strategies and facade renderings for redevelopment projects. Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones said in a statement that the city was excited to see the Hilton Village Main Street program have access to larger grants and more technical assistance. In October, Newport News City Council approved a resolution supporting Hillage Village Main Streets application for the Advancing tier in the Virginia Main Street Program. City spokesperson Kim Bracy said in an email that Hilton Village Main Street is working closely with the resident and merchant community to support business growth and success in Hilton Village. In, addition to marketing and activating the district, which includes the weekly farmers market and the First Fridays Moon Market. She said Hilton Village welcomed over 25,000 visitors, with 51 weeks of Farmers Markets, as well as seven ribbon cuttings in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joe Griffith, the Main Street manager for the Phoebus Partnership, said the designation will give the nonprofit an expanded set of tools to preserve the history, culture, and heritage of Historic Downtown Phoebus while fostering local economic growth. The Phoebus Partnership is currently working on updating its long-range plans for the Phoebus community and assessing what vacant buildings could be repurposed for a new use. The resources this opens up will help us support essential initiatives like nurturing local business, which is core to Phoebus identity, but itll also put a spotlight on historic preservation of the built environment, which is such a key part of our small-town charm, Griffith said in an email. Josh Janney, joshua.janney@virginiamedia.com Edinburghs famous Hogmanay fireworks could be consigned to history over animal welfare concerns, the new council leader has suggested. Jane Meagher said she believed the days when we send explosives up into the air were coming to an end and that alternatives could deliver a wonderful and heartwarming experience to audiences. She cited as reasons noise pollution and consideration for animals including pets, animals in zoos and wildlife as well as the impact on people for whom loud bangs can be traumatic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It follows The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which runs Edinburgh Zoo, calling for displays to be restricted to organised events which use the latest light and drone technology and are completely silent. In November, the death of Roxie the baby red panda at the zoo was blamed on stress caused by the noise from fireworks night. Three-month-old red panda Roxie, who died at Edinburgh Zoo on Bonfire Night - RZSS/PA Ms Meagher, a Labour politician, said events in her own Portobello and Craigmillar ward had convinced her that silent alternatives to fireworks could be really successful and happy. She said: I went to a couple of events that didnt rely on fireworks and they were just wonderful and heartwarming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So if it were up to me, I would want to be looking at alternatives because I think that the days when we send explosives up into the air are short-lived and we need to think about something more inventive and exciting. I keep going back to my recent experience of alternatives so in terms of light shows and fabulous laser displays for example, absolutely. Edinburgh is known globally for its famous Hogmanay street party, which culminates in thousands of fireworks being set off against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. Last weeks planned display was cancelled due to the weather conditions. Ms Meagher said the issue would be subject to expert advice and a public consultation but she believed the Scottish capital could become a trailblazer by replacing fireworks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said: These sorts of changes have to be done incrementally but I think that there is sufficient public interest in making these sorts of changes that we could move forward. Laser show in London that replaced the New Year fireworks on Jan 1 2021 because of Covid - Chris Gorman/Getty Images Ive been to events some of the opening events for the festivals that Ive been involved with where there has been really inventive use of other forms of spectacular display. We would have to take expert advice and consult but I can imagine we could be a trailblazer. The suggestion was backed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the animal rights group. Elisa Allen, PETAs vice president of programmes, said that the recent cancellation of New Year fireworks events had been a relief for everyone bracing for a night of extreme stress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said: Edinburgh could protect humans and other animals by permanently banning fireworks. The loud bangs, vibrations, and flashes, which terrorise some communities daily, confuse and terrify wildlife and companion animals, putting them at risk of injury, displacement, and death. They also distress humans, such as those who suffer from PTSD and children sensitive to noise. Will Evans, director of Titanium Fireworks, creators of Edinburghs annual Hogmanay fireworks display, said the industry was already addressing concerns about animals and pollution. He said: We will always advocate for the strict use of fireworks, sensibly, in the right place at the right time. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. New details have emerged about Zachery Ty Bryan's domestic violence arrest, with reports revealing that he allegedly punched a woman several times and threatened to kill her. Bryan, best known for his role as Brad Taylor on the famed sitcom "Home Improvement," began 2025 in the worst way possible after he was arrested on charges of second-degree domestic violence in South Carolina. The actor's recent run-in with the law is his third legal trouble in 18 months after his previous arrests in July 2023 and February 2024 for domestic violence and DUI charges, respectively. Zachery Ty Bryan Allegedly Assaulted A Woman And Threatened To Kill Her Zachery Ty Bryan, former 'Home Improvement' child star, arrested for domestic violence Zachery Ty Bryan, former 'Home Improvement' child star, arrested for domestic violence Source link The post Zachery Ty Bryan, former 'Home Improvement' child star, arrested for domestic pic.twitter.com/8uoxcitc5q Let's Talk About Dis Shidd (@MrsBarnesII) July 31, 2023 According to reports from TMZ, Bryan punched a woman multiple times and threatened to kill her before he was arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident report stated that officers responded to a call just before 7 p.m. on January 1 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. After arriving at the scene, the officers spoke to the woman, who told them Bryan punched her several times on the left side of her face. The woman also claimed that Bryan choked her by putting his arm around her neck. His actions restricted her airflow and made her fear for her life. The unnamed woman also alleged that Bryan said he would kill her. The officers mentioned in the incident report that her injuries were consistent with her story. They also stated that she shares a child with Bryan. Zachery Ty Bryan's Arrest MEGA TMZ earlier reported that Bryan was arrested on January 1 after officers responded to a domestic disturbance call and determined that the 43-year-old was involved in a physical altercation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After his arrest, Bryan was detained at the Horry County jail and initially held on a $10,000 bond. However, recent reports indicate he regained his freedom at about 8 p.m. on Friday. Bryan had visible injuries in his mugshot, including cuts on his chin, lips, and cheek. He also had a red mark on his forehead. Zachery Ty Bryan's Previous Domestic Violence Arrest MEGA This is not the first time Bryan has faced troubles with the law over domestic violence charges. In 2020, Bryan was arrested for allegedly strangling his girlfriend in Oregon and pled guilty to two domestic violence misdemeanor charges. He was sentenced to 36 months of probation. However, he eventually got engaged to the woman he allegedly strangled, Johnny Faye Cartwright, and shares three children with her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July 2023, the former child star found himself in an Oregon jail for alleged domestic violence. He was charged with fourth-degree felony assault and third-degree robbery and misdemeanor harassment. Bryan pled guilty to felony assault in the fourth degree constituting domestic violence and was sentenced to seven days in jail. Bryan's DUI Arrests Home Improvement alum Zachery Ty Bryan arrested for domestic violence, marking third arrest in 18 months View: https://t.co/ewHbcfh99w pic.twitter.com/FCYVEU9xHz RONDON (@MenorRondon) January 3, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On February 17, 2024, Bryan was arrested for alleged DUI following a traffic collision in La Quinta, California. Authorities charged him with a misdemeanor "contempt of court" and a felony for driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Bryan posted a $50,000 bail and was released on the same day. The incident marked the actor's fourth DUI charge, and he made it five in October 2024 after being arrested in Cluster County, Oklahoma, for driving under the influence. Bryan's TV Dad Tim Allen Speaks On His Legal Troubles MEGA After Bryan's continued run-ins with the law in 2023, his former costar Tim Allen, who was his TV dad in "Home Improvement," spoke to The Hollywood Reporter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allen admitted that he didn't "know what's going on" with Bryan. He added, "At a certain point, he deviated from the guy I know to somebody who is reacting to situations that I had nothing to do with and can't control. I don't know what happens when people get corrupted. You just don't know." The 71-year-old described Bryan as a great kid who had grown into a complex man. He concluded, "All you can do is step aside and let somebody go through their process." Meanwhile, Cartwright spoke to Us Weekly in the aftermath of Bryan's 2023 arrest for alleged domestic violence. She said, "Trauma can bring struggles in many shapes and forms. It's a horrible situation that's going to be spun in so many ways. I've learned firsthand the truth will never align with what's been put out there." Cartwright asked for privacy for the sake of her and Bryan's kids and their families and to allow for healing. A Virginia man arrested on New Year's Day is facing multiple charges in connection with homemade explosives that were discovered in a suspected stolen vehicle, authorities said. The Warren County Sheriff's Office reported Friday that the incident unfolded in the late-night hours of Jan. 1 when a caller alerted 911 to a suspicious dark-colored Honda that didn't have visible license plates and a driver who was wearing a ski mask and throwing items out of the car. Warren County is located about 70 miles west of Washington, D.C. Deputies responded, but could not immediately locate the vehicle. However, they later found it and its suspected driver, 19-year-old Jordan Alexander Sweetman of Arlington, at a nearby 7-Eleven in the village of Linden, according to the sheriff's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies determined the man did not have a driver's license, didn't own the vehicle in question and was showing signs of mental health issues, the sheriff's office said. The vehicle had damage consistent with having been stolen, officials said. Sweetman was brought to the hospital, and then once he was medically cleared, he was booked into the local jail. The following day, investigators obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and found several homemade explosive devices inside, the sheriff's office said. They immediately stopped their search and called for backup from bomb experts, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Bond squad technicians removed the devices from the vehicle and detonated them in a nearby park, the sheriff's office reported. Sweetman faces a felony count of manufacturing and possessing explosive devices, among other charges, authorities said. Online records show Sweetman is being held at RSW regional jail without bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two other incidents happened on New Year's Day involving explosive materials. In New Orleans, 14 people died after Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S.-born citizen from Texas drove his truck in a deadly rampage on Bourbon Street. Jabbar had also placed two improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, along Bourbon Street, deputy assistant director of the FBI's counterintelligence division, Christopher Raia, said. Federal investigators later found bomb-making materials while searching Jabbar's Texas home. In Las Vegas, Matthew Alan Livelsberger, a 37-year-old active duty member of the Army Special Forces shot himself before his rented Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel. Gasoline canisters, camp fuel canisters and large firework mortars were found in the back of the vehicle after the explosion, which occurred about 15 seconds after the vehicle pulled in front of the building, Las Vegas authorities said. Authorities have said there was no definitive link between the attacks in New Orleans and the one in Las Vegas. The sheriff's office did not clarify whether federal authorities were investigating the Virginia incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tiger Bech's family on his final moments after New Orleans attack ATF head warns that the Trump administration's funding cut plans could risk lives Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum director on his life, impact A Tehaleh builder is breaking ground on new homes in the Glacier Pointe neighborhood, the company said in a news release Thursday. Garrette Custom Homes is building 19 homes on property at 15317 210th Ave. E. Its part of the second phase of the Glacier Pointe neighborhood. The homes start at $1.1 million and are 2,144 to 4,460 square feet. We are absolutely thrilled to offer this second phase at Glacier Pointe at Tehaleh, Matt Lewis, president of the Garrette Custom Homes Puget Sound Division, said in the news release. Brookfield Properties did a fantastic job of planning the neighborhood. The views, trails and parks offer so much within the community. The first phase was extremely popular, and we expect equal or greater demand for this second phase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buyers get to choose their front door, carpet, fireplace, backsplash and other features. The home designs include single level living, primary on the main level and multi-generational floor plans, the news release said. Features include RV garages, separate living quarters, covered outdoor living spaces and interior features include lofts, bonus rooms, and a den that can be transformed into a productive home office, media room, hobby space, home gym, or a second family room. Garrette Custom Homes hosted a model home event at Glacier Pointe in Tehaleh in September 2024. The houses offer stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and 9-foot ceilings, among other features. Theyre smart homes with programmable lights, climate, and locks to the two Amazon Echo devices included in each home, the release said. Buyers can monitor their home remotely and program music, temperature and security settings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More information is available at garrettecustomhomes.com. Tehaleh is a master-planned community near Bonney Lake with roughly 11,000 residents. Its the fastest-growing area of Pierce County. Other companies building homes in Glacier Pointe are Shea (Verterra), Azure Northwest, Brookstone, Lennar, Richmond American, MainVue, Tri Pointe Homes and Holt Homes, The News Tribune previously reported. Garrette announced in January 2024 that it would build in Tehaleh, then said in September that it would start with 27 homes in Glacier Pointe. News Tribune archives contributed to this report. HONOLULU (KHON2) The Honolulu Police Department is investigating the death of an 88-year-old woman as a murder after an incident involving the states Our Care, Our Choice Act (OCOCA), which allows qualified patients to request lethal medication for assisted dying. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The woman, who had been receiving assistance under the OCOCA program, was found dead at her home on Oct. 9, at 5:34 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said she did not self-administer the prescribed lethal medication, as required by the law. Over 8,000 HECO customers without power Saturday morning Instead, her attending physician allegedly assisted her in taking the medication, despite the woman signaling for him to stop at one point. An autopsy confirmed the cause of death was homicide. Police said the woman choked after the medication was administered, leading to her death. Sen. Karl Rhoads said the drug is not a lethal injection. Its something you drink. At least thats what weve used in Hawaii, and you have to be able to do it yourself. My understanding is that most doctors dont go. Theyre not there when it happens for this very reason, because they know that if theres any question, they could be charged with murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This marks the first homicide investigation tied to the OCOCA. Latest Hawaii Department of Health data from 2023 shows 91 qualified patients in Hawaii were prescribed aid-in-dying medication 51 of them ended their lives by ingesting it. Some lawmakers have issues with the practice. Because really what it is, is murder. And thats my opinion. Thats the opinion of many others as well. I would like to see the clear details of what exactly went down. And if it does constitute murder, then most definitely hold him accountable, said Rep. Diamond Garcia. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators executed a search warrant at the attending physicians residence as part of the ongoing probe. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is still ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. Gov. Kristi Noem presents her annual budget address to lawmakers in the South Dakota State Capitol on Dec. 3, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) Amid the widespread budget cuts that Republican Gov. Kristi Noem proposed during her recent budget address, there was one source of surging revenue that will provide legislators with spending decisions this winter: unclaimed property. South Dakota received $308 million worth of unclaimed property this year, nearly double the states previous record from last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unclaimed property consists of an array of abandoned or forgotten private assets, including money from bank accounts, Paypal accounts, stocks, life insurance payouts, uncashed checks, unused refunds, and even the contents of safe deposit boxes. Everything from false teeth to gold bars, state Treasurer Josh Haeder has said. Holders of the money or items, such as banks, try to find the owners. The property reverts to the state after three years. Much of the money flows into the state budget, while physical items are held in safes at the state Treasurers Office in Pierre. The office tries to return the items, but after a year, most of them go to a state auction to be converted into revenue for state government. Rightful owners can still claim their assets from the state at any time, and state government maintains some of the unclaimed property revenue in reserve to pay claims. But much of the money is never reclaimed. Last year, as the state took in $175 million of unclaimed property, it paid out $38 million in claims to 6,768 claimants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Treasurers Office maintains a website where people can see if theyre owed money, but making a claim is a multi-step process that some people deem unworthy of their time for what could be a few dollars. The process includes filling out an online form and an emailed form, and providing copies of photo identification along with documentation of a Social Security number. Why unclaimed property is surging South Dakota has long enjoyed a stream of unclaimed property revenue, due mostly to favorable laws that have prompted some national banks to place their charters in the state. The last three years have brought large increases in unclaimed property revenue, in part due to the countrys continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Haeder said the pandemic prompted widespread relocations, and some people left abandoned assets behind. The three-year dormancy period for many of those abandoned assets has now passed. Were getting a lot of money from those COVID years, Haeder said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This years record amount of unclaimed property is also driven by a big bank that moved its national charter to South Dakota, according to Haeder. He declined to name the bank, but Bancorp publicly announced the relocation of its headquarters to Sioux Falls last year. U.S. Treasury records show Bancorp holds over $8 billion in total assets. A billion-dollar liability The value of unclaimed property transferred to the state thats never been claimed by its rightful owners now stands at $1.19 billion, of which $549 million has accumulated in just the past three years. Because the state spends much of its unclaimed property revenue, that amount of money is not on hand, but the state is technically liable to pay it if all the claimants came forward at once. In her recent budget address, Noem proposed putting $43 million of unclaimed property money in the states reserve fund, which would increase the fund balance from 10% to 12% of state expenditures and provide a cushion for increased claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This money belongs to the people, and we must be ready to pay it back when those claims come in, Noem said. Haeder wants the state to change the way it handles unclaimed property revenue. Rather than putting most of it into the state budget every year, he advocates for the creation of an unclaimed property trust fund. That approach would retain money to cover potential claims, while the state could peel off the annual interest. Thats a more stable source of revenue, Haeder said. Some lawmakers say a trust fund is unnecessary, noting that some of the funds come from outside the country and unclaimed property older than five years is extremely unlikely to be claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But there is new leadership in the state House and Senate this year, and incoming Senate President Pro Tempore Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, supports the trust fund concept. Its not the states money to begin with, Karr said. Yet, we are in a position where our ongoing expenses are dependent on a certain amount of unclaimed property funds coming in every year. Spending proposals South Dakota legislators and governors typically distinguish between ongoing and one-time revenue and expenses. One-time revenue, such as money from a legal settlement or other sudden windfall, has traditionally been used for one-time expenses, like paying off debt or constructing a building without incurring debt. Ongoing revenue, from sources such as sales taxes, is used for the general support of the states operations. Noem is proposing numerous cuts in ongoing spending due to declining sales tax revenue. Those include large cuts to the Department of Social Services, Department of Human Services, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, the State Library, the state university system, and the repair and maintenance of state buildings. Shes also proposing only a 1.25% funding increase for schools, state employee pay, and health care provider reimbursements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet shes also proposing some increases in ongoing funding, such as her plan to spend $4 million on the creation of education savings accounts that would provide public funds for families to pay for private school tuition or alternative instruction costs, such as homeschooling. Noems proposed budget predicts $229 million of available unclaimed property revenue for the state after payouts to claimants. Of that amount, she wants to label $61 million as ongoing revenue. In her budget address, she said thats the amount we can safely and responsibly plan for moving forward. We are considering everything above that amount to be one-time revenue, Noem said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats $167.7 million of one-time revenue from unclaimed property. When thats combined with unspent money from the current budget and other one-time sources, Noems fiscal year 2026 budget anticipates about $280 million in one-time revenue that lawmakers can choose how to spend. She wants to use $182 million to continue building up a fund to build a prison south of Sioux Falls, which would replace the Sioux Falls penitentiary, parts of which date to 1881. The state has already set aside $567 million for the project, which is expected to cost $825 million. Noem said the state expects $76 million in interest earnings from the prison fund. The interest and the proposed $182 million would fully fund the project, she said. Other major one-time expenses recommended by Noem include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement $54 million to pay off bonds for the state Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Lab, Precision Agriculture building at South Dakota State University, and some state fish hatcheries. $13 million for a dam replacement project at the Richmond Lake Recreation Area near Aberdeen. $5 million to improve state governments information technology infrastructure. $10 million for grants to improve safety in K-12 schools. $5 million to cover costs associated with emergencies and disasters. $2.6 million for wildfire suppression efforts. $2.1 million to help recruit medical professionals to rural areas. $425,000 for tax refunds to low-income elderly and disabled residents. $75,000 to expand the state veterans cemetery. Lawmakers will begin debating Noems budget proposals when they convene Jan. 14 at the Capitol in Pierre for their 38-day lawmaking session. Noem is expected to resign sometime after President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20 to accept his nomination as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, assuming Noem is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX People in over a dozen states across the Midwest and East are expected to see "heavy snowfall" from a disruptive winter storm this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. A winter storm developed across the Central Plains and will impact over 60 million people across over a dozen states from Saturday night through Monday evening, according to the NWS. Areas have been bracing for the storm since Friday, which could affect students' return to school in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People should expect "extremely" cold temperatures throughout the rest of the week, Tom Johnstone, a meteorologist with the NWS in Wilmington, Ohio, told USA TODAY. A view of the Roebling Bridge during a winter snow storm in Cincinnati on Sunday, January 5, 2025. "Over a dozen states are forecast to be impacted by one or more aspects of this storm," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham. Governors in Kentucky and West Virginia both declared states of emergency ahead of the storm. Live updates: More than 60M in a dozen states brace for crippling winter storm When did the winter storm hit? The storm began to impact Central Plains late Saturday, according to NWS. Sunday, the storm will travel to Ohio Valley, "where severe travel disruptions are expected. The storm will then track into the Mid-Atlantic Sunday night and into Monday." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Areas in the storm's path are expected to receive between 8 to 14 inches of snow, according to the NWS. A disruptive winter storm will make its way through the Central Plains over the weekend through Monday and bring heavy snow, 8 to 14 inches, with it. Cincinnati, Ohio snow forecast The snow forecast for the Cincinnati, Ohio area and Northern Kentucky from National Weather Service Wilmington office. Kansas City, Missouri snow forecast The snow forecast for the Kansas City, Missouri area from National Weather Service Kansas City office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St. Louis, Missouri snow forecast The snow forecast for the St. Louis, Missouri area from National Weather Service St. Louis office. Indianapolis, Indiana snow forecast The snow forecast for Indiana from National Weather Service Indianapolis office. Louisville, Kentucky snow forecast The snow forecast for areas around Louisville, Kentucky from National Weather Service Louisville office. West Virginia snow forecast The snow forecast for West Virginia from National Weather Service Charleston office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Which states are affected by the snow storm? States to be affected by winter storm, according to the storm, according to the National Weather Service Parts of the following states are expected to be affected by the snowstorm this weekend, according to the NWS: Nebraska Kansas Iowa Missouri Illinois Indiana Kentucky Ohio Pennsylvania Washington, D.C. Delaware Virginia West Virginia National Snow forecast National weather radar How to prepare for the snowstorm People who haven't left their homes yet should "hunker down" where they are over the next 48 hours, Johnstone advised. "It's getting bad," he said. "We're seeing a lot of accidents that have occurred already." People should also be prepared for extremely cold weather for the rest of the week, he said. When will conditions improve? By Tuesday, people should be able to leave home and resume their lives as they normally would, Johnstone said. Contributing: John Bacon, USA TODAY Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winter weather forecast: Maps of snowfall around East, Midwest When Cal Poly is in session, San Luis Obispo residents Kathie and Steve Walker brace for a lot of sleepless nights. The Walkers moved to the Alta Vista neighborhood, a residential area adjacent to Cal Poly, 16 years ago. It used to be a lively neighborhood where students, faculty and other residents lived harmoniously together. But in recent years, its become something akin to Cal Polys own Greek row, Kathie told The Tribune. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within a two-block radius of their home, the Walkers can point out over a dozen houses theyve witnessed host fraternity parties all located within low-density zoning areas that dont permit fraternity activity. And from Thursday to Sunday, hundreds of screaming partygoers wander the streets to find the next hot spot as loud music and thumping bass reverberate through the neighborhood sometimes until 3 or 4 in the morning. For the Walkers, the pervasive noise emanating from the houses and streets is more than just a nuisance. Some of the students are respectful and understanding of how the clash of lifestyles affects longtime residents, but others often lubricated by alcohol can be crude and hostile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One evening in June, the Walkers security camera captured multiple partiers yelling slurs at their home from the street, and Kathie has experienced retaliation from fraternity members after reporting noise violations, she told The Tribune. Steve, an EMS helicopter pilot, has had to take sick days at work after hes been kept up by his unruly neighbors and has felt that he couldnt safely do his job. We have nothing against Cal Poly students, but its the fraternities having events and operating as a full-fledged fraternity in the neighborhood with impunity, when theyre really not supposed to be here, Steve said. Kathie and Steve Walker alerted city officials to the presence of Cal Poly fraternities in their low-density San Luis Obispo neighborhood. Steve, an EMS pilot, has had to call in sick to work due to lack of sleep caused by the party noise. And after over a year of tracking dozens of houses and presenting information to leaders at Cal Poly and City Hall with limited results, the Walkers are frustrated and concerned that the problem is headed for a point of no return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SLO Code Enforcement recently investigated 17 locations reported as fraternities operating in low- or medium-density zones reserved for single-family homes, according to city officials. Two were found to be in violation. This year, Code Enforcement opened 22 cases against fraternities found to be out of compliance with city code. Cases are closed after 30 days of no repeat violations, and reopened if another violation is discovered within a year. To my knowledge, we have issued one citation related to unpermitted fraternities in the last year, Interim Deputy Building Official John Mezzapesa told The Tribune in an email. Fraternities creep into neighborhoods, residents say The Walkers told The Tribune that theyve always had student neighbors, but the appearance of fraternity parties in their neighborhood has been a new and gradual trend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When their kids were young, the Walkers hosted a pumpkin-carving night with the Cal Poly students who lived across the street. Theyve invited their student neighbors over for barbecues before. Even now, they text back and forth with a fraternity member who lives down the street, describing him as a really sweet guy. But as fraternity membership has grown and Cal Poly has added more chapters to its roster, fraternity activity has begun to creep into neighborhoods where it isnt legally allowed, causing strife among neighbors due to noise at all hours of the night, vandalism and even harassment, the Walkers said. San Luis Obispo city code defines a fraternity as a residence for college or university students who are members of a social or educational association that is affiliated and in good standing with the California Polytechnic State University and where such an association also holds meetings or gatherings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city permits fraternities to operate in medium-high or high-density residential areas under R-3 and R-4 zoning codes. In the areas adjacent to Cal Poly, R-3 and R-4 zoning areas include neighborhoods along Foothill Boulevard near California Boulevard. These zones include many apartment complexes and several permitted fraternity locations. Fraternities are technically required to apply for conditional use permits (CUPs), which outline specific rules that the organizations must adhere to, including noise level and occupancy limits. But only six of Cal Polys 18 fraternities currently have CUPs, according to the city some without CUPS are at least located in the right zoning areas, while others are allegedly operating and partying in family neighborhoods, out of place and unpermitted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the area adjacent to Cal Poly, the family neighborhoods, or R-1 and R-2 zones, are located along Hathway Avenue and Slack Street down to Loomis Street, Fredericks Street and Stafford Street, according to the citys Interactive Parcel Viewer. Fraternities are not permitted to host events in these areas. Neighbors say fraternities have been operating illegally in family neighborhoods adjacent to Cal Poly. This map shows where the single-family neighborhoods (R-1 and R-2 zones) are located compared to the high-density areas (R-3 and R-4 zones) in the area adjacent to the university. The Walkers gave The Tribune a tour of their neighborhood and pointed out what they said were more than a dozen fraternity operations within a three-block radius, calling them out by name. At some addresses, Greek letters and signage connecting a house to a specific fraternity were visible from the sidewalk. In an attempt to confirm the locations as fraternities, The Tribune returned later to visit several of the houses. The residents of three admitted to The Tribune that they were fraternity members. A resident at a fourth house said he and his roommates used to be fraternity members but arent anymore. The Tribune knocked on four additional doors and received no response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tribune also reached out to Cal Polys Interfraternity Council leadership via email and Instagram but received no response. The fraternity members who spoke with The Tribune said they want to be good neighbors but they also want to be able to party like regular college students. Members of Kappa Sigma told The Tribune that their house located in the lowest-density (R-1) zoning area has hosted parties and rush events over the past year, but they said they havent hosted any events within the last two months. In the past, yes, we have, said Matt Hernandez, a resident of the house. Weve had a pretty positive relationship with our neighbors, Hernandez continued. He said the fraternity tries to communicate with neighbors prior to hosting events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year we lived on Stenner Street, and that was a lot different, another resident said. It was a lot more families and people that didnt prefer a fraternity living next to them. That was definitely a lot more of a challenge to have social events. ... We definitely could have probably made more of an effort to be a little quieter, but on Hathway its a lot more chill. Kappa Sigma signs can be seen from the sidewalk at one house located in a low-density zoning area of San Luis Obispo. Fraternities are not supposed to occupy homes in those areas. Hernandez told The Tribune that his fraternity is becoming more aware of zoning compliance, and that hes aware of some disparaging opinions about fraternities within the neighborhood. I totally understand. I think its totally a very, very valid point, Hernandez said. I think that something needs to be done for it to allow both sides to be happy in this situation. I dont think we have obviously just a right to do whatever we want, there needs to be more checks. ... I think definitely there needs to be something talked about on both sides to try to come to a compromise or else its just going to get worse and worse. Residents of another house told The Tribune they are members of Beta Theta Pi. They said they host some rush events, but not parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resident Jimmy Lanctot told The Tribune that he thinks there is a lack of communication in the neighborhood. He said neighbors call the police even when his house is hosting small kickbacks with around 10 friends. I feel like theres definitely a lack of respect there, he said. If youre our neighbor and you have an issue with any noise that were making, please feel free to, like, contact us, knock on our door, communicate with us. It doesnt need to go to the police every single time. Were in the same community as you, and I feel like if we are to build general respect, then it starts with communication. The houses The Tribune spoke with and attempted to contact have been reported a collective 77 times for noise violations in the past year, according to data provided to The Tribune by the San Luis Obispo Police Department. That averages to about twice per weekend that school is in session. Kill yourself: Partiers harass and intimidate neighbors The Walkers told The Tribune theyre past the point of trying to communicate with their noisy neighbors theyve already tried that. After the Sigma Pi fraternity moved in next-door to the Walkers in 2022, they said, the fraternity regularly hosted parties on the weekends, blasting music for crowds of screaming students at all hours. The noise kept the Walkers up all night. They tried texting, knocking on doors and even approaching fraternity members to ask them to keep it down. But nothing worked. When you ask them to keep it down once theyre drunk and belligerent, theres no reasoning, Steve Walker said. About six months in, the couple reported a party to the police for the first time. After that, they began experiencing harassment and cyberstalking, they told The Tribune. In the following weeks, Kathie began receiving texts that she had been in contact with someone who had a sexually transmitted disease and her contact information was used to sign up for a PornHub account. The Walkers address was advertised on Craigslist and was shared on Cal Polys Yik Yak, a college-centered social media app, as the site of a party, drawing people to their house in the early hours of the morning before St. Frattys Day, the most notorious of Cal Polys annual parties. The Walkers suspected a member of Sigma Pi and reported the cyberstalking to the San Luis Obispo Police Department. The police launched an investigation into the report, but according to SLOPD spokesperson Christine Wallace, it stopped at the request of the Walkers. Kathie denied that she or her husband made that request. The Walkers also notified Cal Poly officials about the incidents, emails show. Sigma Pi was later named Brotherhood of the Year by the universitys Interfraternity Council. The Walkers continued to experience harassment after the fraternity moved out in 2023. The residential neighborhoods adjacent to Cal Poly are quiet during the off-season, but when classes resume, neighbors say the area becomes a central location for parties and fraternity activity. Around 1 a.m. on June 2, a group of partygoers walking through the streets yelled insults at the Walkers house, security camera footage shows. Hey, Kathie Walker, get f---ed, one yelled. F--k you, Kathie Walker, another said. Hey, if your names Kathie Walker. Youre a b---h. Suck my d---, b---h. Big-t---ied, gray-haired s--t. Kill yourself. The Walkers have been told several times by intoxicated fraternity members that they dont belong in the neighborhood and should move out of their home of 16 years, they said. The behavior escalated to the point that the Walkers felt the need to install additional security cameras at their home. I was fearful that the next step was that Id have a Molotov cocktail thrown through my window or something, Kathie said. The city looks to Cal Poly for help. Will the university answer? SLO city officials have acknowledged the creep of fraternities into residential neighborhoods. But there are limits to the steps they can can take to reverse the problem, they say. If an approved fraternity violates the terms of its permit, it risks getting the permit revoked by the SLO Planning Commission. Cal Poly fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi, which has a legal location with a conditional use permit, recently went before the commission for a re-review of its CUP due to too many noise ordinance violations. The permit was upheld with stricter conditions. Cal Polys Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity recently went before the San Luis Obispo Planning Commission for a re-review of its conditional use permit, after receiving too many noise violations. But a noisy fraternity that doesnt have a CUP doesnt run that risk they just have to pay the associated fines. After their first warning, noise ordinance violators receive a $350 fine for their first citation, $700 for their second citation and $1,000 for subsequent violations, according to SLOPD. A similar citation schedule is used to address zoning ordinance violations. If the city receives a report of a zoning violation, Code Enforcement launches an investigation, said Mezzapesa. If the investigation turns up evidence, a notice of violation is sent to the property owner. If a repeat violation occurs within 12 months, Code Enforcement issues citations $100 for the first, $500 for the second and $1,000 for subsequent violations. But so far, the fines have not stopped fraternity activity in family neighborhoods. Finding a solution to the problem is going to take effort on all sides, SLO Mayor Erica Stewart said. In some cases, the consequences that would result in change arent within the citys purview those decisions lie with Cal Poly. But Cal Poly says its not responsible for regulating students in their private, off-campus residences. Where organizations might operate houses is a matter between the City of SLO and the property owners, residents and organizations, said Cal Poly spokesperson Keegan Koberl in an email to The Tribune. While the university has offered assistance in connecting city staff with the appropriate organization contacts to make progress on a resolution when concerns arise, the nature of these houses and the applicability of city restrictions is not within Cal Polys purview. Cal Poly requires Greek Life organizations to notify the university of their events and where they are located. Though the university says it doesnt approve or deny parties, the information provided to the university would show if an event was being held in a low-density residential neighborhood. At one time, Cal Poly provided public notice of event addresses, but the university now only provides the addresses of official chapter houses. For neighbors, that makes it difficult to track down any satellite Greek houses. Cal Poly is strongly committed to continued work with the City of San Luis Obispo to address issues of concern in the neighborhoods, Koberl told The Tribune. As an active member of the community in which Cal Poly students, staff and faculty live and learn, the university is committed to being a good neighbor. Mayor Stewart expressed frustration with Cal Polys hands-off approach. Stewart said she doesnt know whether or not the university is simply taking no disciplinary action against students, or just not communicating it. Either way, the lack of transparency impacts the whole community, she added. Stewart particularly expressed concerns about St. Frattys Day Cal Polys annual St. Patricks Day celebration. Last years street party drew a crowd of over 6,000 to the residential streets near the university. The party resulted in scattered vandalism on and off campus. Cal Poly students turned out early Saturday morning, March 16, 2024, for St. Frattys Day festivities on Hathway Avenue near the university. A San Luis Obispo Police Department officer at the scene of the party estimated between 6,000 and 7,000 people in attendance. According to Stewart, Cal Poly built a task force to address the concerns around St. Frattys Day after the 2024 events escalation, but the university didnt include anyone from the city on that task force until October, Stewart told The Tribune. Videos: See damage to Cal Poly dorms after St. Patricks Day partying trashes campus Stewart said she understands the challenges from the universitys perspective but hopes the two institutions can come together on a more joint approach to the problem. A stronger, swifter action from the university would make it so the students might take it more seriously, Stewart told The Tribune. Weve made some major improvements in the last three to four years, and I dont want to have to go back on that because Cal Poly doesnt want to come to the table. Cal Poly Master Plan includes a Greek row. Whats the status? One way to solve the problem would be to move Greek organizations onto campus, and Cal Polys Master Plan indeed envisions campus housing for student organizations, including fraternities and sororities, to solve town-and-gown issues arising from the communitys proximity to loud college parties. There may be significant benefits from providing specialized housing options for groups such as fraternities, sororities or other social or academic organizations, the Master Plan reads. This approach could resolve potential conflicts with student-occupied group housing off-campus, an ongoing concern of neighbors and the city. Kappa Sigma residents told The Tribune theyd support some type of on-campus Greek Life community. I think creating a Greek row where people would be able to have noise and live that type of atmospheric lifestyle that I think is disruptive in the neighborhoods, itd be super helpful for both sides, Hernandez said. Having a location where people are allowed to be loud and do what college kids do, that would be pretty cool for the school to incorporate, said another resident. Obviously, its hard, but it would definitely solve it. Some illegal fraternities are located in the area surrounding Fredericks Street and Hathway Avenue and host loud parties on the weekends, according to their San Luis Obispo neighbors. The SLO Planning Commission also recently voiced the need for more on-campus options. At a Dec. 11 meeting, commissioners approved a set of draft goals for 2025 through 2027. The list was revised from a previous meeting to include the management of fraternity and sorority activity as one of the commissions main pillars. The goal said that the commission will encourage Cal Poly to build on-campus fraternity and sorority houses. Cal Poly told The Tribune that its not realistic to expect all members of Greek Life to live on campus. As new chapters continue to join the community, we do not expect to build a new house on campus for each organization, Koberl said. We also expect there are some organizations who are excited and willing to support an on-campus facility, and others who will not be ready to do so for a variety of reasons. As of now, Koberl told The Tribune, the timeline for a Greek row at Cal Poly is unknown. In the meantime, noisy parties continue to plague family neighborhoods, and neighbors are left with few courses of action: attempt to communicate with their often intoxicated and belligerent student neighbors, call the police when warranted or simply wait the parties out. For the Walkers, that non-solution is unsustainable. The couple told The Tribune that without change, theyll be forced to move out of their 16-year home. Theyve already started renovations to prepare. And in all likelihood, Kathie said, a fraternity will move in right after them. ILLINOIS (WCIA) An Emergency Snow Plan has been activated by the Illinois State Police, troop 6. Troop 6 covers Adams, Brown, Cass, Christian, Logan, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, and Scott counties. At this time, State Police are urging drivers not to travel unless absolutely necessary due to the road and visibility conditions. Snow emergency declared in multiple Central IL cities, counties Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A no tow order is also in effect. This means that disabled vehicles that are not an immediate hazard will be left on the side of the road/ in ditches until conditions are safer to remove it. Stranded motorists will be transported off the roadway according to State Police. Drivers are asked to slow down. State Police said that during winter storms, the speed limit can be too fast. And, if you see an emergency vehicle, slow and move over if you can. Only large crashes or crashes involving injuries will be completed while the Emergency Snow Plan is active. Crashes only involving property damage can be filed at a later date. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. This story has been updated. As a steady snow shows no signs of stopping in Indianapolis, your travel plans may hit the skids. More than 100 flights scheduled into or out of the Indianapolis International Airport on Sunday were cancelled due to heavy snowfall brought on by Winter Storm Blair, and airlines have started cancelling Monday flights, as well. The National Weather Service has predicted up to 10 inches of snow to fall through Monday; just over 4 inches had fallen at the airport as of 7 p.m. Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flight-tracking website FlightAware shows that 113 flights scheduled to leave from or arrive at the Indianapolis International Airport on Sunday had been cancelled as of 7:30 p.m. That's about 24% of outbound flights and 43% of inbound flights. An additional 63 IND flights have been delayed, according to FlightAware. If you were scheduled to fly Sunday or Monday, check with your airline for the latest on your flight. It's unclear how long flights could take to return to a normal schedule, as snow is expected to continue Monday. FlightAware reports that 37 flights scheduled to take off from IND and eight flights into the airport on Monday have already been cancelled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the country, more than 2,500 flights have been cancelled as the Midwest and Southeast are pummeled by wintry weather. Follow along: Updates on snowfall, road conditions, flight cancellations and more Under a new rule that took effect in October 2024, airlines must automatically refund passengers in the event of flight cancellations or significant delays. Those refunds may come with additional compensation if the travel hiccup is within the airline's control, though weather is not. Heavy snow affects pilots' visibility and planes' ability to fly safely. Freezing temperatures can cause ice to accumulate on planes' wings even on clear days, so passengers should anticipate spending about 30 to 45 minutes on the tarmac as crews work to make sure the plane's good to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the snow system grows particularly strong, air traffic control could issue a ground stop, halting all flight operations for a period of time. The Kansas City International Airport briefly closed Saturday afternoon due to icy conditions. The airport reopened later Saturday evening. Indy's airport hasn't closed since the catastrophic blizzard of 1978. (This story was updated with new information.) This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis airport flights canceled, delayed due to snow Jan. 4When Christopher Calles Mejia was younger, his dream was to become a police officer. "To me, that felt very distant," he said in a recent interview. "I didn't think I was capable of reaching it, and I didn't even know what I needed to get there. So I started letting it go." But when Calles Mejia, now a senior at Santa Fe High School, looked into an internship program through the local school district, he noticed the city police department was listed as an internship site. He seized on the opportunity and has now been an intern at the agency since the summer of 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He plans to attend college to study criminal justice or a related field and then return to Santa Fe and apply to become a police officer at the department. "I am not the same person I was before I started this program, that's for sure," said Calles Mejia, who spends about 12 hours a week at the department during the school year and also works at Target. He credits the internship with helping him realize his dream could become a reality. Calles Mejia is one of dozens of students who have interned at the city of Santa Fe through Santa Fe Public Schools' Work-Based Learning Program, which the city has funded for more than two years. City and school district officials say the partnership is mutually beneficial, giving students a way to make money and boost their career readiness before even starting college and giving city departments extra pairs of hands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's really a win-win for everyone involved," said Jose Villarreal, the coordinator of the Work-Based Learning Program for Santa Fe Public Schools. A growing partnership The school district began the internship program in the summer of 2022, Villarreal said, and the city has fully funded it since the following fall, when it entered into an agreement with the district that called for the use of federal pandemic recovery funds. The city allocated an additional $1.2 million for the internship program from its reserve funds in summer 2024 as part of a series of one-time investments. Villarreal said the money likely will support the program for several more years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each student in the program is paid the city's minimum wage of $14.60 per hour while working at their internship site. The city also pays the salaries of two of the four school district employees who run the program. "I think it's amazing that the city would do so much for us it's unique," Villarreal said. Mayor Alan Webber described the internship program as a "national model" other cities have been interested in replicating. He credited former Community Development Director Rich Brown and Economic Development Director Johanna Nelson for getting the partnership off the ground. "It benefits so many different parts of our community," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Villarreal said the program is designed to break down barriers to opportunity for local students and show them there are good careers in their hometown, regardless of whether they decide to go to college. Before being placed at a local business, each student goes through a "boot camp" where they learn how to write a resume, sit for a professional interview and other soft skills. Calles Mejia said the boot camp helped him develop his confidence and professionalism, which has continued at the police department. "Back then I wasn't confident at all, and I didn't like public speaking," he said. "My first ever interview for work my whole life was through this, and now I'm helping the police department conduct the interviews with new interns." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The internship program started as a pilot with Santa Fe hotels and has since grown to include more than 70 business partners. The city began participating during the 2022-23 school year, and Villarreal said since then interns have worked in a number of departments, including tourism, police, finance, recreation and information technology. Webber said the city intended to become an active participant in the program, not just the funder. "At one point we encouraged every department to volunteer to take an intern in and give them a chance to see what it was like to work in the city and to see if it was for them," he said. A chance to explore career choices Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are 15 students interning at the city this school year. One of them is Santa Fe High senior Reina Duran, who has been an intern in the City Attorney's Office since the summer. Duran has been working under the supervision of Inspection of Public Records Act Manager Katherine Garcia-Gallegos in the Office of Records Custodians, where she helps redact private information from public records in response to records requests. Over the summer, Duran and another intern also helped upload city resolutions dating back to 2007 on the city's website in a word-searchable format making the documents easier for residents to access. Duran was drawn to the program because of the opportunity to do different types of work: "It's a very flexible program," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said working in the City Attorney's Office helped strengthen her aspiration to become a lawyer. "Being in this environment helped me see a little bit of the inside and how it works, and for the most part, I find it really enjoyable," she said. Garcia-Gallegos said having the interns in her small office has been "valuable and much appreciated." She noted the students' fresh eyes have helped her employees think about their work in new ways. "I think oftentimes once you're in your career, and you're an adult years and years out of high school, you forget that you still can learn something from high school students, as well," she said. "So they've also taught me a few things." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Working with the interns made her realize the records office would function better if the employees worked together more closely, she added. "Before the IPRA team was kind of spread out; having the interns helped me realize that they need to be in more of a collaborative environment," Garcia-Gallegos said. Natalia Sabato, a freshman at Stanford University, was an intern in the City Attorney's Office while attending the Academy for Technology and the Classics, a district-chartered school, during the summer of 2023. "I've always been somewhat interested in government and law, so I really wanted to do a summer internship that might inform my career choices and give me an opportunity to experience that field," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sabato worked in the Office of Legislation and Policy Innovation. Marci Eannarino, the agency's manager, wrote a recommendation letter for Sabato when she was applying to colleges. Sabato credited Eannarino and City Attorney Erin McSherry for allowing her to pursue a variety of tasks and interests during the internship, including helping to draft some of the questions on city voters' ballots in November 2023. "Both of them really set strong examples for me of what empowered women in government look like," she said. Sabato said the internship reinforced her plan to attend law school and pursue a career in law or public policy. She has joined several pre-law clubs at Stanford, where she hopes to major in international relations and sociology. "Working for the city attorney really spring-boarded that interest in law and policy, and those are things that I'm getting the chance to explore in college," she said. DES MOINES, Iowa In honor of the inventor of Braille code, families gathered to learn more about Braille and the 2025 Braille Challenge during World Braille Day. In 1824, Louis Braille changed the world with the invention of Braille code. Comprised of a series of one to six raised dots arranged in a six-position cell, the code consists of 63 characters which enable visually impaired individuals to read. Braille was invented over 200 years ago and when he invented Braille, it went worldwide. Today that its being used, in such a connection to literacy, and when you read Braille, it connects to literacy for those that are unable to read standard print. Its very important, said Denise Bean, a librarian at The Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, Families gathered to celebrate and learn more about Braille at the Iowa Library for the Blind and Disabled. Several Braille readers shared their stories and a video on how print/Braille books are made was shown. Children were even able to do hands on learning and were given a recipe for a Graham Crackers M&M Braille snack. Local businesses help people get head start on New Years resolutions Denise looks forwards to these events because it helps educate people and it helps connect people with opportunities. It gives us an opportunity to talk to them about connecting to Braille and connecting to all the resources that we have to offer them, Bean said. We even have it here where you can become Braille certified through our agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Karen Cunningham, the instructional materials center librarian, shared details about the upcoming 25th Anniversary Braille Challenge. Held on February 22, the Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind which tests children in grades 1 12 on fundamental Braille skills. The categories in the challenge are reading comprehension, spelling, speed, accuracy, proofreading, and charts and graphs. The challenge motivates students to practice and hone Braille skills, which are often essential to academic and employment success. Braille equals literacy, and when you read Braille, its so important for your future, said Bean. For those that need Braille, for future literacy, knowing Braille as you grow up is very important. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 The Malaysian Cabinet is expected to discuss the future of the stalled Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project in the coming weeks, with funding constraints for the 350km line being the main challenge, according to industry experts. As reported by The Straits Times (ST), Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed willingness to revive the project, which industry estimates now place at a cost of approximately RM100 billion. The government has maintained that the High-Speed Rail project must be entirely funded by the private sector, prioritising efforts to reduce the governments debt, which exceeds RM1.24 trillion. According to industry insiders, informal approaches to the Chinese government for funding in 2024 were unsuccessful, as the 90-minute Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route is anticipated to face financial losses. ADVERTISEMENT Even in China, the only profitable (HSR) routes are Beijing-Shanghai and Guangzhou-Shenzhen. The rest require government subsidies to cover their high costs, a Malaysian industry leader connected to a consortium shortlisted for the project was quoted as saying. He noted that although his consortium could potentially raise RM20 billion in upfront funding, financial institutions might be reluctant to finance the remaining RM80 billion. He also pointed out the significant market difference. The combined population of China's profitable routes, covering its four wealthiest cities, stands at 83.1 million, while the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore corridor comprises only 14 million people, making the market relatively small. Without government subsidies, he said, it would be difficult for the project to remain financially viable. The HSR project was initially proposed in 2013 by then-prime ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Datuk Seri Najib Razak as an alternative to the worlds fourth-busiest international air route. A binding bilateral agreement was signed in December 2016, with plans for operations to commence a decade later. ADVERTISEMENT However, in May 2018, then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whose Pakatan Harapan coalition had just taken power, first cancelled the project before announcing it would be temporarily postponed. The project was ultimately terminated on January 1, 2021, after Malaysia and Singapore failed to agree on proposed changes, leading Malaysia to compensate Singapore for incurred costs. ST reported Malaysias King, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, is said to have approached a Chinese state-owned company for funding to revive the HSR project during his official four-day visit to Beijing in September 2024. However, sources familiar with the situation indicated that little progress has been achieved since then. While China is less strict about financing conditions, they are unlikely to want to own a loss-making project outright, a top executive from one of the consortia, who spoke anonymously given the sensitive nature of the matter, told ST. Another source familiar with Beijings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) told ST that the HSR project might not be a priority for China, as the country is currently focused on addressing its domestic government debt of 14.3 trillion yuan (RM8.8 trillion) and other economic challenges rather than allocating resources to overseas infrastructure projects. ADVERTISEMENT Malaysia already has a BRI-related railway project, the RM50 billion, 665km East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), primarily financed by Chinas state-owned Export-Import Bank. Cheong Sze Hoong, assistant secretary at public transport organisation Transit Malaysia told ST that the country could consider two potential funding models for the HSR. One option is to replicate the ECRL approach, funded through a loan from China, which would give China significant control over aspects such as construction, rolling stock, signalling, and contractors. Alternatively, he suggested Malaysia could opt for a government loan or sovereign bonds, leveraging its strong credit rating to maintain control over the projects specifications. JERUSALEM (AP) Israel has helped a former soldier leave Brazil after legal action was initiated against him by a group accusing Israelis of war crimes in the Gaza Strip based in part on soldiers' social media posts. Israels Foreign Ministry on Sunday said it had helped the former soldier safely leave Brazil on a commercial flight after what it described as anti-Israel elements sought an investigation last week. It warned Israelis against posting on social media about their military service. The Hind Rajab Foundation, named for a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza, said Brazilian authorities had launched an investigation into the soldier after it filed a complaint based on video footage, geolocation data and photographs showing him taking part in the demolition of civilian homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The foundation described the move as a pivotal step toward accountability for crimes committed in Gaza" during nearly 15 months of war. There was no immediate comment from Brazilian authorities. Brazilian media reported Saturday that the investigation was ordered by an on-call federal judge in Brazils Federal District. The decision was issued on Dec. 30 but first reported over the weekend. Israel has faced heavy international criticism over its war against Hamas in Gaza, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. The International Court of Justice is separately investigating genocide allegations. The Brazil case raised the prospect that rank-and-file Israeli troops could also face prosecution while abroad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel rejects the international allegations, saying its forces in Gaza are acting in accordance with international law and that any violations are punished within its judicial systems. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths, saying the militant group conceals tunnels and other infrastructure in residential buildings, necessitating their demolition. Throughout the war, Israeli soldiers have posted numerous videos from Gaza that appear to show them rummaging through homes and blowing up or burning residential buildings. In some, they chant racist slogans or boast about destroying the Palestinian territory. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third believed to be dead. Israels offensive has killed over 45,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health officials. They say women and children make up over half the dead but do not distinguish between civilians and militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli airstrikes on Sunday killed five people in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, four in the southern city of Khan Younis and three in Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, according to health workers. Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 88 people had been killed in the past 24 hours. Israel's military in a statement said it struck a Hamas command center in Khan Younis and an Islamic Jihad militant in Deir al-Balah. The war has caused widespread destruction in Gaza and displaced around 90% of the population of 2.3 million people, with many forced to flee multiple times. Israeli forces kill Palestinian security member Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israeli forces killed a member of the Palestinian security services, calling him a wanted militant. Israel's paramilitary Border Police said Sunday they carried out an operation in Meithaloun village overnight to arrest Hassan Rabaiya. They said he was killed in a shootout while trying to escape. Israeli authorities released helmet-cam footage that showed police blowing up what they called an explosives lab in his home. The Palestinian security services identified Rabaiya as a first lieutenant in its Preventive Security force, saying he was killed while performing his national duty. Meithaloun is near the West Bank city of Jenin, an epicenter of Israeli-Palestinian violence. The Palestinian Authority has been waging a rare crackdown on militants in Jenin, angering many Palestinians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Separately on Sunday, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank said a 17-year-old boy was killed by Israeli gunfire in the urban Askar refugee camp in Nablus. The military said individuals hurled explosives at soldiers operating in the area, who then opened fire and hit one of them. The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority exercises limited autonomy in parts of the West Bank and cooperates with Israel on security matters. But Israel has long accused it of inciting violence and turning a blind eye to militants, while Palestinian critics view it as a corrupt and ineffective body that aids the occupation. The West Bank has seen a surge of violence during the war in Gaza. Israel captured both Gaza and the West Bank, as well as east Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war, and the Palestinians want all three territories for their future state. ___ Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Mauricio Savarese in Rio de Janeiro contributed. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Israel warned on Sunday that the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah could collapse if the Iran-backed group does not withdraw beyond the Litani River in southern Lebanon, one of the key stipulations of the truce. Both Israel and Hezbollah have repeatedly accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement although it has largely been holding. The two parties agreed to stop hostilities for at least 60 days from November 27. In this time, Hezbollah fighters were expected to retreat 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Israel-Lebanon border, while Israeli ground forces withdrew from Lebanese territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire deal stipulated that, before January 26, the only armed groups present south of the Litani should be the Lebanese military and UN peacekeeping forces. On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said: If Hezbollah does not withdraw beyond the Litani River, there will be no agreement. Israel seeks to uphold the agreement in Lebanon and will continue to enforce it fully and without compromise in order to ensure the safe return of northern residents to their homes, Katz said, according to his spokesperson. But the first condition for the agreements implementation is the complete withdrawal of the Hezbollah terrorist organization beyond the Litani River, the dismantling of all weapons, and the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure in the area by the Lebanese army something that has not yet happened, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in a speech on Saturday that it was up to the group to decide whether or not it would abide by the 60 day period. Our patience (regarding Israeli violations of the ceasefire) might run out or it may persist as it is now and when we decide to act, you will see it immediately. Tit-for-tat strikes have occurred on multiple occasions after the truce was implemented. Israel has conducted numerous operations in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah has fired at Israeli-occupied territory, citing Israeli truce violations. Less than a week after it went into effect, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said Israel had breached the ceasefire agreement approximately 100 times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, UNIFIL said that peacekeepers had seen a bulldozer belonging to the Israeli military destroying a blue barrel marking the line of withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel in Labbouneh, as well as an observation tower belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces immediately beside a UNIFIL position there. The Israel Defense Forces deliberate and direct destruction of both clearly identifiable UNIFIL property and infrastructure belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces is a flagrant violation of resolution 1701 (a 2006 resolution calling for a full cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah) and international law, UNIFIL said. CNN has asked the IDF for comment on UNIFILs accusations. CNNs Tamara Qiblawi and Mick Krever contributed to this reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Israeli Air Force has attacked more than 100 "terror targets" in the Gaza Strip throughout the weekend, the military said on Telegram on Sunday. Dozens of Hamas terrorists were "eliminated" in the process, in response to attacks by Hamas, it said. The military also said it had struck several launch pads said to have been used to fire missiles from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The information could not be independently verified. In the run-up to the attacks, numerous measures were taken to reduce the risk of harm to civilians, according to the military. Israel's military and intelligence services "will continue to operate against the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip in defense of the citizens of Israel," it said. Israel has been waging war on Gaza since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed and some 250 abducted to Gaza. Much of the Gaza Strip has since been rendered uninhabitable amid the fighting and more than 45,700 people have been killed according to Palestinian estimates. Negotiations to secure a ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages have been at a stalemate for months. By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) - Israel and Hamas wrangled on Sunday over the details of a deal to halt fighting in the Gaza Strip and return hostages home, as Palestinian officials said intensified Israeli bombardments had killed more than 100 people over the weekend. A Hamas official said the group had approved a list of 34 Israeli hostages to be returned as part of a deal that could eventually lead to a ceasefire. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office swiftly issued a statement saying Hamas had not provided a hostage list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later on Sunday, the Hamas official provided Reuters a copy of the list showing the names of 34 hostages it agreed to set free in any possible ceasefire deal with Israel. A renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire in the 15-month war between Israel and Hamas, and return Israeli hostages who were taken to Gaza, before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The effort comes amid a surge in Israeli military action in the enclave. This weekend, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed 105 Palestinians, medics said. The Israeli military said it had killed dozens of Hamas militants. The U.S. State Department said Israel must comply with international law and do "significantly more to ensure the protection of civilians". It added, however, that it supports Israel's right to defend itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli negotiators were dispatched on Friday to resume talks in Doha brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, and U.S. President Joe Biden's administration, which is helping to mediate, has urged Hamas to agree to a deal. Hamas said on Friday it was committed to reaching an agreement as soon as possible, but it was unclear how close the two sides were. A Hamas official told Reuters any agreement to return Israeli hostages would hinge on a deal for Israel to withdraw from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire or end to the war. "However, until now, the occupation continues to be obstinate over an agreement over the issues of the ceasefire and withdrawal, and has made no step forward," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu has consistently said the war will only end once Hamas is eradicated as a military and governing force. Israel launched its assault on Gaza in response to an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants on communities in southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's military campaign has since leveled swathes of the enclave, driving most people from their homes, and has killed 45,805 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. FIGHTING RAGES Israeli military strikes continued throughout the Gaza Strip on Sunday, with an airstrike killing five people in a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, Gaza health officials said, and another killing four in Jabalia in the north of the enclave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later in the day, an airstrike hit a police station in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing five people, medics said. It was not immediately clear if all the dead were police officers. At nightfall, medics said an Israeli airstrike had killed three people in Bureij camp in central Gaza, bringing Sunday's death toll to 17. The Israeli military said it had struck Hamas militants operating from the humanitarian area in Khan Younis, and an Islamic Jihad militant who it said had carried out attacks from the humanitarian area in Deir al-Balah. In Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, relatives and neighbours rushed to the Zuhd family's house, which was struck by an Israeli airstrike late on Saturday, killing seven people, medics said. The search continued on Sunday morning for four others believed to be trapped under the rubble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three men dug away debris with their bare hands to retrieve bodies and search for possible survivors. The Israeli military said on Sunday its forces had attacked more than 100 targets across Gaza over the weekend, killing dozens of Hamas militants. It said it had also destroyed rocket launching sites that had been used to wage attacks on Israel in recent days. Later on Sunday, it said it had killed last week in the Jabalia area an Islamic Jihad militant who had participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. (Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi. Additional reporting by Dawoud Abu Alkas in Gaza and Maytaal Angel in Jerusalem; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Emelia Sithole-Matarise, Helen Popper and Diane Craft) Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise visit to Mar-a-Lago on Saturday. Meloni received a rapturous welcome to Trump's Florida resort, per videos circulating on social media. The pair reportedly discussed tariffs and the arrest of an Italian journalist in Iran. Italy's right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise visit to President-elect Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday, just days before she's scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden. Photos shared by the Italian government show Trump greeting Meloni and the pair posing at the entrance to the president-elect's Florida base. While no official details of the meeting have been shared, Meloni and Trump are said to have discussed tariffs and the arrest in Iran of Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist, Bloomberg reported, citing an unnamed person familiar with the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The visit is also reported to have included a dinner and a screening of a new film called "The Eastman Dilemma: Lawfare or Justice." "This is very exciting, I'm here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy," Trump reportedly told the crowd at Mar-a-Lago. "She's really taken Europe by storm, and everyone else, and we're just having dinner tonight." It comes as Meloni who received a rapturous welcome to the Palm Beach estate, according to videos circulating on social media is set to welcome Biden to Rome for an official visit from January 9 to 12. Meloni has been calling on EU members to carve out a positive relationship with Trump ahead of his return to office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a speech to the Italian parliament in December, Meloni said it was "essential to maintain a pragmatic, constructive and open approach with the new Trump administration, exploiting areas of potential and fruitful EU-U.S. cooperation and trying to prevent commercial disputes that would certainly not be good for anyone," per Politico. She has also forged a growing bond with Elon Musk, who is set to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency under Trump's incoming administration. Following Trump's election win in November, Meloni took to X to announce that her "friend" Musk had been in touch. "I am convinced that his commitment and vision will be an important resource for the United States and Italy, in a spirit of collaboration aimed at addressing future challenges," she wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June 2023, Meloni hosted Musk at the Italian prime minister's official residence, the Palazzo Chigi. Meloni and the Tesla CEO reportedly discussed AI, birth rates, innovation, and European market rules. The prime minister called the meeting "fruitful" and a "moment of great cordiality" in a post on X. Ho accolto con grande piacere oggi a Palazzo Chigi @elonmusk. Un incontro molto proficuo e un momento di grande cordialita dove abbiamo affrontato alcuni temi cruciali: innovazione, opportunita e rischi dell'intelligenza artificiale, regole europee di mercato e natalita. Avanti pic.twitter.com/MOQlirj7XC Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) June 15, 2023 In December 2023, Musk was also the guest of honor at Meloni's "Atreju" political festival in Rome. The topic of birth rates was on the agenda again, as Musk urged Italians and other developed nations to have more children. For his part, Musk has called Meloni a "precious genius" who was "even more beautiful on the inside than she is on the outside." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since his election, Trump has also welcomed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Argentinian President Javier Milei, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Mar-a-Lago. Business Insider has contacted Meloni's office for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider One of the Democratic Partys top strategists ripped into the Washington Post and called one of its editors a disgrace to journalism after a recent scandal that erupted, of all things, over a cartoon. MSNBC host Jen Psaki initially asked James Carville on Sunday what his view of Rep. Mike Johnsons renewed tenure as House Speaker might bring in the coming weeks. However, after a quick aside describing Johnson as a bald-faced liar, Carville quickly veered off on something of a tangent to lambast the Post after Ann Telnaes, an award-winning cartoonist whod been with the daily for 16 years, abruptly quit her job this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her departure is reported to have followed editor David Shipley spiking the artists rendering of Jeff Bezos, who owns the newspaper, genuflecting toward a statue of President-elect Donald Trump, as per The New York Times . While Shipley has since maintained the sketch was dropped because the same topic was already scheduled to appear elsewhere in the papers opinion section, the furor nevertheless comes hot on the heels of Bezos reportedly nixing an endorsement of Kamala Harris ahead of the presidential election in November. Carville, however, was not buying the papers version of events during his recent MSNBC appearance. Lets be very forceful and lets be very upfront here, he said. The billionaire class in this country has exercised such power that they got rid of the cartoonists at the Washington Post, okay? He then went on, What David Shipley what happened under his watch is a disgrace to journalism in America, I dont know how that guy could possibly get up in the morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Psaki then clarified to viewers that Telnaes had departed the publication of her own volition, but Carville was nevertheless still having none of it. He said, She quit because they let her quit, because they wouldnt run the cartoon. I dont blame her for quitting, alright? If youre a journalist, if they sat here at MSNBC and told you, you cant say anything bad about the Trump tax cuts because executives might get em, youre gonna walk out the door! In a post on her Substack, Telnaes explained that her decision was over the newspapers failure to nurture a free press in a democracy. Owners of such press organizations are responsible for safeguarding that free pressand trying to get in the good graces of an autocrat-in-waiting will only result in undermining that free press, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shipley, however, said in a statement to the New York Times that while he respects Telnaes, he must disagree with her interpretation of events. Not every editorial judgment is a reflection of a malign force, he said. My decision was guided by the fact that we had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another columnthis one a satirefor publication. The only bias was against repetition. The prospect of accountability for President-elect Trump and those who played a role in the storming of the Capitol is dimming as hes set to take office and the GOP garners control of Washington to the dismay of his critics. Trumps two election interference cases have both hit major roadblocks ahead of his return to power, and once in office hes pledged to pardon many of the 1,500 charged in connection with storming the Capitol. Its a disappointment to Democrats and others wanting justice for what they see as one of the ugliest days in the nations history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And its an episode they referenced frequently as a referendum for voters, including in Vice President Harriss closing speech at the Ellipse the same spot from which Trump encouraged his own supporters to march toward the Capitol. The whole reason we have a rule of law is to try to hold accountable the people who have traditionally not been held accountable. That is people with power, said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a former member of the House Select Committee on Jan. 6. This is an asymmetry weve been pointing out from the beginning that there has been relative accountability up until this point for the people who smashed the police officers over the head with Confederate battle flags or speared them with Trump flags or stormed the Capitol and so on vis a vis the masterminds behind the whole process. Trumps conduct on Jan. 6, 2021, was under the magnifying glass of the now-disbanded House select committee. That panel worked as the Justice Department (DOJ) ramped up what would become one of its largest-scale prosecutions, though that effort has also been criticized by Democrats and other critics for moving far too slowly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump would later be indicted by special counsel Jack Smith for his role in seeking to block the peaceful transfer of power with an indictment in Georgia alongside numerous co-defendants following just weeks later. But those prosecutions have hit serious snags, with Smith moving to dismiss the Jan. 6 case without prejudice. He cited internal DOJ policy barring the prosecution of a sitting president. Though dismissing the charges without prejudice opens the door a crack to refiling them in the future, prosecutors would face an uphill battle to do so, including making the case that the statute of limitations was on pause while Trump was in office. In Georgia, an appeals court judge declined to toss Trumps case entirely, but Judge E. Trenton Brown III disqualified Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis due to her relationship with a top prosecutor on the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Willis has since appealed the decision to the states Supreme Court, but her disqualification may doom the case. The states high court must first decide whether to hear the case at all. If it lets the ruling stand, the case would be handed off to the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia, a nonpartisan state agency. The agency could then send the case to another district attorneys office, which would decide whether to proceed, appoint a special prosecutor or handle the case itself. Even if the court hears Williss appeal and rules in her favor, she may not have a chance to resurrect the case until 2029 after Trump has left office since legal experts agree that sitting presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted. For Democrats, Trumps reelection is the ultimate lack of accountability for his role in igniting the crowd that stormed the Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump won the election. It is pretty pathetic that the officers who defended our lives are so disrespected and that the criminal who egged them on is now going back into the White House, said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), another former member of the Jan. 6 committee. You know, he has vowed to pardon the criminals who attacked the Capitol. People died. I always make a point of calling some of the officers who were injured on the sixth so they know its not the whole world that has forgotten their sacrifice. With Trumps return to the White House imminent, many Jan. 6 defendants have been emboldened. Theyve asked for delays in their trials or sentencings, citing their future pardons, which judges have largely denied. Some rioters have asked for permission to enter D.C. for Trumps inauguration, though only one such request has so far been granted. Enrique Tarrio, ex-national chair of the Proud Boys, took the risk of testifying in another case, but he was combative when on the stand, refusing to answer questions while under oath despite waiving his Fifth Amendment rights amid his own prosecution on seditious conspiracy charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guy Reffitt, the first Jan. 6 rioter to face trial, squared off with a judge during his resentencing last month after the Supreme Court narrowed an obstruction charge he and scores of other rioters faced. Reffitt defiantly told the judge he was in his feelings about what he perceived as lies and the craziness about the riot until Trump won. No one has a problem with your feelings, U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich retorted. Its the actions you took with your feelings. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has described the Jan. 6 prosecution as one of the largest, most complex, and most resource-intensive investigations in the agencys history. But its taken several hits that threaten to taper its impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four other defendants have been resentenced following the Supreme Courts ruling last summer on the count of obstructing an official proceeding, a charge prosecutors have used to tie rioters conduct to the certification of the 2020 presidential election that was halted as a result. In the wake of that ruling, the Justice Department also opted to drop the charge against about 150 defendants and continues to assess remaining cases. Theres no question that some of the defendants are currently still very empowered, and you have to imagine that theyre not going to be nearly as deterred from engaging in behavior that violates the law particularly something that Trump may want them to do in the future, said Mary McCord, former acting head of the Justice Departments National Security Division and a longtime federal prosecutor. During the campaign season, Trump declined to acknowledge he lost the election, and this week he criticized President Biden for honoring two members of the Jan. 6 committee with a Presidential Citizens Medal. I think the bedrock of a true democracy is a peaceful transition of power, said Rizwan Qureshi, a former federal prosecutor with the U.S. attorneys office for D.C. Thats why those who engaged in actual violent conduct on that date need to be held accountable because accountability and respect for rule of law are necessary to deterring political violence and preserving our democracy that I think we take for granted every day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (NewsNation) Congress is expected to certify the election results on Monday, Jan. 6, officially granting Donald Trump a second non-consecutive term as president four years since the 2021 Capitol riots. The counting of ballots is now considered a national security event, and police are preparing for potential unrest on the fourth anniversary. The anticipated day comes after two other violent events occurred on New Years Day. In New Orleans, a man, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, drove his car into a crowd of tourists on Bourbon Street on New Years Day, killing 14 and injuring dozens of others in what the FBI deemed a terrorist attack. Protective barriers were not in place on the streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also on New Years Day, Army veteran Matthew Livelsberger caused a Tesla Cybertruck to explode outside of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas as a wakeup call to society. Seven people nearby were injured, and the suspect died. With the two attacks, protests during Trumps first inauguration in 2017, the Capitol riots and Trumps two assassination attempts in mind, the Secret Service and other security officials are on high alert. Judge denies Jan. 6 rioters bid to attend Trump inauguration NewsNation national security contributor Tracy Walder joined Morning in America with Hena Doba Sunday morning to discuss the possible security preparations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the things that they will have is an extra police presence and sort of a heightened presence, which we have already seen in the nations capital as a result of this, said Walder, a former CIA officer and FBI special agent. Walder said she expects the perimeter will be farther back than in the past. Trump will hold a celebratory victory rally on the eve of his inauguration. The inauguration ceremony will be Jan. 20. Unlike in New Orleans where bollards were not in place, there will likely be ones in D.C. for the upcoming presidential events. Why bollards werent in place before New Orleans deadly attack Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think youre going to have more than one security checkpoint. You may have a metal detector entering, then in the original perimeter, the farthest out one. And then youre going to have ones once people enter the arena as well, Walder said. And I do think the bulletproof glass in this case, we have to remember theres been two assassination attempts against President Trump. I think thats a good idea here. The FBI warned law enforcement last week of potential copycat attacks in an internal bulletin. I suspect that there will be copycats, Walder said. The dead suspect in the New Orleans attack supported the terrorist organization ISIS, according to the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former director of the FBI has been talking a lot about these vehicle-type attacks that ISIS was engaging in, and ISIS told us that they were going to do it back in 2015, Walder said. I think we just sort of forget that they really are encouraging individuals to do this because its very cheap, it requires basically no training, and it doesnt require individuals who have to go overseas to take part in training. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. Jeff Baena, an independent filmmaker best known for directing Life After Beth and co-writing I Heart Huckabees, died Friday, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. He was 47. Baena had been married to actor Aubrey Plaza since 2021. The couple collaborated on several films, including 2014s Life After Beth, in which Plaza had a starring role. Jeff Baena and Aubrey Plaza in 2016. He died by suicide at a home, according to the medical examiner's records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an unimaginable tragedy," Plaza said in a statement Monday on behalf of the Baena-Stern family. "We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time. Baena graduated from New York Universitys film school and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career, according to Deadline. He worked as a production assistant before he pivoted into an assistant editor role. It was in that role that he worked with director David O. Russell, his co-writer and the director of I Heart Huckabees, a 2004 dark comedy with an ensemble cast that included Mark Wahlberg, Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin. In an interview with Fast Company in 2016, Baena spoke about how an accident that left him with an eye injury specifically cornea damage became the catalyst for his co-writing relationship with Russell. Russell asked Baena what he thought about an idea floated to him by a production company, and the conversation took off from there, Fast Company reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He allowed me to advocate for any ideas that were in conflict with his ideas, Baena told Fast Company. We were on the same wavelength, had the same style and interests. He was really a soul mate, as a cowriter. When it came to his writing, Baena said in an interview with ISA Insider, he was drawn to irony, and comedy tends to have worlds built within it. Because I personally I feel like, in the most serious moments, there is still comedy and the way people cope with bad things is generally through comedy, Baena told ISA Insider. The Sundance Film Festival posted a tribute to Baena on X, extending "our heartfelt thanks to Jeff Baena for sharing his stories and contributing to the lasting memories weve built together." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Jeff, well miss your wit, humor, and daring vision. Rest in peace, friend," Sundance posted. Comedian and podcast host Marc Maron said on X that he is very sad about the tragic loss of a true artist and sweet guy. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Jimmy Carter touched a lot of lives, but none quite like South Carolinas own Jimmy Baker of Okatie. When Baker heard of the former presidents death at 100 on Dec. 29, he said, It kind of gave me a strange feeling. It was just a very reflective day. It made him reflect anew about Saturday, March 5, 1977, when his life changed in an instant. That afternoon, his father spoke from his home in Ridgeland to the new president of the United States in a national radio call-in show hosted by Walter Cronkite, and then his father collapsed and died of a heart attack. Jimmy Baker The Rev. James E. Baker Sr., 56, was the new pastor at the rural Robertville Baptist Church, and one of just 42 people to get through to President Carter among more than 9 million callers during a two-hour program that day. Baker Sr. urged the president to protect consumers against corporate cheats. Suddenly, he was gone and it was a major news story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jimmy Baker said, We were dealing with his death, but we were also dealing with national and worldwide headlines. At the time, Jimmy Baker was 23, fresh out of college and living at home while working for Jasper County. I had left home that morning, he said. I was going up to Lander (College in Greenwood) to visit Phil Lowther for the weekend. My dad, at breakfast, said he might call the president. I said, You and millions of others. We laughed about it. By the time they got to Greenwood, Phils wife was able to take Jimmy in the back room and tell him his father had had a massive heart attack, and it doesnt look good. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They never unpacked. They turned around and headed home. We were going down the interstate with the radio on, Baker recalls. The way I found out my dad died was on the national news. His father had hung up from the president, called his wife at work at Langfords Pharmacy, then collapsed during a call to his sister-in-law. Jimmy Baker arrived back home to a yard full of reporters and television trucks. It all seemed very surreal when it happened, he said. And it still does when I reflect on it. President Carter sent a telegram to Bakers mother that afternoon and he called to console her that night, but the day began with him wanting to know what was on the minds of every American. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pulitzer Prize winner Walter R. Mears reported for the AP: The things they were concerned about ranged from Cuba to (Ugandan President) Idi Amin to taxes to an Indian land claim to a forbidden cancer treatment to a government job. The Rev. Baker first commended Carter for the effort that you have made to restore ethics and morality in government. Then he asked that more be done to protect the poor from shoddy merchandise, or warranties that are not honored, and similar unconscionable profit actions. Carter replied, If I dont do that before I get out of office, I will consider my administration a failure. Carter aide Stuart E. Eizenstat listed consumer protection among Carters successes in an op-ed on Dec. 29 in The Washington Post, saying he placed consumer advocates in major regulatory agencies. It came through executive order, and did not wholly satisfy consumer advocates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That fateful day in 1977, when a reporter asked Jimmy Baker if his father had voted for Carter, Baker showed a deftness that would serve him well in 27 years with the Palmetto Electric Cooperative as vice president of marketing and public relations. I paused for a minute, he recalled, and then said, My dad thought he was a really, really good man. In perspective, thats huge. Two men of differing politics saw the best in each other, said it out loud, and treated each other with respect. At the Rev. Bakers funeral at Great Swamp Baptist Church outside Ridgeland, the Rev. Lonnie Woolweaver said he was a person who spent his life trying to remedy moral ills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyll say the same about Carter at his funeral Thursday at the National Cathedral. This long ago connection shows that we do indeed have ties that bind. Its something America to its detriment seems to have forgotten. David Lauderdale may be reached at lauderdalecolumn@gmail.com . Jimmy Carter is lying in repose on the first night of his multi-day state funeral. The body of the former president, who died on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 100, is currently at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, where the Nobel Peace Prize winner will remain until 6 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Earlier in the day, while en route to the center, a motorcade stopped in front of the farm that served as Carter's boyhood home in Plains, Ga. There, the National Park Service saluted the late president and rang a historic farm bell 39 times symbolizing Carter's role as the 39th President of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once in Atlanta, a moment of silence took place at the Georgia State Capitol, which was led by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature and Georgia State Patrol troopers. Following an arrival ceremony at the Carter Presidential Center, a private service was conducted in the lobby of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, before the location was opened up to the public, allowing mourners to come and pay their respects. 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. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty A memorial for Jimmy Carter seen in front of the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta on Jan. 4. A memorial for Jimmy Carter seen in front of the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta on Jan. 4. Related: Jimmy Carter's Funeral: Everything to Know About the Former President's Upcoming Ceremony and Honors Including 6 Days of National Remembrances Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carter, who was a one-term president from 1977 to 1981, died at his home in Plains, after spending almost two years in hospice care. His death was confirmed by his son, James E. Carter III, known as Chip, per The Washington Post. The Carter Center also confirmed the news in a message shared on X (formerly Twitter). Carter's funeral proceedings will take place over multiple days, ending on Thursday, Jan. 9. After his time lying in repose at the Carter Presidential Center, Carter will be taken to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 7, when members of Congress will pay their respects during a service in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Visitors will be able to pay their respects soon after. Carter will remain there through the early hours of Thursday, Jan. 9, before he is moved to the Washington National Cathedral, where his national funeral service will take place. Later in the day, Carter will be moved back to Georgia for a private funeral service at the Maranatha Baptist Church, which will be followed by a burial his home. He will be laid to rest next to his late wife Rosalynn Carter, who died at age 96 in November 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flags at all federal buildings are scheduled to fly at half-mast for 30 days after Carter's death, including during Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration. Read the original article on People Jimmy Carters funeral proceedings began Saturday in Americus, Georgia, at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center. After the casket was loaded into the hearse by current and former Secret Service agents who protected the late president, the funeral motorcade went through Plains, where Carter was born Oct. 1, 1924. After that, the motorcade stopped by the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park and also Carters boyhood home. Then, the motorcade traveled to Atlanta where it paused for a moment of silence outside the Georgia Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, the motorcade arrived at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum where a service was held and where Carter will lie in repose until Tuesday morning. At that point, he will be transported to Washington to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol. His state funeral is Thursday at 10 a.m. at Washington National Cathedral. Former and current U.S. Secret Service agents assigned to the Carter detail, move the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter, at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Former and current U.S. Secret Service agents assigned to the Carter detail, walk with the hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter, at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon People watch as the hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter departs Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon The hearse containing the casket of former President Jimmy Carter passes through Plains, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People wait for a funeral procession for former President Jimmy Carter to move through downtown Plains, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. | Mike Stewart A young boy salutes as the hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter moves through downtown Plains, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. | Mike Stewart The hearse containing the casket of former President Jimmy Carter, pauses at the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm in Archery, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Karen Barry, left, and Randy Dillard, the longest serving NPS Plains staffers, ring the farm bell 39 times as the motorcade with the flag-draped hearse of former President Jimmy Carter stops in front of the Boyhood Farm, where Carter grew up, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, Plains, Ga. | Hyosub Shin Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NPS employees, based out of Sumter County, Ga., salute the hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter as the motorcade stops in front of the Boyhood Farm, where President Carter grew up, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Plains, Ga. | Hyosub Shin The hearse containing the casket of former President Jimmy Carter moves toward Plains, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon People watch from an overpass as the hearse containing the casket of former President Jimmy Carter drives on I-75 through Forsyth, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, en route to Atlanta. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon People watch as the hearse containing the casket of former President Jimmy Carter south of Ellaville, Ga., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, en route to Atlanta. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter pauses outside the State Capitol in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Jack Carter shakes hands with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp as grandson Jason Cater watches, as the hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter pauses outside the State Capitol in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon A hearse carrying the casket of former President Jimmy Carter arrives at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum to lie in repose in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Brynn Anderson As the Morehouse College Glee Club sings, a military body bear teams moves the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jason Carter, grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, speaks as the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter lies in repose at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon James "Chip" Carter speaks during a service for former President Jimmy Carter at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Paige Alexander, CEO of The Carter Center, touches the casket, as Amy Carter and her husband John Joseph "Jay" Kelly, foreground, watch, during a service for former President Jimmy Carter at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon James "Chip" Carter wipes his eyes after speaks during a service for former President Jimmy Carter at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, as he sits next to his wife Becky. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meredith Evans, director of the Jimmy Cater Presidential Library and Museum, left, and Paige Alexander, CEO of The Carter Center, place a wreath during a service for former President Jimmy Carter at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon James "Chip" Carter and his wife Becky, greet Meredith Evans, director of the Jimmy Cater Presidential Library and Museum, as Paige Alexander, CEO of The Carter Center, watches, after a service for former President Jimmy Carter at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Marine Staff Sgt. Nayya Dobson-EL stands as part of the Guard of Honor at the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter as he lies in repose at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Mourners view the casket of former President Jimmy Carter as he lies in repose at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29th at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mourners view the casket of former President Jimmy Carter as he lies in repose at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29th at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon A mourner views the casket of former President Jimmy Carter as he lies in repose at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29th at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Mourners view the casket of former President Jimmy Carter as he lies in repose at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29th at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon The Guard of Honor surrounds the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter as he lies in repose at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. | Alex Brandon Advertisement Advertisement Newly reelected House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday highlighted his and President-elect Donald Trump's plans to pass one "big, beautiful" budget reconciliation package through Congress and said he aims to have it on Trump's desk by the end of April. "Everything's got to move in the right sequence. And along the way, I think we're going to keep those trains moving in the right direction and on time," Johnson said on "Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo." "And if that happens, we will get it out of the House in early April, maybe as soon as April 3, and then move it over to the Senate." In the worst-case scenario, he said, Trump would have a bill ready to sign by Memorial Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson told Bartiromo his aim is for the bill to also address the debt ceiling. But that doesn't mean Republicans plan to spend up to the new number. Johnson unveiled his and Trump's plans to House Republicans in a retreat Saturday. A single reconciliation package, combining Trump's priorities on immigration and border enforcement and also on tax reform and energy, is no small task for a House GOP currently working with a 219-215 majority. Top Republicans including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and incoming White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller had advocated a two-bill strategy, with the GOP first passing a border and energy permitting bill before moving on to tax reform. GOP leaders haven't yet hammered out a plan for the debt ceiling before June, but they have been considering addressing it in the massive reconciliation package, POLITICO reported Saturday. Such a move will be a major political undertaking with the approaching June debt deadline. Reconciliation can be used with spending bills; most importantly, it allows the Senate to pass a bill with a simple majority, avoiding the possibility of a filibuster in a body that is now divided 53-47. At issue, at times, though is which things in a particular bill qualify as budget items and which do not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thune, speaking Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation," said reconciliation wouldn't cover all issues "There are a number of issues where we're going to have to get 60 votes" but noted Democrats had used the tactic to pass legislation during the Biden years. Still, Johnson was optimistic about the single-bill strategy. "There's a lot of merit to that," he said. "We can put it all together, one big up-or-down vote, which can save the country, quite literally, because there are so many elements to it. And it'll give us a little bit more time to negotiate that and get it right." Republican senators on Sunday were quick to offer support to Trump and Johnson's single-bill plan, including Senate HELP chair Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and newly sworn-in Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's very narrow margins," Cassidy told guest host Jacqui Heinrich on "Fox News Sunday." "And so we've got to get it right. I suppose that after they've looked at the votes they have in the House, they figure that is the best way to get it though. I'm not going to dispute Mike Johnson. I think he's doing a great job." Banks said Johnson's reelection to the speakership proved the fragmented House Republican caucus can unite on major orders of business like reconciliation. "To me that's a positive sign that House Republicans are unified behind Donald Trump, the Trump agenda," he told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union." "They're hearing from our supporters at home. We have to get this done, secure the border, make our military focused on winning and fighting wars and strong again, make the tax cuts on working families permanent." Assault rifles (Photo by Getty Images). More than two years after the U.S. Supreme Court fundamentally expanded its interpretation of the Second Amendment, federal courts throughout the country continue to strike down state restrictions on gun ownership. Since the high courts 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen that firearm regulations must have some historical comparison going back to the countrys founding, some state restrictions have been ruled unconstitutional. But lower courts are still figuring out the limits of that historical test and have not yet come to a broad agreement on key gun-related laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, wins for gun rights supporters have mounted. Over the past two years, federal courts have struck down bans on assault weapons in trend-setting blue states such as California and Illinois. In October, a federal district court judge ruled that New Yorks ban on carrying a concealed firearm on private property open to the public is unconstitutional. In September, a federal district court judge in northern Illinois ruled the states ban on carrying a concealed firearm on public transit violated the Second Amendment. And in July, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit upheld a lower courts ruling that found Minnesotas age restriction on residents carrying a handgun in public also was unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has been a busy time for gun rights attorneys, such as Bill Sack, director of legal operations for the Second Amendment Foundation, a Bellevue, Washington-based legal advocacy organization that has flooded the courts with challenges to gun regulations nationwide. The second Bruen came down, there was the starting gun for a sprint, for which we have not stopped yet, he told Stateline. Stuff is ripe for a fresh challenge. Sack and other gun rights advocates are now asking the courts to define the Supreme Courts new Bruen standard: a series of who, what and where questions about which gun rights limitations are allowed under the latest interpretation of the Second Amendment. Who can own a firearm? Cases going through the courts are challenging laws that ban firearm ownership by anyone younger than 21, or anyone who has been convicted of nonviolent offenses or people who live in public housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What sort of firearm equipment can someone possess? There are state laws that may put restrictions on owning handguns, assault weapons, high-capacity magazines and untraceable ghost guns that people can assemble from online-bought or 3D-printed parts, such as the one allegedly used by the suspect in the recent assassination of a UnitedHealthcare executive in New York City. Where can people possess a firearm? The U.S. Supreme Court has established that states can ban firearms in sensitive places, but states and courts are still determining what that means. Some states ban firearms on mass transit and in public parks or government buildings. This month, Michigan banned firearms in and around polling places. Still, Sack expressed optimism. We are making major inroads, Sack said. The arc of history will show that this time period was very good for us and very bad for them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Sacks confidence may be misplaced, said Esther Sanchez-Gomez, litigation director at the Giffords Law Center, a nonpartisan gun safety organization. Last month, a federal judge in southern Illinois struck down the states ban on assault weapons. While that case is being appealed, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled earlier this month that the ban can remain in place for now. Sanchez-Gomez also pointed out that in August, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit upheld Marylands ban on similar weapons. The issue might need to be resolved by the Supreme Court. Theres movement on assault weapons, she said in an interview. I wouldnt say that its a lost issue universally. Rather, Id say that theres a lot of different results coming out and that courts have yet to coalesce. A shifting standard In June 2022, the 6-3 conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of New Yorks law that established a strict permitting system to carry a concealed weapon. In the case, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, the nations high court established the standard by which firearm-related cases should be judged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not only did the court rule that Americans have a constitutional right to carry a firearm in public for self-defense, but it also noted that gun laws must have some sort of historical grounding dating back to the countrys founding. What youre seeing is courts across the country trying to figure out how to do that historical, constitutional test in real, practical terms. Esther Sanchez-Gomez, litigation director at the Giffords Law Center Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas outlined that test in the majority opinion, writing that to justify a firearm regulation the government must demonstrate that the regulation is consistent with the Nations historical tradition of firearm regulation. That has forced litigants and lawmakers to find comparable laws from 200 years ago to justify a new gun restriction. This was a departure from the previous standard, established 14 years earlier in District of Columbia v. Heller. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that 2008 case, the Supreme Court ruled a person has a right to possess firearms but made clear that gun restrictions are constitutional. The decision held that a gun law could be judged on whether it served the public interest, such as by preventing firearm deaths. That standard no longer applies, and courts are still determining whether there are limits to the Second Amendment and how a historical test from the Revolutionary era can be applied to modern firearm restrictions. Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has criticized the Bruen standard, saying it forces judges into service as amateur historians. But the Supreme Court has shown that it views some gun restrictions as constitutional. In an 8-1 decision in United States v. Rahimi this June with Thomas the lone dissenter the court upheld a 1994 federal law that bans people with domestic restraining orders from owning firearms. The Supreme Court gave us some additional clues, but it is still creating some confusion, Sanchez-Gomez said. What youre seeing is courts across the country trying to figure out how to do that historical, constitutional test in real, practical terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh even noted in a concurring opinion in Rahimi that Second Amendment jurisprudence is in its early innings and that he expects the court will see many more cases. Indeed, The Trace, a nonprofit news service that investigates gun violence, found that as of September, there had been more than 1,600 federal court decisions on Second Amendment challenges that cited Bruen. A paper by law professors at the University of Southern California and the University of Virginia, published in July, found the Bruen decision had a substantial effect on firearm-related gun cases. Bruen seems to have generated more pro-gun decisions, researchers wrote, but they said the next few years may bring yet more changes. The future of gun restrictions While Minnesotas minimum age requirement for possessing a firearm was struck down this year, similar restrictions in states such as Colorado, Florida and Pennsylvania are still going through federal appeals courts and could have a different outcome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Courts also are trying to determine appropriate state firearm restrictions for sensitive places, where the presence of guns could be a significant danger. There are challenges across the country to firearm possession in post offices, parks and playgrounds. In September, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld parts of Californias and Hawaiis sensitive places laws, allowing residents to carry firearms in some previously banned locations, such as financial institutions, hospitals and public transit, but continuing the bans in alcohol-serving bars and restaurants, beaches and parks. In many of these cases, the makeup of the courts has been a deciding factor. For example, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, based out of northern Illinois, has tended to be more favorable toward gun safety laws. Its unclear how gun regulations are going to fare in the courts in the coming years, said Adam Garber, executive director of CeaseFirePA, a gun safety organization that has advocated for tighter restrictions at the commonwealth and local level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the U.S. Supreme Court signaled a willingness to allow some restrictions in its latest decision this year, he said, the Bruen opinions effects linger. The reality is that there is a real risk to gun safety laws across the nation because of a radical interpretation, Garber said. But we also saw courts say, Wait, wait, wait, were not saying no gun safety laws are allowed. This story was originally produced by Stateline which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. The Kansas City International Airport is back open for flight operations Saturday after icy conditions led to treacherous travel across the metro area. The airport announced on social media Saturday afternoon that it had suspended travel. Shortly before 5:30 p.m., the airport reopened its runways and taxiways, Mayor Quinton Lucas announced on social media. Update: Crews have successfully treated airfield surfaces and the runways and taxiways at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) are open for flight operations. Work will continue overnight to keep the airfield clear. @Fly_KansasCity Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) January 4, 2025 Due to rapid ice accumulation, the airfield at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is currently closed to flight operations, the airport previously said on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flight delays impact included the Kansas City Chiefs, whose flight to Denver for Sundays game against the Broncos was delayed. Kansas City City Manager Brian Platt previously posted on X saying the runways were expected to reopen to normal operations Saturday evening. The runways at the Kansas City Airport will reopen and resume normal operations in about 30 minutes. https://t.co/xhQv5X4RWo Brian David Platt (@BrianDavidPlatt) January 4, 2025 The airport said travelers should check their respective airlines for specific flight information. NEW YORK Gov. Kathy Hochul gave the green light to a controversial Manhattan toll plan, but her political foes and allies President-elect Donald Trump and the powerful New York City teachers union among them have separately vowed to stop it. Hochuls administration and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority rushed to have the program known as congestion pricing in place before Trump is sworn in a move that came months after she temporarily blocked its implementation over political concerns. Now the MTA and governor are fending off multiple legal challenges aimed at squelching the tolls attacks that are scrambling the regions hard-charging politics. In a dramatic and jarring move, Hochul suddenly delayed the tolls in June over concerns they would kneecap Democratic House candidates in battleground races. In another about face, she revived congestion pricing in the aftermath of the election and nixed a planned $15 toll in favor of $9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal officials have signed off on the revived toll structure and the start date is scheduled for Sunday. But New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat and ostensible ally for Hochul, has sued over the toll program. The United Federation of Teachers, a politically key labor union for New York Democrats, is in court to stop it as well. And Manhattan residents who oppose the tolls also filed a class action lawsuit. Last-ditch efforts by New Jersey in federal court to halt the tolls faltered in the days leading up to the program going into effect. Republicans want Trump to rescind federal approval of the program a move he signaled he would make over the summer. And House GOP lawmakers are pressing for a law to block the tolls a bill thats garnered Democratic support from moderates like Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a candidate for New Jersey governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The eclectic forces pushing for congestion pricing including the citys influential business leaders and left-leaning transit advocates highlight how congestion pricing has upended the regions politics. Further complicating that picture are Democrats fears that after a campaign season that hinged on voter anger with high prices, their party will weather further fallout with Hochul and swing-seat lawmakers falling squarely within the potential blast radius. Whether voters ultimately embrace the first-in-the-nation program is expected to be a crucial factor in the political future of the New York governor and her opponents heading into the 2026 elections. It could definitely hurt the governor and some congressional candidates and state legislative candidates, said Queens Assemblymember David Weprin, a Democrat whos a plaintiff in the teachers union lawsuit. Its going to have a negative impact in two years if its still in effect and not stopped. Tolls will still reach $15 by 2031 under the new iteration of the program in time for the start of a hypothetical third full term for the New York governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials plan to use the toll revenue to obtain $15 billion in bonds in order to shore up the metropolitan regions troubled mass transit infrastructure. Supporters contend the plan will reduce traffic and improve air quality. But the temporarily lower toll which Hochul framed as a savings for impacted commuters has done little to quell opponents. Tolling begins two weeks before Trump takes office on Jan. 20. MTA CEO Janno Lieber has rolled out Trump-tailored arguments, appealing to the Republican as a New York City civic leader who owns office buildings filled with commuters who rely on MTA buses and trains. Lieber has also tried to make the approval process seem as boring as possible, noting that the federal program congestion pricing falls under the so-called Value Pricing Pilot Program has been in place for decades. What were doing is not some crazy initiative solely of the city or the state or the MTA, Lieber said at a press conference in November. This is a federal program that has been on the books for 20-plus years that were operating under, so I am confident that if and when we receive approval from the federal government albeit the Biden administration-era federal government it will stand the test in the courts. Some members of Congress have talked about trying to block the tolls or punish New York for imposing them, but Rep. Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat, said he doesnt expect theyll go very far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They'll try to figure out ways of undermining it in Congress, but I don't think there are any, he said, adding that the Senate could block some of the attempts even if they made it through the House. Across the Hudson, Murphy hired Randy Mastro, a former deputy mayor in the Giuliani administration, to fight congestion pricing in court by challenging the federal environmental review for the tolling program. Hochul has said she made very generous offers to settle the suit with New Jersey, but those proposals were rejected. Since Hochul announced her plan to resume the tolls, Mastro has been urging the federal judge handling Murphys lawsuit to weigh in. Murphys office also issued a statement from Mastro that accused Lieber of trying to balance the MTAs books through an unfair and unpopular fee on hardworking New Jersey commuters that has been poorly designed and insufficiently thought through from the beginning. An unpopular chief executive who is seeking a second full term in 2026, Hochul has insisted reviving the tolls is necessary to improve the dilapidated mass transit system in New York City and the surrounding area an endeavor shes described as vital for the regions economic health. She has cast the decision to put the toll in place as politically bold and has emerged as an ardent defender of the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who analyze my career know I never gravitate toward easy, Hochul said at a forum moderated by the business-boosting Partnership for New York City. Easy says somebody else is going to do that. I take on hard. But Hochul remains sensitive to the political impact of the program. In late December, she rejected a plan that would increase tolls by 25 percent on so-called gridlock alert days following backlash from opponents. The governor took heat in June when she temporarily paused the program. At the time, Hochul publicly argued the planned $15 toll was too high for working people. Privately, she was acting on concerns raised by Democratic House candidates who feared Republicans would use the issue as a cudgel in crucial races. Lawsuits filed in the wake of the pause by advocacy groups that supported the program including the Riders Alliance and Sierra Club have been settled. Advocates are now eager for the tolls to be in place at the start of the year, before Trump returns to the presidency. The most important thing now is for the governor to get the program up and running well in advance of the inauguration so that it can prove its worth and defuse the criticism of any of the people who might try to stop it once the federal administration changes hands, Riders Alliance spokesperson Danny Pearlstein said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Hochul may have gotten the public politics right in the short term a subsequent Siena College poll found most New Yorkers supported the pause on the tolls she failed to bring along supporters in the influential business, transit and environmental advocacy communities who spent years pushing for the program. But for now, Hochul has neutralized some critics with the move to bring the tolls back. John Samuelsen, the president of the Transport Workers Union International, said her decision to pair the tolls with pledged service upgrades was a step in the right direction. If she had done this from the beginning she wouldnt have been hit with the political avalanche, he said. It was unfortunate. Hochuls political allies, meanwhile, acknowledge many voters have a jaundiced view of congestion pricing. New York Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs said she was, in effect, boxed in by the need to raise revenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres no question in any poll you take its unpopular, Jacobs said. But I dont know if the governor, looking at it, could do much else. We need the money. Political ramifications over her decision are likely to continue for Hochul. A potential Republican challenger to the governor, Hudson Valley Rep. Mike Lawler, has blasted the toll plans impact on his suburban constituents and released a 90-second video highlighting his opposition. Theres a general agreement its a terrible plan, said Kathryn Freed, a former state Supreme Court justice and New York City Council member who's part of a class-action lawsuit filed by Manhattan residents. Its not going to reduce congestion. Its not going to reduce pollution. Another possible Hochul opponent, Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres, likened Hochuls congestion pricing switch to the president-elect's political stylings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This reflects the kind of erratic and chaotic governance one would expect from a Trump presidency, said Torres, who has been criticized by the Hochul campaign for shifting political positions. Its embarrassing. Jason Beeferman contributed to this report. Mauritania rolls out an electronic visa (e-visa) application system starting this January 5. Beginning Sunday, all travelers who are subject to visa requirements must obtain an e-visa before their trip, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a press release. Travelers heading to Mauritania were previously required to obtain visas from Mauritanian embassies or consulates, or upon arrival in the country. With the introduction of e-visa, the process has been simplified thanks to the complete abstraction of procedures, while maintaining a high level of security thanks to the integration of modern digital standards, the Ministry explained. As part of the implementation of the new procedures related to the conditions of entry into Mauritanian territory, the ministry underscored the need to submit visa applications through the official website of the National Agency for Population Registry and Secure Property (ANRPTS). This procedure cancels the need to visit Mauritanian embassies and consulates. Respect her I wish each of us could do what Rep. Kay Granger has done. I know her as a great politician who braved the world of selfish politicians and helped Fort Worth, her congressional district and all of the United States. She ran in 1996 promising to help build the Chisholm Trail Parkway and did. She worked to help General Dynamics and Lockheed get contracts for the F-16 and F-35 fighters. She helped Texas Wesleyan University grow. She worked both sides of the aisle to grow Fort Worth into a powerhouse. Now, Granger is in an independent living facility, where my wife and I live. Some are demeaning her out of jealousy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - Thomas Hazlewood, former mayor of Cleburne Need to know truth The phrase no taxation without representation rings true now that we know Rep. Kay Granger has been struggling with dementia for months. She hasnt voted in the U.S. House since July. This compares to Republican uproar over President Joe Bidens mental capabilities last summer, and it highlights the legislative need to disclose elected officials incapacitation. No precedent exists for removal of incapacitated House members. This needs to change. If you failed to show up for work for five months, you would be fired. As Republican U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales has said: Congress should do its job, and if you cant do your job, maybe you shouldnt be there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - Richard Dible, Weatherford The vital F-35 The Star-Telegrams editorial about Elon Musk and the F-35 fighter does not clearly confront the mistaken focus of Musks recent comments. (Dec. 22, 4C, Hands off the F-35, Musk. America needs the fighters) He is correct to look at the original design requirements, but he didnt look at another purpose of the program to keep the U.S. defense industrys manufacturing capability healthy while providing functional, innovative and world-class capability to our military. That effectiveness was demonstrated by Israels recent action in Iran. No pilots or aircraft were lost. The F-35 does not perform the same functions allocated to drones, and vice versa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By analogy, an orchestras conductor is familiar with the capabilities of all the instruments in the ensemble, yet is master of none. But we are willing to pay big bucks to hear live performances led by top conductors. The F-35 is a world-class conductor. We must keep our manufacturing base healthy. - Bob McCann, Aledo Good news Thank you for the wonderful Dec. 22 story and photo about Christmas giving at Alice Contreras Elementary School. (10A, How all elementary students at this Fort Worth ISD school got early presents from Santa) It started my day with a big smile. We dont know about these feel-good stories unless they are highlighted through news sources, church or word of mouth. Reporter Lina Ruiz did some very good writing, also, as usual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for doing your part in communicating and highlighting good news as well as bad. - Linda Bartles, Fort Worth Carters credits We should all remember former President Jimmy Carters finer moments. He is often thought of as a peanut farmer, but he was much more than that. He served Georgia as governor and served our nation as the 39th president. His ability to bring leaders from Israel and Egypt to the peace table fostered the landmark Camp David peace accords. Carter served in the U.S. Navy and received the World War II Victory Medal (among others). He graduated from the Naval Aacademy in the class of 1946 with a bachelor of science degree, so he was above average in aptitude. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In my view, fateful circumstances overshadowed his time in the White House. Jimmy Carters accomplishments will be remembered. - James A. Marples, Longview After several terrifying incidents across the country beginning this year, local experts are warning you and your children of uncensored, graphic content on your phones. 14 people were killed on Bourbon Street in New Orleans New Years morning after a terrorist attack. That same day, a cyber truck exploded in front of the Trump Tower in Las Vegas, killing the driver and injuring many nearby. At home in Massachusetts, a woman was violently thrown to the ground in Attleboro Friday after a road rage incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Richard, CEO of Big Fish PR and professor at Emerson College, is an expert in the social media field. Its impossible for any group of humans to monitor this, he told Boston 25 Saturday. Theyre looking to get the most trending viewing video out there to as many eyeballs as possible... This content slips through the cracks and kids do get exposed to it. He continued, Kids want to know what were not telling them Theyre going to dig harder and deeper than others to find this information. Richard said especially for children, some of the most innocent searches can lead to uncensored pictures and videos of these tragic incidents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He explained, Whether its jazz or the New Orleans Saints, they would do a search for this on the internet and they would find it. Thats the problem. Like Richard, Dr. Ellen Braaten, a child psychologist at Mass General Hospital, urged all parents to monitor their childrens phone usage, explore parental setting on social media apps, and have open and honest conversations about what they consume. This can make them quite anxious and quite fearful of the future, she said referencing graphic images and videos. What they learn when they look at these is that the world is unstable. Therefore, they feel unstable. Braaten urged all parents to reach out to a medical professional if they notice behavioral changes in their children because of content online. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) KELOLAND Chief Photographer Kevin Kjergaard made his 28th appearance on CBS Sunday Morning. Police arrest suspect in Sioux Falls shooting Kjergaard was featured on CBS Sunday morning with his beautiful photography of Americas official national bird: the bald eagle. He captured the birds soaring above the Missouri River. Please take a moment to watch Kjergaards work. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Seham Haj dedicated her life to helping others and thats how her family will remember her. On Jan. 1, Haj was rescued from her home after a fire broke out in her kitchen. Three days later, Haj succumbed to her injuries. The South Buffalo resident was only 34 years old. Its very surreal and its like living in a nightmare, said Hajs sister, Fayza Griffin. Who wouldve thought that two hours after I called her, shes in a fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Griffin described Haj as the light in every room she walked into. She said she had an upbeat personality that grabbed the attention of everyone around her. Haj is leaving behind a 10-year-old daughter, Malyah. Griffin said the mother-daughter duo had a bond like no other. She made sure Malyah had everything and more, said Griffin. That girl was well taken care of. Griffin says her sister was always giving back in any way she could. Haj worked at BestSelf as a team leader in the homeless services program. She was given the Unsung Hero Award from the Homeless Alliance of Western New York last month. After learning what happened, her coworkers visited Haj at the hospital to pay respects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I told them her shoes are going to be real tough to fill, said Griffin. They said nobody is going to be able to fill her shoes. The priority for Griffin now is making sure Hajs daughter is taken care of. Griffin says Malyah is still processing what happened, but she will make sure Malyah always remembers the type of person her mother was. Were going to get through it because thats what we do as a family, said Griffin. She has a family that extends far beyond our bloodline. Throughout her life, Haj was dedicated to helping others and even through death, she is giving back. Haj is an organ donor, and her generosity will now live on in those who receive her gift of life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To know her was to love her, said Griffin. She deserves to be recognized in the best way possible. A GoFundMe has been organized with all of the donations going towards Malyah and her future. If youd like to donate, you can do so here. Latest Local News Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. HORSE CAVE, Ky. (FOX 56) A Kentucky State Police (KSP) trooper was injured on Sunday in Hart County on I-65 during a winter storm. Latest central Kentucky weather forecast The Kentucky State Police Department posted on Facebook just before 1 p.m. on Sunday that a trooper had been hit on the highway. He is reportedly being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. In a news release on Sunday, KSP said the trooper had just finished responding to a different crash with his emergency equipment activated when his cruiser was allegedly rear-ended by a car heading north. A KSP vehicle was hit on I-65 during severe winter weather on Sunday. (Kentucky State Police) LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver of the car that reportedly hit the troopers cruiser was cited for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, per state police. This is why we are asking you TO STAY HOME and avoid travel please heed warnings and do NOT travel today, state law enforcement wrote. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. As of 16:00 on Sunday, 5 January, the majority of combat clashes are taking place in Russias Kursk Oblast, where 42 battles have been recorded, 12 of which are ongoing. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 15:09 on 5 January Details: A total of 114 combat clashes have occurred since the start of the day. Shelling from tubed artillery affected the areas of border settlements in Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts, such as Porozok, Karpovychi, Hati, Bila Bereza, Druzhba, Bachivsk, Korenok, Tymofiivka, Starikove, Petrushivka and Pokrovka. Additionally, the Russians conducted an airstrike with three guided aerial bombs on the village of Mala Rybnytsia and used unguided rockets to attack the village of Hremiachka. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Kharkiv front, Russian forces launched an airstrike with unguided rockets near the village of Okhrimivka. On the Kupiansk front, Ukrainian forces are repelling Russian attacks near the village of Zahryzove, with one assault already repelled. On the Lyman front, Russian forces, backed by air support, conducted six offensive and assault actions near the settlements of Nadiia, Tverdokhlibove, Zarichne, Novoserhiivka and Pershotravneve, with four combat clashes still ongoing. On the Siversk front, there was one unsuccessful Russian assault. Ukrainian defenders are repelling an assault on the Kramatorsk front near the city of Chasiv Yar, with two attacks already thwarted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Toretsk front, Ukraines defence forces have repelled three attacks near the settlements of Toretsk, Shcherbynivka and Krymske, with two clashes ongoing. On the Pokrovsk front, since the start of the day, the Russians have made 36 attempts to push Ukrainian defenders from their positions near the settlements of Yelyzavetivka, Vozdvyzhenka, Myroliubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Novyi Trud, Pishchane, Solone, Novovasylivka, Novoyelyzavetivka and Yaseneve. The defence forces are holding their positions, having repelled 15 attacks, while 16 clashes are still ongoing. Russian losses are being confirmed. On the Kurakhove front, Russian troops conducted 18 attacks near the settlements of Slovianka, Petropavlivka, Kurakhove and Dachne, with fighting still ongoing. Ukrainian defenders have repelled six attacks on the Vremivka front near the settlements of Yantarne and Novyi Komar and towards Kostiantynopil, with two of these clashes still continuing. Russian aircraft struck the settlements of Andriivka, Ulakly, Temyrivka and Kostiantynopil with guided aerial bombs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Kursk Oblast, 42 combat clashes have occurred, with 12 of them still ongoing. Background: According to Russian military bloggers, the Armed Forces of Ukraine began offensive actions in Kursk Oblast on the night of 4-5 January. This was also reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council. Andrii Yermak, Head of the Presidents Office, said there was "good news" from Kursk Oblast. Support UP or become our patron! Former Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz is not interested in returning to the role following the departure of the incumbent chancellor, a source within Kurz's entourage told dpa on Sunday. Following Karl Nehammer's announcement that he was resigning as Austrian chancellor and leader of the conservative Austrian People's Party (OVP), party officials had pinned hopes on Kurz's comeback. Senior OVP officials were meeting at the Chancellery in Vienna on Sunday to determine a new party leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to sources close to the party, they are likely looking for someone who, unlike Nehammer, is willing to govern as a junior partner with the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO). Although Kurz led a coalition with the FPO from 2017 to 2019, he would not be available as vice chancellor, the source close to him said, adding that he is currently satisfied with his role as an entrepreneur. Negotiations for a centrist coalition between the OVP, the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) and the liberal NEOS party collapsed on Friday, some three months after parliamentary elections. Since Nehammer subsequently continued to rule out collaboration with FPO leader Herbert Kickl, he announced his resignation on Saturday to pave the way for other options for his party. The FPO emerged as the largest party after the September vote. KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) A Texas-based lab helped Michigan State Police identify remains that were found 45 years ago using data from ancestry tests. On Friday, forensic genealogy company Othram announced that the body found in Van Buren County in July 1979 was that of Robert McDaniel, who was born in Trenton, New Jersey. Remains found in Southwest Michigan decades ago are those of New Jersey man When his remains were first discovered, police in Covert Township were investigating complaints of garbage being dumped at a dead end on 30th Avenue near I-196. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Retired Covert Township Police Chief Rick Winans previously told News 8 he was a sergeant at the time when he found the body, along with the then-police chief. We found the body inside the canvas. They had put the tires on top of him. They set it on fire, he said. It was charred, it was completely charred. You can tell it was a skeleton. Clues were limited, as only a Timex watch, a gold chain and a medallion inscribed in Spanish with the words Our Lady of Guadalupe pray for us were found with the body. DNA TESTING SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON THE CASE At the time, the technology available to detectives was limited. DNA technology and forensics had not even been developed. It wasnt until the late 80s and early 90s that DNA technology came to the forefront in forensics, said Colby Lasyone, chief of staff at Othram. And that DNA technology known as STR testing allows for the development of a very limited, if you will, DNA profile that has about 20 DNA markers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said in 2022, MSP provided case information and skeletal remains. Then the lab got to work extracting DNA. When youre working with skeletal evidence, as in this case, many times the DNA will be damaged or degraded or available in low concentration or quantity, and that can be a limiting factor for the development of a DNA profile, he said. Game-changer: Genealogy helps police crack cold cases Lasyone said Othrams forensics-grade genome sequencing can overcome those challenges. It then creates hundreds of thousands of DNA markers to develop an ultra-sensitive profile of the DNA. That is uploaded to a genealogical database filled with ancestry test data that people have allowed police to use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you are building a DNA profile, it needs to be built in a such a way that there are enough DNA markers or data points in the DNA so that when you do the genealogical research, you can find enough relatives that you can have actionable information, he said. That actionable information turns into leads law enforcement can follow up on. FINDING THE VICTIMS FAMILY McDaniels daughter was tracked down through the process, Winans said in a phone call with News 8 Saturday morning. He said investigators have learned that McDaniel was a truck driver and traveled around the United States. He said the update can also bring closure to the family after all these years. There are challenges that remain. Winans said the lack of initial evidence in the case and the amount of time that has passed are obstacles for investigators. State police said they plan to discuss the case further sometime next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. California lawmakers, by and large, are a labor-friendly bunch and, as in past years, they passed a host of new workplace protections that took effect when the new year struck. Instead of breaking new ground, many of the changes represent expansions of existing protections, such as family leave and enforcement of workplace anti-discrimination laws. And, while state legislatures typically produce fewer pieces of major legislation in years with big, national elections, Chelsea Mesa, an employment attorney with firm Seyfarth Shaw, said she expects legislative activity on the labor front to pick up speed in the coming months. "Its going to be a very busy year," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what to know about new laws on the books. 'Captive audience meetings' A new law makes it illegal to penalize an employee who refuses to attend a meeting at which their employer discusses its opinion about religious or political matters, including whether to join a union. Unions have long held that these captive audience meetings serve to intimidate employees and hinder organizing efforts. But the law, Senate Bill 399, faces a legal challenge from business groups. The California Chamber of Commerce and the California Restaurant Assn. contend in a recently filed lawsuit that it violates companies rights to free speech and equal protection under the 1st and 14th amendments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suit asks the courts to block the law from going into effect. Business groups successfully challenged a similar Wisconsin law in 2010 but attempts to overturn Oregons law have been dismissed. Digital likeness of performers Unions backed a slew of artificial intelligence-related legislation, aiming to place safeguards around the rapidly evolving technology, with limited success. One big win was Assembly Bill 2602, which aims to protect actors and other performers by making it illegal for artificial intelligence to replicate their voice or likeness without permission. Under the law, backed by performers union SAG-AFTRA, employers would not be allowed to use an AI version of a performers voice or likeness if that usage replaces work that the performer could have done in person. And it requires that workers be represented by their union or legal counsel in deals involving their AI-generated likenesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another law sponsored by SAG-AFTRA, AB 1836, aims to prevent dead actors' voices from being exploited by requiring a $10,000 fine for using their voice without consent from their estate. Paid family leave Workers taking leave to care for a new baby or for a sick family member will see a boost in benefits under Senate Bill 951, which passed in 2022. Under the law, workers with incomes of less than $63,000 a year will now be eligible to receive 90% of their pay when taking leave. It's a bump up from the previous 70% of pay these lower-paid workers were eligible for. Workers earning higher than the $63,000 threshold will receive 70% of their pay. Farmworker sick leave Senate Bill 1105 allows California farmworkers to use sick time when environmental conditions prove too hazardous for work to be done safely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This law is critical as we adapt our policies to the impacts of climate change, state Sen. Steve Padilla (D-Chula Vista), who was author of the law, said in a statement. Freelance work The Freelance Worker Protection Act requires that businesses hiring freelancers provide written contracts for services that pay the worker more than $250. The law requires timely payments, on the date specified in the contract, or within 30 days of service completion if no specific date is set. The law gives freelancers greater ability to enforce their rights if rules are not complied with. For example, a freelancer could sue and be awarded $1,000 if the employer refused to provide a written contract, as well as damages up to twice the amount that remained unpaid when payment was due. Workplace discrimination In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1137 into law, which clarifies that discrimination can happen based on a combination of protected characteristics. This layered approach to understanding discrimination is called "intersectionality" and it's a policy change employers will need to take note of in their written policies, said Mesa, the employment attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mesa said, however, that its a concept that many companies already understand in theory. "My hope is that this doesn't represent a dramatic change, she said. Another law, Senate Bill 1340, opened up the capacity for cities to enforce workplace discrimination laws on their own that previously was the domain of state agencies like the California Civil Rights Department. Giving local agencies a chance to play a more active role in handling discrimination complaints could potentially result in quicker responses and remedies for workers. The Civil Rights Department in the city of Los Angeles, for example, is gearing up to take on such cases. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Lake-effect snow is expected to blanket communities along Lake Michigan Sunday night into Monday morning, with up to four or six inches possible in Racine and Kenosha. Downtown Milwaukee could get an inch or two of snow because of its proximity to the lake, potentially creating headaches for Monday morning commuters. Snow is expected to begin after 6 p.m. Sunday. "The accumulations you see, we're a lot more confident on what's going to happen on the eastern edge of the counties than on the western edge," National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Sheppard said. Increasing confidence in accumulating snow for eastern parts of Milwaukee/Racine/Kenosha counties. Still some uncertainties with the location/duration of the band and thus amounts. Cannot rule out a higher end event for impacted areas. Morning commute likely to be impacted. #wiwx pic.twitter.com/3QY6He6udG NWS Milwaukee (@NWSMilwaukee) January 5, 2025 Counties in northeastern Wisconsin could also get smaller amounts of snow, between a half-inch and two inches. Higher amounts are possible right along the lake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That broad range accounts for the fact that some areas might not experience the snow band at all, explained Phil Kurimski, meteorologist at the NWS' Green Bay office. "Whoever gets in the band will see heavier totals," he said. Part of forecasting snowfall is computing a snow-to-liquid ratio, or how much water the snow is equivalent to. Milwaukee typically sees a 14-to-1 ratio, but tomorrow's snow could be up to 20-to-1, Sheppard said. "The reason why lake-effect snow tends to produce some of those larger accumulations is it tends to have a higher ratio, meaning that snow is lighter and fluffier and occupies more space," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Hearing a lot about 'lake-effect' snowstorms in the East? They can happen here too. Sheppard said it's important to drive carefully in these conditions, including leaving plenty of space between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. If your community sees higher than expected accumulations, it could be a good idea to avoid commuting and work remotely if you have that option, he said. "Once you travel west, out of that lake-effect zone, you find yourself in no trouble at all," Sheppard said. Temperatures will remain chilly in Wisconsin this week, around the mid-20s, with gusty winds that could make it feel colder. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee, Wisconsin weather: Lake-effect snow may hit Monday commute BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Officials are discussing the emergency demolition of Mulligans Brick Bar on Allen Street after a large fire broke out early Sunday morning, causing an estimated total of $2.1 million in damage, city officials said. According to police, an officer noticed smoke coming from the three-story brick building just before 4 a.m. and fire crews were dispatched to the area. They entered through the first floor front and they were confronted with heavy smoke, heavy heat conditions, said Buffalo Fire Department Commissioner William Renaldo. They made their initial push, but after a few minutes it was determined that it was too dangerous to be in there and there was a significant amount of fire in the rear of the building, which they couldnt reach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire started on the first floor and quickly spread throughout the whole building, officials said. https://twitter.com/tongec2018/status/1875836666960924779 Acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon said in a post on social media just before 9 a.m. that the fire was under control and there were no injuries. No one was in the building at the time of the fire, he said, and there are no private residences in the building. An estimated $1.5 million in damage was done to the buildings structure and $600,000 to its contents. Just before 10:30 a.m., crews were still hosing the building down with water. Daylight reveals the destruction of another Allentown icon Mulligans Brick Bar. Flames devoured the building early this morning. Were told no one was injured. Well carry a news conference from city leaders at 11 a.m. on https://t.co/POFgoQ2Txu. @news4buffalo pic.twitter.com/z3uFQ2mY0Q Patrick Ryan (@patryanreports) January 5, 2025 Both Scanlon and Renaldo said there is currently no reason to suspect that the fire was caused by arson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allen Street from Wadsworth Street to Elmwood Avenue is closed until further notice. Officials are asking the public to avoid the area for investigative purposes and safety. With the whole roof caving in, the building was described as very unstable. Mulligans Brick Bar, located at 229 Allen St., is next to the former site of The Old Pink, which was destroyed in a fire back in June. That fire caused an estimated $1.25 million in damages, resulting in its demolition. 40-year-old John W. Burns of Buffalo was arrested and charged with setting fire to The Old Pink in September. When asked if officials are looking into residents now associating Burns with the Mulligans fire, police said Buffalo fire is still investigating and there is currently no connection between the two. Buffalo Common Council Member Mitch Nowakowski, who represents the Allentown district, called Sunday an incredibly sad day and spoke about the bars cultural significance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These structures like the Brick Bar, and The Pink, and Nietzsches, and this block of Allen Street are establishments that always stay the same even though the world changed, he said. Memories that people have at the Brick Bar are elements of what make you a Buffalonian because of its iconic nature and the history that it has on all of our hearts and our experiences here in the City of Buffalo and in Allentown. Executive Director of the Buffalo History Museum Melissa Brown is working with an architecture professor at the University at Buffalo to try and save artifacts from the building. The Allentown Association released a statement Sunday afternoon calling for the preservation or partial preservation of Mulligans. The association said the building, which has been around since 1897, served as a place for residents to gather since after Prohibition. Patty MacDonald, the associations president, and Executive Director of Preservation Buffalo Niagara Bernice Radle specifically called for the buildings facade to be saved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We ask the City of Buffalo to consider hiring a preservation-focused engineer to look at this building and see what can be done, Radle said in the statement. Like Cobblestone, which was stabilized by the City of Buffalo earlier this year, Mulligans Brick Bar is a critical building within the Allentown Historic District. The cause of the fire remains under investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Watch city officials full press conference on the fire above. Latest Local News Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The City of Las Cruces is encouraging residents to help clean up their neighborhoods with a special event next week. The Parks and Recreation Departments Keep Las Cruces Beautiful Program will host a Neighborhood Dumpster Day from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 11. KLCB will provide open-top trash containers for the community to dump yard waste, household trash, and other permittable items for free. KLCB staff will be available to provide support, program information, and guide users regarding the items requested to be tossed into the containers, according to a news release sent out by the City of Las Cruces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dumpsters will be at the following locations: East Mesa Recreation Center, 5589 Porter Dr. Young Park, 850 S. Walnut St. Intersection of Motel Boulevard and Westway Avenue, 674 N. Motel Blvd. Items that will not be accepted: Medical waste (per section 20.9.8.8 NMAC of the New Mexico Environmental Protection regulations) Hot ashes/coals Tires or any vehicle parts (including car batteries) Fluorescent light bulbs Large yard waste items (stumps or trunks) Concrete, bricks, and/or rocks Toxic, combustible, or hazardous materials Toilets/sinks Refrigerators (anything with refrigerant) Animal carcasses Locations of trash bins will be monitored. Residents must unload their own items. For information, contact the Keep Las Cruces Beautiful Program at (575) 528-4506 or email KLCB@lascruces.gov. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Weather forecast models are showing an increasing likelihood of snow or ice in North Texas on Thursday and Friday. While the forecast remains in flux, National Weather Service meteorologists in Fort Worth say models are leaning toward a rain/snow mix over much of North and Central Texas starting Thursday morning and continuing into Friday. Meanwhile, North Texans awoke Sunday to a ferocious blast of Arctic air with gusty winds to 40 mph. Sunday night and Monday morning will see lows in the 20s or teens, a frigid pattern that will continue all week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres the latest on what you should know ahead of this weeks winter blast. A thin layer of snow coats building and roads in downtown Fort Worth on Monday, January 15, 2024. What are the chances of snow in Fort Worth? As of Sunday, the National Weather Service said there is now a 60-70% chance that our entire forecast area observes at least measurable snowfall. A shift of a few degrees by Thursday could diminish the chances of snow in Fort Worth. Again, the forecast at this moment does favor wintry precipitation over North and Central Texas and potentially some larger snowfall accumulations in the Thursday-Friday time frame, the weather service said. In the next couple of days, we will start to get some help from additional medium-range model guidance and hopefully we can obtain a clearer vision on how this event will unfold. How much snow could Fort Worth and North Texas get? Heavier snow of 2 to 3 inches could blanket the Interstate 20 and Interstate 30 corridors, the weather service said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that will depend on the track of an upper-level low moving into West Texas around Wednesday. As you all know, most Texas winter weather events are a game of just a few degrees and radically different outcomes can occur with just slightly colder or slightly warmer temperatures, the weather service said. This event will be no different. How cold will it be in North Texas this week? The front that moved into North Texas on Sunday morning will bring the coldest air so far this season during the next few nights, starting Sunday night. Overnight lows will drop into the teens and lower 20s. Wind chills will drop into the single digits and low teens Sunday night. The National Weather Service issued a cold weather advisory for Sunday night into Monday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mondays highs in Fort Worth will be in the 30s or lower 40s with winds of 10 to 15 mph. Tuesday night and Wednesday night could be in the teens along the Red River with highs in the mid-30s to mid-40s. It is becoming increasingly likely that a few locations north of I-20 and across the Big Country will struggle to get above freezing on Wednesday, the weather service warns. This could put further strain on any vulnerable and unprotected pipes, so prepare accordingly! Will Fort Worth schools close for cold, snow or ice? No announcement has been made by Fort Worth ISD as schools prepare to reopen Tuesday after the Christmas break. After a light snowfall and arctic blast on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend last year, many North Texas school districts closed and cited frigid temperatures. A thin layer of snow coats the Water Gardens and Commerce Street in downtown Fort Worth on Monday, January 15, 2024. Fort Worth schools usually start to consider delays or cancellations at least 24 hours in advance of winter weather. Announcements of schedule changes come no later than 5 a.m. on that day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more about how Fort Worth schools handle winter weather here. Vehicles drive on a snowy Interstate 30 and its ramps on Tuesday, January 31, 2022. The winter storm warning is extended through 6 a.m. Thursday and freezing rain is expected most of Tuesday and Wednesday, officials said. Are North Texas highways prepared for ice? If you drove around this weekend, you may have noticed that major highways have been treated, including Interstate 35W and North Texas toll roads. Texas Department of Transportation said crews applied brine on roads, bridges and overpasses Friday ahead of the freezing temperatures. How to prepare your home for the cold As the Arctic air makes its way in to the DFW area, so do the chances of burst pipes and frozen water lines. The City of Fort Worths water department recommends insulating your outdoor pipes and disconnecting hoses from outdoor faucets. The Texas Department of State Health Services also recommends keeping a supply kit for any kind of natural disaster. What are ERCOT, Oncor saying about the power supply? Teams have been deployed to assist with downed lines caused by high winds in the area Sunday, officials with Oncor Electric Delivery said on Facebook Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wind speeds could reach up to 30 miles per hour, with gusts up to 40 miles per hour, according to officials with the Fort Worth office of the National Weather Service. If you see a downed line, leave the area and call 911 immediately, Oncor officials said. There is enough power available to meet demand as of Sunday afternoon, according to online data from ERCOT, the states electric grid operator. ERCOT officials could not immediately be reached for comment Sunday afternoon. Where are warming stations in Tarrant County? Charities, churches and city facilities have opened warming centers around the county as temperatures continue to plummet Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tarrant County Salvation Army is operating an overnight warming station in Arlington at its Arlington Corps Community Center, located at 712 W. Abram Street. In Fort Worth, the Salvation Armys J.E. and L.E. Mabee Social Service Center will also serve as an overnight warming station. That center is located at 1855 E. Lancaster Avenue in Fort Worth. Emergency shelters in the city of Fort Worth are prepared to serve individuals and families in the cold, officials said. This story is developing and will be updated. Laurel: Trinity Weimer, a St. Francis University student, received a guitar for Christmas, donated by the Luke Patton Memorial Foundation to Bo Moores group introductory guitar class. The Somerset County native said she was honestly over the moon at receiving the gift and the generosity of the Pattons. The instrument, a Fender acoustic- electric guitar, was gifted to the Luke Patton Memorial Foundation by Russ and Mary Lauf, who support the nonprofit. Leah Patton, whose son the foundation is named for, said she and her husband, Nick, knew they wanted to use the guitar to continue their sons love of music. When they learned of Moores class, they knew that was the conduit for their mission, Leah Patton said. Laurel: A group of Penn Cambria Pre-Primary School students was one of four winners in the Keystone Education Showcase Furniture Giveaway. The contest was sponsored by McCartneys Workplace Solutions, of Altoona. The winners were selected based on their compelling narratives, innovative ideas and the potential impact of the new furniture on their school environments, a release said. Heidi Salemes Penn Cambria kindergarten class, will get a vignette designed to enhance its learning spaces. Laurel: Bishop McCort Catholic Academy and Chestnut Ridge High School wrestlers won gold at the Powerade Wrestling Tournament. The winners are Jax Forrest, Bo Bassett and Melvin Miller, all of Bishop McCort Catholic, and Violette Lasure and Juliet Alt, both of Chestnut Ridge. In the junior varsity bracket, Bishop McCort Catholics Marquez Gordon, Emory Gunby and Jayden OFarrill each won titles. Chestnut Ridges Garrett Weyandt also won gold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laurel: Conemaugh Health System held its annual public meeting at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, which has the highest level of accreditation possibel for a trauma center. Rodney Reider, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center CEO and Conemaugh Health System market president, presented updates on financial health, staffing, infrastructure improvements and new programs. Conemaughs nursing program had 33 graduates in 2024, and a majority, 31, accepted jobs within Conemaugh Health System. Emergency room wait times have been reduced to four minutes for triage and 23 minutes to see a provider, he said. The hospital has invested in facilities by renovating the emergency room and patient care units and adding more robotic equipment. Several physicians have also accepted positions within the system after completing residencies in the past year. The hospital has also recruited physicians outside it residency program for multiple speciality fields. Barb: The woman who died after being set on fire in a New York subway train last month was a 57-year-old from New Jersey, police announced. Prosecutors said the victim was asleep on a subway train that was stopped at a station in Brooklyns Coney Island when her clothes were set ablaze by a stranger, Sebastian Zapeta. Zapeta, 33 allegedly fanned the flames with a shirt, engulfing her in the blaze, before sitting on a platform bench and watching as she burned. Zapeta has been indicted on murder and arson charges. Laurel: The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, which encompasses 87 parishes in eight counties, held its Jubilee kick-off Mass Sunday at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona. Bishop Mark Bartchak described the Jubilee as a time to focus on what binds us together, rather than what separates us. Jubliees, which the church began holding in 1300, take place only every 25 years. The Altoona- Johnstown Diocese has events planned through-out the year. More than 200 people have already contributed artworks, photos or poems to the dioceses Expressions of Hope project. At least 13 people were killed and 28 injured after a bus filled with tourists plummeted down a 160-foot gorge in Colombia. Maria Constanza Garcia Alicastro, Colombia's minister of transport, shared details of the tragedy on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Jan. 3. She wrote that the accident occurred in the municipality of Tangua on the road that connects Pasto with Ipiales in the early morning hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, the authorities have reported 13 people dead, 28 injured and 1 unharmed, she continued, adding, My deepest condolences to the families affected by this tragedy and I express my full solidarity on behalf of the national government in these difficult times." Related: 8 Cancer Doctors, 2 Kids and a Lawyer: What We Know About Victims of Brazil Plane Crash That Killed 61 Local Spanish-language news outlet NTN24 reported that the bus was carrying 42 passengers and was driving along a stretch of road with complicated curves when the accident occurred. The outlet additionally noted that victims were rushed to hospitals in Tangua, Ipiales and the city of Pasto. 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. It is currently unclear if any children were onboard. The Tolombian Traffic Police are still investigating the identities of those involved in the crash, per NTN24. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: 21 People Dead After Apocalyptic Tourist Bus Crash in Italy According to The Sun, authorities currently believe the crash may have been caused by mechanical failure. The bus was headed to the pilgrimage site Santuario de las Lajas, which is a tourist destination located about four miles from the Ecuadorian border, according to NTN24. Read the original article on People The Justice Departments prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack hailed as one of the largest, most complex, and most resource-intensive investigations in its history could soon go out with a fizzle. President-elect Trump has vowed to grant clemency to those who descended on the Capitol as Congress certified the 2020 election win of his Democratic opponent, President Biden, describing them on the campaign trail as political prisoners and suggesting some pardons could be issued within hours of his return to the White House. A sputtering end to the historic probe poses questions about its enduring legacy and the aftershock effect on prosecutors, judges and defendants alike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That legacy will be determined by what President-elect Trump does about these pardons, said Rizwan Qureshi, a former federal prosecutor with the U.S. attorneys office for the District of Columbia. Nearly 1,600 people accused of participating in the riot have faced charges, with more than half of them pleading guilty before trial and hundreds more being convicted by a jury or judge. Their charges were underpinned by tens of thousands of hours of video and photo evidence. To prosecute the attack, the Department of Justice (DOJ) fully mobilized. Prosecutors from around the country were recruited to help D.C. prosecutors handle the massive caseload, requiring unprecedented coordination between different federal agencies and within D.C.s broad U.S. attorneys office itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By some accounts, it was the largest crime scene in American history, said Alexis Loeb, a former deputy chief of DOJs Capitol siege section who joined the effort from the Northern District of California. Simply organizing that evidence was a novel challenge, and of course, we were also dealing with an unprecedented attack on the Capitol, so that ended up raising all sorts of novel statutory questions. The manpower needed to review thousands of hours of video, zero in on suspects and determine appropriate charges before taking hundreds of defendants to trial was incredible, said Barbara McQuade, former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. In some ways, it was a 1,600-man manhunt, and they systematically were able to identify and prosecute a large number of people in a fairly short period of time, she said. Its unclear how many defendants Trump plans to grant clemency. The president-elect has said there could be some exceptions to his pardons but has also not yet publicly ruled any out including for more serious offenders who assaulted police or plotted to stop the 2020 election certification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sweeping pardons would likely have a significant impact on morale among federal prosecutors for whom prosecuting the Capitol riot has been an around-the-clock effort since that day, Qureshi said. It might also make it more challenging to bring cases involving political violence in the future, especially if prosecutors fear retaliation, he said. Trumps pick for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi, has said the prosecutors will be prosecuted and the investigators will be investigated. Prosecutors are going to be, for lack of a better term, more gun-shy about exercising the power of the law to hold people accountable, the former prosecutor said, suggesting that would-be prosecutors with diverse backgrounds might select the private sector over the Justice Department. Theyre not going to do a job that pays less, where they put all their efforts into it, and they could find themselves on the other side of the V in a criminal matter, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Jan. 6, those hundreds of cases have landed before judges on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They have uniformly condemned the riot, with many speaking out since Trumps election about the true nature of the attack. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, a Reagan appointee, wrote in court filings last month that he has nothing to say about Trumps promised pardons but that the judges who have presided over hundreds of trials and read hundreds of guilty pleas know that the conduct that day ranged from aimless wandering to efforts to derail the onward march of American democracy. No matter what ultimately becomes of the Capital Riots cases already concluded and still pending, the true story of what happened on January 6, 2021, will never change, Lamberth wrote. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who oversaw the seditious conspiracy trials of members of the right-wing militia group Oath Keepers, said at a sentencing that the prospect of the groups founder, Stewart Rhodes, being pardoned ought to be frightening to anyone who cares about democracy in this country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Jan. 6 defendants have been emboldened by Trumps election victory, pushing back at judges and taking risks they might otherwise not have if the former president were not set to return to the White House later this month. Already some of them are coming in saying, Put off my sentence, dont sentence me, because Trumps going to pardon me, said Mary McCord, former acting head of the Justice Departments National Security Division and a longtime federal prosecutor. And theyre not expressing remorse. Theyre saying, Im about to get a free pass. Many rioters have asked for delays in their trials or sentencings, citing future pardons, which judges have largely denied. Others have asked for permission to enter Washington to attend Trumps inauguration; only one such request has so far been granted, for a misdemeanor defendant. Some defendants have adopted confrontational postures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guy Reffitt, the first Jan. 6 rioter to face trial, defiantly told a judge during his resentencing last month that his feelings about Jan. 6 were alleviated by Trumps election win. As he walked out of the courtroom to be returned to prison, a different rioter, Brandon Fellows, called out: Guy, youll be out soon, according to Politico. Enrique Tarrio, ex-national chair of the Proud Boys, decided to testify in defense of a retired police officer accused of leaking law enforcement intelligence to the right-wing extremist group leader but only after Trumps victory. He gave combative testimony. In handing down Capitol riot sentences, judges have explicitly pointed to the need for deterrence and to prevent the normalization of political violence. Thats especially true for members of extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, whose leaders were convicted of seditious conspiracy and given some of the longest sentences resulting from the riot, said Jacob Glick, former investigative counsel for the House committee that investigated the Capitol attack. Glick led the panels probe of far-right domestic extremism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I was interviewing them, they made very clear that they felt welcomed to march on the Capitol that day, and they felt like its not just their obligation, but their calling, Glick said. And so, to be pardoned, would I think cause many people to double down on that belief. Even if Trump issues vast pardons, the evidence that underpinned those cases and convictions will remain. The Justice Department wrote in recent court filings that accepting any pardon necessitates a confession of guilt. No matter what happens ultimately with the convictions, the public filings in the cases are extremely comprehensive, Loeb said. I think the filings create a detailed record of the truth about what happened that day. Those filings will still be there, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. To the editor: If the U.S. Constitution gives the right to vote to every citizen over 18 years of age, then states need to guarantee that every citizen can exercise that right. That means they must ensure that every citizen can obtain documents required to prove they have the right to vote. ("Kansas once required voters to prove citizenship. That didnt work out so well," Dec. 29) Obtaining birth certificates or naturalization papers and the cost to travel to obtain these documents must not be a barrier. It is the states responsibility to guarantee that this process works every time. Otherwise, we simply have Jim Crow laws of a new color. The states must also provide an appeals process for immediate resolution when documents are deemed unacceptable. Preventing citizens from voting is clearly a bigger problem than noncitizens registering to vote. Marvin Gordon, Laguna Beach This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. To the editor: Some 24 years ago, a dear friend had an upcoming 80th birthday. This friend, Don Richardson, was instrumental in establishing the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. I wrote to former President Jimmy Carter, as my friend had worked closely with First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who was so involved in mental health issues. I asked Carter if he might send an 80th birthday greeting to my friend, never expecting a reply. ("Jimmy Carter had a second term. It just wasn't in the White House," Opinion, Dec. 29) Within days, the most beautiful tribute arrived. That the former president found time and sent the letter to my friend will always resonate with me for his kindness and caring. He simply acknowledged one man and brought great happiness to him. The work that the Carters did since leaving the White House was a remarkable tribute to this humble couple. They made a difference in so many lives, individually and globally. May we all be so inspired to follow their path. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alice Lynn, Pacific Palisades .. To the editor: All the positive assessments of Carter bypass or casually dismiss a critical point. By worldwide agreement, a country's embassy is on the sovereign land of that country. Any attack on an embassy is an attack on that country's land. When the Iranians attacked and took over the U.S. embassy in Tehran 45 years ago, Carter cowered. He should have instead told Iran: "You have attacked American soil, an act of war. Get the hell out in 24 hours or we will retaliate by attacking Iran. Carter's weakness was an unforgivable act, no matter how it was papered over by his peace-loving statements. Apparently, the American people didnt forgive him either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Would Iran have relented? Would it have killed the hostages? We'll never know, but what Carter did was reprehensible and un-presidential. But in his post-presidency, much to his credit, he accomplished many worthwhile things. Its important to remember all of that good stuff, but we must also not forget his failures. Jack Salem, Los Angeles .. Carter put decency ahead of politics, which he showed not only in the years after he left the White House, but also during his four-year tenure as commander in chief. During the Iranian hostage crisis, Carter showed considerable restraint. A more bellicose president might have decided to invade Iran, become extremely popular and easily win reelection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carter chose caution, giving the impression of being weak, and yet he safely brought home all 52 hostages. Not to be forgotten of course is his success in bringing about the historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. His activities as a former president are an example and could serve as a model which, sadly, other living former presidents make no attempt to emulate. Domenico Maceri, San Luis Obispo .. To the editor: In all of the recent writings about Carter and his "failed bid for a second term," I sense a connection, the through line between Carter's loss in 1980 and President-elect Donald Trump's second win in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I thought those who rejected Carter and went for Ronald Reagan voted for show, not substance. Our electorate was then and is now increasingly impatient and unable to see value taking the long view. In winning four years ago, President Biden was the boy with his finger in the dyke, holding back a flood of anger and willfulness only briefly. Is there anything but chaos in the "promise" of his successor? What comes next? Lynne Culp, Van Nuys This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A Midlands man was killed after the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a New Years Day crash with a deer, according to the Berkeley County Coroners Office. Kevin Douglas, a 53-year-old Lexington resident, is the man who died in what Coroner Darnell Hartwell called an accident. The collision happened Jan. 1 on a stretch of Highway 35 running through St. Stephen, Hartwell said in a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At about 6 p.m., Douglas was driving a 2006 Suzuki motorcycle on Highway 35 when it collided with a deer, according to the release. Douglas was ejected from the motorcycle and taken to an area hospital, where he died, the coroners office said. No other injuries were reported. Information about the deers condition was not available. There was no word if Douglas was wearing a helmet, but the crash continues to be investigated by the coroners office and the South Carolina Highway Patrol. Berkeley County EMS, the Berkeley County Sheriffs Office and North Berkeley Fire and Rescue responded to the wreck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through Dec. 29, at least 948 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2024, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,030 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported. At least 33 people died in Berkeley County crashes in 2024, according to DPS data. Another driver who was involved in a Berkeley County crash in late December died during the first week of January, officials said. Carolyn Odle, an 84-year-old Goose Creek resident, died Jan. 4 at a Lowcountry hospital from the injuries she suffered in a Dec. 22 collision, the coroners office said. That collision continues to be investigated by the coroners office and the Highway Patrol. Andrii Besedin, Head of Kupiansk City Military Administration, has said that the line of contact is only two kilometres from the city. The Russians are actively bombarding the territory of the hromada, which is complicating the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.]. Source: Besedin during the national joint 24/7 newscast Details: Besedin said the situation in the Kupiansk hromada in Kharkiv Oblast remains critical. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The enemy is close. The line of contact is two kilometres from the city of Kupiansk. The bombardment with all types of weapons available to the enemy continues unabated: mortars, artillery, multiple-launch rocket systems of various types, guided aerial bombs and FPV drones, which the enemy uses in large numbers, hitting logistics routes and central supply routes, preventing, in particular, the delivery of humanitarian aid and free movement of the civilian population." : DeepState Kupiansk. The territories in green are controlled by Ukraine; those in red are occupied by Russia. Map: DeepState Details: Besedin says that the situation on the left (east) bank of the Kupiansk hromada has been critical for more than three months. Over 900 people, primarily elderly residents, remain there under challenging conditions and are refusing to evacuate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The number of people who remain is stable. A small number of people are leaving, especially from the left bank of the Kupiansk hromada, where the situation is critical. It has been critical for more than three months. There is no electricity, gas, or water supply, and there are no social services, shops, pharmacies, or hospitals. More than 900 residents, mostly elderly people, are staying there and refusing to leave, despite the inhumane conditions." Background: On 23 December, the Russians attempted to expand their bridgehead on the left bank of the Oskil River (Kupiansk front). A battalion of Achilles unmanned aerial vehicle strike systems and the guards of the 1st Presidential Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine Burevii (Storm) and 205 Battalion of the 241st Brigade of the Special Forces stopped 12 Russian armoured vehicles. One armoured personnel carrier and two tanks were destroyed. Eight armoured personnel carriers and one tank were damaged. Eighteen Russian soldiers were killed and six were wounded. On 20 December, the Russians attempted to storm the outskirts of Kupiansk. Ukrainian defence forces repelled the attack and set fire to the Russians equipment. The Achilles Battalions crew destroyed three infantry fighting vehicles and a tank, and another infantry fighting vehicle was damaged. The Achilles Battalion of the 92nd Separate Air Assault Brigade together with the 116th Mechanised Brigade, the 114th Territorial Defence Forces Brigade and the 1st Burevii Brigade participated in repelling the attack. On 11 December, the Achilles strike UAV battalion, alongside troops from Ukraine's 1st Presidential Brigade Burevii and the 77th Airmobile Brigade, successfully repelled a Russian mechanised offensive on the Kupiansk front in Kharkiv Oblast. The Ukrainian forces destroyed one tank, three infantry fighting vehicles, and three MT-LB armoured personnel carriers during the confrontation. Anton Shmahailo, Commander of the 1st Strike Company of the Achilles Battalion of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade, suggested that the Russian forces had been given a deadline to achieve specific objectives in the area, likely to capture Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi before the New Year. Support UP or become our patron! NILES, Ohio (WKBN) A local gym celebrated five years of operation on Saturday. ONYX GYMS had a whole day of celebration at the Eastwood Complex in Niles. People gathered to enjoy an open bar with a DJ. During this time of year, many people make their New Years resolutions about getting healthier. First News talked to the gyms owner Emil Gamidov about what people need to know if theyre looking to get in shape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stay consistent and make sure you have a goal. If you have a goal and have a plan, its usually hard to fail, as they usually say. Find a place, find a community, find an environment that can support you where you feel at home, Gamidov said. The event also offered a chance to win prizes and meet local vendors. Wilson Corbisello contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. EAST PALESTINE, Ohio A local market has finally made its move into an indoor location, providing an opportunity to sell produce during the winter months. Wards Market in East Palestine has opened its indoor space right next to the outdoor space. Not only can the business sell fresh produce until the weather gets warmer, it also has a wider selection. Customers can also buy soaps, candy and other items, all made by vendors that are local to the area. Inside are dedications to Wards grandparents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yeah, very excited. A little nervous, but yes, excited, said Craig Ward. We brought back the candy his grandma was famous for the penny candy. Unfortunately due to licensures, its in boxes, but still, its a great way to remember her, said Danielle Ward. The indoor market will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. POLAND, Ohio (WKBN) Some parts of the Valley were hit with almost 9 inches of snow this weekend, and residents were busy shoveling and plowing. Some snow plow companies were jam-packed, including Freedom Snow Plowing in Poland. David Melidona and Paul Gavin run the company as a part-time gig. Theyve been responding to calls to remove snow since the storms started, helping commercial and residential properties in the Valley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I mean, when you hear lake effect snow, you never know what its going to do. So, Ive been out since 6 this morning. We intend to be out until we finish our routes. If we get new people or people are calling us all the time. So, were going to be out as long as we can at least, Melidona said. However, they arent collecting all the money. Most of it is donated to charities through Believers Church, and many of those charities support women and families. A lot of the money that we make from this goes to different charities tied to our churches. So, like it helps a lot of people and were not out here making tons of money hand over fist, Melidona said. One homeowner contacted them for that reason. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I thought, What a great cause. Let me donate to them and the church,' said Ivan Bosnjak. I certainly dont enjoy shoveling like most people dont. I mean, Ive been out here, and I do it. But again, its so much easier to have a plow truck. Freedom Snow Plowing is already planning for the additional snow that is expected in the next few days. If its bad, were going to be out all day Sunday, all day Monday into the night, Melidona said. Those interested in Freedom Snow Plowing can reach out to Melidona on Facebook. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) As the focus on career politicians became apparent in national elections last year, Mississippi has its fair share of long-serving political figures. From local government to federal office, some of Mississippis public servants have been in office longer than many Mississippians have been alive. Below are the longest-serving politicians across the state. State Sen. Hob Bryan (Courtesy: Mississippi State Senate) Hob Bryan Position: State Senator, District 7 Itawamba, Lee, and Monroe Counties Started in office: 1984 Party: Democrat The attorney, based in Amory, is the chair of the Mississippi Senates Public Health and Welfare Committee. The lawmaker in power since Ronald Reagan was president is the longest-serving state senator and Democrat currently in the chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryan was instrumental in creating the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) for funding education. In 2024, legislators replaced MAEP, fully funded only twice since the 90s. Bryan voted against the new Mississippi Student Funding Formula, skeptical of the legislatures ability to adhere to the new guidelines. Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler (WJTV) Mary Hawkins Butler Position: Mayor of Madison Started in office: 1981 Party: Republican The local political figure is one of the longest-serving mayors in the United States and the longest-serving mayor in Mississippi. Hawkins Butler became mayor when Madison was only a shell of its current self. As a result, she became responsible for much of its development and current look. She once joked that the only way she would leave office is in a pine box or ballot box, so Butler running for a twelfth and thirteenth term in office is all but guaranteed. FILE Republican Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney addresses a crowd at the Neshoba County Fair in Philadelphia, Miss., July 27, 2022. Chaney faces challenger Mitch Young in the states Aug. 8, 2023, Republican primary. Chaney was elected insurance commissioner in 2007 after serving in the state House and Senate. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) Mike Chaney Position: Commissioner of Insurance and State Fire Marshal Started in office: 2008 Party: Republican Chaney is currently serving his fifth term in office. He previously served in the Mississippi House and Senate for 15 years. Chaney executes all laws related to insurance companies, corporations, associations, fraternal orders, their agents and adjusters. He also investigates all fires called to his attention occurring in the state, licenses manufacturers, installers/transporters and dealers of mobile homes and regulates their practices. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) addresses reporters during a press conference on Monday, January 29, 2024 to discuss the House Republicans plans to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the next mark up of the House Homeland Security Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bennie Thompson Position: U.S. Representative for Mississippis Second Congressional District Started in office: 1993 Party: Democrat The most senior member of the Mississippi Congressional delegation received national attention as chairman of the January 6th Committee. On Thursday, President Joe Biden awarded Thompson with the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian honor given by the commander in chief. The last piece of sponsored legislation by Rep. Thompson that became law was passed in the 116th Congress in January 2020. State Rep. Percy Watson (Courtesy: Mississippi House of Representatives) Percy W. Watson Position: State Representative, District 103 Forrest County Started in office: 1980 Party: Democrat The lawmaker, who began working in the Mississippi Legislature before his 30th birthday, certainly has seen a lot in Mississippi politics. Watson currently serves as vice-chair on the Mississippi House Ethics Committee. He is the longest-serving lawmaker and Democrat currently in the Mississippi House. Jackson State University named a portion of its downtown campus on Capitol Street after the veteran lawmaker in 2015. The Hattiesburg native works as an attorney when the legislature is not in session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. Video note: Despite this articles time stamp, the above video is the latest forecast from The Weather Authority. KENTUCKY (FOX 56) Oncoming winter weather has Kentuckians wondering: Can we expect a repeat of 2009? According to the National Weather Service, that was the last time the Commonwealth saw a major ice storm. It described the Jan. 26, 2009 storm, stating, Life abruptly changed as a growing layer of ice dragged trees and power lines to the ground. Lights and heat went out for days and even weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Latest central Kentucky weather forecast Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storm caused Kentuckys largest power outage, leaving over 600,000 homes and businesses without electricity. Area school districts were closed for an entire week, and property damage was widespread from downed power lines and trees from the weight of an inch of ice or more. There were at least fourteen fatalities either directly or indirectly related to the storm, the National Weather Service said. On Saturday, Gov. Andy Beshear issued a state of emergency ahead of the oncoming winter storm. RELATED | Kentucky under a state of emergency ahead of winter storm: What to know This winter storm will likely cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions on our roads and could cause significant power outages just 24 hours before it gets dangerously cold, Gov. Beshear said. We care about every Kentucky family and those traveling through our great state, and we want to make sure everyone has the information and resources needed to stay safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The approaching winter storm is expected to impact central Kentucky on Sunday into Monday. The FOX 56 Weather Authority expects a mix of all types of winter precipitation across the area, including snow, sleet, and freezing rain (ice). Some of our southern counties could transition to a cold rain. Our team of meteorologists said that mainly snow will fly across northern Kentucky, with snow, sleet, and ice across central and central-eastern regions of the state. Lower snow and ice totals due to warmer air and more rain could be seen across southern Kentucky. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: This is an evolving situation, and changes to the forecast are possible. State officials encourage Kentuckians to be prepared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the latest on what to expect in your area, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Chuck Schumer flatly denied that Democratic Party leadership hid Joe Biden away from voters during the president's abandoned 2024 campaign. In a Sunday visit to NBC's "Meet the Press," Schumer was confronted with his own words about President Biden's health from February. He called the line that a then-81-year-old president was in decline a bit of "right-wing propaganda." "His mental acuity is great," he said in the clip. "Its as good as its been over the years." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That defense came mere months before Biden's disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, a showing so poor that it eventually led to Biden dropping out of the 2024 election. Even with those facts in hand, Schumer was defiant that Democrats did not willingly mislead voters about Biden's health. Host Kristen Welker asked Schumer to defend himself to voters who believed they'd been duped. "Look, we didnt, he said flatly before quickly changing the subject to the record of the Biden administration. Hes had an amazing record. The legislation we passed, one of the most significant groups of legislation since the New Deal." Schumer called Biden a "patriot" and a "great guy" before pushing back against the widely held belief that Biden was pushed out due to public perception of his fitness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When he stepped down, he did it on his own because he thought it was better, not only for the Democratic Party, for America," Schumer said. "We should all salute him." Welker pressed the issue one more time, asking bluntly if Schumer thinks Biden could have served for another four years. Having already used his strongest dodge, Schumer declined to answer. "Im not going to speculate, Schumer said. Watch below via NBC: This article was originally published in Idaho Capital Sun. When Idaho lawmakers consider a policy change affecting public schools a detailed spreadsheet is usually nearby. When it comes to private schools, however, data is scanty. The state doesnt regulate private schooling, so it doesnt collect much information on private schools or their students. This information is in high demand as the Idaho Legislature is preparing to consider proposals that would send taxpayer funds to private school students to help them pay tuition and other expenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is some publicly available data on private schools, and its likely to shape debates about who would benefit from a private school choice program. For instance, Idahos private schools are concentrated in urban areas, while theres just one private school or none in more than half of the states counties. And most private schools are religious, teeing up likely debates over whether the state should fund religious institutions, and if so, how much oversight the state should have. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter How many private school students are in Idaho? Data on private school enrollment is sporadic and collected through voluntary reporting or crowd-sourced information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducts voluntary surveys of private schools most recently during the 2021-22 school year and websites like Private School Review curate data submitted by school administrators and private school parents. The Idaho State Department of Education also maintains a list of private schools. And earlier this year, Bas van Doorn, a researcher for the Idaho State Board of Education, published a brief overview of private school data relying on similar sources. These sources offer more of a sketch than a clear picture of private school enrollment, which shows: Idaho has between 117 and 155 primary and secondary private schools, These schools enroll between 16,843 and 22,271 students, Private school enrollment increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Today, private schoolers represent between 5% and 6% of school-age children. By comparison, 313,160 attended public schools this fall. Idahos public school enrollment has increased every year of the last decade, except for one 2020-21 while growth has slowed over the last year, with several of the largest school districts seeing enrollment dips. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaders in the Boise and Nampa school districts have said aging populations and housing trends are causing their drop-offs, but transfers to private schools likely contributed as well. Nationally, private school enrollment has increased in recent years as public school enrollment has dipped. Education Week reported that the pandemic accelerated this pre-existing trend. Forthcoming bill will target low-income families Lawmakers could consider a full menu of devices that deliver subsidies for private education: Vouchers, education savings accounts (ESAs), tax credits. And they could add restrictions, limiting eligibility based on income or disability, or open it up to anyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho Rep. Wendy Horman last legislative session proposed a tax credit program, and shes preparing to introduce a new version that targets low-income students. The Republican from Idaho Falls previously pitched a refundable tax credit worth $5,000 or $7,500 for special needs students covering private school tuition and other non-public school expenses. House Bill 447 made $40 million in tax credits universally accessible to non-public school students, reserved another $10 million for students from low-income families and capped spending at $50 million. Horman didnt share many details on the new bill, including the total cost, but said it will be more focused on low-income families who need options. A $50 million private school choice program would be a fraction of what the state spends on public schools, which was about $2.7 billion last fiscal year. And Horman noted public school spending has doubled since a decade ago, after a series of investments that she supported. There are still some students for whom the public system doesnt work, she said. Most people are still going to choose the public system, and I will continue my work of supporting the public system, but this is a bill about helping kids who cant afford other opportunities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But lawmakers could lift a spending cap or remove income restrictions in future legislative sessions. Horman, co-chair of the Legislatures budget committee, acknowledged these are possibilities, but she pointed to polling that shows public support for a tax credit available to non-public school families. Its a matter of priorities, she said. Revenues are still looking strong for IdahoTo me, its impossible to put a price tag on the value of a child being successful in getting an education that works best for them. Rod Gramer is the former CEO of Idaho Business for Education and one of the states most vocal opponents of private school tuition subsidies. After studying similar programs in other states, he estimates that a universal program in Idaho could cost up to $300 million, and universal eligibility is likely the goal of advocacy groups and lobbyists pushing for private school choice in Idaho. Theyll just keep hammering until they get universal vouchers with no sideboards, no income limit, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gramer pointed to Arizona, where lawmakers lifted all restrictions on ESAs in 2022. The universal program has been popular but costly amid a budget deficit spurred by tax cuts. EdNews reported last week that the state is spending $800 million on the ESAs, well beyond initial projections, and theyre expected to reach $912 million next year. Arizona has about three times as many school-age children as Idaho. Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, who signed the universal expansion into law, is scheduled to appear at a news conference next month at the Idaho Statehouse, where the Mountain States Policy Center is debuting a bill. Following Arizonas lead would threaten Idahos budget, and ultimately its ability to fund public schools, Gramer argues. This is just common senseEvery state has just so much money to go around. Where are private schools located? Most of Idahos private schools are concentrated in urban areas. Ada, Canyon and Kootenai are home to 65% of the states private school students compared to 56% of Idahos overall population, according to an EdNews analysis of Private School Reviews data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cole Valley Christian Schools is Idahos largest private school with about 1,400 students across campuses in Boise and Meridian. Enrollment has doubled the last four years, according to superintendent Allen Howlett. Howlett credits much of the rapid growth to new families moving in from out of state, while a minority have transferred from public schools in the area. School leaders are now raising donations for a new $110 million, consolidated campus that will add capacity for 400 students. BoiseDev and the Idaho Statesman first reported the plans. Meanwhile, Howlett is part of a coalition of private school leaders thats urging state lawmakers to adopt a private school choice program. Howlett said he doesnt know whether it would quickly fill the seats at the new campus, and full financing for construction is years away. But he believes the state aid would help his neediest families, and it would boost competition between private schools and public schools, leading to better performance across the board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am in favor of competition, period, he said. Everything that I see that is positive about our community, our society, competition is one of the things that drives excellence. Studies on whether tuition subsidies lead to better academic performance in private schools have produced mixed results, Education Week reported. But research suggests that a competitive education market improves public school students performance. Meanwhile, 17 of Idahos 44 counties dont have a private school and nine counties have just one. Plenty of rural students are home-schooled, and theyd have access to state funds for micro-schools, Horman noted. This would be a continued investment in students in Idaho, no matter where theyre learning, whether thats Sandpoint or Boise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But critics argue that taxpayers shouldnt have to subsidize private schools without having access to them. Quinn Perry, policy and government affairs director for the Idaho School Boards Association, noted that most recipients of these entitlement programs in other states already attended private schools. Thats been the case in Arizona as well as Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire and Ohio, where lawmakers have recently enacted private school choice programs or expanded eligibility for existing ones. Rural taxpayers are saying Were not going to foot the bill for kids in Boise to go to private school, Perry said. Additionally, rural communities face unique challenges when it comes to funding public schools, said an analysis by the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy. Compared to urban school districts with more robust tax bases, rural school districts have limited local resources to lean on and rely for heavily on state funding. In other words, if the state tightens spending on public schools in favor of private education, rural school districts will be the first to feel it. While the negative financial consequences of voucher programs are felt statewide, rural communities are hit especially hard, the analysis said. How many private schools are religious? Nearly two in three private schools in Idaho are religious, according to van Doorns analysis for the State Board. Most are Protestant while one in five are Roman Catholic. Religious school leaders say faith-based education is a draw for families but not everyone can afford it. Tammy Emerich, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Boise, in March urged state lawmakers to support the tax credit bill. The Diocese has 14 schools with nearly 4,000 students across the state, she said, and 10 of these schools qualify for federal services targeting low income families. The reality for families is that public school is not the perfect fit for every child, Emerich told the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. Many of our parents are making huge financial sacrifices to send their children to a school that aligns with their values. But the prospect of sending public funds to religious schools has led to unease on both sides of the debate over private school choice. Opponents argue it entangles the government with religious institutions in violation of longstanding church-state barriers. Framers of the Idaho Constitution prohibited taxpayer funds from benefitting religious schools in two different sections of the 1890 document, Gramer noted. They were very clear, he said. Idaho wouldnt be alone in financing religious education, however. A nationwide uptick in new tuition subsidy programs followed a series of U.S. Supreme Court rulings that said states giving money to private schools couldnt exclude religious schools. An analysis by the Washington Post this summer found that between 82% and 98% of private school vouchers and ESA funds have gone to religious schools in Ohio, Indiana, Arizona, Florida and Wisconsin. Some Christian school leaders, meanwhile, are wary of new regulations that could come with the public funds. Idahos religious schools have long enjoyed the freedom to teach, test and select students on their own terms, but private school choice proposals in the past have failed amid calls for more oversight and accountability. Cole Valley Christian mostly follows the Idaho Department of Educations content standards, Howlett said. But it diverges when the standards are in contradiction to our biblical values. The school also doesnt admit students from families without at least one Bible-believing Christian parent. Many of our school boards and parents would not support something that would jeopardize our autonomy, Howlett said. A handful of states require that private schools report testing results as part of their private school choice programs. A recently enacted tax credit scholarship in Arkansas, for instance, requires that schools receiving the money administer a nationally recognized norm-referenced test. HB 447 didnt include a similar provision measuring academic progress, and Horman declined to say whether she added one to her new proposal. Im going to defer answering that question, she said. I will say that there is strong accountability in the bill for use of the money. Howlett said he wouldnt oppose an assessment, as long as schools could choose the test, but anything that would tell us what we have to teach and how we teach it is a potential dealbreaker for Christian schools. Parents hold private school leaders accountable, he said. If they dont feel like were meeting the needs of their kids or meeting their expectations, they take their money and go. How much does private school cost? Private school tuition in Idaho can range from a couple thousands dollars to upward of $30,000 at Sun Valley Community School. Many private schools require an application followed by a screening such as an interview with school officials and the parents and/or student. Idahos Catholic schools require an application along with a placement exam. The average cost of K-8 tuition in Idaho Catholic schools, excluding mandatory fees, is between $4,448 and $5,657 per year, according to rates posted on the schools websites. And tuition at Bishop Kelly High School is between $9,410 and $10,210. Rates are lower for enrollees who are active parishioners. Catholic schools offer financial aid based on need, which is common among private schools across the state. At Cole Valley Christian Schools, where K-12 tuition ranges from $7,330 to $10,340, depending on grade level, about 10% of students receive assistance, according to superintendent Allen Howlett. Heres a sampling of private schools, along with their admissions procedures, enrollment, religious affiliation and tuition, excluding mandatory fees: Cole Valley Christian Schools (Meridian, Boise) Enrollment: 1,400 Tuition: $7,330 to $10,340 Admissions procedure: Application, assessment test, screening Religious affiliation: Christian Bishop Kelly High School (Boise) Enrollment: 900+ Tuition: $9,410 to $10,210 Admissions procedure: Application, placement exam Religious affiliation: Catholic Nampa Christian Schools Enrollment: 900+ Tuition: $5,500 to $8,975 Admissions procedure: Application, screening Religious affiliation: Christian Genesis Preparatory Academy (Post Falls) Enrollment: 560 Tuition: $4,950 to $7,500 Admissions procedure: Application, screening Religious affiliation: Christian Watersprings School (Idaho Falls) Enrollment: 400+ Tuition: $5,505 to $7,075 Admissions procedure: Application, screening Religious affiliation: Christian Innovate Academy and Preparatory School (Eagle) Enrollment: 300+ Tuition: $8,590 to $12,050 Admissions procedure: Application, screening Religious affiliation: Nonsectarian Holy Family Catholic School (Coeur dAlene) Enrollment: 225 Tuition: $7,030 to $7,830 Admissions procedure: Application, placement exam Religious affiliation: Catholic Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com. Conservative commentators were outragedafter the Biden administration gave billionaire investor and Democratic mega-donor George Soros the Medal of Freedom. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon called on the incoming Trump administration to rescind the medal, the nations highest civilian honor. Send a team to track down Soros and take the medal back, Bannon said on his War Room podcast. It is a disgrace that a demonic individual like thatwho has been going out of his way to try to destroy this country, to mock this constitutional republic, which he hates and has dedicated his life to destroyingthat we would be presenting him, awarding him, the highest civilian honor that you can give. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rip it right off his neck, he added. On Fox News, anchor Rachel Campos-Duffy said the award was going to people who destroyed freedom. Her co-host Joe Concha agreed, calling Soros the most evil man on the planet. Soros, 94, has long been a target for conservative pundits and elected officials. He has given an estimated $32 billion over the years, many to Democratic causes. He has also given money and backed numerous candidates who are accused of being progressive or pushing lax safety policies. A widely shared post on X compared the decision to award the medal to Soros to giving an award to the Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others celebrated that the investor got the medal. Financier and philanthropist George Soros was awarded the Medal of Freedom on Saturday, causing outrage among conservatives (Getty Images) Alexander Soros accepted the medal on behalf of his father at a White House ceremony on Saturday (AFP via Getty Images) Congratulations to George Soros - w/profound gratitude for his contributions to voting rights, economic opportunity & his dogged insistence that a just society reflect diversity, promote equity and practice inclusion, voting rights activist Stacey Abrams wrote on X. American values he champions in word and deed. My father is an American patriot who has spent his life fighting for freedom and human rights, his son Alex Soros wrote on X. I am incredibly proud that his legacy is now recognized with our nations highest civilian honor. Alex Soros accepted the award on his fathers behalf during a ceremony on Saturday. Alex Soros has taken over his fathers role in donating from the familys riches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the Medal of Freedom ceremony on Saturday in the White House, Soros was introduced as an individual whose generosity reminds us all of our capacity and our obligation to stand up to the abuse of power and to be guardians of democracy and all people yearning to be free. Other Medal of Freedom winners who received the honor alongside Soros include Bono, Hillary Clinton, Earvin Magic Johnson, and Michael J. Fox. Jan. 5An ongoing clash between Republicans over visas for highly skilled immigrants is bringing new attention to the program, which Maine business and immigration experts say is vital to filling jobs in some of the state's fastest-growing industries amid a tight labor market. The visas, known as H-1B visas, allow 65,000 skilled workers to come to the U.S. each year to fill specialized jobs that require at least a bachelor's degree, often in technology, health care, higher education, scientific research or other STEM fields. Nationally, tech giants like Tesla, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and Apple use H-1B visas to source thousands of higher-level employees. Locally, they're favored by companies like The Jackson Laboratory, Eastern Maine Medical Center, the University of Maine, Idexx and Wex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program made headlines last week after Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who've been tapped to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency, defended the visas and the need to bring "the best and the brightest" into the United States. Musk, who grew up in South Africa and is now the richest man in the world, wrote on X, the social media platform that he owns, that H-1B visas are the reason he and many other immigrants have found success living and working in the U.S. He said he was prepared to "go to war on this issue." But anti-immigration Republicans have criticized the program as a way to take well-paying jobs away from Americans and hand them to foreign workers for less money. The H-1B visas have also been criticized by progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who argued that companies abuse the program. He likened the visa recipients to "low-wage indentured servants from abroad." President-elect Donald Trump has historically opposed the H-1B visa program, believing companies should prioritize American labor over hiring foreign workers. In 2020, he restricted several forms of legal immigration, including access to H-1B and H-2B visas, which are used for jobs in fields like hospitality and construction. But last week Trump appeared to change course and defended the program, siding with Musk, saying the country "needs smart people." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'HARDER TO MEET STAFFING' The apparent shift is welcome news to many companies including dozens in Maine that rely on the program. Eastern Maine Medical Center and The Jackson Laboratory are consistently the top two Maine entities to request H-1B workers. In 2024, the laboratory requested 37 visas and the hospital requested 34. In 2023, they requested 51 and 45 visas, respectively. Eastern Maine Medical Center has roughly 120 H-1B employees at a given time, said Paul Bolin, executive vice president and chief people and administrative officer for Northern Light Health, the hospital's parent company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Things have gotten worse since the pandemic," Bolin said. The state isn't producing enough nurses to meet the need, so the hospital is still reliant on traveling and international nurses and medical staff. "If those are further restricted, it would make it that much harder to meet our staffing needs," he said. Sarah Joughin, senior associate director of the Office of International Programs at the University of Maine, said the program is vital to both the university and the broader University of Maine System. In 2024, the university system was approved for 30 H-1B visas, 24 of which were for positions at the flagship campus in Orono. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Joughin, the program "enables our institutions to attract and retain highly skilled professionals from around the world, ensuring access to a global talent pool essential for advancing research, innovation, and academic excellence. This is particularly critical in specialized fields where domestic expertise may be limited, such as engineering, computer science, and advanced research disciplines," she said, adding that the national shortage of qualified STEM professionals has made it difficult to recruit U.S. citizens for more specialized roles. In an emailed statement, the Jackson Lab also reinforced the importance of the program. "JAX and the U.S. scientific community at large depends on the H-1B visa program to foster international collaboration and drive groundbreaking research. The diverse expertise and innovative perspectives the international community contributes are crucial to advancing our mission to improve human health," it said. SMALL BUT MIGHTY Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On top of the 65,000 yearly cap, an additional 20,000 visas are available to workers who have received an advanced degree in the U.S. Universities, nonprofits affiliated with universities and nonprofit or government research organizations are exempt from the cap. The visas are good for three years and can be extended to six. The specialized work visas are different from H-2B visas the temporary work authorizations that many of Maine's seasonal and tourism-based businesses rely on each year. H-2B visas are issued when there are not enough U.S. workers able, willing, qualified and available to do temporary work, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Business owners have to prove that they tried to hire in the U.S. and that hiring foreign workers will not adversely impact the wages or working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement H-1B visas, however, do not require proof that the business owner tried to recruit within the U.S. Like the H-1B visas, there is a 66,000 cap, but the Department of Homeland Security frequently releases more. In November, the federal government announced an additional 65,000 H-2B visas. It was welcome news to Maine's seasonal businesses, which last year were approved for just shy of 2,000 H-2B workers. Comparatively, Maine employers last year were approved for 320 H-1B workers 148 new positions and 172 extensions. Patrick Woodcock, president and CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, warned against discounting the program as less important for its size. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is some of the fastest growing companies in the state that are utilizing it," he said. "The program has been modest in numbers, but I think in terms of economic output for the state, they really have been pretty consequential." H-2B visas are critically important, especially in the increasingly tight labor market of the last few years, but the need for H-1B visas will likely only increase as the state tries to combat an aging population and declining workforce participation. The number of H-1B new or extended workers in Maine has been increasing over the last decade, with a low of 217 in 2015 and a high of 342 in 2022. It was not immediately clear how many total workers are in the state at a given time because people in the second or third year of a visa are not counted in yearly totals. "This is an incredibly important program to supplement our existing workforce ... and it is critical to maintain some of the progress we've seen economically in recent years," Woodcock said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AN EMPLOYMENT 'WORKHORSE' Many people now on or seeking an H-1B visa came to the U.S. through a different visa program for school, and one to three years after graduation need an employer to sponsor a special skills visa to stay, said Stefanie Trice Gill, founder and chief recruiter of IntWork, a Maine recruiting firm that specializes in pairing immigrants with employers. "Often they're with people who've been working with them for some time, and the employers just can't afford to let them go," Trice Gill said. "It's much better for employers to be able to bring someone to their tech company in Maine than to have to leave Maine to find workers." Trice Gill said she does not work with many H-1B visa holders, though the agency is interested in doing so the immigrants who go through IntWork are often already living in Maine and already have work permits. They don't need sponsorship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "But even with that supply, employers still struggle to fill key positions," she said. According to Trice Gill, immigrants are more likely to have a master's degree in a STEM field than a U.S.-born candidate, she said. "For those professions that require an advanced degree, we can't meet the need without considering immigrant candidates," she said. "As the U.S. industry grows, the workforce has been declining. Even with all the effort to get U.S. citizens to study STEM professions, there's still a big shortage of skilled STEM professionals." Marcus Jaynes, an immigration attorney with Landis, Arn and Jaynes in Westbrook, called H-1B visas the "workhorse of temporary employment" for professional positions. The 65,000 to 85,000 cap is barely touching the demand. "Last year there were half a million registrations in the annual lottery," said Jaynes, who specializes in business and employment-related immigration law. "That's a really high contrast. It shows very clearly that employers are looking to bring on a lot more H-1B workers than they can." The cap is already too low, so further limiting the number would be challenging, Jaynes said. "If the program sees restrictions, it's going to hurt the individual companies that can't access the program, but it's also going to hurt the economy," he said. Jaynes is encouraged by Trump's recent statements favoring the program but said there's still "a lot of room for damage to be done" by restricting the program through other means than the cap, like raising the minimum prevailing wages to make them less accessible to smaller companies. "There's lots of speculation about what may happen," he said. Copy the Story Link Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency Saturday and activated the Kentucky National Guard as the state faces snow and ice followed by bitter low temperatures. The National Weather Service has placed about two-thirds of the state under a winter storm warning, and the rest is under either a winter advisory or watch. Several counties in Western Kentucky also are under an ice storm warning. Our commonwealth is facing a significant winter storm, Beshear said at a news conference Saturday. Nearly every part of the state could see a major impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The winter storm warning for Lexington and Central Kentucky lasts from early Sunday to Monday afternoon. The weather service forecast a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain in that window. One key worry is the potential for heavy icing that could bring down trees and limbs and known down power lines, causing outages. The weather service said tree damage and power outages are likely and that travel at times could be nearly impossible. Beshear said Northern Kentucky could see 6 to 13 inches of snow, with 4 to 8 inches possible along the Interstate 64 corridor through Central Kentucky. There is a potential ice could fall on top of snow, then more snow on that, creating a sandwich effect that is tough to clear away, Beshear said. The National Weather Service forecasts that Kentucky could see a significant winter storm Sunday and Monday, Jan. 5 and 6, 2024. Beshear said National Guard troops would be available to help if there are motorists stranded for extended periods on interstates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Power outages Monday would come as the state is expected to see bitter temperatures from Tuesday through the weekend, with lows below zero in some places, Beshear said. Beshear urged motorists to stay off the roads if possible, especially Monday afternoon when there could be window to clear roads before temperatures get much colder. Eric Gibson, director of Kentucky Emergency Management, said the state emergency operations center will open very early Sunday morning to help coordinate the response to the storm. Local officials are working to get warming centers ready in case there are widespread power outages, Gibson said. State Transportation Secretary Jim Gray detailed preparations for the storm during the news conference, including lining up 2,300 state employees and contractors and 1,400 snow plows and salt trucks to try to keep roads clear. Tens of millions of people were bracing Sunday for a massive winter storm forecast to bring the heaviest snowfall and coldest temperatures in over a decade to parts of the country. Kansas, Arkansas, Kentucky and Virginia declared states of emergency as the storm, driven by a polar vortex, moved east after it struck the central United States. Southern states like Mississippi and Florida also warned of dangerous cold and treacherous conditions, according to the National Weather Service. A polar vortex is an area of low pressure and cold air that swirls like a wheel around each of Earths two polar regions. Sometimes, the Arctic polar vortex wobbles and a lobe surges south, blanketing parts of North America with bitter temperatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the storm moved east, around 60 million people across 30 states from the Plains to the mid-Atlantic were under weather alerts, with a developing low-pressure system threatening heavy snow and crippling ice over the next three days. Video circulating on social media Sunday morning showed snow already falling in Shepherdsville and Monroe County, Kentucky. Travel disruptions Over 1,200 flights within, into and out of the United States have been delayed and more than 750 had been canceled as of Sunday morning, according to FlightAware.com. The most affected airports include Kansas City International, where almost 190 flights have been canceled, and St. Louis Lambert International Airport, which has had over 190 cancellations. Chicago OHare International Airport had 120 cancellations and over 60 delays. Southwest Airlines accounted for most of the cancellations and delays, with over 230 flights canceled and 250 delayed Sunday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas City International Airport briefly closed Saturday as crews cleared runways delaying dozens of flights, including a charter jet transporting the Kansas City Chiefs, according to The Associated Press. And an 18-mile stretch of Interstate 70 in Kansas was shut down as blizzard conditions threatened up to 14 inches of snow and 40 mph wind gusts, with warnings in effect until early Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service predicts historic precipitation for parts of Kansas and Missouri, forecasting over 15 inches of snow from northeastern Kansas into north-central Missouri the regions heaviest snow in a decade. The weather service warned of considerable disruptions to daily life, including dangerous or impossible driving conditions and widespread closures, making travel very difficult to impossible through Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis treated roads in advance of the storm and prepared warming centers. Scattered snow showers developed across the northern Plains on Saturday afternoon and through the evening. More than 2 million people were covered by a blizzard warning for most of Kansas and a large part of Missouri on Sunday morning, according to the weather service. Such a warning alerts residents to a likelihood of reduced visibility of a quarter-mile or less and sustained winds of at least 35 mph. Sunday was expected to bring a severe weather risk across the lower Mississippi Valley, putting 7 million people at risk for tornadoes, damaging wind and hail in Jackson, Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Lake Charles, Louisiana, among other cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the storm advances east, millions more people were bracing for record low temperatures, forecasters warn. Snow will arrive in the mid-Atlantic and the central Appalachians overnight into Monday morning. The showers will linger through Monday, ending by Tuesday morning as the system moves offshore. Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia were among the major cities preparing for snowy and icy conditions from Sunday into Monday, with parts of Virginia expecting 5 to 12 inches of snow. Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms could hit Southern states unaccustomed to severe cold, including Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From coast to coast Saturday, weather-related flight delays were estimated at almost 7,000. At the western end of the low-pressure system, Denver International Airport led the globe in delayed flights, with nearly half its departures Saturday leaving late, according to FlightAware.com. Major airlines, including American, Delta, Southwest and United, are waiving change fees ahead of likely flight disruptions. In the wake of the system, a significant drop in temperatures is expected for the eastern two-thirds of the country. Highs will drop 10 to 25 degrees below average starting Sunday through Friday. Highs will range from the single digits and the teens across the Plains and the Midwest, to the 20s to 30s in the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most extreme temperatures will be in the northern Plains, where overnight lows will dip as low as minus 20, with wind chill values around minus 40. Cold weather advisories are in effect from eastern Montana through Minnesota. Over 40,000 utility customers across Missouri, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma were without power Sunday morning, according to PowerOutage.US. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's coast guard escorted away from its waters two boats carrying almost 300 undocumented Myanmar migrants found in a state of exhaustion for lack of food and water, a top agency official said. Authorities gave the migrants food supplies and clean drinking water after the boats were discovered on Friday two nautical miles southwest off the coast of the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi, the agency said. "We are also closely co-operating with Thai enforcement agencies to obtain additional information on the movement of the boats," its Director-General Mohd Rosli Abdullah said in a statement on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The coast guard did not say if the migrants were Rohingya, a mainly Muslim minority whose members often flee majority Buddhist Myanmar, where they are seen as foreign interlopers from South Asia, who are denied citizenship and face abuse. On Friday, Malaysian police had detained 196 undocumented Myanmar migrants after their boat landed on a beach at Langkawi. Police said all the migrants, 71 children and 57 women among them, were believed to be ethnic Rohingya. All the detained migrants were taken to be documented and their health checked, the police said in a separate statement on Friday. For years many Rohingya have embarked in rickety wooden boats to try and reach neighbouring countries, such as Muslim-majority Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh, as well as Thailand, chiefly during the calmer seas from October to April. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Malaysia, which does not recognise refugee status, has in recent years turned away boats carrying Rohingya refugees and rounded up thousands in crowded detention centres as it cracks down on undocumented migrants. (Reporting by Danial Azhar; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) (Reuters) - Nine civilians including women and children were killed in an attack on a vehicle in Mali's Segou region last week, a civil society group and a rebel coalition said late on Saturday, accusing the army and Russian mercenaries of being responsible. The vehicle was travelling from the town of Niono to a refugee camp in Mauritania on Thursday when it came under fire, said Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the coalition of Tuareg groups that are fighting for an independent homeland in northern Mali. He and local civil society association Kal Akal said Malian armed forces and allied fighters from Russia's Wagner private military contractor group had carried out the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a separate statement, the head of Kel Ansar, one of the largest Tuareg groups, called for an investigation but said Malian troops were not behind the bloodshed. The Malian army did not respond to a request for comment. Wagner could not immediately be reached. Wagner fighters have been in Mali since the army seized power in two coups in 2020 and 2021 and kicked out French and U.N. troops. They have been supporting Malian forces in their battle with Islamist insurgents and the Tuareg separatists. In December, Human Rights Watch said Mali's armed forces, supported by Wagner, and Islamist armed groups had committed serious abuses against civilians in violation of the laws of the war. (Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Helen Popper) Editors note: The video above aired on Jan. 4, 2025. EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11) A man was accused of stabbing and killing a 17-year-old boy in Harlem on Friday, according to the NYPD. It happened near East 108th Street and 2nd Avenue around 6:15 p.m. A fight broke out after an argument, police said. More Local News Carlos Rivas, 17, was stabbed in the chest and lower abdomen, according to authorities. He was later taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem where he was pronounced dead, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saul Sanchez, 62, was arrested on Saturday in connection to the stabbing, according to authorities. He was charged with murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. A 22-year-old man and a 62-year-old man were also injured in the fight, police said. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. A man has been arrested nearly eight months after police say he shot and killed another man in Phoenix last May. Phoenix police arrested 25-year-old Raymond French on Friday in connection with the May 2024 shooting death of 37-year-old Paul Lopez. French was located in Chandler during an unrelated investigation in the Gila River Indian Community, according to authorities. French was booked on a second-degree murder charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On May 6, 2024, officers responded to a report of a shooting near 51st Avenue and Indian School Road. Upon arrival, they found Lopez lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Police said they identified French through video surveillance, witness testimony and other evidence. Arrested: 2 teens suspected of boy's murder in Phoenix This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police: Man arrested in Chandler 8 months after killing man in Phoenix NEW ORLEANS (AP) The man responsible for the truck attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day that killed 14 people visited the city twice before and recorded video of the French Quarter with Meta smart glasses, an FBI official said Sunday. Shamsud-Din Jabbar also traveled to Cairo and Canada before the attack although it was not yet clear whether those trips were connected to the attack, Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said at a news conference. Federal officials believe Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and former U.S. Army soldier, was inspired by the Islamic State militant group to carry out the attack. Police fatally shot Jabbar, 42, during an exchange of gunfire at the scene of the deadly crash of the rented pickup truck on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans historic French Quarter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal investigators so far believe Jabbar acted alone, but are continuing to explore his contacts. All investigative details and evidence that we have now still support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans, said Raia. We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking into potential associates in the U.S. and outside of our borders." Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans Field Office, said Jabbar traveled to Cairo in the summer of 2023 and then to the Canadian province of Ontario a few days later. Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he met with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here, Myrthil said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suspect recorded video with smart glasses while plotting attack, the FBI says Jabbar had also traveled to New Orleans twice in the months preceding the attack, first in October and again in November. On Oct. 31, Myrthil said Jabbar used glasses from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to record video as he rode through the French Quarter on a bicycle as "he plotted this hideous attack." He said Jabbar was also in New Orleans on Nov. 10. He also wore the glasses capable of livestreaming during the attack, but Myrthil said Jabbar did not activate them. When asked about the glasses, a Meta spokesperson declined comment to The Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FBI released Jabbar's recorded video from the planning trip to New Orleans as well as video showing him placing two containers with explosive devices in the French Quarter at around 2 a.m. shortly before the attack. One of the containers, a cooler, was moved a block away by someone uninvolved with the attack, officials said. Joshua Jackson, New Orleans special agent in charge, said Jabbar privately purchased a semiautomatic rifle on Nov. 19 from an individual in a legal transaction in Arlington, Texas. This was a chance encounter, Jackson said. Theres no way this individual knew that Jabbar was radicalized or had any sort of awareness that this attack was imminent. Security a prime concern ahead of other major events Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police have used vehicles and barricades to block traffic at Bourbon and Canal streets since. Other law enforcement agencies helped city officers provide extra security, said Reese Harper, a New Orleans police spokesperson. The first parade of the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras in March is scheduled Monday evening. New Orleans also will host the Super Bowl on Feb. 9. In a previous effort to protect the French Quarter, the city installed steel columns known as bollards to restrict vehicle access to Bourbon Street. The posts normally retract to allow deliveries to bars and restaurants. But they stopped working reliably after being gummed up by Mardi Gras beads, beer and other detritus. When New Years Eve arrived, the bollards were gone. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell acknowledged the city remains uncertain as to whether the new bollards it is installing in the French Quarter would be able to stop a similar vehicle attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The thorough assessment that I am asking for will determine whether they are strong enough, Cantrell said. I cant say with surety thats the case but an expert will be able to do so, and well respond accordingly. Cantrell said she requested that Homeland Security upgrade Mardi Gras to the highest Special Event Assessment Rating to receive more federal support for security and risk assessments. President Joe Biden planned to travel to New Orleans with first lady Jill Biden on Monday to grieve with the families and community members impacted by the tragic attack. After signing the Social Security Fairness Act, Biden was asked Sunday by journalists what his message would be to the families he will meet. He responded, Ive been there. Theres nothing you can really say to somebody thats just had such a tragic loss, my message is going to be personal if I get to get them alone. The two explosive devices that Jabbar placed were recovered by federal officials undetonated. ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson credited New Orleans police for responding quickly before the devices could be set off. He said both were equipped with receivers and a transmitter was recovered in Jabbars truck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jabbar exited the crashed truck wearing a ballistic vest and helmet and fired at police, wounding at least two officers before he was fatally shot. Bomb-making materials were found at Jabbar's home. Jackson said Jabbar appeared to have used a chemical compound known as RDX, which he said is commonly available in the U.S. He said field tests found RDX at Jabbars Houston home and they are conducting further tests on similar materials found at the New Orleans rental home. Jabbar tried to burn down the rental house by setting a small fire in a hallway but the flames went out before firefighters arrived. Suspect proclaims support for Islamic State group Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jabbar proclaimed support for the Islamic State militant group in online videos posted hours before he struck. It was the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil in years, laying bare what federal officials have warned is a resurgent international terrorism threat. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABCs This Week with George Stephanopoulos that the country faces not only the persistent threat of foreign terrorism" but "a significant increase in what we term homegrown violent extremism in recent years. The attack has prompted security concerns elsewhere in the nation. In California, for instance, military officials announced via online platform X that access has been tightened to Camp Pendleton, the largest Marine base on the West Coast with tens of thousands of active-duty service members. The announcement said all IDs are being checked for base entry, a trusted travel program is being suspended and random inspections will be carried out. A man has died following a crash in Ashe County Saturday morning, according to North Carolina State Highway Patrol. It occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Baldwin Road at Black Bear Inn Road. According to troopers, a 2004 Honda Element was traveling southwest on Baldwin Road when it drove off the right side of the road and hit a utility pole. When troopers arrived at the scene, witnesses told them the vehicles driver had been seen running into the woods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Snakes in a lane: Troopers find dozens of reptiles after crash on I-95 That driver, later identified as 34-year-old Abraham Grant Jordan, was later found unconscious in that wooded area. Jordan would later die from injuries sustained in the crash at an area hospital, according to troopers. Troopers said an initial investigation indicates speeding as a contributing circumstance in the crash. However, the investigation is active and ongoing. VIDEO: Snakes in a lane: Troopers find dozens of reptiles after crash on I-95 CHICAGO One person has died after a shooting in East Chatham Saturday evening. Chicago police said the shooting happened just after 6 p.m. in the 900 block of East 81st Street. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines When officers arrived on scene, they found a male victim who had been shot multiple times on the sidewalk. The victim was taken to University of Chicago Hospital in critical condition before dying from his injuries, according to investigators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No arrests have been made and detectives are investigating. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. The man who found a newborn's dead body inside a "thermal cradle" left for abandoned babies at an Italian church is opening up about the tragedy. Roberto Savarese, a 56-year-old funeral director from the Italian city of Bari, was the first person to discover the body of the 1-month-old boy on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 2, inside a baby box at San Giovanni Battista Church. Savarese spoke to PEOPLE about the moment he discovered the baby, recalling how he and an employee from his funeral parlor were looking into the box out of curiosity when they saw that there was an infant inside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Well, we were there at 9:20 on Jan. 2 for a funeral we were carrying out, and I was telling one of my new staffers about the thermal cradle that the parish had," Savarese says. "So I said, 'Come, I'll show you,' and I opened the first small gate which isn't locked, it's open for easy access from outside for those in need." Related: Newborn Baby Boy Found Dead Inside Box Left for Abandoned Babies at Church: Reports "I opened the door and I noticed that there was the corpse of this baby in the cradle. He was already dead," he recalls. "At this point, I closed the door immediately without going in and called the emergency services. And they intervened immediately." According to Savarese, he and his employee were both "shocked" by finding the baby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In that moment of shock when I discovered the baby, I just saw him, closed the door immediately, and called for help. I didn't even notice if the heating system was working," he says. "My new colleague was understandably shocked. After I noticed the baby, I immediately closed the door and called emergency services. Soon, the whole avenue was blocked off it's not a very long street, about 100 meters." According to Italian news agency Ansa, the box similar to Safe Haven Baby Boxes used in the U.S. is supposed to send an alert to the church as soon as a baby is placed inside. Although authorities previously said they believed that the person who left the baby didn't close the door to the room where the cradle was located meaning the alarm wasn't triggered like it was intended, to let the parish priest, Father Antonio Ruccia, know the baby was there Savarese alleges that the door can't stay open by itself. "The door was absolutely closed, not open as some have suggested," he tells PEOPLE. "The system is designed with an automatic closing mechanism it can't stay open by itself." Google Maps San Giovanni Battista Church in Bari, Italy San Giovanni Battista Church in Bari, Italy Ruccia previously told Ansa he was in Rome at the time of the incident, and his cell phone which is connected to the cradle never rang. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The investigators will have to determine why the alarm system didn't function and whether the heating was working," the 56-year-old added. "Everything that could have been done to prevent this was in place, but somehow something still went wrong." Savarese also tells PEOPLE that the baby boy was about 25 days old, looked to be Caucasian and was "fully formed." "Based on my experience, I believe the baby had been dead for about two days when we found him," the funeral director adds. "The area around the church was particularly empty during these Christmas days the priest was away in Rome. [The baby boy] could have been found much later if we hadn't checked in on the cradle that day in an attempt to show it to my new staffer." Related: Infant Surrendered at Safe Haven Baby Box in Kentucky Less Than 2 Months After It Was Installed 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. Bari, located in the Puglia region, has been "shaken and shocked" by the boy's death, Savarese says, revealing that members of the press from Italy and across the world have reached out to him about the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This morning I had a funeral in another parish," he tells PEOPLE. "I arrived there with my vehicles and everyone was looking at me and then they started to approach and ask me. Everyone wants to know about the tragedy as they are all shocked." Ansa and CNN previously reported that police are still investigating and an autopsy will be carried out on the baby to determine how and when he died. Bari police did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE. La Repubblica reported that the church's baby box has been successfully used twice prior to this incident: once on July 19, 2020, and again on Dec. 23, 2023. Sasaneli/ROPI via ZUMA Press Investigators collect evidence at the scene in Bari, Italy Investigators collect evidence at the scene in Bari, Italy "Another baby girl was found also during a Christmas period recently, but it went well," Savarese recalls. "She was adopted, as was the other child who was found a time ago." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cradle was added at the church after a dead baby was discovered on a beach in the nearby town of Monopoli in 2015, Ansa reported. As for Savarese, he and the rest of the local community have been left reeling as they try to make sense of the rare tragedy. "This has deeply affected everyone in the community," he says. "When it involves a baby, it's particularly shocking. It's a very serious matter that has touched us all." Read the original article on People NORWALK, Conn. (WTNH) Police safely detained a California man who waited hours to attack a family with a machete in Norwalk Saturday morning. At 7:30 a.m., police responded to a complaint of an unwanted person at a residence on Scribner Avenue. Officers arrived to find a man, 26-year-old Patrick Norris, armed with a large machete on the back porch of the residence. Norris arrived unannounced from California and had been waiting on the porch for six hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Son kills father in Hartford motel stabbing Police were able to open a dialogue with Norris, who told police that his intentions were to assault someone in the home. After 40 minutes of dialogue, Norris agreed to surrender and was taken into custody. All occupants of the home and surrounding houses were unharmed. Norris was charged with Disorderly Conduct, Carrying a Dangerous Weapon and Criminal Attempt at Assault in the 1st. He is due to appear in court Monday, January 6th. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. A Montana man has been sentenced to 140 years in prison after killing his wife and her suspected lover. Kraig Walter Benson shot and killed his wife Jenny Benson and bartender Logan Gardner at the Four Aces Bar in Superior, Mont., on Aug. 27, 2023. He was sentenced on two counts of deliberate homicide on Friday, Jan. 3, NBC Montana, KRTV and Law & Crime reported. Benson was found guilty by a Ravalli County jury in October 2024. He received 60 years for each count and an additional 10 years for using a weapon in a violent crime, which he will serve at Montana State Prison, according to the reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In surveillance footage from the incident, obtained by the outlets, Kraig and Jenny, 49, can be seen sitting at a table together at the Four Aces Bar, before Kraig leaves to smoke a cigarette outside. Taking a gun from his wifes Chevrolet Tahoe, he then returns to see Jenny sitting on a stool by the bar, where Garner, 43, was bartending. Kraig next pulls out the gun from his waistband and shoots Jenny in the head, before firing at Gardner. As he retreats to the door, he shoots his wife a second time as she lies on the floor, and Gardner three more times, before leaving the gun on the bar and exiting in his wifes car. gofundme Jenny Benson Jenny Benson Related: 'I Just Snapped': TikToker Learns Fate After Murdering Estranged Wife and Man He Suspected She Was Dating Jenny died in the hospital, while Gardner died at the scene, according to KRTV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Aug. 28, 2023, Kraig was arrested after he was caught driving his wife's car on a Missoula County highway, Law and Crime and KRTV reported. 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. Kraig said during cross-examination, per Law and Crime, [Jenny] told me that she was not going to go home with me, that she was going to go home with Logan. I went outside, and Im pretty sure thats why I went outside and was going back into the bar and having the last conversation. He reportedly claimed in court this month that he had no recollection of what occurred afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement before being sentenced, Kraig apologized. "I too lost my best friend that night the love of my life. Shooting two people in a bar, with witnesses, are not actions with memory, having no memory is no excuse," he said, per NBC Montana. gofundme Logan Gardner Logan Gardner Related: Man Accused of Plotting Brutal Murders of Ex-Wife and Her Boyfriend in 'Excruciating Detail': Prosecutor Agent Ward with the Division of Criminal Investigation testified that recent phone calls made by Kraig in jail mentioned him wanting to take a paternity test for his two daughters shared with Jenny, per NBC Montana. Jennys daughter Paige called Kraig "narcissistic" in a statement via Zoom in court. Jennys father, Terry Savage, added while crying in court, "Jenny was my only daughter, the joy of my life, my best friend," the outlet reported. The Mineral County Sheriffs Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Read the original article on People ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Officers with the Rochester Police Department responded to reports of a man who had been shot early Sunday afternoon on Masseth Street near Lisbon Street. Officers located a 33-year-old man from Rochester in the area of Lyell Avenue and Child Street shortly before 12:30 p.m. According to the RPD, the victim had been shot in his upper body. The victim told officers he was driven to Lyell Avenue to wait for police and ambulance to assist him. AMR took the victim to Strong Memorial Hospital. His injuries are not considered life-threatening. Anyone with further information is asked to call 911. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) A recent call by the U.S. Surgeon General may cause some Mississippians to reevaluate their alcohol use. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed Friday that alcohols cancer risk should be clearly labeled on the drinks Americans consume. He noted that 20,000 people die annually from alcohol-related cancer cases. Data from the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) provides perspective on how many Mississippians consume and abuse alcohol. The 2024 MSDH report revealed that over 42% of Mississippians drink alcohol. Men were 36% more likely than women to drink alcohol. About 49% of men drink compared to 36% of women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MSDH findings showed that alcohol consumption increased based on educational level and income. Mississippians who did not graduate high school were 38% less likely to drink alcohol than those who graduated from college or a technical school. People who made more than $75,000 a year were 83% more likely to consume alcohol than those who made $15,000 a year. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting for men or four or more drinks on one occasion for women. Approximately one in seven Mississippians binge drink alcohol. MSDH data showed that 19% of men in Mississippi binge drink. This nearly one in five rate is more than double the rate of women who do the same, about nine percent. Those who abuse alcohol are also likely to be at risk for certain health issues. Mississippians who binge drink are 3.7 times more likely to engage in behaviors that expose them to HIV. They are also twice as likely to have poor mental health and 2.6 times as likely to smoke cigarettes, another behavior linked to cancer. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. The Union Government's fiscal strategy for financial year (FY) 2026 will prioritise capital expenditure (Capex), with a major allocation expected to range between 16-20 per cent, from its revised estimates of 90 per cent of FY25 Budgeted Estimates (BE), stated JM Financial in its latest report. In its report titled 2025 Macro Outlook, the financial services firm stated that the government is likely to devote its resources on sectors such as Railways, Defence, and Roads, with these three ministries expected to account for around 63 per cent of total capex in FY25. The move is targeted at boosting infrastructure activities while managing long-term fiscal health, the report added. In 2024, the central government focused primarily on meeting the fiscal consolidation targets. While India's fiscal consolidation journey in FY24 involved tight controls on expenditure, including a significant slowdown in capex, the post-election period saw corrective actions being considered by the government to accelerate spending. This was crucial as the government recognized the need for balanced fiscal management, especially given the economic impact of increased cash transfer schemes in several states. "The government is likely to continue its focus on fiscal consolidation, and it is highly likely that the FY26 target of 4.5 per cent will be achieved comfortably," the report added. The capital expenditure (capex) run rate during April-November 2024 was notably weaker, reaching just 46 per cent of the FY25 Budgeted Estimate, potentially falling short by around 30 per cent by the end of the fiscal year, the report added. The capex for the fiscal year 2024-25 of the Government of India is Rs 11.11 lakh crore, an 11.1 per cent increase from its previous year. The report, however, added that Capex is likely to fall short by 10 per cent of the budgeted target in FY25, while allocation for the next fiscal would be optically appealing. The report added that the central government is on track to meet its revenue collection targets, with strong tax receipts contributing to fiscal stability. "We believe the government will stick to its fiscal consolidation path," the report added. The report further added that despite the setbacks, there are signs of recovery, with the government contemplating the relaxation of quarterly spending limits. Looking ahead, as per the report, the efforts of the government are aligned with long-term fiscal goals of reducing public debt as a percentage of GDP. It will also ensure that sovereign bond yields remain stable, in the range of 6.5-6.8 per cent during 2025, as per the report. (ANI) PELHAM, Mass. (WPRI) Massachusetts State Police troopers helped save an injured owl after it was stuck by a vehicle. On New Years Day, Troopers Mathew Buscanera and Sean Mucci were called to reports of an injured owl on Route 202 in Pelham. Once they arrived to scene and located the owl, they found it had been struck by a vehicle and suffered a broken wing. The Troopers were able to get the owl safely out of the roadway and moved it inside their cruiser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arrangements were made for the owl to be taken to a rehabilitation center in Conway, New Hampshire. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. PELHAM, Mass. (WWLP) Massachusetts troopers started the new year in a unique way when they found an owl with a broken wing on Route 202 and brought it to safety. Enfield police use drone to bring woman to safety On January 1, Massachusetts State Police Troopers Matthew Buscanera and Sean Mucci received a report from Pelham that an injured owl was on Route 202. Further investigation showed that the owl had been struck by a car and that its wing had been broken as a result. The owl was carefully moved from the road by the troopers and brought inside the police cruiser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police made arrangements for the injured owl to be sent to a rehabilitation center in Conway, New Hampshire. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Massachusetts state police troopers have rescued an injured owl on the side of the road. According to state police, troopers Troopers Mathew Buscanera and Sean Mucci responded to reports of an injured owl in Pelham that had been struck by a car and left with a broken wing. Upon arrival at the scene, troopers were able to safely secure the owl and make arrangements to transport it to a rehabilitation center in Conway, N.H. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The condition of the owl is currently unknown. As an interesting start to the New Year, Troopers responded to reports of an injured owl in Pelham that had been struck by a car and left with a broken wing. The Troopers were able to safely secure the owl while arrangements were made for transport to a rehabilitation center pic.twitter.com/0vHOWyqKt1 Massachusetts State Police (@MassStatePolice) January 5, 2025 This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he has spoken substantively with President-elect Trumps choice to fill his seat, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R). Mayorkas joined ABCs This Week, where he was asked about the administration transition. Noem was nominated by Trump to lead DHS, but she must be confirmed by the Senate. I have spoken with Gov. Noem a number of times, including on New Years Day and immediately thereafter, with respect to the horrific terrorist attack, Mayorkas said Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was referencing the terror attack in New Orleans, where a man rammed a pickup truck down a busy Bourbon Street early Wednesday, killing 14 people and injuring many more. We have spoken substantively about the measures that we take, and I am incredibly devoted to a smooth and successful transition to the success of Gov. Noem, should she be confirmed as the secretary of Homeland Security, Mayorkas said. He said he appreciated Noems focus on the issues they discussed. Noems nomination comes after she was previously floated to be Trumps running mate and spent the year focused on immigration. She sent South Dakota National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border and has supported Trumps sprawling immigration plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps pick of Noem is one of his latest signs he intends to take a hard stance on immigration policy, including by implementing the mass deportation plan he campaigned on. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Katie Barajas lived in a tent at the bottom of an embankment on Wheeler Avenue, just a few feet from Interstate 5, in 2023. One day, outreach workers gave her a choice: move into a shelter or find somewhere else to camp. Though initially unsure, Barajas chose to pack up her possessions and move into the shelter. She spent more than a year at the Interfaith Works shelter at Unity Commons in Olympia. Barajas now lives at Sandys Flats, a 26-unit permanent supportive housing project that took over the Olympia Inn building on Capitol Way. This type of project combines accessible housing with voluntary support services to keep people housed, even if theyve experienced chronic homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To see how Sandys Flats was doing, The Olympian spoke with Barajas and two other residents a few months after they moved in Aug. 13. The staff is really good here, Barajas said. The people are very caring and we all try to help each other out. Ivy Ayers, director of administration for Interfaith Works, told The Olympian in December that all 26 units at Sandys Flats are occupied and no residents have left the project so far. Were fully leased up, Ayers said. Folks are settling in really well. Ayers added all current residents have been funneled to Sandys Flats through Washington states Encampment Resolution Program, an effort to remove people living on state-owned transportation corridors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barajas said Sandys Flats offers her stability, privacy and a foundation from which she can continue her sobriety and pursue her goals. How did Barajas fall into homelessness? Barajas lost her apartment in 2021 while she was incarcerated for about two and half months. She said she was caught shoplifting portable air condition units and selling them online for hundreds of dollars. I was able to lift them up, put them in my cart and walk out the front of Home Depot or Walmart or wherever I decided to go that day. Barajas said. She said she did it so she could afford meth. People she knew used meth and she started using it herself after her sons father died and her brother was injured in an assault. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barajas eventually found herself living at the encampment on Wheeler Avenue with a now ex-partner. She called it a huge mud hole. I lived at the bottom of the embankment, so theres all that mud and gross stuff and snow, Barajas said. It wasnt my choice that I lived on Wheeler. It was the only place I could go other than The Jungle and I dont like The Jungle. The Jungle is a colloquial term for a large encampment in a wooded area on the 3200 block of Martin Way East in Olympia. During a Oct 23, 2024 interview Katie Barajas shares her personal journey that finally led to a secure and safe home at the new Sandys Flats permanent supportive housing project operated by the Interfaith Works organization in Olympia. Barajas stopped using meth about 13 months before she moved into Sandys Flats. To do it, Barajas said she entered a Christian recovery program in Shelton for about three and half months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was fed up from going to jail and stealing from stores, Barajas said. It was time for my kids. My kids were more important. Barajas said she got a job as a cook at local fast-food restaurant two months after moving into her Sandys Flats unit, which she shares with her rescue dog Buddy. She now hopes to reconnect with her children an independent 18-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son who has been living with his grandmother. My hope is to get my kid back full time and be a mom again, Barajas said. And hopefully get into a better place where I can have him in his own bedroom. Whats life like at Sandys Flats? Rio Stevensen moved into Sandys Flats on Aug. 13 with his dog Jaxx after spending almost a year at the Interfaith Works shelter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he lost his housing in 2022 after health complications made it difficult to continue working and paying rent. Hes still living with those health issues but hes grateful to have landed at Sandys Flats. Were not having the issues that some may have expected us to be having at this time, Stevensen said. Were really trying to embrace this as our home. During a Oct 23, 2024 interview Rio Stevensen talks about challenges from his journey that finally led to a secure and safe home at the new Sandys Flats permanent supportive housing project operated by the Interfaith Works organization in Olympia. Ayers said on-site case managers have helped residents build community by holding events such as movie nights and a holiday potluck. Theyve also set up walking and jobs clubs as well as resident elections the latter of which resulted in a draw, so now Sandys Flats has two co-presidents, she said. The presidents duties are still being fleshed out, Ayers said, but so far, they have started a welcoming committee for new residents and have been tasked with being in the know about whats going on and who may need support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shane Bird moved into Sandys Flats from the Interfaith Works shelter around the same time as Barajas and Stevensen. Before then, he said he had been living next to train tracks along Percival Creek near U.S. 101 in west Olympia. Its just horrible there, Bird said about the encampment. Thats all I can say. My heart goes out to some of the people that are down there too. Bird said he started using heroin and later fentanyl after several family members died in various circumstances. He stopped using those drugs after entering treatment last April. He said hes thankful for his new life at Sandys Flats and the help hes received from Interfaith Works. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you want to change your life, if you want to do something positive, this is a good deal, Bird said. However, Bird did share some limitations. He said Sandys Flats is only staffed during the day, so some people have taken to breaking some rules late at night. Ayers said staff are only onsite from about 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. She said Interfaith Works is exploring tweaking those hours or adding a security position. Now that were 100% full, we feel like were going to start really getting an idea of what the needs of the building are and needs for the residents are, Ayers said. Well let that drive the decisions around presence and staffing. During a Oct 23, 2024 interview Shane Bird talks about personal challenges that finally led to a secure and safe home at the new Sandys Flats permanent supportive housing project operated by the Interfaith Works organization in Olympia. How was Sandys Flats set up? Gov. Jay Inslee started the Rights-of-Way Initiative in 2022. Now, the initiative is known as the Encampment Resolution Program (ERP), but the purpose is the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state partners with cities, counties and service providers to identify encampments along states rights of way, establish a by-name list, assess residents needs and offer them housing before clearing the encampment. The program had closed 53 sites as of Oct. 31, and 1,310 people have accepted housing, according to the Washington State Department of Commerce website. About 74% of people who accepted shelter or housing have remained stable and indoors. In the case of Sandys Flats, Commerce gave Interfaith Works approval in early 2024 to buy and convert the Olympia Inn into permanent supportive housing. The non-profit paid about $2.7 million for the property in March, The Olympian previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then in June, the Thurston County Board of Commissioners approved a two-year $804,594 contract with Interfaith Works to pay for operations at the property. Renae Miller, a Thurston County spokesperson, said the contract requires Interfaith Works to abide by state guidelines as well as provide the following services. Case management/peer navigation services Resource/service connection Enrichment support to promote housing stability and social skills Tenancy skills improvement Additionally, Miller said Interfaith Works must establish an advisory council of neighborhood representatives. Ayers said Interfaith Works held an open meeting last month that only drew a couple neighbors. We havent had really enough interest to get it off the ground, but well probably try another neighborhood meeting in spring, Ayers said. How is Sandys Flats being evaluated? Miller said the county provides oversight and collects data every two weeks on the number of ERP beds occupied, participants in the project as well as entry and exits. It remains to be seen how successful Sandys Flats may be in the long run, but theres evidence to suggest it may make a difference. Permanent supportive housing projects like Sandys Flats have been proven to help people remain housed and improve their well-being, according to a 2018 report published by the National Academies Press. As a housing-first model, permanent supportive housing projects can be more successful than treatment first models, which prioritize making people housing ready. A review of 26 studies from the U.S. and Canada found housing-first programs reduced homelessness and improved housing stability more effectively than treatment-first programs, according to a 2020 report published in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. Such projects also give the state, counties and towns a place to house people in a cost-effective way. In a 2017 study, the National Alliance to End Homelessness found a chronically homeless person costs taxpayers an average of $35,578 per year in crisis services such as jail stays, hospitalizations and mental health services. Meanwhile, the study shows supportive housing costs an average of $12,800 a year. Will Sandys Flats last? The countys contract with Interfaith Works was made possible by funding from the state Department of Commerce, but that funding may dry up soon. Commerce has told the county that it expects to maintain some level of funding for projects to shelter and house people on state-rights-of-ways this year. However, Commerce has not committed to a level of funding because that will be dependent on the state legislature and the budget it passes this year. This uncertainty was described in a county document from a Dec. 10 Board of Health meeting. The document lists 12 projects contracted by Thurston County or the City of Olympia, including Interfaith Works Sandys Flats and shelter at Unity Commons. State funding to operate ERP projects is currently contracted only through June 30, 2025. Failure to maintain full funding for these projects creates a significant risk that Thurston County and the City of Olympia will be unable to maintain these projects, resulting in participants returning to unsheltered homelessness, the document says. Miller said the county, in partnership with the cities of Olympia and Lacey, will take all reasonable steps to ensure no participant leaves these programs into unsheltered homelessness. Ultimately, what we are able to accomplish is tied to resources that might be available to respond, Miller said. When reached for comment, Ayers said she did not feel terribly concerned and Interfaith Works remained committed to supporting Sandys Flats. Weve been around for a pretty darn long time at this point, Ayers said. Were pretty used to lifting and shifting and making adjustments to be able to keep services rolling. Why does the Olympia Inn have a postcard mural now? Look inside the motels new purpose LOS ANGELES (AP) Incoming first lady Melania Trump will be the subject of a new documentary directed by Brett Ratner and distributed by Amazon Prime Video. The streaming arm of the tech giant got exclusive licensing rights for a streaming and theatrical release later this year, the company said Sunday. Filming is already underway on the documentary. The company said in a statement that the film will give viewers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at Melania Trump and also promised a truly unique story. The former and now future first lady also released a self-titled memoir late last year. Her husband takes office on Jan. 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The film is the latest connection between Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Donald Trump. The company in December announced plans to donate $1 million to the President-elects inauguration fund, and said that it would also stream Trumps inauguration on its Prime Video service, a separate in-kind donation worth another $1 million. The two men had been at odds in the past. During his first term, Trump criticized Amazon and railed against the political coverage at The Washington Post, which Bezos owns. But hes struck a more conciliatory tone recently as Amazon and other tech companies seek to improve their relationship with the incoming president. In December, Bezos expressed some excitement about potential regulatory cutbacks in the coming years and said he was optimistic about Trumps second term. Bezos in October did not allow the Post to endorse a presidential candidate, a move that led to tens of thousands of people canceling their subscriptions and to protests from journalists with a deep history at the newspaper. This weekend, a cartoonist quit her job after an editor rejected her sketch of the newspapers owner and other media executives bowing before the president-elect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The film also marks the first project that Ratner has directed since he was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women, including actor Olivia Munn, in the early days of the #MeToo reckoning in November 2017. Ratner, whose lawyer denied the allegations, directed the Rush Hour film series, Red Dragon and X-Men: The Last Stand. Fernando Sulichin, an Argentine filmmaker, is executive producing the film, which began shooting in December. Melania Trump, Donald Trumps third wife, has been an enigmatic figure since her husband announced he was running in the 2016 election. She had sought to maintain her privacy even as she served as first lady, focusing on raising their son, Barron, and promoting her Be Best initiative to support the social, emotional, and physical health of children. While she appeared at her husbands campaign launch event for 2024 and attended the closing night of the Republican National Convention this summer, she has otherwise stayed off the campaign trail, though the demands of again being first lady may dictate a higher public profile after Inauguration Day. __ This story has been updated to correct the director's first name in the headline. The Sandy Springs Police Department arrested driver who led them on a chase on New Years Day. SSPD says on Jan. 1 at approximately 11:12 p.m., an officer attempted to stop a speeding vehicle in the area of 400SB at Spalding Drive. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] However, the driver refused to pull over. Law enforcement officials initiated a pursuit, which started from GA-400SB onto I-285EB. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vehicle exited on Buford Highway, but officers were able to stop the vehicle and arrest the driver. The driver was charged with speeding, improper lane change, fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, hit and run and DUI. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Jan. 4Three New Mexico lakes are set to hold a Midwinter Eagle Count to document the state's bald eagle numbers and habitats and the public is asked to help. Abiquiu Lake, Santa Rosa Lake and Cochiti Lake will each host an event, inviting the community to help collect data on both bald eagle and golden eagle populations for an annual nationwide count. The events are free and require no registration, but attendees are asked to bring long-range viewing devices like cameras, and binoculars, to help aid in the data collection. The eagle count has been conducted nationally since 1984 and for 20 years at Abiquiu Lake, but Santa Rosa Lake has hosted it for only a handful of years. For Cochiti Lake, this will be the first public eagle count. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's also the first year the bald eagle will be counted as the official national bird, thanks to a bill signed by President Joe Biden on Christmas Eve. The act codified the eagle's role as a long-standing national emblem. The eagle count, organized by the National Wildlife Federation and conducted by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, aims to document the total wintering bald eagle population in the lower 48 states and to identify previously unrecognized winter habitats, like those at Cochiti Lake, which have previously gone undocumented. The public is invited primarily to aid in spotting eagles, but the event also aims to raise public interest in conservation efforts like those that succeeded in removing the bald eagle from "endangered" status in 2007. Jan. 5A nonprofit that provides free legal services for low-income New Mexicans plans to lay off about one-fifth of its workforce ahead of expected funding cuts in 2025, the firm's top attorney said last week. New Mexico Legal Aid expects within two months to cut 26 of its 120 staff members, including 13 of the firm's 70 attorneys, Executive Director Sonya Bellafant said. Attorney layoffs include five each in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and one each in Gallup, Las Cruces and Roswell, Bellafant wrote in a Dec. 20 letter to union officials alerting them to the layoffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Legal Aid's collective bargaining agreement with the union, the nonprofit is required to provide 60 days' notice of expected layoffs. The letter also warns that funding uncertainties in 2025 may require additional layoffs. The staff cuts coincide with the end of COVID-19 pandemic emergency funding that led to an expansion in Legal Aid staff and services in recent years, Bellafant said Tuesday in a phone interview. "What you're seeing in that letter is a reflection of what happens when the pandemic ends and an increase in funding dries up," Bellafant said. Legal Aid received more than $1 million in 2024 from the American Rescue Plan Act, the COVID-19 stimulus package signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. That funding ended in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result of that and other expected funding cuts, Legal Aid officials are bracing for a 17% budget cut next year, from about $15 million in 2024 to $12.5 million in 2025. About 80% of the budget pays for salaries. "Really, what it boils down to is that in the absence of sustainable funding to fill those revenue shortfalls, New Mexico Legal Aid must contract," she said. Legal Aid provides free legal services to low-income New Mexicans in civil court disputes including housing, domestic violence, economic security and consumer law. The nonprofit received 15,726 requests for legal assistance and opened 4,745 cases from Jan. 1 through Nov. 21, according to Legal Aid data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legal Aid represented more than 1,500 victims of domestic violence, about 2,200 disabled people and 803 seniors in that period. At a time when New Mexico has an estimated shortage of 32,000 affordable housing units, Legal Aid handled more than 2,100 housing cases in 2024, often involving landlord-tenant disputes. Bellafant said Legal Aid will attempt to limit the impact on clients, but the cuts inevitably will limit the nonprofit's ability to provide services to vulnerable New Mexicans. "It's disheartening to me as a new resident in New Mexico that there is such a great amount of need, particularly given our low-income population," said Bellafant, who took the helm of New Mexico Legal Aid in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are working hard to close outstanding cases as we go into the new year 2025, and that will give us some bit of reprieve as we look at case coverage" after the layoffs, she said. Judicial leaders also plan to ask state lawmakers to bolster state funding for Legal Aid and other nonprofits that provide civil legal services for low-income New Mexicans. State lawmakers this year will consider a budget increase for the state Civil Legal Services Commission, which provides funding for New Mexico Legal Aid, Pegasus Legal Services for Children, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, and other groups. The proposal would increase the commission's budget to $8.1 million an $860,000 increase over the current budget. State Supreme Court Justice C. Shannon Bacon and 2nd Judicial District Judge Erin O'Connell outline the proposal in an opinion piece published in the Sunday Journal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The contraction follows a period of growth for New Mexico Legal Aid in both funding and staff. The nonprofit's staff increased from 54 in 2019 to 120 in 2023, largely because of an increase in pandemic-relief funding. The current funding crunch is a result of both the end of pandemic funding and political uncertainty in Washington, D.C. In 2024, New Mexico Legal Aid received about $900,000 in federal funding under a continuing resolution that expired Dec. 20, the letter said. Congress has since approved a continuing resolution that will continue funding through March, but uncertainty remains about whether the funding will continue under future budgets approved by a new Republican-controlled Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legal Aid also received about $5 million in grant funding in 2024 from the federally funded Legal Services Corporation, a nationwide nonprofit that supports civil legal services for the poor. "Current indications reflect that (New Mexico Legal Aid) will have funds cut from Civil Legal Services funding" for the fiscal year that begins July 1," Bellafant wrote in the letter to Siempre Unidos en Progresso, the bargaining unit that represents Legal Aid employees. The letter also warns that future funding cuts by Congress may require additional layoffs. "I certainly hope not," Bellafant said Tuesday of future layoffs. "A lot will depend on the outcome of the continuing resolution and legal services funding post the March date." The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Sunday elaborated draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules designed to protect citizens' rights under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. The Ministry said that the public feedback on the draft rules is open until February 18, 2025, via the MyGov portal. The DPDP Act and the draft rules are structured to adapt to rapid advancements in digital technologies, it added. The Data Protection Board, envisioned as a fully digital entity, will enable citizens to lodge complaints and resolve disputes online without the need for physical presence. Citizens will be informed of their rights and empowered to manage their personal data through multilingual digital platforms. In addition to online feedback, the Ministry plans structured consultations with civil society, industry, and government stakeholders to refine the rules. Finalised rules will be submitted to Parliament for approval. The draft rules aim to protect individual rights without causing disruptions to existing digital practices. Organizations will be given adequate time to comply with the new regulations, with minimal compliance burdens. Data processing based on prior consent will be allowed to continue, with notices issued to individuals, ensuring their rights under the law are upheld. To safeguard children's personal data, Data Fiduciaries must implement measures to obtain verifiable parental consent. Additionally, startups will benefit from reduced compliance requirements, while significant Data Fiduciaries will be subject to stricter obligations. The DPDP Act introduces graded financial penalties based on the severity and duration of violations. Businesses may voluntarily submit undertakings to the Data Protection Board to avoid penalties during proceedings, ensuring fair and proportional enforcement. The draft rules do not impose a blanket requirement for storing personal data within India. However, restrictions on cross-border data transfers may apply to specific categories of personal data as recommended by a designated committee. By integrating digital-first mechanisms and maintaining a balanced regulatory framework, the draft DPDP Rules aim to secure the rights of citizens while ensuring India's digital economy continues to thrive. (ANI) MILLPORT, N.Y. (WETM) Part of a busy road in Millport was closed on Saturday afternoon after a crash. The Village of Millport Fire Department announced that firefighters were called to a crash between a garbage truck and a car on Watkins Road (Route 14) near Smith Road at 1:48 p.m. on Jan. 4. The department says that people were injured during the crash, but the number of people injured and the extent of the injuries were not released. A hazmat crew was called to the scene, and both lanes of traffic on Watkins Road were closed until the roadway was clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erway Ambulance, the New York State Police, the Chemung County Sheriffs Office, the New York State Department of Transportation, Daves Towing, and Parmenter Towing assisted the Millport Fire Department at the scene. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Update 1/5, 9:30 p.m.: KEARNS, Utah (ABC4) In a press conference on Sunday night, the Unified Police Department said a suspect in the death of Talia Benward has been apprehended. According to Sgt. Aymee Race, a spokesperson for UPD, officials with the Salt Lake County Sheriffs Office and UPD apprehended Nestor Rocha-Aguayo, 24, in Fillmore, Utah, at around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 5. Race said Rocha-Aguayo was on a bus headed for Mexico, but detectives were able to stop the bus and take him into custody. As of about 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, the suspect was actively being questioned by officials while in custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Highly disappointing: Visitor, patrollers speak on impact of Park City ski patrol strike We do believe that the individual we do have in custody is the one we have been looking for, Race said. Benward was first reported missing on Jan. 2, 2025. Early Saturday morning, Jan. 4, detectives began searching a remote location in Tooele County where they believed Benward might be located. The area was reportedly large and covered with tall brush and cedar trees, and the search was being done in nearly total darkness and frigid snowy conditions, police said. Preliminarily, it appears the victim may have suffered from blunt force trauma and trauma to her neck area, the release states. The Unified Police Department is investigating the death of Talia Benward as a homicide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UPD expressed gratitude to the West Valley City Police Department and the other involved agencies who assisted in the search for Benward. The Unified Police Department would like to extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Talia Benward, Race said. We understand that no words can truly capture the pain and sorrow you are experiencing during this tragic time, and our thoughts are with you. Original story: Missing Kearns woman found dead, police seeking person of interest NOTE: Photos of the suspect have been removed from this portion of the story after he was apprehended. KEANRS, Utah (ABC4) A 31-year-old Kearns woman who was reported missing on Jan. 2, 2025, has been found dead, according to Unified Police. Her death is being investigated as a homicide and police have identified a person of interest in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 2, family members of Talia Lee Benward, 31, of Kearns, Utah, reported her missing to Unified Police. Due to the nature and circumstances of her disappearance, the department put forth a team of officers and detectives to investigate her case and attempt to find her as quickly as possible. It became evident Talia Benward was either being held against her will by a violent ex-boyfriend or was deceased, a press release from UPD states. PREVIOUS STORY MISSING: 31-year-old woman out of Kearns Talia Lee Benward, 31, of Kearns, Utah Early Saturday morning, Jan. 4, detectives began searching a remote location in Tooele County where they believed Benward might be located. The area was reportedly large and covered with tall brush and cedar trees, and the search was being done in nearly total darkness and frigid snowy conditions, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police used specially trained K-9 teams to conduct a search of the area. At 5:20 a.m. on Jan. 4, police found Benwards body. Benward was taken to the Medical Examiners Office, which will provide an immediate cause and manner of death. Preliminarily, it appears the victim may have suffered from blunt force trauma and trauma to her neck area, the release states. The Unified Police Department is investigating the death of Talia Benward as a homicide. If anyone has any information which can lead us to locating 24-year-old Nestor Rocha-Aguayo call the Unified Police Department at 801-840-4000. We do believe he is still in Salt Lake County and are asking individuals to not confront him but to call police, the release states. At this time, we are focusing our resources on locating the suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Update 1/4 8:11 p.m. PLEASANT GROVE, Utah (ABC4) The Pleasant Grove Police Department said that the missing juvenile has been found safely. Original story MISSING: Pleasant Grove juvenile missing, police seeking info PLEASANT GROVE, Utah (ABC4) The Pleasant Grove Police Department is seeking help in the search for a missing juvenile. Information from police is limited, but officials said in a social media post that the juvenile named Jack was reportedly missing since the early morning of Jan 4. Further information identifying Jack was not immediately provided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you see Jack or have any information please contact central dispatch at 801-794-3970, police said. What to do when speaking to law enforcement about a missing person Here are some suggestions to keep in mind if someone you know goes missing. Utah officials suggest taking notes on interactions with law enforcement to keep track of details such as officer names, dates and times of interactions, the case number, and what the officers say. When working with local law enforcement to report a missing person, it is recommended one shares as much information as possible about the missing person, including but not limited to: Full name or nicknames. Recent photos. Date of birth and age at the time they disappeared. Gender/sex. Detailed physical description (including unique scars or tattoos). Date of disappearance. Medical conditions. Last known location. Social media accounts. Additional resources For more information, the Department of Public Safety has a page on its website dedicated to resources for missing persons, as well as pages to view missing persons from Utah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additional hotlines and resources originally compiled in a 2021 guidebook are available below: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. On Dec. 16, 2021, Darci Bass was standing in her local convenience store when the man who stood accused of the shooting death of her 19-year-old daughter Livye Lewis strolled in. "When he came in the door ... I just went started started throwing whatever at him and went for him," Bass told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant in an interview for "The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis," an all-new "48 Hours" now streaming on Paramount+. It all began in the early morning hours of Halloween 2020, when Lewis was discovered on the side of a road in the tiny town of Hemphill, Texas. She was draped over the steering wheel of her car, dead from a rifle shot to the neck. Darci Bass with her daughter, Livye Lewis Bass says she was not notified by police of her daughter's death. Instead, she heard from a friend that Lewis was in trouble and showed up at the crime scene demanding answers. "I just needed to know is she alive or is she dead," Bass told Van Sant. Her anguished cries for answers were caught on police bodycam video. "I wanna see my child," she shouted. "Livye Lewis! Where is she?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sabine County Sheriff's Investigator J.P. MacDonough says that the minute he saw Lewis' body, he knew that Lewis' killer was no stranger to her. "She was just sitting there with her legs crossed," he tells Van Sant. "Well, it indicates to me she was not afraid ... She was actually, to some degree, comfortable with who she was speaking with." MacDonough says he didn't have to look very far for a suspect. Also discovered at the crime scene was Lewis' boyfriend, 23-year-old Matthew Edgar. "He was found in the fetal position behind the vehicle that Lewis was found in," says MacDonough. Beside Edgar was his rifle. Edgar was rushed from the scene of the crime in an ambulance. Bloodied but not injured, he is seen on police bodycam footage lying in a hospital bed, being interviewed by MacDonough. "When was the last time you saw Livye?" MacDonough asks Edgar. "Tonight," he answers, and then claims to have no memory of how he ended up at the crime scene. "You don't know how you ended up on the ground behind the car ... With the dead girl in it," says MacDonough. "No, sir," Edgar replies. "I have no clue." Matthew Edgar, seen in a still from bodycam video, is questioned by a Sabine County sheriff's investigator about what happened on Oct. 31, 2020. / Credit: Sabine County Sheriff's Office But for Edgar's defense attorney Rob Hughes, it was not an open-and-shut case. "We got all the DNA results back and ... there were some holes in the case," Hughes tells Van Sant. "There were no fingerprints taken or DNA lifted off the gun." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shaun Dunn, who calls himself a close friend of Edgar's, tells "48 Hours" that he believes Edgar when he says he can't recall how he ended up at the crime scene. Dunn thinks that, like Lewis, Edgar was a victim and that someone else pulled the trigger. "I believe it was someone that was ... close to Matthew," he says. "Someone that was involved in events of that evening." But where Dunn sees a victim, MacDonough saw a suspect and arrested Edgar while he was lying in that hospital bed. Then, months later, Bass says that while she was praying for justice, Edgar was released. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the courts and with no grand juries being convened, Texas law required that a still-unindicted Edgar be allowed out on bail. It was months after Edgar's release when he walked into that convenience store in Bass' neighborhood. "And I just remember saying, 'You killed my daughter ... you killed my daughter.'" According to MacDonough, Bass chased Edgar into the parking lot, where she grabbed a chain in the bed of his truck and started slinging it across his windshield. Bass says she just wanted some answers: "She loved you and she was good to you and your kids and to your family. What made you think that this was the answer to anything that was going on?" Edgar called the sheriff's office and filed a complaint against Bass, who was then charged with assault caused by bodily injury, retaliation and criminal mischief. An arrest warrant was issued and Bass turned herself in. The charges were eventually dropped. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On March 16, 2021, four-and-a-half months after his arrest, a grand jury heard the evidence against Edgar and indicted him for the murder of Lewis. But Edgar, who was still out on bail during his trial, was not done breaking the law. On the fourth day of trial, Edgar let the battery on his ankle monitor die and went on the run. His trial went on without him, and the jury found him guilty. But it took authorities 11 months to capture Edgar, so he could be sentenced to 99 years, with the possibility of parole after 30 years. Tiger Bech's family on his final moments after New Orleans attack ATF head warns that the Trump administration's funding cut plans could risk lives Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum director on his life, impact An Indianapolis police officer is being praised for saving the life of a premature baby whose mom had no idea she was even pregnant. In bodycam footage, Kelly Chappell of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department can be seen quickly running into a home and grabbing the newborn from a woman, who said she was unaware that she was expecting. Chappell then gives the tiny girl quick chest compressions. The officer tells PEOPLE she managed to get two gasps of air out of the baby, which came as such a relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This baby is going to have a chance," she remembers thinking at that moment. "It's really more of a miracle." A 19-year-veteran of the department, Chappell, 47, says her training and instincts kicked in the moment she arrived on the scene. "I felt for a pulse couldn't feel anything. She had a bluish tint," says the officer, who immediately began administering CPR by using two fingers to press on the baby's chest. The body-cam video also shows Chappell sweeping her finger into the newborn's mouth and pulling out a small amount of a sticky-looking fluid that the baby may have swallowed during the delivery. Related: Mich. Officer Saves Baby Who Stopped Breathing During Traffic Stop: 'Nothing Short of Heroic' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She continued her lifesaving efforts for about eight minutes before handing the baby off to paramedics, who then took her to the hospital. "You want to make everything possible for that parent," says Chappell, who credits the mother for taking all the right steps after unexpectedly giving birth at home. The woman was in the bathroom when the child was born at what was later determined to be 23 to 26 weeks of gestation and weighing about 2 lbs., Chappell tells PEOPLE. The mother cut the umbilical cord, wrapped the baby in a purple shirt and kept patting the newborn to try to get her breathing. "I told her, 'You did exactly what you need to do to keep your daughter alive,' " says Chappell, who is herself a mother of two teens and a stepmother to an adult daughter and the officer says she still keeps an old poster inside her cabinet at home outlining how to do CPR on kids if they choke. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The officer says it's not unusual for people to not know they are pregnant right away. She herself didn't know she was pregnant for about four months with one of her own children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I didn't know for quite a while," Chappell remembers. "Not everybody feels their child move." Related: Officer Saves Baby Who 'Was Not Breathing' After Seeing Car Run Red Light: 'Hes a Hero,' Says Dad The mother is now doing well and her baby is continuing to recover in the hospital, says Chappell, who adds that the baby's middle name is, appropriately enough, a Spanish word for "miracle." "God puts you in a place for a reason," she notes. "Every day you're just thankful the baby made it another day." Chappell received an award from the police department for her work. "We are incredibly proud of Officer Kelly Chappell's lifesaving efforts," IMPD spokesman Tommy Thompson says. "Her efforts ensured that baby could breathe another day." Read the original article on People A monster winter storm was sweeping across towards the eastern United States Sunday, bringing sleet, freezing rain and the possibility of the heaviest snowfall in a decade in some areas. New York City and environs will be mostly spared the onslaught that is barreling east from the Midwest and set to hit the Mid-Atlantic states Sunday night, including Washington DC. As many as 63 million people could be affected overall, the National Weather Service said. Its tricky on northern edges, senior meteorologist Tony Fracasso of the National Weather Services Weather Prediction Center told the Daily News on Sunday, noting it would likely be on the lighter side in and around the New York City area. But heading south especially through New Jersey it will go to light snow, heavier, etc. as you head south. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Northern New Jersey could see 1 to 3 inches while central New Jersey could receive possibly 3 to 6 inches and the southernmost part of the state could be hit with as many as 6 to 9 inches, Accuweather senior meteorologist Dave Bombek told the Daily News. So its going to be a much bigger storm in the southern part of the state, he said, while north of New York City therell be nothing at all. Itll be dry as a bone. Itll never snow a flake. Farther south and west, conditions were making for dangerous travel, with officials in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois were urging people to stay off the roads. Numerous flights were canceled and road crews were scrambling to keep up with the level of precipitation in some spots. Virginia declared a state of emergency and Florida braced for record cold. The system is basically over Missouri and Arkansas right now and its going to spread this band of snow, sleet, freezing rain to the south, Fracasso said, noting that a foot had fallen in places like Kentucky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noreasters, he explained, generally travel up the East Coast but this storm started in the Midwest and is traveling east. The Washington D.C. area is in the path of the heaviest Mid-Atlantic snow and could see about 6 inches, he said, and then its basically just going to go out to sea. The uniting factor for all areas, storm or no storm, was slated to be the cold. The one thing that is going to be a common ground for everybody is that its going to be a cold week, Bombek said, predicting New York City would stay at or below freezing until at least Friday, with nighttime lows in the 20s. While its cold for sure, and its colder than what historical averages are, this is nowhere near being record levels. The polar temps were also contributing to lake-effect snow that was dumping up to 5 feet on western New York State and Pennsylvania downwind of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, Accuweather meteorologists said. Erie, Penn., had seen 17 inches as of Sunday morning while Rome, N.Y., had received more than 21 inches. More was coming, though it was slated to taper off into Monday. With News Wire Services Hundreds of drones, missiles and guided aerial bombs used by Russia to attack Ukraine this week contained overall more than 50,000 foreign components, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 5. In the first days of 2025, Russia carried out a series of attacks against Ukraine, causing the destruction of many residential buildings and infrastructure, as well as civilian casualties. According to Zelensky, Russian troops launched more than 630 attack drones, around 740 guided aerial bombs, and nearly 50 missiles of various types this week, targeting settlements across Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overnight alone, 103 Shahed-type drones launched against Ukraine contained 8,755 foreign-made components, the president said. Ukraine shot down 61 drones, the Air Force said. Another 42 drones were "lost." "The sanctions pressure on supply chains for foreign components remains insufficient," Zelensky said. "Russia continues to acquire the components and manufacturing tools it needs almost globally and uses them in the weapons it employs to terrorize Ukraine." The president urged partners to bolster Ukraine's air-defense and long-range capabilities, as well as strengthen sanctions against Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Ukraine launches new offensive in Russias Kursk Oblast, mixed reports surface on outcome Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The highly anticipated trailer for 'Sky Force', Akshay Kumar's upcoming patriotic thriller, was unveiled on Sunday, sending waves of excitement across the nation. The film, which is set to release on January 24, in time for Republic Day (January 26) week, promises to offer a heart-pounding and inspiring journey into one of India's most daring military operations. During the trailer launch, Akshay Kumar, who plays the lead role of an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer in the film, was asked about his emotional connection to wearing a uniform and how it feels to embody a character beyond just being an actor. His response reflected his deep dedication and personal connection to the military, especially given his own family background. "My father was in the army, so this feeling is inbuilt in me," Akshay explained, adding "When I wear a uniform, it automatically imbues me with strength. I've worn different uniforms before, but this is the first time I am donning the Indian Air Force uniform," he added. This patriotic thriller promises to deliver a compelling mix of high-octane air combat sequences, emotionally charged moments, and a gripping narrative centred around one of India's most daring military operations. Starring Akshay Kumar and debutant Veer Pahariya in lead roles, 'Sky Force' offers an exhilarating glimpse into India's first and one of its deadliest airstrikes on Pakistan. The trailer sets the stage for a thrilling journey filled with brave soldiers, heart-wrenching sacrifice, and stirring patriotism. Directed by Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Kapur, 'Sky Force' follows the story of an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, played by Akshay Kumar, who embarks on a mission of vengeance after several Indian soldiers are killed. As tensions escalate, Akshay's character challenges the conventional mindset, urging his superiors to take action and execute the country's first-ever airstrike in retaliation. In a powerful dialogue, he says, "Doosra gaal neta dikhate hai, hum fauji nahi," (Another cheek is extended by political leaders, not soldiers). Alongside Akshay, Veer Pahariya makes his film debut as another IAF officer who teams up with him on the mission. However, as the operation intensifies, Veer's aircraft is shot down, and he is later reported "missing in action".The emotional toll of the mission is further depicted through the character of Sara Ali Khan, who plays Veer's wife, anxiously awaiting news of her husband's fate. In addition to the main cast, actress Nimrat Kaur also stars in a pivotal role. Speaking about the film, Dinesh Vijan, founder and producer of Maddock Films, in a press statement said, "The motto of our nation's soldiers is never to leave any of their comrades behind. This commitment exemplifies the profound bravery and selflessness that define their service. Sky Force is a salute to that commitment. It is the story from an untold chapter in our nation's history that demanded to be told." Vijan further expressed his pride in bringing this story to life, adding, "With Akshay Kumar helming the film and Veer Pahariya making his debut, we believe Sky Force will etch a lasting impression on the hearts of viewers everywhere. Some missions end, while others last a lifetime. Sky Force promises to last a lifetime." Jyoti Deshpande, President- Media and Content Business at Reliance Industries and a producer of the film, shared her thoughts on the film's significance. "Sky Force is not just a film; it's a tribute to the bravery, patriotism, and indomitable spirit of our armed forces. This poignant story shines light on a significant chapter of India's history, honouring the sacrifices of our unsung heroes," she said, adding, "At Jio Studios, we take immense pride in bringing to life stories with purpose, and Sky Force is sure to inspire and evoke a deep sense of pride in every Indian." Akshay Kumar also shared the movie's trailer on his social media handle and wrote, "This Republic Day, witness the untold story of a heroic sacrifice - the tale of India's first and deadliest airstrike. Mission #SkyForce- In Cinemas 24th January 2025. #SkyForceTrailer is out now." The trailer of 'Sky Force' promises to be a visual treat with breathtaking aerial combat sequences, showcasing the courage and skill of the Indian Air Force officers. 'Sky Force' will hit theatres on January 24, 2025, just ahead of Republic Day. (ANI) More than 500 animals were killed when a fire broke out at a northwest Dallas shopping center Jan. 3, officials said. Dallas Fire-Rescue units responded to Plaza Latina at 11200 Harry Hines Blvd. after a 911 caller reported a structure fire. Firefighters found heavy smoke and fire when they arrived, officials said, prompting them to request a second alarm. The fire caused severe structural damage to the building, and the roof partially collapsed. The blaze was extinguished shortly after 11 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The owner of a business that sells animals told Spanish-language station KXTX-TV that around 500 animals died as a result of the fire. Only a handful of animals, including two puppies, two tortoises, some rabbits and a pig survived. A large amount of smoke reached the pet shop, officials said, and the animals died from smoke inhalation. Firefighters attempted to rescue the animals but were unsuccessful. Most of the animals that perished were small birds, according to officials. Some chickens, hamsters, two cats and two dogs also died. Dallas Animal Services removed 579 animals from the scene. There are around 100 small businesses inside Plaza Latina, according to KXTX reporting. Its not clear how many were affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No injuries to people were reported, according to fire officials. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. More top stories from our newsroom: Families of missing trio cling to hope after 50 years More Fort Worth high schoolers are earning college credit tuition-free Tarrant County DAs Office sought indictment of man after his death [Get our breaking news alerts.] WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said two people were arrested and charged after attacking a person with a bottle in Navy Yard on New Years Eve. Police said that on Dec. 31, at about 10 p.m., two suspects went up to the victim in the unit block of M Street and attacked them with a bottle. MPD: Man arrested in connection to Northeast DC shooting that injured 5 The victim was transported to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Delvin Martin, 47, and Kenny Watkins, 57, of Southeast, D.C., were arrested and charged with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Bottle). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Mississippi man was sentenced to 20 years in an Arkansas prison for sexual assault on Friday, according to prosecuting attorney Sonia Hagood. On December 20, 2024, 52-year-old Michael Key was found guilty of sexual assault in the second degree. Key was sentenced to 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections and given a $15,000 fine. Michael Key. The case originated in June 2022, when the Arkansas State Police received a report of sexual abuse involving a 12-year-old girl whod accused Key of assaulting her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Key had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting children in April of 2003. Those victims testified that Key had subjected them to sexual abuse during Keys latest abuse case. They (the victims) displayed extraordinary courage by coming forward and testifying, prosecuting attorney Dustin Jones said. This verdict is a direct result of their remarkable strength. Parent reacts to allegations against former DeSoto coach Jones added that the jurys decision sends a strong message. Mississippi County juries will protect their children and deliver justice for victims of sexual violence, Jones said. We will never stop fighting to safeguard the vulnerable in our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fellow prosecuting attorney Sonia Hagood reaffirmed her offices commitment to protecting victims across the district. We stand with the survivors and remain steadfast in our mission to hold perpetrators of sexual violence accountable, Hagood said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. ARCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) Illinois State Police have released more information about the two-car collision on I-57 that happened Saturday night. According to State Police, a Hyundai sedan was driving the wrong way northbound on I-57. A Dodge sedan was driving southbound on I-57. The two cars crashed into each other just before 9 p.m. State Police said that there is no other information at this time. ARCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) Six people were hospitalized after a two-car crash on I-57 Saturday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Illinois State Police, the crash happened near Arcola, on I-57 southbound, at milepost 203. State Police responded to the scene around 9 p.m. Man shot in Edgar Co. following armed confrontation with deputies When they arrived, they found six people that were hurt. All six were transported to the hospital with injuries. The southbound lanes were closed, and traffic was diverted onto U.S. Route 45 at exit 203 until around 1:30 a.m. As of Sunday morning, State Police did not have any additional information to share regarding the status of the six injured people. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Update (WTWO) 9:00 p.m. A spokesperson with the Illinois Department of Transportation told WTWO that both Eastbound lanes of I-70 and one westbound lane remain closed near mile marker 124. There is no word yet on any injuries. Cumberland County, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) The Illinois State Police states that multiple crashes on Interstate 70 have forced a portion of the interstate to be shut down. The incident began at about 1:30 p.m. Central Time on I-70 near milepost 124. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ISP Troop 9 responded to and is on scene at the location above for the report of multiple traffic crashes involving multiple units, officials wrote in an email to WTWO/WAWV. I-70 eastbound is currently closed and traffic is being diverted to U.S. Route 40. This is an active crash scene and there is currently no additional information available to share at this time. Bill Brown, Clark County Sheriff, is asking local residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary due to the expected increase in traffic on Route 40. This is a developing story and we will have more information as it becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. So it turns out that the richest man in the world does not do deference who would have thought it? After several days of distance growing between Elon Musk and Nigel Farage over matters ranging from Tommy Robinson to the calibration of social media opinions about British politics more generally, their transatlantic love-in appears to be over. Musk wanted Reform to get behind the idea of Robinson being a political prisoner and campaign at full tilt on his behalf, while Farage calmly set out the facts of Robinsons incarceration for contempt of court and declared that the party would not be getting involved with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a single post on X early this afternoon, Musk pulled the plug by suggesting: The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes. Hence, there will be no $100m cheque for Reform treasurer Nick Candy and almost certainly no donation at all. Because Farage, who remains the effective majority stakeholder in Reform as well as party leader, isnt going anywhere. An hour before his anti-Farage post, Musk also quoted approvingly a newspaper article by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch calling for a full public inquiry into grooming gangs. Perhaps that was intended as a horses head on the bed warning for Farage to toe the Elon line. If so, then it didnt work. Some figures in the political establishment will no doubt be breathing a sigh of relief that Musks immense financial resources are suddenly off-limits for Farage. Others may even think that Farage could end up being ousted as Reform leader or having his political project become hamstrung because of the multi-billionaires sudden hostility to him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neither of those responses would be soundly based, in my view. For a start, Reforms profile and popularity have risen so far and so fast over recent months that it is most unlikely to run short of funds to compete with the Tories or Labour. Clearly Musks massive monetary muscle would have further helped it, but Farage has run previous successful political campaigns on a relative shoestring anyway Second, much of the benefit of the Musk association for Reform lay in it being seen to break bread with such a zeitgeisty figure while other British political parties were out in the cold. That PR win has already been banked. Refusing to turn Reform into a wholly-owned subsidiary of Musk may even end up adding to Farages political authority. Farage will still be a guest at the inauguration of Donald Trump later this month and still has extensive contacts in his embryonic new administration. The Trump connection with Farage is far more long-lasting and thus almost certainly far more robust than the one with Musk ever was. Finally, for Reform supporters and the Reform-curious parts of the British electorate more generally, there is a judgement to be reached about which figure is reading our political currents of opinion more astutely: an American-based tycoon or an established British figure with a track record of achievement as an insurgent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout his time as Ukip leader, Farage maintained a rule that nobody could join the party who had previously been a member of ethno-nationalist parties or movements such as the BNP or the EDL. While this was harsh on some public-spirited people who came to regret their past associations with those outfits, the rule was crucial in broadening the appeal of Ukip. Without it, the party could have been successfully pigeonholed by establishment opponents as far Right. It would never have won the 2014 European elections or been able to exert sufficient pressure on David Cameron to force a referendum on EU membership. Indeed, Farage left Ukip and set up the Brexit Party at the end of 2018 precisely because Robinson was being invited into the fold by one of his successors as leader, Gerrard Batten. He could see that this would scupper Ukips prospects were there to be another round of European elections in 2019, which did indeed end up taking place. In those elections, Ukip limped in with a 3.2 per cent vote share and zero seats, while the Brexit Party won with a 30.5 per cent vote share and 29 seats, hastening the end of Theresa Mays premiership. So when it comes to the question as to who is best-placed to discern the outer limits of an art of the possible strategy for the radical right in Britain, Farage surely beats Musk by a country mile. And any establishment figures tempted to believe that this is the beginning of the end of the Farage project are only kidding themselves. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. By William Schomberg LONDON (Reuters) -Elon Musk said Nigel Farage should quit as leader of Britain's right-wing Reform UK party in an abrupt withdrawal of support by the U.S. billionaire for the Brexit campaigner who is trying to shake up the British political establishment again. "The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes," Musk said on his social media platform X on Sunday, a few hours after Farage described him as a friend who made Reform look "cool". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk - a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump - had seemingly backed Farage and posed for a photograph with him last month. Reform won 4.1 million votes or 14% of the total and five seats in parliament in last July's national election. Farage has previously said he is in negotiations with Musk about the billionaire donating to Reform to help it challenge the dominant Labour and Conservative parties. But Farage has distanced himself from comments made by Musk in support of British anti-immigration and anti-Muslim activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, who is serving a prison sentence for contempt of court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farage responded to Musk's post on Sunday saying: "Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles." Last month, Musk endorsed the Alternative for Germany, an anti-immigration, anti-Islamic party labelled as right-wing-extremist by German security services, ahead of national elections in February. Musk has previously sought to influence British politics and has criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer repeatedly since anti-immigration riots last summer. The Tesla founder last week backed calls for a national inquiry into the handling of cases of rape by men of Pakistani heritage of underage girls by the government's prosecution service which Starmer previously ran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2014 inquiry found at least 1,400 children were subjected to sexual exploitation in Rotherham, northern England, between 1997 and 2013. The Times said Starmer was expected to address the criticism at a news conference on Monday by saying he gave the green light to prosecuting paedophile gangs in 2013 and reformed the way that child abuse cases are handled by prosecutors. But he was unlikely to criticise Musk directly given the billionaire's proximity to Trump, the newspaper said. A spokesperson in Starmer's office declined to comment. On Sunday, UK health minister Wes Streeting defended Starmer and another member of his cabinet, Jess Phillips, who incurred Musk's ire for reportedly saying that any fresh inquiry into another gang rape case should be handled by the local authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's all very easy to sit there and fire off something in haste and click 'send' when people like Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips have done the hard yards of actually locking up wife beaters, rapists and paedophiles," Streeting told the BBC. (Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Andrew Heavens) Tech billionaire Elon Musk said Sunday that British politician Nigel Farage should not be the Reform U.K. partys leader. The Reform Party needs a new leader, Musk said in a post on the social platform X, which he owns. Farage doesnt have what it takes. Musk has recently been posting on social media about U.K. politics, calling for the release of far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Robinson is a founder of the far-right English Defense League who was sentenced late last year to a year and a half in prison due to violating a court order prohibiting him from repeating libelous allegations toward a Syrian refugee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farage later responded to Musks post with an X post of his own, stating that it was a surprise. Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles, Farage said. Farage also said in a recent clip from Sky News that when it comes to Reform U.K., he doesnt wish for Robinson to be a member. In a post from earlier this week, Musk had said only Farages party can save Britain. Musk has also recently been going after the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on social media. He criticized the prime ministers history as Britains director of public prosecutions, noting grooming scandals in the country unveiled in 2013. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Services [CPS] approval for the police to charge suspects. Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013, Musk wrote on X. The Hill has reached out to Reform U.K. and Robinsons account on X for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Timothee Chalamet took a humorous dig at the race between him and actor Jake Gyllenhaal for being the most number of films with the director Denis Villeneuve. He jokingly announced himself in the lead if the number of production days in each movie is considered. Timothee joined 'Arrival' star Amy Adams on the Palm Springs Convention Center stage to present the filmmaker with a Visionary Award for his work on last year's Dune: Part Two on Friday as per The Hollywood Reporter. During the presentation, Timothee passed a witty remark on the race that seems to be neck and neck with Jake Gyllenhaal, who previously starred in Villeneuve's back-to-back films in 2013, Prisoners and Enemy. "If you look at the exact number of production days, I'm in the lead on that," Chalamet teased. He later joked: "With apologies to Jake Gyllenhaal once more, who is in the earlier, smaller movies because as they've gotten bigger, it tends to be me who's the lead." said 'Dune' actor as quoted by THR. The actor called Villeneuve a 'terrific director'. He said, "I was dying to work with a father figure, to a mentor and a close friend, and someone I like to gently remind every couple of weeks, usually over text, that God forbid anything happen to Denis or myself, 'Can you be the director I work with most in my career, and can I be the actor you worked with the most in [your] career?" The star of the Dune franchise said he'd known Villeneuve for about eight years. Despite growing close during that time, the actor explained that the filmmaker remains an enigma, a "rare artist" who is impossible to box in or define. Timothee Chalamet and Denis Villeneuve collaborated for the film 'Dune: Chapter I' and 'Dune: Chapter II' (ANI) An elderly New York City woman fought off four potential robbers on New Years Day. Linda Rosa, a retired MTA worker from East New York in Brooklyn, was on her way to a church service on Wednesday, Jan. 1, when she was attacked by four teenage girls, according to The New York Post. The NYPD confirmed the report to PEOPLE, stating that "the individuals attempted to remove the victims bag and struck her about the body" at about 6 p.m. local time. "After being unsuccessful in their attempts, the individuals then fled the subway heading towards unknown whereabouts," the department continued in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosa, 71, told the Post that she had exited a subway train at the Hoyt Street stop in Brooklyn and had just walked through a turnstile to leave the station when one of the four girls attempted to snatch her purse. And then I [thought to myself], Oh, no, this is not going to happen today, she recalled to the outlet. Rosa went on to detail that one of the young women punched her in the face, causing her glasses to fly to the floor, at which point a second teen grabbed a pouch containing Rosa's ID and medical records. I was still wrestling with the first person, Rosa told the outlet. Then I was trying to kick her in between her legs, but my leg wouldnt stretch far enough. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty N.Y.C. subway platform (stock image) N.Y.C. subway platform (stock image) I fell, and then she [the first assailant] stomped on me, she continued, adding, I got an impression in me that she was going to stomp me again, but she was going to aim towards my head. So I got up right away, and with that, I grabbed her braids and twirled them around my right hand, and then I pulled her down. 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. Rosa said it was at this point that the teen who had grabbed her pouch tossed it to the floor and also came towards her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So out of nowhere, I grabbed her hair and twisted it around my left hand, Rosa said. So I had them both facedown ... [like] rams when theyre getting ready to fight. Rosa then said that she began yelling for assistance while she continued to hold the two girls by their hair. She said she eventually did let go, at which point all four teens ran away. Rosa said she continued on to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, where congregation members tended to her wounds and called the police. She was then taken to the Brooklyn Hospital Center for treatment of "minor injuries," per the NYPD's statement to PEOPLE. The NYPD has since released video footage of the four attackers, which shows them passing through subway turnstiles moments before the attack. Police have since asked for the public's help in tracking down the suspects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For her part, Rosa said she does not harbor any ill will toward her attackers. I forgive them. They do not know what they do, she told the Post. They dont know what they did. Its just teenagers acting foolish. Read the original article on People A New York City woman has been charged after allegedly leaving a baby on an imam's doorstep in the Bronx. A spokesperson for the New York Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE that Delfina Galvez, 26, was arrested on Monday, Dec. 30 and now faces charges of abandonment of a child, reckless endangerment (first degree) and acting in a manner injurious to a child after allegedly leaving a female infant outside of a residence in the Bronx on Sunday, Dec. 29. Per the NYPD, the baby girl was left "wrapped in blankets within a tote bag in front of a residence" at around 6 a.m. local time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Surveillance footage, shared by CBS News New York, shows a woman apparently carrying the child in a tote bag on Reverend James A. Polite Avenue before appearing in the frame again without the bag. The outlet identified the woman, later revealed by police to be Galvez, as the baby's mother. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty New York Police Department vehicle (stock image) New York Police Department vehicle (stock image) 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. "It's crazy. How do you leave a baby like this in the street?" resident Fatou Sair said, per CBS News New York. Mamadou Hafiz Jallow, who was at a mosque down the street when the infant was left at his doorstep, told CBS News New York that his "next-door neighbor" called him to let him know that there was a baby crying at his door. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then rushed home and called 911 after bringing the baby inside. Jallow, who said that he is known as an imam and has led prayer for three years at the mosque, detailed that the baby was "very cold" when he discovered her. "When I opened the blanket, I see a little baby, blinking their eyes and shaking their fingers," he said. While Jallow said his work "may be the reason" that the infant was left at his door, he added that he didn't know why the baby was left at his residence. The infant was later taken to Jacobi Medical Center via an ambulance and, per the NYPD, was listed "in stable condition. She "remains in the care of hospital staff" as of this past week, the NYPD added. "Hearing that this is even a thing is very disturbing for this neighborhood," one resident told FOX 5 New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the NYPD, Galvez lives near the location where she allegedly left the infant. Per New York laws, as cited by CBS News New York, newborn babies can be left at hospitals, police stations and firehouses with no criminal charges filed. "I just hope the baby to be well. That's the most important thing, and then the mother to be forgiven," Jallow told the outlet. Read the original article on People TOKYO (AP) Shigemi Fukahori, a survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki atomic bombing, who devoted his life to advocating for peace and campaigning against nuclear weapons, has died. He was 93. Fukahori died at a hospital in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, on Jan. 3, the Urakami Catholic Church, where he prayed almost daily until last year, said on Sunday. Local media reported he died of old age. The church, located about 500 meters from ground zero and near the Nagasaki Peace Park, is widely seen as a symbol of hope and peace, as its bell tower and some statues and survived the nuclear bombing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fukahori was only 14 when the U.S. dropped the bomb on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, killing tens of thousands of people, including his family. That came three days after the nuclear attack on Hiroshima, which killed 140,000 people. Japan surrendered days later, ending World War II and the country's nearly half-century of aggression across Asia. Fukahori, who worked at a shipyard about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from where the bomb dropped, couldnt talk about what happened for years, not only because of the painful memories but also how powerless he felt then. About 15 years ago, he became more outspoken after encountering, during a visit to Spain, a man who experienced the bombing of Guernica in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War when he was also 14 years old. The shared experience helped Fukahori open up. On the day the bomb dropped, I heard a voice asking for help. When I walked over and held out my hand, the persons skin melted. I still remember how that felt, Fukahori told Japans national broadcaster NHK in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He often addressed students, hoping they take on what he called the baton of peace, in reference to his advocacy. When Pope Francis visited Nagasaki in 2019, Fukahori was the one who handed him a wreath of white flowers. The following year, Fukahori represented the bomb victims at a ceremony, making his pledge for peace, saying: I am determined to send our message to make Nagasaki the final place where an atomic bomb is ever dropped. Funeral services were planned on Monday at Urakami Church, where his daughter will represent the family. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Threads https://www.threads.net/@yurikageyama NEW YORK (PIX11) A New York county that hadnt been flying flags at half-staff following former President Jimmy Carters death announced on Sunday its planning to do so. The flags in Nassau County will be at half-staff for President Carter from the commencement of Lying in State on January 7th through burial on January 9th, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said in a statement to PIX11 News. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive was accused by a lawmaker of refusing to fly flags at half-staff. Whether its pettiness, laziness, or pure ignorance, Nassau deserves a county executive who understands that honoring a former president transcends partisan politics, said Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow on Friday. President Joe Biden issued a proclamation to fly flags at half-staff at all federal buildings and grounds for 30 days after Carters passing at 100 years old. It ends on Jan. 28, which is after President-elect Donald Trump will take office. This story consists of reporting from The Associated Press. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Two people were arrested in Nassau County after Operation Probable Cause, a two-day retail theft sting. The operation happened on Dec. 19 and 20. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< According to a social media post, 44-year-old Mindy Rupert was arrested on Dec. 19. Authorities said she was trying to chide about $60 worth of clothing and jewelry in her purse at the Yulee Walmart on State Road 200. Loss prevention staff noticed the hidden items while Rupert made a legitimate purchase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Nassau County Sheriffs Office found Rupert and searched her car. Inside, deputies found fentanyl. Rupert now faces charges of petty theft with a prior conviction and felony drug possession. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] On Dec. 20, 44-year-old Jorge Andres Agudelo Chulito was arrested. NCSO said they responded to the Home Depot on State Road 200 in Yulee regarding a theft in progress. According to the social media post, Chulito entered the store with an empty cart and left without paying for several things. The K9 unit found the suspects car and conducted a traffic stop. They found the stolen items in his car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chulio was charged with grand theft over $750 and driving without a valid license. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Years after the curious case of Natalia Grace captivated the nation, a new series inspired by the bizarre story of the Ukrainian orphan with dwarfism accused of trying to kill her adoptive parents while masquerading as a child is set to air on Hulu. Good American Family, which is set to premiere on March 19, will focus on disturbing stories surrounding a Midwestern couple who adopt a girl with a rare form of dwarfism, according to the shows description. Natalia and her adoptive parents Michael and Kristine Barnett are not directly mentioned, but the series is inspired by multiple stories, perspectives, threats, interpretations, and accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like the Barnetts, the parents in the series, played by Grey's Anatomy actress Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass, raise the girl along with their biological children, but became suspicious of the girl, claiming that she was a lot older than they believed her to be, and that she posed a threat to their physical safety. As they defend their family from the daughter they've grown to believe is a threat, she fights her own battle to confront her past and what her future holds, in a showdown that ultimately plays out in the tabloids and in the courtroom, according to Hulu, adding that the story is told form multiple points of view, as a means to explore issues of perspective, bias and trauma. The case made national headlines in 2014 and has remained in the public eye over the years as the parents had Natalia's age legally changed and left her on her own in an apartment. Natalia Grace has inspired a new series on Hulu (Investigation Discovery) Over the years, the case has been the focus of several TV shows, podcasts and documentaries, including Investigation Discovery's documentary series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the ID series, Natalia shared harrowing details of her childhood for the first time, which ended with her being welcomed into a new family, with parents Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans, a religious couple who later adopted her. The Mans were supposed to be a happy ending for Natalia, who puts her own age at 21. But it turned out to be anything but, as seen in The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter, which aired on Investigation Discovery and Max. Amid the release of the series, Natalia also revealed last month in a rare interview with PEOPLE that shes living with her third American family, sharing new details about how she fled her last adopted familys control in the middle of the night. Natalias childhood For years, Natalia Grace was accused by her adoptive parents Michael and Kristine Barnett of masquerading as a child who they insisted was actually a murderous sociopath intent on killing their family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian orphan was adopted in 2010 by the Barnetts who later petitioned a judge to change her legal age from eight to 22, after they cited chilling evidence that they alleged proved she was substantially older. When Natalia, who has a rare genetic disorder called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, was adopted, the couple were told she was six years old at the time. But the couple had doubts and later cited evidence that proved she was older than she was claiming to be. When Kristine attempted to bathe their new daughter, she was shocked to discover pubic hair; it wasnt long before the adoptive mother discovered that Natalia had been hiding her menstrual cycle, she claimed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the Barnetts discovered that another girl with the same rare form of dwarfism was also living in Indiana, the parents arranged a visit so the two children could meet. The Ukrainian orphan was adopted in 2010 but the couple claimed she was older than six (Investigation Discovery) Michael Barnett claims he was immediately taken aback by how much older Natalia seemed than the other girl insisting that Natalia recognized it, too, and quickly tried to make herself seem younger. Over the next several months, what started as a question of Natalias true age quickly spiraled into a vortex of allegations, with the Barnetts claiming their adopted daughter was really a homicidal adult. Natalias adoptive mother Kristine, who could not be reached by IDs producers for the docuseries, told DailyMail.com in 2019 that her family were terrorized in the months after they adopted her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She alleged Natalia threatened to stab the family in their sleep, pushed her towards an electric fence, and poured bleach in her coffee. When she asked Natalia what she was doing, Natalia would respond, I am trying to poison you. In the first season of the ID docuseries, Natalia pushes back against the allegations that she says are blatantly lifted from the 2009 thriller film Orphan. I never tried to murder anybody, she said. Her adoptive mother alleged Natalia threatened to stab the family in their sleep (Investigation Discovery) In 2019, the Barnetts were taken into custody on child neglect charges after they abandoned Natalia in a Lafayette, Indiana apartment, and moved to Canada. Michael was acquitted of the charges in October 2022, while Kristine had her case dismissed in March 2023, just three weeks before her trial. The couple have been divorced since 2013. Natalia shares her story for the first time Natalias story has resulted in multiple documentaries including IDs docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which aired in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then in 2024, she spoke out for the first time in IDs docuseries Natalia Speaks, in which she comes face-to-face with her adoptive father in an explosive reunion where she grills him about the countless questions shes had for years. Natalia, who states that she lost her childhood also addresses some of the wild accusations thrown at her, including that she tried to kill her adoptive family. Theyre not going to get away with this, Natalia says in the docuseries. This is my side of the story. Do I look like a monster to you? In 2024, Natalia spoke out for the first time in IDs docuseries Natalia Speaks, in which she comes face-to-face with her adoptive father in an explosive reunion (Investigation Discovery) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Natalia believes the Barnetts lies are confirmed when she finally gets medical confirmation about her age in the first episode. The DNA testing done at TruDiagnostic, using just a sample of her blood to determine her chronological age, determined she was closer to 22 in age at this time, which they noted was pretty close to what you think, youre almost 20, thats within 2 years, according to Dr Halland Chen, who appeared on the doc. Ive known the truth for as long as I can remember, that I was a kid, Natalia says, breaking down in tears after getting the results. I just want people to really see the truth about my age. This is significantly younger than 34, which is the age according to her legally changed birthdate of 1989. That meant she was just four when she came to the United States from Ukraine and only eight years old when the Barnetts legally changed her age, and moved to Canada, leaving her behind in a Lafayette apartment alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This one little piece of paper throws every single lie the Barnetts have said right into the trash, with a match. This is so big, this has been 12 years of just two people, lying their butts off. They ruined a kids life, Natalia said after she was given the results. The sit-down was the first time Natalia and her adoptive father Michael Barnett had seen each other face-to-face outside of a courtroom in years Why are we here, Michael? Natalia pointedly asks. Why are we here? Michael responded. If youre talking philosophically... No, I want to know why did you adopt me in the first place? Natalia asks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael claimed he was also a victim and that he was manipulated and mistreated by Kristine, who is now his ex-wife. Many of these questions theres not going to be a single answer to, he explained. This is not easy. I had the same monster you did. Kristine. I was exceptionally controlled and put down and threatened, was minimalized, anything that was who I was was ripped from me and I was guided and instructed to be exactly what she wanted me to be. While the two appear to be trauma bonding over this, Natalia later states that she still believes Michael is guilty, because he stood by and did nothing. If Kristine was his so-called monster, he could have fought her. I couldnt, she later says to the camera. When she asks him if he knew about the alleged abuse, some of which he said he did know about, Michael became emotional and claimed he could not do anything because Kristine made threats that he would never see his sons again. Natalia Grace breaks down while speaking on the ID series (Investigation Discovery) Natalia admitted in the docuseries that when she lived with the Barnetts, she would tell people she was 22 out of fear. When Kristine told me to tell people I was 22, I did it because I was terrified, she explained, detailing horrific claims of repeatedly being hit with a belt and made to stand against a wall for hours, soiling herself. I didnt know what she would do. Natalia also fired off questions to Michael and refuted his previous claims about her, including one that she held a knife in her hand as she loomed over his bed where he and his wife were sleeping. I was never in yalls room with a knife, Natalia exclaims with her head in her hands. I know what I saw, he responded. Natalia has denied every allegation of murderous intentions and behavior leveled by the Barnetts. They were supposed to take care of me. But all they did was hurt me. Natalias escape Natalia thought she found happiness with a new adoptive family Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans, a couple who lived a strict religious lifestyle with their 10 children in Indiana, and later Tennessee. The couple has advocated for Natalia and her disability, and in 2019, they went on Dr. Phil with Natalia and maintained that she never showed any signs of violence toward their family. But it wasnt the happy ending Natalia had hoped for. In the new docuseries, there are claims that the Mans exploited Natalia. Several witnesses claim to have seen the Mans physically abusing Natalia by slapping her in the face and whipping her with a belt. When asked about the allegations by PEOPLE, Natalia would not confirm or deny the alleged incidents. But Natalia did share with the outlet how she planned her escape from the family, whom she accused of controlling her and forbidding her from contacting outsiders. She enlisted her boyfriend and old friends Nicole and Vince DePaul, to create an escape plan. The DePauls tried to adopt Natalia in 2009 but were turned down, PEOPLE reported. Natalia told the outlet that she was nervous about leaving her family and the sisters she had helped take care of, but knew it was the right decision. Since Natalia left the Mans family, she has been living with the friends who helped her escape. Nicole and her husband Vince are little people, like Natalia. The couple told PEOPLE that things were bumpy at first because the Mans were still involved, but have since smoothed out. They were calling Natalia constantly and trying to wheel her back in, Nicole said. It was just this constant thing where we were walking a fine line of not doing too much. See, she just came from this house that basically was ruled by a dictator, so I didnt want to tell her what to do Shes also never done one violent thing ever," Nicole added. Our dogs love her and they sleep with her. Im an animal lover. If I didnt trust her, I wouldnt leave my babies with her. Theyre also a judge of character, as well. Natalia is learning how to drive and has been studying for her GED as she strives to be a teacher one day. She is still with her boyfriend and says its a blessing to be alive. Learning everything that I have about how to live with my dwarfismits been a great experience, she said. I love it. I mean, of course, I still miss my siblings and everything. But I love it. I feel free. Joe Bidens commutations of 37 death sentences because of his personal disapproval of capital punishment is an abuse of the clemency power. To prevent such abuses by a North Carolina governor, we might consider the limitations on executive power as those under the California constitution. The California governor can only pardon or commute a sentence of a prisoner who has been twice convicted of a felony with the approval of a majority of the state Supreme Court. That court reviews clemency requests under an abuse of discretion standard. This would be a good model for a North Carolina constitutional amendment. Joseph Gebara, Mint Hill Well miss you, Jimmy We interviewed former President Jimmy Carter in his Atlanta office in 2007 for a magazine story on the 25th anniversary of the Carter Center, an organization that has spearheaded humanitarian and peacemaking projects worldwide. We discussed various issues, ranging from peace prospects in the Middle East to the urgent need to reform the U.S. electoral system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carters achievements, though never given full due, were remarkable. Seventy percent of his domestic legislation was passed. His foreign policy successes included normalizing diplomatic and trade relations with China, passing the Panama Canal Treaty, and leading the groundbreaking Camp David Peace Accord between Israel and Egypt, which, in part, earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. When we asked what troubled him most, Carter responded, seeing our democracy subverted by money. His concern has proven to be well-founded. Well miss you, Jimmy. Charles and Mary Love, Charlotte Politics While many political observers see opposing factions coming close together in voting preferences, they fail to recognize the possibility that the vote is merely a chance for the other team to have a chance at bat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tom Bowers, Charlotte Remembering Carter As the former director of the Johnston County Habitat for Humanity, it was my good fortune to have a connection to our former president, Jimmy Carter. In contrast to our president elect, Donald Trump, Carter was a man of deep religious faith and a man whose entire life reflected love for his country and his God. Due to my connections in Cuba, Carter agreed in a telephone conversation to write a letter to Cubas then-president, Fidel Castro, on behalf of the Johnston County Habitat for Humanity, to work with a Cuban Baptist church in constructing a home in the city of Matanzas, Cuba. I have carefully preserved a copy of that historic letter. Rest in Peace, Mr. President. I cannot even begin to imagine having a conversation with Trump as I had with Carter and having Trump willing to facilitate an effort for Habitat to enter Cuba to assist Cuban families having a decent place to live. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Edward Walsh, Princeton Israeli-Palestinian class Thank you for Korie Deans Dec. 26 story about UNC Chapel Hills upcoming class on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The class will be offered by the universitys pioneering School of Civic Life and Leadership, a pro-democracy program conceived and developed by Carolina administrators and faculty over the past seven years. As the story noted, SCiLL received heavy public attention in early 2023 after trustees endorsed the administrations proposal for the school and urged its acceleration. Then-Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz explained to the universitys accreditor that the work regarding the curriculum expansion for the Program for Public Discourse derives from planning, conversations, discussions with faculty leaders, and site visits dating back to February 2018. Guskiewicz told faculty This is not something that dropped out of the sky. Im excited about the opportunities that I believe it presents. Guskiewiczs excitement was well-justified. As the new Israeli-Palestinian course demonstrates, SCiLL is off to a terrific start under his successor, Chancellor Lee Roberts, and the faculty running the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matthew Eisley, Raleigh Griffins challenge In the Dec. 18 article Republican Griffin asks NC Supreme Court to intervene in his challenge of 60,000 ballots, Mr. Jefferson Griffin says At bottom, this case presents a fundamental question: who decides our election laws? Is it the people and their elected representatives, or the unelected bureaucrats sitting on the State Board of Elections? Given that the people elected the representatives who created the election laws and the Board of Elections and gave that board certain powers, his argument rings a little hollow. Robert Harrison, Durham Welcome to the governor edition of our Under the Dome politics newsletter. Im Dawn Vaughan, The News & Observers Capitol bureau chief. New North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein was sworn in at the historic Capitol building on Jan. 1, and his formal, public inauguration ceremony is on Saturday. Hes already issued five executive orders and filled out his staff. The latest people to join Steins administration have key legislative and research jobs. They are: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Lucey, legislative director: Lucey has federal government experience, previously serving as senior advisor to the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs for Implementation and deputy associate administrator for the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Environmental Protection Agency. Lucey also worked at the state level, including as legislative liaison at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. And he worked on former Gov. Roy Coopers campaign for governor. Amber Harris, deputy legislative director: Harris spent a decade at the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, including as policy and advocacy director. She also has experience at the General Assembly as a legislative assistant for three former senators and Sen. Joyce Waddell. Sunila Chilukuri, deputy legislative director: Chilukuri has been the legislative liaison at the N.C. Department of Justice and previously worked for Cheri Beasleys Senate campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Juan Molina, research director: Molina joins Steins administration after working on his campaign staff as deputy research director. Gov. Josh Stein takes the oath of office in a ceremony in the State Capitol building in Raleigh on Jan. 1, 2025, with his wife Anne at his side and outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper, rear, looking on. And before the holidays, Stein announced his leadership team, including chief of staff. They are: Seth Dearmin, chief of staff: Stein is keeping his chief of staff from the N.C. Department of Justice, when Stein was attorney general. Dearmin had been chief of staff at DOJ since 2017, and before that ran Steins 2016 attorney general campaign. Jasmine McGhee, deputy chief of staff and senior adviser: Stein chose another top lieutenant from his time at DOJ. McGhee was senior deputy attorney general in the agencys Consumer Protection Division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laura Brewer, deputy chief of staff and external advisor: Another pick from his time as attorney general, when Brewer was deputy chief of staff there, leading policy and communications work. Christie McNeill, deputy chief of staff and chief operations officer: McNeill has led Steins transition team and worked previously at McKinsey & Company, where she was a partner in its financial services practice. Sarah Boyce, general counsel: Another DOJ pick, Boyce served as deputy attorney general and general counsel there. The rest of Steins leadership team are Chief Deputy General Counsel Tiffany Lucas, Deputy General Counsel South Moore, N.C. Recovery Advisor Jonathan Krebs, Intergovernmental and Outreach Director David Webb, Communications Director Kate Frauenfelder, Office of Constituent Engagement Director Tracy Lovett, Boards and Commissions Director Jacqueta Rascoe and Operations Director Louise Warenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, my News & Observer colleague Anna Roman, who covers Raleigh and Wake County government, reported that Wake County Commissioners Chair Matt Calabria is resigning his seat to take a job in the Stein administration. As of Friday afternoon, Calabria had not said what the position would be. Matt Calabria How to watch Steins inauguration The inauguration is this Saturday at 10 a.m. on the Capitol grounds. The Capitol is on the block of Union Square at the center of downtown Raleigh, and bordered by Edenton, Salisbury, Morgan and Wilmington streets. There is street parking and parking garages nearby. Expect some road closures, as there will be a block party on Fayetteville Street at 11 a.m., after the ceremony. The party will have musical performances, food trucks and vendors. You can request tickets at ncinauguration.org/events. Steins inaugural address will have the theme of North Carolina Strong as the western part of the state recovers from Helene storm damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you want to watch the ceremony without coming downtown, PBS North Carolina will air the inauguration live. The Junior League of Raleigh is hosting the Inaugural Ball on Saturday night. Finishing out the weekends events, there will also be an open house at the Executive Mansion, 200 N. Blount St., from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 12. Governor-elect Josh Stein speaks to the crowd during a North Carolina Democratic Party election night event at the Marriott City Center in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Stay informed about #ncpol Listen to our Under the Dome podcast to stay up to date. On our new episode posting Monday, Im joined by Korie Dean and Kyle Ingram as we talk about what to expect this week at the legislature and inauguration. You can sign up to receive the Under the Dome newsletter at newsobserver.com/newsletters. Want your friends to get our email, too? Forward them this newsletter so they can sign up. You can also email me questions you may have about Gov. Josh Stein at dvaughan@newsobserver.com. TOPEKA (KSNT) Residents across Northeast Kansas and the Midwest are amidst a strong winter storm with wind speeds up to 30 mph. Intense snow fall has completely covered residential and neighborhood roads, side walks, and driveways. Today, Jan. 5, city spokesman, Daniel Garret, tells 27 News that city workers will now start treating neighborhood roads accordingly. The city will be sending out small trucks to residential and neighborhood roads this evening. It urges cars to be parked off the roads and into driveways if possible to make it easier for plow to maneuver through narrow roads. The city plans on only passing through each residential road once to maintain swiftly plowing. The city is currently working with 24 snow removal trucks. It says all roads are expected to be cleared within 2-3 days. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. READING HOSPITAL FOUNDATION Five Berks County professionals have been added to the Reading Hospital Foundations board of directors. Brian Boland, Esq., Dr. Anthony Donato, Kristi Gage-Linderman, P. Sue Perrotty, and Douglas Tieman will serve four-year terms on the Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports Reading Hospital through contributions that make vital projects, programs, and services possible. Brian Boland (Courtesy Reading Hospital) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian Boland is a lawyer with Kozloff Stoudt and concentrates in estate planning/administration, educational/municipal law, and business law. He serves as solicitor and special counsel for eight school districts and several townships, boroughs and authorities. He was previously active on several non-profit boards and served as the president of the Northeast Pennsylvania Cystic Fibrosis Foundation board of directors. Boland currently serves on an advisory committee for Albright Colleges Total Experience Learning and the Governor Mifflin Business Council. He also volunteers at the Hope Rescue Mission and is a member of the Berks County and American Bar associations. Dr. Anthony Donato (Courtesy Reading Hospital) Dr. Anthony Donato is an academic hospitalist and the vice chairman, Department of Medicine, at Reading Hospital. His interests in healthcare disparities led him to join the hospitals volunteer Street Medicine team, where he leads teams that provide medical care to the unsheltered individuals in the community. Donato is a professor of medicine at Drexel University School of Medicine and was recently granted Master status of the American College of Physicians. He also served in the United States Air Force. Kristin Gage-Linderman (Courtesy Reading Hospital) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kristi Gage-Linderman is a third-generation business owner and the chief operating officer of Gage Personnel Staffing, Search and Consulting. In this role, she helps to build the local workforce, connecting employers and non-profits with talent in multiple sectors, and investing in training and education initiatives. and supporting the community through community work and board service. She currently serves on the Berks County Workforce Development Board, Berks Business Education Coalition Board, RACC Foundation Board, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance GRCCI Board, the Literacy Council of Reading-Berks Board, and the TempNet National Staffing Association Board. She is also a champion for the Career Ready PA Coalition through the Pennsylvania Department of Education. P. Sue Perrotty (Courtesy Reading Hospital) P. Sue Perrotty, a retired bank executive, has served as CEO of Tower Health since February 2021, providing executive leadership to all aspects of the health system. She is a distinguished Berks County volunteer who previously served as chairwoman of the Berks County Community Foundations board. She was a member of Our City Reading and served as co-chairwoman of the Olivet Boys & Girls Clubs Capital campaign. Perrotty has also been recognized as an Outstanding Philanthropist by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Berks Regional Chapter. She co-chaired Albright Colleges Crossing Boundaries campaign, which raised more than $43 million. Perrotty is currently the chairwoman of the Olivet Boys Girls Club board of directors, and she is an advocate for mentoring young professionals, helping them to thrive in their professional careers. Douglas Tieman (Courtesy Reading Hospital) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doug Tieman has worked for 40 years in the substance-use disorder treatment field and currently serves as CEO and President Emeritus at Caron Treatment Centers. Prior to this role, he served as president and CEO of Caron for more than 26 years. Under his leadership, Caron developed a full continuum of care for substance abuse treatment for teens, young adults, adults, older adults and their families. In addition, Caron elevated its leadership in sponsoring research in substance use disorder treatments and outcomes, advocating for ethics and standards, and participating in national conferences on substance use disorder and recovery. In 2021, Caron established the Fran and Doug Tieman Center for Research to conduct cutting-edge research related to the understanding, prevention, and treatment of substance-use disorder. Tieman serves on the boards of Tower Health, Alvernia University, and Satell Institute, ARCS Health and the STAR Network Foundation. Our new members are wonderful additions to the Foundation Board. Each is community minded, committed to giving back, and will contribute fresh, new ideas to strengthen our organization, said in a statement. BARLEY SNYDER Barley Snyder has announced the recent addition of attorney Reilly S. Noetzel to the firms partnership group effective Jan. 1. Noetzel was elected in September 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reilly S. Noetzel (Courtesy Barley Snyder) Noetzel is a member of the firms Real Estate Practice Group and the Construction, Environment, Land Use, and Municipal industry groups in addition to being a licensed title agent. He represents clients in all aspects of their real estate transactions and developments with a particular focus on condominium and planned community law, land use and development, construction and regulatory matters as well as leasing. Noetzel started his legal career at the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General before transitioning to private practice with Barley Snyder in 2017. He earned his law degree from Maurer School of Law at Indiana University Bloomington and his bachelors degree from Franklin & Marshall College. A Lancaster County native, Noetzel serves on the board of directors for the Central Market Trust and the Penn Manor Education Foundation. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Associations House of Delegates and is active with the Lancaster Bar Association. Noetzel also serves as the ethics committee chairman for the Building Industry Association of Lancaster County and is a member of the Community Associations Institutes Keystone Chapter. In addition to his organization affiliations, he has served as an adjunct faculty member for Messiah University and frequently speaks on a variety of topics in the community association, real estate, zoning, and land development sectors. Email your news to money@readingeagle.com and attach a recent (high-resolution) photo. Include a contact name and phone number with your submission. Deadline is the Tuesday prior to publication. Farmers in Telangana will receive Rs 12,000 per acre annually under the Rythu Bharosa scheme, as the State government has increased the cash benefit under the scheme by Rs 2,000. Further, families of landless farm labourers will receive a similar amount annually under the newly introduced Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa scheme, said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy after the Cabinet meeting on Saturday. The Chief Minister said that all the people without ration cards will be given new ration cards. "In this new year, the farmers also should have a good year so govt will support them. Every land which is suitable for agriculture will be given 'Rythu Bharosa', Rs 12,000 per year. All the farmers without land will be given Rs 12,000 per year, this scheme is called the 'Indiramma Atmiya Bharosa Scheme'," Revanth Reddy told reporters. "The ration card problem has been there for many years. All the people without ration cards will be given new ration cards. All these schemes will start on 26th January," he added. The government decided to provide Rythu Bharosa to every acre of cultivable land owned by the farmers without any conditions. Enhanced the scheme benefits to Rs 12,000 from Rs 10,000. Rs 12,000 will also be given to each landless agricultural labourer family every year. The new scheme for landless farm labourers is being called - "Indiramma Atmiya Bharosa Scheme". The schemes will be launched on January 26, 2025. The Cabinet decided to implement the schemes on the occasion of the completion of 75 years of the coming into effect of the Indian Constitution. The State Cabinet also ratified the proposal to issue new Ration Cards to every eligible family. The Rythu Bharosa scheme is not applicable to non-agricultural lands (mining, hills, real estate ventures, roads, lands used for residential, industrial, and commercial purposes, lands converted as Nala and the lands acquired by the government for various projects). The Cabinet approved the naming of the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme after former Union Minister Sudini Jaipal Reddy. As the cabinet ratified, the Singur project canal is being named after state Medical and Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha's father and late Minister Rajanarsimha. The Cabinet decided to appoint a Technical Expert Committee to examine the ways and alternatives to provide irrigation water from Jurala to the new ayacut in Mahabubnagar district. The Committee will conduct a feasibility study on the availability of water, lifting of water resources, identify the location for the construction of reservoirs etc. The cabinet also approved the Godavari Drinking Water Supply Scheme Phase-2 and Phase-3 for which river Godavari water will be lifted from Mallanna Sagar to Hyderabad for drinking water needs. Earlier, the scheme was proposed to lift 15 TMC of water and now the cabinet gave the nod to lift 20 TMC of water given the future needs. The Cabinet also approved the proposal to upgrade Kothagudem as a Municipal Corporation. (ANI) Jan. 4Alaska's newly elected Republican U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III cast his first vote on Friday, supporting Louisiana Republican Rep. Mike Johnson for House speaker on the first day of the 119th Congress. Begich took the oath of office after Johnson was reelected speaker Friday afternoon. A businessman whose personal wealth helped propel his ascent to Congress, this will be Begich's first time representing the state in elected office. In a statement, Begich said he would work on "unleashing Alaska's vast natural resources, building infrastructure that fosters growth, and championing policies that put Alaskans and Americans First." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In assuming office, Begich becomes only the sixth U.S. House member representing Alaska since it was granted statehood. He is the grandson of Nick Begich Sr., a Democrat who served as Alaska's third U.S. House member before a plane he was in disappeared on a flight from Anchorage to Juneau in 1972. He is also the nephew of Alaska's Democratic former U.S. Sen. Mark Begich. Begich announced staffing choices Friday, including selecting his former business partner as a senior adviser. JC Garrett will join Begich's congressional staff after working as chief executive of FarShore Partners, a software company started by Begich, and as managing partner of Dashfire, an equity investment firm started by Begich. Begich's chief of staff will be Michael Horanburg, who previously served as chief of staff for a one-term Republican U.S. House member from New Mexico. His legislative director will be Kevin Swanson, who previously worked for U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and former U.S. Rep. Don Young, who died in office in 2022. Josh Walton, who ran Begich's recent campaign and previously worked for the Alaska GOP, was named legislative assistant. For state director, managing in-state operations, Begich has named Rick Whitbeck, who previously worked for an organization championing resource development and prior to that worked for GCI, Alaska's largest telecommunications company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To manage his Anchorage office, Begich picked Portia Babcock Samuels, who previously worked for oil company ConocoPhillips. She is the sister of Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy's former chief of staff, Tuckerman Babcock. Managing the Fairbanks office will be Leslie Hajdukovich, who recently lost a high-profile race for Alaska Senate. Hajdukovich previously worked for Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan. Nick Begich III, 47, was born in Alaska and raised by his maternal grandparents in Florida, returning to the state as an adult with a conservative brand of politics that set him apart from his grandfather and uncles, who held elected office as Democrats. Begich's path to Congress began in 2020, when he co-chaired the reelection campaign of Young, Alaska's longtime U.S. House member. In 2022, Begich announced he would run against Young, positioning himself to the right of Young, who died unexpectedly several months after Begich entered the race. Several of Young's former staffers supported his Democratic opponent, Mary Peltola, helping propel her to victory. Begich again ran against Peltola in 2024, prevailing in what was one of the most expensive U.S. House races that year. Begich beat Peltola by less than three percentage points. Begich was endorsed by Trump and Johnson, the U.S. House speaker, only after Alaska Republicans pressured Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom Trump and Johnson's favored candidate to drop out of the race after finishing behind Begich in the August primary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peltola, who formally ended her time in Congress on Friday, has yet to comment publicly on her future plans, but has jokingly said she was considering running for several offices in 2026. During his first day in office, Begich reintroduced three pieces of legislation that had been introduced by Peltola during her first year in office but stalled in the Republican-controlled House. The three bills already passed the Senate, where they were sponsored by Murkowski. In a statement earlier this week, Murkowski called the measures "non-controversial" and said she was optimistic they could pass early in the congressional term. All three of the measures are related to the rights of Alaska Native people under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The first would exclude settlement trust benefits for disabled and elderly Alaskans when determining eligibility for federal government assistance, such as food assistance or supplemental income from the Social Security Administration. The second would allow several communities in Southeast Alaska to form new Alaska Native corporations and receive land allotments from the Tongass National Forest. The third would turn over undeveloped land to Alaska Native village corporations rather than having it kept in trust for future residents. The measure, which would ease the path toward new development and resource extraction projects, is supported by the Alaska Federation of Natives, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and the Alaska Legislature, which last year passed a resolution unanimously supporting the federal legislation. In a statement, Begich said the introduction of the bills during his first day in office showed that he is "hitting the ground running to advocate for our state's future." The split between Elon Musk and Nigel Farage is inevitable and welcome. It erupts at a turning point for Reform, when it stands on the cusp of becoming a serious party of opposition, and so must make a choice: is it a coherent conservative party or the party of white resentment? The latter will thrill a few bots online, but itll never win a parliamentary majority and wouldnt deserve to. Nigel needs to take a stand against the nativists. When I interviewed him a little over a week ago, he called Elon a bloody hero and you can see why. Hes a brilliant businessman. His purchase of Twitter has been a win for free speech. But the entrepreneur is used to being able to say literally whatever he wants without consequence, while Nigel has been trying to persuade his way into Parliament since 1994. Musk is unsuited to the statesmanship required of machine politics; Donald Trump giving him a department to run is a mad gamble. Over Christmas, he came out in favour of greater skilled migration, forcing many to ask why he had signed up to Team Trump at all. The answer is a confluence of interests between capitalism and populism. Musk is a futurist who believes society has to be engineered to maximise his returns, from cutting regulation to boosting baby numbers to supporting the right kind of immigration, which means weeding out anti-Western cultures. British conservatives might agree with aspects of that programme in isolation. There are subtle differences in spirit that can be summed up in two pseudonymous words: Tommy Robinson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elon tweeting that Reform needs a new leader as Farage doesnt have what it takes clearly refers to Nigels feelings about this ghastly individual. Elon Musks message on X on Sunday - X Many Americans believe Britain is occupied by Islamic rape gangs protected by socialist bureaucrats, and see Robinson not as a rabble-rouser or charlatan, but a free speech warrior; one who comes with the added frisson of being working-class (to the Silicon Valley rich, Luton appears exotic). Theyve been told this not just by Robinsons surprisingly powerful North American lobby but, lets be honest, by British Right-wingers who have profited from presenting their country as ground zero in the collapse of civilisation. Into the ranks of Reform, the natural home of the dissident Right, have thus been drawn online agitators; disaffected, poor whites; and young, intellectual conservatives radicalised by the horrors of Rotherham rape gangs. People who like Farage tend to like Robinson. The irony is that Farage does not. He says he walked away from Ukip in 2018 over its obsession with Islam and Robinson, making it clear in the years since that Robinson would not be not welcome in Reform. Farage is, at heart, an old-fashioned Thatcherite, arguably a classical liberal, who wants to reform Britain in order to preserve its benign character to reduce immigration to alleviate the conditions under which racism might flourish. He has purged his candidate list of extremists. He appointed a Muslim as Reforms CEO. Ive no doubt the mini-Musks have been pushing Farage to embrace Robinson, and he has ardently refused risking Musks much-hyped donation, perhaps, but with an eye on the broader, domestic coalition Reform has to build. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consider the crude mathematics: for every far-Right vote Reform courts, it loses 10,000 moderates. Goodbye constituencies such as Guildford or Peterborough. But an alignment between Robinson and Reform would also be morally unconscionable. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (right) at a meeting with Elon Musk at Donald Trumps Florida estate Mar-a-Lago. - Andy Wigmore/Andy Wigmore Conservatives believe order is the basis of liberty: Robinson is a jailbird. Conservatives have no argument with true Islam, which venerates tradition, community and charity. Few would seek to curtail religious expression. They wouldnt wish to treat one British citizen any differently from another, seeing nation as family and an exclusive relationship at that. It is intriguing that Reform has sought Musks money for its own purposes yet wishes to end foreign ownership of utilities, endorsing the nationalisation of water as it follows the logic of populism towards the common good. Whatever Musk says about wasteful government spending, his companies have flourished thanks to state investment, while hes argued for technological acceleration in the private sphere that would destroy blue-collar employment. Quite what Elon wants to preserve about Western civilisation, Ive no idea given that his ultimate goal appears to be to abandon Earth for Alpha Centauri and Im sceptical, too, about the cultural Christianity he espouses. Like so many of its converts, he doesnt seem to drive old ladies to church or ally himself to the teachings of Christ that put the last first and vice-versa. He has every right to comment on our politics, much as Keir Starmer took the knee over Americas, but his language promotes upheaval here, possibly violence. This is the antithesis of conservatism, which aims to conciliate and unite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump will in time also fall out with Musk, probably over protectionism. Trump, who wants to save US jobs, loves tariffs; Elon prefers to cut them. In the past, Elon donated to the Democrats; it is context and self-interest that aligns him with the Republicans today. Farage, if hes smart, will see his own rupture as a chance not only to distinguish himself from Musk but also clear the stables of some of the uglier ideas he has promoted. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. In response to the news that U.S. President Joe Biden had pardoned his son Hunter Biden in December 2024, venture capitalist Shaun Maguire claimed on X that his family had rented an apartment in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, to the younger Biden in 2019 but was stiffed $300,000 in rent payments. Maguire insisted that the rumor was true. His post read: "So what happens to the $300k+ in back pay rent that Hunter Biden owes my family from 2019-2020? Is that pardoned now? Thanks Joe (This is a true story)." Maguire further alleged that Biden offered to pay the debt in "art made from his own feces" after not paying rent "for over a year." These claims were repeated by several media outlets, including Fox News and Inside Edition (with the latter featuring a photo of the alleged rental property). Publicly available records obtained by data broker BeenVerified indicate that Maguire, or entities linked to him or his family, did own a Venice Beach property shown in some reports, including the Inside Edition story above, from at least 2017 to 2022. The only problem is that Biden, based on a reconstruction of his locations compiled by Snopes from several sources, never lived there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maguire did not respond to our request for evidence to support the claim that his family once rented property to Hunter Biden, or that the latter offered feces-involved artwork as a form of payment. No Evidence Biden Lived in Venice Beach in 2019 In several posts, Maguire asserted that Hunter Biden rented a Venice Beach apartment from his family between 2019 and 2020. However, this claim does not match the reality of Biden's life during that period. Following a failed attempt at sobriety, as Biden wrote in his 2021 memoir "Beautiful Things," he spent the early part of 2019 living in a series of "low budget, low expectation motels" between Bridgeport and New Haven, Connecticut, where his life primarily revolved around his addiction to crack cocaine. The Biden family, including the president, attempted to intervene during this period by inviting him to a family dinner in Delaware. After lying to his family about checking into a Maryland rehab facility, Hunter Biden returned to Los Angeles. He wrote in his memoir that he touched down at LAX airport "in March 2019." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden wrote that he "spent the first couple of weeks at an Airbnb in Malibu." He then moved into a West Hollywood boutique hotel Petit Ermitage. He rented one night at a time, he wrote. He eventually wore out his welcome and, by May 2019, was told he had to vacate the hotel. As this was happening, a patron of the Petit Ermitage introduced Biden to his now wife, Melissa Cohen, a South-African activist and filmmaker. On May 17, 2019, after a whirlwind six-day courtship, the couple married on the roof of Cohen's West Hollywood apartment building. In July 2019, he was successfully served a subpoena at a West Hollywood apartment linked to his new wife (following several unsuccessful attempts throughout June and July), providing independent corroboration of Biden's West Hollywood residency at that time. Soon after their marriage, the couple moved to a home in the Hollywood Hills, according to news reports and his memoir. Biden was reportedly living in that home before the end of 2019. A February 2020 story in The New York Times, featuring an interview conducted in part of his residence, described the home as "a pool house-turned-art studio in the Hollywood Hills." In short, Snopes found no evidence Biden or his future wife resided in Venice throughout 2019. There are no public reports stating that the pair moved away from the Hollywood Hills until 2021. In that year, he did rent a property in Venice. That property, however, is different from the one linked to Maguire. Other Issues With Maguire's Claim Maguire's tale comes with other red flags. His X timeline makes numerous references to popular talking points about Hunter Biden's laptop and related controversies as far back as 2022. Yet the first and only time Maguire mentioned having him as a tenant was in his widely shared post. On top of this, Snopes has not identified any legal proceeding linking Maguire to Biden in any way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an additional post, Maguire shared a photo of what he alleged to be a notebook of Hunter Biden's artwork. However, the handwriting on this purported artwork does not match that of Hunter Biden based on a comparison of documents written by Biden that were released as part of a congressional investigation into the president's son. Maguire's story is suspiciously similar to a claim made by the Daily Mail in 2023 that concerned a Venice property Hunter and Melissa Biden reportedly rented in 2021. The outlet alleged that the Bidens stiffed the owner, Sweetgreen CEO and cofounder Jonathan Neman, out of three months' rent, leaving the property in a state of disrepair. While these existing reports may have added a veneer of credibility to Maguire's claim, they are far from evidence for his more salacious allegations. In fact, no credible evidence has been presented to support the claim that Biden rented a Venice Beach home in 2019, owes its owner $300,000 in rent or that he attempted to square that debt with "art made with his own feces." Sources: Biden, Hunter. Beautiful Things: A Memoir. Simon and Schuster, 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 32DR-19-187 Arkansas Judiciary. https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad/case/32DR-19-187. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025. Collins, Laura. "Hunter Biden Trashed $4.2million Venice Beach Rental and Stiffed Owner." Mail Online, 2 Aug. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12361815/Hunter-Biden-trashed-4-2million-Venice-Beach-rental-house-rude-entitled-wife-Melissa-leaving-property-disarray-disrepair-stiffing-owner-80-000-unpaid-rent.html. Hunter Biden's Former Landlord Claims He Owes Him $300K Rent- YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8RGFvnBbBI. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025. "Petit Ermitage Hotel | West Hollywood Luxury Suites." Petit Ermitage, https://www.petitermitage.com/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Popescu, Adam. "There's a New Artist in Town. The Name Is Biden." New York Times, 28 Feb. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/28/arts/design/hunter-biden-art.html. Rosner, Elizabeth, and Tamar Lapin. Hunter Biden Owns Massive Home in Swanky Hollywood Hills. 24 Dec. 2019, https://nypost.com/2019/12/24/hunter-biden-owns-massive-home-in-swanky-hollywood-hills-court-docs-reveal/. NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) Nobody was injured in a large house fire that broke out Saturday night in North Myrtle Beach, officials said. Crews were dispatched to Tarpon Pond Road in Charleston Landing just before 8 p.m. to a working fire in a two-story residence whose occupants escaped with the help of neighbors. Officials said an attic area and portion of the second floor were compromised due to fire damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The homes occupants were transported to a local hospital for evaluation and a dog was rescued unharmed from the second floor. Crews worked well in coordinating this challenging fire due to a rapidly spreading fire and limited access from the inside due to partial collapse of the floor on the upper level, North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue said on its Facebook page. The scene was secured shortly after midnight, but crews remained on scene until daylight monitoring for hot spots. Horry County Fire Rescue, the Myrtle Beach Fire Department and North Myrtle Beach police assisted on the call. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. Eva Valadez will never forget the day she stepped into her first apartment. She finally had a space of her own where she could actually close the doors a nice change from the group home shed lived in previously. The only thing she had to furnish the one-bedroom unit was a stuffed tiger. The plush toy provided company in the quiet Norman apartment, along with the noisy trains that often passed by. Valadez was excited to finally have her own space, but she missed her siblings a lot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was November 2018. She was just 17 at the time and in the middle of her junior year at Norman North High School. Most teenagers dont live on their own until after they graduate, but Valadez was in what she says was a bad situation at home that she couldnt stay in. More: 'No place to go.' Amid deep-seated animosity, small Oklahoma cities try to reckon with homelessness She moved from her parents house to a foster home, to a group home and then back to home. The summer before she moved into her first apartment, Valadez said she ran away from home in east Norman into the woods with no shoes on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With her feet bleeding from the rocks and sticks that pierced her feet, she called her youth pastor, who picked her up. After a few months of living with the youth pastors family and couch surfing at her friends homes, Valadez was connected to Bridges, a nonprofit based in Norman that provides up to 20 apartments for housing-insecure high school students. I had my privacy, said Valadez, who's now 23 years old. I had a space where I could actually feel at peace. Bridges expands to Moore, provides housing for high school students Providing peace and a roof over their heads for kids in Norman has been a decades-long mission of Bridges. Now, the nonprofit is expanding its efforts to Moore where 10 duplexes, resident adviser apartments and a student center will sit behind Sky Ranch Elementary to house up to 20 teens in need at a time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore students, administration and community members celebrated the Bridges of Moore groundbreaking ceremony earlier in December alongside the nonprofits staff. Fourth-graders from Sky Ranch Elementary School sang Christmas carols to commemorate the duplexes thatd sit behind their school. The Southmoore High Schools marching band coupled holiday music with the schools fight song as the Westmoore High Schools pom and cheer squads led the crowd with cheers. Confetti is shot off Dec. 10 during a Bridges of Moore groundbreaking ceremony at Sky Ranch Elementary in Moore. More: There are hundreds of kids in OKC experiencing homelessness. This group provides help The folks who attended the celebration didnt need much help to feel cheerful, though. The crowd was connected by a sense of excitement and gratitude that they could help fund the development of housing for students who lacked a stable living situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2022, students of Moore Public Schools have raised over $300,000 for the duplexes through the districts annual philanthropic initiative, Moore Love, and organizations in the community have donated large amounts of money to fund the project. Dubbed "Building Bridges," the capital campaign seeks to raise $4.5 million for the project, said Stacy Bruce, the Bridges executive director, and the nonprofit anticipates completion by the fall. Robert Romines, Moore Public Schools superintendent, and Stacy Bruce, Bridges executive director, attend a Dec. 10 Bridges of Moore groundbreaking ceremony at Sky Ranch Elementary. Homelessness in Moore, Norman Public Schools This year, Moore Public Schools has identified 213 students experiencing some degree of homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The law utilizes federal funds to provide services for preK-12 students experiencing homelessness to ensure each child has equal access to a free, quality education. Under the law, the definition of homelessness includes sharing the housing of others due to hardship, living in hotels, trailer parks or camping groups, staying in homeless shelters, and sleeping in cars, parks, public spaces or similar settings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Moore, about half of the school districts homeless population are pre-K through sixth grade. The other half range from seventh grade to 12th, said Susan Curtis, the school districts McKinney-Vento Homeless liaison. More: Positive Tomorrows' free clothing closet gets a dreamy makeover Moore Public Schools has seen a significant increase in its unhoused population over the last five years. The number was as low as 30 students five years ago, Curtis said. For struggling families in Moore, common housing barriers include the increasing cost of living, eviction and the process of obtaining and using Section 8 vouchers, said Megan Cox, the districts McKinney-Vento Family Engagement coordinator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school district utilizes a few community resources to assist its unhoused students and families, but the city lacks a homeless shelter. Curtis and Cox are confident Bridges can fill that need for students. Renderings of the Bridges of Moore campus that will sit behind Sky Ranch Elementary to house up to 20 high school students at a time. It's projected for completion by fall 2025. Bridges allows some Moore students to live on its Norman campus, but with the transportation aspect and needs of students in Norman, the Moore district needed its own housing units. Curtis anticipates that the 20 spaces will be full all the time. Cox is excited for the kids who need the resources Bridges provides to not only have shelter, but a sense of community. Its easy for them to go to a high school as big as the ones here and feel all alone, like they're the only person going through that, Cox said. Bridges is amazing in that students can see, I'm not the only one, and I'm not alone. Renderings of the Bridges of Moore campus that will sit behind Sky Ranch Elementary to house up to 20 high school students at a time. It's projected for completion by fall 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It felt like God had a plan for me For Eva Valadez, Bridges gave her a family and role models that held her accountable and pushed her toward success. Whenever I got to Bridges, it was like a new dynamic, Valadez said. There were people I did not want to disappoint. In its nearly 30 years of operation, 86% of its students went on to higher education, and the rest started a career or went to the military, Bruce said. Valadez became part of that 86% after she graduated high school in 2020, then earned a bachelors degree in sociology from the University of Oklahoma in fall 2024. She's even rebuilt a connection with her father through Bridges' support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it werent for Bridges, Valadez doesnt think shed be alive. That night that I left, it felt like the worst thing in the world. It was the scariest thing I had ever gone through, Valadez said. But coming to Bridges, it felt like God had a plan for me. Golden shovels are pictured Dec. 10 during a Bridges of Moore groundbreaking ceremony. More: Calm Waters, YWCA-OKC and City Care: Meet the women now at the helm of these nonprofits When housing insecure students have been placed at Bridges, theyve won the jackpot, said Carla Atkinson, Norman Public Schools' family engagement coordinator. She recalled a situation about nine years ago where a student was living at Lake Thunderbird in Norman while carrying a baby. Bridges offered her a place to live and connected her to services that prepared her to become a mother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was able to take care of her child, and then she went on to attend more Norman Technology Center, Atkinson said. Now, she's a very successful employed member of our community, and she is raising her child here in Norman. With Bridges expanding to Moore, the citys community has gained a tremendous ally and partner, Atkinson said. Eva Valadez, 23, a University of Oklahoma alumna and former Bridges resident, is pictured Dec. 16 at Kaufman Hall on OU'S campus. Bridges provided housing for Valadez when she was in high school. Valadez offered advice for Moore students who soon will benefit from the program, and emphasized the importance of education and discovering who they are. Dont forget that youre not just a homeless person. Youre not just a homeless kid. Youre not just a kid experiencing homelessness, Valadez said. Youre not just that identity. Youre your own person, and youre doing something that a lot of kids arent doing. Theres a lot of power behind that. How to help To donate to the Building Bridges capital campaign, go to the Moore Public Schools Foundation website at mooreschoolsfoundation.org/buildingbridges. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bridges of Norman expanding with duplexes for unhoused Moore teens State Rep. Glenn Bosch, R-Bismarck, speaks during a meeting of the Legislative Management Committee on Nov. 13, 2024. The legislative session begins Jan. 7, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) If North Dakotans want policies addressed during the legislative session that starts Tuesday, they need to act quickly. The deadline for House members to introduce new legislation is Jan. 20 while state Senators may introduce bills until Jan. 27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you want someone to introduce something, you need to reach out to your legislator ASAP, said Amy Jacobson, executive director of Prairie Action ND Institute, an organization advocating for more citizen involvement in state government. Helpful links Find your legislators 2025 session information After those deadlines, bills can only be introduced through a delayed bills committee, said John Bjornson, director of the North Dakota Legislative Council. They are very judicious about letting things in after those deadlines, Bjornson said. And thats just because we have 80 days. Legislative Council, which assists lawmakers in drafting their bills, has already received about 1,000 bill draft requests from legislators, committees and executive branch agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bjornson said he anticipates another 450 to 500 draft requests before the end of the month. During the 2023 session, lawmakers introduced 990 bills out of about 1,200 bills that were drafted by legislative staff, he said. The numbers are up, he said. In the North Dakota Legislature, every bill gets a vote. More than 260 measures are already prefiled on the Legislative Council website, Bjornson said. Some bills have hearings scheduled starting Wednesday with the first floor votes expected Friday. With new committee chairs, some new lawmakers and legislative clerks, Bjornson said some of the prefiled bills are short and should give those people a taste of the process during the first days of the session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislative session begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday with a joint session of the House and Senate. Standing Rock Tribal Chair Janet Alkire will deliver the state-tribal relations address followed by North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Jon Jensens address on the state of the judiciary. Gov. Kelly Armstrong will deliver his first state of the state address at 1 p.m. Tuesday. All speeches will be livestreamed through the legislative website. Lawmakers meet for up to 80 legislative days by law, which would tentatively put the end of session at May 2. However, members must hold a floor session in either chamber for a day to count as a legislative day. If lawmakers do not gavel in, it does not count as a legislative day. Legislators often like to save days in case they want to reconvene without a special session, Bjornson said. The date for crossover when bills that advance are sent to the opposite chamber for consideration is expected to be Feb. 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every third Saturday during the session, Prairie Action ND Institute will hold virtual meetings at 10 a.m. CT that focus on hot-button topics and bills making their way through the Legislature. The event series, called Amplify North Dakota, is free but participants must register ahead of the meetings. Its really about getting information to people as quickly as possible for people to be able to participate, said Jacobson, noting that the session moves rapidly and not everyone can travel to Bismarck in the winter. Jacobson also suggested North Dakotans join an organization that advocates for interests they are passionate about if they dont have time to do their own advocacy during the session. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX UPDATE: North Las Vegas police safely located Caldwell and she is receiving a thorough evaluation at a hospital, police said. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Police are asking for assistance finding an 81-year-old woman who went missing in North Las Vegas on Saturday. Patricia Ann Caldwell went missing around 5 p.m., and authorities in the North Las Vegas Police Department are asking for the publics help locating her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said Caldwell was last seen leaving a Verizon store in the 1700 block of West Craig Road, near Martin Luther King Boulevard. Officials described her as 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing around 140 pounds, with short gray hair and brown eyes. Patricia Ann Caldwell was last seen Saturday. (NLVPD) Caldwell suffers from dementia and gets lost easily, police said. Authorities also noted that she typically drives a gray 2015 Hyundai Accent with Nevada license plate 612XTG. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is urged to contact the North Las Vegas Police Department at 702-633-9111. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Video footage and other data collected by Tesla helped law enforcement quickly piece together how a Cybertruck came to explode outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Years Day. The trove of digital evidence also served as a high-profile demonstration of how much data modern cars collect about their drivers and those around them. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data privacy experts say the investigation - which has determined that the driver, active-duty U.S. Army soldier Matthew Livelsberger, died by suicide before the blast - highlights how car companies vacuum up reams of data that can clear up mysteries but also be stolen or given to third parties without drivers knowledge. There are few regulations controlling how and when law enforcement authorities can access data in cars, and drivers are often unaware of the vast digital trail they leave behind. These are panopticons on wheels, said Albert Fox Cahn, who founded the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, an advocacy group that argues the volume and precision of data collected can pose civil liberties concerns for people in sensitive situations, like attending protests or going to abortion clinics. Federal and state officials have begun to scrutinize companies use of car data as evidence has emerged of its misuse. There have been reports that abusive spouses tracked partners locations, and that insurers raised rates based on driving behavior data shared by car companies. There have also been cases in which local police departments sought video from Tesla cars that may have recorded a crime, or obtained warrants to tow vehicles to secure such footage. Theres something deeply ironic that this emblem of personal autonomy, the idea of a car on the open road, might be one of the most heavily surveilled places in many of our lives, Cahn said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 75 percent of car brands said they can share or sell drivers data, according to a 2023 Mozilla Foundation report assessing 25 international brands data privacy policies. More than half said they can share information at the request of law enforcement or the government. Only two, Renault and Dacia - neither of which is marketed in the United States - said drivers have the right to have personal data deleted, the report said. Industry groups say data collection protects drivers and allows automakers to identify potential defects. Sensitive information cant be used for marketing or shared without consent, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation said in a 2023 memo. Yes, your vehicle is generating and transmitting certain safety data. Thats by design, the memo said. No, your car isnt spying on you. Many cars have access to location data and camera footage if theyre equipped with features such as parking assistance and navigational systems. But Tesla likely has access to far more data thanks to its suite of cameras used in its driver assistance features, its onboard computers and its nationwide charging network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tesla chief executive Elon Musk directly assisted investigators in the New Years Day Cybertruck explosion and provided charging-station footage tracking the suspect as he drove from Colorado to Las Vegas, Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill said. Musk offered investigators quite a bit of additional information on the truck and sent a team to Las Vegas to help investigators extract data and video from the charred remains of the truck. McMahill also said investigators were looking for vehicles that may have been at the charging stations at the same time as the suspect, because their vehicles would have also had cameras that would have taped anybody in and around them. On Thursday, the team of investigators in Las Vegas - which includes the local sheriff and FBI - showed video footage of the suspect, recorded from multiple different angles, at a Tesla charging station in Arizona. Las Vegas Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren did not specify how that exact footage was obtained, but said the Tesla team sent by Musk helped investigators recover a thumb drive that records other types of data that includes video by the Tesla. The team also helped investigators retrieve data from the vehicle that determined it was not in self-driving mode at any point during Livelsbergers journey to Las Vegas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Musks swift assistance was applauded by authorities, his highly publicized actions also raised complicated emotions for people like Justin Demaree, a Cybertruck owner and Tesla enthusiast, who runs a popular YouTube channel called Bearded Tesla Guy. Demaree said while he appreciates Musks willingness to help investigators - especially in a case the FBI was initially probing as a potential act of terrorism - the incident showcased just how much personal information Tesla has at its fingertips about its drivers. Its a double-edged sword, said Demaree, 36, as he drove his Cybertruck in Full Self-Driving mode from Orlando to Las Vegas to attend CES, the prominent annual tech conference. We want our privacy and we dont want our data shared but you want to help in a situation where terrorism could be a factor. Tesla owner Adam Gershowitz, a law professor at William and Mary who has studied police searches of digital data, said he is willing to sacrifice a level of privacy for the convenience of the cars navigational systems, infotainment centers and backup cameras at their disposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The thing that makes it so dangerous from a privacy perspective is the same thing that makes it a terrific automobile, he said. Still, Gershowitz said, it makes him uneasy to consider how quick Musk was to share the information that immediately dispelled speculation that the explosion was caused by an issue with the vehicle itself. As investigators pieced together the case on New Years Day, Musk has posted developments on social media - in one case appearing to beat law enforcement to confirm the explosion was caused by fireworks and a bomb. He cited the vehicles telemetry, the technology that automatically gathers and relays data. Carter Gibson, a 34-year-old tech worker in San Francisco who owns a Rivian - an electric vehicle also chock full of sophisticated technology and cameras - said he doesnt mind if the data is used to enhance public safety or track those who have caused harm and done something illegal. While the amount of available information opens up new problems around profiling and data sharing, he said, he believes it could be a net positive for society - if done correctly. Gibson, a Rivian enthusiast who runs a subreddit of more than 100,000 users about the car, said Musks willingness to share information so openly was creepy and has shaken his trust in how Tesla deals with customer data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I, like most people, am not reading the privacy policy in detail, everyone just hits agree, he said. But this is where brand perception really starts to play a role in how safe people feel with the car. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. The cameras on Teslas and autonomous vehicles can record what is happening around them - a level of passive surveillance that is invaluable to police, said Matthew Wansley, a professor at Cardozo School of Law who focuses on the intersection of technology and law. If law enforcement needs information about what happened outside a club, for example, they might say, Lets just call Waymo, he said, to see whether one of the robotaxis now rolling in San Francisco and other cities was driving by. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Waymo and the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association did not respond to requests for comment. Beyond such passive collection of data, drivers unwittingly give away information about themselves when they rent a car, data privacy advocates say. Rental companies typically opt in to tracking services and other functions that vehicle owners could turn off, said Eva Galperin, cybersecurity director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. If the car title is in its name, the rental company has control over location history, biometrics and any other personal information a renter leaves behind, said Andrea Amico, who founded a company called Privacy4Cars that works to protect consumers from vehicle data collection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have zero rights, Amico said. The Cybertruck in the Las Vegas case was rented through Turo, which operates like an Airbnb for vehicles. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but its terms of service say the rented cars may collect nonpersonal information like acceleration, location and direction. Users authorize the use or disclosure of such data unless prohibited by law, the policy says. The American Car Rental Association did not respond to a request for comment. Amico got the idea for Privacy4Cars while running a used car inspection company. One day, he saw the navigation system in one of the cars still had directions to the previous owners home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can see the name of the person because they synced their phone I know where shes taking her two daughters to school. I know which cancer hospital shes going to, he said. Thats when I went, Oh, s--t. Related Content Australia, wary of China, prepares workforce to build nuclear subs In Indias shadow war with Pakistan, a campaign of covert killings Thats fowl. A Queens food truck worker captured a pigeon using a plastic bag and ominously brought it back to his cart, according to shocking viral footage of the incident. A commuter waiting for a bus spotted the worker feeding the birds next to the MS Halal truck near the Rego Center Mall on Queens Boulevard on Dec. 29. Oriana Biersack said she saw the man look around to see if anyone was watching and then tried unsuccessfully to grab one of the birds from a flock, at which point she started filming with her phone. A Queens food truck worker was caught on social media capturing pigeons by using a plastic bag and bringing it back to his cart. Stephen Yang Oriana Biersack filmed the man and posted it on Instagram with the caption, Omg I cant believe what I just saw! The man tried again and managed to grab one, shoving it in a plastic bag and returning to the food truck, the footage shows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Omg I cant believe what I just saw! Biersack wrote in a social media post. I am beyond disgusted. She told The Post, After that, I saw him grab water and he was rinsing his hand and swishing water in his mouth He was sticking his fingers into his mouth and scrubbing his teeth with his fingers. I was shocked at what I was seeing but I didnt record the rest, added Biersack, who said she reported the incident to the city Department of Health. The video received over 155,000 likes and 16,000 comments on different social media pages including the New Yorkers and Bukharian Community Instagram pages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will never eat there again and after this, one person commented. He just ruined it for food carts, said another. Residents were repulsed. Its disgusting. After seeing that, I dont trust this or any other ones, said Jon C., a 39-year-old home health aid from Rego Park, gesturing to the different food carts lining the street. On Tuesday, a different worker operating the MS Halal truck said the pigeon wrangler has since been fired. The boss saw the video and the same day told him hes out, Bangladesh-native Muhammad Mola told The Post. Hes never coming back to our cart. But the nine-year cart veteran insisted the man who he said is from his home country and was just filling in at the cart, which sells items such as meat patties, burgers and chicken or lamb over rice was simply trying to rescue a bird whose legs got tied up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He claimed the bird was freed after the ordeal. In our country everyone loves pigeons, said Mola, 50. Footage showed the man trying to grab another pigeon and shove it in a plastic bag back to his food cart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They take care of them. The law is different here and hes new, he doesnt know the law here. Bangladesh is home to many pigeon farms and several different species of the bird, according to reports. They are commonly reared for food as well as flying and racing. The Health Department visited the cart Tuesday and found no evidence of pigeons, or any other violation. We plan to continue monitoring the situation and will take any appropriate action, a spokesperson said. After the incident, dozens flocked to 311 to file complaints about the Queens truck, reporting unsanitary conditions, animal abuse and food from unapproved source. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New one-star reviews on Yelp also referenced the viral video. City records did not show any health code violations for MS Halal. Mola said he wouldnt be returning with the cart to that location. Business has slowed down, he said. A lot of commotion too many problems. Pigeons and their droppings are associated with diseases including cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, psittacosis, salmonella and E. coli. Permits are needed to trap wild animals in New York, and only licensed exterminators can request permits to trap pigeons, according to 311. Over the years, pigeon pirates have been nabbed for netting the birds to sell as live targets in shooting contests. In 2019, a City Council bill made it a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000 and up to a year in jail. MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) A preschool in New York Citys Upper West Side faces questions after a substitute teacher, whos transgender, read a childrens book about trans inclusivity to a class of three- and four-year-olds. Now, the preschool lesson is dividing parents and educators at the city-funded New York Kids Club on Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan. Most of the parents were in shock and clueless of the decision that the school made, parent Vivian Cialini said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 10 best films of 2024: Nosferatu, The Brutalist, and more Cialinis three-year-old son was in the class where the substitute teacher recently read Theresa Thorns It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book about Gender Identity to a class of 16 students. Some of the kids reportedly came home with questions and parents started to debate whether the book exploring gender is age-appropriate. Per the books publisher, Henry Holt and Co., the picture book aims to introduce the concept of gender identity to kids using child-friendly language and give both children and parents the tools to approach the subject with care. The 40-page book, which was released in 2019, is recommended for ages 4-8. It Feels Good to be Yourself by Theresa Thorn (Courtesy of Macmillan US) One excerpt reads, There are so many ways to be a boy or girl. Not everyone feels like either a boy or a girl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cialini says she believes its too early for children this age to understand what theyre being exposed to. The mother added: They barely have awareness of their [own] body. In a statement to PIX11, New York Kids Clubs CEO Jennifer Clement said: We are deeply committed to fostering an environment where children can grow, learn, and explore in a manner that is both age-appropriate and respectful of diverse perspectives. The statement also said the school is working to ensure that materials utilized align with the developmental needs of our students. In a separate email to parents, the administration stressed the importance of teaching inclusion to all students, writing, We all agree that we would rather this have been communicated to our families beforehand and will ensure it takes place in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of animals killed in Dallas shopping center fire Alaina Daniels helped start Transformative Schools, an afternoon program for trans, queer, and non-binary students beginning at age nine. The message of the book is: Its OK to be whatever gender youd like to be, said Daniels. She added that its healthy for children to ask questions and explore who they are from a young age. These are conversations kids and adults should be having and should be learning, Daniels said. Cialini says she believes in acceptance and inclusion but also transparency. She says the school violated our rights as parents by not asking permission first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, NYC Public Schools said it values using age-appropriate and inclusive curriculum that will benefit students development and social-emotional growth. The school system added that its engaging with this specific program to understand how the material was introduced and whether it adhered to the recommended guidelines. Days will get longer in January: Which cities will gain the most daylight? Children and gender identity: Whats the research say? While theres still much research to be done into the concept of gender identity as it relates to child development, much current research indicates that children become aware of gender dysphoria that is the feeling of distress one might feel when their gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth much earlier than parents might suspect. June 2020 research out of Cedars-Sinai found that out of 210 transgender adults, 73% of transgender women and 78% of transgender men first experienced gender dysphoria by age 7. Meanwhile, April 2023 research published in the peer-reviewed BJPsych Bulletin by Cambridge University Press found that children are typically aware of gender dysphoria by age 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, one noted study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics also found that 94% of transgender youths (out of 317 youths studied) still identified as transgender five years after their initial social transition. The research found that while retransitioning happens for some children, its not very common. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa alleged that the ruling Aam Admi Party (AAP) is misleading the public with its announcements of schemes. The Delhi assembly polls are expected to be held in February 2025. On AAP's proposed scheme of Rs 2100 monthly allowance for women, Bairwa told reporters, "Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi does what they say and the announcement of (schemes) by these people (AAP) remains unfulfilled...They work to mislead the public by making announcements. Now the people will not believe them...." Earlier, BJP MP from Northwest Delhi and state general secretary Yogendra Chandolia alleged that former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ruined Delhi over the past 10 years. He further accused the AAP government of deceiving the innocent people of Delhi to secure victory in the upcoming assembly elections. Chandolia highlighted that while 33 states in the country have implemented the Ayushman Bharat scheme, it has not been introduced in Delhi due to political malice. He criticized Kejriwal's Mohalla Clinics, stating that they have become a refuge for animals and only exist to generate fake statistics. He alleged that Kejriwal's government is manipulating health statistics while government hospitals suffer from a lack of facilities, such as MRI machines, which forces people to endure long waiting periods. He further pointed out that despite Kejriwal's promise to provide ration cards in his 2015 manifesto, not a single card was issued. On December 22, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal announced the launch of registrations for the 'Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana'. Under this scheme, AAP aims to provide women residing in Delhi with Rs 2,100 per month. Following the announcement, the Women and Child Development (WCD) department of the Delhi government issued a clarification regarding the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana,' and said no such scheme has been officially notified. Following the clarification by WCD, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi alleged that BJP exerted pressure on Delhi government officials to execute this. She added, "These notifications are false. We will take action against officials responsible for issuing them." On December 27, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena initiated an inquiry into the allegations that "non-government" people are collecting personal details of Delhi residents in the name of registration for Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) proposed welfare scheme 'Mahila Samman Yojana'. The assembly elections in Delhi are likely to be held in February 2025 however, the Election Commission of India is yet to announce the dates. Congress, which was in power in Delhi for 15 successive years, has performed poorly in the past two assembly polls, failing to win any seat. AAP won 62 out of the 70 seats in the 2020 assembly elections and BJP secured eighth seats. (ANI) A new scholarship fund has been established to honor the legacy of Clinton and Louise Oakes, a couple whose hard work and dedication to their family laid the foundation for generations of success. Ernie Oakes, one of their children, recently created the Clinton & Louise Oakes Family Scholarship Fund to support graduating seniors from Shady Spring High School. Reflecting on the familys deep ties to the school, Ernie expressed gratitude for the role it has played in shaping their lives. Over the past 60+ years, Shady Spring High School has provided a quality education to members of the Oakes family. We are deeply grateful to the school and its outstanding teachers for their contributions to our success, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about his inspiration for creating the scholarship, Ernie explained that it reflects the values Clinton and Louise instilled in their children and grandchildren. Although my parents werent overly religious, they had a strong work ethic and did their best to honor the golden rule. My brother, sister, and I certainly picked up on their work ethic, and hopefully, we continue to respect everyones individuality, regardless of background, beliefs, or circumstances, and treat others as we would want to be treated, he shared. They understood that education was the foundation of success in life. Although not the only means of acquiring an education, formal training is generally the accepted standard. Often, finances are the limiting factor in attaining a formal education, so financial aid is necessary. Clinton Oakes, born in 1919 on Ellison Ridge, and Louise Akers Oakes, born in 1923 near Dunns, grew up in humble beginnings. Both attended one-room elementary schools but were unable to pursue education beyond grade school. Despite this, they built a life centered on hard work, family, and the golden rule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through their example, Clinton and Louise instilled a strong work ethic and commitment to education in their descendants, many of whom have carried on their legacy in various fields. Ernie retired as the chief of the Software Development Division at the USAF Occupational and Environmental Health Laboratory at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas. His wife retired as director for C4 Systems at the Joint Information Operations Center at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. In West Virginia, the legacy continues with Ernies niece teaching at Cranberry Elementary and his nephew serving as a West Virginia state trooper. His nephews wife teaches at Shady Spring Middle School while another niece manages the office for the Cool Ridge-Flat Top Public Service District. Ernies sisters grandson owns Childers Enterprises in Beckley, and another owns Highline Landscaping in Cool Ridge. The familys impact also extends beyond the Mountain State. One grandson works as an aerospace engineer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, and another is a computer cryptology and security specialist in Maui, Hawaii. To honor Clinton and Louises memory and inspire future generations, the scholarship has specific criteria: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Need- and merit-based; Matriculating seniors from Shady Spring High School who reside in Raleigh, Summers, or Mercer counties; Preference given to students participating on the wrestling team; 2.0 to 4.0 GPA; Awarded for post-secondary education at an accredited college, university, vocational, or technical school. We, as a family, hope that the scholarship recipients will take some time to learn about the history of Clinton and Louise Oakes and their descendants, Ernie said. Understanding the source of the scholarship and the history of the Oakes family may provide some inspiration as they begin their journey through life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contributions to the Clinton & Louise Oakes Family Scholarship Fund can be sent to the Beckley Area Foundation, 1210 S. Kanawha St., Beckley, WV 25801. Online donations are also accepted through the foundations website. Anyone interested in starting a designated fund or leaving a legacy gift can contact the Beckley Area Foundation at 304-253-3806 or info@bafwv.org. DENVER (KDVR) A fire near the University of Colorado Boulder campus early Sunday morning has left seven students without apartments. No one was injured in the fire at 1215 13th Street, Boulder Fire-Rescue said. The property management company told FOX31s Kasia Kerridge that it hoped to make all its repairs quickly, allowing residents to move back in very soon. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were a total of 17 student-rented apartments in the building, but only three were occupied, department spokesperson Jamie Barker said. The property management company told Kerridge that six people were inside the building at the time of the fire. Classes at CU Boulder do not start until Jan. 13. The Red Cross is making assistance available for the students who were living in the apartments. The building also has businesses downstairs. Online listings show it houses a Half Fast Subs location and Snag Boulder. The owner of the sub shop, Fred Liskowski, started a GoFundMe to help assist with the cost of the damage. Half Fast Subs has been here for about 23 years, 24 years. Ive owned it for 7 years, Liskowski told Kerridge on Sunday. We were just doing some light renovations on some flooring in the back and some of the walls in the kitchen area. Nothing major, just some stuff to get us operating a little more efficiently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the blaze, the business planned to reopen on Sunday, but the fire would cause delays. Liskowski told Kerridge that the fire began on the third floor, causing the fire suppression system to be activated. We got pretty heavy flooding from the water they pumped in, Liskowski reflected. The wet suppression system, the sprinkler system, never went off so that didnt make it wet, it was just from them putting water in, putting out the fire. He said the worst damage was upstairs, but that his shop was just very wet. There is going to be a lot of drying out and a lot of, probably, rebuilding some stuff, he said. It wont be the first time for him, or the shop. Weve had flooding before from broken pipes and broken water heaters from the apartment above Normally it affects our dining room, which we can clean up quickly because its mainly tables and chairs and flooring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This time, the damage is in the kitchen, impacting the companys electronics, including their point of sale system and other crucial items. Liskowski called it one of the worst things to happen to Half Fast Subs. Its pretty demoralizing. I start to question, will we be able to come back from this? Will we be able to open back up? Liskowski said. I felt like we were finally started to recover from COVID as far as customer foot traffic and all of that, so now this shuts us down again. Crews were at the scene for hours while temperatures were in the mid-teens in Boulder. A video shared by Boulder Fire-Rescue showed ice on a ladder. As of Sunday afternoon, crews had determined it was an electrical fire. The property management company for the building told Kerridge the fire itself was quite small and isolated to the back corner of the attic. Clean-up from the fire, the company stated, will be mostly focused on the water discharging from sprinkler heads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Regulators in North Carolina have approved Duke Energy's plan to replace some of the utility's coal-fired units with natural gas-fired generation. The North Carolina Utilities Commission in December issued orders in support of the gas-fired units. The state's Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on Dec. 20 granted air permits for the gas-fired plants. Duke plans to replace two of the four coal-fired units at Person County's Roxboro plant with gas-fired combined cycle units by 2029 that would have 1,360 MW of generation capacity. The utility in its permit application said the new turbines would enter service by 2029 as part of the Person County Energy Complex. The coal-fired Units 1 and 4 at the site would be retired, while the coal-fired Units 2 and 3 would continue to operate until 2034. Duke also plans to replace two of the four coal-fired units at the 2,100-MW Marshall plant in Catawba County with gas-fired generators that would have a total of 850 MW of capacity. The Marshall station was commissioned in 1965. "We appreciate the support of Person and Catawba counties. We look forward to working together as we transition to cleaner energy in a manner that keeps North Carolina's economy thriving, while continuing to protect grid reliability and affordability for our customers," Bill Norton, a Duke Energy spokesman, said in a written statement. Duke has said it needs to use natural gas, instead of intermittent renewable energy, in order to maintain grid stability and reliability as it transitions away from coal-fired generation. Duke last year said the utility plans to have at least 17.5 GW of solar energy in its portfolio within 15 years. The Utilities Commission approved the new facilities as part of its joint carbon dioxide reduction and resource planning process. Critics have argued that Duke should invest in more renewable energy. "We are disappointed that the two permits have been granted and we're hopeful that steps can be taken to address what we see as unfortunately an increasing trend for more and more gas to be built out in our state, which is contrary to what state law requires and is contrary to the states overall clean transition objectives," Munashe Magarira, a Southern Environmental Law Center senior attorney, told The News & Observer newspaper in Charlotte. The DEQ as part of its approval said Duke must shut down the two remaining coal-fired boilers at the Marshall plant once the new gas-fired units are operating. Duke said that after 2029 there will be a period of time when the two new gas-fired turbines at Roxboro are operating along with the current four coal-fired units, giving the station more than 4 GW of generation capacity until two of the coal-fired boilers are retired. Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER. Residents in mountainous areas of the small European nation of Georgia have been warned against a specific activity in order to reduce the risk of local power outages. What's happening? According to IntelliNews, the district administration in Georgia's northern region of Svaneti has requested that residents cease cryptocurrency mining activity because of the strain it's putting on the local energy supply. The country's highland support program has given people in Svaneti access to free or subsidized electricity, but this has resulted in people taking advantage of this benefit to mine for cryptocurrency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With this increased energy demand, the grid is struggling to keep up, and outages have been the consequence. In cold winter months, this is particularly problematic, while local businesses have also suffered, putting the tourism industry at risk. The mayor of Mestia, the capital of Svaneti, has said that "for the well-being of the rest of the population your neighbors, your relatives, your friends," mining activity needs to cease. Why is cryptocurrency mining concerning? According to the London School of Economics, a single bitcoin transaction can generate as much carbon dioxide pollution as driving a gas-guzzling car between 1,000 and 1,600 miles unless powered by dedicated renewable energy. It's estimated that proof-of-work bitcoin mining, using high-performance computers, will soon need around 63 terawatt-hours of power annually. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the rise of renewable energy such as wind, geothermal, and solar power the wider electricity grid is still heavily reliant on dirty fuels to create power. This produces a lot of planet-warming pollution, which traps heat in the atmosphere and leads to rising global temperatures. Aside from its strain on the electricity system, the American Geophysical Union also noted that cryptocurrency mining consumes a lot of water and accounts for plenty of land use. In 2020 and 2021, global bitcoin mining needed around 1.65 cubic kilometers of water, and the activity required land equivalent to the size of Los Angeles. How often do you worry about your energy bills? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind What can be done about cryptocurrency energy use? New technologies require adaptation, and one council area in Switzerland is hoping to access the benefits of cryptocurrency without its negative environmental impact. The canton of Bern has proposed using excess energy that would otherwise be wasted to power crypto mining activities, reducing strain on the grid and not encouraging the production of further energy-related pollution to meet demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a partnership between Gigatons and Alephium is backing a solar-powered bitcoin mining system while also encouraging investments in projects that reduce carbon pollution. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. I have never met Harold Hamm, Greg Love, George Kaiser, David Green or Lynn Schusterman Oklahoma self-made billionaires who pay very significant taxes. However, I do know hundreds of Oklahoma residents who are on the lower end of the tax scale. The connection between the taxpayers comes with renewed Republican discussion about tax rebates politically charged tax rebates. A tax rebate for high income earners like the five named above would probably go unnoticed, and the small checks mailed to the thousands who dont pay much tax would probably have little impact at the Walmart checkout. Oklahoma has a projected $4.21 billion in unspent cash and reserves for 2025. That is a lot of money for residents living in a state ranking nationally in the top 10 for poverty and the worst place to live. Oklahoma has a population of 4 million, with a median income of about $37,000 per year with about 20% in poverty. Oklahoma ranks nationally in the top 10 of incarceration of women, residents who have been married more than three times, mental health issues, pregnant teenagers, divorce, children killed by a parent, children in foster care, poor health and obesity. More: Incarcerated Oklahomans deserve opportunities. Higher education is lifechanging | Opinion Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The list goes on, including the statistic that about 83% of our residents do NOT vote on school bond issues. I believe Oklahomas very wealthy and the majority of my medium- and low-income friends will agree that Oklahoma needs to fix some of the problems before rebating tax money. Oklahoma is in a shameful state of affairs. We need to address problems while we have the financial resources. The following are a few priorities: Oklahoma is ranked 49th in the nation for the quality of education. Many of our students read and do math at a very low level. I would hypothesize (based on workforce research) that our blue-collar employees cannot read at the 10th-grade level and do math at the eighth-grade level. Yet, Oklahoma is developing a new department to recruit out of state business, along with financial incentives. Companies looking for an educated workforce will move to Massachusetts, where secondary students score 26.1 on the ACT and 46% of the people have a bachelors degree, or Colorado where 63% have a post-secondary credential. Our current state schools superintendent, Ryan Walters, is totally out of touch and needs to be impeached. We dont have a leader in state government that is beating a drum for public education. Oklahoma is allocating several billion dollars per year to education, which is almost $14,000 per student. At this extreme cost, someone needs to demand top 10 performance. We now have about three generations of Oklahomans who have attended low-performing schools, and it is reflected in our workforce, local and city governments and school boards. Yet, Oklahoma is embracing a four-day school week. In addition, Oklahoma has significant crime (shooting almost every night in OKC, it seems) and about 22,000 incarcerated individuals, most with little or no education. The biggest indictment is that military recruiters in south central Oklahoma report that 80% of secondary graduates fail or score very low on the ASVAB (military entrance test). Many also fail the drug test or the physical examination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Oklahoma schools won't get better until Walters' OSDE goes in different direction | Opinion There are other priorities. There are 55,000 ranchers in Oklahoma. There are few large animal vets and very few who are willing to make calls in the middle of the night to treat a sick animal. What about spending a few million to develop a Vet Nurse Practitioner program, along with a program for the Vet Nurse Practitioner to be able to neuter dogs and cats at a low cost. Our animal shelters are in an emergency state, and so are many ranchers who constantly deal with dumped dogs." Unfortunately, ranchers are forced to kill many of these animals to protect livestock. Yep, that's the way it works. Many towns, especially small ones, deal daily with trains blocking traffic for extended periods. Ambulances and police are often delayed. Lets build needed railroad overpass bridges and make life easier for many, many drivers. And how about the many Oklahoma residents coming out of prison with no money facing court fees and other costs while trying to find a job and a place to live? There have been some positive changes in criminal justice, but we need to take another giant step and find a way to give the incarcerated a way to reenter society successfully. About one in five inmates returns to prison. In addition, homeless people with criminal backgrounds are penetrating our communities at a record rate. People exiting prison and people living on the street need guidance and financial assistance. Today is the time to act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Will our aquifers go dry? According to a University of Kansas study, the Ogallala in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles is basically depleted, having a huge impact on agriculture. Yet, Oklahomans keep drilling wells in the famous Arbuckle Simpson and other aquifers hoping for a positive recharge even though we are facing projections of extended drought. Maybe we need to invest one of those billion-dollar accounts into building dams on the many creeks and rivers that flow eventually into the Gulf of Mexico. We might build significant lakes and sell water to north Texas. Why not? Numerous letters were written to The Oklahoman last year essentially saying just what I have said today: Dont send me a tax rebate check. There are many different ways to share tax money with the people, but there is no better way than to invest in education, people and infrastructure and make Oklahoma great again. Gary Greene, rancher from Tishomingo, OK. Gary Greene is a rancher in Tishomingo. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OK should prioritize spending on schools, not tax relief | Opinion Sprinter Fred Kerley was arrested after an altercation with South Florida police that ended with the two-time Olympic medalist hit with a stun gun, officials said Friday. Kerley, 29, was speaking with officers at 11:22 p.m. on Thursday near 100 9th St. about his vehicle parked nearby when his demeanor became increasingly aggressive, according to a statement by Miami Beach police. After Kerley was asked to leave the area, he refused and assumed a fighting stance, police continued. When officers tried to arrest Kerley, he allegedly resisted and a dart-firing stun gun was effectively deployed, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 7 minutes of body-camera video released by police, Kerley is seen in a gray hoodie standing next to a police vehicle talking to officers. Its unclear what is being said as theres no audio in the first 30 seconds of video. The person wearing the camera approaches Kerley and places their hand on Kerleys chest and then his wrist, touching off the scuffle. At least four officers appear to struggle with Kerley as they try to restrain him, footage showed. Finally, one of the officers pulls out a stun gun with a distinctive yellow handle and fires into Kerleys back, bringing him down instantly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not resisting, I got handcuffs on! Kerley said. Throughout the video, he accused officers of wrongdoing and told them theyd be going to jail. Kerley didnt obviously or immediately identify himself as an Olympic sprinter. But at one point he told arresting officers: Bro get off my legs, I need my f---ing legs. Kerley was booked into custody on suspicion of battery of a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting an officer, according to jail records. He was being held on six-month-old charges of strong-arm robbery and domestic battery by strangulation, according to jail records and his attorney. The circumstances behind those charges were not immediately clear Friday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorney, Yale Stanford, in a statement described the footage as obscene. It just goes to show that no matter how hard you work, how many medals you earn for your country, and how many people across the globe you inspire, in Miami Beach, Mr. Kerley was treated like millions of African-Americans, male and female, around the countrywith a lack of humanity, compassion, or respect, the statement said. Its important for our community to be aware of these actions by police so we can make sure this type of behavior is prevented in the future. Kerley took silver in the 100-meter sprint in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and then bronze in that same race this past summer in Paris. Kerley has a hearing scheduled for Saturday morning, Stanford said. This story was originally published on NBCNews.com. This article was originally published on TODAY.com COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) One person is dead after a shooting early Sunday morning in a northeast Columbus neighborhood. A police dispatcher said officers were called to a home on the 1200 block of East Hudson Street in North Linden just after 5:15 a.m. One person was found at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at 5:27 a.m. Man with dozens of past criminal charges arrested on seven counts from 2024 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police have not provided suspect information at this time. The Columbus Police Homicide Unit is investigating. Anyone with any information is asked to call the unit at (614) 645-6420 or Det. Zimmer at (614) 645-4192. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Sunday marks one year since an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 had its door plug blown out in midair on Jan. 5, 2024 on its trip from PDX to Ontario, California. That same door plug plunged thousands of feet and landed in a tree in a Portland science teachers backyard in the West Haven neighborhood. Drivers skid and crash as wintry mix grips central US before moving east Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bob Sauer, the now-retired teacher, recounted the following days when people were searching all over Portland to find the missing piece of evidence. And had it not been for a call from a friend, he may not have found it at all. FILE This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows the section of a a Boeing 737 Max where a door plug fell while Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 was in flight. (NTSB via AP, File) NTSB lead investigator John Lovell looks at the blown door area on the Boeing 737 Max 9 that blew off on Alaska Flight 1282, January 7, 2024 (NTSB) Alaska Airlines flight headed for Ontario, Calif. diverted back to PDX after a window blew out (Courtesy to KOIN from passenger who want to remain anonymous) A hole where a door plug blew out on Alaska Flight 1282 is inspected by the NTSB, January 7, 2024 (NTSB) Sean Bates found one of 2 cell phones that flew out of an Alaska Air jet when the door blew at 16,000 feet. NTSB investigators arrived at the scene along Barnes Road in Portland, January 7, 2024 (Sean Bates) Portland school teacher Bob Sauer found a door plug from Alaska Air 1282 in his backyard, January 8, 2024 (KOIN) FILE This photo released by the National Transportation Safety Board shows the door plug from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on Jan. 8, 2024, in Portland, Ore. Investigators say bolts that helped secure the panel on the Boeing jetliner were missing before the panel blew off the plane in midflight last month. The National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report Tuesday, Feb. 6 into the Jan. 5 accident. The loss of the panel forced pilots of the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet to make a harrowing emergency landing. (National Transportation Safety Board via AP, file) The door plug from the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282s Boeing 737-9 MAX airplane is shown at the National Transportation Safety Board laboratory, in Washington, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The door plug is showing some signs of wearing out, scratches caused by rubbing against hard surfaces and a gap on the top section above the window (front bottom of the picture). (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Diagram of door plug components. (Source: Boeing. Image Copyright Boeing. Reproduced with permission.) FILE A door plug area of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, with paneling removed, is shown prior to inspection at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Jan. 10, 2024, in SeaTac, Wash. Air safety in general and concerns about Boeing-made planes in particular have been on the minds of many since January, when a panel covering an emergency door hole blew off an Alaska Airlines plane flying 16,000 feet above Oregon. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File) I thought, Well, somebodys sure to find it. So I didnt look and I didnt look and I didnt look, and people were not finding it, Sauer recalled. And eventually, a friend of mine called and said, Maybe you should check your backyard, because they think it fell somewhere in this neighborhood. And finally, on Sunday evening, I went out and looked, and there it was in the backyard. IRS reminds taxpayers in 24 disaster area states of 2025 deadlines He continued, My heart beat a bit faster when I saw that. I knew immediately what it was. It was pretty recognizable as the door plug, but it was incredible that it was in my backyard. NTSB released this photo of the door plug from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that blew out of the aircraft as the plane was climbing altitude on Jan. 5, 2024. The door plug was recovered from a backyard. (Credit: NTSB) After reaching out to the NTSB in Washington D.C., Sauer stated they didnt believe him at first, since someone else had already called and reported having found the door plug. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It turned out to be a lamp, a lampshade, like on a street from the street lamp, he added. So [the NTSB agent] wanted proof and asked for a picture. The national office then contacted the NTSB investigation team on the scene in Portland with the news, right after NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy was finishing a press conference. Homendy then rushed out with the update. Im excited to announce we found the door plug. Thank you, Bob, she said. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy with lead investigator John Lovell at a press conference in Portland regarding the Alaska Air blown door plug accident, January 7, 2024 (KOIN) On Jan. 8, seven National Transportation Safety Board investigators came to Sauers home to collect the crucial piece of evidence. They even came to speak to his students who were fascinated by the tales of what they do, according to Sauer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But what followed was not only local and national news coverage for Sauers find but stations around the world wanted to hear the story. I actually talked to the BBC about that in a phone interview and two television stations in Australia and a reporter from Vietnam, he said. Since retiring in June, Sauer has also traveled the world, getting recognized as The Door Plug Guy to this day. Ive just gotten back from three weeks in Ireland and three weeks in Spain and people there knew about it, he recalled. And a few even recognized my name as being the person who had found the door. Overall, Sauer called it an incredible coincidence, stating he and his neighbors are lucky no one got hurt. Additionally, hes impressed that people still remember the incident a year later, especially after the events that have since transpired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It brought out all kinds of things, all these communications around the world, Sauer said. I heard from people I hadnt heard from since high school, who contacted me after that. So its been a its been a broadening experience. FILE FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker testifies before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, Sept. 24, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) FAA: Boeing still needs a culture change to put safety above profits By The Associated Press A year after a panel blew out of a Boeing 737 Max during flight, the nations top aviation regulator says the company needs a fundamental cultural shift to put safety and quality above profits. Mike Whitaker, chief of the Federal Aviation Administration, said in an online post Friday that his agency also has more work to do in its oversight of Boeing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitaker, who plans to step down in two weeks to let President-elect Donald Trump pick his own FAA administrator, looked back on his decision last January to ground all 737 Max jets with similar panels called door plugs. Later, the FAA put more inspectors in Boeing factories, limited production of new 737s, and required Boeing to come up with a plan to fix manufacturing problems. Boeing is working to make progress executing its comprehensive plan in the areas of safety, quality improvement and effective employee engagement and training, Whitaker said. But this is not a one-year project. Whats needed is a fundamental cultural shift at Boeing thats oriented around safety and quality above profits. That will require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on our part. Boeing on Friday issued an update on steps it has taken to improve safety and quality, including addressing concerns raised by employees and reinforcing their confidentiality protection. Boeing, which couldnt build new 737s during a seven-week strike by machinists last fall, said it has strengthened training for mechanics and quality inspectors. The company said it updated a system to display the names of employees who perform metal-stamping work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company also said it has significantly reduced defects in 737 fuselages built by Spirit AeroSystems, but it declined to provide numbers. Spirit is a key supplier that Boeing is in the process of buying for $4.7 billion. The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the door-plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines Max jet. Despite a gaping hole in the side, pilots landed the plane safely in Portland, Oregon, and no serious injuries were reported. A month after the accident, investigators said in a preliminary report that bolts used to help secure the panel were not replaced after work in a Boeing factory. Whitaker said the FAA will review any recommendations that the safety board makes to improve FAAs oversight work. Last summer, he admitted that FAAs scrutiny of Boeing wasnt good enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. More than 1 million people in Germany have joined a petition for a nationwide ban on fireworks after New Year celebrations again resulted in casualties, injuries and arrests. So far, around 1.01 million people have signed the petition, which was initiated by the German Police Union (GdP) in Berlin. The GdP wrote on X on Sunday that this amounted to a political mandate. "What we experienced on New Year's Eve exceeded all bounds. This massive violence against our female and male colleagues must stop," the petition states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The document calls for a ban on private use of fireworks, which it claims is an important first step towards greater safety for emergency services on New Year's Eve. However, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser have both already spoken out against a ban on fireworks. The accused, identified as Md Sahidul Islam, was taken into custody by the Palam Village Police Station and subsequently handed over for deportation to Bangladesh through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). According to the police, the accused failed to produce valid documents and admitted to being an illegal migrant. He was also found to be in possession of photocopied documents from Bangladesh. The verification drive was conducted to identify 'illegal immigrants' from Bangladesh, following orders from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, said Madhup Tiwari, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order). Earlier, two Bangladeshi nationals illegally residing in Delhi since 2012 were apprehended by the Safdarjung Enclave Police Station during the drive on Thursday. The two, identified as 54-year-old Liyacat and his 39-year-old wife, Nasreen, were deported to Bangladesh through the FRRO. Meanwhile, another two Bangladeshi nationals who had been illegally residing in the national capital were apprehended and deported by the Delhi Police during two separate verification drives by the South West District Police. One of the illegal immigrants was identified as Lovely Khatoon Islam, a resident of Shankar Pur, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, who had been living here in Delhi for the past four years. In another drive launched by the staff of the Vasant Kunj South Police Station, another illegally residing Bangladeshi national was apprehended and deported to Bangladesh. The illegal immigrant identified as Md Bablu, a resident of Demra village in Dhaka, Bangladesh, was deported to Bangladesh through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). This operation underscores the South West District Police's zero-tolerance approach to illegal immigration and commitment to upholding the rule of law. (ANI) One man has been arrested and placed into custody following a fatal stabbing that occurred in Brockton earlier Saturday morning, Plymouth County D.A. announced. Officers were dispatched to 17 Foster Street after receiving a call around 2 A.M. Saturday to reports of a man being stabbed. Upon arrival, Brockton police and EMS located a man, identified as 19-year-old Kyre Ambrose, suffering from multiple stab wounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A good samaritan transported Ambrose to the hospital, where he later passed away from his injuries. Members of Brockton and Massachusetts State Police conducted an investigation. After watching surveillance footage, they developed probable cause to arrest 18-year-old Jayden Fernandez. Fernandez was being treated for a hand injury at Newton Wellesley Hospital when he was taken into custody. Fernandez is expected to be arraigned at Brockton District Court on Monday on murder charges. An investigation is still ongoing. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW CLYDE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A Saturday morning fire in Callahan County claimed one life and left two others seriously injured. Just a couple of days later, the fire reignited. On January 4, 2025, at about midnight, Clyde and Baird fire departments responded to the 3800 block of County Road 120, located northeast of Clyde. Once the fire was out, a family friend told KTAB/KRBC that the house was deemed a total loss. On the following Monday, crews returned to the scene when the fire reignited around 10:00 a.m. They were joined by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Clyde Police. Smoke was visible from miles away as crews worked to extinguish the remaining hot spots. KTAB/KRBC has received statements from the family through a family friend, though there is no official word from authorities at this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family friend said they could not comment on the cause of the fire, as it is still under active investigation. The family has requested that no one visit the property. The friend shared that three people were inside the home when the fire occurred. Two occupants, whose names they wish to keep private, were taken to the hospital in critical condition. The third individual, 58-year-old Deborah Debbie Kay Faircloth, has been identified as the sole fatality of the fire. A memorial gathering in her honor will be held on Saturday, January 11, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Baird. Faircloths obituary on the Parker Jacobs Funeral Home website offers additional details about the service and links to send flowers to the family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. ONEOK has sold three of its wholly-owned, interstate pipeline systems to an operator for $1.2 billion, according to the company. The Tulsa-based oil and gas company finalized the sale of the Guardian Pipeline, Midwestern Transmission and Viking Gas Transmission to DT Midstream, based in Detroit, Michigan, on Dec. 31, 2024, according to a news release. "The closing of this transaction represents another milestone in the strategic optimization of our integrated asset portfolio and advances our capital allocation priorities," said ONEOK President and Chief Executive Officer Pierce H. Norton, II in the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proceeds from the sale are expected to increase the company's financial flexibility and aid in reaching its leveraged target of 3.5 times by 2026, according to ONEOK. The three pipelines systems totaled around 1,300 miles, the company said. Guardian Pipeline runs from the Chicago hub based near Joliet, Illinois to West Green Bay, Wisconsin. The approximately 263-mile pipeline produces up to 1,287,000 natural gas units per day. It consists of 26, 30 and 20-inch mainlines, 100,225 high pressure compression and 18 meter stations, supplying all major North American basins, according to ONEOK. ONEOK also sold its Midwestern Gas Transmission, a nearly 420-mile long, bidirectional system running from Portland, Tennessee to Joliet, Illinois. The pipes also runs through Kentucky and Indiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DT Midstream also acquired another bidirectional system, 674-mile long Viking Gas Transmission, the only ONEOK pipeline that crosses the Canadian border with an interconnection near Emerson, Canada and Marshfield, Wisconsin. "The bolt-on acquisition of these premier pipelines if fully aligned with our pure play natural gas strategy," aid DT Midstream President and CEO David Slater in the release. "This acquisition also increases the revenue contribution from our pipeline segment, supported by take-or-pay contracts with strong credit quality utility customers." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: ONEOK sold hundreds of miles of pipelines for $1.2 billion. In May 2023 at a CNN Town Hall meeting, Donald Trump, already well advanced in his campaign to become president of the United States again, said: Theyre dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want to stop them dying. And Ill have that done Ill have that done in 24 hours. He has repeated the claim often, saying it would be contingent on his sitting down with Vladimir Putin, the Russian aggressor, and Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine. He also claimed that had he been president, and not Joe Biden, Putin would never have dared invade as he did in February 2022. Notably, since he won the US election convincingly on Nov 5, the president-elect has offered no more detail on what the world can expect from his promised peace initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been much talk from the two combatants, however. The Russians have repeatedly indicated that they are happy for talks, though very much on their terms such as holding them in Slovakia, a rare EU country that, because of its dependence on Russian gas, continues to fawn on Putin and is regarded, as a consequence, as unreliable. President Zelensky has indicated his belief that the only way Russian troops will be removed from the one-fifth of Ukrainian sovereign territory that they now occupy will be through diplomatic, and not military means. Ukraine continues to lose small amounts of territory to the invader, at an enormous cost in lives to Russia. Lest that imply Russia is having a walkover in Ukraine, one must remember that its attempt to conquer the country started almost three years ago, and it is now relying heavily on North Korean cannon fodder for its meagre gains. If Russia were the formidable military force it purports to be, and had inexhaustible manpower, the conflict would have ended soon after it began, and legions of mercenaries would have been unnecessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the war is now in its 35th month; and even though territory has been lost, Ukraine has put up an astonishing fight. It is no surprise though, that it would like to end things. An American estimate last October suggested that 57,500 Ukrainians had been killed and another 250,000 wounded since the war started, a gruesome rate of attrition and one now thought to be an underestimate. The BBC estimates that between 150,000 and 200,000 Russians have been killed and up to another 600,000 wounded. We await details of Trumps initiative to bring this horror to an end; unless, of course, it is delayed by reservations expressed to him and his team by some Nato allies. In particular, they could raise fears over how a settlement seen to favour the Russians would impact international relations, effectively rewarding Putin for his aggression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putins 25 years in power suggest that whenever he is allowed to get away with any outrage, he then seeks to push boundaries (literally and metaphorically) even further. His apparent desire to re-conquer parts of the old Soviet Union provides obvious potential targets for him. Moreover, if Americas Nato allies believe their resolve not to hand Putin a victory is compromised by pressure from Trump, the coherence of the alliance, and indeed its whole future, could be threatened. Pax Americana Trump will hold the whip hand in Nato, and will feel his allies are in no position to give America, the organisations main funder, lectures on foreign policy. During his election campaign, as during his first term, Trump complained about the European contingent in Nato not paying its way. He was not breaking new ground: President Barack Obama made the same complaint when in office. In fact, the conflict in Ukraine has prompted many Nato countries to increase defence spending to 2pc of their GDP the long-agreed total for the first time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are 31 members of Nato and this year 23 of them are expected to meet the 2pc target; only three did so in 2014. It is the first time since the early 1990s that the alliance has managed to spend as much as 2pc of its GDP on defence. The eight members not meeting the target which include Italy, Spain and Canada are all at least spending more this year. By contrast, the United States is actually spending less on defence this year than last, at 3.38 per cent of GDP: but the actual sum is enormous given the overall size of the countrys output. Perhaps it is no surprise that the countries situated closest to Russia tend to spend the most. Estonia spends, in GDP percentage terms, even more than America at 3.43pc, while Poland, which has been very hawkish about the Russian threat (and has the history to prompt it to be so), is spending 4.12pc, up from 3.9pc in the previous year. British spending, by comparison, is up from 2.07pc of GDP in 2023 to 2.33pc last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But America, which in 2023 spent $916bn on defence more than any other nation on earth is the foundation on which Nato rests. If the other members want to take Trump on once he is back in the White House, because there are aspects of his foreign policy they dont like, they should remember there might be severe consequences for their security. Hence the mounting tension about what Trump may, or may not, seek to do. Desperate Kremlin Judging from reports from the front, there is widespread scepticism about Trumps ability to end the war as swiftly as he hopes. To do so without signalling to Putin that his aggression has worked, to avoid undermining Nato and to limit the likelihood of further assaults, Putin would have to make some sort of concession. There is room to do so, and President Zelensky has intimated there is scope for negotiation. So much of the Ukrainian question is complicated by history, but that complicated history might, paradoxically, allow room for manoeuvre. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Russian Empire annexed Crimea, one of the sources of contention, in 1783. Before that, the region had been a khanate, technically independent but under the influence of the Ottoman Empire. When the Soviet Union was formed, Crimea was incorporated into the bloc; but in February 1954, almost a year after Stalins death, the Russian Soviet Republic announced the transfer of the Crimean Oblast to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. It was said to be a personal gesture on the part of Nikita Khrushchev, then cementing his power in the Soviet Union, to a republic he admired. Since both Russia and Ukraine answered to Moscow, it hardly mattered under whose jurisdiction Crimea came. But it was then after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 that Ukraine became independent, taking Crimea with it to the annoyance of many Russians who saw it as part of their cultural heritage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A year later, Russias Supreme Soviet accused Khrushchev (who had died in 1971) of treason for having given it away. In 1997, Russia signed a treaty with Ukraine under which it accepted the latters borders, including Crimea. But that was before Putin and his regime. He openly decided to repudiate this understanding as part of his project to rebuild a Russia that included lands with a number of ethnic Russians. Ukraine was one such place. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, it annexed Crimea without any world power attempting to intervene. America did not wish to get involved, marking it down as a European problem. The European Union, which for some years had sought to entice Ukraine to look westwards, rapidly took flight from the question. An entirely bogus referendum in Crimea showed 96pc of the voters supporting the annexation. However, given the lack of historical ties the region has with Ukraine, it might be a subject for any diplomatic negotiations to focus upon. Christmas trees sit by a bomb shelter in Sevastopol, Crimea, last month. The West failed to help Crimea repel Russia a decade ago. - REUTERS/Alexey Pavlishak There are other historical considerations. What is now Ukraine was once divided unequally between the Austro-Hungarian Empire, ruled by a Habsburg emperor from Vienna, and the Russian Empire, ruled by a Romanov from St Petersburg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Russians have been talking in recent weeks about the need to re-draw not just Ukraines borders with Russia, but also those of countries in Eastern Europe. The borders are the product first of the settlement at Versailles in 1919 after the First World War, and then the carve-up of the region between the dying Roosevelt and the ruthless Stalin at Yalta in 1945 (Churchill, who was also present, had rings run around him). The recent talk of redrawing those borders is ludicrous, and an effort at distraction by Russians whose position is weaker than they want the world to believe. Such a policy would aim to reduce Ukraine to a rump and to divide and rule by giving territory that was formerly part of Austria-Hungary, or the pre-1795 Polish lands, back to the inheritors of those states, along with scores of thousands of people who are ethnically Poles or Hungarians. It is also an attempt to divide and rule by offering two potentially troublesome European countries, one of which Poland is notably hostile to Russia, something by way of an inducement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wont work, and it suggests how desperate the Kremlin really is to stop the war it so recklessly started. One reason it wont work is that the State Department in Washington is not so stupid as to have it on its list of options for Trump. Also, he knows he can only serve one more term as president. Authorising a mess such as the wholesale redrawing of the borders of Eastern and Central Europe would almost certainly derail his presidency, with no way back. The subject of borders can, and should, be looked at another way. One of the many aspects of modern Ukraine that Putin has refused to accept is its growing Europeanism. There is evidence that many people in Ukraine with Russian ancestry are disgusted by what Putin has done and, like many of those with a more European heritage, look increasingly westwards towards societies that operate through capitalism and not kleptocracy, democracy and not tyranny, and personal liberty instead of repression. None of those liberal attributes can serve a society run by Putin where control must be absolute for it to survive. The war he is fighting has the medieval aspect of being about territory, but it is also first and foremost about ideology. Containing Putin The next United States administration may seek to convene some sort of conference about Ukraine before too long. Exactly how long will depend on the willingness of Putin and President Zelensky to hold such talks, and on an agreement about a chairman, an agenda and a venue. It may also depend on Russia, especially, not committing outrages that might make such talks impossible in the light of international opinion. The recent shooting down of an Azerbaijani airliner is precisely the sort of act that seems to confirm Russia as an unscrupulous rogue state. Further outrages like the downing of civilian airliners, something Russian forces have done twice since 2014, could undermine possible talks - REUTERS/Azamat Sarsenbayev America, as the worlds leading power and having under the Biden administration supplied Ukraine with many of the means to fight its war, will clearly be central to any talks, whether they are formally suggested by Trump or not. And the likely next secretary of state, Marco Rubio, would seem an obvious chairman, even though Ursula von der Leyen might have pretensions to the role. Other European leaders would want to weigh in, but most of the principals have overwhelming domestic difficulties distracting them. In Germany, Olaf Scholz is on borrowed time. In France, President Macron has by a series of mistakes rendered his country almost ungovernable. In Britain we are witnessing the fastest decline in the standing of a newly elected government in living memory, its credibility shattered, and with a foreign secretary few in the diplomatic world feel able to take entirely seriously, and who has an impressive record of insulting Trump. However, were a peace process to begin, the major Nato governments would use diplomatic channels to seek to influence the direction of the talks, and their emissaries would be present on the margins. But Europe, for security reasons, has the most to lose from an outcome that emboldens Putin to make further territorial claims. If its representatives have not pressed the State Department to put this fact at the top of Trumps list of bullet points, it is time they did. Just before the pandemic, I attended a conference addressed by a leading intelligence expert who specialises in Russia. His fear then was not a further incursion into Ukraine, but Putins desire to secure a land corridor to the Baltic port city of Kaliningrad. That city, which the Germans called Konigsberg, was where Prussia crowned its kings from 1701, and was until the independence of the three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) contiguous with the Soviet Union. Now it is a Russian exclave with Poland to its south and Lithuania to its north and east. Russia can access it freely by air and by sea, but not by land. It has invested hugely in the city in recent years, not least in its naval base. It has the strategic significance of being Russias effective outpost in the European Union. It is, effectively, one of the leading reasons why Europe should not abandon Ukraine. To do so would be to invite Putin to send an armoured column from the territory of his satrap and minion Aleksandr Lukashenko in Belarus through Lithuania (a shorter route than through Poland, which is, in any case, more heavily defended) to secure the land corridor he wants. In territorial terms, it would be a far more minor offence than he has committed in Ukraine, but in political terms it would constitute an enormity. It would be an attack on the sovereign territory of a Nato member and, for what it is worth, on a member of the EU. Yet if Putin sees his assault on Ukraine being rewarded by his being allowed to keep a large chunk of territory on which he has no real claim, what is to stop him from securing his access to Kaliningrad? Would Trump, having presided over a Ukrainian settlement that gave Putin such confidence, endorse Nato retaliation against invading Russians (or North Koreans) in Lithuania? After all, if he did not, where might things proceed? The annexation of the three Baltic states, with their minority ethnic Russian populations, is often talked up by Russian nationalists loyal to Putin. Could Trump countenance that? Such a thought is not scaremongering, but a legitimate prospect if Putins Ukrainian adventure is rewarded. It is all the more reason why peace talks must be embarked upon with caution and underpinned by a clear sense of justice. In an ideal world, they would be preceded by further increases in defence spending across Natos members. Our own veterans minister, Alistair Carns, said a month ago that Britains diminished Army would, if it suffered a casualty rate similar to the Russians, be expended in six to 12 months. When it comes to public spending we, like many other Nato members, have chosen welfare over warfare, last years modest increase in spending notwithstanding. Not only is the world too dangerous a place for this to go on, but we also need to realise that an immediate increase in defence spending would, as well as making us more secure, give us a louder voice in any peace talks, and enable us to try to ensure that Natos influence and future are protected by keeping the alliance united, and avoiding outright and unnecessary capitulation to Putin. Whatever the carrot may be in such talks, the stick is not just the threat of armed force. The sanctions regime on Putin and his cronies has been entirely inadequate. The standard of living for ordinary Russians may well have dipped because of his aggression, but the kleptocratic elite is doing as well as ever. It was recently reported that three Danish companies have bought Russian fish worth millions from the oligarch Vitaly Orlov: the taxes levied on such a sale means an estimated 10pc to 20pc of the sums paid end up buying arms. A so-called shadow fleet of 79 ships is also trafficking Russian oil and other energy products to foreign customers. By keeping the most powerful Russians rich and providing the financial means to buy munitions, the businesses that do this trade keep Putin in power and his friends happy, and allow the war to continue. The State Department, and indeed many Republicans in Congress, will be alert to all these dangers: not least the risk of the incoming administration alienating nations who are supposedly Americas best friends. Since Trump is not renowned for observing the niceties of his position, it may well be a hopeful sign that he has played down his earlier rhetoric about an instant solution to the Ukraine problem and become more discreet, by his standards. The prime function of European diplomats these days is to ensure that their friends in the State Department keep the president-elect in such a sensible frame of mind. Only a madman could want the war in Ukraine to continue. But only a fool could want it to end by America, and by default the rest of Nato, coercing President Zelensky to get on his knees before Putin. The aggression of February 2022 and the succeeding three years remains unjust, unwarranted and unforgivable. That should be a simple message for Trump the Peacemaker to understand; as should be the point that making peace and running up the white flag are seldom the same thing. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Here are my fearless political predictions, tongue planted firmly in cheek, for the Year of Our Lord 2025. I will review my prognostications at the end of the year if the United States of Trump (long may he reign and ruin!) still enjoys freedom of the press. The decline and rise of Matt Gaetz Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) was one of the big stories of 2024, and his legendary saga will continue into 2025. The man who was Donald Trumps first choice to be attorney general reluctantly withdrew from consideration after the House Ethics Committee found that allegations of pharmaceutically fueled sexual escapades were even too much for Sin City on the Potomac. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But you cant keep a bad man down. He began his comeback early in 2025 when he announced that he would run for governor of Florida in 2026 to succeed the incumbent, Ron DeSantis, who left office to become the new co-host of Dancing in The Stars along with former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). The shows popularity gives rise to the new dance craze, the Jewish Space Laser that sweeps the universe. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was the inspiration for the Gaetz comeback. Floridians elected Scott to two terms as governor and senator after the firm he led, Columbia/HCA, was fined $1.7 billion by the feds for making fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid claims. After that, Gaetzs alleged sexual dalliances and affinity for Bolivian marching powder paled in comparison. The new governor quickly turns Miami into a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah. But his success in excess is short lived as a giant tsunami turns his cesspool of corruption into a pillar of salt. But not all is lost. The intensity of climate change brought about by the elimination of the Environmental Protection Agency dooms Miami but turns the desert city of Las Vegas into a moist tropical paradise where The Donald makes his permanent residence after Mar-a-Lago sinks slowly into the sunset. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elon Musk crashes and burns Elon Musks ascension to Speaker of the Mini Majority in the GOP House of Horrors followed the departure of Speaker In Name Only Mike Johnson. Trumps endorsement temporarily bailed out the sorry butt of the soon to be former Speaker. But shortly after the vote to defund and shutdown the federal government, Johnson threw up his hands in horror and left in disgrace for safer pastures as a lion and tiger trainer in Trumps travelling MAGA circus sponsored by the Tesla Corporation and Truth Social. But Musks short tenure as Speaker crashed and burned quickly. Even he couldnt survive the brutal internecine warfare in the Little GOP House of Horrors. Trump came to his rescue. Under house arrest at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the president issues an executive order that makes the owner of the site formerly known as Twitter Generalissimo Supremo of the Armed Forces of the United States of Trump. What possibly could go wrong? The battle for Greenland Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenland was the first step in Trumps grand imperial ambition for total world domination. Because of its proximity to the U.S., Canada could have been first. But the new president made his priorities clear when he stated, For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the world, the United States of America feels that ownership of Greenland is an absolute necessity. The planning for the U.S. incursion into Greenland with the codename Whiskey Tango Foxtrot looked easy on paper. But Musk learned the hard way that the Prussian military strategist Gen. Helmuth Von Moltke was right on point when he said, no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy or something to that effect in German. The excursion into the sovereign territory of Denmark of course marked the end of the NATO alliance, which was Dear Leader Trumps long-time dream and a nightmare for the free world. The plucky Danish navy, along with the native Greenland independence movement, put their differences behind and joined forces to resist American domination. The joint forces mounted a determined coastal resistance but eventually gave way to Musks blitzkrieg. The delay did provide time and space for the brave indigenous freedom fighters to fight a holding action in the interior against American attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incursion eventually became a war of attrition but the cavalry rode to the rescue in the frozen North. In a pre-emptive strike for their freedom, Canada and Denmarks Scandinavian neighbors joined the fight and sent thousands of troops hardened by cold weather into the near and far reaches of the Artic tundra to assist the brave defense in the interior of the island. England and France sympathized with the cause of the hard-pressed Danes but were unable to help as they were busy trying to hold off the Russian armies within sight of the Eiffel Tower besieging Paris. The heightened conflict forced Musk to withdraw American ground, naval and air forces from safe theaters of war like the Middle and Far East to fight for the Great White North. These American reinforcements were aided and abetted by Russian and North Korean armies fresh from the conquest of Ukraine. Once he wipes out NATO resistance in Western Europe, Vladimir Putin, with Trumps assistance, may soon have that bridge to North America that the warlord has long coveted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats all for now! 2025 could be the Year of Trump. But ye of little faith shouldnt despair because its always darkest before the dawn. The announcement of the 2026 midterm election results that restored rightful control of the House to the Democratic Party will cheer you up as Herr Trump loses his stranglehold on democracy in America. Brad Bannon is a national Democratic strategist and CEO of Bannon Communications Research which polls for Democrats, labor unions and progressive issue groups. He hosts the popular progressive podcast on power, politics and policy, Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. This article was originally published in The Conversation. The Department of Education has been a source of political controversy since its creation in 1980 during Jimmy Carters presidency. President Ronald Reagan, who was first elected that year, called for it to be disbanded. As a scholar of educational policy and the balance of federal and state roles in American education, I believe that understanding the department and its leaders responsibilities is especially important today. Every child in the United States is required to attend school in some capacity, and what happens at the federal level can have real-world impacts on students ranging from preschool to grad school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to dismantle the department. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The secretary of education The secretary of education belongs to the presidents cabinet, leads the Department of Education and advises the president about educational policy issues. They oversee a department with a US$228 billion budget that enforces many civil rights laws and ensures compliance with federal laws such as the Every Student Succeeds Act. Some of the Education Departments key responsibilities include administering Title I funding to help schools serving low-income students obtain an equitable education regardless of their socioeconomic status; managing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act known as IDEA to ensure services for students with disabilities; and overseeing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA which helps millions of students afford college. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through the FAFSA, millions of students obtain Pell Grants, which dont have to be repaid, student loans, which do, as well as part-time work-study jobs. In the U.S., education is mainly a state responsibility. As a result, the function of schooling largely falls to individual states. Each state has its own education system, with most designating a significant amount of control to local jurisdictions. Locally elected school boards bear the responsibility for setting many policies and approving budgets for their district. Federal funding makes up about 14% of K-12 education funding. States and localities foot the rest of the bill, mostly through a combination of taxes on income and property. In some cases, there are other taxes, such as those on tobacco and alcohol sales, or revenue is raised through state lottery systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These funding formulas can be complicated and inequitable. Secretaries who stood out Ultimately, the role of the secretary of education is less about wielding substantial power and more about using the position as a platform to influence the national conversation on education. Education secretaries often act as thought leaders, shaping public dialogue and policies rather than directly implementing sweeping change. Some have garnered more attention than others. William Bennett, who served as secretary of education during the Reagan administration, became a prominent conservative voice. He advocated for virtue-based education rooted in traditional values. Bennett also sharply criticized public education and teachers unions, blaming them for the perceived decline in the quality of American education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Margaret Spellings commanded more national attention as secretary of education than most people who have held the position during her tenure in the George W. Bush administration. Spellings championed standards-based education with an emphasis on accountability. She played an important role in implementing No Child Left Behind, a federal education initiative that aimed to increase accountability by requiring all public schools to meet consistent standards. Arne Duncan, who served as education secretary during the Obama administration, also made a lot of headlines. His Race to the Top program encouraged school districts and states to compete for federal funding as a way to drive improvement through competition. Duncans support for school choice and policy reforms, as well as his occasional criticisms of teachers unions, made him a controversial figure including within his own Democratic Party. Betsy DeVos, who served during Trumps first administration, was one of the most polarizing education secretaries in the departments brief history. Her tenure was defined more by efforts to diminish federal influence in education than attempts to build new initiatives or improve public education. DeVos also supported the establishment of religious charter schools, which are funded with tax dollars but operated independently of local school systems. Student loan debt The amount of student debt Americans owe has hovered around $1.75 trillion in recent years. Reducing that burden was among the top priorities of Miguel Cardona, President Joe Bidens education secretary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Bidens plan to forgive up to $20,000 per borrower. In response, the Biden administration announced other student debt relief efforts that included lower loan payments and additional forgiveness; most of them are on hold due to pending court cases. Ultimately, the courts will determine the legality of these relief efforts underscoring the limits of the secretary of educations power. With the scale of this debt, I am certain that student loan debt is likely to remain a big focus for anyone serving as the secretary of education. Culture wars battleground Debates regarding education policies sometimes double as battles over cultural issues, such as LGBTQ rights in schools and whether parents should have more control over what students are taught in classrooms. Conservative groups such as Moms for Liberty have pushed for laws that restrict discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity and have supported bans on transgender athletes in school sports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LGBTQ rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, support policies that protect trans children from bullying at school. On the chopping block? The education secretarys job would go away if Trump were to succeed with his campaign promise to close up the department. Doing that would require an act of Congress, but experts question whether such a measure would prevail when Republicans have narrow majorities in Congress. Even if the department were abolished, many federal education programs could be distributed to other agencies. The debate over the federal governments role in education predates the establishment of the Department of Education. I have no doubt that it would continue should there not be a secretary of education anymore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story is part of a series of profiles of Cabinet and high-level administration positions. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Constitution clearly gives Congress the power to legislate, but in todays world, federal agencies have mistakenly assumed that power. As a result, the size and scope of the administrative state has expanded beyond anything our nations Founders ever imagined. And since they arent subject to a voting ballot, they can use executive rulemaking power however they see fit with little to no accountability. One way they do that is by issuing rules and regulations. Unelected, executive branch officials regulate nearly every aspect of American life from the cars we drive to the food we eat. Under the Biden administration, over 800 new rules were handed down. As a result, regulatory costs have skyrocketed. Since 2020, President Bidens agency rulemaking has cost taxpayers nearly $1.4 trillion. It has also slowed the economy in Utah. Researchers at the Mercatus Center estimate that the increase in regulations from 1997 to 2015 resulted in over 1,353 jobs lost annually, 7.35 percent higher prices and an additional 47,016 people living in poverty in Utah alone. Additionally, these regulations often ignore the opinions of state and local leaders and instead promote a political agenda. For example, federal agencies use the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to shut down businesses and projects when allegations of environmental hazards are raised. This abuse of power has delayed construction on an essential highway in southern Utah, a project that local communities desperately need to sustain unprecedented growth in the area, and a project that local officials negotiated with the federal government to build. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont fully know the cost of every rule and regulation currently in effect. Many remain unquantified. In fact, the White House Office of Management and Budget doesnt review rules from independent agencies or financial regulatory bodies. And the cost of regulatory dark matter guidance documents, proclamations, letters, etc. from thousands of agencies is purposefully omitted. Federal agencies have not only had the power to make rules and enforce them. Theyve also had the freedom to avoid accountability. Agency heads are routinely called to testify before Congress and time and time again they refuse to answer questions from members. This is not how our government was intended to operate. Fortunately, 2025 presents a unique opportunity to roll back crushing regulations and make our government smaller and more accountable to the American people. Two important events occurred in 2024 that can help us build a regulatory state thats thin to the point of invisibility like the one President Calvin Coolidge presided over. First, the overturning of Chevron Deference by the Supreme Court. In 1984, the high court gave federal agencies freedom to interpret ambiguous statutes and required courts to defer to an agencys interpretation. But last year, the Supreme Court overturned that ruling, empowering Congress. Now is the time for members to write clearer laws so that theres no room for agency interpretation. Congress should focus on outlining intent and forcing agencies to answer when they step out of line. Thats our constitutional responsibility, and Congress needs to jealously guard its lane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second, the election of Donald Trump. President Trump has promised to usher in the largest regulatory reduction in history. He also pledged to eliminate ten rules for every one rule. President Trumps Cabinet picks including Lee Zeldin and Doug Burgum will play an important role in making his vision a reality. But without Congress, any reforms they make can, and likely will, be undone by the next administration. Slashing regulations and holding agencies accountable has been a priority during my first term as a member of Congress. I introduced bills like the FREE Act which would speed up our federal permitting process and the Enhanced Regulatory Flexibility Assessment Act which would require federal agencies to report to Congress on the economic impact their rules have on small businesses. These kinds of bills protect local governments, entrepreneurs and everyday Americans from the administrative state, and we need more like them. I also joined the new Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus. Together with my colleagues, we will work hand-in-hand with the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to eliminate excess regulations and government waste. Restructuring our regulatory state is an ambitious agenda, and its the kind of change that scares people. But if we want to turn this country around, unleash innovation and boost our economy, we need to have a lower tolerance for inefficiency and bureaucracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Celeste Maloy represents Utahs 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. She also serves on the House Committee on Appropriations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 few weeks ago, President Biden surprised the nation by issuing a pardon to his son Hunter, after spending most of the year insisting he would not. Citing what he perceived as a political prosecution and his love as a father, the president used one the strongest unilateral tools at his disposal: the pardon power. The wide-sweeping nature of the pardon means that his son will be shielded from any prosecution the next administration might have sought. And while pardoning your own family member may seem like an abuse of power, it is exactly within the presidents constitutional power to do such an action. After a big pardon announcement, it is important to remember that yes, the president can pardon virtually whoever they want and there are no checks on the power. There is nothing Congress, the courts or the public can do to undo a pardon. And yes, the founders wanted it to be this way. They actually conceived the clemency power as a check on the other branches of government. If a law was poorly written by Congress and someone was unfairly punished by the courts for breaking that law, they wanted someone to be able to remedy it with swift, decisive action. They built in some mercy into our judicial system, giving people wrongfully convicted a way out. Some are comparing this pardon of Hunter Biden to Gerald Fords pardon of Richard Nixon, who resigned in the cloud of the Watergate scandal. There are similarities. Both pardons are sweeping in nature, for any crimes either man committed or may have committed, giving them broad immunity from prosecution. This is unusual for pardons; most are for specific crimes after someone has been indicted and sentenced. The preemptive nature of these pardons makes them notable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet the purpose at the heart of each of these significant pardons gives us the major difference between the two. First, President Ford cited the need for the country to avoid a public and messy trial. He issued the pardon to end the Watergate scandal and move forward as a nation. While Ford was ridiculed at time, including a sharp drop overnight in his approval rating, many historians and scholars have come to agree that it was a politically difficult decision that was beneficial for the nation. Comparing the situations of Richard Nixon, a disgraced former president facing a major public trial, and Hunter Biden, a private citizen who was facing tax and gun charges, is a fruitless endeavor. A presidents son facing relatively minor nonviolent charges versus a former president using the office to stay in power is an apples-to-oranges comparison. Others are arguing that President Biden pardoning his son is an abuse of power. In all actuality, the president was acting perfectly within in his constitutionally granted powers. In Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, presidents have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States. There are no limits on who the president can pardon, other than that it must be for a federal crime and cannot be in cases of impeachment. After that, the president has sole unilateral discretion on how to wield this power. And while it may seem like an abuse of power to use it to benefit your own family members, it is completely within his power to do so. The founders of our country probably did not envision the president using this power on behalf of a family member, but they also did not ever foresee our modern weapons and technology, either. This is not the first time a president has used this power for a family member. Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother Roger Clinton on his last day in office. And Donald Trump pardoned his son-in-laws father, Charles Kushner. We also have seen presidents issue pardons to people close to them, such as when George H.W. Bush granted them to those embroiled in the Iran Contra scandal that he served with in the Reagan administration. Many presidents have used their pardon power to benefit those in their inner circle. Given this historical background, it is no surprise that President Biden used the power to pardon his son. He is still the one in office, for just a month more, and has the powers at his disposal. With many in his party already upset with him for not dropping out of the election earlier and the stated plans of the incoming Trump administration, Biden had little to lose by issuing a pardon to his son. We are likely to see many more pardons in the coming weeks. December and January have historically been a frequent time of the year to issue pardons. Combine that with a president leaving office like Biden is, and were sure to see more come from this president. The incoming president has also promised to issue a flurry of pardons, making it a campaign promise to grant mercy to January 6th defendants. Like it or not, the power to grant pardons and commutations is a constitutionally granted power given to the president of the United States. You may disagree with who they decide to grant these actions to, but it is wholly within their power to do so. Perhaps it is time to have a conversation about whether we want our president to have such an unchecked power in the future. Jan. 5Thank you, Bernalillo County Manager Cindy Chavez. We now have a clearer understanding of the type of professional-level salaries that members of our unsalaried Legislature have been coveting for years. State lawmakers have been pretty generous to the executive and judicial branches in recent years, perhaps in an attempt to build a little quid pro quo among the elite and powerful. Following the regular legislative session in 2023, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law Senate Bill 442, boosting the annual salaries for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, attorney general and land commissioner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers crowed that executive salaries hadn't been increased in 21 years, and they trotted out the tired argument that New Mexico lags behind other states in salaries for top state officials, so they jacked the governor's salary up 54% from $110,000 to $169,714; the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor and state treasurer salaries from $85,000 to $144,714; land commissioner from $90,000 to $149,714; and attorney general from $95,000 to $154,714. "It was absolutely amazing to us over the years that these salaries were so incredibly low," lamented state Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup. Offering close to three times the state median individual income of $34,334 apparently wasn't enough to attract top-tier candidates for land commissioner, for example. How did land commissioners get by for years on just a $90,000 annual salary? It must have been tough. So everyone was happy on April 4, 2023, when the governor signed SB 442 into law. The salary increases for governor were delayed until Jan. 1, 2027, to avoid violating a provision in the state Constitution about mid-term compensation changes, but the others got their pay hikes in mid-June 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 442, passed by the House and Senate along almost entirely partisan lines, also doubled the daily pay rate for a person acting as governor from $250 to $500. Legislative analysts estimated the lieutenant governor has historically acted as governor 10 to 50 days per year, so lawmakers even took care of acting governors. A year earlier, in 2022, state lawmakers took care of the judiciary, passing legislation that would have boosted the pay of New Mexico justices and judges by 33%. The annual salaries of New Mexico Supreme Court justices and district court judges, respectively, would have jumped from about $154,000 a year and $138,000 to $205,500. However, the governor poured a little cold water on the 33% judicial pay hikes and pocket vetoed Senate Bill 2 in March 2022, saying it circumvented the normal budget process used for large spending bills. She also noted that New Mexico judges and justices were already in line to receive 17% raises given to other state employees. Lujan Grisham also pocket vetoed House Bill 219 following the regular session in 2022, which would have increased salaries for approximately 290 elected county officials in all 33 New Mexico counties by 15%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Undeterred, state lawmakers in the 30-day regular session in 2024 approved without a dissenting vote Senate Joint Resolution 16, which proposed to amend Article 10, Section 1 of the state Constitution to remove the Legislature's responsibility to set salaries for all county officers. In other words, it would allow county commissioners to set their own salaries and those of other elected officials in their counties. Presented as Amendment 4 on Nov. 5 ballots, voters approved the proposed constitutional amendment by nearly a two-thirds vote, 65.67% to 34.33%. Proponents of Amendment 4, such as Bernalillo County Clerk Linda Stover, framed the constitutional amendment as an opportunity for county governments to enjoy the same authority New Mexico cities have in setting salaries for their elected officials. "(C)ounties are forced to navigate a one-size-fits-all model imposed by state lawmakers, who may not know the distinct challenges faced by rural or less populated areas," Stover wrote in an Oct. 27 Journal op-ed. "By shifting the responsibility of setting salaries for county elected officials to local boards of commissioners, county leaders will gain the flexibility to align compensation with their financial capabilities, ensuring that they can attract and retain dedicated public servants while being fiscally responsible." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Big government playbook Back to Bernalillo County Manager Chavez, one of our newest transplants from California, who has apparently brought her big government playbook with her from the Golden State. Before new pocket-sized state Constitutions have been amended and printed, Chavez, a former Santa Clara County supervisor in California who started her new job here on Nov. 13, proposed preposterous pay raises for Bernalillo County elected leaders last month. With a four-year contract and base salary of $230,000, Chavez, the highest paid Bernalillo County employee, was making nearly six times the $39,106 annual salary of the five county commissioners, whose salaries were much more in line with Bernalillo County's median individual income of $39,234. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps feeling a bit embarrassed about the county's income inequality, Chavez gave the Bernalillo County commissioners four pay options: one not to change the salaries of county officers, which stood no chance; one that would give county officers a 10% raise; one that would give them a 15% raise; and one that would bring their salaries up to "market value." The proposed market rate would have given each of the five county commissioners an $111,837 annual raise, up from $39,106 to $150,943, calculating to a 286% pay spike. The immodest proposal also would have dramatically raised the salaries of the county clerk, treasurer, assessor, sheriff and probate judge. Fortunately, the preposterous raises ran into opposition from County Commissioner Eric Olivas, who noted the proposal lacked an elected official sponsoring it. It was instead placed on the Dec. 10 county commission agenda by "county administration." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're making more than most people in our community, and granted, it's not a lot, but I think that's important to state from the outset," Olivas told the Journal shortly before the Dec. 10 meeting. "We're still talking about giving the community three days, two of which are on the weekend, to know and understand what we're considering with regards to pay for elected officials." Ultimately, the Bernalillo County Commission voted 3-2 on Dec. 10 to boost their pay, and that of county clerk, treasurer, sheriff, assessor and probate judge, by 15%. The prospect of going "full market value" was thankfully too indecent for at least a couple of commissioners. Commissioner Olivas and County Commission Chair Barbara Baca voted against the 15% raises, rightfully noting the rushed process and the untoward appearance of commissioners approving their own salaries, as opposed to creating an independent committee to review and recommend appropriate salary levels. Olivas, who correctly objects to county commissioners making more than most other county residents, proposed an amendment that would have raised pay rates for elected officials other than county commissioners by 25%. But nobody seconded his motion, so they all get 15% for now, until next time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other three county commissioners, who made the same tired and insufferable arguments that so many legislators parrot about enticing better candidates through higher pay, must have felt 10% was too little, a 286% raise was too audacious, and no raise wasn't really a viable option. So, Bernalillo County commissioners elected or reelected in November now make $44,970 instead of $39,106; and the county clerk and treasurer make $99,627 instead of $86,632. The sheriff, probate judge and county assessor, respectively, will make $103,884 instead of $90,334; $43,869 instead of $38,147 and $99,626 instead of $86,632, when new terms for those offices begin in 2027. The race is on At least 15 other counties raced to approve salary increases for county officials before year's end, but none of them were as lavish and self-indulgent as Bernalillo County's proposed 286% pay hikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sandoval County commissioners approved 20% increases to 2018 salaries for county commissioners and county officials. San Juan County set the sheriff's salary at $150,000 and boosted the salaries for clerk, assessor and treasurer to $115,000 per year. The Santa Fe County commissioners increased the salaries of county clerk and county treasurer to $142,500 and raised county commissioner salaries by an amount corresponding to cost-of-living increases other county employees received over the past five years. The pay raises approved in at least 16 counties will reverberate down the flowchart because many counties by ordinance set the pay levels of other employees based on a certain percentage of elected officials' salaries. All of this does not bode well for county taxpayers, and signals an ominous trend in Santa Fe. If the county manager of the state's most populou s county proposes "market rate" salaries of $150,943 for county commissioners, how long before state lawmakers give themselves annual salaries of $150,000 or more? We've heard a lot of talk in recent years, from both Democratic and Republican state lawmakers, about "professional-level" salaries for all 112 state lawmakers. Thanks to Bernalillo County Manager Chavez, we now have a better idea how much that "public service" from our citizen-legislators could cost us. Jeff Tucker is Opinion editor of the Albuquerque Journal. Americans nationwide have every reason to be optimistic that positive change is on the horizon for the nations healthcare system. Though new government figures show costs $4.9 trillion per year and 17.6 percent of GDP, straining families, businesses, workers and public-sector budgets, President-elect Trump and his healthcare nominees are poised to deliver access to quality care at far lower costs, by fully realizing his price transparency legacy. Using power vested by the Affordable Care Act, Trump issued hospital and health insurance price transparency rules during his first administration that empower consumers, including employers and unions, with actual prices for their care and coverage. With this information, patients and employers can protect themselves from overcharges and choose affordable care. Nearly everyone has a story of being overcharged by the opaque U.S. healthcare system that blinds consumers to prices and forces them to pay for care with a blank check. Price transparency allows patients to rip off the blindfold and only pay agreed-upon, fair-market rates, just like in every other sector of the economy, and benefit from remedy and recourse if overbilled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to JAMA, 25 percent of American healthcare spending is waste, overcharges and fraud. By eliminating this inefficiency, price transparency can reduce health expenditures by more than $1 trillion a year. Unfortunately, Trumps rules have sat on the shelf with no enforcement, allowing hospitals and insurance companies to continue hiding prices from patients. According to a new report by PatientRightsAdvocate.org, only 21.1 percent of hospitals nationwide are fully complying with the hospital rule nearly four years after it took effect. Making matters worse, the Biden administration has rolled back the rule to allow unaccountable estimates to be published in lieu of actual prices. Trumps healthcare nominees can finally make price transparency a reality. Their backgrounds in support of this issue give Americans confidence that the administration will reverse the Biden rollbacks and strictly enforce the rules, significantly reducing costs and restoring trust and accountability in healthcare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trumps nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, is a proponent of price transparency. Following his nomination, he promised to provide Americans with transparency and access to all the data so they can make informed choices for themselves and their families. Price transparency will be a vital component of Kennedys Make America Healthy Again movement, empowering Americans to improve their physical and financial health. Under the opaque status quo, nearly two-thirds of Americans avoid needed care for fear of financial ruin, allowing conditions to progress to more serious diagnoses and more costly treatment plans. The first step to making America healthy again begins with Americans feeling like they can actually go to the doctor. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trumps pick to run the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is also fully aware of price transparencys importance. Oz and his agency are fully responsible for making sure all hospitals and health insurance middlemen post their prices upfront. This information empowers Americans to spot wide price variations for the same care even at the same hospital, such as colonoscopies that range from $1,200 to over $12,000. Prices are proof and empower patients and employers to fight egregious overcharges, errors, and fraud. Oz has explained how actual prices are needed to help patients and doctors make more informed decisions about treatments. Im a heart surgeon, he complained in 2017, when I prescribe a medication for you, I have no idea what its going to cost you. He understands that doctors and patients are blinded to prices, making it impossible for patients to make fully informed decisions for their health and financial future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Marty Makary, Trumps nominee to run the Food and Drug Administration, is one of the nations strongest voices on healthcare price transparency. He explains in detail how actual prices protect patients in his 2019 book The Price We Pay. In it, he highlights the story of Steph, a waitress in Carlsbad, N.M., who went to the hospital for morning sickness, was blinded to prices, and ultimately blindsided by a massive bill she could not pay. As a result, Steph has been sued and her wages garnished. These predatory billing practices in the current system have saddled 100 million Americans with medical debt. Makary addresses misguided groupthink in U.S. healthcare in his new book Blind Spots. The biggest blind spot, of course, is hidden prices and hospitals and health insurers violating the laws to reveal them. Price transparency has strong support from Americans of every background, and its easy to understand why. In contrast, American public opinion is souring on the healthcare industrial complex due to its rampant overcharges. Kennedy, Makary and Oz can fulfill Trumps price transparency legacy and create a functional, competitive, free-market system that returns trillions of dollars of industry profits to worker wages, family wallets, business earnings and public-sector budgets, where they belong. Cynthia A. Fisher is the founder and chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. According to the police, the accused and the deceased had a heated argument, which led to the stabbing. The police had further recovered a blood-stained knife and clothes worn by the accused at the time of the incident. Following his apprehension, the accused was produced before a Juvenile Justice Board, which sent him to an observation home. The police are continuing their investigation into the case. (ANI) The leader of Germany's opposition Christian Democrats (CDU), Friedrich Merz, believes the upcoming elections are as important as the country's first federal vote in 1949. Speaking at an event held in the western German town of Konigswinter to mark the 149th birthday of Germany's first chancellor Konrad Adenauer on Sunday, Merz said almost every election is hailed as a turning point for the direction of the country. "That was certainly true for the 1949 election, it was also true for the 1953 election and it was also true for the 1990 election," Merz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "But the 2025 election, almost like in 1949, is taking place against the backdrop of fundamental political decisions," he said. It will take another 10 or 20 years before the extent of the changes taking place in the world today is fully understood, Merz said. He said the fundamental decisions that need to be made now should not be based on opinion polls, but on deep inner convictions and the interests of the country. Merz noted that there have been long phases of stability and calm in the country's history, but that Germany is currently experiencing a period of movement. "We are in the middle of such a phase of upheaval," he said. "It is certainly not comparable with the turmoil and misery of the post-war period, and yet the world as a whole is on the move." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The rules-based order of 1990 was formally unhinged by Russia's attack on Ukraine at the latest," Merz added. He also said the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president on January 20 would bring new uncertainties. "Today, we can only assume that trans-Atlantic relations will change much more fundamentally under his second presidency," Merz said. In this context, Merz said that Europe, not just Germany, needs to grow up, particularly when it comes to security policy. Germany is gearing up for elections on February 23. Merz's conservative CDU, along with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, is currently leading in the polls at 31%, according to a survey conducted by the INSA polling institute between December 9 and 13. The New Orleans attacker used Meta glasses to record the area before the massacre, the FBI says. The FBI is investigating the attack as terrorism after police found an ISIS flag in the truck. The FBI also said the man stopped a multiple gun stores in Texas the day before the attack. The Army veteran who attacked a crowd in New Orleans on New Year's Day wore Meta smart glasses to record the area in advance, the FBI said at a press conference on Sunday. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old US citizen from Texas, died in a shootout with police after driving a pickup truck through a crowd of people on Bourbon Street. Jabbar killed 14 people and injured dozens more in the attack. The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism after authorities found an ISIS flag, weapons, and a possible improvised explosive device, or IED, in the Ford F-150 pickup truck that Jabbar used. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil said Sunday that Jabbar made two trips to New Orleans before the attack once in October and once in November. In October, Myrthil said Jabbar stayed in a rental home in New Orleans for two days, where he used his Meta smart glasses to record the streets of the French Quarter as he rode around on a bicycle. "Meta glasses appear to look like regular glasses, but they allow the user to record videos and photos hands-free," Myrthil told reporters. "They also allow users to potentially livestream their video." Jabar was wearing the Meta glasses during the attack, but he did not livestream it, Myrthil said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Myrthil also said during the press conference that Jabbar stopped at "multiple gun stores" in Texas on December 31 and visited one business where he purchased a white ice chest that he used to hide an explosive device. US military spokespersons told the media after the attack that Jabbar served in the Army from 2007 to 2015, during which he was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. He served in information technology and human resources roles at the time and was later an IT specialist in the Army Reserve from 2016 to 2020. He left the military as a staff sergeant. Read the original article on Business Insider A vehicle is driven over a protective gate Jan 4, 2025, on Toulouse Street near Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Mayor LaToya Cantrell has asked for the federal government to provide an expert who can evaluate the city's remaining vulnerabilities after a Jan. 1 terrorist attack that killed 14 people and injured 37 more. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) NEW ORLEANS Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Sunday she has asked the Biden administration to provide a tactical expert who can evaluate vulnerable areas of the city ahead of the major events, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors, it will host in the coming weeks. Super Bowl LIX will take place Feb. 9 at the Superdome, but Carnival season officially starts Monday. Several parades will roll through New Orleans streets through Mardi Gras (March 4), and larger-than-average crowds are expected regularly in the French Quarter, where a terrorist raced down Bourbon Street in a pickup truck early Jan. 1, killing 14 people and injuring 37 others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor and Gov. Jeff Landry joined officials with the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to provide an update to reporters Sunday morning on their investigation of Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, of Texas, who was killed in a shootout with police after his deadly attack. Cantrell was asked about multiple news reports that indicate the new traffic barriers, or bollards, the city is installing in the French Quarter are not strong enough to prevent an attack similar to what happened Wednesday morning. The stainless steel posts that are being replaced had been removed ahead of New Years Eve and the Sugar Bowl, which had been scheduled for Jan. 1, allowing Jabbar to lethally speed through three blocks of Bourbon Street before crashing into a lift vehicle. What were wanting to do is to ensure that boots on the ground with that expert advice to determine whether or not these bollards that youre talking about are sufficient, the mayor said. Were also asking if theyre not, were looking for how and what and where do they need to be placed. City contractors have already installed the receptacles for the new bollards at several intersections along Bourbon Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cantrell also said the city, in conjunction with the governor, wants to have Mardi Gras given a federal level-one Special Assessment Event Rating (SEAR). The designation would bring with it extensive federal interagency support, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Mardi Gras currently has a SEAR level two rating, which the mayor said she has pushed to raise since 2019. The mayor is expected to be among the local, state and federal officials who will meet with President Joe Biden when he and first lady Jill Biden come to New Orleans Monday to visit with victims families. Flowers are placed Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at a memorial site on Bourbon Street in New Orleans near where 14 people were killed early Wednesday in a terrorist attack. The large yellow barrier is one of four that were placed on each side of hydraulic gate installed across Bourbon Street a day after Shamsud-Din Jabbar sped down three blocks before crashing and being killed in a shootout with police. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) FBI details Jabbars travel Lyonel Myrthil, the FBIs special agent in charge of its New Orleans office, said the agency has confirmed that Jabbar traveled to Cairo, Egypt, for four weeks from June to July last year, and then went to Ontario, Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators want to determine if he had contact with anyone in those locations as well as in the Atlanta and Tampa, Florida, areas, which Lyonel said Jabbar also visited over the past year. Jabbar also made two trips to New Orleans before arriving on New Years Eve, according to the FBI, visiting in October and November. Myrthil shared video footage he said Jabbar recorded using the camera in a pair of Meta glasses as he rode a bicycle through the French Quarter during his October trip. Jabbar was wearing Meta glasses when police killed him early Wednesday, but Myrthil said there is no indication Jabbar was recording or live-streaming video during his attack. Additional video shared at Sundays news conference showed Jabbar walking through the French Quarter to place ice chests along Bourbon Street. Someone is also seen moving the cooler Jabbar placed at Bourbon and St. Peter Street one block to the intersection of Bourbon and Orleans Street. Myrthil said the individual did so unwittingly and is not considered an accomplice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joshua Jackson, who leads the ATFs New Orleans branch, confirmed that a remote detonating device was recovered from Jabbars truck, but it wasnt the sophisticated type available only to the military. The electric match or hobby switch Jabbar planned to use is readily available to the public, and it would have succeeded in detonating the homemade explosive devices had police not stopped Jabbar as soon as they did, Jackson said. Jabbars choice of an electric switch is just indicative of his inexperience and lack of understanding how that material might be set off, Jackson said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Federal investigators have determined the material used to make the bombs based on tests conducted in the field in the French Quarter, at the short-term rental house where Jabbar is believed to have made the bombs and at his mobile home in Houston, Jackson said. Additional tests are being conducted at FBI labs to confirm their makeup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The material is available in the U.S., and Jackson said there is no indication early in the investigation that he obtained any explosive materials from overseas. The semi-automatic 9 mm handgun Jabbar used in the shootout with law enforcement was recovered along with a semi-automatic .308-caliber rifle in his truck. Jackson said Jabbar bought the rifle Dec. 19 from a private seller in Arlington, Texas, in a transaction that is permissible under state law. The seller had no prior relationship with Jabbar and knew nothing about his planned attack in New Orleans, Jackson said. More timeline details Investigators have determined Jabbar visited multiple gun shops in Texas before buying his 9 mm handgun Dec. 31. Myrthil said Jabbar entered Louisiana around 2:30 p.m. that afternoon and was seen in the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup he used in his attack in Gonzales at approximately 9 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jabbar was seen coming and going from the rental house on Mandeville Street, about 2 miles from where the attack occurred, and left for good at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, according to federal investigators. Jackson said the ATF has determined Jabbar attempted to burn down the house just before departing because a digital thermostat inside switched the air conditioning system inside from heating to cooling at 12:17 a.m. The fire originated inside a linen closet but did not spread because it ran out of oxygen. Jabbar had poured gasoline throughout the house and left a half-gallon fuel can in the hallway that connected all of its rooms. The purpose of the fire could have been to destroy evidence Jabbar left behind or create a distraction while he executed his plan, Jackson said. A neighbor called 911 to report smelling smoke at 5:18 a.m., about five hours after investigators believe the fire was set. French Quarter surveillance video shows Jabbar parking his truck at 12:41 a.m. and walking to Royal and Gov. Nicholls streets. He placed the first cooler at Bourbon and St. Peter shortly afterward. Nearly an hour later, the cooler is seen being moved by someone unaware of the contents inside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 2:20 a.m, Jabbar is seen leaving a cooler at Bourbon and Toulouse streets. A third improvised bomb was found inside an ice chest in Jabbars truck. Authorities were able to safely neutralize all of the devices once discovered later Wednesday morning. At 3:15 a.m., Jabbar hastily turned his truck from Canal Street to Bourbon to begin his murderous assault. A construction worker cuts into a section of Bourbon Street on Jan. 4, 2025, where old bollards are being replaced. Multiple news reports have questioned whether the replacements are strong to prevent a vehicle assault similar to the one that killed 14 people early Jan. 1 on Bourbon Street. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) Assistance center opens for families, first responders The FBI has opened an in-person family assistance center for relatives of the victims at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church, 5621 Elysian Fields Ave. In addition to providing needed support, Myrthil said FBI personnel have recovered hundreds of personal items from the attack scene they wish to return to victims families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The center will be open until 7 p.m. Sunday and then from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays for as long as necessary, he said. Cantrell said she received approval from the federal government for first responders, French Quarter employees and witnesses to the attack to receive services from the FBI center. Gov. Landry announced that all 14 people killed in the attack will be honored with an official, individual day in their memory through Jan. 23. Chris Raia, deputy FBI director for counterterrorism, told reporters that information from the public has been instrumental in filling gaps in the ongoing investigation and previous attacks over the past 20 years. Over the past year, such information has helped federal agencies disrupt terrorists plans in Oklahoma City and New York City, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to its New Orleans-based staff, the FBI has sent more than 200 agents to the city to assist with processing evidence, victim assistance and investigation leads and tips. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Shamsud-Din Jabbar used the rare explosive in two homemade bombs during his deadly Bourbon Street attack on New Years Day The New Orleans attacker who killed 14 people by ramming a pickup truck into a crowd built two bombs with a very rare explosive compound, senior law enforcement officials have said. The compound had never before been used in a US or European terror attack, with investigators now exploring how attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar learnt how to produce the explosive. Jabbar used the compound in two homemade bombs, which were found in coolers on Bourbon Street, where he carried out his deadly attack on New Years Day. The bombs did not detonate and it remains unclear whether this was due to a malfunction or lack of activation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the FBI has concluded Jabbar was likely not aided by anyone else in the attack, they will now seek to determine if he was taught how to make the explosive devices with the rare compound by an individual or organisation. FBI investigators are exploring whether Jabbar learned how to make the explosive alone Jabbar also tried to burn down an Airbnb he had rented, where other bomb-making materials were found by authorities. The US army veteran set a small fire in the Airbnbs hallway, carefully placing accelerants to help spread it, according to the FBI. The flames had burned out before firefighters arrived, allowing authorities to recover evidence. Two guns and a transmitter intended to trigger the bombs were also found in Jabbars truck and have been taken to an FBI laboratory for testing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, federal authorities searching Jabbars home in Houston found hazardous materials believed to have been used to make explosive devices. Law enforcement officials also found that Jabber had reserved the vehicle he used to ram his victims six weeks earlier, suggesting he was planning his attack far in advance. The FBI is also reportedly looking into Jabbars travel, including a trip to Egypt, and trying to determine whether he became radicalised during his visit, ABC News reported. Police have described the act as very intentional and said the assailant was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did. His attack marks the deadliest IS-inspired assault on US soil in years, laying bare what federal officials have warned is a resurgent international terrorism threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jabbar, a US citizen born in Texas and a former army soldier, had posted several social media messages saying he was inspired by the Islamic State militant group. He had been living in a trailer on the outskirts of Houston before driving to Louisiana to carry out the attack, and was shot dead in a firefight with police at the scene. The FBI has concluded that no one helped Jabbar to carry out his attack. Mourners held a vigil on Saturday evening for the victims, laying candles, flowers and teddy bears. Their sorrow turned into a celebration of life as a brass band played for the families, with the crowd following the music down Bourbon Street, an area famous for its festivities. Mourners held a vigil on Bourbon Street for the victims on Saturday evening - Chris Granger/AP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cathy Tenedorio, who lost her 25-year-old son Matthew, said she was moved by the flood of condolences and kindness at Saturdays vigil. This is the most overwhelming response of love, an outpouring of love. Im floating through it all, she said. The coroners office has listed the cause of death for all the 14 victims as blunt force injuries. Carolina Giepert, the spokesperson for University Medical Center New Orleans, said 13 people remained in hospital, with eight people in intensive care. The FBI is also continuing to investigate the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas. Matthew Livelsberger, an active-duty US army member from Colorado who was found deceased inside the vehicle, likely suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had grappled with other family issues, according to the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police have said there is no definitive evidence that the Las Vegas blast was related to the New Orleans attack, saying the former appeared to be a tragic case of suicide. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The 2025 Aminah Robinson Fellowship commenced Friday, and Columbus-based artist and educator Jared Thorne is the first photographer to be selected for the program. The Aminah Robinson Fellowship supports artists residing in Franklin County in commemoration of Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson. It was launched in 2020 by the Columbus Museum of Art in partnership with the Greater Columbus Arts Council. A visual artist, photographer and associate professor currently teaching in Ohio State University's art department, Thorne will spend the next three months working in Robinsons renovated home studio. Ohio State professor and visual artist Jared Thorne was selected for the 2025 Aminah Robinson Fellowship. The fellowship supports artists residing in Franklin County in commemoration of Robinsons artistic legacy. He will receive a $15,000 cash award to support his work, and the program will provide him the opportunity to participate in a community outreach project, Deidre Hamlar, the director of the Aminah Robinson Legacy Project, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beginning a chapter: Columbus Museum of Art receives $25,000 to create fund to preserve Aminah Robinson's legacy Before joining the OSU faculty, Thorne held teaching positions at Stellensbosch Academy, the University of Cape Town and CityVarsity in South Africa. In "Black Palimpsest," Jared Thorne uses African masks to create dioramas and then photographs them to serve as a bridge, connecting personal and collective experiences while encouraging critical discourse on the past, present and future of the African diaspora. In the five years he spent living in South Africa, Thorne was inspired by the African masks he saw sold in local markets. Thorne now uses these masks in his work. During the fellowship, Thorne will continue developing his diorama series, titled "Black Palimpsest," expanding upon the works allegories and metaphors that speak to the Black experience in America and the African diaspora. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was really interested in these African masks, specifically how they're sold," Thorne said. "This is how 'Africanness' is sold to the West. That really interested me." Hamlar said beyond Thorne's technical mastery and personal statement, she was struck with the connections between his work and Robinson's. "There are many masks in a lot of work, especially her later works that spoke to her ancestral family," she said. "You will see masks embedded in a lot of her paintings, and so when I saw that and I saw his work, I was like, 'Okay, immediate connection.'" (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sophia Veneziano is a Columbus Dispatch reporter supported by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation. She may be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jared Thorne was selected for 2025 Aminah Robinson Fellowship Ukrainian soldiers attacked more than 54,000 Russian targets with drones in December, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Jan. 5. A total of 49% of the targets were struck by kamikaze drones, according to Syrskyi. Throughout Russias full-scale invasion, Ukraine and Russia have heavily invested in drone technology, revolutionizing the way wars are fought. Russia increased the number of drones with fiber-optic control channels, which pose a threat to military equipment during their movement, Syrksyi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the general, Ukrainian soldiers also started using fiber-optic FPV drones, "which expands the capabilities to defeat and destroy Russian military equipment and personnel." The command also briefed Syrskyi on high-tech developments in the field of unmanned systems and electronic warfare and their use on the battlefield, as well as countering the latest models of Russian equipment. "We are increasing the number of brigades with a reinforced unmanned component," the general said. "We are finalizing the concept of using a separate unmanned systems brigade and its typical structure." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Various aerial, naval, and ground drones have been developed and often successfully used for reconnaissance, combat, and other tasks by Ukrainian troops. Kyiv has delivered more than 200,000 domestically-produced drones to front-line units so far in December, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said. Read also: Ukraine struck hundreds of targets deep inside Russia in 2024. What did they achieve? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Jan. 4A man and woman are accused of bringing a 14- and 15-year-old girl from California to Albuquerque to be sold for sex. Roderick Norseweather, 25, and Tajahnae Johnson, 21, are charged with two counts of human trafficking a victim under 16. Norseweather and Johnson were booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center overnight Friday. Prosecutors filed a motion to keep the pair behind bars until trial, calling the allegations "appalling." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court records show Norseweather is currently on probation for a burglary conviction out of California. Johnson had a warrant for her arrest from August when she allegedly beat a woman for not wanting to "gangbang," or run with a gang. On Friday Albuquerque police found the 14-year-old, who was reported missing in California, scantily-clad and "soliciting sex" at Central and Rhode Island. The girl told police she began "doing sex work" in September, first in San Bernadino and then Los Angeles, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. The girl said Norseweather picked her up as a customer and afterward told her "she worked for him now." Police said the girl told them Norseweather "demanded to be called 'Daddy' and that he was her pimp after that." She said Norseweather introduced her to Johnson, who went by "Chocolate," and a 15-year-old girl also being trafficked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The girl told police Norseweather told her if she tried to leave or didn't give him all her earnings he would kill her, according to the complaint. The girl said last week Norseweather put Johnson and the two teens on a train to Albuquerque, where they got a motel room. Police said Norseweather told the girls to go to the area around the International District Library on Central, west of Pennsylvania, to "solicit sex work." The girl told police she had sex statutory rape by law with 25 men in three days at the pair's behest. The girl told police they were sent to a home "owned by the Cubans" and performed sex acts as the men made and packaged drugs to sell, according to the complaint. She said, in a separate incident, Johnson and the other teen beat and robbed one of the men who tried to solicit sex from the 14-year-old. Police said the girl told them Norseweather, who police identified as a previous sex trafficking suspect, was taking the train to Albuquerque to collect the money she made. Officers detained Norseweather, Johnson and the other teen at the motel the girl said they had been staying at. Norseweather told police he was there for "a haircut" and "he had no idea" who the two teens were, according to the complaint. Johnson told police Norseweather was her friend and she had no idea he "was pimping out other women." JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Two Palestinians, including a 17-year-old boy, were killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, according to the Palestinian Fatah party and the Palestinian Health Ministry. Palestinian media said Israeli forces opened fire on the home of a 37-year-old man in a town south of Jenin. The Health Ministry said the 17-year-old was killed in an Israeli raid in Askar camp in Nablus. The Israeli military said its forces killed an armed militant in the West Bank, confiscated weapons and dismantled an explosives laboratory, and that its troops fired on militants who hurled explosives at them in the Nablus area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A hit was identified," the military said, adding the incident in Nablus was under review. Jenin, in the northern West Bank, has been a centre for Palestinian militant groups for decades, and armed factions have resisted repeated attempts to dislodge them by the Israeli military. Palestinian security forces moved into Jenin last month in a move they say is aimed at suppressing armed groups of "outlaws" who have built up a power base in the city and its adjacent refugee camp. Hundreds of Palestinians and dozens of Israelis have been killed in the West Bank since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel triggered the war in Gaza and a wider conflict on several fronts. (Reporting by Ali Sawafta, Emily Rose and Maytaal Anel; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Andrew Heavens and Lincoln Feast.) PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) A parking ban will be in effect in Bartonville and Normal starting Sunday morning. A post on the Bartonville PD Facebook page said a parking ban will be in effect starting at 9 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 5. The post said any cars parked on the street after 9 a.m. Sunday may be ticketed and even towed. The ban will last for 48 hours unless further notice by the village. A post on the town of Normals Facebook page said their parking ban will be in effect from 8 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 5 until noon on Monday, Jan. 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Snow Parking Bans, no parked cars are permitted on any streets in the Town of Normal, the post said. The post said residents without driveways may park for free in any of the citys parks. For more information on snow bans and where you can park in Normal, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. The preparations for the 2025 Maha Kumbh are underway as people have started to gather in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. As the temperatures plummet in the city, people have flocked around tea stalls near the railway station and the Maha Kumbh area. "The cold is increasing now. I am an employee at the Railways. There was dense fog between 4:00 AM to 5:00 AM. I am being cautious while going out, protecting myself from the cold," Shailendra Kumar said while sipping tea outside the Prayagraj railway station. People were also seen sitting by the fire to protect themselves from the cold. As the preparations for Maha Kumbh keep the administration and people exuberant, several people are showcasing their talent in different ways. After Chhotu Baba, who has become famous for not taking a bath in 32 years, and Chabhi wale Baba, who roams around with a 20-kilogram key, another person known as 'E-rickshaw Baba' has become the centre of attraction at the holy festival. Mahant Om, popularly known as 'E-rickshaw Baba', arrived from Delhi on a customised three-wheeler to attend the Maha Kumbh. It took him nearly 13 days to reach Prayagraj in his electric vehicle. "It took me 12 to 13 days to come here from Delhi. This is a slow-moving vehicle so I had to stop in between to get it charged. I am also of the same nature, slow-moving. In this vehicle, I write and read. I also eat and cook food inside the vehicles during winter. It has all my essentials. I also extend help to people in need. I was given a vehicle that runs on petrol and gas. I returned them as their expenses reached Rs 2,200 and Rs 1,200, respectively...I was given an e-rickshaw later," Om told ANI. The Maha Kumbh is being celebrated after 12 years and a huge turnout of devotees is expected in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. To prevent mishaps, the district administration has been taking important steps to ensure the safety of the devotees, especially for crowd management and avoiding fire incidents. For Maha Kumbh, the administration has opted for technological tools along with the deployment of personnel to ensure the safety of the devotees. ADG (Fire Department) Padmaja Chauhan informed that the administration has increased the manpower and has deployed Quick Response Vehicles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) that can run on any kind of terrain, firefighting robots and fire mist bikes. The administration was also bringing in firefighting boats, which will be ready to be deployed in a week, Chauhan said, adding that the boats will use water from the river to douse the blaze. Meanwhile, taking a digital leap, the Prayagraj division of North Central Railway has launched an innovative initiative to simplify the ticketing process through modern technology. During the Maha Kumbh, dedicated railway personnel from the Commercial Department will be deployed at Prayagraj Junction and other key locations. These personnel will be easily identifiable by their green jackets, which will feature a QR code printed on the back. Pilgrims can simply scan this QR code using their mobile phones to download the UTS (Unreserved Ticketing System) mobile app. This app allows travellers to book unreserved tickets without standing in long queues. The main bathing rituals, known as the Shahi Snan (royal baths), will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami). (ANI) Two blocks in the College Hill neighborhood have been stripped of their mail delivery service, and residents will soon have to walk to a clustered mailbox to collect their mail. Mail service was halted after three different U.S. Postal Service mail carriers were charged by a dog in the area, according to neighbors and a postal inspector. A Postal Service letter to residents dated Dec. 3 said a mail carrier was attacked by a loose or unrestrained dog while delivering mail on Nov. 29. The letter was shared with The Eagle by resident Carol Bacon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Postal inspector and spokesperson Paul Shade confirmed that mail delivery in the 300 and 400 block of South Terrace has been suspended. Soon, neighborhood collection boxes will be installed. Those are freestanding structures with multiple mailboxes and parcel compartments that are individually locked. With this particular dog, there have been three different instances where it has charged at three different carriers on the route, Shade said in a phone call. And because this has gotten so bad and its occurred multiple times, they have permanently suspended mail delivery until they can install the cluster [mail] boxes. I dont expect a mail carrier to go into a dangerous area, said Bacon, who has lived in the same College Hill home in the 300 block of South Terrace for over 40 years. If youre trying to protect them [mail carriers], tell them, tell the neighborhood association or tell somebody thats going to be affected. Please talk to your neighbors. She said the last time her mail was delivered was Dec. 3. Carol Bacon shared this letter from the U.S. Postal Service detailing the reason for suspended mail delivery service on her street. Shade said dog attacks usually get resolved after the Postal Service gets in touch with the owner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyll suspend it for a week with enough time to be able to contact the owner of the dog and make sure it wont happen again, Shade said. But because that process has already taken place, and yet the dog is still getting out and chasing people that they have to go this route. No appeal process Shade did not have an exact date when the cluster boxes would be installed. A third-party contractor will do the work. We do not have a time frame as it is in the hands of the contractor at this point, Shade said in a follow-up email Dec. 31. For now, affected residents must drive to Munger post office at 1314 North Oliver to collect their mail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its 20 minutes in line, if they have an extra person, they will come out and say, if youre not purchasing anything but just picking up mail, come up here, Bacon said. Theres at least 10 people in front of me, and they all have 10 packages. I assume its worse because its holiday time. Bacon added: Id pay a dollar a day to have my mail delivered. Other than getting in my car, its not just about gas and mileage, its a good 40 minutes by the time you get it done. Cramming that into the day is not easy. Shade acknowledged that there is no appeal process for residents. He could not say how many other Wichita neighborhoods currently have a mail delivery halt or could be at risk of losing their mail delivery service. Wichita is no different than any other city in that these are infrequent of an occurrence, Shade said. As to how many times this happens, I dont know. rendering of United States Postal Service neighborhood collection boxes. Its dealt with Jack Patton, president of the College Hill Neighborhood Association, has lived in College Hill for over a decade and is a retired public works engineer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is familiar with the mail suspension on Terrace. I have contacted some people over in east patrol and it is in fact a known issue, Patton said in a phone call. Same person, same dog and I have spoke with somebody at the post office and they [dog owner] have received various warnings. After X amount of warnings, then its dealt with. Patton said he knows the resident and dog at the center of the issue. He said several neighbors have spoken with him about the problem. The neighbor is well aware of the situation, from what I gathered, Patton said. I guess he figured if it was ignored it would go away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patton was told it could take several weeks to get the cluster boxes installed. This decision was not made lightly, Shade said. This is a situation where no one would want to go to work and have to run from a dog. Its not fair to ask them to go do to their job risking any harm. ITHACA, N.Y. (WETM) One person was hurt after being hit by an Ithaca Police vehicle on Saturday evening. The Ithaca Police Department stated that one of its vehicles and a pedestrian were involved in a crash in the area of Green Street and Cayuga Street (near the Tompkins County Public Library) in the City of Ithaca during the evening hours of Jan. 4. The pedestrian is reportedly being treated for non-life-threatening injuries as of Sunday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ithaca Police Department says that this incident is currently under investigation in accordance with the departments policy, and more details will be released at a later time. Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact the police department using one of the methods listed below: Police Dispatch: 607-272-3245 Police Administration: 607-272-9973 Police Tipline: 607-330-0000 Anonymous Email Tip Address: www.cityofithaca.org/ipdtips Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. House speaker emerita Nancy Pelosi discussed the ongoing threat of political violence and the dangers posed by Donald Trumps 2020 misinformation campaign in an interview Sunday on Face the Nation. The former top Democrat in the lower chamber said that her husband, Paul Pelosi, still faces medical issues resulting from a violent attack he suffered in 2022, when an intruder in their home attacked him with a hammer. The suspect, David DePape, was convicted of the violent attack and found to have been consumed by far-right conspiracy theories promoted by various figures aligned with MAGA Republicanism, including the 2020 stolen election conspiracies promoted by Trump himself. After the January 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021, Pelosi claims Trump called out to these people to continue their violence, arguing that her husband would be the victim of an attack stemming from the presidents same rhetoric a year later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It didnt end that day, she told CBS. My husband, being a victim of all that. And he still has injuries from that attack. So it just goes on and on and on. It isnt something that just happens, and then its over. She was asked by Margaret Brennan about Trumps continued assertion that he was the rightful winner of the 2020 election, and what effect that has on the county. Brennan pointed out that Trump in recent days screened a documentary disputing the election results at Mar-a-Lago. Pelosi responded that it was sad for the president-elect to still be fixated on his defeat four years ago. Its almost sick... He should be triumphant about [winning the 2024 election], Pelosi said. So for him to be trying to fight a fight that he knows he lost is really sad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pelosis party will spend at least the first two years of the second Trump presidency in the minority in both chambers of Congress. In the House, however, the Republican Party will only control a single-digit majority. Speaker Mike Johnson will be forced to unify a chaotic and unstable caucus to pass any legislation. Republicans in the House and Senate are already seeking to temper the incoming presidents expectations while maintaining the appearance of full-throated support for his political agenda. Paul Pelosi suffered severe injuries after being attacked by an intruder searching for his wife The speaker emerita has long been a focus of some of the most intense hatred from the far right of any politician. Brennan separately noted during her interview with the first female speaker (a title which fueled much of that hatred on the right) that the House that rioters who besieged the Capitol complex on January 6 openly made threats against her life, as they did with Vice President Mike Pence after the latter refused to interfere in the election certification process and cause a constitutional crisis. She stepped down from the role after the 2022 midterm elections, passing on the role of House Democratic leader to Hakeem Jeffries. Last week, she was awarded the presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Authorities in Pennington County are urging drivers to travel safely following cold and icy condition Pennington County Sheriffs Office shared these photos on Facebook, warning drivers of icy conditions. Officials warned that conditions near New Underwood and Wall were especially bad. Vehicle slides off roadway near Quiver Hill, closes highway Drivers are encouraged to slow down and drive smart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. (WHTM) Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding discussed some of the biggest issues farmers will be facing as the PA Farm Show opened up in Harrisburg. Redding noted that potential tariffs on American goods could impact farmers, particularly apples that are exported to India. Redding is also encouraging residents to visit the PA Farm Show in Harrisburg, which fully opened on January 4 and runs through January 11. The event includes agriculture contests, shows, the food court, and vendors from across Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every week, This Week in Pennsylvania gives a comprehensive look at the weeks biggest news events in Pennsylvania, provided by the abc27 News team, along with the latest updates on local stories. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania Check your local listings for weekly air times. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. (WHTM) Pennsylvania lawmakers are reacting to President Joe Bidens plan to block the acquisition of Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel by the Japanese company Nippon Steel. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro released a statement Friday morning saying he expects U.S. Steel to uphold their commitments to Western Pennsylvania, refrain from threatening the jobs and livelihoods of Pennsylvanians who work at the Mon Valley Works and at U.S. Steel HQ and their families, and work collaboratively to ensure the future of American steelmaking takes place right here in our Commonwealth. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania Shapiro says he also expects other potential buyers to commit to Pennsylvania and that the matter is far from over. We must find a long-term solution that protects the future of steelmaking in Western Pennsylvania and the workers who built U.S. Steel and built this country, said Shapiro. Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis noted that the issue is personal for him having grown up in the region. Davis says there needs to be a long-term solution for keeping steel production in the region. No more statements and fired-off social media posts the workers and their families need to hear a plan, said Davis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Senator John Fetterman, a western Pennsylvania resident, released a video statement saying he stands with steelworkers. Union steel in the Valley is sacred and must endure, said Fetterman. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. In the midst of the bloodshed of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln made two large investments in the countrys future. With southern senators no longer able to block key pieces of domestic legislation, in 1862 Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Act establishing the northern route that would finally see its completion at Promontory Point, Utah and also the Morrill Land Grant College Act. The Morrill Land Grant College Act gave states parcels of federal land that the states could then sell to endow new universities that would focus on agriculture and engineering. This expansion of higher education ensured that the citizens of each state would have a university to gain an education, increase their employment opportunities and access applied research to generate economic growth. Communities such as Ames, Stillwater, Logan and Knoxville would soon have libraries that would rival those of ancient Alexandria and Rome. Public higher education would expand again when veterans from World War II returned home armed with the newly passed GI Bill. This boost in financial aid for much of the middle class increased enrollments and made a university education accessible to more than the gentry class. The GI Bill was incredibly timely given the dramatic shift in the economy from a manufacturing base to a skills and ideas powered economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Higher education is one of the crown jewels of American institutions. Its also one of our greatest exports as students from across the globe come here to study, more than a million in school year 2023-24. However, like all institutions, higher education is not perfect. Recent polling shows that trust in higher education has fallen dramatically, but its important to remember three important facts about a college education. First, college graduates do dramatically better in the labor market. Economists estimate that bachelors degree holders earned 88% more (nearly a doubling) in 2021 than those with a two-year degree or only a high school diploma, and this gap is set to widen. Some worry that too many students attend college, and student debt is a real problem, but researchers show that even a modest increase in the share of college graduates would dramatically decrease the share of low-income families. Students who barely make the admissions cutoff to attend a four-year university earn higher wages than those who barely miss it, signifying we do not have enough college graduates in the labor market. Public institutions are especially effective at boosting income mobility. Harvard economist Raj Chetty used generationally linked IRS tax forms to map which universities take in the highest income students and place them in high income careers. Elite private schools (including selective religious institutions) tend to select students from high-income families such that an incoming class contains the top 1% of wage earners than the entire bottom 60% of the wage distribution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, public regional universities buck this trend. They enroll students mainly from the working and lower classes and place them in even higher paying jobs than their parents. Universities such as City University of New York, the California State University system and Georgia State University are economic mobility generators but get much less media attention than their Ivy League peers. Second, public higher education not only serves those who attend their campuses. College education results in stronger families, better health and more pro-social behavior. College graduates also are more likely to vote and be engaged civically. Finally, research from public higher education creates jobs and economic activity of the future. Medical schools are searching for a cure for cancer. Humanities document and preserve the arts and literature. STEM and agriculture departments create technologies to improve our lifestyles and feed our country. Even being located near a land-grant college creates spillovers that improve worker productivity and raise tax revenues. The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute found that, in Utah, for example, one dollar of higher education investment boosts tax revenues by three dollars. Public higher education has a covenant relationship with the taxpayers of the state. These colleges are responsible to the states elected officials and should be reexamined and reformed from time to time. However, divestment can increase student debt and lower wages, making it harder to afford a house or car. Policymakers considering budget reallocation should ensure before they remodel the system that they are opening a room to new perspectives rather than taking out a load-bearing wall. Using a sledgehammer instead of scalpel could kill the golden goose that pushes our economy and standard of living forward to a brighter future. (COLORADO SPRINGS) Peterson & Schriever Space Force Base announced on Thursday, Jan. 2, that out of an abundance of caution after the attack in New Orleans and the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Jan. 1, changes were made to the rules for access to the base. According to a Facebook post, the Trusted Traveler program has been suspended until further notice. Anyone without an access credential approved by the Department of Defense (DoD) will be required to get a visitor pass from the Peterson Visitor Control Center, even when traveling with someone who has a DoD ID card. Additionally, everyone accessing the base should be prepared for extra screening protocols. The announcement said that though there are currently no known threats to the installations, the steps are being taken to ensure the safety and security of the personnel, residents, and visitors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These security protocols extend to those wishing to visit the Peterson Air and Space Museum. For more information on how to get a visitor pass, click on the link above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. JOHNSTOWN, Pa. An Adams Township mans accused killer was found 175 miles east of the crime scene Nov. 6 walking from the slain mans BMW with the mans credit card in his pocket, police said. Dashane White-Ferguson, of Philadelphia, who has been in Lancaster County Prison on drug charges ever since, allegedly offered different explanations for why he had Barry Senior Jr.s luxury car. But Friday, Cambria County investigators accused him of fatally stabbing Senior and setting his body on fire near the border of Cambria and Westmoreland counties. White-Ferguson faces criminal homicide, aggravated assault and abuse of a corpse charges, among others, related to Seniors death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The homicide sparked a multi- agency investigation in November. Suspicious death Seniors body was found by responders who were dispatched to the scene of a small fire alongside state Route 56 in Lower Yoder Township. Investigators discovered Seniors body had been set ablaze, according to West Hills police. A death investigation revealed the Adams Township man had been stabbed multiple times and strangled, a criminal complaint shows. In the complaint, West Hills police Detective Jared Arcuri wrote that White-Ferguson had robbed Senior and inflicted the stabbing injuries that led to his death. Blood, BMW clues Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to an affidavit filed Friday, White-Ferguson abandoned Seniors BMW on the shoulder of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Lancaster County. Seniors American Express card was found in his pocket, Arcuri wrote. There was an abrasion on White-Fergusons left hand and what appeared to be dried blood on one boot. Seniors wallet was found inside the car as well as a large amount of blood on the trunk lid and a rear vehicle seat, Arcuri added. Police said White-Ferguson acted fidgety at times and gave state police a changing story about his recent activity and travel plans. At one point, he said the blood was from a dog, and that he had permission to use the vehicle from his cousin, but was unable to provide the cousins name, Arcuri said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But police were able to verify a substance found in the BMW was human blood, West Hills police wrote. Authorities have since confirmed the vehicle was registered to Senior and the man is not White-Fergusons relative, Cambria County District Attorney Gregory Neugebauer told The Tribune-Democrat. Investigation ongoingThe Philadelphia man was a person of interest early on but a number of recently completed investigative procedures yielded valuable results that enabled authorities to file charges against him Friday, Neugebauer said. He declined to offer specifics to protect the integrity of our investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neugebauer said he also could not comment on a possible motive, but said investigators are gathering information to better clarify the nature of the relationship. Were trying to piece together how they knew each other, he said, noting it did not appear the pair knew each other for very long. If theres anyone who has information that could help authorities ... including how long (White-Ferguson and Senior) knew each other, were definitely interested in hearing from them, Neugebauer said. Filling in those details or even establishing a motive isnt required to prosecute White- Ferguson, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But there are questions investigators would like to answer for the jury that will one day be seated to decide the case, he said. White-Ferguson is being housed in Lancaster County Prison on drug charges that were filed in Elizabeth Township Nov. 6 the day he was taken into custody. His bail was set for $75,000 Dec. 31, online court documents show. He was awaiting a video arraignment Friday on his Cambria County charges, one of which homicide is a non-bailable offense. A preliminary hearing was not yet set as of 3 p.m., district court staff said. Neugebauer said he anticipated White-Ferguson will likely be brought to Cambria County to face the accusations against him in the next several weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He credited law enforcement partners both locally in Cambria County and in Lancaster County as well as state and federal agencies for helping move the case forward. West Hills police and Cambria County detectives were assisted by Johnstown police, the Department of Homeland Security and Pennsylvania State Police, Neugebauer said. This investigation again highlights the dedication of law enforcement to bring charges against those who perpetrate violent crimes against our fellow citizens, Neugebauer said, citing cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies as incredibly valuable in enabling the case to progress. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Senior family, and we look forward to continuing to fight for justice for Barry Jr. and those that loved him, Neugebauer said. Ahead of the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Sunday morning hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, and said that they are indulging in the same thing, which is inaugurating development projects and announcing welfare schemes. He said that both - PM Modi and Kejriwal - are unable to tell why these development projects failed to start in the last 10 years and are only being done days before the model code of conduct is expected to be implemented. "People understand all this is being done just because elections are around the corner. Kejriwal and PM Modi are doing the same thing. Both of them keep raising questions on one another but neither of them can answer why all these development projects were not started in the last 10 years. Why is it being done just days before MCC is expected to be implemented? It is unfortunate that people in such positions (of CM and PM) don't do anything for 10 years and focus on development only before the polls," Dikshit, who is the Congress candidate from New Delhi Vidhan Sabha, told ANI. Taking a dig at AAP, Dikshit said that other parties are distributing money but Congress was fighting on the issue of development. He further questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the performance of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in the last decade. "We are not fighting with anyone. We are here to talk about the development in New Delhi. Other parties are distributing money. We are saying that you fight on the issue of development. We will ask the BJP also why the MCD destroyed Delhi. What has DDA done in the last 10 years? We will contest the elections on 10 years of Congress rule in Delhi and the shortcomings of BJP and AAP governments," Dikshit said. This comes after PM Modi inaugurated the 1,675 newly constructed flats for the dwellers of JJ clusters and also handed over keys to eligible beneficiaries at Swabhiman Apartments in Ashok Vihar, Delhi. Ahead of the inauguration, PM Modi also inspected newly constructed flats for the dwellers of Jhuggi Jhopri (JJ) clusters under the In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation Project. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 12,200 crore at around 12:15 PM on Sunday, January 5 in Delhi. The Prime Minister will also undertake a ride in Namo Bharat Train at around 11:15 AM from Sahibabad RRTS Station to New Ashok Nagar RRTS Station, according to the Prime Minister's Office press release. Marking a significant milestone in enhancing regional connectivity, PM Modi will inaugurate the 13 km stretch of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar, worth around Rs 4,600 crore. BJP released its first list of 29 candidates for Delhi assembly elections on Saturday. The party has fielded Parvesh Verma from the New Delhi assembly seat against former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. AAP had won 62 out of 70 seats in the 2020 assembly elections. In the assembly elections held in 2015, it came to power with full majority by winning 67 out of 70 seats. (ANI) PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) A Pinellas County man was arrested Saturday morning after he strangled a woman, fired a gun at her, and told her he was going to kill her, an affidavit said. At 6:49 a.m. St. Petersburg police responded to a home to learn that 43-year-old Charles Joseph Rogers was abusing a woman. Former Home Improvement star Zachery Ty Bryan jailed in Myrtle Beach According to the affidavit, Rogers struck and strangled the victim several times. He held her to the floor and repeatedly struck her on the left side of her face, causing swelling and bruising. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the abuse, he shouted several times, Im gonna kill you, the report said. Rogers used both hands around her neck to strangle her, leaving visible bruising. After, police said he went to grab a firearm belonging to the victim from a bedroom in the home. At that point, the woman ran out the front door and into the road, while Rogers followed behind, firing the revolver twice from the front yard, according to witnesses. PHOTOS: Speeding driver killed after car crashes, bursts into flames in Pasco County Police said Rogers admitted to the physical altercation and firing the revolver, but denied his attempt to shoot her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the affidavit, Rogers is facing a charge of attempted felony murder and is being held without bond. The report also said he was under the influence of drugs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Wrecks are adding up in the Wichita area as the roads ice over, and road conditions are expected to get worse. The National Weather Service in Wichita is warning drivers to stay home and the Wichita Police Department has issued its emergency accident reporting plan, which allows people involved in non-injury wrecks where the vehicles are still operational to exchange information and report the wreck later at a police substation. If you can stay home, we recommend that you do, the WPD said in a Facebook post. If you must be out, please allow extra time and distance to ensure you arrive safely. Please be cognizant of emergency responders as they also try to navigate the weather and roadways to respond to your calls for service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office also implemented its emergency accident reporting plan for wrecks in the county. Wichita started to see freezing drizzle about 7 a.m. Saturday. We cannot stress this enough, law enforcement is working many, many accidents across metro Wichita, please stay home! NWS in Wichita said on social media at 9:14 a.m. The NWS also shared a video of an 18-wheeler that was sideways on I-135 in Wichita. Wichita is expected to have a wintry mix throughout Saturday and into Sunday. Wichita is forecast to see between one-tenth and a quarter-inch of ice. Its forecast to turn into snow about 9 a.m. Sunday. The prediction is for Wichita to get two to six inches of snow. Nine to 16 inches are forecast for Salina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Road conditions, as of noon Saturday, show most highways across the state already being affected by winter weather. The Kansas Department of Transportation said it could not pre-treat the roads ahead of the storm in the Wichita area because the forecast called for rain, which would wash away the treatment. But its not just the highways causing problems. A tanker driver had minor injuries after crashing into a bridge on MacArthur Road near South 343rd Street West, the Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office said at 11:40 a.m. The driver of this tanker truck had minor injuries after a wreck Saturday morning in rural Sedgwick County. Below-zero wind chills are also forecast in the Wichita area for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Drivers in accidents within Wichita that meet the EARP criteria can exchange information and then make a report at a police substation from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are the substations: Patrol West, 661 N. Elder Patrol South, 211 E. Pawnee Patrol East, 350 S, Edgemoor Patrol North, 3015 E. 21st St. For non-injury and driveable wrecks in the county, which would fall under the sheriffs office, exchange information and then call the sheriffs office at 316-660-3760 to arrange filing a report. Winter storm possible in Wichita this weekend. Heres how to avoid freezing pipes She was found rummaging around the bins among rotting vegetables, and feeding off the scraps and waste at her adopted home. But Rillette the wild boar has become something of a cause celebre in her native France, garnering hundreds of thousands of fond followers around the world. A threat by local authorities to put her down has led to a furious backlash, a protest ballad and a campaign taken up by none other than Brigitte Bardot, the actress and animal rights campaigner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The campaign is set to culminate in a silent march against overzealous public health officials with her snout in their targets. Discovered as an orphan, Rillette was taken in by a local horse breeder but officials say she is a disease risk and must be culled. A petition to save Rillette has attracted more than 173,810 signatures since its launch in early December. What monsters are asking for her euthanasia? The word human disgusts me, Ms Bardot declared in a hand-written note published online. This little animal has the right to live, its even a duty, shes innocent, Euthanasia is a crime! We are governed by murderers! The campaign to save Rillette has been taken up by Brigitte Bardot, the actress and animal rights campaigner - Charly Hel/Prestige/Getty Images Europe Local authorities say the detention of a non-domesticated animal is unlawful and cite the risk of disease and threat to public safety. But the plight of the sow has tugged at the publics heartstrings, with growing calls to spare the animal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She is an integral part of the family , Elodie Cappe, the farmer who took her in, told the newspaper Le Figaro. She is treated the same or even better than my dogs, even though I love them deeply. Ms Cappe discovered Rillette as a tiny piglet weighing about half a stone, rootling for food through the farms rubbish bins in April 2023. Animal sanctuaries and local parks refused to take the animal in. I called all the organizations. They passed the buck, she told TV station France3. We had to find her a place in a park, but no one wanted her. And now, shes imprinted with us. The horse breeder built a 12,290 sq ft enclosure for the sow on her farm to comply with regulations, but local authorities have threatened to put down the animal if no other solution can be found. Ms Cappe built a 12,290 sq ft enclosure for the sow on her farm to comply with regulations - Francois Nascimbeni/AFP This legislation is justified by the health risks that the keeping of such animals entails. Indeed, these species can carry many diseases, reads a press release from the local prosecutor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is also a high risk of these diseases spreading to farms or domestic animals. They also present risks in terms of public safety, as they are wild species that can thus be the cause of potentially tragic accidents. At the end of December, the public prosecutor had also ordered Ms Cappe to hand the animal over to a company that trains animals to appear on film and television but she refused. Its shameful. Do you realize that they want to send her there for financial gain? Its out of the question, she told France3. Ms Cappe risks three years imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 (125,000). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plight of Rillette, which is curiously named after a slow-cooked pork spread, has also inspired a song by Monsieur Seby, a YouTuber with 904,000 subscribers, who penned such lyrics as I dont want to go/I just want to live/ and My name is Rillette/a tender animal/who did nothing wrong. Last November, the internet mourned the loss of Pnut the Squirrel, an Instagram-famous pet that had been seized by the New York State authorities and euthanised. Owner Mark Longo shared videos of the squirrel eating and playing to his 500,000 followers on Instagram. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A man was arrested for threatening people with a knife at Acrisure Stadium, police say. Pittsburgh Police said they were called to the stadium at 4 p.m. after receiving reports of an employee acting disorderly. They said the man was a kitchen worker and was threatening his coworkers with a knife. Court records allege the man, Ason Brown, 27, threatened to stab several of his coworkers, dumped food out of boxes and tried to throw hot grease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Browns coworkers were able to get the knife out of his hand and restrained him on the ground until police got there. Brown resisted arrest but was eventually taken into custody and taken to the Allegheny County Jail, the court documents state. Police initially said that no one was hurt in the incident, but court record states a man who helped get the knife away from Brown had a slice to the webbing between the index finger and thumb on one hand. Acrisure Stadium spokesperson Cecelia Cagni issued a statement about the incident: We are aware of an incident that occurred earlier today at Acrisure Stadium. We are thankful the City of Pittsburgh Police handled the situation properly and that there were no injuries reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown is now facing four counts of each of the following charges: terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Police in Claremont have announced the arrests of a serial commercial burglary suspect and a woman suspected of possessing stolen goods connected to the burglaries. A press release from the Claremont Police Department issued late Saturday night states that six businesses were burglarized during the nighttime hours between Thursday and Saturday; four of the incidents took place in the 800 block of West Foothill Boulevard. The other two burglaries occurred in the 700 block of South Indian Hill Boulevard, which is around two miles south of the other locations that were hit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities investigating the string of burglaries were able to identify a suspect and track him to a hotel in Claremont on Saturday. The man, 30-year-old Hector Bernal, was seen exiting the hotel just before 1 p.m. and arrested without incident. He was charged with six counts of commercial burglary, grand theft, theft with priors and possession of stolen property. Man charged with drug possession now facing consequences of recently passed Prop 36: SBSD Bernal, a resident of Covina, was exiting the hotel with a female, later identified as 28-year-old Alexis Tinoco of Upland. She was also arrested and charged with possession of stolen property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A search warrant executed at the pairs hotel room turned up additional stolen property belonging to the victims of the burglaries, officials said. According to the news release, Bernal is being held at the Claremont Police Department Jail pending a court appearance on Tuesday morning, while Tinoco was released on a written promise to appear. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) Sioux Falls police are investigating a weekend shooting that sent a man to the hospital. It happened just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday night north of 10th Street and Cleveland Avenue. Surveillance footage showed the gunman shot the victim in the stomach. The victim laid on the ground and bystanders noticed his injury and called police. SFPD spokesman Sam Clemens said officers are unsure of why the shots were fired or the circumstances around the crime. Officers arrested the suspected gunman later in the evening. 18-year-old Brody Cole is charged with aggravated assault and reckless discharge of a weapon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police say the man was shot in the stomach with a small-caliber handgun. New Year provides new opportunities for wellness resolutions Police say his injuries are non-life-threatening. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. LEBANON, Tenn. (WKRN) Lebanon authorities were called out to Walmart late Saturday night for reports of shots fired, which led to a shelter in place request for the nearby community. After a days-long search for the suspect, 27-year-old Davin Rolle was arrested on Jan. 7 in connection with the incident. On Saturday, Jan. 4, just after 10:45 p.m., the Lebanon Police Department announced units were on scene for the incident, adding that Walmart had been evacuated and no injuries were reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man taken into custody in connection with another mans death in Bowling Green As a precaution, officials asked anyone living within a mile of Walmart to shelter in place. The suspect is believed to be a black male who was last seen wearing a black jacket and gray pants, police said, adding that he could be driving a green vehicle. Then, shortly before 11:15 p.m., authorities shared pictures of a person of interest: (Source: Lebanon Police Department) (Source: Lebanon Police Department) About an hour later, law enforcement announced they had left the scene and employees were allowed to reenter. Officials stated the incident was believed to be an isolated occurrence involving just two individuals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the social media update from 12:12 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 5, police said, We have NO credible evidence to believe the public is in danger. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Days later, in the early hours of Jan. 7, Lebanon police announced Rolle was identified by a concerned citizen who submitted a tip to authorities. A search warrant was executed at an apartment in the 400 block of Rome Pike, where Rolle was found and detained. Officials shared the following photos of the arrest: Courtesy: Lebanon Police Department Courtesy: Lebanon Police Department Davin Rolle (Wilson County Sheriffs Office) According to the LPD, Rolle is charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. No additional details were immediately available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Jan. 5Multiple police cruisers are on the scene of an investigation into a report of a dead body in downtown Dayton this afternoon. Eight Dayton police cruisers responded to Bates Street just north of East Third Street for the report around 12:47 p.m., a Montgomery County dispatch supervisor told this news outlet. It's unclear precisely how many police personnel responded to the scene or what they found there, the supervisor said. We'll update this developing story as more information becomes available. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Several police crews are investigating a reported dead body discovered in downtown Sunday afternoon. According to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch, police were called to the intersection of E. Third Street and Bates Street just before 1 p.m. A dead body was reportedly found in the area. Smoke seen across Dayton as crews battle warehouse fire Police are actively investigating the incident. Several crews are on scene while evidence is gathered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 NEWS is working to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be inaugurating the second edition of the one-day programme "Panchayat Se Parliament" on Monday at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, as per an official statement. The programme is being organised in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and will include workshops, sessions, and a guided tour of key locations such as the new Parliament House, Samvidhan Sadan, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, and Rashtrapati Bhawan. The programme will bring together 502 elected women representatives from Scheduled Tribes across 22 states and Union Territories. Its primary focus is to empower these women representatives from Panchayati Raj institutions by enhancing their understanding of constitutional provisions, parliamentary procedures, and governance. The programme also aims to recognise the contributions of these representatives in areas such as education and rural development. Interactive workshops and sessions will also be held, moderated by experts and Members of Parliament. Topics will include constitutional provisions related to women, with a special focus on the 73rd Amendment and the The Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) (PESA) Act, as well as government schemes addressing tribal issues. The Lok Sabha Speaker will also lead the delegates in reading the Preamble to the Constitution of India during the event. The event will be attended by several dignitaries, including Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Vijaya Rahatkar, and others. Utpal Kumar Singh, Secretary-General of Lok Sabha, will deliver the welcome address, and Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram, will address the second session later in the day. "Panchayat Se Parliament 2.0" follows the success of "Panchayat Se Parliament 2024," which engaged 500 women Sarpanch from across India. The second edition aims to build upon the progress made, further strengthening the leadership skills of women, particularly in rural and tribal communities. (ANI) NEPHI, Utah (ABC4) Officials with the Nephi City Police Department seized more than $900,000 worth of illegal narcotics during a traffic stop on Friday, according to police. Officials confiscated 100 packages of methamphetamine, with each package holding about one pound of drugs. Nephi police estimated the street value of the seized drugs to be about $918,815 and said the drugs were intended to be distributed across the country. The estimated impact of these narcotics, if distributed in individual dosage units, could affect up to 459,407 individuals, Nephi Police said in a press release Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Utah father arrested for child abuse homicide in death of infant daughter Officials with the Nephi City Police Department seized 100 pounds of illegal drugs during a traffic stop on Jan. 3, 2025. The drugs have an estimated value of more than $900,000. (Courtesy: Nephi City Police Department) Officials with the Nephi City Police Department seized 100 pounds of illegal drugs during a traffic stop on Jan. 3, 2025. The drugs have an estimated value of more than $900,000. (Courtesy: Nephi City Police Department) After police observed several indicators consistent with drug trafficking activity, police initiated the traffic stop and conducted an initial investigation, Nephi Police said. With the help of K9 Grizz, a narcotics detection canine, officials confirmed that there were illegal substances in the vehicle and found the 100 packages during a subsequent search of the car. K9 Grizz and the officials involved in the investigation are part of the West Central Narcotics Strike Force, which includes detectives from Nephi City PD, the Santaquin City Police Department, and the Payson City Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since being acquired by Nephi Police in January 2023, K9 Grizz has helped officials seize more than 250 pounds of illegal narcotics around the Nephi area, police said. This operation is a testament to our unwavering commitment to combating drug trafficking in our communities, Nephi PD Chief Michael Morgan said. The police department said it will continue to safeguard the community from the devastating impact of illegal drug trade and, along with the West Central Narcotics Strike Force, it will continue to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking operations in the region. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Statement: There's never been a placebo-controlled study on childhood vaccines. In picking Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, President-elect Donald Trump is elevating a small but growing segment of the population that distrusts vaccines and spreads or follows misinformation about them. Kennedy is a longtime vaccine skeptic who founded the major anti-vaccine group Childrens Health Defense and has repeatedly promoted a debunked theory that vaccines cause autism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although he has recently distanced himself somewhat from this stance, declaring he would not "take away anybodys vaccines" after Trump was elected, his unorthodox views on medicine are raising concern from medical professionals and some on Capitol Hill. That includes Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who wrote in a Dec. 13, 2024, statement that "efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed theyre dangerous." Kennedy has an ally, however, in Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a skeptic of COVID-19 vaccines who has promoted vaccine falsehoods. Johnson said on X that he "could not be happier" about Trump tapping Kennedy and said he hopes to work "very closely" with him on exploring issues such as vaccine efficacy. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, speaking at a Donald Trump political rally in Milwaukee, says he "could not be happier" about Trump's choice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary. Asked on WISN's "Upfront" on Nov. 17 about his praise for Kennedy and false claims about vaccines causing autism, Johnson said he wants to look at "uncorrupted" science when determining vaccine safety and that people "need to have the courage to ask what is causing this explosion" in autism and chronic illness. "Theres never been a placebo-controlled study on childhood vaccines. Not one," Johnson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical experts say hes wrong on that. Vaccine skeptics debate meaning of placebo Asked for evidence of his claim, a spokesperson for Johnson sent a tweet from Aaron Siri, an attorney advising Kennedy. Siri shared a chart from the vaccine-skeptical group Informed Consent Action Network showing 17 vaccines that they allege were not licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration "based on a long-term placebo-controlled trial," including vaccines for whooping cough; measles, mumps and rubella; HPV; COVID-19; and influenza. Johnsons office also shared an interview Kennedy did on "The Joe Rogan Experience" in which he recalled an exchange with Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Kennedy claimed he asked Fauci to present him with evidence that vaccines recommended for Americans had been tested in a placebo-controlled study, and that Fauci could not. Placebo-controlled trials are considered the gold standard for testing the safety and efficacy of a new vaccine, according to experts from the World Health Organization. The placebo exists to mimic the experience of getting the vaccine so the people receiving it dont know which group theyre in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some groups that are skeptical of vaccine safety take issue with the definition of a placebo. Dr. Paul Offit, a physician and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, wrote July 1, 2023, on Substack that the Informed Consent Action Network argues that the only true placebos are water and saltwater, "which isnt true." "Indeed, a wide range of placebos have been used in vaccine trials," Offit wrote. "These placebos might contain buffers, stabilizing agents, emulsifying agents, or adjuvants, like aluminum salts. They might contain sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, sucrose or polysorbate-80 all meet the FDA criteria for a placebo." For example, RotaTeq, a vaccine for rotavirus, appears on the Informed Consent Action Network chart; the group says it was not licensed based on a placebo-controlled trial. According to the FDA, the placebo in that trial contained sucrose, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, tissue culture medium and polysorbate 80. "When I look at the ICAN report, Im just wondering whether theyre playing with words a little bit," said Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "We often think of a placebo as a comparator group. You have one group that receives the vaccine of interest, and the other group receives something else." There have been childhood vaccine studies using saltwater placebos Sarah Naltner looks at her son Urban, 3, after getting her second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in June 2021 in Brookville, Ind. Still, even using that narrower definition of a placebo that its a simple saltwater solution Johnson is wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are a selection of childhood vaccines that went through placebo-controlled trials in which the placebo used was a saline solution: A rotavirus vaccine tested in South African infants and toddlers, as well as adults, between 2016 and 2017. Four live measles vaccines tested in Israeli children in the 1960s. A human papillomavirus vaccine tested in adolescent boys and girls between 2003 and 2004 in 10 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Thus, its factually inaccurate for Johnson to say that there has never been a placebo-controlled study on childhood vaccines. Sometimes new vaccines are tested against old vaccines Where else might these claims come from that vaccines havent undergone a placebo-controlled trial? In some situations, Moss said, the "comparator group" may receive a previously approved vaccine that targets the same disease to determine whether a new vaccine performs better (or performs the same and is cheaper to make). Why test a new vaccine against an old vaccine and not an inert placebo? If a vaccine against a disease already exists and is working, Moss said, its unethical to deprive children of it just to conduct a study. Doing so would put them unknowingly at risk of contracting and getting sick from that disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In those cases, Moss said, the vaccine given to the comparator group would be a licensed and approved vaccine that "would have gone through all the hurdles it takes to get to that." Johnsons claim didnt get into these details. He simply said there has been "not one" placebo-controlled study on childhood vaccines. And hes wrong on that. Claims like these have "the air of being scientific," Moss said. "My sense is that this is an approach used by, say, RFK Jr. on calling for transparency in the data and more rigorous assessment of vaccines. Those are good things. I dont think anyone would argue against that. Theyre able to kind of twist it as a way to actually undermine vaccines or at least induce skepticism." PolitiFact's ruling Johnson Johnson stated that "theres never been a placebo-controlled study on childhood vaccines." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical experts say the evidence his office provided takes a narrow view of what a placebo is. But even by that definition, there have been studies of childhood vaccines that were placebo-controlled. We rate this claim False. Our sources This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Yes, there have been placebo-controlled studies on childhood vaccines CHICAGO Heading back to classes Monday, Chicago Public School students will return to a district different from the one they left for winter break. Its been just over two weeks since the Chicago Board of Education unanimously voted to oust CEO Pedro Martinez. The monthslong conflict reached a boiling point on the last day of school before winter break, when dozens of speakers stood before Martinez at a special board meeting, ridiculing him and telling him his time has finally come. I hope you never forget any of the students at (Marine Leadership Academy) and those who were affected by your lack of integrity, professionalism, accountability and lack of empathy and ethics, said Luz Sarama referring to what she alleged was Martinezs inaction regarding abuse of power, misuse of funds and mental and physical harm of students at the school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While many of the two dozen speakers at the meeting expressed their disdain for the CEO several among them parents of CPS students and graduates others who spoke to the Tribune after Martinezs ouster say they disagree with the boards decision. Anna Pavichevich, a retired CPS principal with a long family lineage in the district, said she is concerned what this kind of leadership change could mean for CPS. Pavichevich said she is stunned by the complete and total disregard by the board of the voices of the over 700 administrators who signed a letter in December, advocating for Martinez to keep his position as CEO. The 700 CPS administrators who are responsible for the education and the care of the children of this city have been told by this mayor that he doesnt care what they think, Pavichevich said. So I have no evidence that this mayor is making any decisions other than those that are self-serving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CPS parent Maria Ugarte, who said she faced several challenges under Martinezs leadership, is among those who approve of the CEOs dismissal. Ugarte maintains the lack of effective leadership under Martinez is something only those directly impacted can truly understand. The mother of two said its been a nightmare since shes begun fronting the cost of transporting her daughter to school 40 minutes each way after the district stripped her of the stipend she was granted. She said her concerns about her daughters principal have continued to fall on deaf ears when she shared them with Martinez and the board. When they talk about Pedro Martinez and his lack of leadership, his lack of understanding I agree because Im going through that, Ugarte said. Not thinking about most of the families that are affected our low-income community, our working community. Its just unacceptable the way they treat us. Ugarte and her daughter were impacted by the districts decision to cut busing to selective enrollment schools last school year. The long commute to and from Inter-American Magnet School every day has taken a mental and financial toll on her and her elementary school daughter, she said. While it was her choice to enroll her child in the school, Ugarte said she only did to give her daughter the best education possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CPS does not give resources to the neighborhood schools, Ugarte said. Most of the families that go to Inter-American are families that are looking for the best for our kids. However, for Mike Ngan, CPS alumnus and father of two current students, stability within the district is the top priority. After living through the 2019 Chicago Teachers Union strike as well as the pandemic, Ngan said its important for kids to be able to attend school without disruption so theyre able to receive a quality education. As tensions mounted between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Martinez regarding the short-term loan Johnson was gunning for to fund the CTU contract, many parents disagreed with the CEOs punishment as they believed he was only doing what was right for the district. To them, it doesnt justify his recent termination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He didnt do anything irresponsible, Ngan said. He didnt fail at his job, in my opinion, so it doesnt give me any reason to believe that he needs to be fired. The board should serve as a power check to Johnson, according to Ngan. But the previous boards resignation, he said, reflected the boards inability to represent the CPS families without the mayors influence. Johnsons current seven-member board appointed in October, and new president, Sean Harden, appointed last month is a consolidation of political power. Thats not an appropriate thing to do, Ngan said. As a CPS parent, I dont think any of our opinions were registered. Theres no reason for me to believe that firing him or not firing him is for the benefit of the students or the CPS system. Carolina Barrera Tobon, another parent at Inter-American, said the CEOs inaction to discipline a principal whos allegedly been violating innumerable policies caused her to lose faith in not only Martinez but the district as a whole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were some racial issues, racial application of policies that until we got the media involved, CPS didnt seem to care, Tobon said. Thats a very common theme unless you embarrass CPS they dont seem to pay attention. Having been an involved parent in the district for decades, Tobon was initially impressed by Martinez when he stepped into his role as CEO in 2021. However, she said she has been disappointed by his inability to address some parents and students biggest issues. Despite that, Tobon said she feels conflicted about Martinezs termination. Im disappointed in (Martinez) but I think that procedurally there have been some issues with how this was handled, Tobon said, referring to the drama in the months before last months board vote. I also think it makes no sense that we wouldnt wait for the elected school board to make the decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While shes disappointed that Martinez and the previous board did not listen to concerns brought to them by parents, Tobon said that she appreciates Martinez standing up to the mayor regarding the short-term loan. Feeling ambivalent about the decision made by the board, Tobon said she can only hope that the change in leadership doesnt terribly disrupt the district. Feeling as though Johnson is working as a proxy for the Chicago Teachers Union, Tobon said she thinks the mayor is working in their interests rather than parents. Thats disappointing, Tobon said. This was 100% done by the mayor without our input. Why not wait until the people that were elected were in office? 2024 was a big year for North Carolina politics. From an eventful election cycle to veto overrides and controversial legislation, there were plenty of decisions and developments that shaped our state, and many of those events will follow North Carolinians into the new year. Here are some of the biggest storylines to watch in 2025: A working supermajority? Democrats managed to chip away at the Republican supermajority in the 2024 election cycle. Republicans will be one House seat short of total control of the state legislature, which would have allowed them to override the vetoes of incoming Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. Now, in order to override a veto, GOP lawmakers will need the support of at least one Democrat in the House. Republicans seem to believe thats possible, and they have expressed confidence that they can coax support from House Democrats on at least some bills next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means all eyes will be on more moderate Democrats who have voted with Republicans in the past, including Rep. Cecil Brockman, a Greensboro Democrat who has already clashed with his party more than once for missing key votes and siding with colleagues across the aisle. Since Republicans are just one vote shy of a veto override, every Democratic vote will count. Democrats will have to find a way to smooth things over with Brockman to avoid another Tricia Cotham-esque disaster. Power grab bills fate In the waning days of their supermajority, North Carolina Republicans overrode Gov. Roy Coopers veto of a sweeping bill that will strip power away from newly elected Democratic officials and change the way the states elections are administered. Its a naked power grab that was tucked into legislation billed as disaster relief, and it will take effect in the new year. Its not the first time that Republican lawmakers have tried to rebalance power in their favor, and several of their previous attempts have been struck down in court. Cooper and Stein have sued over parts of the law that specifically strip oversight and appointment authority from the governor. The lawsuit was filed in state court, where its fate is uncertain. Past lawsuits have been struck down because they transferred too much power to the legislative branch, but this bill predominantly transfers power to Republicans elsewhere in the executive branch. Thats, to me, number one with a bullet for North Carolina stories in 2025, because if that bill holds, its going to fundamentally change who has access to the levers of power in our state, Western Carolina University political science professor Chris Cooper told me. Its almost like the result of a constitutional convention, but it just comes out of one bill. A new House speaker For the first time in a decade, the North Carolina House will have a new speaker. Republicans nominated Rep. Destin Hall to succeed outgoing House Speaker Tim Moore, who is heading to Congress. Hall received Moores support and has served as chair of the House Rules Committee an influential position for years. But Hall is still not Moore, and its been a long time since the leadership of the House and Senate changed. Will the tenor of the House, and its approach to legislating, change with it? Two Democratic lawmakers told me they have a positive working relationship with Hall and are optimistic about his speakership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cooper pointed out that Hall might generate fewer headlines than Moore did about his personal life and decision-making, which could impact his leadership. Ill be very curious to see kind of how that plays out, and how, if at all, a quieter speakership changes the way were governed, Cooper said. Does Roy Cooper run for U.S. Senate? North Carolinas U.S. Senate race in 2026 will be one of the countrys most competitive, and Democrats chances will be impacted by who they choose to run against incumbent Thom Tillis. Theres plenty of speculation that outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper could be that person, and Cooper has made it clear that his political career is not done. Cooper recently told The New York Times that everything is on the table for me in terms of which office he might run for. Coopers candidacy would make the race even more interesting, as Cooper is one of the few prominent Democrats to succeed in statewide elections he hasnt lost an election in his political career. But the race will also depend on how Tillis navigates a second Trump White House, and if he sides with the president enough to give Democrats fodder to campaign against him with. Time will tell, too, whether any Republicans decide to mount a primary challenge to Tillis, who has faced criticism from within his party for being too moderate. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has been floated as a potential challenger, but its unclear whether his political career has any legs to stand on after a landslide loss to Stein in the gubernatorial election this year. Making Robinson the nominee would be a bad move for Republicans, but likely welcomed by Democrats, as Robinsons loss suggests that North Carolinians arent interested in electing him to public office. Republicans should avoid repeating the same mistakes as their counterparts in Arizona with Kari Lake, a radical Trump ally who lost consecutive statewide elections for Senate and governor in 2022 and 2024. A pregnant Santa Barbara woman plummeted to her death while hiking in Greece over the holidays. Clara Thomann, 33, fell about 164 feet down a gorge on the Greek island of Crete on Dec. 23, according to a report by the Greek Reporter. After her partner summoned help, first responders rescued her from the gorge and rushed her to a nearby medical facility, then to Chania General Hospital. She suffered multiple fractures to her skull and chest, and her unborn child died in the fall, according to the Greek Reporter and another local news service, Nea Kriti. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thomann, a science teacher at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, was pronounced dead on Dec. 29, the news outlets reported. The injuries Clara sustained are insurmountable and she was declared brain dead we are all heartbroken, her family wrote on a post on Caring Bridge. Her organs, including her kidneys, liver and corneas, were donated, according to a statement issued by Chania General Hospital. Thomann had been traveling during the holiday with her partner, Elliott Finn. The couple resided in Goleta. The principal of Dos Pueblos High School, Bill Woodard, expressed sorrow about the beloved teacher's death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are no words to describe the sadness we are all feeling, Woodard told Noozhawk, a Santa Barbara-based news site. Ms. Thomann was so kind and such a great teacher who loved her students and loved science. Our hearts break for her family and for all of us who are feeling this loss. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. KENTUCKY (FOX 56) As Sundays winter storm approaches, Kentucky officials are sharing guidance on what to do in case of an emergency. Heres a breakdown of what to do and who to call by county. Latest central Kentucky weather forecast Bourbon County Central Dispatch-Paris/Bourbon County E911 is the emergency hub for Bourbon County residents. On Saturday, Central Dispatch-Paris/Bourbon County E911 began sharing information on how to prepare and what Bourbon County residents can expect from the oncoming winter storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the potential for severe weather, its essential to plan ahead for power outages and hazardous road conditions, Central Dispatch-Paris/Bourbon County E911 wrote, Please take the following precautions. Know your utility providers. Identify your power and water providers before contacting the Paris/Bourbon County E911 center. Only call 911 for electrical outages in absolute emergencies. Stay warm safely: Keep extra blankets available and set thermostats to a moderate level to avoid straining utilities. Have candles and battery-powered lights ready for power outages, but always place candles away from combustible materials. Protect plumbing: Open cabinet doors in kitchens and bathrooms to allow warm air to circulate plumbing fixtures, helping to prevent frozen pipes. If you must travel, drive safely and adjust your speed for road conditions. Stay in contact with elderly family, friends, and those who may need special assistance during this time. According to Central Dispatch-Paris/Bourbon County E911, their center will remain fully staffed throughout the storm to assist with emergencies. Click here for the latest from Central Dispatch-Paris/Bourbon County E911. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Boyle County The Danville 911 Center is Boyle County residents emergency hub. According to Danville 911, residents should keep the following in mind: Officers may have to prioritize responses depending on the number of calls for service. If a wrecker is all you need for your traffic incident, call (859) 236-6654 or (859) 854-9244. Being prepared is the best way to weather any storm Make sure all cellphones are charged. Know where your water shut-off valves are if pipes burst. Have plenty of nonperishable food on hand. Stay home if youre able Call 911 in a life or death situation. Danville 911 nonemergency line can be reached at 859-238-1220. Stay safe and stay warm, Boyle County, Danville 911 said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Click here for updates. Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news Clark County The Clark County Fire Department has been sharing winter storm updates that can be found here. According to Clark County Fire, residents should: Have emergency supplies ready. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replenish fuel in your car. Adjust your plans if needed. Have multiple ways to receive weather alerts. Bring pets indoors and ensure they have water. Check on your neighbors and family members. Properly ventilate emergency heat sources. Keep generators at least 20 feet from your home. Take it easy when shoveling snow. The highest ice accumulations are expected to be along and south of the I-64 corridor. Along with the snow accumulation, these conditions have a high possibility of knocking out electricity. Please check your emergency preparedness kit to make sure it is up to date, Clark County Fire Department said. If you do not have an emergency preparedness kit, click here. Jessamine County Jessamine County E911 is Nicholasville and Wilmore residents emergency hub, updates can be found here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This storm is looking like its going to pack a punch for us here in Jessamine County. Please stay safe and dont get out unless you really must. We are expecting it to start overnight with snow and change over to sleet/freezing rain early afternoon before changing back to snow overnight into Monday morning with very frigid temperatures for an extended time. As the National Weather Service guys said, we will be experiencing ice sandwich, Jessamine County E911 said. Jessamine County E911 shared the following reminders: Please do not call 911 or the nonemergency line for Jessamine County Dispatch for road conditions. If you find yourself in a ditch and just need to be pulled out, please contact a wrecker service. Crown Towing: 859-881-8151 Davids Towing: 859-881-4357 Denali Towing: 859-214-3031 Top Notch Towing: 859-350-4665 Walkers Towing: 859-552-5987 Please do not call dispatch for electrical outages; you must call your electric company. Their number should be listed on your electric bill. Service providers in the Jessamine County Area: Nicholasville Utilities: 833-805-9473 KU Electric: 800-981-0600 Bluegrass Energy: 888-546-4243 Make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector along with your smoke detector if you have wood, kerosene, natural gas, or propane heat/cooking sources. Do not use outdoor gas/propane, wood, or charcoal cooking devices indoors. Keep generators at least 20 feet from your residence. Do not use them indoors or in your garage, and make sure you ventilate them properly. Jessamine County E911 will provide a list of warming shelters on their Facebook page. Kentucky under a state of emergency ahead of winter storm: What to know Franklin County Frankfort Police Department and Emergency 911 are Franklin County residents emergency hubs, and updates can be found on their page here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres some information Frankfort Police Department and Emergency 911 shared: Please do not call 911 or the nonemergency numbers for Frankfort/Franklin County E-911 Dispatch to inquire about road conditions. If you find yourself in a ditch and need to be pulled out, please get in touch with one of the local wrecker services. Careys Towing: 502-839-8895 Holbrooks Towing: 502-696-0909 Harrods Towing: 502-227-7383 P&R Towing 502-223-7327 Jennings Towing & Recovery 502-545-0420 Please do not call dispatch to report water or electrical outages. You must contact your water or electric company regarding these issues. The number is on your bill, but here are some of the local utility company numbers: Frankfort Plant Board: 502-352-4372 KU Electric: 800-981-0600 Bluegrass Energy: 859-885-7124 Farmdale Water 502-223-3562 Madison and Garrad Counties Bluegrass 911 Communications is Madison and Garrad County residents emergency hubs. For updates, click here. With inclement weather on the way, Bluegrass 911 Communications shared the following tips: If your vehicle slides off the roadway and you only need a tow, please contact a tow company of your choice. If your power goes out, please call your utility provider or check their website. If you are on oxygen, have backup tanks on hand. If you run out, our EMS Services can only transport you to a hospital but cannot bring you an oxygen tank. Check on your elderly neighbors and family members now! Make sure they have ample food and medication. If you locate a downed power line or tree, please call the nonemergency number, 859-792-3023. Please call 911 for any life-and-death situation. Use the Civilian Accident Report if you are in a noninjury accident. It can be found here. Montgomery County Montgomery County 911 Dispatch is the residents emergency hub, and updates can be found here. Officials encourage residents to do the following: Sign up to receive targeted alerts, including those from the National Weather Service, with Montgomery Countys community alert system, RAVE Mobile Safety. Register your profile from your phone or computer here. Register your profile from your phone or computer by accessing SMART911 and clicking sign up. Text SMART911 to 67283 and follow the prompts. Download the FOX 56 Weather App today Scott County This Facebook group will have helpful information for Scott County and Georgetown residents amid the oncoming winter weather. The group is managed and updated by city officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the group, there is information on expected accumulation totals, warming shelters, and reminders for residents. Click here to join. The FOX 56 Weather Authority will have the latest on what to expect in your area. Click here for more information. Follow The Weather Authority: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT Approximately 24 tons of fireworks were seized in a shipping container by the Illegal Fireworks Task Force in February 2023. The seizure consisted of aerial shells in varying sizes. Seizures of illegal fireworks by the task force in 2023 totaled about 93.5 tons, then dropped to about 24 tons in 2024. 1 /3 COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT Approximately 24 tons of fireworks were seized in a shipping container by the Illegal Fireworks Task Force in February 2023. The seizure consisted of aerial shells in varying sizes. Seizures of illegal fireworks by the task force in 2023 totaled about 93.5 tons, then dropped to about 24 tons in 2024. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Gov. Josh Green is calling for penalties for illegal fireworks to become severe enough to curtail existing widespread use following the New Years explosion that killed three people at an Aliamanu home. Illegal fireworks lit up the sky over Liliha and Kalihi early Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 /3 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Gov. Josh Green is calling for penalties for illegal fireworks to become severe enough to curtail existing widespread use following the New Years explosion that killed three people at an Aliamanu home. Illegal fireworks lit up the sky over Liliha and Kalihi early Wednesday. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Illegal fireworks lit up Chinatown and Honolulu Harbor early Wednesday. 3 /3 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Illegal fireworks lit up Chinatown and Honolulu Harbor early Wednesday. COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT Approximately 24 tons of fireworks were seized in a shipping container by the Illegal Fireworks Task Force in February 2023. The seizure consisted of aerial shells in varying sizes. Seizures of illegal fireworks by the task force in 2023 totaled about 93.5 tons, then dropped to about 24 tons in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Gov. Josh Green is calling for penalties for illegal fireworks to become severe enough to curtail existing widespread use following the New Years explosion that killed three people at an Aliamanu home. Illegal fireworks lit up the sky over Liliha and Kalihi early Wednesday. GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Illegal fireworks lit up Chinatown and Honolulu Harbor early Wednesday. Trying to combat illegal fireworks has been an annual tradition for Hawaii lawmakers in recent years as household use of contraband pyrotechnics causes pervasive harm. Most bills trying to address the issue, however, turn out to be duds, and even ones that do become law have had little or limited effects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least four new Hawaii laws have been enacted in the past six years to reign in the distribution and use of illegal fireworks. Yet the general perception from many residents and government leaders is that the thunderous booms and aerial displays detonated in neighborhoods around the state mostly on New Years Eve have not declined. This year, higher-than-normal pressure is being put on state lawmakers to create stronger laws that materially reduce the supply and demand of illegal fireworks after an accidental explosion of a cache of illegal fireworks at an Aliamanu home killed at least three adults and injured more than two dozen, including young children who have been disfigured. The Honolulu Department of the Medical Examiner identified two of the three fatalities as Nelie Ibarra, 58, and Jennifer Van, 23. A separate New Years Eve fireworks-related incident in Kalihi claimed the life of Jayson Ramos, 20, who died of blast injuries involving the head and right hand, the medical examiner said. Gov. Josh Green, during a New Years Day news conference addressing the tragedy, said proposed new laws to curtail use of illegal fireworks in Hawaii have previously encountered strong pushback partly stemming from cultural ties to setting off firecrackers and other much-less-powerful fireworks than what has been set off by residents since aerial fireworks other than professional, licensed displays were banned statewide in 2000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Its gotten out of control, said Green, whose resume includes working as an emergency room physician on the Big Island. This is no longer us holding small fireworks and bottle rockets in Hilo. Green wants penalties for illegal fireworks to become severe enough to curtail existing widespread use, which in addition to physical injury and death has been the cause of property damage from fires, loss of pets and harm to people with respiratory ailments and post-traumatic stress disorders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Usually it takes something tragic like this to get the entirety of society moved to a place like enough is enough, he said of the explosion that resulted in mass casualties. Still, much doubt exists whether new laws can have a meaningful effect on what some view as an intractable problem that has only become worse after two legislative studies since 2011 included recommendations that have not been implemented. Aerial fireworks not part of professional, licensed displays have been illegal statewide for 25 years, and since then recurring pleas have been made by elected leaders to effectively enforce the ban. In January 2001, less than a year after the ban took effect, making possession of more than 25 pounds of illegal aerials a class C felony, then-Gov. Ben Cayetano publicly called for prosecutions of violators to deter lawbreakers after 81-year-old Lillian Herring died with her two dogs in a fire that burned down her house in Palolo Valley on Dec. 31, 2000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A suspected aerial firework fired from elsewhere was believed to be responsible. If its illegal, then you just need to enforce the law, Cayetano told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin at the time. Even if you probably cant apprehend and arrest everyone who commits a violation, you set a few examples by going after people. I think this year theres going to be a person who will be the first charged with a new law which imposes a felony offense. Despite the death of Herring and others since then in fireworks-related incidents, no significant deterrent has been established despite many years of trying. Task force No. 1 In 2010, the Legislature created a task force made up of federal, state and county government officials along with private industry representatives to develop and recommend strategies that lawmakers could implement to better combat importation and use of illegal fireworks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Challenges noted in the task forces 2011 report included police departments lacking enough resources to crack down on fireworks violations amid more serious crimes, and difficulties prosecuting illegal fireworks cases in part due to having to prove someone actually possessed fireworks, because evidence that fireworks were merely in the vicinity of the suspect or the suspects residence is not sufficient in a criminal prosecution. One recommendation in the report was to decriminalize fireworks offenses in favor of civil fines because the burden of proof for prosecuting a civil offense would be lower. The report also recommended increasing fines, which under Hawaiis fireworks control law at the time generally ranged from $500 to $2, 000. Examples of what the report described as effective deterrents included penalties tied to federal hazardous materials ranging from $50, 000 to $500, 000 per violation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, the maximum penalty for having more than 25 pounds of illegal fireworks in Hawaii, a class C felony, is five years in prison and a $10, 000 fine. Its a misdemeanor for lesser amounts and a penalty up to $5, 000. The 2011 report also recommended increasing inspections to intercept imported illegal fireworks. A 2019 review and update of the report by the Legislative Reference Bureau said few if any recommendations in the original report were adopted despite consideration of multiple proposed bills. New laws enacted Since 2019, at least four bills aimed at combating illegal fireworks have become law. One was enacted in 2019 by then-Gov. David Ige as Act 248, which lowered the probable cause threshold for an arrest to include statements from people who witness violations even though they are not law enforcement officers, as well as photos or videos showing the commission of the offense if authenticated by at least one witness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2019 law also allowed drone video without witness authentication as probable cause for arrest, and made homeowners or renters responsible for use of illegal fireworks on their premises. Yet according to the 2019 report titled Blast from the Past, the Honolulu Police Department expressed concern that drone footage wouldnt be admissible in court, while a bigger issue was that most fireworks prosecution cases were being dismissed. In 2022, the Legislature passed a bill that became Act 104 and increased the maximum penalty for having less than 25 pounds of illegal fireworks, which is a misdemeanor, to $5, 000 from $2, 000. Another new law, this one enacted in 2023, created a task force comprising county, state and federal law enforcement agency officials to crack down on illegal fireworks. Task force No. 2 The Illegal Fireworks Task Force overseen by the state Department of Law Enforcement was formed in August 2023 and since 2024 has an annual budget appropriation of about $1.26 million. Members include county police chiefs ; county prosecuting attorneys ; the state Department of the Attorney General ; the Federal Bureau of Investigation ; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service ; U.S. Customs and Border Protection ; Homeland Security Investigations ; the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service ; and the state Department of Transportation Harbors Division. In an initial task force report produced in December 2023, the Department of Law Enforcement said previous enforcement of Hawaiis fireworks control law was focused on people who set off illegal fireworks, such as aerials, or who set off fireworks at inappropriate times or places, but that prosecutions of such offenses were often dropped for discretionary reasons. The department, according to the report, considered employing a deterrence strategy by arresting as many fireworks offenders as possible in the community. Such a sweep would immediately show the community that the IFTF would have zero-tolerance for fireworks offenders, the report said. However, the department instead adopted what it described as a surgical approach concentrated on intercepting imports of illegal fireworks at Hawaii airports and harbors as well as government and private mail delivery systems. This focused approach on traffickers would then reduce the desire and opportunity to import and distribute illegal fireworks, and in turn, cascade into reducing demand by other importers, traffickers, and even end users, the report said. In an effort to help the task force find illegal fireworks shipments, the Legislature last year passed a bill that became Act 208 and requires licensed fireworks importers and sellers to maintain records and allow inspections by law enforcement. Seizures of illegal fireworks by the task force in 2023 totaled about 93.5 tons, then dropped to about 24 tons in 2024. Green on Wednesday said that realistically, there is no way to intercept all the illegal fireworks coming into the state. The Department of Law Enforcement also said in its 2023 Illegal Fireworks Task Force report that it believes the biggest challenge in fireworks enforcement is overcoming the local communitys high acceptance and tolerance for the use of illegal fireworks. The department is expected to deliver its second annual task force report to the Legislature this week, and is working on draft legislation to tighten the states fireworks laws. Legislative outlook Sen. Karl Rhoads, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he believes the task force has done a good job in a short amount of time, and he supports its continued work. At the same time, Rhoads (D, Nuuanu-Downtown-Iwilei ) is skeptical the Legislature can pass new laws that will meaningfully reduce the use of illegal fireworks in Hawaii. Its a difficult problem to solve, partly because so many people love their fireworks, he said. There have been 32 bills introduced at the Legislature in the past two to three years aimed at combating illegal fireworks, according to Rhoads, who is the author of one measure that proposed to inspect more shipping containers identified by explosive-sniffing dogs. That bill did not pass in 2023 or 2024, and Rhoads intends to introduce a similar bill this year. Other bills that failed in the past two years included one that would have required each county police department to establish a fireworks-focused enforcement unit, and one that proposed higher fines for fireworks law violations. Rhoads said he isnt confident that higher penalties will make a difference because many people dont know what the penalties are and dont think they will get caught. Former state lawmaker Will Espero, who co-chaired the 2011 research task force as then-chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, said a lack of prosecutions, or publicity of prosecutions, is a huge failure in deterring people from violating Hawaii fireworks laws. Thats a major problem, Espero said. Right now I havent seen any consequences for the people who are smuggling. Espero, who encourages more shipping container inspections and higher penalties, said he believes a major crackdown with prosecutions would slow the flow of illegal fireworks to Hawaii and get community members to mostly buy into a change away from supporting or tolerating widespread low-level fireworks lawlessness. Sen. Brandon Elefante, current chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, said he supports stiffer penalties and giving more resources to the Illegal Fireworks Task Force but would also like to see more enforcement of existing law. We need to do a way better job of enforcing whats currently on our books, said Elefante (D, Aiea-Pacific Palisades-Pearl City ). The issue of illegal fireworks, since weve had a ban with some exceptions, I feel has gotten worse and worse every year. Hundreds of people gathered outside Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus on Saturday to watch as pallbearers carried Jimmy Carters casket to the hearse. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The motorcade passed a crowd carrying American flags as the former president left the hospital and traveled eight miles to his hometown of Plains before going to Atlanta. Among those braving the morning cold was Nancy Peabody, whos lived in the area for 52 years. She was an early supporter of Carter for president and joined the Peanut Brigade, campaigning out of state on his behalf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We traveled by bus or by plane, she said. And people were glad to see us. They really were, and it was like good manners to open the door with a smile for this woman from Georgia. The motorcades departure from Phoebe Sumter was the start of six days of funeral events. Its a hospital that was dear to Carter. After a tornado destroyed the old community hospital in 2007, he helped secure the funding to build a new one. RELATED STORIES: Elaine Johnson and her daughter, Shynetria Moss, drove from Macon to view the motorcade at the hospital. They came not only to salute a president but to honor what they considered a good and decent, faith-filled man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In my household, he was always revered really highly, Moss said. And I was so proud, particularly as a Georgian and mostly as a Christian. Johnson agreed. He was a good man, not just in the White House, he was a good, Christian man. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] "During the searches at the premises of suspects and over-ground workers (OGWs) of the banned CPI (Maoist) terrorist outfit at nine locations, NIA teams seized mobile phones, memory cards, SIM cards and other incriminating materials," as per an official release. As per the release, the case emanated from the recovery and seizure of a 20-litre plastic can containing Rs 10.50 lakh cash, a walkie-talkie, a Samsung tablet, a power bank, a radio set, a levy collection receipt, a pull-through, gelatin sticks, a neck band, titan glasses and other incriminating things belonging to Misir Besra, a member of CPI (Maoist). "These materials, found buried in the forest areas lying between villages Husipi and Rajabhasa, were recovered following the disclosure of an accused, identified as Rajesh Deogam," the release read. The case was originally registered in March 2024, at in Jharkhand's Chaibasa district, against five accused, and subsequently taken over by NIA in July. "Investigations led to the identification of certain suspects and OGWs, allegedly involved in providing logistical support to the accused named in the FIR in the instant case and other senior cadres of CPI (Maoist) for furtherance of their unlawful/criminal activities," the release read. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) The Democratic Partys leader in the Senate has denied claims he helped mislead the US public over the state of President Joe Bidens cognitive decline until it was too late to salvage his partys prospects at the polls. Senator Chuck Schumer appeared on NBC News Meet the Press on Sunday morning, with Kristen Welker playing a clip of him addressing reporters on Feb. 13 last yearjust months before a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump saw the now-outgoing president withdraw from the race. In the recording, Schumer was heard to say, I talk to President Biden regularly, sometimes several times in a week, usually several times in a week. His mental acuity is great, its fine, its as good as its been over the years. All this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having played the clip to the senator, Welker then asked Schumer, What do you say to Americans who feel as though you and other top Democrats misled them about President Bidens mental acuity? Schumer shot back, Look, we didnt. Lets look at President Biden. Hes had an amazing record, the legislation we passed, the most significant group of legislation [sic] since Lyndon Johnsons Great Society, putting in 235 judges, a record, and look, hes a patriot. Hes a great guy. He then went on, When he stepped down, he did it on his own because he thought it was better not only for the Democratic Party, but for America. We should all salute him, we should all salute him. Welker nevertheless appeared unwilling to let the crucial point go, again pressing Schumer by asking, Do you feel, as we have this conversation today, that President Biden could serve another four years, had he stayed in the race and potentially won? Schumer responded, Well Im not gonna speculate. As I said, I think his record is a stellar one and hell go down in history as a really outstanding president. The Owyhee Canyonlands are in remote southeastern Oregon and include Leslie Gulch Tuff, which is rhyolite ash that erupted 15.5 million years ago. (Bob Bush/Getty Images) A proposal to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands in southeast Oregon did not make it through Congress at the end of the year but members of Oregons delegation said theyll try anew in 2025. The proposed Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act would have put more than 1.1 million acres of federal public land in the canyonlands and a 15-mile stretch of the Owyhee River under the protection of the National Wilderness Preservation System and the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The bill also would have transferred 30,000 acres of federal and private land into a trust overseen by the Burns Paiute Tribe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The canyonlands have significant health, economic and cultural value to the Northern Paiute, Bannock and Shoshone tribes. They are a source of tourism dollars in Malheur County and are home to threatened sage grouse, as well as bighorn sheep, elk and deer. The animals and their habitats face growing risks from wildfire due to invasive grasses and juniper while Owyhee River fish face challenges from poorly preserved riparian areas and cattle grazing. The latest iteration of the bill was proposed in 2023 by Oregons U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden. It marked the third such proposal by Wyden and Oregons other Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley to pass a bill protecting the area known as Oregons Grand Canyon from overdevelopment and overgrazing, while maintaining access for area ranchers and livestock. It passed the Senate almost unanimously Dec. 20, but died in the House before politicians recessed for the year. Oregons Republican Rep. Cliff Bentz, who represents the area in Congress and who proposed a similar bill of his own for the first time in November, will collaborate on a proposal in the new year, according to a statement from Bentz and Wyden. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has called on President Joe Biden to exercise his executive authority and protect the Owyhee under the Antiquities Act, designating the area a National Monument, but Biden has not yet done so. Hell leave office on Jan. 20. While Congress can protect areas under the National Wilderness Preservation System and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Antiquities Act allows the president to designate areas national monuments if they hold cultural, natural or historical significance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wyden and some Owyhee supporters wanted congressional protection rather than a national monument designation, which could be challenged by lawsuits, especially if the President-elect Donald Trump moves to upend monument designations as he did in his first term. You cannot get an acre of wilderness, an ounce of tribal protection, or any meaningful grazing reforms for ranchers in the Owyhee without black-letter law passed by Congress, Wyden said in a statement. Hopes for this year Ryan Houston, executive director of the Oregon Natural Desert Association, said he and supporters of protecting the canyonlands were deeply disappointed in the U.S. Houses failure to vote on Wydens bill. It is frustrating that our elected leaders in Washington, D.C. have chosen not to act on the opportunity in front of them, but we will continue working as long as it takes to secure the protections that the Owyhee Canyonlands deserves, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an email, Wyden said the bills passage in the Senate could make it easier to get the bill passed again in the Senate and hell have help from Bentz in the House. Wyden and Bentz said in a joint statement it would be a priority for them both in 2025 to get something passed. We want Oregonians to hear us loud and clear: We will continue in 2025 to push for legislation that accomplishes those objectives until they are the law of the land, the statement said. This article was first published by the Oregon Capital Chronicle, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com. Protesters in Laurel County gathered across from the London Police Department Saturday to call attention to the death of a man shot at his home by police late last month. Douglas Harless died after being shot by a London police officer at his home at 511 Vanzant Road in the Lily community. Officers apparently intended to go to a different address nearby to serve a search warrant just before midnight Dec. 23. The search warrant was for a home at 489 Vanzant Road, about 250 feet away from Harless home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said Harless pointed a gun at them before he was shot. This is nothing new. Weve had ridiculous police raid shootings for years, and it needs to stop, said Elliott Stoddard, who drove from Berea to attend the Justice for Doug event. He said the incidents dont just happen in cities It affects us all, he said. Scores of people, many of whom had traveled from other cities in the area, gathered outside a shopping center on Main Street in London Saturday morning. They then marched about a block to a parking lot across from the police station. They chanted, Justice for Doug, wrong address, wrong person and 511 not 489. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tiffany Carpenter, of London, said she grew up in Laurel County and now works in the health care field, where she said she sees the effects of senseless violence. Im just tired of it, she said. We need police. We just need good police. I have to be accountable in my profession. They do, too. Carpenter, who carried a sign that read Shame on you, said a lot of people are afraid to come to protests like Saturdays, because London is a small town. A lot of people didnt want me to come, she said. If you dont stand up for whats right, youre part of the problem. Organizers asked those in attendance to come to a city council meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday. They also are planning another march for 11:30 a.m. Jan. 25. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kentucky State Police are investigating the shooting. Another man, Hobert Buttery, has been accused of stealing a weed eater and a heater from a house owned by the county judge executive, David Westerfield, the day before the shooting. Westerfield told the Herald-Leader that seven items valued at $4,800 were stolen. He said the items belonged to a man who rents the property from him. On the same night as the shooting, Buttery was arrested, and he told police he took the weed eater to a house in Lily. London Police Lt. Andrew Jackson told state police that officers went to Vanzant Road to serve a search warrant in the investigation into the stolen lawn equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They knocked on Harless front door at about 11:48 p.m. and announced themselves as police, according to a state police warrant. After Harless refused to answer the door, police decided to enter the home, according to state police documents. When they breached the front door, officers found Harless armed with a handgun. State police said Harless raised the gun, and an officer fired multiple rounds from his patrol rifle at him. The officer who shot Harless has been placed on administrative leave. Jeremy Hicks, of Beattyville, carried a weed eater with a sign attached to it that read, HELP US GET JUSTICE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he didnt know Harless, but said he wanted to help get the word out about what happened. I think he was done wrong, Hicks said. I think justice needs to be done. Protesters marched to a parking lot across from the London Police Department in Laurel County, Ky., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, to call attention to the death of Douglas Harless. Harless died after being shot at his home by police who apparently had intended to go to a different address nearby to execute a search warrant. Harless, 63, worked for Winterwood, according to his obituary. Kristie Cheek, who also attended the protest, said she lives in an apartment owned by the company, and Harless was the maintenance man. He tried to help anybody he could, she said. He was always laughing, cutting up.. ..He was a good guy. Well-loved. Chelsea Letsche said she knew Harless from working in the community, and he was always the kindest, greatest man. There was never a bad word by him or about him, she said. You take a mans voice, youve got to speak for him. Thousands of South Korean citizens were gathering on Sunday near impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's residence a day before an arrest warrant for him expires. Protesters from both sides -- one calling the warrant invalid or illegal and the other shouting for arrest -- have occupied the wide four-lane road in a normally quiet neighborhood, blocking all traffic, in freezing temperatures and snow. The effort to detain Yoon came after a South Korean court issued an arrest and search warrant on Dec. 31 over his short-lived imposition of martial law, ABC News confirmed. Yoon has been suspended from his position since Dec. 14. PHOTO: Supporters of impeached South Korea's president Yoon Suk Yeol take part in a rally near his residence in Seoul on Jan. 5, 2025. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: South Korean investigators abandon effort to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The warrant is valid until Jan. 6, Yonhap reported, meaning investigators hoping to serve it would have to attempt to detain the president again by Monday. Yoon declared martial law in a televised speech on Dec. 3. The president said the measure was necessary due to the actions of the country's liberal opposition, the Democratic Party, which he accused of controlling parliament, sympathizing with North Korea and paralyzing the government. Animosity has been sky-high between the two sides, after over 100 investigators from the CIO anti-corruption agency and the police retreated from the residence after a tense standoff with the presidential security service. Yoon's die-hard supporters have been camping on the street vowing to protect him from "pro-North Korean forces about to steal away the presidency." Anti-Yoon protesters who are backing of the opposition party claim that Yoon must be jailed for insurrection. Arrest warrant questioned Many law experts question the validity of the warrant, which specified that certain key provisions of South Korea's Criminal Procedure Act should be excluded, which meant the police could search the military and government-classified presidential residence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This court order is widely seen as a first-ever and as being highly irregular, along with being criticized by some as being outside the limits of the judiciary's authority, violating the principles of separation of powers. Typical search warrants include clear parameters of space, time and items to retrieve but excluding the application of legal provisions entirely is unprecedented, experts say. PHOTO: Supporters of impeached South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol react to Christian devotional songs played during a rally near his residence as snow falls in Seoul on Jan. 5, 2025. (Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: Arrest warrant issued for South Korea's impeached President Yoon Yoon's declaration of martial law had sparked protests, and hours after the declaration, the National Assembly voted to demand that the president lift the martial law order. A majority of parliament -- all 190 members who were present, out of the 300-person body -- voted to lift the decree -- requiring that it then be lifted, under the South Korean constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the National Assembly's vote, Yoon said he withdrew the troops that had been deployed to carry out martial law and "will lift martial law as soon as we have a quorum in the cabinet." The State Council then convened to vote to officially lift it. The country's Democratic Party called on Yoon to resign following what it called the "fundamentally invalid" declaration of martial law. Without Yoon resigning, the opposition party worked to enact impeachment proceedings against the president. Yoon has been suspended from his position since Dec. 14, when the National Assembly voted for his impeachment in a 204-85 vote. Presidential security service facing charges While politicians and lawyers argue heatedly over the validity of the warrant in higher courts, the Presidential Security Service has found itself in the limelight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CIO has been leading a joint investigation with police and prosecutors, but say detaining Mr. Yoon would be "virtually impossible" as long as he is protected by the security team. CIO and the opposition party are seeking charges against the head of the president's security team for obstruction of justice after the police were blocked from entering the residence on Friday. The security team formed a barricade comprising about 10 buses and vehicles, at one point forming a human chain of about 200 officers to block access, according to CIO. PHOTO: Supporters of impeached South Korea president Yoon Suk Yeol take part in a rally near his residence as snow falls in Seoul on Jan. 5, 2025. (Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images) The opposition has criticized the president's security team as being over-excessive and summoned the chiefs and deputy chiefs. The Presidential Security Service defied the order, citing that this is not the time to leave their positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Some media and political circles are saying that the Presidential Security Service is a private soldier (to President Yoon)," Park Chong-Jun, Head of Presidential Security Service, said in a video press release. "I can't help but feel terrible and sad as the presidential security officer". He added that fake news reports of him ordering to fire with live ammunition are "absurd claims," there was no violence on Saturday, and that they should not be forced to be associated with political ideology. ABC News' Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report. Protesters gather at impeached South Korean president's residence, as arrest warrant nears expiration originally appeared on abcnews.go.com PATTON, Pa. Multiple fire crews responded to a significant structure fire in Patton Borough on Saturday resulting in a total loss and units contacting the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshall to investigate. The call came in at 12:30 p.m., Cambria 911 reported, and involved a building on the 500 block of 5th Avenue. "We mounted an interior attack upon arrival but the biggest problem we had was wind conditions that kept shifting, which kept driving the fire," Patton Fire Department Assistant Chief Jerry Brant said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters from Patton, Carrolltown, Hastings, Ashville, Spangler, Nanty Glo, Hope, and Dauntless fire departments responded to the two-story structure that was most recently a mechanics garage. Brant said the structure had been remodeled several times through the years and that caused many challenges for first responders. Another difficulty was Saturday's frigid temperatures. Despite those issues, the fire was contained to that one building, no injuries were reported and the building was deemed a total loss. Brant said units cleared the scene around 4 p.m. Hastings and John Carrol EMS, and Patton police also responded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was the second of two fires that area first responders dealt with Saturday. The first in downtown Johnstown was called in at 5:30 a.m. According to the Cambria County 911 media page, City of Johnstown firefighters responded to a house fire on the 600 block of Highlands Avenue in the city's Moxham section. No injuries were reported. Johnstown fire, 7th Ward Ambulance, Hilltop EMS, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center's DART unit and Johnstown police responded. UPDATE Jan. 6 11:46 a.m.: Miller has been found and is safe according to Pennsylvania State Police. The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) is actively looking for a missing Pennsylvania man who was last seen in December. According to a Jan. 3 report, PSP is searching for 50-year-old Patrick John Miller, of Leeper. He was last seen on Dec. 27 in the Leeper area and could be in the Titusville or Townville area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller is described as a white man standing at 5 10, weighing 170 pounds, and with brown hair and blue eyes. No other details have been given at this time. Anyone with information about Millers location is asked to contact PSP Corry at 814-663-2043. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. KSNF/KODE A Pittsburg State University graduate will play piano for President Jimmy Carters funeral proceedings this week. Miami, Oklahoma native David Osborne, known as the pianist for the presidents, graduated with a masters in music in 1983. More on PSU He met Jimmy Carter at a book signing in Florida, where he gave Carter an album hed just recorded. Osborne became close friends with the Carters over the years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He played for dozens of personal events including Jimmy and Rosalynns 75th wedding anniversary, and Carters 100th birthday in October. Osborne will play Imagine by John Lennon for the funeral services a favorite song of Carters. He says hes thankful for the opportunities his friendship with the president afforded him. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. A full view of the Florida House chamber during the House Organizational Session on Nov. 19, 2024. (Photo Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) A newly elected Democrat filed a bill Friday to protect public employees from positive marijuana tests if they have a medical prescription. Rep. Mitch Rosenwald, who represents part of Broward County, filed HB 83 in an attempt to shield state, county, and local government employees and job applicants with a prescription for marijuana from negative repercussions for using the drug offsite, an area where Florida statute is currently silent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would prevent government employers from refusing to hire or from suspending, demoting, or discharging qualified patients for using medical marijuana, although it would not protect an employee impaired at work. The bill was introduced in the Senate last year by Sen. Tina Polsky, but died in the Health Policy committee. Employees or job applicants with a medical marijuana card who test positive for the drug would have five days to present the card to the employer, according to the bill. The bill would allow employees or applicants facing punishment for using medical marijuana to take civil action to seek relief such as reinstatement to a job and benefits, compensation for lost wages, and attorney costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Office of Medical Marijuana Use, 895,469 Floridians have an active marijuana card. Medical cannabis is legal in 38 states, while 24 have anti-discrimination employee protection, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Voters approved medical marijuana in 2016 as a constitutional amendment. Recreational marijuana was on the ballot in 2024, but did not receive 60% support. Rosenwald is starting his first term. He previously served as commissioner, vice mayor, and mayor of Oakland Park. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In court The proposed legislation would grant law enforcement agencies permission to adopt policies prohibiting employees from using medical marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The topic has been litigated in Florida, such as by Samuel E. Velez Ortiz, who worked as a officer for the Florida Department of Corrections until he was fired in 2021 after a random drug test flagged him for cannabis metabolites. Velez Ortiz, a military veteran prescribed marijuana for a PTSD diagnosis, was considered unqualified to carry a firearm, part of his job requirement, by the state Public Employees Relation Commission. The commission concluded federal laws deemed Velez Ortiz unqualified to carry the gun. Floridas First District Court of Appeal upheld the decision and the Florida Supreme Court, in January 2024, denied a petition for review. In a different case, a Hillsborough County judge found in favor of a paramedic who was suspending after testing positive for cannabis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling found Hillsborough County paramedic Angelo Giambrone should be shielded from discrimination for using a valid medical marijuana card and is entitled to back pay, compensatory damages, and attorney fees. We think this is obviously a correct verdict and hopefully allow marijuana patients to stop being discriminated against when theyre using medicine so they can be functional human beings in life again, Giambrones attorney Michael Minardi previously said. Defendants in both cases acknowledged the plaintiffs were never found to be under the influence at work. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday extended his warm wishes to veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on the occasion of his birthday. Taking to X, Singh acknowledged Joshi's scholarship and dedication to public service, highlighting how his contributions have greatly enriched India's public life and described him as an inspiration to all and prayed for his good health and long life. "Many happy wishes to senior BJP leader and brilliant intellectual Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi on his birthday. Due to his scholarship and commitment towards public service, he has greatly enriched the public life of India. He is an inspiration to all of us. I pray to God for his good health and long life," the Defence Minister said. He, along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, also visited the veteran politician's residence and extended their wishes to him. "Met the strong pillar of the BJP family and the source of inspiration for all of us workers, respected Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi ji on his birthday and wished him well," the Union Home Minister said on X. Meanwhile, Rajnath Singh also took to X and said, "Went to Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi ji's residence and extended my warm wishes to him on his birthday. His role in India's development journey and strengthening the party is truly inspiring. Praying for his good health and long life." Notably, Shah also took to X and prayed for Joshi's health and wished for him to live a long life. "I send my birthday wishes to senior BJP leader and skilled organiser, respected Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi ji. Through various responsibilities, you have played a significant role in expanding the organisation and creating dedicated workers. As Human Resource Development Minister, you made an unforgettable contribution towards 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' and free education for all sections. Your dedicated life towards the ideology of nation first is inspiring for the youth. I pray to God that you always remain healthy and live a long life," the Union Home Minister said. Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi has been an influential figure in Indian politics, advocating for a strong, modern India. He contributed to shaping India's approach to the WTO and Patents regime, and led key initiatives on education and scientific research as Union Minister for HRD and Science & Technology. He introduced reforms like free education for girls and supported welfare programs for women and minorities. His work in the BJP and leadership in various ministries have had a significant impact on the country's development. (ANI) John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada, was born in 1815. Some years ago, as the bicentennial of Macdonalds birth neared, some civic-minded residents of the Ontario county in which I spend summers decided to mark the occasion by raising a statue in his honor. Macdonald arrived at the county seat of Picton in 1833 to train as a lawyer. The law would ultimately enrich him and enable him to enter politics. Yet he had not reached his 20th birthday when he nearly wrecked his career before it started. Macdonald got into an altercation with a prominent local doctor. Politics may have been a factor: The doctor was a Reformer; Macdonald already a Tory. Alcohol may have been a factor tooit so often was with Macdonald. Both men were charged with assault. The doctor was convicted. Had Macdonald been convicted as well, he would likely have lost his right to practice law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On October 8, 1834, Macdonald made his first appearance in a court of law. The case he argued before the jury was his own. He won. The Prince Edward County statue commemorated that early turning point in Macdonalds career. The sculptor, Ruth Abernethy, depicted the youthful, wavy-haired Macdonald as if he was addressing a jury, resting one arm on a witness box, inside of which stands an empty chair. The chair invited passersby to sit in the middle of this significant scene in Canadian history, maybe pose for a photograph, and thereby join the countrys continuing story. For five years, the statue stood as an ornament on Main Street, in front of the town library. Then came the events of summer 2020. Two months of pandemic lockdowns had left millions of people bored and restless. The killing in late May of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer triggered a worldwide surge of protest that frequently escalated into vandalism and riot. Statues interpreted as symbols of white domination or European colonialism were disfigured or toppled across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. In Canada, statues of Macdonald were destroyed or vandalized. Ours in Picton was twice daubed with red paint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At first, local authorities tried to protect the Picton statue. Then, in May 2021, an anthropologist working near a former Indigenous residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia, discovered disturbances in the ground that she said probably indicated unmarked graves. A local Indigenous band council quickly enlarged this claim, announcing that the remains of 215 children had been found at the former school. The history of these residential schools, where students and teachers suffered grim rates of mortality from disease, had long been known and acknowledged. Large-scale programs to vaccinate the Indigenous people of British North America against smallpox began in the 1830s and were highly successful. But tuberculosis was not so well understood. Students brought in from isolated bands proved tragically susceptible. The residential schools were ravaged by tuberculosis until the advent of modern antibiotics. Physical and sexual abuse also disgraced the school system. Students lost continuity with their ancestral cultures and languages. These awful events were minutely described in accounts published in the 1990s, and they were reexamined by a federal commission in the 2010s. In the 2000s, the government of Canada issued a formal public apology for the schools and paid billions of dollars of restitution to some 80,000 people who had attended them. The United States operated a residential school system of its own, in both the mainland U.S. and in Hawaii and Alaska. The American system was even more decentralized than the Canadian; record-keeping was poor. In December, The Washington Post published an investigation reporting that the true death toll over the 150 years from the 1820s to the 1970s was three times higher than the previously accepted figures. In the U.S., as in Canada, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and influenza were the leading causes of death for much of that period, followed by other infectious diseases for which causes and cures would not be discovered until years later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But here at Kamloops, seemingly, was proof of something even more terrible: mass death on a previously unknown scale, covered up by school authorities and the government of Canada, over a period of almost a century. Or so Canadians and the world were invited to believe. Prestigious international media such as the Associated Press, CBS News, and The New York Times shocked the world with news reports of the lost schoolchildren. In response to the news, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that hed ordered the flags above the Canadian Parliament and all federal buildings to be lowered in mourning. The flags would remain lowered until November 7, 2021, the longest official mourning in Canadian history. A year after the original headlines, he joined a daylong memorial service at the site, where Governor-General Mary Simon, effectively Canadas head of state, denounced the atrocities that had taken place at the school. The residential-school system in Canada dates back to the mid-19th century. The system wound down in the 1970s; the last school shut in the 90s. But it was Macdonalds government that put federal resources into the system for the first time, and so its sins were laid at his door. In June 2021, following the mass grave claims, the Prince Edward County Council voted 13 to one to remove the Macdonald statue from Picton Main Street. [Mary Annette Pember: A history not yet laid to rest] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No country has a perfectly clean past. Canadas, however, is cleaner than most. The most notorious episode of violence erupted in 1885. Indigenous and Metis people in the Saskatchewan territory were goaded into rebellion by local abuses. The uprising was suppressed at the cost of fewer than 100 battlefield deaths on all sides. Eight Indigenous men were hanged on one day in November 1885 for their deadly attacks on white settlers and missionaries. Three others had their death sentences commuted. (The rebellions ringleader had been tried and hanged a few days earlier.) Compared to the recurring atrocities in the trans-Mississippi American West, this is a mild record of armed force. Yet, over the past decade, Canada has been racked by a spasm of self-accusation of the severest crimes a nation can commit. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission accused Canada of cultural genocide against Native peoples. In 2019, another commissionthis one investigating the murders and disappearances of thousands of Indigenous women and girls (commonly at the hands of the men in their lives)dropped the modifier cultural to upgrade the accusation to race-based genocide. Trudeau at first conceded the charge. Speaking in Vancouver after the second commissions conclusion, he said, We accept their findings, including that what happened amounts to genocide. A few days later, he took a step back. Speaking in French to Radio-Canada, he said: I accept the commissioners report, including the fact that they used the word genocide, but for me, it is a bit more appropriate, I believe, to talk of a cultural genocide. Pope Francis, visiting Canada in the summer of 2022, lent his authority to the accusation: It is true. It was genocide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October 2022, a member of Parliament for the left-wing New Democratic Party introduced a motion to acknowledge what happened in Canadas Indian residential schools as genocide. The motion was adopted by unanimous consent. Not a single lawmaker dissented. The allegation that hundreds, if not thousands, of children had died in cruel neglect (or worse) in Canadian educational institutions, and that their bodies had then been covertly buried, was thus accepted as fact. Doubters, including some of the countrys leading historians, faced accusations of being genocide deniers. Despite this overwhelming social pressure, awareness did begin to seep through Canadian society that something was amiss. No new human remains have emerged; excavations, which could provide definitive proof of unmarked burials, have not taken place. As the mass-graves story has been challenged, those who told it have become more militant in its defense. The federal Department of Justice said it is studying proposals to criminalize so-called residential-school denialism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than contesting specifics, however, advocates have shifted the battleground to more philosophical terrain: a new practice of condemning the very existence of Canada and countries like it as a crime, the crime of settler colonialism. A project of decolonization now dominates Canadian cultural institutions, universities, even provincial K12 education systems. One startling incident garnered much attention. In September of this year, several Toronto District public schools sent middle schoolers to a march on behalf of Native water claims. Once at the event, teachers led the students in anti-Israel chants. A Jewish student who took part was reportedly told by a teacher to wear a blue shirt to identify her as a settler and colonizer. The comedian Louis C.K. has a bit about the word Jew being an unusual wordit can be both the perfectly correct term for a Jewish person and, depending on the tone, a nasty slur: Hes a Jew, as opposed to Hes a Jew. So it is with settler colonialism. At one level, this can be simply a descriptive term for how Canada developed from a string of European colonies populated by European settlers. The laws of Canada, its political institutions, its technology, its high culture, and its folkways were largely imported from across the Atlantic Ocean. How could it have been otherwise? Canada was a thinly populated place before the Europeans arrived, perhaps 500,000 people in the half continent from Newfoundland to British Columbia, from the southerly tip of Ontario to Baffin Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the more densely populated regions of the Americas, Indigenous culture made a deep impression on successor societies. You encounter it in the language: potato, maize, and chocolate are all words of Indigenous origin. When a Mexican eats a taco, he is likely not only eating a pre-Columbian food; he is also using a name derived from pre-Columbian sources. Wars against and alongside Indigenous nations exerted enormous influence over the ultimate form and borders of Canada. Why is English rather than French spoken in northern New England, upstate New York, and the valley of the Ohio? Why was the border between the future Canada and the future United States drawn where it is? The answers to those questions were determined in great part by complex struggles, first among Indigenous nations, then between those nations and the French and English colonies, and finally among the independent United States and the British colonies and their respective Indigenous allies and enemies. But the character of the society that formed within those borders was determined by the settlers themselves, for basic reasons of demography. The encounter between Europe and the Americas triggered one of the greatest demographic calamities in human history. The Americas were first inhabited by wanderers from Siberia. When the most recent ice age ended, the land bridge to Asia disappeared. There would be little contact between the two portions of humanity for thousands of years. When the worlds met again, after 1492, they infected each other in ways that proved much more deadly to the Americans than the other way around. Indigenous people died in horrifying numbers. In densely populated Mexico, the population shrank by perhaps as much as 90 percent. The numbers for what is now Canada must have been fearful too, and from a much tinier starting point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such a catastrophe must have convulsed the afflicted societies. Former structures of authority and belief must have been shaken, old gods discredited. The ability of Indigenous people to defend themselves against the incursions of the Europeans was broken by microbes at least as much as, or more than, by the newcomers superior military capability. History abounds with stories of conquest: The Arabs exploded out of the desert to impose Islam upon the Middle East and North Africa; King William and his Normans crossed the English Channel in 1066; the Manchus overthrew the Ming dynasty to rule China. For that matter, plenty of such stories exist in the pre-Columbian history of this hemisphere. When we read land acknowledgments about the different nations that hunted or farmed in what is now, say, Montreal or Toronto, we are reading lists of invaders and invaded, victors and vanquished, enslavers and enslaved. Throughout history, however, the upheaval of conquest has only very slowly altered underlying social and demographic realities. The winners seize the heights of the social hierarchy and appropriate the land and wealth of the previous elites. But for the toiling subjects beneath those elites, life continues more or less as before. They pay taxes to new masters. Their patterns of work, their religious faith, their language, their family organization and funeral ritualsthese change very gradually, if at all. What happened in the Americas (and in Australia and New Zealand) was very different. After contact with Europeans, one social reality largely vanished and was replaced by another. If settler-colonial were simply an attempt to describe and explain that difference, then the term would be useful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Adam Kirsch: The false narrative of settler colonialism] But now we come to the sneer in Louis C.K.s joke. Settler-colonial is not intended purely, or even primarily, as a description of a particular path of social development. It is intended as a condemnation of the new societies that have been created by that path of development. And there is something very peculiar about this critique of Canada and elsewhere in the New World. Moral critique is always based on an implied moral alternative. When socialists denounce capitalist societies, they do so because they believe they possess a superior code for creating and distributing wealth. When Islamists attack secular societies, they do so because they believe they better understand Gods commands for how men and women should live. But what is the moral alternative offered by the critique of settler colonialism? Sooner or later, the Old World was going to discover the New. How might that encounter have gone differently in any remotely plausible way? In the Canadian case, Macdonald is harshly criticized for not doing more to rescue western Indigenous nations from the catastrophic effects of the disappearance of buffalo herds in the late 1870s and early 80s. At the time, the trans-Canada railway was not yet finished. Beyond its central core, the federal government was a puny organization whose civilian employees were recruited more for party loyalty than technical competence. The most important federal force in Western Canada was the Northwest Mounted Police, which numbered only about 300 troopers. Even so, the Macdonald government contrived to deliver rations to almost the entire population that had signed treaties with Canada, some 30,000 affected people. The Macdonald ministry spent more on support for Indigenous populations than it did on the Canadian military or almost any other function of government. Even a severe critic of the governments record, the historian James Daschuk, acknowledges that the Macdonald administration avoided the political backlash from a region-wide mortality of the indigenous population from famine, even if the quantity of rations was often the absolute minimum to sustain life. Macdonalds critics blame him precisely because he tried to save Native lives in the way he thought best: by guiding the Indigenous people of Western Canada toward a self-sustaining way of life in the modern world. Macdonalds hopes and plans failed. But no one can say that latter-day policies would have succeeded any better. Over its near-decade in power since 2015, the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has nearly tripled spending intended to benefit Indigenous people. The scale of the spending is very large. Canada now commits more resources to what the government terms Indigenous priorities than national defense. Over that same period, Canadian Indigenous people have plunged into a demographic disaster more terrible than anything in the Macdonald years. From 2017 to 2021, average life expectancy for Indigenous people in British Columbia dropped by six years, to 67.2 years (the average for non-Indigenous Canadians in 2021 was 82.5 years). From 2015 to 2021, Indigenous people in Alberta suffered a collapse in life expectancy of seven years, to 60 for men and 66 for women. The principal culprit: opioid addiction and overdose. In Alberta, Indigenous people die from opioids at a rate seven times higher than non-Indigenous Albertans. Canadian history is unscarred by equivalents of the Trail of Tears or the Wounded Knee Massacre. Yet Native Americans are more likely to complete high school than are Indigenous Canadians. The land acknowledgments and genocide accusations are not helping. Almost all real-world ideas for improvement of the condition of Indigenous Canadians depend on the resources and institutions that were developed by the modern society of Canadawhich was settler-colonial in the non-sneering sense of the term. The idea that people separated by thousands of miles of distance could owe a duty of care to one another because they were citizens of the same nation was carried to North America in the same sailing ships that brought to this continent all of the other elements that make up our liberal democracy. In other words, the system of beliefs that so negatively judges settler colonialism is itself one of the most refined and exquisite products of settler colonialism. To the extent that a modern liberal democracy has failed to deliver on those promises to any category of its people, whether defined by race, sex, or any other characteristic, then it is both the responsibility and the pride of that democracy to attempt to correct that wrong. There are passages of guilt to remember and expiate. History should always be told in full. But we dont correct past wrongs committed in a liberal democracy by defaming the ideal itself. Like Americans, Australians, and New Zealanders, modern-day Canadians live in a good and just society. They owe honor to those who built and secured that good and just society for posterity: to the soldiers and sailors and airmen who fought the wars that kept those societies free; to the navvies and laborers who built their roads, laid their rail, dug their seaways; to the authors of their laws and the framers of their constitutions; and, yes, to the settlers and colonists who set everything in motion. This essay is adapted from a talk given in Toronto on December 4, 2024, to the Canadian Institute for Historical Education. Article originally published at The Atlantic Devotional candles with photos of those killed during a New Year's Day terrorist attack in New Orleans sit in front of a memorial site on Bourbon Street on Jan. 4, 2025. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) This one just feels different. Its the best way I can summarize whats going through my head and heart after Wednesdays early morning terror attack on Bourbon Street where at least 14 people were killed, 37 more were injured and an untold number of witnesses were likely forever traumatized. Thats to speak nothing of the indelible mark left on the family and loved ones of the victims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After working and living in New Orleans for 20 years now, Ive been through my share of tragic events. Hurricane Katrina, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, too many mass shootings and other horrendous acts of violence to count. But this one feels different. To me, its like a new kind of numbness. I cant decide whether Im emotionally callused or frustrated to the point of hopelessness. Fear hasnt really entered my mind, and Im honestly a little worried about that. Toby Lefort, a New Orleans native and bartender at Bourbon Pub, explained it well when he shared his thoughts Thursday afternoon with Illuminator reporter Wes Muller. Leforts workplace is just a block from where Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas native, left a homemade bomb inside an ice chest. The device was not detonated, as Jabbar died in a shootout with police further up Bourbon Street, adding to the carnage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city that we all love is devastated again, Lefort said. Its true that New Orleans is a very resilient place, but how long do we have to keep being resilient? Good question. Words such as resiliency and recovery already elicit groans and eye rolls here because we so frequently have to deal with setbacks. Whats more discouraging is that so many of these traumatic events were preventable or the result of extreme indifference. This one feels different. For one thing, theres the apparent negligence from New Orleans officials who failed to take backup measures after they removed portable steel posts, or bollards, on Bourbon Street. The barriers are designed to deter vehicles but allow pedestrian access. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its baffling why the timeline to install new bollards didnt require them to be in place before the end of the year, instead of before Super Bowl LIX in February. A New Orleans city worker deploys a section of large barricade in the French Quarter following a New Years Day terror attack. (Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) Dozens of archers, metal barrier sheets, could have been deployed in place of the bollards, but they sat stacked together on a city lot untouched until Thursday when they were moved to the French Quarter. Worse yet, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, who was hired in November 2023, said she was unaware the city even had archers on hand. But the police chief and Mayor LaToya Cantrell certainly knew, or should have known, that streets in the heart of the citys tourism district were left vulnerable. It also shouldnt have escaped the eye of Louisiana State Police, which now has a New Orleans-based troop to supplement the NOPD. Were told some 400 law enforcement personnel from various agencies were in the French Quarter for New Years Eve. Adding to my mood of disheartened disgust is the response so far from political leaders to the terror attack. All officials involved should be given some degree of forbearance given the unprecedented nature of the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when U.S. Sen. John Kennedy used Thursdays news conference to launch zingers at a journalist, its clear that his focus wasnt on the victims or people in the community who wanted assurance their safety was his priority. Instead, Kennedy chose instead to provide more of his typical, faux-yokel idioms, at one point man-spreading his way to the podium to displace an FBI special agent at the microphone. It was also poor timing for Attorney General Liz Murrill to declare on social media late Wednesday that, In Louisiana we have the death penalty and we will carry it out! Her post rang hollow just hours later when the FBI declared Jabbar acted alone in planning and carrying out his attack. Josh Duffy draws a chalk banner in front of the Bourbon Pride store in New Orleans in Jan. 4, 2024. It reads: Hate will never win! Stay Strong NOLA. The store on Bourbon Street is six blocks from where terrorist Shamsud-Bin Jabbar killed 14 people and injured 37 more in a terrorist attack early New Years Day. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) Theres no question that Gov. Jeff Landry has taken the helm of the official response to the terror attack. Thats probably a good thing, given Cantrells struggles with an ongoing federal investigation and the citys mishandling of street security. But the governors boosterism for the Sugar Bowl, the upcoming Super Bowl and his desire for a quick return to business as usual in New Orleans comes off as dismissive of legitimate concerns about public safety. At best, it was a questionable decision for Landry to post a photo of himself and his wife outside an expensive Central Business District restaurant less than 24 hours after Jabbar went on his killing spree a half-mile away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proud to be a part of this incredibly resilient city, the governor wrote on X. Theres that word again. Some might consider my commentary the work of a disgruntled journalist taking potshots. While I cant take off that reporters hat, these feelings come more from my standing as a New Orleans resident whos seen far more tragic events unfold than I want to recall. But this one feels different, and I hope our leaders would realize that and respond appropriately. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE RANDOLPH COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) A Randolph County man was killed in a pickup truck crash Saturday afternoon, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Joey Wortham, a 52-year-old from Newell, was fatally injured when the GMC Sierra he was driving hit trees. The wreck happened around 3:40 p.m. on Randolph County 66 near Randolph County 270. Coosa County man dies in pickup truck crash Wortham, who reportedly was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. Troopers with the ALEAs Highway Patrol Division are investigating the crash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava got a good grilling from her main opponent in last years election when they sat down for an interview with the Herald Editorial Board in July. She fended off criticism after criticism from then-Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid about the size of her budget and a war on the middle class thats making living in South Florida too expensive. At the end of the contentious interview, Levine Cava said Cid had good ideas and invited him to offer more input on how to improve county government. Levine Cava won reelection with nearly 58% of the vote, defeating six opponents in August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now in a move thats far too rare in these partisan times shes reaching across the aisle. The mayor has announced shes hired Cid to join her staff. Starting Monday, hell be senior advisor for economic opportunity, a new position in the Miami-Dade Office of Innovation and Economic Development. Cids role will be promoting economic growth, helping and growing small businesses and looking for ways to cut bureaucracy to make doing business in the county cheaper and more efficient. Cid, 41, served 12 years on the Miami Lakes Town Council and became the citys youngest mayor. He is the owner of the Mayors Cafe, a diner in Miami Lakes, a former legislative aide in Tallahassee and has a masters degree in ethical leadership from St. Thomas University. His criticism of Levine Cavas administration during the campaign was pointed and, at times, justified when it came to the growth of county staff during her term he said in July the mayor hired a huge staff around her to insulate herself. His joining her team with a $200,000 annual salary will, ironically, add to that payroll. Cid noted to the Editorial Board that the Office of Innovation and Economic Development is among the smallest departments in county hall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless, as a small business owner, Cid is well positioned to find efficiencies. Cid said he wants to look for ways to streamline the permits entrepreneurs must obtain from different county departments before opening their doors one mistake or delay in obtaining a permit can be a huge blow to a small operation. He also wants to help businesses with the difficult task of securing capital and look for incentives to transform renters into homeowners. He added that a lot of the red tape he wants to eliminate can be identified by talking to rank-and-file employees whose knowledge is often overlooked. Ill be a voice for the common folks that I talked about at that table, Cid said, referring to his July interview with the Editorial Board. The position of county mayor is nonpartisan but Levine Cava is a Democrat. Cid is a Republican. In a time of hyper partisanship, their partnership shows that good ideas can transcend party affiliation. This is also a politically savvy move by Levine Cava as one of the last Democrats elected countywide, given that Donald Trump carried Miami-Dade and Republicans swept county offices last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Cid] also brings connections, you know, not per se partisan connections, he brings business connections. So hes going to help us communicate to the business community and make them more aware of programs that we have and opportunities that we have to support them, Levine Cava told the Editorial Board. We have a goal of reaching 75% of our small businesses in the next two years. Cid told the Editorial Board he doesnt plan to run for mayor again in 2028 and that his focus for now is to work in government administration. Without an elected position, Cid wont have the authority to pass policy to help the middle-class. But he will be a voice in the mayors ear hopefully, one that will disagree with her when necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We hope, too, that Levine Cava, a former social worker and nonprofit founder who has prioritized programs to help those in need, allows a business-first, conservative point of view to balance her progressive political instincts. That ideological balance, forgotten in these times of political tribalism, is usually behind good government. The unusual alliance between the mayor and her former political opponent is a promising step. Miami-Dade will be expecting results. Click here to send the letter. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) cast doubt on President-elect Donald Trumps plans to deport three million undocumented immigrants, noting he has to be realistic about what the government can do. Thune, in an interview with Meet the Press on Sunday, noted that the incoming administration needed to pace itself and develop processes as the administration carries out its policy. But after host Kristen Welker noted Thunes comments in 2016 that deporting everyone living in the U.S. illegally wasnt realistic, he demurred. Is it realistic to deport everybody? I mean, theres a lot of people in this country who are here illegally, Thune said. Anybody who has committed a crime in this country clearly out to be on that list. And there are a bunch of folks, over a million, 1.4 million I think, on the current administrations list of people that need to be deported. So start with that, and then well go from there and figure it out. But I think that the administration when they take office, these are decisions, obviously, theyre going to have to make. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The newly-minted majority leader said the ultimate goal had to be securing the border and adhering to existing laws. People have to understand that we are a nation of immigrants, but we are first and foremost a nation of laws, and youve got to follow the law, he said. The incoming Trump administration, including border czar Tom Homan, has promised to cast out all undocumented immigrants in the country as one of its marquee policy positionswith few insights into how it will be done. Some details have emerged, including the transition teams desire to deport immigrants to other countries should their home nations not accept them, but even such preliminary reports have been condemned by Latin American leaders. Honduran President Xiomara Castro said last week that the country would reconsider housing a U.S. military base if Trump follows through with his plans. Faced with a hostile attitude of mass expulsion of our brothers, we would have to consider a change in our policies of cooperation with the United States, she said in a speech on Wednesday. In response to an NBC News report that the Trump transition team proposed sending migrants to other nations, including the Bahamas, should their native countries not accept them, Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis' office said his country flatly rejected the proposal. The Bahamas simply does not have the resources to accommodate such a request, Davis said in a statement last month. The Prime Minister... remain[s] focused on addressing the concerns of The Bahamian people. A local man was arrested five times in the past two years all connected to illegal street racing charges. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said it busted a meetup of more than 40 cars last weekend in Riverside, where they arrested 28-year-old Julio Rodriguez. Rodriguez was the event organizer. He remains in custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers later arrested 24-year-old Muntandher Husham Sal Al Fadhili who left Rodriguezs meetup. Both were involved in a larger street racing event back in June, where a man was badly hurt by one of the drivers who was doing doughnuts. Now, neighbors in Riverside said they are fed up with the noise street racing brings to the area- as late as midnight. This resident asked to remain anonymous. She said racing along Riverside Avenue is getting more dangerous. I know we have some homeless people here. Some people like to go out for walks also. We dont want any of those people to get hit by a car when theyre crossing the road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another neighbor, Veronica Trotter said she hears it every night near Riverside. What can we do really do? We can call and complain, but we dont have a description. We can just say we heard loud cars with loud mufflers, said Trotter. Trotter fears a car could hit a curb and fling into her home. The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said performing stunts like wheelies, drifting, doughnuts, and burnouts on public roads is considered street racing. Officers said street racing charges start at a misdemeanor charge, a fine up to $2,000, and a one-year license suspension. After that, drivers will face felony charges, heavier fines, and possibly losing your car. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. KINSHASA (Reuters) - Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have seized a strategic eastern town near the provincial capital Goma in Democratic Republic of Congo, local politicians said on Sunday. The Tutsi-led M23 group has been waging a renewed insurgency in eastern Congo since 2022. Congo and the United Nations accuse neighbouring Rwanda of backing the group with its own troops and weapons. Rwanda says it has taken what it calls defensive measures. Fighting has flared in recent weeks, leading to territorial gains for M23, which is now in control of Masisi, a town and local administrative centre about 80 km (50 miles) from Goma, provincial parliament member Alexis Bahunga told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The government will take measures to restore state authority over the entire territory," he said. Another parliamentary deputy, Jean-Pierre Ayobangira Safari, said Masisi had been taken "for now". An army spokesperson declined immediate comment. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the anti-government Congo River Alliance (AFC), which includes M23, said rebel forces had reached the centre of Masisi mid-afternoon on Saturday. The advance and continued fighting in defiance of a ceasefire agreement further undermine efforts to curb the conflict. A rare high-level meeting between the Congolese and Rwandan presidents was postponed in December, dashing hopes of a deal to curb the violence that has displaced more than 1.9 million people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The head of an international organisation working in Masisi said staff members there were in shock and unable to continue operations as businesses were closed, making it hard to source supplies. "They don't know how to leave the town since we fear that the ... (Congolese forces) will launch a counteroffensive," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. (Reporting by Ange Kasongo. Editing by Alessandra Prentice and Mark Potter) HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) Army Contracting Command on Redstone Arsenal is set to be the contracting agency for two multi-million dollar Army contracts. On Jan. 2, the Department of Defense announced that Northrop Grumman in Huntsville was awarded $481,329,816 by the Army for updates and improvements to the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command Systems software. Family of man killed in unsolved murder speaks out Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Work will be completed in the following locations: Huntsville, Ala. McLean, Va. Linthicum Heights, Md. Orlando, Fla. Completion for this contract is estimated for Dec. 30, 2029. This is just one of two contracts awarded where work will be performed in Huntsville. Leidos, a Virginia-based company, was also awarded a hybrid contract from the U.S. Army for $48,755,451 million for General Electronic Test Station equipment, hardware, software, upgrades and spare parts. Estimated completion for this contract is Dec. 31, 2029. LOOKING FOR THE EXTENDED FORECAST? Click here to learn how to download the Live Alert 19 app According to the DODs release, Huntsville is the only domestic U.S. location where work will be completed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The work will be performed at the following international sites: Saudi Arabia Switzerland Kuwait Qatar United Arab Emirates Army Contracting Command on Redstone Arsenal is the contracting agency for both awards. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Joshua Haiar South Dakota Searchlight A trust controlled by a South Dakota regulators relatives still owns land along a proposed pipeline route, but the regulator has not recused herself from the projects second permit application after recusing herself from the first one. Two years ago, Public Utilities Commissioner Kristie Fiegen disqualified herself from Summit Carbon Solutions first carbon dioxide pipeline application. She cited state lawprohibiting commissioners from participating in hearings or proceedings when they have a conflict of interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fiegen wrote a recusal letter in February 2022 that said the pipeline would cross land owned by my sister-in-law (my husbands sister) and her husband. Gov. Kristi Noem assigned State Treasurer Josh Haeder to fill in for Fiegen. In September 2023, Haeder and the other two commissioners rejected Summits initial application, citing the pipeline routes conflicts with several county ordinances that mandate minimum distances between pipelines and existing features. Summit reapplied in November 2024 with an adjusted route. Fiegen has not filed a recusal letter in the new application docket, and she participated in a procedural hearing about the application on Dec. 17. Fiegen did not respond to questions from South Dakota Searchlight about her participation in the new docket. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public Utilities Commission spokesperson Leah Mohr said ex parte rules bar Fiegen from discussing the matter. Those rules prohibit direct communication with commissioners about dockets theyre considering. Mohr also declined to discuss the matter, and declined to discuss how conflicts of interest are defined for commissioners. The Attorney Generals Office declined to say whether Fiegens participation complies with state law, or whether she sought the offices legal advice. Defining a conflict of interest The chapter of state law Fiegen cited in her 2022 recusal is specific to public utilities commissioners, and it leaves conflicts of interest undefined. It merely says if a commissioner determines that the commissioner has a conflict, the commissioner should file a recusal letter. Meanwhile, a 2016 law required the state Board of Internal Control to create a conflict-of-interest policy for use by state agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The policy says officials involved in quasi-judicial actions such as reviewing a permit application must be disinterested and free from actual bias or an unacceptable risk of actual bias and must abstain if a reasonably-minded person could conclude they are not impartial. Land owned by Fiegens relatives The $9 billion Summit pipeline would span five states, transporting some of the CO2captured from the production processes at 57 ethanol plants to underground injection sites in North Dakota. The project would capitalize on federal tax credits that incentivize the prevention of heat-trapping carbon emissions. The originally proposed pipeline route would have crossed three parcels of land in Minnehaha County owned by Fiegens sister-in-law, Jean Fiegen-Ordal, and Fiegen-Ordals husband, Jeffrey Ordal, plus another three parcels of land in McCook County owned by the Jeffrey A. Ordal Living Trust, for which the couple serves as trustees. Summit said it paid $175,000 in total compensation for easements and future crop damages on the land owned by the Ordals or their trust. An easement is an agreement granting access to land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Summit said $88,000 of the money went to the Ordals. The company did not disclose further details, but public records show the Ordals completed a sale of their Minnehaha County land several months after signing the easement documents in 2022. The new pipeline route would cross the same parcels of land: the Minnehaha County land that Fiegens relatives no longer own, and the McCook County land that the Ordal trust still owns. The recoveries took place in two separate incidents and were based on actionable information received by the security personnel. In the first incident, security personnel recovered a drone along with a packet of suspected heroin weighing 562 grams from a farming field near the village of Dal in the Tarn Taran district, the release stated. In the second incident, another packet of suspected heroin weighing 632 grams was seized from the same area. The recoveries were made possible through reliable intelligence from the BSF's intelligence wing, technical interception, and the prompt action of BSF troops and the Punjab Police. These efforts successfully thwarted the plans of narcotics syndicates operating from across the border. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) The week-long funeral events to honor former President Jimmy Carter concludes Thursday with a funeral in Washington, D.C., and a return to his hometown of Plains. The Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region announced a couple of days after Carters death on Dec. 29 that state funeral proceedings would be held for him in both Georgia and Washington, D.C., including stops at his hometown in Plains. After nearly a full week of events, Carter was eulogized by President Joe Biden in the nations capital. Then a flight took him to Fort Moore, just south of Columbus, so he could be returned to Plains. Where is Jimmy Carter being buried? Carter will be buried next to his wife, Rosalynn Carter, in Plains. The rural Georgia town only has about 600 residents, but the Carters made the city a much more well-known area during his four years in the White House. Carter spent his final years in Plains, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motorcades last stop Thursday will be at the Carter familys residence for a private burial. Before the family arrives at the residence, the U.S. Navy will conduct a mission man formation flyover in honor of Carters naval service and time as commander-in-chief. This sign from Main Street in Plains, Georgia, thanking Carter for all he did, was seen the evening of former president Jimmy Carters death on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. Carter died in his home in Plains on Sunday afternoon at 100 years old. Jimmy Carters events in Georgia, DC before funeral A motorcade took Carters body through Plains last week before taking him to the Carter Center in Atlanta, where Carter was honored with a service and his body lay in repose. Carters body was transported to Washington, D.C., so he could lie in state before a funeral at the National Cathedral Thursday morning. Editors note: For more coverage of Carters funeral, visit macon.com and ledger-enquirer.com. Jimmy Carter, like his one-time opponent Edward Kennedy, did something nearly unheard of in American political life: He lost, then he got back up and spent the ensuing decades doing good. For Kennedy, the loss came at Carters hands in a bruising 1980 presidential primary. The Massachusetts senator responded with one of the finest speeches in American political history, saying: the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die. They werent just words: For the next three decades, Kennedy did the work on education, health care, help for the poor and foreign policy, becoming in the process one of our greatest US senators. It goes without saying that it did not have to be that way. The scion of a wealthy family, who loved the ocean, Cape Cod, sailing and, bluntly, the good life, did not have to spend nearly 30 years doggedly working on arcane issues of health insurance, nutrition and inner-city poverty. But he did, tirelessly and effectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the man who beat him, and who died this week at 100, mirrored that ethos. For Jimmy Carter, the work went on, ceaselessly, despite the battering he took at the hands of voters in his loss to Ronald Reagan. If Kennedy gave us a master class in how to take the loss, and continue the public work undaunted, Carter showed us how to get knocked down, then spend the next 40 years behind the scenes, making an enormous difference for the better for millions of people. Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn attach siding to the front of a Habitat for Humanity home in 2003, part of Habitat for Humanity International's Jimmy Carter Work Project 2003. Carters presidency remains contentious: His handling of the energy crisis, the wisdom of the famous "malaise" speech, the sometimes self-righteous take on Americas materialism and lack of spirituality and his handling of the Iranian hostage crisis. All contributed to his loss and continuing arguments over his short four years in office. What is beyond any argument is that Carter has shown us clearly what a post-presidency life can be at its most meaningful and effective. Carter certainly didnt opt for glamour in the years after the White House theres not much glamour to carpentry, Sunday school and, of course, the Guinea worm but the scale of what he did, who he reached and how many he helped is staggering. Four years after losing the worlds top job, Carter learned about a small program that rehabbed or built housing and provided it to families who otherwise could not afford a home. Habitat for Humanity was a modest program when Carter passed by a building site in New York City and went in to ask what was happening. Over the ensuing decades he and wife Rosalynn helped the good work of Habitat to explode. Starting with a few dozen volunteers, and wearing a hammer and pounding nails themselves, the Carters fixed up an apartment building that provided affordable homes to 19 families. Then they helped take Habitat to 14 different countries, with more than 100,000 volunteers, to create more than 4,300 affordable homes. Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter embraces his wife, Rosalynn Carter, after receiving final news of his victory in the national general election in 1976. Hundreds of millions of American saw Jimmy Carter the president. But thousands sat in his class. For hundreds of Sundays over dozens of years, people came to a small church to listen as the former president taught Sunday School in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And finally, theres the Guinea worm. A drinking water parasite that causes illness and paralysis in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia a source of misery and pain for millions, most of them children has been all but eradicated by the actions of one man. President Carters philanthropic arm the Carter Center targeted eradication of Guinea worm disease six years after he left office, at a time when there were more than 3.5 million cases. It is an astonishing testament that today that number has been reduced by more than 99.99 percent. Simply put, his work has ended a scourge of the Third World. Jimmy Carter didnt win the Nobel Peace Prize for what he did in office. He won it for what he did after the presidency. It is a model we are not likely to see again. Edward Ubertaccio Peter Ubertaccio is Stonehill College Vice President for Academic Affairs and a longtime political science professor and commentator This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Jimmy Carter, knocked around by press and public, endured gracefully John Holmes III was a veteran, a husband, a father and a friend to many. But those who loved him knew him as the guy who rode his bike everywhere, who stood up for what he believed in no matter the cost and who loved Charlotte so much he devoted his life to making it better. Holmes died unexpectedly Dec. 29, leaving behind a gaping hole in his community of east Charlotte and the entire city. Holmes, 29, was deeply passionate about urban planning issues, most of all pedestrian and cyclist safety. As an avid cyclist himself, Holmes was deeply familiar with the citys mobility and infrastructure challenges, and he channeled that knowledge into a lifetime of service. Holmes advocacy was rarely conventional, but that unconventional style of advocacy was what made him special. He had a penchant for describing things he supported as based or urban-pilled and posting off-the-wall memes on social media to get his point across. But he was as solution-oriented as he was humorous, and he was always eager to discuss his passions with others and learn from them.. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was someone where pretty much everything he did was always in the name of being able to be an advocate for Charlotte, Jarrett Hurms, who chairs the citys Transit Services Advisory Committee, said. Everything he did was to make Charlotte a better place for himself, his family and everyone who lives here. Charlotte City Council member Marjorie Molina, who had a close relationship with Holmes, called him a model advocate who helped her better understand the needs of Charlottes transit-dependent population. This young man rode his bike everywhere. He was 100% committed to taking public transportation and riding his bicycle across the city, Molina told me. I dont know many human beings that had that level of commitment to and the awareness of the perils and the areas of opportunity for those without a vehicle in the city like John. I greatly appreciate all the residents who came to share your thoughts about the proposed @MeckCounty budget this evening. Special kudos to the parent who delivered a great speech all the while jugging an adorable baby, her soothie pacifier, and sippy cup. Well done! pic.twitter.com/ccP1cJ1Yfz Leigh Altman (@leighaltman) May 26, 2023 It was a cause he was willing to fight for. In early 2022, Holmes was working at Chick-fil-A while pursuing a masters in public administration at UNC Charlotte. But that didnt stop him from speaking up when Chick-fil-A successfully petitioned the city to build a drive-thru-only restaurant in an area zoned for transit-oriented development. He lost his job, and his health insurance, because of it while his now-wife was seven months pregnant with their daughter. But he never regretted it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John had a lot of ups and downs in life, and it seems like at every down, he used it as a propellant to get ahead, Jordan Lopez, a longtime east Charlotte resident who was recently elected to the North Carolina General Assembly, said. And Ive always thought that was the most admirable thing about him. You know, losing his job at Chick-fil-A and turning that into a moment for educating people about what its like to not have ease of access. Later that year, Holmes co-founded a group called Charlotte Urbanists to advocate for a more equitable and sustainable city. One of the groups first big projects was building and installing benches at bus stops around the city, particularly in underserved areas where transit stops lacked seating. Can you imagine that they did that? Can you imagine that they went around the city and did something so simple but profound? Molina said. The group raised thousands of dollars to build more than 80 benches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that that was kind of an eye opening moment about what it takes to not only serve a community, but to be an actual leader in it as well, Lopez said. To, like, stop waiting for somebody else or some other entity to do right by people, and to just get up and do it yourself. John Holmes, member of the CharlotteEAST transportation committee and the City of Charlotte Bicycle Advisory Committee, informs East Charlotte residents about transit in the area during a transportation and economic development forum held by CharlotteEAST on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Christine Edwards Pitkin, founder of the community engagement firm Civility Localized, hired Holmes as a part-time, and later full-time, employee in 2023. Edwards Pitkin remembers Holmes as an authentic, eager, joyful person who had a knack for working with people. I know that he was not a very religious person, but I am, and I honestly feel like God really brought him into my life for a reason, she said. And I feel like I had an impact on him, and he had an impact on me. So Im very grateful for that. Holmes was, at his core, selfless his advocacy often carried little personal or financial benefit, even when it didnt result in him losing his job. Before working at Civility Localized, much of the work Holmes did for the community was on an unpaid or temporary basis. He held a myriad of volunteer positions, internships and part-time jobs, all rooted in the same basic purpose: helping people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of what John did was self-initiated. It wasnt instructed by the money he made. It was instructed by what he was passionate about, Molina said. Theres a very different kind of heart in a human that is willing to do that. Nashaly Ruiz-Gonzalez, Holmes wife, wants her husbands kindness and passion for his city to be his legacy. I want people to remember him for HIM--for the cheap energy drinks, the Black and Milds, the advocacy, she told me in an email. I want people to think of change and remember it starts with one person, and how John was that one person for a lot of people. John Holmes is survived by his wife and 2-year-old daughter. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support their family. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) said Sunday he is optimistic about Republican governance over the coming year, saying the GOP is unified in passing a single reconciliation package and delivering on President-elect Trumps America first agenda. In an interview on NewsNations The Hill Sunday, Gonzales praised Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who was just reelected to his high-ranking post after receiving Trumps endorsement. The majority in the House is going to be razor-thin. Here very soon, its going to be 217 to 215. That means one member can change things, Gonzales said in the interview. But Mike Johnson is here to stay, and one of the reasons hes here to stay is hes been able to work with President Trump to deliver that first America plan and agenda. And Im very optimistic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gonzales said that over the coming 15 days, Republicans will work together to craft a legislative package to deliver Trumps top priorities on day one. For too long, weve talked about the problem, and we havent solved the problem. And thats exactly what House Republicans are going to do under Mike Johnsons leadership. These next 15 days, were going to go to work, and were going to tee up a package thats ready to go for President Trump on day one, he said. On whether he thinks theres a chance the reconciliation package will be watered down because of the razor-thin margins, Gonzales said, Members will argue over what color the sky is, right? So, of course, theres always going to be back-and-forth of, Its gone too far, It hasnt gone far enough. He said, however, that hes very optimistic about next year, pointing to the success of Saturdays Republican conference meeting, which Gonzales said showcased Johnsons strong leadership skills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think were focused on one package, and thats what President Trump wants, ultimately, wants to get over the finish line. But Id say this, look, its hard enough to get members of Congress to show up on a Monday. To get them to show up on a Saturday takes an act of God in some cases. I was very optimistic. You got to give a lot of credit to Mike Johnson and his team. Yesterday, it was well attended. It was well organized. We actually got information out from it. We were unified. You have the majority of the conference was there on a Saturday, meeting with senators, essentially saying, Hey, what do we have to do to tee it up so that way this America first agenda can get off the finish line on day one?' Gonzales said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) was present at the meeting on Saturday and said he is confident that Thune is in line with Trump, just as Johnson is. I do. I do, Gonzales said when asked whether Thune is in lockstep with Trump. For a couple of different reasons. One, I met with John Thune yesterday. Leader Thune yesterday. He had a lot of very insightful things to say. The way I view the world is government should have a limited view, but an effective piece of our society. And I think John Thune views it the exact same way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, if we can have the House, the Senate and the presidency line up and deliver for the American people, thats why we won this mandate. Thats why we won this. Is it going to be easy? No, of course not, he said. Gonzales added that the Senate has a three-seat majority and, therefore, has more breathing room to get things through. Its easier for them than us, Gonzales said. So, I think many things in the House are going to start. Thankfully we have Mike Johnsons leadership thats going to get us all together. NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Elon Musk once warned that Kamala Harris would be a "puppet president." Now, Musk has overshadowed President-Elect Donald Trump to the point that Democrats are jokingly calling him President Musk... and a new report claims that behind the scenes, Trump is annoyed about it. MSNBC legal analyst Charles Coleman Jr. spoke with Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) on the dangers of Musk's influence over Trump and what Democrats can to do push back against it. A man convicted of driving under the influence involving the death of an 8-week-old has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, the Eleventh Circuit Solicitors Office announced Friday. Charles Wesley Varn, 66, of Lexington County, was convicted Dec. 17 after entering a plea to a felony DUI involving death. Judge Roger M. Young, Sr. gave Varn the maximum sentence; he will not be eligible for parole. After 9 p.m. on Aug. 13, 2023, Varn was driving a 2017 Toyota Tacoma and slammed into the back of a 2007 Saturn Vue on South Carolina Highway 302 near Pelion, causing the Saturn to overturn, according to a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabriel Arroyo, an infant in a car seat in the back of the Saturn, died from his injuries. Varn initially denied drinking, the solicitors office said, but later admitted to consuming alcohol, and state troopers investigating the incident determined that Varn was under the influence and found an open container in his car. Later, a forensic lab by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division found that his blood alcohol content was 0.194, more than double the level to be considered impaired, officials said. Prescription drugs were also in his system. Highway Patrol Trooper Clifton Nelson and the Highway Patrols Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team found that Varn was driving at about 100 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone, according to a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During sentencing, Gabriella Lopez, Gabriels mother, told the court that the crash has caused lifetime of grief for her family. Along with several other convictions, Varn had six prior DUI convictions between 1986 and 2022. The case was prosecuted by Eleventh Circuit Senior Assistant Solicitor Todd Wagoner and Assistant Solicitor Bruce Norton. While we appreciate that Mr. Varn ultimately accepted responsibility in this case, our hope is that people will choose to be responsible before they get behind the wheel of an automobile by ensuring that they have a safe and sober driver, Wagoner said after sentencing. If Charles Varn had made a responsible decision on Aug. 13, 2023, Gabriella Lopez and Camilo Arroyo would have never had to bury their precious son, Gabriel. Varn was taken to the S.C. Department of Corrections to begin his sentence. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has warned that the ceasefire with the Lebanese Hezbollah militia is in danger, according to a report by the Times of Israel. Israel will be "forced to act" if Hezbollah fighters do not withdraw from southern Lebanon as mandated by the ceasefire agreement, Katz told the newspaper on Sunday. Katz reportedly emphasized that Israel is interested in maintaining the ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, he said, this was conditional on the Hezbollah militants withdrawing behind the Litani River, around 30 kilometres north of the Israeli-Lebanese border, and on the Lebanese Army dismantling all weapons and terrorist infrastructure in the border area. This has not yet happened, Katz warned. The ceasefire has been in effect since the end of November and is set to initially last for about two months, until the end of January. During this time, in addition to the Hezbollah withdrawal, the Israeli Army is due to leave Lebanon and the Lebanese Army is to strengthen its presence in the border area. Nicki Minaj has been sued for allegedly slapping her manager and threatening to derail his career during a concert in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena. According to TMZ, the Detroit police have requested a warrant from the Wayne County Prosecutor's office, which could issue criminal charges against Minaj in Detroit. According to the court documents, which first surfaced by TMZ on Saturday, Brandon Garrett, a manager working for Minaj, filed a lawsuit against the 42-year-old rapper in Los Angeles on Friday. In the lawsuit, Garrett accuses Minaj of berating and slapping him after a confrontation backstage in Detroit. The disagreement came after Minaj had played her Detroit show on the Pink Friday 2 World Tour on April 20. According to the lawsuit, there was a disagreement over prescription medications. Minaj became upset that Garrett, the plaintiff, once had someone else pick up her medication from a pharmacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Giant tire on I-94 to get dressed up for Detroit Auto Show More: Vikings infiltrate Ford Field, buy nearly $2 million Lions tickets: NFL says fair game "Are you (expletive) crazy having him pick up my prescription? You will never be anyone, I'll make sure of it," the lawsuit alleges Minaj said before allegedly hitting Garrett with an open hand, knocking his hat off. Garrett then hid in a bathroom in Little Caesars Arena for "hours" and was left off the tour bus and stranded in Detroit, according to the lawsuit. Garrett is seeking damages from Minaj with the lawsuit, which accuses Minaj of assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Liam Rappleye can be reached at LRappleye@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Report: Nicki Minaj sued for alleged assault over Detroit altercation Minnesota Republicans have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) over the coming special election in House District 40B, where the winning Democratic candidate was recently ruled ineligible over residency requirements. On Saturday, the state Republican Party, along with conservative election integrity group Minnesota Voters Alliance, filed a petition Saturday, arguing that Walz acted against state election law when he called a special election in the district last week. The reason? The groups say special elections in these cases can only be called 22 days after the beginning of the legislative session, which is scheduled for Tuesday, January 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Issuing a writ that blatantly violates state law is a clear attempt to undermine our elections and harm our democracy," said Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Alex Plechash in a statement. "The Democrats supported a candidate they knew to be ineligible for the seat, and now they seek to cover up their past wrongful actions by calling an unlawful and hastily scheduled special election. This comes after Republican Paul Wikstrom, who lost the 40B seat to DFLer Curtis Johnson, filed a challenge to the results alleging that Johnson did not live in the apartment he had rented in the district. The courts sided with Wikstrom, and Johnson announced he would not challenge the ruling. The decision put control of the chamber into flux. Without Johnson sworn into the seat, the House which was headed for a 67-67 split after November's elections is set to temporarily split in favor of the GOP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per KSTP, Walz fired back with his own statement, saying that "state law requires the governor to call a special election as soon as possible" and adding that "Republicans are trying to use the courts to prevent democratic legislators from being seated. House District 40B covers Roseville and parts of Shoreview and Arden Hills. LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) The City of Longview needs the publics help in helping them figure out where the citys next electric vehicle chargers should be placed. Longview ISD awards teachers $3.5 million in bonuses this holiday season Longviews Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is currently running an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Survey that they hope will help shape and support the future of sustainable transportation in the city. A picture of the Longview MPOs Interactive Map Survey , courtesy of the City of Longview. On the survey page, residents can place a marker for a potential EV charger directly onto a map of Longview or you can fill out the online survey questions at the bottom of the page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To let residents voice their input in person, the MPO will have a public meeting on Wednesday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Maude Cobb Convention Center. To learn more, visit the Longview MPOs Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Survey online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed a gathering in Nagpur on Sunday as he launched the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) registration campaign for the membership drive. Addressing the gathering the CM said that BJP was the only party owned by the people. "Except BJP and the Communist party all other parties are privately owned parties. Now BJP is the only party which is owned by the people. BJP is a party which runs democratically from bottom to top. It is only in the BJP that a tea seller can become the Prime Minister of the country," the CM said. Taking to social media X, Fadnavis wrote in a post that the membership drive was started in one lakh booths simultaneously from Sunday. "We have started the membership drive in one lakh booths simultaneously from today," the post read. Further, the CM wrote that 25,000 people had enrolled in the drive in barely two hours in the morning and the party aimed to enrol seven lakh people in Nagpur. "We have enrolled 25,000 people as members in just 2 hours in the morning. Our target is to enrol 7 lakh people as members in the entire Nagpur city," the post further read. Maharashtra Fisheries Minister Nitish Rane also took to social media X and said that the Sanghatan Parv membership in Maharashtra received a good response from the state. "The Sanghtan Parv membership registration campaign undertaken by BJP Maharashtra Pradesh is receiving a good response from across the state. Many youth are joining our BJP party," the post read. Further, he wrote that he visited the program with activists and appealed to people to join the party. "A Sanghtan Parv membership registration campaign program was organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party at Banjali in Kankavali taluka. I visited this program and interacted directly with the activists and the public. They appealed to join the BJP party by giving a missed call to the number 88 00 00 2024. Join us too," the post read. On September 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the BJP's 2024 membership drive 'Sanghatan Parva, Sadasyata Abhiyan 2024' by renewing his membership and urging party workers to make special efforts to connect with the youth. (ANI) A new plastics plant in Pennsylvania that had promised to be an economic boon is turning into a nightmare for local residents as it spews toxic chemicals into the air and water, The Guardian reported. What's happening? In 2022, Shell began operations at its Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex. The facility produces millions of tons of plastic each year and was backed by $1.6 billion in state tax incentives. According to The Guardian, Shell had promised the plant, situated in Monaca in the state's southwest, would create 20,000 local jobs and revitalize local economies. However, the facility only employs about 500 workers today. And now, local residents and environmental activists are concerned about a toxic cocktail of pollutants being emitted by the plant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, Nadine Luci, a resident who lives two miles from the plant, complained of foul smells that sometimes burn her eyes and nose and make her nauseous. "I have to live in a cocoon year-round," Luci told the news site. Meanwhile, the company has poured millions of dollars into a local public relations campaign that has included buying new equipment for local schools and sponsoring scholarships, the publication reported. Why is this pollution concerning? According to The Guardian, the plant is located in an area that was already plagued by polluting industries. Now Shell's plant releases a concerning cocktail of health-harming pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide. In fact, the company has received 33 violations for illegal levels of air and water pollution since construction began in 2017, the publication reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Breathing in VOCs can cause difficulty breathing and nausea and damage the central nervous system and other organs, according to the American Lung Association. Some VOCs can even cause cancer, the organization adds. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind Meanwhile, exposure to nitrogen oxide can lead to respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath and a cough, per the CDC. After a period of hours or days, these symptoms can worsen, and victims may suffer from bronchospasm and pulmonary edema. What's being done about polluting industries? Across the country, people are fighting back against polluting industries. For instance, two sisters in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, won a court hearing in 2023 that ultimately stopped the construction of a grain export facility in an area already facing disproportionate levels of pollution from industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Vermont will be the first U.S. state to hold Big Oil accountable with a law requiring companies to foot the bill for damages from the effects of an overheating planet. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Residents of a large Panama City Beach neighborhood gathered on Saturday for a controversial topic. Members of the Bahama Beach community got together to come up with new parking ideas on Front Beach Road, specifically near Oleander Drive. This all started after officials proposed changes to the city CRA plan that would add over 100 street parking spaces for LSVs on Oleander Drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After speaking at several meetings, city officials told residents to find a solution that worked for the whole community and bring it back to them and thats exactly what they did. Warming shelter opening in Bay County ahead of freezing temperatures Weve seen this go from one end of the court to the other end of the court as far as support and opinion so I dont know what the outcome is going to be. Im very happy with what the community has overcome. Like I outlined in the meeting, you know, weve mobilized. Weve met three times in two months among three major holidays, and weve done a lot of good work that, you know, should have been done from the beginning. So I got to give credit to them, Bahama Beach resident Anthony Angelo said. The residents will propose adding 5 or 6 clusters of parking, stretched out across Oleander Drive, creating about 30 parking spots for LSVs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They say this solution would give residents more options when looking for parking near the beach accesses without overwhelming Front Beach Road or the residents on the beach. It will also leave space at Beach Access 47 for emergency vehicles. The city also has plans to buy the Nicks Pizza property located at the intersection of Front Beach Road and Middle Beach and add additional parking spaces there but there is no timeline yet on when that will happen. Residents will present this plan to Panama City Beach officials at their meeting on January 9th. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Rockfords 6th Ward residents had the chance to express their concerns to Alderwoman Aprel Prunty inside Doughboy Donuts on Saturday. The two main concerns residents voiced were worries about the quality of roads and water safety. The first-time meeting attendee said road repairs were among the top concerns residents felt needed to be solved. The road construction, because I live right off of Harrison so getting traffic, seeing when that is going to happen, when its going to impact us because [the street is] only one way in and out really, said Burfield So, if they work on Harrison, its just going to impact my life every day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The citys public works team took questions and concerns from residents about roads, sidewalks and alleyways. Prunty said the city will have more funds this year for neighborhood improvements. So, we got about $600,000 this year, and thats up from about 300,000, said Prunty. This is a good time to hear folks concerns because this will create a plan that will be implemented this year. Another concern he had was the quality of water in his house. I do have lead pipes in my house, I was going to replace it years ago and it was, you know, like $15,000, said Burfield. So, I couldnt afford that. So, now that the city is going to pay for that, Thats pretty cool. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city received $4 million in loans last year from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to replace lead pipes. Burfield explained how important these meetings are to the community. Its super important, said Josh Burfield. Youve got to make your voice heard because knowing that if you dont, then no ones going to hear nothing and nothing is going to get done. Burfield indicated he would be attending future meetings and encouraged more residents to come out. This was really eye-opening, stated Burfield. You get to see people that youve probably seen around before, but you never talk to them. Thats why I see so many faces here Ive seen these people before, but I never talked to them We all get to voice our opinions of what needs to be done. And I think everyone should go to a ward meeting. I mean, we might need a bigger spot next time if people keep coming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To find more information about attending City of Rockford meetings visit its website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. Jan. 4MORGANTOWN Today, the world knows him as Darius Rucker. Ron Justice knew him before the world called him Hootie. They met in Justice's small Mountainlair office one day at the tail end of the 1980s. The future superstar was coming to see the Greek Life advisor with a problem. You see, he and his band had driven their old, blue van from South Carolina to play a show that, as circumstances would have it, ended up being boycotted by the WVU student body due to changes in the rush process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three students showed up to see Hootie and the Blowfish. They played anyway. And now their van was sitting dead on Maiden Lane. "So, this guy comes into my office. It's Darius Rucker. He says, 'I got a dead battery, '" Justice recalls, noting Rucker followed that line with, "I don't have any money." So, the two men drive to Morgantown's new Walmart. "He and I went to Walmart, picked up a battery and put it in his van so they could get back to South Carolina, " Justice said. "He said, 'I can mail you a check, ' and I thought, 'Ok, this guy ain't going to mail me a check, ' but it's Ok. We got him a battery. It was fifty-some dollars. Sure enough, about a week later I got this check from Darius Rucker (signed) 'Thank you very much.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As fate would have it, Hootie and Blowfish went on to release one of the top selling studio albums of all time a few years later with 1994's Cracked Rear View, which sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and garnered the group two Grammy Awards. Rucker has since picked up another Grammy and sold millions of records as a solo country artist. His version of "Wagon Wheel " is one of the five best-selling country songs of all time. "Of course we didn't know it then. It's just funny how things change, " Justice said. "That's always been one of my favorite stories." He shared it recently with the Monongalia County Commission, which held an impromptu recognition of Justice's retirement after 40 years with West Virginia University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He's retiring as WVU's director of local government relations, but the commission's appreciation was centered primarily around his years of community involvement. He credits encouragement from a professor, Dr. George Taylor, with getting him interested in city government. After an unsuccessful run in 1989, Justice was elected to Morgantown City Council in 1991. He ended up serving 18 years as a member of council, including seven years as the city's mayor. He has served or is currently serving on leadership boards with BOPARC, PACE Enterprises, the Morgantown Monongalia Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board, the Monongalia County Development Authority, the Morgantown Area Partnership, the Mylan Park Foundation and others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I always think about what if that professor had never encouraged us to go do that. I would have probably never been on city council. I would have never ran to be quite frank about it, " he said. "I've had the good fortune to serve with a lot of good people." And to the community's benefit according to members of the commission. "Ron is unequivocally the most important non-elected individual in this county in regard to pushing and driving economic development, " Commission President Sean Sikora said. Morgantown Area Partnership CEO Russ Rogerson agreed. "Ron, I think, it would be easier to say what he's not involved in in our community, " Rogerson said. "People don't realize the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes and the coordination and collaboration. The Partnership, that's what we were brought together to do, and Ron's been an absolutely critical part in that whole process on a daily basis." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Tom Bloom, who served on city council with Justice, said he still recalls the former mayor tangling with famous council critic Milt Cohen. "Through all these years, when I call, many people don't respond. You've always, everything I had a question or concern about, you were the one who'd call me back all the time, " Bloom said. While Justice said he appreciated all the kind words, he's not planning to go anywhere. "I've had the privilege of working with a lot of good people. I owe everything to WVU. They've given me the opportunity, almost 40 years. It was 1985, in fact. So, you look back now, and I don't think of it as retirement. I don't do anything else. I kind of look at it as refired versus retired. I'll be doing a lot of things. You'll still see me at the MPO and other things. I'll be doing some work for WVU, but I think it's going to be a real exciting time for me." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What about that check from his now very famous old friend, Hootie ? "Oh, I cashed it. I needed that $60, " Justice said. "Of course, if I had it to do over again and he wrote me a check, I'da probably kept it." LONDON The royal family paid tribute Saturday to the British man killed in the New Orleans truck-ramming attack, a 31-year-old who was the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harrys former nanny. Edward Pettifer was among 14 people killed when an ISIS-inspired U.S. Army veteran drove his truck into a crowd of revelers on New Years Day, his family confirmed Saturday. The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many, the family said in a statement issued by Londons Metropolitan Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private, it added. Pettifer, from the west London neighborhood Chelsea, was the stepson of Alexandra Pettifer. She cared for the sons of King Charles III in the 1990s, when she was widely known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke. Charles was deeply saddened after being made aware of Edward Pettifers death through official channels and has been in touch with the family to share personal condolences, a Buckingham Palace source said. Edward Pettifer, 31. William, the heir to the throne, said that Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X, he said that our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack. All but one of the victims of the truck-ramming attack have now been identified by the New Orleans coroners office. A female whose identity is unknown was announced as the final victim. Efforts to identify her are ongoing, according to the coroners office. All 14 victims died from blunt force trauma on Bourbon Street, the coroners office said. Seven of the victims lived in Louisiana, two were from Mississippi, one was from Alabama, one was from New York and one was from New Jersey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News that the Briton was killed in the attack emerged as authorities revealed that Shamsud-Din Jabbar had planned to use a transmitter to detonate two explosive devices he had placed nearby. Neither of the explosive devices were detonated, and it remains unclear whether the failure was due to a malfunction, lack of activation, or another issue. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com. This article was originally published on TODAY.com RUSK, Texas (KETK) Rusk Independent School District has given GW Bradford Primary pre-kindergarteners an extra week of winter break because of a broken water pipe. How to prepare for cold weather in East Texas, heres what experts say The district said that the broken water pipe caused significant water damage and that crews are currently working in the schools affected hallway to repair it before school starts back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pre-K students will now return to classes on Jan. 13 while all other students return to class on Monday. Our restoration crew is currently on site and is working diligently to clean and assess the damages in the affected hallway. We want to ensure that our learning environment is safe and welcoming for all students before they return. The new return date for Pre K students will be January 13, 2025. All other students on the campus will start tomorrow Monday January 6th 2025. We appreciate your understanding and support during this time as we prioritize the safety of our students and staff. Rusk ISD To learn more, visit Rusk ISD online or call them at 903-683-5592. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Russia is demanding the United Nations condemn Kyiv following an alleged drone attack that it claims killed a journalist working for a Russian outlet and injured several others. Russias Izvestia newspaper reported Saturday that its freelance correspondent Alexander Martemyanov died from his injuries after the drone hit the vehicle he was traveling in on the Donetsk-Horlivka highway, in Russian-occupied territory in eastern Ukraine. Russian authorities and media have blamed Ukraines armed forces for the alleged drone attack. CNN cannot independently verify the claims. Ukraine has not yet publicly commented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Denis Pushilin, the head of the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR), where the incident allegedly took place, said Martemyanov had been returning from a reporting assignment in the city of Horlivka at the time. Pushilin said two journalists from the state-run Russian news agency RIA Novosti and two from the pro-Russian publication Bloknot Donetsk who were in the car with Martemyanov had also been lightly injured in the strike and were receiving medical assistance. Bloknot Donetsk said its journalists had survived by jumping out of the moving car and sustained shrapnel wounds, concussions, and bruises. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called the incident a deliberate murder, and accused Kyiv of trying to eliminate its ideological opponents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She demanded the UN and other international organizations condemn Kyiv for the strike. All those responsible for the crime against Russian journalists will be identified and will face deserved and inevitable punishment, she added. Russia would raise the issue at an upcoming UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine, Izvestia quoted Russias First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy as saying. This is a developing story. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Ukraine has launched a counterattack in the southern Russian border region of Kursk, warning that Russia is getting what it deserves. Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, an official body, said Ukrainian forces had launched surprise attacks against Russian forces in several locations across Kursk, months after launching its incursion in the region. In a short Telegram post Sunday, the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, said: Kursk region, good news, Russia is getting what it deserves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian military first launched an incursion into Kursk in August and has held much of the territory it took, despite efforts by Russian and recently deployed North Korean troops to drive Ukrainian units back across the border. The Russian defense ministry on Monday claimed that its forces had repelled Kyivs counterattack. The ministry said that Russian units, supported by aviation and artillery, launched a decisive response and destroyed Ukraines main forces that had gathered near the village of Berdin, some 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the border. It added that Russian forces prevented the Ukrainian Armed Forces from breaking through. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNN is unable to verify battlefield reports. The Kursk offensive the first ground invasion of Russia by a foreign power since World War II took Russia and Ukraines allies by surprise when it was launched. Kyivs troops advanced quickly, though Russia eventually began to push their forces back; the line of control has not changed dramatically in recent months. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address Monday that Ukraine was maintaining a buffer zone in the Kursk region. He said that Kyivs troops were actively destroying the Russian military, and that since the start of the incursion into Kursk 5 months ago nearly 15,000 Russian troops had been killed. Zelensky emphasized that by deploying its strong units to fight in Kursk region Russia could no longer send them elsewhere to such places as Donetsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, or Zaporizhzhia regions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, Zelensky said that in battles near the village of Makhnovka, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean soldiers and Russian paratroopers. A battalion is normally several hundred troops. Unofficial Russian military blogs, which often provide reliable reporting on the Ukraine conflict, acknowledged the fighting on Sunday. One said that the Ukrainians were pushing north towards Berdin. The enemy has thrown reserves into the offensive in Kursk region, said one blog Sunday. For the breakthrough, the AFU covered the area with powerful radio electronic warfare systems, hampering the work of our UAVs (drones), the blog said. There are small arms battles, our artillery and tanks are actively working against the enemy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second blog carried a similar account, saying the offensive had begun from the Sudzha area, but the Ukrainians had also landed paratroopers and intensified fighting in other directions. In this offensive the enemy uses mine clearance trawls, tanks and other armored vehicles, the blog said, adding that frosty ground was enabling the attack, but that was not expected to last. It added that Russian bombers were in action. Ukrainian and Western assessments say that some 11,000 North Korean troops are deployed in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces occupy swathes of territory after staging the cross-border incursion. A senior Ukrainian officer told CNN that the Russians had begun a heavy bombardment of the town of Sudzha, which the Ukrainians took last August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Col. Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, press officer for the military commandants office in the Kursk region, told CNN there were swarms of drones in the area and constant explosions, with missiles landing directly on the town. The enemy is dismantling the city floor by floor, block by block, trying to clear the city before the main assault, Dmytrashkivskyi said. He said civilians holed up in a boarding school wanted to leave but Russia had not consented to their transportation. There are currently approximately 2,000 people there. About 39 people have been killed by air and artillery strikes, and more than 100 have been wounded. In eastern Ukraine, the Russian military has reported advances near the town of Kurakhove, a critical area of the battlefield in Donetsk region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unofficial Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState said that Russian forces had advanced in Kurakhove and Toretsk, and published video of a column of Russian vehicles entering the village of Yelyzavetivka before coming under heavy fire. A Russian military blog claimed that a special forces detachment had raised the Russian flag on the western outskirts of Kurakhove. Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to say when Russia would recapture the southern Kursk region after a phone-in question at his year-end news conference last month. Our guys are fighting, there is a battle going on right now, and serious battles. It is unclear why, there was no military sense in the Ukrainian Armed Forces entering the Kursk region, or holding on there now as they are doing, throwing their best units there to be slaughtered, Putin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One possible motive behind Kyivs decision to enter Russia was to improve its hand ahead of any potential future ceasefire negotiations. Incoming US President Donald Trump has said he would end the war in 24 hours, but not how, and has demurred over future military aid to Ukraine. Last week, Zelensky said that the North Korean military has been facing severe losses and accused Russia of sending them to the battlefield with minimal protection. This story has been updated with additional developments. CNNs Rob Picheta, Gawon Bae, Victoria Butenko, Edward Szekeres, Kostyantyn Hak and Anna Chernova contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inspected the Dehradun to Mussoorie trek route on Sunday and emphasised the importance of preserving its natural beauty while enhancing facilities for trekkers and tourists. Chief Minister Dhami during his trek along the Shahanshahi Ashram to Jhadipani route, called for improved amenities, safety measures, and better signage to elevate the trekking experience in Uttarakhand. To promote trekking tourism in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Dhami underscored the importance of preserving the natural aesthetics of the track while ensuring basic facilities for tourists and trekkers. These facilities include provisions for seating, eating, drinking, and restrooms, designed to cater to the growing number of visitors from across the country and abroad. During his visit, the Chief Minister instructed the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) to maintain the natural look of the trekking path while incorporating attractive signage and railings for better guidance and cleanliness. According to an official release from the Chief Minister's Office, "The Chief Minister said that the unique beauty of Uttarakhand, bright sunshine, calm atmosphere and pure air make the state an ideal tourist destination for visitors. The experience of snow-clad hills, lush green forests and pure natural scenery here makes every tourist feel an unforgettable journey." The Chief Minister said that the state government is continuously working to promote tourism in Uttarakhand. He also highlighted the need for heightened security and emergency measures to ensure the safety of trekkers. In addition to his observations, Chief Minister Dhami interacted with senior citizens and experienced trekkers to gather feedback for improving the route further. He emphasised that the trek is not just an adventure activity, but an opportunity to experience the pure air, serene environment, and scenic beauty of Uttarakhand, especially in the winter season. The state's mountains and pristine atmosphere make it an ideal destination for adventure tourism. The Chief Minister also stated that Uttarakhand is ready to welcome tourists for trekking activities not just during the summer months but throughout the winter as well. He assured that improvements will be made to other trekking routes in the state to enhance the experience for visitors and highlight the rich culture and natural beauty of the region. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Director General of Information Banshidhar Tiwari, Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Parag Dhakate, and other officials during the inspection. (ANI) The Russians are actively preparing to hold another illegal election in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine during a single election day. Source: Ukraines National Resistance Center (NRC) Details: The NRC reports that the Kremlin is launching a special chatbot to help citizens "vote" for specific candidates or file complaints to ensure the "efficiency" of the vote. Quote: "The illegal elections in the [temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine] are scheduled for 14 September 2025 and 20 September 2026 and are intended to create preconditions for increasing the number of deputies [MPs] from these territories in the State Duma of the Russian Federation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The occupation administration plans to organise nine single-member electoral districts in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Through this process, the Kremlin is trying to legitimise its occupation of Ukrainian territories and choose "representatives" of these areas for the Russian parliament. Support UP or become our patron! Russian forces launched an attack on the infrastructure of Sumy hromada using Shahed drones on the evening of 5 January (a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories). Source: Sumy Oblast Military Administration on Telegram; Ukrainian Air Force Details: At 18:56 on 5 January, Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported that Russian forces used Shahed attack drones to strike Sumy hromada's infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to early reports, there were no casualties caused by the attack. The aftermath of the attack is being assessed. Earlier, at 17:46, an air-raid warning was issued in Sumy Oblast due to the Russian drone attack. Support UP or become our patron! Russian attacks against Ukraine killed one person and injured at least 36 others over the past day, regional authorities said on Jan. 5. Ukrainian forces downed 61 out of 103 drones, including the Shahed-type ones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Another 42 drones were "lost," it added. Russian troops attacked the border town of Semenivka in Chernihiv Oblast with four guided aerial bombs, targeting a residential area. Nine people, including two children aged eight and 13, were injured, Governor Viacheslav Chaus said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attack damaged two five-story buildings, houses, a hospital, administrative buildings, and other infrastructure, he added. A Russian guided aerial bomb also destroyed a part of a residential building in the village of Svesa in Sumy Oblast, injuring 10 people, including two children, local authorities said. The aftermath of a Russian attack on the village of Svesa in Sumy Oblast on Jan. 4, 2024. (Sumy Regional Military Administration/Telegram) Four people were injured in the town of Sloviansk and one more person in the village of Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian shelling killed a 74-year-old man near Kupiansk, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. Three people suffered injuries as a result of a Russian attack on the town of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, according to Governor Serhii Lysak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 34 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. Nine people were injured over the past day, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Read also: Russia launches over 300 drones, 20 missiles at Ukraine in first 3 days of new year, Zelensky says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian commander Konstantin Nagayko, who was involved in the 2023 missile strike on Hroza, is in critical condition following an explosion, the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported on January 4. According to the agency, the explosion occurred in Shuya, Russia, severely injuring the 29-year-old battery commander of the 112th Rocket Brigade of the Russian Western Military District. "He was on duty at his military unit and is now near death. Nagayko has multiple shrapnel injuries to nearly all organs, including the brain, and has undergone a craniotomy," the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nagaykos unit was responsible for the missile strike on a cafe in Hroza, Kharkiv Oblast, during a memorial service, which killed 59 people. The attack happened on Oct. 5, when a funeral reception was held in Hroza for the reburial of a Ukrainian soldier. A missile (likely an Iskander ballistic missile) struck the cafe where 63 people were gathered for the memorial lunch. As a result, 36 women, 22 men, and an eight-year-old boy were killed, and another five were injured. Read also: Drone kills Russian journalist in occupied Donetsk Oblast, wounds 5 others, Russian media reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian Kraken unit killed Sergei Melnikov, the chief of staff of Russia's Storm Ossetia battalion, and his driver in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in late December, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on Jan. 5. The Ukrainian military had planned the ambush using FPV drones in advance, having obtained details of Melnikov's route and schedule, HUR said. Melnikov and his driver were traveling along the Vasylivka-Tokmak highway on Dec. 29, when the latter drove off the road due to a drone attack, according to the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Then the military intelligence officers hit the windshield with a kamikaze drone," HUR claimed, sharing footage showing the attack. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims. Storm Ossetia is a Russian assault unit within the 429th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces. It was formed in Russia's Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in 2022 to take part in Moscow's all-out war against Ukraine. Read also: Drone kills Russian journalist in occupied Donetsk Oblast, wounds 5 others, Russian media reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian troops have reduced the use of armoured vehicles in assaults on the areas of active combat in recent weeks, likely due to significant losses of equipment and depletion of Soviet supplies. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: The ISW analysts note in their report on 4 January that Russian troops have been using less armoured vehicles in their assaults on the most active parts of the line of contact in recent weeks. The analysts say this is likely due to attempts to conserve equipment as Soviet stockpiles are dwindling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian military sources have recently observed Russian forces employing fewer armoured vehicles and conducting fewer mechanised assaults on the Kurakhove front following significant vehicle losses in October and November 2024. The spokesperson for a Ukrainian brigade operating on the Kurakhove front stated on 3 January that Russian forces have shifted to primarily using infantry for assaults in the area over the past few weeks, with armoured vehicles now being used mainly as fire support for infantry operations. The New York Times reported on 31 December that a Ukrainian lieutenant colonel noted Russian forces increasing use of electric scooters, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) during assaults in eastern Ukraine, possibly as part of ongoing efforts to compensate for armoured vehicle losses. Russian assaults near mid-sized urban settlements such as Kurakhove and Pokrovsk may also be less suitable for mechanised operations compared to the small settlements and open fields where Russian forces advanced through most of 2024. Russian forces may be using fewer armoured vehicles on the Kurakhove and Pokrovsk fronts if the Russian military is struggling to resupply frontline units and formations and if the military command is reluctant to withdraw units for rest and reconstitution, fearing further delays to Russian advances in high-priority frontline areas. To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 4 January: Ukrainian forces reportedly destroyed or damaged over 3,000 Russian tanks and nearly 9,000 armoured vehicles in 2024, as Russia continues to experience vehicle losses that are likely unsustainable in the medium term. Russian forces have reportedly been using fewer armoured vehicles in assaults in the most active areas of the frontline in recent weeks, possibly to conserve these vehicles as Soviet-era stockpiles dwindle. Ukrainian forces struck a gas terminal at the Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast during the night of 3-4 January. Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions near Kreminna and likely maintain positions near Kurakhove. Russian forces recently advanced near Kreminna, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove. The Russian government continues to increase financial incentives to bolster the recruitment of military personnel. Support UP or become our patron! An energy infrastructure facility in the Zaporizhzhia district was damaged in a Russian drone attack on the night of 4-5 January. Source: Ukraine's National Police in Zaporizhzhia Oblast Details: The police reported that the bombardment caused no casualties. The police also recorded Russian shells hitting houses and damaging garages, outbuildings, property and vehicles. Russian forces used combat drones, aircraft, artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems to attack settlements in the Zaporizhzhia, Polohy and Vasylivka districts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast on 4 January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past 24 hours, 370 Russian strikes have been reported in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Background: On the night of 4-5 January 2025, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 103 UAVs, 61 of which were shot down and 42 disappeared from radar. Support UP or become our patron! At least seven people have been wounded in the city of Semenivka in Chernihiv Oblast's border area as a result of a Russian guided aerial bomb (GAB) attack. Source: Viacheslav Chaus, Head of Chernihiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram , The aftermath of the bombardment of Semenivka. Photo: the police Quote: "The Russians dropped four GABs on the border city of Semenivka on the evening of 4 January. They targeted the central part of the city, a residential area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are seven wounded as of 23:00 who are being provided with the necessary assistance. A search and rescue operation is ongoing. All necessary special services are working at the scene. The aftermath of the bombardment of Semenivka. Photo: the police An administrative building, hospital, cafe, residential buildings and civilian cars were damaged." Support UP or become our patron! Five people have been injured following Russian attacks on settlements of Pokrovsk and Nadiivka in Pokrovsk hromada on Sunday, 5 January. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] Source: Vadym Filashkin, Head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote: "Five people were injured as a result of the attacks on Pokrovsk hromada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the city of Pokrovsk, the Russians injured three people and damaged a store and an administrative building. Two more people were injured in the village of Nadiivka, where two houses were damaged." Support UP or become our patron! Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini welcomed the inauguration of various developmental projects by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, including the metro inauguration, which will include two stations in Haryana. The CM highlighted that under the leadership of PM Modi, the country is 'progressing at a face pace.' "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the country is becoming a developed nation. This is a very proud moment for me because today the metro has been inaugurated which will have two stations in Haryana as well," CM Saini told ANI. The CM also claimed that in the last ten years, the country has seen rapid development, including having the third-largest metro network in the world. "PM Modi has been working for the well-being of 140 crore people, In the last ten years, the country has been progressing at a very fast pace...India has become the third largest metro network in the world, Two more stations will also be functioning after the Kundli border (in Haryana), for that I thank PM Modi," Saini said. Earlier on Sunday, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone stone for several major development projects, including the inauguration of the Sahibabad-Ashok Nagar Namo Bharat Corridor. The PM also put forth the government's commitment to expanding regional connectivity in Delhi and making travel more convenient. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "We are committed to expanding regional connectivity in Delhi as well as making travel convenient. In this series, I will have the privilege of inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of many projects today at around 12:15 pm. Before this, I will inaugurate the Sahibabad-Ashok Nagar Namo Bharat Corridor." Delhi has gotten its first Namo Bharat after the inauguration. This corridor aims to significantly ease travel between Delhi and Meerut and to benefit millions of people through high-speed and comfortable travel along with unmatched safety and reliability. India's metro network has surpassed 1,000 kilometres, becoming the world's third-largest. It surpassed Japan in the length of metro rail projects in 2022. Today 23 cities in 11 states have metro rail networks, whereas in 2014 it was only in 5 cities in 5 states. (ANI) (FOX40.COM) Police responded to reports of a shooting in Sacramento on Saturday evening. According to police, the incident occurred in the 1900 block of 29th Street. Northern California residents experience weather shift from rainy to cloudy When officers arrived at the scene, they located one male who sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, police said. The gunshot victim was then taken to a local hospital for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this time, police said that they do not have a suspect in custody. Police are asking the community to contact them if they have any information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. Jan. 4Muskogee Police Chief Johnny Teehee said he welcomes new facilities, equipment and services that could be funded by a proposed county-wide sales tax. "I think this will have the most important potential for public safety in the 37 years I've been here," Teehee said. Muskogee County voters are to decide Jan. 14 on a temporary sales tax of 0.849% of one cent to fund an array of public safety facilities, projects and services. That tax would remain in effect for seven to 10 years to pay for initial buildings and equipment, then would drop to a half-cent sales tax to maintain the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If passed, the sales tax would fund: A joint facility, possibly on Columbus Avenue, to house Muskogee County Sheriff, Muskogee Police Department, Muskogee County Emergency Medical Services, Muskogee County Emergency Management, Muskogee County Call Center. New Muskogee fire station on York Street, renovations to other Muskogee fire stations, and five new fire trucks for Muskogee. New vehicles and equipment for Muskogee Police, Muskogee Fire, Muskogee County Sheriff. New joint public safety facilities, new police and fire vehicles and equipment for Haskell, Fort Gibson and Warner, planned $4 million for each community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency ambulance runs at no cost to patients living within Muskogee County. New radios for volunteer fire departments within the county. Muskogee County Emergency Medical Service Executive Director Laurel Havens said preliminary plans for the joint facility would be 60,000 square feet. "But that would probably reduce because of a lot of shared space," he said. Teehee said a new public safety building would replace the current police station, which shares space in Muskogee's 94-year-old City Hall. "We won't have to run heaters in every office nonstop, the busted pipes, all the issues we have with the building," Teehee said. "Just as important is the money it will open up for equipment." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teehee said 25 new Tahoe SUVs make up only one-third of the department's fleet. "The majority of the rest of our fleet has over 100,000 miles and are over 6 years old," he said. "That's our officers' office the whole day those units." Teehee said police radios are five years beyond their usefulness. "When they break we have to throw them away," he said, adding that the hand-held and car radios are $4,000 to $5,000. A new station and new equipment also could help recruit more officers, Teehee said. "We're going to be nine police officers down, which is tough to work with," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Muskogee County Sheriff Andy Simmons said he supports sharing facilities with Muskogee police and the call center. "Anytime you can work together, it's a win-win for everybody," Simmons said. He said his office no longer would have to pay for dispatch services. "That would free up 190,000 I can pass on to the deputies," he said. Simmons said he also needs new vehicles. "A new vehicle, by the time you get them outfitted, runs $50,000 to $60,000," he said. Warner Police Chief Ronnie Ross said sales tax passage could mean a building twice as big as the one police share with Warner Fire Department and EMS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Being such a small town, we don't have the revenue to keep everything current," Ross said. "Our radios have been at the end of life for the past 10 years." Sales tax passage also could get more emergency medical personnel in southern Muskogee County, which includes Interstate 40, Ross said. "Warner has a large call rate for EMS as it is," he said. "We get a lot of wrecks on the highway, and our EMS personnel will run that, and southern part of the county, including Porum and over to Webbers." Haskell Fire Chief Caleb Brewer said updated facilities and equipment will help the department accommodate a growing population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have over 200 homes being built in the next I was told three years," Brewer said. "We've outgrown our station we're in right now. It was built in the 80s, and the fire trucks are way bigger now than they were in the 80s." Fort Gibson Police Chief Rob Frazier said a new facility and equipment "will help our response times and overall safety of the community." "We're hoping to get new radios," Frazier said. "New radios are very expensive, for those alone, that's over $100,000 $150,000, even for small Fort Gibson." Frazier said the police station is in Fort Gibson Town Hall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "But we don't have any kind of holding center," he said. "Our area is small, but we make do with what we get. We need some kind of holding cell and training facility that's hopefully going to be included in this, also some drive through ports where we can bring prisoners in." Havens said smaller communities and rural areas also can benefit. He said the tax would fund 90 radios for volunteer fire departments. There also would be new radios for the 9-1-1 emergency call center. PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) A fire caused $200,000 to a building that was actively under construction. The Peoria Fire Department was called to the scene of a fire at 10:03 a.m. on Saturday Jan. 4 at Titan Fitness located at the 2900 West Townline Road in North Peoria, said Battalion Chief Rick Waldron. When firefighters arrived, they saw light smoke coming from the building that was under construction and the owner informed them no one was inside and all the crew working on the building was accounted for, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon entry, firefighters found the smoke was coming from a heavy fire in the sauna located in one of the bathrooms and had spread to a large portion of the building, Waldron said. The fire was extinguished within 15 minutes and no work crew members or firefighters were injured, he said. Firefighters were on scene for several hours after the fire, venting the building of smoke and checking to make sure the fire hadnt spread. Crews rotated frequently due to the cold, he said. Investigators ruled the fire was accidental and damage to the building was estimated at $200,000, Waldron said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. You can be the reason someones heart beats. An Erie native, who has dedicated his entire life to donating blood, is being honored just for that. Someone with your type is out there in need of your blood. And donating could save their life. Thats why local resident Tim Campbell has dedicated his entire life to blood donation. Community Blood Bank calls for emergency response after canceled blood drives Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive donated around 600 times. It feels good that people can go the hospital if they need surgeries and there can be blood there for them thats what it means to me, said Campbell. Campbell attended a blood drive at his church in 1989. From that moment on, passion for giving blood has pumped through his veins every day. He has since served as the donor chair for the bank and has made a significant impact on local collection efforts from organizing drives to working on several holidays to reach his goals. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Until one day when he got the news that he would have to put his goals on pause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have prostate cancer. So with prostate cancer, you cant give blood for five years, Campbell explained. And Ill go ahead and do it then when I can donate again. Campbells dad and sister also had cancer which is another reason why donation is important to him. While Campbell takes a small break, the blood blank is holding a drive to honor his commitment. Strong Vincent grad receives Presidential Citizens Medal Throughout the process of donating blood, Campbell has made friendships that will last a lifetime right in this room. Tim and I have an interesting friendship. We met donating blood, actually donating platelets. Cancer is one of the main reasons we donate platelets because it really helps the people who are going through that so its full circle, said Matt Stebick, Tims friend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stebick is also urging other people to donate as well. Its so easy to do and the people are so friendly, so its worth the time and effort to save a life or two, he said. Save people from dying. Save lives, said Campbell. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected on Jan. 5 claims that he could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the end of February, RND reported. Roderich Kiesewetter, defense spokesperson for Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said on X that "there are increasing indications that Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow and meet Putin before Feb. 23." "That is a false claim. That is deeply indecent," Scholz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Secretary General of Germany's governing Social Democratic Party (SPD) Matthias Miersch described Kiesewetter's post as "extremely problematic, infamous and dishonest." He also said that this is a violation of the agreement "on fair competition" amid the upcoming elections. German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said the "legal steps" over the CDU's spokesperson claims are being prepared. The CDU is currently leading in pre-election polls, with party leader Friedrich Merz widely seen as the frontrunner to become Germany's next chancellor. Scholz and Putin held their first phone conversation in nearly two years on Nov. 15, according to a German government statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hour-long call saw Scholz condemning Russia's war in Ukraine, urging Putin to withdraw troops from Ukraine and pursue a "just and lasting peace" through negotiations. Scholz reaffirmed Germany's "unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russian aggression for as long as necessary." President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 15 that Scholz's call with Putin opens a "Pandora's box," potentially leading to "other conversations and other calls." Read also: Germany should not rule out peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, CDU lawmaker says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and fellow Social Democratic Party (SPD) members have hit back at claims by Roderich Kiesewetter, a politician from the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), that Scholz intends to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin before 23 February. Source: Scholz in a comment to journalists on the sidelines of an event at the SPD headquarters in Berlin; statements from SPD members, as reported by European Pravda citing Spiegel and ZDF Details: Scholz dismissed Kiesewetter's assertion that he plans to visit Moscow or meet Putin before Germany's snap parliamentary elections on 23 February as untrue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Scholz: "You cant do things like this [spreading such claims ed.]. It is extremely indecent." More details: Scholz added that there is no evidence to support Kiesewetter's claim, which he described as baseless, saying "honest people can be outraged" by such remarks. The SPD has demanded that Kiesewetter apologise for his statement. During a presentation of the party's political programme in Berlin, SPD Secretary General Matthias Miersch urged Carsten Linnemann, Kiesewetter's CDU counterpart, to ensure the claim is immediately retracted and an apology issued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miersch added that Kiesewetter's remarks were a "clear violation" of the fair elections agreement that was signed before Christmas by all the parties represented in the Bundestag except the far-right and far-left factions. Rolf Mutzenich, chairman of the SDP parliamentary group, accused the conservatives of using "fabricated allegations" in an attempt to undermine Scholz's "prudent foreign policy". Quote from Mutzenich: "As the leader of the parliamentary faction, Friedrich Merz must immediately ensure that Kiesewetter retracts his false statements and publicly apologises to the Federal Chancellor." Background: On 2 January, Kiesewetter, who is the CDUs spokesperson on security policy, claimed there are signs that Scholz is preparing to meet Putin before the elections. He also claimed that Trump and Putin would meet in March 2025. Kiesewetter provided no evidence for these claims. In November 2024, Scholz spoke to the Kremlin leader for the first time in two years. Support UP or become our patron! Kokomo School Board meets at 1 p.m. Monday in the Administrative Service Center, 1500 S. Washington St., Kokomo. New school board member Alexandra Daniels Durham will be sworn in. The board will then convene for a work session and review items for its Wednesday meeting. Wednesdays meeting is at 6 p.m., same location. Taylor School Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at 3750 E. 300 South, Kokomo. Maconaquah School Board meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the administration building, 7932 S. Strawtown Pike, Bunker Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This special meeting is for reorganization and finance matters, typical procedures for the start of a new year. New school board officers (president, vice president, etc.) will be determined. The boards regular meeting is Jan. 22. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to incoming Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune (S.D.) calling for the upper chamber to have a briefing on the New Years Day attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas. As the Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to investigate the horrific attack that claimed 14 innocent victims in New Orleans, as well as the incident involving explosives in Las Vegas, I write to request that we hold a briefing as soon as possible to ensure all senators are fully informed of the ongoing situation, as well as steps that are being taken to provide enhanced security for other upcoming high-profile events taking place in the weeks ahead, Schumer began. In his letter, Schumer argued that given the severity of the attacks and the threat there will be copycat actors, the Senate should be briefed on the scope of the attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the Capitol prepares to host Trumps Inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20, Schumer said he believes the upper chamber should be briefed on the security measures being taken to protect lawmakers and the public during the high-profile event. In light of the attacks on New Years Day, I believe a comprehensive briefing on the investigations in New Orleans and Las Vegas, as well as security planning for the majority upcoming public events at the Capitol, is necessary to provide senators with information to make informed decisions about security police, emergency response, and support for the Capitol complex and the affected communities, Schumer wrote. Schumer, who will leave his position leading the Senate after Republicans took control, told Thune that he stands ready to work with him to facilitate briefings at the earliest convenience. Thank you for your consideration of this important request, Schumer concluded. I look forward to working with you in the 119th congress to ensure the safety and security of the American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill has reached out to Thunes office for comment. Schumers call to his successor comes after the two New Years Day attacks left communities reeling. In New Orleans, a man identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, rammed a pickup truck down the crowded Bourbon Street early Wednesday, killing 14 and injuring many more. The attack is being investigated as an act of terror, as Jabbar carried an ISIS flag and had explosives. Just hours later, a man died inside of a Cybertruck explosion outside of President-elect Trumps Las Vegas hotel. Seven others were injured. Officials are working to see if there is any connection between the two incidents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In a release, the IAF said, "The CAS interacted with the air warriors at Minicoy Island and Kavarati Island. During his visit, he also visited various military establishments and interacted with the troops of Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard." The CAS underscored the need to stay ahead in the face of a dynamic geo-political environment and also highlighted lAF's pivotal role in addressing emerging contingencies during the interactions. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh also stressed the importance of maintaining a high state of readiness at all times. The CAS appreciated the professionalism of the forward-deployed troops and exhorted them to be ever-vigilant in safeguarding the security interests of the nation. Earlier last month, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh attended the Central Air Command (CAC) Commanders' Conference from December 18-19 emphasizing the critical role of operational preparedness in bolstering the Indian Air Force's capabilities. The CAS underscored the need to stay ahead in the face of a dynamic geopolitical environment. He highlighted the IAF's pivotal role in addressing emerging contingencies and stressed the importance of maintaining a high state of readiness during the conference. He also urged the Commanders to ensure a robust and safe operational flying environment, while advancing efforts to integrate cutting-edge technologies in space, cyber, and electronic warfare domains. The CAS's message reinforced the IAF's commitment to adapting itself to evolving challenges and remaining a force to reckon with. Earlier on Friday, French Navy aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle arrived at Goa's Mormugao port trust jetty. On arrival at Goa, the French Carrier Strike Group received a ceremonial welcome from the Indian Navy band. The carrier strike group elements including the Rafale Marine fighter aircraft will hold an exercise with Indian Air Force fighter aircraft in the next few days while the warships will hold the 42nd edition of the bilateral Varuna exercise while returning from the Pacific Ocean after a series of exercises with allies including Indonesia there. (ANI) Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael A. OPake has switched from the Democrat to Republican party, he announced Friday in a press release explaining his decision. OPake has served as district attorney since 2018, and is currently in the fourth and final year of his second term. He will therefore be up for reelection this year, if he chooses to run again. He said he was prompted to change his longtime political affiliation by recent developments within the Democratic party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the last two election cycles, Democrats, both nationally and even in parts of Pennsylvania, have insisted on defunding the police and decriminalizing drug crimes and quality of life violations, his press release read. Instead of focusing on working people, law and order, child safety, drug-free schools, and safe neighborhoods, the new version of the Democratic party has embraced issues that do not impact most Schuylkill County residents, such as open borders, sweeping gun control, increased taxes and other similar issues. Accordingly, I can no longer sit back and be affiliated with a national party which no longer supports the values which I believe in personally and professionally. For those reasons, he changed his political affiliation to Republican, he said, explaining his decision came after more than a year of reflection and many hours of discussions with family and trusted friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schuylkill County Democratic Committee Chairman Todd Zimmerman said that while the news was disappointing, it was not surprising. Party leaders had heard for years that OPake was being recruited by the Republican party, and there had long been word that OPake was considering the change, Zimmerman said. Ive been expecting this for a long time, Zimmerman said. In 2023, OPake ran for an open judgeship on the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas but was defeated by Republican William Bill Burke, who filled a vacancy left by the 2021 retirement of President Judge William E. Baldwin. Zimmerman said that the party believes that loss was the tipping point for OPake in his decision to switch parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since that election hes been MIA within the party, Zimmerman said. Zimmerman believes, though, that Republican voters in Schuylkill may not fully embrace OPake as a candidate, which could hurt him in the next election. I dont think Republican voters will see him as a Republican, but as a political chameleon, Zimmerman said. The Democratic party already has a strong candidate in mind to replace OPake as the Democratic candidate for district attorney in this years election but will also consider other interested persons, he said. He did not name the potential candidate. OPake could not be reached for further comment on Saturday, but in his press release said that he supports law enforcement, the right to bear arms, freedom of choice when it comes to vaccines, and economic development and infrastructure improvements instead of far-reaching public welfare for non-citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zimmerman disagreed with OPakes description of the Democratic party, saying it was Republicans, not Democrats, who opposed law enforcement when they stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Democrats believe in law and order, which includes common sense gun laws such as stronger background checks to help protect society and schools in particular, Zimmerman said. OPakes comments misrepresented the party that he has long supported and benefitted him, Zimmerman said. Its very disappointing, Zimmerman said. Schuylkill County Republican Party Chairman Gary Feathers could not be reached for comment. OPake said that he prides himself on being fair, consistent and impartial in recommending sentences for individuals convicted of violating the law and will continue to run his office in a bi-partisan manner by hiring Republicans and Democrats as prosecutors and staff members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My decisions on which cases to prosecute have never been based on politics, he said. My decisions on resolution of cases, likewise, has never been based on politics. I stand firm behind my record of serving the people, not politics. Nothing about my political affiliation change will impact how I run the District Attorneys Office when it comes to staffing, charging decisions, case resolution and my dealings with law enforcement. My focus will continue to be on safe neighborhoods, drug-free schools, law and order, and a continued focus on the fight against drugs and violent crime. Some military bases across the country, including Scott Air Force Base, have announced policy changes over the weekend regarding who can enter the bases. The official statements about requiring all persons to show a U.S. Department of Defense ID card did not say why the changes were made. The new policies were announced following an attack in New Orleans, where a former IT specialist with the U.S. Army killed at least 14 people before being shot dead by police and following the death of a U.S. Army Green Beret who killed himself inside a Tesla Cybertruck that blew up outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Years Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scott Air Force Base said in a statement on Saturday that Effective immediately, 100% ID checks will be conducted at all installation gates. The Trusted Traveler Program and Scott Pass are suspended until further notice, the statement said. Any individuals without a DoD-approved access credential will be required to obtain a visitor pass, and their sponsor must physically accompany them to the Dixon Visitor Center to complete the process. A representative from Scott Air Force Base could not be reached for comment Saturday. Fort Carson, a U.S. Army post in Colorado, was one of the other military bases to announce security changes this weekend regarding who can enter the base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Fort Carson told television station KOAA, While we take the safety and security of our soldiers, families, and civilians seriously, we are unable to publicly discuss our force protection posture. Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., said in a statement Friday that security changes were made as part of our continued efforts to provide prudent Force Protection measures to safeguard personnel and resources. The Scott County Sheriffs Office has taken a pledge to keep tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products out of the hands of Scott County underage people. Known as I-PLEDGE, the program is a partnership with the Iowa Department of Revenue (IDR) to educate local retailers and to enforce Iowas tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor product laws. Since the programs inception in 2000, the statewide tobacco compliance rate has grown to 91%. By participating in the program, the Scott County Sheriffs Office has committed to do its part to increase the compliance rate even more this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I-PLEDGE places emphasis on retailer training. Clerks who successfully complete an online training course and then pass an exam will become I-PLEDGE certified. This allows a retail establishment to use an affirmative defense against a civil penalty if the certified clerk makes an illegal sale. I-PLEDGEs retailer training is a great way for clerks to prepare themselves to refuse illegal tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor product sales, Sheriff Lane said. The training also assists retailers to ensure they maintain a compliant and responsible establishment. Scott County Sheriffs Deputies will also be conducting compliance checks on local establishments as part of the I-PLEDGE program. Underage customers, under the supervision of law enforcement officials, will enter establishments to attempt to buy tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products. Clerks who make the illegal sale will be cited on the spot. Criminal penalties for selling tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products to a minor include a $135 fine for a first offense, a $325 fine for a second offense and a $645 fine for third and subsequent offenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, handling out citations is not the intent of the I-PLEDGE program. By partnering with the Iowa Department of Revenue, we hope to educate clerks and maintain a compliant retail environment in our community, Sheriff Lane said. Moreover, we pledge to help keep tobacco, alternative nicotine and vapor products out of the hands of underage persons in Iowa. To take the I-PLEDGE training or search certification records, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Its Sunday, January 5. Take a look at our top stories with KELOLAND On The GO. Sioux Falls police are investigating a weekend shooting that sent a man to the hospital. Police arrest suspect in Sioux Falls shooting Two semi-trucks crashed on Interstate 90 due to icy conditions Saturday morning. Two semi trucks collide on icy I-90 After receiving an overwhelming amount of support after a cancer diagnosis, Kobee Sherman is sharing the same kindness. The Viborg-Hurley graduate hosted the Midwest Miracles Classic today to help families that have gone through the same struggles as him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How a cancer patient is paying it forward Snowfall will be on the way out as we head through the morning, though a few more flurries and snow showers may linger in the morning for central and western KELOLAND. Storm Center AM Update: Bitter Cold Remains into Tuesday Check out our Boredom Busters! Sunday Boredom Busters: January 5th Download the KELOLAND News app to find the latest headlines while on the go. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said Sunday that the New Years Day attack in New Orleans shows Kash Patel should not be confirmed as President-elect Donald Trumps pick to lead the FBI. Schiff told NBC News Meet the Press that the terrorist attack underscores why its important to have an FBI director that has experience, has judgment, that has character, that will prioritize defending the country against the violence we saw in New Orleans or the violence we saw on Jan. 6. Schiff added that the Senate should not confirm someone whose top priority is political vendettas, who believes in Deep State conspiracy thinking, not someone who is as unqualified as Kash Patel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Schiffs remarks. Kash Patel previously vowed that Trump would come after media and government officials who criticized him. Patel, a longtime Trump loyalist, has come under fire previously for promoting the falsehood that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump. He has also previously spread baseless conspiracy theories that civil servants in the deep state are working to overthrow Trump. After Trump said in December he would nominate Patel to lead the FBI, comments Patel made in 2023 to another Trump ally resurfaced. In a podcast taping with Steve Bannon, Patel vowed that Trump would come after journalists, lawyers and judges he believes havent treated Trump fairly. We will follow the facts and the law and go to courts of law and correct these justices and lawyers who have been prosecuting these cases based on politics, Patel said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will go out and find the conspirators, not just in government but in the media yes, were going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections, he added. In an interview with Meet the Press on Friday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he believed Patel would prioritize the mission of the FBI and rebuilding trust in the institution if hes confirmed. The FBI is an agency that I think is in need of reform and needs a good makeover, so to speak. ... I think that confidence and trust [in the FBI] is largely eroded, and theres an opportunity to fix that, Thune told moderator Kristen Welker. I sat down and met with him. I think he understands thats the mission, and if hes successful through the nomination process, I hope that he will take very seriously that responsibility and focus on what he can do to make the FBI operate in a way that is protecting the American people and also being accountable, Thune added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked whether he intends to back Patel when the full Senate votes on his confirmation, Thune declined to share his position. I havent been advertising or disclosing my positions on individual nominees at this point just yet, but I my job is to make sure they get a fair process, he said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said Sunday that the Intelligence Committee will get briefed on the New Orleans attack this coming week. In an interview on CNNs State of the Union, Kelly, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he does not think the intelligence community had on their radar Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who was identified as the man shot and killed by police after the deadly New Years Day attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Kelly said he hopes to learn more at this weeks briefing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We often track individuals like this one. I wasnt aware of him. I dont think the committee was. The intelligence community seemed to not have this person on their radar, probably because there wasnt a lot of communications overseas. Or, I think, as far as we know, there wasnt any, Kelly said. Were going to get briefed on this this week, he added. Kelly said its important to evaluate whether the proper measures are in place to prevent similar attacks in the future. Whenever something like this happens, weve got to reevaluate: Are we doing the right things? Are we looking in the right places? Kelly said. This individual, you know, certainly had some personal problems, as well. The guy in Vegas as well, had some mental health issues. So weve got, weve got to learn more. Weve got to work with law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I applaud law enforcement who has such a hard job, you know, keeping us safe. But after an incident like this, were going to have to take a close look at it, make sure the next one doesnt happen, he added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Bratislav Zivkovic, a Serbian mercenary declared persona non grata in Romania in 2017 for espionage in for spying for Russia, has been killed during battles in Russias Kursk Oblast. Source: Digi24, Romanian media portal, reported by European Pravda Details: Pro-Russian Telegram channels confirmed Zivkovic's death, claiming he died "in fierce battles for the liberation of Kursk Oblast". The Serbian government has yet to comment on the reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zivkovic had been fighting for Russia against Ukraine since 2014 as the leader of a Serbian nationalist paramilitary organisation, the Chetniks. In 2017, he was expelled from Romania by court order for espionage after taking photos of military radar positions on the Black Sea coast and providing their GPS coordinates to Russian contacts. A year later, he was incarcerated in Serbia on grounds of participating in military operations for a foreign state, but he was later released. Ukraine had also opened a criminal case against Zivkovic for recruiting foreigners to fight against Ukraine. Background: In Finland, Voislav Torden (Yan Petrovsky), the founder and former commander of the Russian paramilitary group Rusich, is currently on trial for committing war crimes in eastern Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) A man has died after being shot Saturday afternoon in Bridgeport, police said. At 4:35 p.m. Bridgeport police received calls of an aggravated assault with a firearm at a single-family home at 242 Lake Street, police said. Hartford Son accused of killing father in Hartford motel stabbing Police said 27-year-old old Steven Vega from Bridgeport, sustained life-threatening injuries with gunshot wounds to the torso and hand. He was taken to an area hospital where he died Sunday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, the victim knew his attacker, 47-year-old Nelson Garcia, and they say this is an isolated incident. Garcia is wanted by police for the accused murder Steven Vega. He is known to frequent the North End and West Side of Bridgeport. Garcia is considered armed and dangerous, police said. Anyone with information on this shooting is asked to contact Detective Elizabeth Santora at 203-581-5291 or use the tips line at 203-576-8477. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. An arctic blast is battering the southern US as a brutal winter storm blows from the Ohio River Valley to the mid-Atlantic on Monday morning. The storm has disrupted travel, bringing heavy snow, ice and wind to the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. At least seven deaths tied to inclement weather were reported over the weekend in Missouri and Kansas. Hundreds of flights have been canceled across airports in the Midwest and along the East Coast, and officials in several states are pleading with residents to keep off the roads unless theres an emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And, hundreds of thousands of customers have been left in the dark in Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and other states, according to the tracker PowerOutage.US. For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in over a decade, the NOAAs Weather Prediction Center said in a statement. Meanwhile, frigid air is blowing into the southern US, bringing single-digit feels like temperatures to much of Texas and causing officials to issue a freeze watch in orange-growing Florida. Many states, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia, issued states of emergency ahead of the storm. Washington, D.C. is also under a snow emergency alert as of Sunday afternoon. Key Points Seven US states declare emergencies Inclement weather results in several deaths Flights cancelled as arctic blast causes travel chaos More than 300,000 customers have been left without power Track winter storm Blair with this interactive map Winter Storm Blair in photos: See Americans respond to the storm A winter storm will likely affect Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley later this week 22:46 , Julia Musto A winter storm will likely affect areas in and around Texas into the Lower Mississippi Valley and into the Mid-South later this week. Please see our NEW Key Messages for the latest information. https://t.co/nvInkUkVEX pic.twitter.com/cHyHTk3X8A NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) January 6, 2025 Satellite imagery shows storm sweeping across U.S. 22:45 , Julia Musto A powerful system sweeps through the eastern half of the US, bringing blizzards, ice storms, and severe weather. pic.twitter.com/8yFodf1jLb CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) January 6, 2025 Ronald Reagan Washington National Airports runways close for the night 22:39 , Julia Musto Runways have now closed for the evening at Reagan National - check with your airline for flight information. https://t.co/UJNZxygWeq Reagan Airport (@Reagan_Airport) January 6, 2025 Floridas Jacksonville Jaguars were stuck on an Indianapolis tarmac for seven hours 22:30 , Julia Musto A statue of football great Peyton Manning is seen covered in snow outside Indianas Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts beat Floridas Jacksonville Jaguars during the storm (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Floridas Jacksonville Jaguars returned home early Monday after spending seven hours waiting through a winter storm on the tarmac at Indianapolis International Airport. The NFL team lost to the Colts 26-23. With reporting from The Associated Press Power slowly restored in Virginia and other eastern states 22:16 , Julia Musto Power was slowly coming back on in eastern states that were slammed by a winter storm on Monday. There were 245,560 customers without power in 12 states affected by the inclement weather, according to tracker PowerOutage.US. The majority of outages were still in Virginia. Scary photo shows Kentucky state troopers vehicle following crash 22:15 , Julia Musto *ALERT* This trooper was hit on I-65 in Warren County. He is receiving medical treatment with non life threatening injuries. This is why we are asking you TO STAY HOME and avoid travel. #WinterStormBlair is dangerous - please heed warnings and do NOT travel today. #kywx pic.twitter.com/kQsJKkZCQo KY State Police (@kystatepolice) January 5, 2025 Kentucky utility works to restore power after more than 400 wires were reported down 22:00 , Julia Musto Deadly winter storm sends airports into chaos as more than 302,000 customers left without power 21:45 , Julia Musto Deadly winter storm causes airport chaos as thousands without power Heres how to clear a vehicle thats covered with ice and snow 21:30 , Julia Musto Stay off snow and ice covered roads today if you can, but if you must head out, make sure your vehicle is completely clear of ice or snow before starting the trip.https://t.co/Jlj8KgPT62 pic.twitter.com/ZiAEkfZGvC National Weather Service (@NWS) January 6, 2025 Cold weather also killed a person in Houston, Texas 21:15 , Julia Musto Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An individual was found dead Monday morning at a bus stop in Houston, Texas. The death was confirmed to be due to cold weather, officials told Fox 26. Temperatures in the area dipped into the low 30s overnight, according to Houston Public Media. While Washingtons zoo visitors are away, the pandas will play in the snow 21:00 , Julia Musto Tumbling in a winter wonderland! This morning, about 5 inches of snow blanketed the Washington, D.C., area, including giant panda Bao Li and Qing Bao's outdoor habitats. Flakes stuck to their fur as the bears frolicked and somersaulted. It was paws-itively the panda pic.twitter.com/MhgkM2ZyBd National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 6, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Winter Storm Blair blankets the U.S. 20:45 , Julia Musto A dog stands as people participate in snowball fight at Meridian Hill Park in Washington, D.C., on Monday. The nations capital was expected to see multiple inches through Monday evening (REUTERS/Marko Djurica) A child catches snowflakes with their tongue during El Museo del Barrios 47th annual Three Kings Day parade on Monday in New York City. The Big Apple saw flurries into the early afternoon (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Vehicles use a single lane in each direction on a snow-covered four-lane street in Indianapolis, Indiana on Monday. The last time the city saw this much snow was nearly two years ago (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) A woman crosses a snowy Brooklyn street in New York City on Monday. New Yorks Central Park saw just about a half an inch of snow on Monday (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kentucky police say dispatch saw a 70 percent increase in calls between Sunday and Monday 20:30 , Julia Musto Thank you to all our troopers, officers & dispatchers are working tirelessly during #WinterStormBlair Dispatch answered over 1,450 calls - a 70% increase in calls compared to a normal Sun/Mon. Troopers have assisted nearly 300 stranded motorists since the storm started #kywx pic.twitter.com/2aI783Xtsm KY State Police (@kystatepolice) January 6, 2025 Kentuckys Fayette County schools will remain closed through mid-week 20:15 , Julia Musto More than 4,100 flight delays are reported within, into, or out of the US 20:00 , Julia Musto More than 4,100 flight delays were reported by the early afternoon on Monday, according to tracker FlightAware. There have also been 1,837 cancelations within, into, or out of the country. More than 302,000 customers in the eastern U.S. are without power 19:45 , Julia Musto More than 302,000 customers in states across the eastern U.S. are without power during Mondays winter storm. However, numbers were on the decline in Virginia, which had the highest number of outages, according to online tracker PowerOutage.US. Dominion Energy, the states utility company, said crews were working to restore power in the hard hit areas of Richmond, Farmville, and Altavista. Winter Storm Update Our crews are working to restore power to the nearly 90,000 customers impacted by wet snow and ice across Central, Western, and Southside Virginia. The hardest-hit areas include Metro Richmond, Farmville, and Altavista. pic.twitter.com/JfOiTaicV9 Dominion Energy (@DominionEnergy) January 6, 2025 19:30 , Julia MustoSnow plows along New York interstate amid lake effect snow Missouri public works employee dies while removing snow 19:15 , Julia Musto Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials in Missouris Jackson County announced Monday that 61-year-old Everett Carter had been struck and killed on Sunday while performing snow removal operations. Carter had dedicated 40 years of service to Jackson County, including the last 8 years with the Public Works team. This is a heartbreaking loss for our entire Jackson County family, Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. said in a press release, according to KSHB. Everett Carter dedicated four decades of his life to serving our community with pride and professionalism. We will forever be grateful for his service and deeply miss his presence. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. Interactive map shows winter storm over the eastern US 19:00 , Julia Musto North Carolina woman dies in fatal crash on icy road 18:45 , Julia Musto Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A North Carolina woman is dead following a crash on an icy road. Winston-Salems Roshena Lusandra Mason, 46, was reportedly driving northbound on U.S. 52 when her Kia lost control, went off the road, and crashed into several trees, according to WGHP. The overpass had been slick due to winter weather conditions. While Mason was pronounced dead at the scene, a male passenger was taken to a local hospital for treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. Police warned drivers about hazardous travel conditions and icy and slick roads. If you must travel, please exercise extreme caution. And most importantly, slow down! Officers will be responding to calls as quickly as possible, but due to call volumes typically increasing during winter weather, response times may be delayed. We appreciate your patience in advance, the Winston-Salem department said in a Facebook post. Maryland police respond to 475 calls for service in winter storm 18:30 , Julia Musto Since 1 a.m., @MDSP has responded to 475 calls for service, including 123 reported crashes & 156 unattended vehicles. All Maryland counties have Snow Emergency Plans in effect. For updated road conditions >> https://t.co/jmDqn5c5kK pic.twitter.com/BJF65ISTx1 MD State Police (@MDSP) January 6, 2025 Biden and his team are monitoring the winter storm 18:15 , Julia Musto Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Joe Biden and his team are monitoring the severe winter weather across much of the U.S., the White House said on Monday. We want to encourage all Americans affected by this weather to take it seriously, continue to monitor forecasts, and heed the warnings of local officials, White House spokesperson Jeremy Edwards said. With reporting from The Associated Press New York begins to see flurries 18:00 , Julia Musto We are beginning to see some flurries and light snow work its way into the area from the west. This is expected to continue into early this afternoon with snowfall totals expected to be less than inch most places with highest amounts to the SW. #NYwx #CTwx #NJwx pic.twitter.com/Ygo2BCdUbM NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) January 6, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four years after the January 6 Capitol riot, police guard building amid winter storm 17:45 , Julia Musto Three police officers stand in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on Monday in Washington, D.C. Monday marks the fourth anniversary since rioters stormed the Capitol (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) The Washington Monument is visible as a U.S. Capitol Police officer stands guard at the U.S. Capitol Building on Monday. Snow from the winter storm is seen falling outside. The area will see several inches before the day is done (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) U.S. Capitol Police officers stand watch outside the U.S. Capitol building as snow falls ahead of a joint session of Congress. Travel in the area has been snarled by Winter Storm Blair (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) Cincinnati Airport works to clear airfield after historic snowfall 17:30 , Julia Musto Our airport winter operations teams are working hard to clear everything from public roadways, sidewalks, runways, and all connecting parts of the airfield. Check out their great work! pic.twitter.com/m00nJVtdd2 CVG Airport (@CVGairport) January 6, 2025 Up to 12 inches of snow are forecast to fall across the Mid-Atlantic 17:15 , Julia Musto The first winter storm of the season is expected to produce between six and 12 inches of snow across the Mid-Atlantic, including in Washington, D.C., forecasters warned Monday. An additional two to four inches are anticipated to fall over the Ohio Valley and Central Appalachians, the National Weather Service warned. By Monday evening, freezing rain and light icing is forecast to develop from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic. Icicles block Virginia road cam 17:00 , Julia Musto We received an ice accretion report of 0.10" from the Short Pump area of RVA on I-64. A webcam in that area shows some icicles that developed over the past few hours due to freezing rain. Try to stay off the roads today, but if driving, make sure to use extreme caution! pic.twitter.com/0Bxd3r2BNI NWS Wakefield (@NWSWakefieldVA) January 6, 2025 Virginia sees more than 200 crashes in just 12 hours including one fatality 16:45 , Julia Musto In Virginia, state police said they had responded to more than 200 crashes between 4 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday, although not all of the incidents were storm related. Several accidents included injuries. One was fatal. A 32-year-old man identified as Timothy Lee Tanner died around midnight in Wakefield after his truck ran off the road and struck a tree, according to WRIC. Police said he was driving too fast for roadway conditions and wasnt wearing a seat belt, while alcohol appears to be a contributing factor. With reporting from The Associated Press President Biden changes travel plans due to weather 16:34 , Julia Musto Snowy conditions in Washington, D.C., forced a change in President Joe Bidens travel plans on Monday. Biden, who is heading to New Orleans following the New Years Day truck attack, will drive to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to board Air Force One for the flight. He typically flies directly to the base on the Marine One helicopter. With reporting from The Associated Press Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport sees record snowfall 16:30 , Julia Musto Some 8.4 inches of snow fell in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sunday, resulting in flight cancelations. That marks their snowiest day since 1998 and broke their record daily maximum snowfall set in 1977. [12:54 AM] ...Record Daily Maximum Snowfall Set at Cincinnati, OH... A record snowfall of 8.4 inches was set at Cincinnati on 01/05/25. This breaks the old record of 6.9 inches set in 1977. NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) January 6, 2025 A few more inches of snow were expected on Monday across Cincinnati, where car and truck crashes Monday morning shut down at least two major routes. With reporting from The Associated Press Rail travel also snarled by winter storm 16:15 , Julia Musto Tthe nations passenger railways have also been disrupted by the storm, with more than 20 cancelations reported on Sunday and about 40 planned for Monday. If local authorities are telling people not to travel, its counterintuitive to try to run a full slate of services when people are being told to stay home, Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari told The Associated Press. In Photos: Americans respond to deadly winter storm 16:00 , Julia Musto People throw snowballs on Monday near D.C.s Washington Monument as U.S. flags fly at half-staff in memorial to former President Jimmy Carter. The city will see several inches of snow (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Desheria Franklin, who works for the city of Annapolis, shovels snow on Monday in Annapolis, Maryland. Maryland schools were closed due to the inclement weather conditions (AP Photo/Brian Witte) Snow covers homes on Monday during a winter storm in Cincinnati, Ohio. The city saw record snowfall over the weekend (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel) A truck sprays salt on the street during a winter storm in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday. Very cold temperatures will persist there throughout the week (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) Winter storm conditions force school closures 15:45 , Julia Musto Schools were closed Monday in multiple states across the eastern U.S. due to winter storm conditions. Closures were reported in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, as well as Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Our priority is the safety of everyone in our city and getting D.C. cleaned and fully opened as soon as possible, Mayor Muriel Bowser wrote in a post on social media. That said, if you dont need to be on the roads tonight and tomorrow, stay home. Multiple deaths tied to inclement weather over the weekend 15:30 , Julia Musto At least three deaths linked to inclement weather were reported over the weekend. In Kansas, a Yukon SUV traveling in southbound on Interstate 235 spun out of control, the states highway patrol said. While going down the embankment, the vehicle rolled an unknown number of times. Both occupants were unrestrained and ejected from the vehicle. The vehicle came to rest upright, facing Northwest by the KDOT fence, a report noted. A young man and woman in their mid-twenties were killed in the incident. They were identified as Nathaniel Boyd and Whitney Almond. In Missouri, the states highway patrol said a 33 year-old man from Neligh, Nebraska, was killed after his vehicle which had been parked on the shoulder of Mound Citys Interstate 29 began to slide down a hill. Authorities said that at least 600 motorists had been stranded in the state. Hundreds of other car accidents were reported in Virginia, Kansas, Indiana, and Kentucky. With reporting from The Associated Press Satellite imagery shows extent of major winter storm 15:15 , Julia Musto Infrared imagery via @NOAA's #GOESEast (GOES-16) satellite is showing a major #WinterStorm that has been moving from the central Plains and is now bringing heavy snow and freezing rain across the Mid-Atlantic region this morning. Latest updates and advisories: pic.twitter.com/51wE7cl0fr NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) January 6, 2025 Hundreds of flight cancelations are reported across the U.S. 15:00 , Julia Musto Hundreds of flight cancelations and delays are reported at airports across the eastern US on Monday morning. More than 230 cancelations were reported at D.C.s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., according to tracker FlightAware. And, Marylands Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Major winter storm forces more than 280,000 customers into the dark 14:30 , Julia Musto More than 280,000 customers are in the dark on Monday as a major winter storm sweeps across the eastern US. The majority of the outages were reported in Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.US. Watch: Nations capital bracing for dangerous winter storm 14:00 , Katie Hawkinson In pictures: Kansas hit with blizzard-like conditions 12:30 , Katie Hawkinson A rider makes his way through Wichita, Kansas on a one-wheel electric scooter in blizzard-like conditions on Sunday morning (AP) Cyclists travel through Wichita, Kansas during heavy snowfall on Sunday morning (AP) A Shawnee, Kansas resident uses a snow blower amid a major winter storm on Sunday morning (Getty Images) In pictures: Kentucky buried under winter storm 11:00 , Katie Hawkinson A plane sits parked during a snow storm at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky on Sunday (Getty Images) A snow-covered limo sits parked in Louisville on Sunday (Getty Images) Cars sit parked during a snowstorm in Louisville on Sunday (Getty Images) Watch: Multiple vehicles slide off Kansas City highway during winter storm 09:30 , Katie Hawkinson Mapped: Snowfall predictions across US as winter storm batters several states 08:00 , Katie Hawkinson Looking for snowfall forecasts and probabilities for certain amounts? Be sure to explore WPC's experimental Probabilistic Precipitation Portal at https://t.co/nNsROLQFxq. pic.twitter.com/P4ukCB0WGh NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) January 5, 2025 Video: See conditions around Lexington as the city is hit by a winter storm 06:30 , Katie Hawkinson Watch: DC mayor declares snow emergency ahead of major winter storm 05:01 , Katie Hawkinson Schools and government offices to remain closed in Philadelphia 05:00 , Shweta Sharma Schools and government offices have been ordered to remain closed in Philadelphia with more snow expected on Monday. The School District of Philadelphia said it will remain closed Monday due to the expected winter storm. Philadelphia is expected to see seven inches of snow Monday morning with temperature likely to drop to -6C. Nearly 150,000 power outages in worst-hit US states 04:36 , Shweta Sharma Severe weather has left nearly 150,000 residents without electricity in Missouri, Illinois, Louisiana and Kentucky, according to Poweroutage.US. Kentucky suffered the most power outages with 52,754 remaining without electricity. (AFP via Getty Images) Heavy snowfall has brought down trees, snapping power lines and blocking roads, further complicating restoration efforts. Flights cancelled as arctic blast causes travel chaos 03:45 , Shweta Sharma Heavy snow and freezing rain are causing travel chaos for millions of commuters across the US, as well as in parts of Europe and the UK. In the US more than 1,000 flights were cancelled and over 3,000 were delayed due to the sweeping wintry weather conditions yesterday. The Kansas City international airport temporarily halted flight operations in the afternoon due to ice. Dozens of flights were delayed, including a charter jet transporting the Kansas City Chiefs, before the runways reopened. Kansas also shut down all state highways due to impassable conditions, according to the states Transportation Department. The closures included roughly 220 miles (354kms) of the states main artery, Interstate 70, from the Missouri border into central Kansas. Hundreds of car accidents were reported across Virginia, Indiana, Kansas, and Kentucky. In Kentucky, a state trooper sustained non-life-threatening injuries after his patrol car was struck on Interstate 65. In Missouri, the highway patrol reported that at least 600 motorists were stranded. (Danny Lawson/PA) Kentucky governor Andy Beshear, who declared a state emergency ahead of the storm, said state buildings would be closed Monday. We see far too many wrecks out there for people that do not have to be on the roads, so I want to ask: Stay inside. Stay safe with your family, the governor said. Virginia State Police reported at least 135 crashes as the storm entered the state Sunday. A handful of injuries were reported. Seven US states declare emergencies 03:35 , Shweta Sharma Seven US states have declared whole or partial states of emergency as a wintry blast of snow, ice and wind is expected to roil the region with the heaviest snowfall and lowest temperatures in over a decade. More than 60 million Americans across 30 US states are under weather alerts, bracing for heavy snow and bitter cold on Monday. Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri declared states of emergency, while New Jersey declared an emergency for several counties including Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem. The National Weather Service (NWS) said bone-chilling arctic air is set to move in behind the storm front, with daytime temperatures on Monday and Tuesday predicted to be 10 to 20 degrees F below average from the Great Plains to the East Coast. Hundreds of car accidents were reported in Virginia, Indiana, Kansas and Kentucky, where a state trooper was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after his patrol car was hit on Interstate 65. At least 600 motorists were stranded in Missouri, the states highway patrol said. Watch: Governor Andy Beshear says Kentucky should expect major impacts from winter storm 03:30 , Katie Hawkinson Mapped: Winter storms path to mid-Atlantic 02:00 , Katie Hawkinson A major winter storm will produce significant snow and ice from the Central Plains through the Mid-Atlantic. Severe thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening from the Sabine River Valley into the lower Mississippi Valley. pic.twitter.com/CYJeFnvZL6 National Weather Service (@NWS) January 5, 2025 In pictures: Cincinnati sees flurry of snow 00:30 , Katie Hawkinson A snow plow clears a parking lot in Cincinnati on Sunday. Cincinnati and the surrounding area are under a winter storm warning for the rest of Sunday (AP) A Cincinnati resident brushes snow off his car on Sunday. The winter storm will reach the mid-Atlantic late Sunday or early Monday after passing through the Ohio River Valley (AP) Cars drive on a highway in Cincinnati as snow falls on Sunday (AP) Several states to face extensive area of heavy snow, NWS says Sunday 5 January 2025 23:00 , Katie Hawkinson Several states will face an extensive area of heavy snow from the winter storm tonight and Monday, the National Weather Service said. Northern Missouri and the Central Appalachians could see up to 14 inches of snow while the mid-Atlantic including the Washington, D.C. metro area could see up to a foot of snow. Heavy freezing rain will also hit the Mid-South overnight, which could cause widespread power outages and create dangerous road conditions. Key messages from the National Weather Service on Sunday afternoon (National Weather Services) Ice coats Louisville, threatening power outages Sunday 5 January 2025 22:30 , Katie Hawkinson Louisville, Kentucky has been hit with significant icing, prompting concerns about road travel and threatening power lines. There are more than 20,000 customers without power in Kentucky as of late Sunday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us. Meanwhile, about 30,000 customers are without power in nearby Missouri. Unfortunately, you can see the glaze of ice in Warren County KY. Significant icing will create even more problems than just on the roads. Tree limbs and power lines are vulnerable too pic.twitter.com/Ryl2DbPSEO NWS Louisville (@NWSLouisville) January 5, 2025 More than 90% of flights leaving Kansas City airport canceled Sunday 5 January 2025 22:00 , Katie Hawkinson Ninety-four percent of flights departing from Kansas City International Airport have been canceled as of late Sunday afternoon, according to FlightAware. At the airport, 143 departing flights, along with 141 arriving flights, have been canceled so far today. In pictures: Kentucky buried under winter storm Sunday 5 January 2025 21:30 , Katie Hawkinson A plane sits parked during a snow storm at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky on Sunday (Getty Images) Cars sit parked during a snowstorm in Louisville on Sunday. Freezing rain and ice are expected this evening, threatening power outages and impacting travel (Getty Images) A snow-covered limo sits parked in Louisville on Sunday (Getty Images) Dallas-Fort Worth airport sees almost 200 cancelations Sunday 5 January 2025 21:15 , Katie Hawkinson Nearly 190 flights to and from Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport have been canceled today as severe winter weather disrupts travel across the country, according to FlightAware. There have also been more than 1,000 delayed flights to and from the Texas airport. This puts DFW as the airport with the third-most cancelations today, ranking just below Kansas City International Airport and St. Louis Lambert International Airport. The Dallas-Forth Worth area, along with most of Texas, is under a cold weather advisory due to a blast of Arctic air this week. Feels like temperatures will drop into single digits this week through much of the state, according to the National Weather Service. Watch: Multiple vehicles slide off Kansas City highway during winter storm Sunday 5 January 2025 21:00 , Katie Hawkinson Tornado watches issued in multiple states Sunday 5 January 2025 20:30 , Katie Hawkinson Intense thunderstorms are hitting the southern US, prompting tornado watches in areas of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas until 6 PM CST pic.twitter.com/VaGd4YcyUN NWS Tornado (@NWStornado) January 5, 2025 Midwest airports see increasing cancelations amid storm Sunday 5 January 2025 20:00 , Katie Hawkinson Three major midwest airports are seeing hundreds of cancelations as a winter storm system passes from the Central Plains to the mid-Atlantic, according to FlightAware. Kansas City International Airport is leading in cancelations today, with more than 270 flights to and from the airport canceled as of Sunday afternoon. St. Louis Lambert International Airport is in second place, with nearly 250 flights to and from the airport canceled. Chicago OHare International Airport is starting to see cancelations too, with just under 160 flights to and from canceled as of Sunday afternoon. These three airports are leading the US in cancelations this afternoon, FlightAware reports. Watch: Nations capital bracing for dangerous winter storm Sunday 5 January 2025 19:30 , Katie Hawkinson Severe thunderstorms to hit southern US Sunday 5 January 2025 19:00 , Katie Hawkinson Severe thunderstorms will hit the southern US as a brutal winter storm passes across the country. Level 3 thunderstorm warnings are in effect for parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Heavy rain, high winds and damaging hail are all expected. Snowfall could break records in many cities Sunday 5 January 2025 18:29 , Katie Hawkinson This weeks winter storm could break January snowfall records in several cities as it brings heavy snow and ice to much of the US. Kansas City could be on track to surpass its previous January snowfall record of 7.2 inches, set in 2011. Meanwhile, Indianapolis could surpass its 2014 record of 11.4 inches for the month of January. A Shawnee, Kansas resident uses a snow blower amid a major winter storm on Sunday morning (Getty Images) Power outage update: Kansas improves as Missouri numbers rise Sunday 5 January 2025 18:00 , Katie Hawkinson As a winter storm pummels the Central Plains region, thousands are expected to lose power due to heavy snow and ice. In Kansas, just over 6,000 customers are without power, an improvement from the 10,000 reported this morning. Meanwhile, Missouri has more than 20,000 customers without power, up from 15,000 this morning. In pictures: Kansas hit with blizzard-like conditions Sunday 5 January 2025 17:37 , Katie Hawkinson Cyclists travel through Wichita, Kansas during heavy snowfall on Sunday morning (AP) A car drives on Interstate 70 amid heavy snowfall in Topeka, Kansas on Sunday morning (via REUTERS) A rider makes his way through Wichita, Kansas on a one-wheel electric scooter in blizzard-like conditions on Sunday morning (AP) Pictures roll in as snow blasts midwest Sunday 5 January 2025 17:02 , Katie Hawkinson Pictures are rolling in from the midwest as snow and ice blast the region. Here is just a snapshot of Webcams from around southern IN & central KY. Roads are snow covered or turning icy. Frz. rain around Bowling Green. Roads are hazardous. Just avoid any unnecessary travel. pic.twitter.com/T9ofqonggi NWS Louisville (@NWSLouisville) January 5, 2025 Rolling Up Our Sleeves on I-70 When icy roads demand action, we do whatever it takes to get Kansas moving safely again. Westbound I-70 near Exit 252 has been closed due to ice and crashes, but thanks to the hard work of KDOT and our troopers, its being prepped for reopening. pic.twitter.com/PfeGIgfncJ Trooper Ben (@TrooperBenKHP) January 5, 2025 From outside our office in Weldon Spring - snow is picking up in intensity! Pictures are courtesy of two snow-loving meteorologists hear at NWS St. Louis. pic.twitter.com/z7NMsH0WrS NWS St. Louis (@NWSStLouis) January 5, 2025 Kansas police post humorous warning to stay off roads Sunday 5 January 2025 16:57 , Katie Hawkinson The Lawrence, Kansas Police Department issued a humorous warning on X telling residents to stay off the roads as a winter storm pummels their region. The crash reports havent stopped, but theyve slowed significantly, the department wrote. Precipitation is not currently falling, and traffic has lightened substantially (finally). THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE ROADS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE, ALAN. Keep your suburbitank in the driveway and turn up the fireplace. The crash reports havent stopped, but theyve slowed significantly. Precipitation is not currently falling, and traffic has lightened substantially (finally). THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE ROADS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE, ALAN. Keep your suburbitank in the driveway and turn up the fireplace. Lawrence Police (@LawrenceKS_PD) January 4, 2025 Missouri officials issue plead with residents to avoid non-emergency travel Sunday 5 January 2025 16:22 , Katie Hawkinson Missouri officials are imploring residents to avoid non-emergency travel until tomorrow as snow and ice pelt the region. Drivers need to avoid traveling until conditions improve sometime on Monday, Missouri Department of Transportation Chief Safety and Operations Officer Becky Allmeroth, according to local outlet KMBC. For the remainder of this weekend, travel should be limited to emergencies only, Allmeroth added. These difficult conditions will also delay response times for our crews and emergency response partners. The National Weather Service issued a similar warning. Again, PLEASE STAY HOME IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, the agencys bureau in Kansas City wrote on X. Or at very least use EXTREME caution. Missouri airports lead nation in flight cancelations Sunday 5 January 2025 16:06 , Katie Hawkinson Two airports Missouri where more than 16,000 people are already without power as a winter storm blasts the Central Plains are leading the country in flight cancelations, according to FlightAware. Airlines have canceled 218 flights to and from St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Another 191 flights to and from Kansas City International Airport were also canceled as of Sunday morning. These airports have canceled more flights than any other airport in the US today, FlightAware data shows. Officials have warned that air travel could be disrupted and road travel could become highly dangerous due to heavy snowfall and ice from the storm, which will reach the mid-Atlantic late Sunday or early Monday. Thousands already without power as storm begins rampage Sunday 5 January 2025 15:56 , Katie Hawkinson More than 25,000 people are already without power across Kansas and Missouri, according to PowerOutage.us, as a winter storm hits the Central Plains before heading toward the mid-Atlantic. Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska could see winds over 40 mph and up to 15 inches of snowfall today, according to the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, up to 14 inches of snow could hit northeast Missouri through the Central Appalachians. Arctic air to impact millions, reaching as far south as Florida Sunday 5 January 2025 15:48 , Katie Hawkinson Freezing air from the Arctic will hit the eastern two-thirds of the US, the Associated Press reports, bringing strong and frigid wind chills to millions of people. This Arctic blast will even impact Florida, according to the AP. The wind chills are going to be brutal, Woodwell Climate Research Institute climate scientist Jennifer Francis told the outlet. This wind could make for the coldest January in the country since 2011, Accuweather Director of Forecast Operations Dan DePodwin said. This winter storm is expected to make road travel particularly dangerous, bringing heavy snowfall and ice to several states. What to expect as winter storm pummels much of US Sunday 5 January 2025 15:43 , Katie Hawkinson A major winter storm bringing significant snow and ice across the Central Plains and mid-Atlantic regions will strike today through Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska could see winds over 40 mph and 15 inches of snowfall today. Meanwhile, up to 14 inches of snow could hit northeast Missouri through the Central Appalachians. A substantial area of freezing rain is also expected from Kansas through the Central Appalachians today. The mid-Atlantic region, including the major metro areas of Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., will see the worst of the storm tonight through Monday. Key messages from the National Weather Service about this weekends winter storm (National Weather Service) Brutal winter storm stretches from Central Plains to mid-Atlantic Sunday 5 January 2025 15:38 , Katie Hawkinson A winter storm will barrel across the US today and Monday, bringing up to a foot of snow along with ice and rain to millions. Some 70 million people are under some kind of weather alert this morning as the storm ramps up. Dangerous travel conditions and power outages are expected as the system moves from the Ohio River Valley to the East Coast late Sunday into Monday. For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in over a decade, the NOAAs Weather Prediction Center said in a statement. Follow along for live updates from The Independent. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel addressed the Panchamrut Women Convention organized by Shri Patidar Parivar Trust in Ahmedabad on Sunday. During his address, the CM emphasized the state government's unwavering commitment to women's empowerment and all-round development, highlighting Gujarat's success in realizing the vision of women-led development, according to a statement by the CM's office. "Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Double Engine Government is implementing a threefold strategy focused on women's advancement, empowerment, and development," read the statement. The CM further noted the collaboration between social organizations and government initiatives enhances the reach and impact of public service. Praising the convention, the Chief Minister recognized that the program organized by Shri Patidar Parivar Trust (Luv-Kush) serves as a platform for advancing health, education, and women's self-reliance. "The event underscores the growing strength of women in the 21st century," the CM remarked, according to the statement. The CM further highlighted the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to build Viksit Bharat by empowering the key pillars of GYAN -- Garib (Poor), Yuva (Youth), Annadata (Farmers), and Nari Shakti (Women Empowerment). The statement added further, "Gujarat is accelerating its development in alignment with this vision, with over 189 schemes dedicated specifically to women's welfare. He also acknowledged the Prime Minister's innovative policies, such as the Gender Equity Policy and Gender Responsive Budgeting, which have been instrumental in achieving women's empowerment and overall development." According to the statement, the state is also the first one to implement the Gender Budget in 2014. The CM discussed the government's initiatives to offer employment and training opportunities for women. "Over 30 lakh women from underprivileged families have formed more than 3 lakh self-help groups, with a revolving fund of Rs182 crore allocated to over 2 lakh groups. The government remains committed to ensuring women's self-reliance and safety," the CM said according to the statement. The Chief Minister addressed women's safety concerns, stating that the government has successfully implemented initiatives such as Abhayam 181, Women's Helpline, SHE Team, Women's Cell, and Police Station-Based Support Centers. Moreover, there has been a Rs6,885 crore budget allocation for the Women and Child Development Department this year, marking a 13% increase from the previous year. "To further support the education of girls, the government introduced Namo Lakshmi, Namo Saraswati, and Namo Shree schemes for maternity support. Under the Namo Lakshmi scheme, Rs50,000 is provided to students from standards 9 to 12 over four years, while the Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana scheme offers Rs25,000 to students in the 11th and 12th science streams," read the CMO's statement. Reaffirming the Prime Minister's vision for India to become a global leader in women-led development, the Chief Minister mentioned the Viksit Bharat@2047 goal. He outlined the Gujarat@2047 roadmap, which seeks to increase women's participation in the state's economy. The CM expressed confidence that social organizations like the Patidar Parivar Trust will collaborate with the government to achieve these goals through such initiatives. (ANI) At the beginning of this year, Sumy Oblast has recorded a substantial rise in the number of Russian strikes compared to last year. Source: Volodymyr Artiukh, Head of Sumy Oblast Military Administration, on air during the 24/7 national joint newscast Quote: "To be frank, we've had four times as many strikes 338 in these five days compared to last year... The use of FPV drones has increased substantially; there were none last year, but there are now over 130. These include guided aerial bombs, Shaheds and other unmanned aerial vehicles." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Artiukh applauded the "fairly effective" performance of air defence units and volunteer formations. He reports 44 Russian drones were downed in the oblast within the first five days of January. The Sumy Oblast Military Administration later confirmed that the number of attacks has quadrupled since last year. The Russians' most regularly utilised weapons include guided aerial bombs, FPV drones, and other unmanned aerial vehicles. More specifically, 129 strikes have been carried out with FPV drones during the first five days of 2025. Settlements in the Sumy and Shostka districts have been worst hit by artillery shelling and aerial strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, the military administration emphasised that there have been no recorded instances of Russian forces crossing the Ukrainian border into Sumy Oblast. Quote from Military Administration: As for the situation on the ground: individual sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the enemy have entered Ukrainian territory, but their actions have been swiftly dealt with by Ukrainian Armed Forces units and border guards. Most Russian sabotage groups have been eliminated." Support UP or become our patron! HONOLULU (KHON2) Six of the burn victims from the New Years firework explosion in Aliamanu are on the mainland for further medical treatment. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Multiple agencies assisted in the transport on Saturday, Jan. 4 morning. Governor Josh Green said five men and one woman were transported to the specialized burn treatment center in Arizona. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HPD reports fewer fireworks arrests, citations Medical personnel from Queens Hospital and Straub Benioff Medical Center were seen loading patients into ambulance military busses which were escorted by Honolulu Police and Emergency Medical Services ambulances towards Hickam Air Force Base. Honolulu Emergency Medical Services will be following along in the motorcade in the event any patients condition deteriorates and requires return to the hospital, explained Honolulu EMS Director Dr. Jim Ireland. We dont want the busses to have to turn around with the other patients. Officials said roughly 30 military specialists with experience in air transport and aeromedical flew in from San Antonio to assist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because its six patients and all six are critically ill, its a big team, and that way, every individual patient has four or five people dedicated to them, explained Dr. Ireland. Its a mixture, I believe, of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, technicians, to give each person personalized ICU level care for that trip to Arizona. Loved ones said some of the victims who were flown to Arizona had over 60% burns to their bodies. Health officials said the most critical patients who are fit enough to fly were sent. So it depends on the severity of the burns, how much of the body is burned, and the age and health of the patient, explained Healthcare Association of Hawaii president Hilton Raethel. So in terms of sending patients to the mainland, which is very unusual for us to need to send burn patients to the mainland, you would only want to send patients who can take survive the flight, who is stable enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said its very traumatic flying a severely ill patient so far away. To Arizona is about six or seven hours of flying, he said. Theres the ambulance ride to the airport, loading in the plane, the flight, and then the ambulance right at the other end and getting them set up in the hospital. Its a pretty big deal to be able to move a severely ill patient that type of distance. Straub Benioff is the only state facility with a dedicated burn unit and has four licensed burn beds. Raethel said burn care requires unique equipment and staff. Queens Hospital can stabilize patients, but cannot care for severe burn patients long-term. Dr. Ireland and Raethel said it will be a long, costly road to recovery for the victims. Raethel added that the rule of thumb for patients with over 25% of burns to their body is one hospital day for every percent of the body thats burned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of these patients had burns well over 50% of their body, or even higher, and so that means they could be in hospital for a number of months, he said. Its not unheard of for patients with very severe burns to be in hospital for over a year, which obviously is huge consequences for that patient. Were praying and were hopeful no one else dies, but that may not be the case, said Dr. Ireland speaking of all the victims still being treated across the island. We still may lose more people from this incident, so its just a powerful reminder of what tragedy can fall on those who use these [illegal fireworks]. Check out more news from around Hawaii Both also said having this many patients severely injured from a civilian accident is unprecedented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flight left Honolulu around 11 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) The Small Business Administration is set up to assist those recovering from Hurricane Helene. They are set up alongside FEMA at their Disaster Recovery Centers in Bluefield and Princeton, plus they have a business recovery center at the Princeton Public Library. Jim Accurso is the public affairs specialist for the SBA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. He said the SBA can help businesses with disaster loans of up to $2 million and homeowners with up to $500,000 in loans. Homeowners and renters can get up to $100,000 for the contents of the home that were damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres a look at the $100 billion in disaster relief in the government spending bill Everyones situation is unique, so we just encourage them to come in and apply, get the application in, and then within a couple of weeks they will be contacted by our center, our processing center, and then they will determine actually what documentation is needed pictures, receipts, and things like that, said Accurso. The deadline for to submit something for physical damage is February 7, 2025. There is also a deadline to submit for idle loans by September 9, 2025. There is no fee to apply for these loans. They are open Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can also find them on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A warehouse fire has sent massive plumes of smoke seen across Dayton. Dayton Fire crews are currently working in the area of Salem Avenue and Litchfield Avenue on a structure fire. The fire was first called in around noon and quickly upgraded to a working fire. Vandalia crews rescue man who reportedly fell into train car Crews on scene report a large vacant warehouse with heavy smoke showing. DFD says they are setting up for a defensive operation with multiple attack lines deployed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several 2 NEWS team members report the smoke is visible from various areas of Dayton, including from I-75, US-35 and Trotwood. Dayton police crews are on scene to direct traffic while firefighters work. This story is developing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. A major storm unfolded across the central United States this weekend, burying communities in up to a foot of snow, while others were glazed with a layer of dangerous ice. As the storm moved east from the Ohio Valley and across the mid-Atlantic, slippery conditions and difficult travel persisted through Monday evening. This past weekend, "AccuWeather snow experts became increasingly concerned about dangerous travel impacts from heavy snow across parts of the mid-Atlantic, including Washington, D.C., and the Baltimore metropolitan areas," said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter. Porter warned that extremely heavy snow "falling at the rate of 1-2 inches per hour, coinciding with the first full morning commute after the holiday season, would bring dangerous travel." Both cities received 6 to locally 12 inches of snow, making it the first major storm for these metro areas in three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Accumulating snow was predicted as far south as Virginia and as far north as central Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey. Other major metro areas such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh had a few inches of accumulation. "When it is snowing that fast a rate, despite the best efforts of road crews, it is difficult to keep up with the accumulation and keep roads clear of snow," Porter warned. "We've seen similar situations in the past catch people off guard who aren't prepared for the impacts, leading to highway chaos' including multiple-vehicle pileups and traffic jams, which have resulted in major interstates being shut down for hours." "Even as the heaviest and steadiest snow moved off the mid-Atlantic coast Monday night, a zone of intermittent snow will extend from the Ohio Valley and the central Appalachians to the I-95 corridor," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. "As temperatures plummet into Tuesday morning, any untreated wet and slushy areas will freeze, adding to hazards on roads, sidewalks and parking lots." Travel difficulties were extensive across parts of Kentucky, central and southern Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. In these areas, precipitation fell mostly as freezing rain and sleet for a time, adding to the slippery conditions. The ice portion of the storm was winded down Monday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Icy surfaces are known to cause spinouts, crashes, travel disruptions and road closures. Power outages were also be a major concern. According to PowerOutage.us, over 200,000 customers across the states of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia and Virginia remain without power as of Tuesday morning. "Some places will have snow and ice then switch back to snow. That's a bad combination. Heavy snow and ice accretion can bring down tree limbs and power lines," AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin warned. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts with Premium+ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cold air following the storm will be significant, with temperatures forecast to dip well below the historical average for early January. The lingering cold is likely to continue the travel difficulties well past Monday morning. "While the worst travel impacts will occur during the peak of the storm, difficult travel can continue in parts of the mid-Atlantic well after the storm into Monday night, with temperatures falling into the 20s, which can result in wet areas becoming icy," said Porter. Combined with the gusty winds, AccuWeather RealFeel Temperatures will dive down into the single digits and teens, making it feel even colder for the Tuesday morning commute. Persistent cold air is forecast to continue behind the storm, keeping temperatures near or below freezing from northern Virginia on north, perhaps through the whole week. The sub-freezing temperatures could make for slower cleanup following the storm and may delay power restoration in locations without electricity. The chilly air rushing over the Great Lakes will also produce more lake-effect snow as the week continues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the lingering cold, residents should watch for more wintry weather. AccuWeather meteorologists are already expecting a new winter storm that will spread snow and ice from Texas to the Ohio Valley late this week to the mid-Atlantic and perhaps New England this weekend. Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer. Final Sunday Update 9 p.m. A Level 2 Snow Emergency remains in effect for Hamilton County. Cincinnati Police say until further notice the department has implemented the emergency auto accident reporting procedure. If you are involved in a non-injury auto accident, please exchange info with the other drivers and report the accident at one of our District locations when able. Check the snow emergency status where you live to avoid having your car towed if it is parked in a snow emergency zone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please check back on Cincinnati.com Monday morning for the latest updates on weather and road conditions in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. Update, 8:05 p.m.: Hamilton County is now under a level two snow emergency, with forecasters predicting heavy snowfall overnight. The updated snow emergency level means residents should "only drive if it is necessary to do so," due to hazardous and icy roadways. County officials said residents should contact their employers to see if they should report to work Monday. Also due to inclement weather, the University of Cincinnati will close from 7 a.m. on Monday until 7 a.m. on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In-person, face-to-face classes, studios, labs, and hybrid online classes are canceled and all scheduled educational content shall be made up during the semester. Staff in non-essential offices do not have to report to campus; however, staff with hybrid and/or flexible work schedules are required to work in a remote capacity. The announcement covers all university campuses.The College of Medicine, University Police, Office of Residence Life/Housing units, utility plants, emergency maintenance operations, any research unit where the integrity of the research must be preserved, and service units that routinely operate on a seven-day-per-week, 24-hour-per-day service schedule, will remain open. Update, 7:07 p.m.: While several inches of snow has already blanketed Greater Cincinnati, more heavy snowfall is on the way, according to the National Weather Service. The snow is expected to reach Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana Sunday evening, with some areas getting a mix of sleet and freezing rain overnight. [5:32 PM] Several inches of snow have already been reported, and more heavy snow is on the way. Some locations will also get a mix with some sleet and freezing rain tonight. Regardless of precipitation type, hazardous travel will only get worse this evening and late tonight. pic.twitter.com/jwBtPdwZd5 NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) January 5, 2025 The weather has already caused the closure of portions of major traffic arteries in the Cincinnati area, and the weather service says that travel conditions will only worsen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Travel conditions will become very difficult, if not impossible, across much of the region through tonight," the weather service said in an update on its website. Update, 6 p.m.: All lanes on Interstate 71 South/U.S. 50 west near Interstate 75 in Downtown have been shut down due to snow and ice from the winter storm, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The department encourages motorists to use alternate routes and to check OHGO.com for road conditions. Update, 4:40 p.m.: Cincinnati Public Schools is closed Monday as snow is expected to continue overnight into the beginning of the school week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district's snow day comes amid a slew of other closures in the area. Many churches called off services Sunday, businesses locked up, and a number of other districts are closed. More: Cincinnati Zoo closing early due to winter storm. See list of other closures across region A full list of closures can be found here. Boone County has upgraded to a Level 2 snow emergency, which will be in effect from 3:30 p.m. Sunday until rescinded, according to a social media post. Roads are hazardous with blowing snow and icy conditions. Update, 2:45 p.m.: More communities in Greater Cincinnati are declaring snow emergencies, or upgrading in some cases, as snow continues to pile up throughout the region Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oxford announced it is in a Level 1 snow emergency, and people should remove parked cars from marked streets. In a post on X, Kenton County announced it is upgrading its snow emergency to a Level 2 emergency. Roads are hazardous with blowing snow and icy conditions. Currently, 2.2 inches of snow were reported on the ground in Union, just south of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Union is the closest point to Cincinnati where the National Weather Service has reported snow accumulation thus far. According to an X post from the weather service's Wilmington post, heavier snow is moving northeast from Indiana and Kentucky. Heavy snow rates are expected later Sunday afternoon and evening, with snow falling as fast as 1 to 1 inches per hour. [1:26 PM] Snow is already accumulating in southeast Indiana, northern Kentucky, and southwest Ohio. The snow will only get heavier later this afternoon. Roads are becoming snow-covered, and travel conditions will get more hazardous as the day progresses. pic.twitter.com/FiFGX05HQk NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) January 5, 2025 Update, 2:01 p.m.: Hamilton and Butler counties in Ohio and Florence, Kentucky, have declared snow emergencies Sunday, adding to a list of other area counties and municipalities that have done the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Florence declaration was announced in a news release at 1 p.m. and is in effect until further notice. Florence did not specify the level of snow emergency. Residents are asked to remove their parked cars from city streets as snow plows move through. Both sheriff's offices from Hamilton and Butler counties issued a Level 1 snow alert, which means roadways are hazardous with blowing snow and possibly ice. Motorists are urged to drive cautiously and unnecessary travel is discouraged. Update, 12:30 p.m.: Communities across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are starting to declare snow emergencies as they prepare to treat roadways. Local and county governments are calling for people to remove their parked vehicles from the streets amid the winter storm. Snow emergency levels rank from 1 to 3, with a Level 3 indicating the most hazardous road conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio and Kentucky snow emergencies: What do the levels mean? The following counties and municipalities have called snow emergencies in their jurisdictions, and ask people to remove their parked vehicles from the streets: In Northern Kentucky: Independence: Level 1 snow emergency. Kenton County: Level 1 snow emergency. Campbell County: Level 2 snow emergency. Boone County: Level 1 snow emergency. Across the river in the Cincinnati area, Mount Healthy has called a Level 1 snow emergency. Update, 10:55 a.m.: Boone County, Kentucky, has declared a Level 1 snow emergency Sunday as Winter Storm Blair enters the region, according to a press release issued around 10:40 a.m. A Level 1 snow emergency means motorists should use caution due to hazardous road conditions resulting from snow or ice. Parked vehicles should be moved from the road so they do not impede road treatment and snowplows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boone County is projected to get 3 to 7 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service's forecast for the area. The whole region could get up to 10 inches of snow and sleet accumulation. The snow emergency does not prohibit travel to and from work, however, residents should contact their employers to determine whether they should report to work. [5:18 AM] Winter storm arriving TODAY. Keep in mind, snow will begin just before noon today near the Tristate, expanding northeast through the day. The most INTENSE accumulations will occur late this afternoon through the middle of tonight. Prepare for major travel impacts. pic.twitter.com/vEOM1Et85t NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) January 5, 2025 Original reporting: The National Weather Service at Wilmington forecast now says snow is starting earlier than expected amid a regionwide winter storm warning. The winter storm warning remains in effect from 10 a.m. Sunday to midnight Monday for Greater Cincinnati. Previously, meteorologists were predicting snowfall would start early afternoon and on, but they now say it could start as early as 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters predict total snow and sleet accumulation to total between 5 and 10 inches. Ice will also be part of the wintry mix, with road conditions expected to become hazardous. The winter storm warning affects all counties in southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and southeast Indiana. The weather service said in a social media post that "rapid accumulations" of snow are expected this afternoon into this evening. This report will be updated. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Winter Storm Blair: Hamilton County upgraded to level 2 snow emergency Common sense Here we go again. Another senseless mass murder. Fifteen people lost their lives because of reckless use of an automobile. Every single day, people die because of these dangerous things. Hopes and prayers will not stop the killing. We need to ban automobiles now. How many more people must die before we enact common sense laws and get these dangerous autos off the streets? If we could just save one more life, wouldnt it be worth it? Help save our children. FOX News Id like to congratulate FOX News for being the first (and only?) organization to report that the Bourbon Street attacker crossed the border from Mexico just days before his assault on New Orleans. I mean, sure, it was made up. Big it got a lot of old folks Big Mad, Im sure. So I suppose it worked. Out of touch The writer who thinks Elon Musk, the billionaire genius, is a great advisor to Donald Trump should tell us why that is. He certainly isnt in tune with any ordinary Americans who sit at the kitchen table and figure out how to feed their kids and pay the electric bill at the same time. Look up how much in tax breaks and subsidies he has gotten over the years and be sure to be seated when you do. We in Mississippi cant even get our grocery tax eliminated or reduced. Musk is completely out of touch with working Americans and there is a tremendous conflict of interest here. Drug of choice Untold numbers of people rejected the COVID vaccine, refusing to have untested poisons or, worse, corporate conspiracies injected into their bodies. Today, people any of the same ones? are scrambling over each other to inject themselves with Big Pharmas latest weight-loss venom. Its astonishing ... and terrifying. Be careful, people. Which is it? Donald Trump is backing Elon Musks push to bring in trained immigrants because many Americans are not qualified. Trump also said he has them working at Mar-a-Lago. Is Musk right or is it that foreign professionals are cheaper? Just take it Donald Trump seems to be emulating his buddy Putins propensity for acquiring sovereign lands that dont wish to be taken over. Seriously, we will make Greenland part of Alaska? He thinks Panama charges too much to use the canal so well just seize it? Whos in charge? Every time President Biden speaks to the nation, I find myself more and more bewildered how anyone could have ever possibly thought having him in charge for another four years would be a good idea. I can only imagine how bad he looks and sounds when hes not prepped for presentation. Debit Don Those who are upset with President Bidens latest expenditures should acknowledge and be concerned that in his last term in office President Trump increased our national debt by $7.8 trillion. Yes, trillion. When the president and Congress borrow money, they arent on the line to pay it back. It is we taxpayers who have to pay it back. A pain Im annoyed by someone in Sound Off telling someone what they should and shouldnt be annoyed by. Panhandlers are a pain. Park at any Walmart or gas station and try not to be bothered by two or three beggars and their sob stories, some real and some not. Musks ideas Elon Musk has benefited from billions of dollars in tax breaks and subsidies and government contracts. Funny though, he wants to slash giveaways for the common man, as long as its not affecting him and his fat wallet. No wonder Donald Trump loves him, they think just alike. One concern When a Tesla blew up in front of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas, Elon Musks only concern was his bottom line, making sure everybody knew it was not a fault with the vehicle. This tells you what he is all about. Fix the border Republicans have been screaming for four years about the border. And I dont disagree. The GOP now controls the House, the Senate and the White House. And weve given Donald Trump a second chance to fix it. I sure hope were not all sitting here four years from now blaming Democrats. Again. Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com. SEOUL, South Korea Hundreds of South Koreans, bundled up against freezing temperatures and snow, rallied overnight into Sunday near the residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, calling for his ouster and arrest, as authorities prepared to renew their efforts to detain him over his short-lived martial law decree. Dozens of anti-corruption agency investigators and police attempted to execute a detainment warrant against Yoon on Friday but retreated from his residence in Seoul after a tense standoff with the presidential security service that lasted more than five hours. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials is weighing charges of rebellion after the conservative president, apparently frustrated that his policies were blocked by a legislature dominated by the liberal opposition, declared martial law on Dec. 3 and dispatched troops to surround the National Assembly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Assembly overturned the declaration within hours in a unanimous vote and impeached Yoon on Dec. 14, accusing him of rebellion, while South Korean anti-corruption authorities and public prosecutors opened separate investigations into the events. Last Tuesday, a Seoul court issued a warrant to detain Yoon and a separate warrant to search his residence after the embattled president defied authorities by refusing to appear for questioning. But enforcing them is complicated as long as Yoon remains in his official residence. \ The one-week warrant for his detention is valid through Monday. Staff from the presidential security service were seen installing barbed wire near the gate and hills leading up to Yoons residence over the weekend, possibly in preparation for another detention attempt. If the anti-corruption agency manages to detain Yoon, it will likely ask a court for permission to make a formal arrest. Otherwise, Yoon will be released after 48 hours. As hundreds of anti-Yoon protesters rallied for hours near the gate of the presidential residence, pro-Yoon protesters gathered in nearby streets, vowing to protect him. Both groups were separated by police barricades and buses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With barely a day left before the execution deadline for Yoon Seok Yeols detainment warrant, the presidential security service continues to hide a criminal and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials cannot be more relaxed, Kim Eun-jeong, an activist, said on a stage during the anti-Yoon rally. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, called on the anti-corruption agency to move quickly to detain Yoon, accusing the agency of hesitating and letting time slip away. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military investigators, has urged the countrys acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, to instruct the presidential security service to comply with their execution of the detainment warrant. Choi has yet to publicly comment on the issue. Park Jong-joon, chief of the presidential security service, hit back against criticism that his organization has become Yoons private army, saying it has legal obligations to protect the incumbent president. Park said he instructed his members not to use violence during Fridays standoff and called for the anti-corruption agency and police to change their approach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Park and his deputy defied summonses on Saturday from police, who planned to question them over the suspected obstruction of official duty following Fridays events. While the presidential security act mandates protection for Yoon, it does not authorize the service to block court-ordered detainments, which may amount to an obstruction of official duty, said Park Sung-bae, an attorney specializing in criminal law. While the president mostly has immunity from prosecution while in office, the protection does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason. The agency said its outnumbered investigators had several scuffles with presidential security forces that threatened their safety. After getting around a military unit guarding the residences grounds, the agencys investigators and police were able to approach within 200 meters (about 218 yards) of Yoons residential building but were stopped by a barricade formed with 10 vehicles and about 200 members of the presidential security forces and troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim Seon-ho, the acting defense minister, conveyed his concern to the presidential security service, saying that using military personnel to block the execution of the detention warrant would be inappropriate and that the troops shouldnt be placed in a position where they might confront police. Yoons defense minister, police chief and several top military commanders have already been arrested over their roles in the enforcement of martial law. Yoons legal team said it will file complaints against the anti-corruption agencys chief prosecutor, Oh Dong-woon, and approximately 150 investigators and police officers involved in Fridays detention attempt, which they claim was unlawful. The team said it will also file complaints with public prosecutors against the countrys acting defense minister and police chief for ignoring the presidential security services request to provide additional forces to block the detention attempt. Yoons lawyers have claimed that the detention and search warrants against Yoon cannot be enforced at his residence, citing a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge. They also argue the anti-corruption office lacks the legal authority to investigate rebellion charges and that police officers dont have the legal authority to assist in detaining Yoon. Yoons fate now lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to formally remove Yoon from office or reinstate him. Bharatiya Janata Party leader ANS Prasad, lashed out at the ruling DMK and accused the party of distorting historical facts and misleading the public He highlighted the long-standing 'deceptive' tactics employed by the DMK since it first came to power in 1967, claiming that the party has consistently distorted facts and misled the people of Tamil Nadu for decades. "Since the DMK assumed power in Tamil Nadu in 1967, every time they have ruled, they have manipulated history, claimed credit for achievements they never made, and misled students, youth, and society with false narratives. This long-standing deception continues to pose a threat to Tamil Nadu," Prasad said. "From the era of the late Chief Minister Annadurai to Karunanidhi's leadership and now Stalin's administration, the DMK has evolved into a government that misleads the public by promoting lies and false promises at every event. It is time for this deception to stop," he added. He criticized Chief Minister MK Stalin, and said, "The Dravidian model government has buried political decency and become a symbol of corruption." The BJP leader also praised CPI(M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan for boldly questioning the DMK regime. Balakrishnan had asked whether an "undeclared emergency" had been imposed in the state, and following this, Murasoli, the DMK's mouthpiece, issued veiled threats against him. Despite this, Balakrishnan stood firm, setting an example of courage in the face of government intimidation. He also questioned the silence of Tamil Nadu's prominent actors, who had once stood up for the people during times of crisis, by failing to speak out against incidents such as the sexual assault of an Anna University student. "In the past, actors in Tamil cinema not only entertained the public but also stood up for people during crises by contributing resources and voicing concerns against the misdeeds of the ruling government. Why, then, are Tamil Nadu's actors silent now? Why are they neither commenting on incidents like the Anna University student's sexual assault nor taking to the streets to protest?" Prasad asked. Prasad demanded swift action in the investigation of heinous crimes, urging the government and police to ensure that justice is served quickly and fairly. "The Tamil Nadu government and police must stop issuing vague statements to divert attention. They should ensure justice by conducting swift and lawful investigations, especially in heinous crimes like sexual assaults, and delivering maximum punishments in the shortest possible time. Only this will restore faith in governance and justice." "Despite the threats from Murasoli, the DMK government, and the police's repressive actions, Tamil Nadu's actors and public figures must rise to the occasion. They must create awareness and expose the misdeeds of this anti-people government. They must stand with the people and safeguard Tamil society," he added. (ANI) Following the failed attempt by South Korean authorities to detain suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol, he has announced legal steps against those involved, the Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday. Yonhap cited Yoon's lawyer as saying he plans to file a complaint on Monday against some 150 law enforcement officials, including the chief of the anti-corruption agency handling his martial law case. Dozens of investigators working for the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) had attempted to execute a court warrant for Yoon's detention on Friday after he had ignored three summonses for questioning over his botched attempt to impose martial law on December 3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, some 200 army members and security personnel blocked access on the grounds of the presidential residence, causing the CIO officers to turn back some five and a half hours later. Lawmakers removed Yoon from office until further notice on charges of abuse of power and sedition in mid-December, with the Constitutional Court currently reviewing the decision. Yoon's successor as acting president, Han Duck Soo, was subsequently removed from office, after opposition lawmakers criticized him for failing to fill vacant seats on the Constitutional Court in what they saw as an effort to complicate the impeachment proceedings. Former finance minister and deputy prime minister Choi Sang Mok has been acting president since December 27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yoon is the first sitting South Korean president to face an arrest, according to Yonhap. The investigators seeking to detain Yoon could again attempt to do so on Sunday, Yonhap reported. Should they succeed, they would have 48 hours to question Yoon and decide whether to release him or seek an arrest warrant against him. Numerous supporters of Yoon have been demonstrating in front of the presidential residence in Seoul for days. Thousands opponents of the suspended president have also taken to the streets. (FOX40.COM) Its an exciting time for South Sacramento residents as a brand new restaurant opens its doors to waiting customers. Orale Cantina is officially open with its grand opening being on Saturday morning. The small business restaurant is located on 3701 Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento serving tacos, drinks, and so much more. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was joined by Sacramento City Councilman Eric Guerra and restaurant owner Gabriella Sanchez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel so happy. I feel so welcome from all the neighbors, so thank you for coming and supporting us, Sanchez said. All the neighborhoods are happy. We are happy to serve them. Stockton Boulevard resident Audie Ramirez told FOX40.com, Ive lived here for quite a long time, so I feel like its really exciting. Councilman Guerra shared with FOX40.com the citys big plans for the area. Councilman Guerra said, We just did some improvements to revitalize the area. Were slowing the traffic down. Were making crossing pedestrians safer. There are also plans for new affordable housing just across the street, closer to these businesses giving residents more options other than downtown Sacramento. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The biggest part of it, here on Stockton Boulevard is making the conditions safer, cleaner, working on the visibility. Law enforcement working with communities here, Councilman Guerra said. Heres where you can get more information about the restaurant. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4) One individual is in custody facing attempted murder charges after a double stabbing in St. George Friday night, according to St. George Police. Elian De Jesus Arias Sierra has been arrested on two counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, weapon possession, drug charges, and intoxication. WEATHER ADVISORY: Winter storm hitting Utah through Saturday evening At around 10:40 p.m. on Jan. 3, officers responded to a report of two people stabbed in the area of 2000 West 1400 North, St. George. Police arrived on scene and found two victims with non-life-threatening injuries consistent with a stabbing, a statement from St. George Police states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police are asking that anyone with information regarding this incident contact the St. George Police Department at 435-627-4300 and reference incident 2P000256. No matter how small, any information you have could benefit the investigation, St. George Police stated. No further information is available at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A 46-year-old St. Helens High School teacher was arrested again on additional sex abuse charges as part of an ongoing investigation in Columbia County. Eric Stearns was arrested Saturday on 11 more sex abuse charges, a little less than two months after he was initially charged with eight sex abuse charges. His arrest followed another grand jury indictment on Thursday for one count in the first-degree, six counts in the second-degree and four counts in the third-degree. Freight train derails after bridge collapses into Corvallis river Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following his initial arrest in November, investigators released information about the case and asked for anyone with more information to come forward. Since that time, officials said, another eight victims were identified. Stearns, who was out on bail at the time of this arrest, now is back in the Columbia County Jail. The case is ongoing and if anyone has more information, theyre asked to contact St. Helens Detectives Edwards and Smith at 503.397.1521. When Stearns was first arrested, Mark Collins was also arrested. Collins, 64, who is a retired St. Helens High School teacher, was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse and one count of attempted second-degree sexual abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A little later in November, St. Helens High School principal Katy Wagner was arrested after turning herself in on criminal mistreatment and official misconduct charges. Wagner was initially put on leave on Nov. 15, Wagner was under investigation for failing to report safety concerns amidst the sexual abuse allegations at the school, authorities said. A Columbia County grand jury indicted Wagner for two counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment, two counts of first-degree official misconduct, and two counts of second-degree official misconduct. The two criminal mistreatment charges are Class C felonies, according to court records. Wagner pleaded not guilty to the six charges and was released on bail. Superintendent Scot Stockwell was also placed on leave. Since November, five more staff members have been placed on leave two as a result of reports to the Oregon Department of Human Services or the child abuse hotline and three due to internal reports. Additionally, the former Board Chair Ryan Scholl resigned weeks following the initial sex abuse accusations. KOIN 6 News will continue to follow this story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. SAINT JOSEPH, Ill. (WCIA) St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Protection District had a decrease of over 100 calls for service in 2024 after a record number the year prior. In 2023, Fire Chief Josh Reese reported that the fire protection district responded to 522 calls for service. That year was also their 75th anniversary. Champaign Fire calls for service increased, Urbanas stayed consistent in 2024 2024 was a much quieter year over the phones, as St. Jospeh-Stanton Fire only received 414 calls. These calls were broken down into the following categories: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medical calls: 254 Public assist: 34 Regular alarms: 30 Rescue: 43 Still investigations: 44 Working fires: 9 This drop off in calls was a decrease of 108 from the previous year, or an over 20% decline. The fire protection district took to Facebook to thank its members for assisting in responding to these calls for service. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Jan. 4MASSENA The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce is on the hunt for a new location for its Massena office and is looking to gain revenue from the sale of the current chamber offices to help sustain a full-time employee in Massena. "We are moving our Church Street property to the MLS. I have the listing agreement on my desk. So that is imminent," Executive Director Benjamin R. Dixon told the Massena Town Board. MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service, a database of properties for sale that real estate brokers use to share information and connect buyers with sellers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said one of the reasons for leaving the Church Street building was its size. "In terms of the rationale for that, that's a much bigger building than we need for a chamber office and visitor center," Dixon said. "So, getting a different occupant in there will move it to a better and higher use." He said they look forward to the building "being an active property again in Massena and contributing to the community and the economy at the same time relative to the chamber." "It's important revenue for us with membership revenue not being where we need it to be to sustain operations on a full-time basis in Massena," Dixon said. "We hope that the revenue from the sale will help the catalytic funding to bring on staffing and a new office of increased business engagement with the businesses of the community." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The building has been closed and unstaffed since the start of the pandemic. The Massena, Canton and Ogdensburg chambers merged with the St. Lawrence County Chamber in 2023, and Laura Pearson has been serving as a part-time community coordinator since March 2024, splitting her time with the Ogdensburg office. Town Supervisor Susan J. Bellor asked Dixon if they were looking at different locations for the new office. "Yes," Dixon said. "We're looking at some options. I have a few leads, but if anybody else knows any good spots, give me a holler." The building, which sits on the corner of West Orvis and Church streets, has been the chamber's home since 2012 after the Adath Israel Synagogue's congregation offered to donate it to the chamber for $1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state attorney general's office and Supreme Court had already approved the building's redesignation away from religious uses. The lettering and Star of David on the outside of the building were donated to Congregation Beth El in Potsdam. The move ended a nearly three-year search for a new location. St. Lawrence County had foreclosed on the 50 Main St. building that formerly housed the chamber, and asbestos and roof problems plague that structure. The synagogue offices offered more space than the chamber's former location. Once the chamber moved into its new home, the former worship area was used as a public gathering space and for chamber-sponsored events. The structure dates back to 1844, when it was built as the Emmanuel Congregational Church of Christ. The synagogue took over the space after the Emmanuel congregation moved into a new church on West Orvis Street in the 1920s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a fire ripped through the Congregational church in 2007, Emmanuel members began reusing the synagogue space, which was no longer actively used by Adath Israel. Prior to the chamber moving in, the synagogue had sat vacant since 2009, when Emmanuel members relocated back to their rebuilt church. HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) The St. Patricks Committee of Holyoke hosted its 69th annual Colleen pageant, a beloved tradition in our region. It was a night of celebration and pride for contestants from Holyoke and South Hadley as they showcased their Irish heritage and achievements on stage. Traditional Irish step dancing and music kicked off the 69th annual Grand Colleen Pageant in Holyoke. Nine young women of Irish descent had the opportunity to grace the stage and shine in front of their friends, family and the community. Harlem Globetrotters triumphant return to Springfield against Washington Generals a slam dunk Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was an opportunity for them to have a lot of growth, to try something theyve never done. And to really have the chance to grow an learn something theyve never done and learn something that is going to help them in the future, said co-chair of Holyoke Grand Colleen pageant Kelsey Lecca. Before the pageant each contestant went through an interview. The judges then attended the pageant to select five finalists based on poise and appearance. While on stage, their talents and achievements were listed off. These five finalists came out with the highest scores: Erin Gauthier Abigail Huebner Moira Reardon Erin ODonnell Maura Joseph (also awarded Miss Congeniality) Its just for them to delve into their Irish heritage and be proud and make their families proud. And as everybody out there knows that if your daughter or granddaughter is out there, they are your Colleen and they will be your Colleen for life, said 2025 Holyoke St. Patricks Day Parade President, John Beaulieu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also get to experience the longtime traditions of the Holyoke St. Patricks Committee. This includes the 72nd Holyoke Saint Patricks Day Parade. And being a Colleen not only lets them represent their heritage, but also lets them go out into the community to build relationships and develop skills. They go to a wide assortment of schools from both towns and they introduce themselves to the kids of the communities as well as some of the senior citizen homes. Its really an opportunity for them to get to know the people of their communities and just remind everyone that its green season and its a good place to be, Lecca said. Colleens attend several events prior to the Coronation Ball & Awards Dinner on February 15th at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, including committee events and other public appearances. At the ball one finalist will be crowned as the Grand Colleen. The Grand Colleen reigns with her court on a majestic float over the two-mile 72nd Holyoke Saint Patricks Day Parade route. You can watch the parade live on 22News on March 23. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) The Springfield St. Patricks Parade Committee held their annual Colleen Preliminary Contest on Saturday. Every year young women from the Greater Springfield region compete for an opportunity to represent the city of Springfield as either the Colleen, or a member of the court. The day began with the interview portion of the contest at the Springfield Elks lodge. Its definitely embracing your Irish heritage and being strong but still humble, expressed Caitlyn Feeley, Member of the Colleen Committee, and a former Colleen. And, being someone that younger kids will be able to look up to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The evening portion of the preliminary around begins around 7 p.m., where five finalists will be picked to represent the Springfield Colleen Court. One of the five finalists will be crowned Springfield Colleen at the Coronation Ball on Saturday, February 8. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. ST. PETERS, Mo. The St. Peters Police Department acknowledged on Saturday that it is aware of an arson case in Puerto Rico that is allegedly linked to a local resident through several social media posts. A spokesperson with the department tells FOX 2 that authorities in Puerto Rico are leading the investigation into the arson. While the St. Peters Police Department has been in contact with Puerto Rican law enforcement, they have not been asked to assist in any way as of Saturday. According to reports from Puerto Rican news outlets, a tourist allegedly vandalized and set fire to a hotels restaurant area on Thursday, prompting guest evacuations. Three establishments were reportedly targeted, with one owner accusing a woman of pouring gasoline in front of a restaurant and setting it on fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement List: St. Louis area school & business closings A report from Puerto Rico news outlet Metro.Pr has not confirmed any information about arrests, warrants, or pending charges in this case. Meanwhile, the St. Peters Police Department says it was made aware of an alleged arson case that allegedly involved a St. Peters resident through social media posts. St. Peters police were not able to confirm time and location information about the case allegedly linked to the resident with FOX 2. It is important to note, this alleged crime occurred in Puerto Rico; therefore, the St. Peters Police Department does not have any independent authority in this investigation. Our department will assist Puerto Rican authorities if it is requested, said the department in a statement on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News For now, the case allegedly linked to a St. Peters resident is being investigated by state and national police in Puerto Rico. St. Peters police added that, as of Saturday, no local arrest warrants have been issued for the alleged resident being accused in social media posts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. The operation was conducted yesterday in the South Abujmarh forest area at the Narayanpur-Dantewada district by the Special Task Force (STF) in coordination with DRG teams from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Jagdalpur, and Kondagaon districts. Four Naxals were killed in the operation and a large weapons cache was also recovered by security forces. Calling it a supreme sacrifice, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai highlighted that the security forces will aim to carry out better anti-naxal operations in the future. "His (Sannu Karam) sacrifice will not go to waste. Drawing inspiration from this, we will carry out future operations in an even better manner so that we get better success," the SP told ANI. The search operations in the Narayanpur-Bijapur border area of Dantewada district are still underway, according to officials. Detailing the operation, SP Rai said that bodies of 4 naxals, and a large weapons cache were recovered by security forces. "When the operation was being carried out on 4th January, naxals fired bullets. A retaliatory firing was done. Dantewada DRG Head Constable Sannu Karam made a supreme sacrifice in the operation. Bodies of 4 naxals were recovered. Large cache of weapons was also recovered. Sannu Karam was offered the final salute today," said the SP. Bastar Inspector General, P Sundarraj highlighted that a large cache of AK-47, INSAS, automatic and semi-automatic weapons were recovered. "On 4th January, an encounter broke out between security forces and naxals at Narayanpur-Bijapur border area of Dantewada district. Bodies of four naxals, including two women naxals, were recovered after the encounter. A large cache of AK-47, INSAS, automatic and semi-automatic weapons was also recovered," IG Sundarraj said. He further mentioned that Sannu Karam's mortal remains will be taken to his native village today. (ANI) ATLANTA, Ga. (WSAV) The State Funeral for former President Jimmy Carter continues on Sunday. The public is invited to pay their respects to the nations 39th president as he continues to lie in repose until 6 a.m. Tuesday, January 7, at the Carter Presidential Center. Groups from The Carter Center Board of Trustees and Friends, the Consuls General of Atlanta, and leaders from Emory University are scheduled to pay their respects to the former president throughout the day at the invitation of the Carter Family. Additionally, the military will maintain a guard of honor throughout public repose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jimmy Carters state funeral Public parking is not available at the Carter Presidential Center due to security restrictions. However, MARTA is providing a direct, free shuttle to and from King Memorial to the Carter Presidential Center until 6 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 7. Lines may be long, and all individuals are subject to a security search. Visitors are asked to allow for ample time for security procedures. Additionally, photography or electronic recording will not be allowed while in the Carter Presidential Center. Additional information on the free shuttle service and prohibited items are available at www.itsmarta.com/public-transportation-plan.aspx. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. A state representative who serves the Mon Valley area is in the hospital. Democratic state Rep. Matt Gergely of McKeesport was hospitalized after a medical emergency over the holidays, according to a statement from Elizabeth Rementer, the press secretary for Majority Leader Matt Bradford. Mckeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko also confirmed Gergleys hospitalization, and asked the community to stand with the Gergely family. We wish him love, patience, and healing on his journey to a full recovery, Cherepko said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nature of the medical emergency was not immediately available. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives reconvenes for the new season on Tuesday. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW AUSTIN (Nexstar) Just a few hours into the new year, a driver plowed a rented truck into a New Orleans street full of people. Investigators call it an act of terror. Law enforcement identified the suspect as Shamsud Din-Jabbar, an army veteran who lived near Houston. The FBI released information indicating that Jabbar was inspired by ISIS, noting that an ISIS flag was found in the truck. President Joe Biden said during an address to the nation that Jabbar posted videos to social media expressing a desire to kill. The deadly terror attack is also raising questions about a safety measure that had the potential to save lives, but was missing on New Years Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The safety barriers protecting New Orleans Bourbon Street were under construction, and not up, when a driver plowed into a crowd, killing 14 people. The incident is prompting City of Austin leaders to also consider safety bollards in highly trafficked areas, like Congress Ave. The project to replace the citys old bollards along Bourbon Street with newer stainless-steel bollards began in early November and was set to continue until January, according to the citys plans posted online. Online plans showed the construction crews would be replacing them with temporary asphalt to maintain vehicle access during the construction. New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said on Wednesday there were officers and police cars in places where bollards were supposed to be. Kirkpatrick said the driver drove around the police vehicles onto the sidewalk. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry vowed to fix defects with safety barriers in the French Quarter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We can go into what-ifs forever. This is evil, Landry said. Where there are defects in the system, we are going to be transparent, address them with the city, and make sure that we fill those gaps as best we can. Rob Reiter, the co-founder of the nonprofit Storefront Safety Council, said using a police car as a safety barrier is not effective or recommended. Preventing Disaster: Austin hospital crash among 300+ in U.S. since 2014 A police car has a lot of things, but its not a cheap, effective, full-time safety barrier. They can get moved for a number of reasons, Reiter said. A determined attacker can push the vehicle out of the way using, you know, a low-speed crash, or just pushing it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recent study from the Cyber Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency identified 51 vehicle attacks in the United States between 2000 and 2022. The report also discussed vehicle-borne improvised explosives devices, or VBEID, in which a perpetrator uses a vehicle to deliver a bomb. Although infrequent, especially in the United States, potential VBIED incidents remain a serious concern for critical infrastructure facilities and mass gathering event security teams due to the associated potential threats, damage, and lethality, the April 2024 report stated. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, asked the General Services Administration to review all federally owned and leased buildings in the southwestern United States, including Louisiana, amid an increased number of deaths and injuries from a lack of safety bollards. The letter sent on Dec. 27 cited KXANs Preventing Disaster investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Wednesday that weapons and a potential IED were in the Ford pickup truck investigators said 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove into the crowd on Bourbon St. An ISIS flag was also located in the vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cedar Park eyes security barriers after dental office crash, KXAN report The topic of safety bollards has come up recently within the Austin City Council and the Texas Legislature following KXANs reporting on a drunk driver who crashed through an Austin emergency room. In December, the Austin City Council unanimously passed an ordinance, introduced by outgoing Council Member Mackenzie Kelly, requiring crash-rated safety bollards at new hospitals, urgent care clinics, and stand-alone emergency rooms. Council Member Zo Qadri is also pushing for safety bollards to be placed in other parts of the city with high-foot traffic, specifically a requirement for safety bollards in downtown Austin. Qadri referenced concerns around a previous incident during SXSW in 2014 where a man drove into a crowd at the festival, killing four people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tragedy in New Orleans underscores the need for our City to remain dedicated to safe streets and public spaces, Qadri said in a statement to KXAN. Im committed to exploring with staff enhanced safety treatments for major street closures downtown, along with anything applicable to our City that investigations in New Orleans may reveal. Texas State Senator Royce West, D-Dallas, filed a bill requiring crash-rated safety bollards at most hospitals in the state after KXANs reporting revealed more than 400 crashes, at or into, medical centers nationwide in the last decade. Bipartisan work underway to legalize fentanyl test strips in Texas After failing to make it to the governors desk last legislative session, Texas lawmakers are re-filing bills to decriminalize fentanyl test strips. Those strips can alert drug users to the presence of fentanyl which is often more potent and deadly than other drugs. HB 253, filed by Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, would decriminalize the test strips. Sen. Sarah Eckhardt and Sen. Molly Cook, both Democrats, filed a companion bill in the Senate SB 362. Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, filed HB 1644, which is almost identical to the decriminalization bill he filed last session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are only five states that still outlaw these test trips, and Texas is one of them. So weve got to change this so that we can start saving lives here in our state, Talarico said. Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood, also filed a similar bill in December. We have a responsibility to try and save lives, Zwiener said. Just this year in my district there have been six fentanyl poisonings in Hays County and four of those resulted in deaths. Those are four people who should be with us today. Fentanyl test strips are illegal in Texas, and its getting national attention Stephanie Roe, who lost her son, Tucker, to fentanyl poisoning and has since successfully pushed changes to Texas law, said on KXANs State of Texas that her nonprofit is prioritizing the decriminalization of the strips again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We really want that to pass this session. We were disappointed last session that that did not get passed, and were working on several others [changes] as well. We will not stop. We are relentless, Roe said. Despite bipartisan support, bills addressing fentanyl test strips havent made it to the governors desk. Last legislative session, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he supported decriminalization. So that people will be able to test drugs at home to know whether or not it might be laced with fentanyl, Abbott said then, after visiting with University of Houston researchers who developed a fentanyl vaccine. Gov. Greg Abbott says he supports decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While weve seen some bipartisan support in Congress and in the Texas Legislature for supporting fentanyl testing strips, weve never made it past the legislative line in either forum. And we need in Congress, and in the Texas Legislature thats about to convene, approval to make these fentanyl testing strips readily available and legal, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett said at a Travis County federal grant announcement tied to drug overdoses. In 2023, the Texas House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to legalize fentanyl test strips. The bill did not make it through the Senate. I think we just have to keep working with thembut what happened last time, unfortunately, is we got into a position where the bill got stuck, I was working to get it unstuck and then folks decided to barricade themselves inside a senators office. And threatening lawmakers is never a strategy for actually winning the persuasion argument, Oliverson said. Commercial auto insurance rates up in Texas, despite lawsuit reform law Commercial auto insurance rates rose for the second year in a row, new data shows. This comes despite a 2021 state laws goal of bringing down costs by making it harder to sue trucking companies, critics argue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the three years since a law targeting civil lawsuits against trucking companies passed (through June 30 of this year), commercial insurance rates for all vehicle types increased, on average, nearly 28%, according to a weighted rated change calculation and a new report released by the Texas Department of Insurance. Since 2017, commercial rates have climbed by an average of 73%, according to TDI. The final numbers for 2024 are not available yet. The law, House Bill 19, created a bifurcated trial process when suing trucking companies involved in accidents on Texas roads, which are already some of the most dangerous in the country. Under HB 19, civil lawsuits involving a commercial vehicle are essentially split into two trials. A jury must first find the driver negligent before it can consider, in a second phase, whether the company carries any blame and if so, how much. Juries can only hear certain accusations for example, if a company was negligent in hiring or training an employee in a trials second phase. Attorneys said the law puts a muzzle on a victims ability to tell their story in court. Supporters said the law isnt meant to prevent legitimate victims from seeking justice but rather to prevent juries from unfairly punishing businesses through large so-called nuclear verdicts. The legislature tasked TDI with studying the laws impact on insurance rates, which was a selling point to lawmakers. Deadly truck crash foreshadows fight between business, safety at Capitol Austin traffic (KXAN Photo/Chris Nelson) Last year, TDI began surveying insurers that filed a rate change. Their responses fell into three categories: HB 19 has no impact, the impact is immaterial to rates or it is too early to determine how significant the law will be, according to the report. TDI said some insurers provided data related to the change in lawsuit rates but noted, so far, it has yet to see any impact from HB 19. None of the insurers said that their rate changes were due to HB 19, the report found. A few insurers thought that HB 19 may eventually positively affect rates, but the effect is not quantifiable at this time. The average liability premium for all vehicle types increased 70% from 2017-2024. For trucks, tractors and trailers it increased 75% during that timeframe. Per any comment, we defer to the report, a TDI spokesperson said. The Texas Trucking Association lobbied for HB 19. In 2021, TTA President John Esparza testified in front of state lawmakers that reforms were needed because grossly inflated verdicts were driving up insurance costs and putting companies out of business. In a recent interview with KXAN, Esparza admitted its going to take some time to see whether HB 19 is going to be effective. Its very difficult to see rates go down, he said. But weve got to start with providing the environment in which they can. Esparza said he expects the law will help slow rising rates but, in a statement, doubled-down by saying the new figures are precisely why further tort reform must be pursued today. We are living in an era where phantom medical damages, staged accidents, and third-party investors benefiting from the blatant abuse of our judicial system are commonplace, he said. Its driving insurance companies out-of-state and trucking companies out-of-business. Unchecked, we can expect this type of lawsuit abuse to continue, and as you have noted, progressively gotten worse. He said he wants lawsuit reform that ensures actual victims receive thoughtful and fair compensation. A weighted average statewide range change for commercial auto rates in Texas (Courtesy Texas Department of Insurance) They might have had a chance. Widower pushing for truck safety devices Texas Watch, a non-partisan group that advocates on behalf of consumers, said the latest numbers arent surprising. Weve had 30 years of tort reform in this state always with the promise of lower insurance rates, said Ware Wendell, the groups executive director. That promise has been broken over and over. Insurance rates continue to skyrocket for drivers, patients, and small business owners who are paying more and more as greedy insurance companies continue to hike their rates. Wendell testified against HB 19. His organization plans to fight efforts by the newly formed Lonestar Economic Alliance to expand the law during the next legislative session. Lobbyists have called for pain and suffering judgments to be capped, medical bills presented to juries to be regulated, and certain information like if a driver was drunk or unlicensed to only be heard if a civil trial reaches a second phase. Texans for Lawsuit Reform has advocated for claims for negligent hiring and retention to be jettisoned altogether and poor training to only be disclosed in unusual circumstances. Gutting our legal rights only hurts families, Wendell said. It does nothing to improve safety or lower insurance costs. The Alliance, which likened some civil suits to being held for ransom, is made up of more than 650 members from industries that include insurance, transportation, agriculture, construction, finance, food and beverage, home services, housing, law, medical supplies, oil and gas and other trade associations, according to a news release and the groups website. Special interest laws for careless trucking companies only make our roads more dangerous, driving up costs and stealing lives, Wendell said. Our focus needs to be on reducing the number of crashes, not removing rights. Texas DPS requesting funding for driver license service improvements Col. Freeman Martin, the new director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the biggest challenge facing the agency today is a lack of staffing. This challenge is not only impacting law enforcement service, but also driver license services that have lead to long wait times for Texans waiting to get an ID. We have not kept up with the growth and population in Texas, Martin said in video released by the agency in December. The agency is requesting 500 new commissioned personnel to help address the shortage and provide relief for the troopers who Martin says have an increase workload. It is also requesting an additional 1,525 non-commissioned positions over the next two years, with about 80% of those new positions going toward increasing the staff for driver license services. According to the agencys Legislative Allocations Request for the upcoming biennium, the agency is requesting $207.7 million dollars to improve driver license services staffing, and an additional $21 million dollars for technology improvements. Martin said the agency is doing well with wait times for driver license appointments in rural areas, but struggle in more populated major metropolitan areas. According to the allocations request, several areas are experiencing wait times over 60 days, and some areas even have wait times that exceed 90 days. Many Texans in central Texas are feeling that long wait time, including Kevin Gray. He lost his wallet in the summer, and is still without an ID to this day. He called San Antonio and Austin offices to schedule an appointment and found he was going to have to wait four months. I really couldnt believe it, Gray explained. He decided to use a tactic that many Texans are deferring to driving to a more rural location. He chose an office in Seguin and waited in line, but was told to go home and schedule an appointment online. I believe the citizens of Texas deserve better, Gray said. The budget request from DPS would provide funding to add 833 new positions across the state for driver license staffing, but the agency is also looking at the call center staffing. The agency answers customer questions related to licensing and identification services in its Customer Service Center (CSC). Since 2020, the CSC has received 47,564,627 phone calls and could only answer 2,508,197 of those because of a lack of staffing, according to the allocation request. The CSC also answered 1.5 million emails in that same time frame as well. The request states the CSC continues to receive millions of customer contacts that cannot be handled due to lack of resources. Martin said the issue comes with the REAL ID-compliant driver license, which is marked with a gold star in the upper right corner. He said the agency is looking at technology upgrades to allow Texans to upload the proper documents while at home, so those documents do not have to be verified in the office, which can take hours. The agency is also looking at upgrading the appointment system. Martin said offices in big cities have a 30% no-show rate. The solution is updating the system so people can easily cancel their appointment, and they will be sent reminders about their appointment where they will have to verify they are still going. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. A Brentwood man has been placed under arrest after leading New Hampshire State Troopers through a high-speed pursuit. On Friday, January 3, around 11:10 p.m. N.H. State Trooper patrolling Route 101 Westbound in Exeter witnessed a Toyota Camry going 131 mph in a 65 mph zone. The trooper went to catch up with the Camry and activated his emergency lights. However, the driver did not stop and the chase began. The Camry went off Exit 9 on Epping Road. While continuing the pursuit, the trooper rolled over and crashed at an intersection. Fellow State Troopers and EMS responded to assist the crashed trooper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other State Troopers continued the pursuit onto Deer Hill Road, where they placed tire deflation devices. Despite that, the Camry continued onto Route 101 Westbound. The Camry then made a U-turn, driving Eastbound while driving the wrong way into oncoming traffic. The driver then turned around again and continued going Westbound. Troopers were finally able to obtain the driver of the Camry when he rolled over and crashed into the woods. Troopers arrested 56-year-old Michael P. Holt of Brentwood. He was charged with numerous violations, including: three counts of felony reckless conduct and misdemeanor counts of disobeying an officer aggravated driving under the influence of drugs or liquor conduct after an accident criminal mischief violation of reckless operation Holt was transported to a hospital for evaluation and discharged to be held in Rockingham County Jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trooper who crashed had minor injuries and was discharged from the hospital. Holt is expected to be arraigned in Brentwood District Court on Monday, January 6. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Anna Pickel stands outside her recently opened child care center, Happy Go Lucky ChildCare, in Portland, Ore., more than three years after she began working to expand her business from a home-based center to a larger facility in 2021. (Courtesy of Anna Pickel) Reporting for this article was supported by New Americas Better Life Lab. Parking spots. Sprinkler systems. Earthquake building codes. These were some of the unexpected infrastructure issues Anna Pickel faced during the more than three years she sought a space to grow her home-based child care business near Portland, Oregon, from 15 children to 82. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She looked at more than 100 properties but found that most vacant retail storefronts had to be rezoned to be used as child care centers, or they hadnt yet been updated to meet the states earthquake safety standards and would be too expensive to renovate. At the same time, Pickel was getting daily calls from parents searching for child care spots for their children, but she had to turn them away because her in-home space was too small. Even when Pickel found a space in a mixed-use commercial and residential building, the construction costs ballooned so much that she had to put a lien on her home to secure a bigger loan. I was all in, with personal assets on the line, and it was a very big risk, Pickel said. I think a lot of people would have just given up. Multnomah County, where Portland is located, is considered a child care desert where there are more than three children for every regulated child care spot. Nationally, more than half of all Americans live in child care deserts, and the need for child care is especially great among families with low and middle-income families, families of color and families living in rural areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lack of providers nationally has driven up prices. In 2022, the median annual cost of full-day care was $15,600, more than the median rent of $15,216, the U.S. Department of Labor reported. The scarcity of affordable child care also keeps parents primarily women out of the workforce, and costs the U.S. economy roughly $122 billion each year in lost earnings, productivity and revenue, according to a report released last year by the nonprofit Council for a Strong America. To create more child care slots and reduce prices, lawmakers are increasingly using economic development strategies to help child care businesses expand, similar to the support theyve offered to attract and expand manufacturing facilities, technology startups or other types of businesses. Were recognizing that child care isnt just a women's issue or even a family issue, it's an economic development issue because child care is work-enabling infrastructure. Lindsey Cochran, child care infrastructure fund coordinator, Business Oregon In states including Colorado, Nebraska, Oregon and Vermont, lawmakers from both parties have in recent years created building construction and renovation grant programs, appointed task forces to review local and state zoning regulations and set up help centers where child care business owners can get help with navigating permitting and other business rules so that they can expand their businesses and care for more children, which will help more parents stay in the workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a novel approach to increasing access to child care, and, advocates say, it affirms that child care businesses 90% of which are owned by women, more than half of them women of color are economically critical, said Lindsey Cochran, the child care infrastructure fund coordinator with Business Oregon, the states economic development agency. Were recognizing that child care isnt just a womens issue or even a family issue, its an economic development issue because child care is work-enabling infrastructure, Cochran said. Focus on rural areas State lawmakers are particularly focused on growing child care businesses in rural areas. This year, Oregon is awarding its first batch of $50 million in grants and loans for new construction, expansion and renovation for child care businesses, with priority for child care providers in rural areas, those offering infant and toddler care, and those offering culturally specific care, such as care provided in Spanish or care tailored to children from Native American families. In Nebraska, the legislature created a pilot grant program to cover construction and renovation costs to add child care centers to the states nursing homes or assisted living facilities. The bill passed unanimously, but the $300,000 program is only large enough that three centers can participate in the first year, and the state is still working out specific safety standards, such as how to handle the common colds and flus in young children than can be harmful for seniors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the legislation passed in large part because it addresses dual challenges facing rural Nebraska communities reclaiming vacant space inside senior care centers and keeping young parents from moving away. We know that in order to attract people, one of the biggest things for young parents is finding reliable child care in their community, said Jina Ragland, associate state director for advocacy and outreach with AARP of Nebraska, which advocated for the infrastructure grants. So, I absolutely think that, moving forward as this pilot program grows, it could be part of creating economic development in our rural communities. In addition to funding, states such as Colorado and Oregon are clearing the way for local zoning changes that could help more child care centers open, such as reworking neighborhood parking rules to allow for more cars to drop off and pick up children near a new center, or reconsidering requirements that in-home child care centers install the same fire sprinkler system as a center in a commercial building. Oregon convened a statewide task force to look for discrepancies in local and state-level zoning rules. For example, state rules allow 16 children in a family child care settings, but some local towns only allow 13 children. And Colorado created a planning grant program to encourage local governments to review and update their regulations to support the development of child care facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We heard from so many child care providers, who, if they hadnt been determined on their own to open their centers, would have given up, said Colorado Republican state Rep. Mary Bradfield, sponsor of the bipartisan bill that passed unanimously and was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in May 2024. Colorado loses roughly $2.3 billion in economic activity each year due to lack of child care, according to the Council for a Strong America data. The measure also provides construction grants and technical help for child care providers navigating local regulations, and it orders the Department of Local Affairs to develop a menu of policy tools that cities can use to make it easier for child care businesses to open and grow. People can easily get lost in the language of permits and regulations if they dont have help from someone who knows what it entails, Bradfield said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Early evidence suggests this business-focused approach may be working. Vermont recently announced that, in the past year, 10 new centers have opened across the state, and licensed capacity in the system increased by 389 spaces, after the state awarded $20 million in infrastructure support to ready child care businesses for greater enrollment as the state rolled out increased subsidies for higher-income families in the fall of 2024. In a recent survey of Vermont child care providers, only 5% of respondents said they thought they would close down within a year, compared with nearly 20% whod predicted they would close when they took the survey two years earlier, before the state enacted the infrastructure and subsidy support changes. A bit of a culture shock But state economic development agencies have faced challenges in supporting child care businesses. Unlike other recipients of aid, many owners of child care facilities have no experience with public financing, do not have access to bank loans and are not represented by attorneys. Working with child care businesses has been a bit of a culture shock, said Cochran, of Business Oregon. To administer the first round of the infrastructure grants, the agency translated every piece of information about the grants into multiple languages, simplified its application forms, and funded a technical assistance center to answer questions from people who have not applied for public financing before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The approach worked. For its first $10 million in grant awards, the agency received more than 700 applications for projects ranging from fixing a leaky roof to constructing a brand new center. The agency will make its awards decisions later this year, and advocates plan to request more funding in the future, given the volume of applications. Were hoping that its something we can continue to offer, because even $50 million, it goes fast, Cochran said. Providing child care businesses with the same economic development support as the state provides to other priority sectors, such as technology or manufacturing, sends a powerful message that child care businesses and the people who operate them are valuable to their communities and economies. Its a lot about changing our cultural values of thinking of [child care centers] as businesses, and not just something little that mostly women do on the side, said Erin Roche, Vermont director of First Childrens Finance, which is helping the state administer its child care infrastructure grant program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Portland, Anna Pickel is building up enrollment in her new 82-seat licensed child care center, Happy Go Lucky Child Care, which finally opened in September 2024. She continues to use her experience expanding her center to advocate for the new infrastructure funds and address the states regulations to make it simpler for other people to grow their child care businesses. I was one of the few people that could speak to those challenges because it is my life, Pickel said. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. ST. PAUL, Va. (WJHL) The St. Paul, Virginia Fire Department has issued a Stay at Home alert on Sunday afternoon amid heavy snowfall across Southwest Virginia. According to the agency, roads in the area are littered with abandoned and disabled vehicles. Winter Storm Update: Snow, sleet & ice all possible this afternoon, stay off roads The department urged all residents to remain at home and off all roadways, as snowfall is expected to continue for several more hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emergency January 5, 2025 Stay at Home Order in Place Roads are currently slick and dangerous and littered with abandoned and disabled vehicles. The current snowfall has exceeded forecast and snow continues to fall for approximately for the next four hours. additionally were still expected and forecasted to receive some ice accumulation. All residence are encouraged to stay home and off the roadways, giving the town crews and VDOT the ability to clear the roads. St. Paul Fire Department Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Jan. 4A new lawsuit accuses the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department of failing to protect a 10-year-old boy with a history of abuse from an alleged sexual assault in 2022 by a teenager in an agency bathroom. The suit alleges the agency knew the older child had a history of sexual assault but still failed to prevent the incident. "Defendant CYFD ... knew that the older adolescent was dangerous and particularly posed a threat to the young children that CYFD was keeping at its Albuquerque office instead of placing them in a home," the suit states. "As a direct result of Defendant CYFD's breach of duties, [the plaintiff] suffered physical harm, emotional distress, and mental anguish." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boy's guardian ad litem, Alison Endicott-Quinones, said the suit highlights the problems that emerge as a result of housing children in state custody in CYFD offices, a practice that's happened hundreds of times in recent years when the department has struggled to find adequate homes for certain children. Office stays commonly lead to further trauma for children and a higher need for care, she said, adding CYFD's solutions opening homes for boys and girls and launching a program to offer specialized training for foster parents on how to support children with greater needs likely are insufficient. "If CYFD had sufficient placements for the appropriate kids, and they were doing their job in terms of supervision ... we wouldn't be where we are right now with this lawsuit," Endicott-Quinones said in an interview. CYFD spokeswoman Jessica Preston wrote in an email this week the department had not yet been served with the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It would be premature to comment at this time. Once we have had an opportunity to review the claims, we will respond appropriately through the legal process," she wrote. The suit, which alleges violations of the state's civil rights and tort claims laws, calls for CYFD to cease housing children in offices and instead provide them with "access to a safe and therapeutic home." The suit also calls for compensatory damages for the boy's injuries as well as other court costs. In her experience working with children who have stayed in CYFD offices, Endicott-Quinones said, it's common for them to leave with greater problems than they came in with, due to exposure to other children with more significant behavioral health needs as well as staff who are stretched thin and struggle to resolve conflicts. Endicott-Quinones noted workers are often on duty during office stays as part of overtime assignments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's a lot of bullying; there's a lot of peer pressure, and the kids their stress increases, their behaviors increase because of what they are exposed to," she said. "And then suddenly you have kids who otherwise would have done fine in a family getting more and more trauma as a result of their time in the office." The suit alleges the sexual assault occurred in December 2022. The boy was in CYFD custody after experiencing sexual abuse, exploitation and neglect in his biological family's home, the suit says. Because CYFD "did not provide him with a safe home to meet his needs," he was staying in an agency office, where staff allowed him to be alone with the older child, leading to the assault in the bathroom, the suit alleges. Preston could not say whether the older child faced criminal charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To curb the issue of housing children in agency offices, CYFD has turned to opening group homes in Albuquerque for children with greater needs, a solution the department has described as a middle ground between the optimal choice of placing them with families and having them stay in offices. The agency also has touted an upcoming program known as Foster Care+, which would offer specialized training for foster parents to help them support kids with behavioral and mental health conditions as well as medical conditions. Endicott-Quinones said she has little faith in either option. She noted CYFD has had trouble recruiting foster parents. In 2023, the agency fell 61 families short of its goal to recruit 190 nonrelative foster homes, according to a report recently released by independent field experts charged with tracking CYFD's progress toward compliance with a landmark settlement agreement in a civil case. "These kids need to be in homes," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was not clear exactly how often sexual assaults between children occur within CYFD offices. The agency tracks critical incidents, which include alleged abuse or assault, 911 calls and other emergencies, but Preston said CYFD has not disaggregated them by category. She could not provide the number of sexual assaults among children in custody that have taken place in department offices in the past three years. According to a report recently released by independent field experts, 52 total critical incidents were reported between July 1, 2023, and Jan. 5, 2024. Esteban Candelaria is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. He covers child welfare and the state Children, Youth and Families Department. Learn more about Report for America at reportforamerica.org. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is asking for the publics help after a person died from being struck by a driver on Saturday. Walk San Francisco (SF) confirmed in a news release on Monday that the incident marks San Franciscos first pedestrian fatality of 2025. 1 person critically injured in downtown SF shooting SFPD said officers responded to the intersection of Silver Avenue and Colby Street for a report of a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian. When officers arrived, they found the victim on the ground with life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SFPD said police and medics attempted to provide aid, but the person was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said the suspected driver left the scene after the crash. Walk SF said it learned from San Francisco police that the victim is an 81-year-old man. The safe streets watchdog group said there have been three other fatal crashes along Silver Avenue since 2015. We are keeping the victims loved ones in our thoughts, said Jodie Medeiros, executive director of Walk SF. No one should lose their life simply crossing the street. SFPD urges anyone with information to call 415-575-4444 or text a Tip to TIP411, starting the message with SFPD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. The suspect in the deadly New Year's Day truck-ramming attack in New Orleans made two previous trips to the city in October and November, apparently scouting the best location to carry out his rampage, even using a pair of Meta smart glasses to record video of a bicycle ride through the French Quarter, the FBI said. The suspect -- Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, an Army veteran and Houston realtor -- was also wearing Meta glasses when he allegedly executed the attack at 3:15 a.m. CT on Jan. 1, but apparently did not record the attack or attempt to livestream it, Lyonel Myrthil, special agent in charge of the bureau's New Orleans field office, said during a news conference on Sunday. At least 14 people were killed and dozens were injured in the attack, which occurred over a three-block stretch of Bourbon Street in New Orleans' bustling French Quarter. PHOTO: A cross with a pictures of 18-year-old victim Ni'Kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux is seen at a memorial on Bourbon Street after it reopened to the public on Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: What we know about the victims of the New Orleans attack: 'So beautiful and full of life' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jabbar, a Texas resident who FBI officials said proclaimed his support for the terror group ISIS in social media posts ahead of the attack, was killed in gunfire exchanged with New Orleans police. Myrthil said the investigation has uncovered two trips Jabbar made to New Orleans in October and in November. He said Jabbar's first trip to New Orleans began on Oct. 30, 2024. MORE: Mayorkas and McCaul warn of ISIS-inspired threats after New Orleans attack "He was in town for at least two days. During that time, Jabbar, using Meta glasses, recorded a video as he rode through the French Quarter on a bicycle," Myrthil said. "As we continue to learn more about that trip, we ask anyone who may have seen or interacted with him to contact us." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Myrthil said Jabbar made another trip to New Orleans on Nov. 10. "But we are still piecing together details of that trip," Myrthil said. PHOTO: This handout images taken from a video released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on January 5, 2025 shows suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar recording himself in a mirror with his Meta glasses before the New Orleans attack on January 1, 2025. (Handout/FBI/AFP via Getty Images) Joshua Jackson, the special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives field office in New Orleans, said Jabbar was seen late on the night of Dec. 31, unloading the white rental truck used in the attack at an Airbnb rental on Mandeville Street in the St. Roch neighborhood. The FBI, according to Myrthil, believes Jabbar entered Lousiana at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. PHOTO: Shamsud-Din Jabbar (FBI) Jackson said that before leaving the home at about 12:15 a.m. on Jan. 1, just three hours before the attack, Jabbar allegedly doused gasoline on a linen closet and throughout the residence and set it on fire, apparently hoping to destroy the property and any evidence left inside. PHOTO: Location of New Orleans truck ramming attack (Map tiles by Google Earth) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire, however, smothered itself out before reaching other accelerants in the homes, Jackson said. He said the New Orleans Fire Department extinguished the fire preventing extensive damage and allowing investigators to seize explosive materials and other evidence left behind by the suspect, officials said. Myrthil said the FBI has reviewed a video showing Jabbar planting two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on the streets of the French Quarter before the attack, concealing the devices in coolers. Myrthil said one of the coolers was "unwittingly" moved from where it was planted on Bourbon and St. Peter streets to another location in the French Quarter about a block away by an individual who had nothing to do with the rampage. MORE: FBI releases timeline of suspect Shamsud-Dim Jabbar's New Orleans attack PHOTO: A band plays next to crosses with pictures of victims at a memorial on Bourbon Street after it reopened to the public on Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) Jackson said the preliminary field tests indicated the IEDs contained what he described as "R-Salt explosives," saying the material is similar to RDX explosives and easily obtained in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackson said investigators do not believe Jabbar obtained the R-Salt explosives from overseas, which some media outlets have reported. The IEDs left in the two coolers failed to go off either because Jabbar was shot to death by New Orleans police officers during a gun battle that ensued after the truck ramming, or because he used the wrong mechanism to detonate the explosives, Jackson said. He said it appeared Jabbar had intended to detonate the devices with an electronic match or a hobby switch, which are both readily available in the U.S., as opposed to a more professional detonation device, which is harder to obtain. "He didn't use the right or correct device to set it off, and that is just indicative of his inexperience and lack of understanding how that material might be set off," Jackson said. MORE: New Orleans truck attack suspect: What we know about Shamsud-Din Jabbar Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackson said investigators believe Jabbar built the IEDs at his home in Houston, where a search turned up bomb-making materials, including RDX explosive material. He said FBI laboratory technicians are comparing the explosive material found in Jabbar's Houston residence to what was found in the IEDs. "The FBI lab will conduct additional tests on the material, which we believe will turn out to be commonly found explosives right here in the United States," Jackson said. Myrthil said investigators are still probing Jabbar's recent travel as they attempt to determine how he became radicalized. In videos Jabbar recorded while driving to New Orleans from Texas, he is heard allegedly "proclaiming his support for ISIS" and mentioning he joined the terrorist group before this summer, according to the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Christopher Raia, FBI deputy assistant director from the agency's counterterrorism division, said Sunday that investigators, so far, have uncovered no evidence Jabbar received help in the attack from ISIS or any other individuals in the U.S. or elsewhere. "We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the U.S., but we are still looking into potential associates in the U.S. and outside our borders," Raia said. He said the FBI continues to investigate who Jabbar met and associated with during a trip he took to Cairo in June 2023. Raia said that after returning to the U.S. from Egypt, Jabbar flew to Ontario, Canada, for a separate trip on July 10, 2023, and returned to the U.S. on July 13, 2023. In the United States, Raia said the investigation has also taken the FBI to Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Florida, and Houston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackson said Jabbar used a 9mm semiautomatic pistol and a .308-caliber semiautomatic rifle with a "privately made silencer" in the attack. He said another privately made silencer was found at the Mandeville Street house the suspect rented. Jackson said Jabbar was spotted in several gun stores in the Houston area on Dec. 31 before he left for New Orleans. Jackson did not disclose where Jabbar obtained the handgun, but said the rifle was purchased through a "private sale" with an individual in Arlington, Texas, on Nov. 19, 2024. "This individual, based on our investigation, does not know Jabbar. This was by chance encounter," Jackson said, adding that such private gun sales are legal in Texas. "There's no way this individual knew that Jabbar was radicalized or had any sort of awareness that this attack was imminent." Truck-ramming suspect used wrong device in failed detonation of IEDs: Officials originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A search based on specific input led to the recovery of 1 DJI Mavic 3 Classic drone from the sugarcane farming field adjacent to Ballaharwal village of district Amritsar, the statement said. Earlier on Saturday, the Punjab Frontier of the Border Security Force in coordination with the Punjab Police, conducted a joint operation and recovered a drone along with two packets of heroin along the Tarn Taran border. The recoveries took place in two separate incidents and were based on actionable information received by the security personnel. In the first incident, security personnel recovered a drone along with a packet of suspected heroin weighing 562 grams from a farming field near the village of Dal in the Tarn Taran district, the release stated. In the second incident, another packet of suspected heroin weighing 632 grams was seized from the same area. The recoveries were made possible through reliable intelligence from the BSF's intelligence wing, technical interception, and the prompt action of BSF troops and the Punjab Police. These efforts successfully thwarted the plans of narcotics syndicates operating from across the border. (ANI) Berlin, VT (myCV) Berlin Police have released surveillance photos of a car believed to be the getaway vehicle for a man whos injured a police officer and crashed into a grocery store in just a matter of days. Police say the vehicle they are trying to find appears to be a Subaru with Vermont Strong license plates. Officers say 22-year-old Devin Hallock from Williamstown, was allegedly seen on video getting into the passenger side of the car at Market 32 in Berlin just after 3:30 a.m. Sunday. Berlin police say Hallock was likely fleeing the scene after they say he crashed a white Subaru into the front doors of Market 32 in Berlin. Investigators say Hallock was allegedly seen driving the same car Friday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crash caused substantial damages to the front doors before bursting into flames, leading to further destruction. Police and firefighters arrived around 3:45 a.m., roughly 15 minutes later, and were able to put out the flames. But Hallock was gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just 24 hours earlier, police say, Hallock allegedly injured a Berlin police officer when they tried to stop Hallock from speeding away the white Subaru. Officers received a complaint about a car behind the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Hersey Road, and when they arrived, they saw three people in the car, including Hallock. The car then quickly sped away, nearly striking multiple officers. Thats how Berlin police say one of their officers sustained injuries, although its not clear how they were hurt. The extent of their injuries, and their identity, are also currently unknown. Police say Hallock should be considered dangerous, as hes said before he would rather be shot by police than go back to jail. Hes now wanted for felony assault on a law enforcement officer, reckless endangerment and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who knows where Hallock might be should contact Berlin police at 802-223-4401. Police also stress that if you see Hallock, do not approach him yourself. Instead, call 911. This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) The search for the suspected shooter of an Orange County sheriffs deputy has ended after he was shot in Louisville, Kentucky. Suspect at large after Orange County deputy was shot in the head Officials with the Indiana State Police say officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department were led to a home in the 3700 block of Wheeler Avenue in Louisville, attempting to locate Jasper native Austin Schepers for his involvement in the shooting of Deputy Sheriff Zac Andry early Friday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials go on to say that when they located Schepers, a confrontation broke out which ended with in Schepers being shot and killed at the scene by law enforcement. Officials have not yet revealed the details of the confrontation. Officials say there is no longer a threat to public safety regarding the manhunt for Schepers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). By Riham Alkousaa DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Syria's finance minister said on Sunday the government would hike salaries for many public sector employees by 400% next month after completing an administrative restructuring of ministries to boost efficiency and accountability. The increase, estimated to cost 1.65 trillion Syrian pounds, or about $127 million at current rates, will be financed by existing state resources plus a combination of regional aid, new investments, and efforts to unfreeze Syrian assets held abroad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(This is) the first step towards an emergency solution to the economic reality in the country," Mohammed Abazeed, the finance minister in Syria's caretaker government, told Reuters, adding that this month's wages for public sector staff would be paid out this week. These measures are part of a broader strategy by Syria's new caretaker government to stabilize the country's economy following 13 years of conflict and sanctions. Salaries of Syria's public sector employees under toppled President Bashar al-Assad's regime were around $25 a month, putting them below the poverty line, along with the majority of the country's population, Abazeed said. The hike would follow a comprehensive evaluation of up to 1.3 million registered public sector employees to remove fictitious employees from the payroll and would affect those with sufficient expertise, academic qualifications, and the necessary skills for reconstruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Syria's state treasury is facing liquidity challenges emerging from a war. The majority of money available in the central bank is Syrian currency, which has lost much of its value. However, the new government was promised assistance from regional and Arab countries, the minister said. "The launch of investments in the country in the near future will also benefit the state treasury and allow us to finance this salary increase," he said, adding the central bank currently has sufficient funds to finance the next few months. The government expects to retrieve up to $400 million in frozen Syrian assets abroad, which could co-finance the initial government expenses. Syria's caretaker government is also discussing exempting taxpayers, as much as possible, from penalties and interest and working on overhauling the tax system within the next three months to achieve tax justice for all taxpayers, with a first draft expected within four months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "By the end of this year, we expect having a well-designed tax system that takes the interests of all taxpayers into account," he added. (Reporting by Riham AlkousaaEditing by Mark Potter and Sharon Singleton) DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) Syria's new foreign minister met with his Qatari counterpart and Qatar's prime minister in Doha on Sunday, as Syrias new de facto authorities under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, establish diplomatic ties with regional and global governments. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani posted on X that hes also set to visit Jordan and the United Arabs Emirates to develop strategic partnerships, and support Syrias security and economic recovery. Al-Shibani met with his Saudi counterpart in Riyadh on Thursday. And he also welcomed the foreign ministers of Germany and France in Damascus on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HTS led a lightning insurgency that ousted President Bashar Assad on Dec. 8 and ended his family's decades-long rule. From 2011 until Assad's downfall, Syria's uprising and civil war killed an estimated 500,000 people. Much of the world ended diplomatic relations with Assad because of his crackdown on protesters, and sanctioned him and his Russian and Iranian associates. Now, Syria under Islamist rule hopes to reestablish those ties and lift sanctions slapped on HTS and leader Ahmad al-Sharaa to help make Syria's battered economy viable again. Assad was backed by Russia, Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. HTS now hopes Syria can strengthen ties with Arab countries in the region. Qatar supported opposition groups that fought against Assad and his allies, and was one of a few Arab countries that opposed restoring ties with the ousted Assad and Syria's return to the Arab League in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We conveyed to Doha our concerns about the challenges related to the economic sanctions imposed on the Syrian people, and we renew our call on the United States to lift those sanctions, Syrian radio station Sham FM quoted Al-Shibani as saying. Around 90% of Syrians live in poverty, while more than half of the population doesn't know where their next meal will come from, according to the United Nations. Al-Sharaa has said he will hold a national dialogue summit that includes different groups across Syria to agree upon a new political road map leading to a new constitution and an election. He vowed to dissolve HTS during the summit and has said in an interview with Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya that the de facto rulers are all of the same political background during this transitional phase for the sake of efficiency in running the country. Still, it's unclear whether Washington will lift sanctions anytime soon. Europe, meanwhile, appears hesitant because of fears over how religious minorities and women will be treated. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi ordered to boost Ukraine's 155th "Anne of Kyiv" Mechanized Brigade with drones after reports of desertion and mismanagement, he said on Jan. 5. "I paid special attention to building up the capabilities of the unmanned systems unit of the 155th Mechanized Brigade, as well as to the problematic issues that need to be resolved," Syrskyi said. His remarks came following a media investigation that claimed that soldiers of the unit, now deployed near Pokrovsk, have suffered losses and went AWOL (absent without leave) in large numbers due to poor command and organization on Ukraine's side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation. Sysrkyi's statement marks the first time that the military leadership mentioned the 155th Brigade, although without elaborating on the details of the scandal. Yurii Butusov, the chief editor of the Censor.net, claimed on Jan. 4, citing the outlet's unnamed sources, that President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with the military and top officials and "took the investigation under his control." The brigade is a flagship project under which NATO countries will help train new Ukrainian military formations and provide heavy equipment. The training of the 155th Brigade, named after an 11th-century Kyiv Rus princess and spouse of French King Henry I, was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unit has about 5,800 troops, fewer than 2,000 of whom have undergone training in France. According to Butusov, the unit's founding was an "organizational chaos" since the very beginning. Of the 1,924 soldiers eventually sent to France, only 51 had more than a year of military service, while 1,414 had served for less than two months, Butusov wrote. The unit was also plagued by large numbers of soldiers going AWOL about 50 deserted in France, in addition to hundreds who left their posts even before the unit was deployed at the front, according to the journalist. Between March and November, over 1,700 soldiers had gone AWOL, Butusov claimed without providing evidence. Though the unit was replenished with new recruits, these often did not undergo "proper selection process," the journalist added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 155th Brigade reportedly also did not receive drones or electronic warfare equipment from the Ukrainian command. This, in addition to poor organization and insufficient training, is said to have contributed to the losses the unit suffered once deployed in November. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. Read also: Ukraine launches new offensive in Russias Kursk Oblast, mixed reports surface on outcome Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (THE CONVERSATION) Artificial intelligence harms, problematic social media content, data privacy violations the issues are the same, but the policymakers and regulators who deal with them are about to change. As the federal government transitions to a new term under the renewed leadership of Donald Trump, the regulatory landscape for technology in the United States faces a significant shift. The Trump administrations stated approach to these issues signals changes. It is likely to move away from the civil rights aspect of Biden administration policy toward an emphasis on innovation and economic competitiveness. While some potential policies would pull back on stringent federal regulations, others suggest new approaches to content moderation and ways of supporting AI-related business practices. They also suggest avenues for state legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I study the intersection of law and technology. Here are the key tech law issues likely to shape the incoming administrations agenda in 2025. AI regulation: innovation vs. civil rights The rapid evolution of AI technologies has led to an expansion of AI policies and regulatory activities, presenting both opportunities and challenges. The federal governments approach to AI regulation is likely to undergo notable changes under the incoming Trump administration. The Biden administrations AI Bill of Rights and executive order on AI established basic principles and guardrails to protect safety, privacy and civil rights. These included requirements for developers of powerful AI systems to report safety test results, and a mandate for the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create rigorous safety standards. They also required government agencies to use AI in responsible ways. Unlike the Biden era, the Trump administrations deregulatory approach suggests a different direction. The president-elect has signaled his intention to repeal Bidens executive order on AI, citing the need to foster free speech. Trumps nominee to head the Federal Trade Commission, Andrew Ferguson, has echoed this sentiment. He has stated his opposition to restrictive AI regulations and the adoption of a comprehensive federal AI law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With limited prospects for federal AI legislation under the Trump administration, states are likely to lead the charge in addressing emerging AI harms. In 2024, at least 45 states introduced AI-related bills. For example, Colorado passed comprehensive legislation to address algorithmic discrimination. In 2025, state lawmakers may either follow Colorados example by enacting broad AI regulations or focus on targeted laws for specific applications, such as automated decision-making, deepfakes, facialrecognition and AI chatbots. Data privacy: federal or state leadership? Data privacy remains a key area of focus for policymakers, and 2025 is a critical year to see whether Congress will enact a federal privacy law. The proposed American Privacy Rights Act, introduced in 2024, represents a bipartisan effort to create a comprehensive federal privacy framework. The bill includes provisions for preempting state laws and allowing private rights of action, meaning allowing individuals to sue over alleged violations. The bill aims to simplify compliance and reduce the patchwork of state regulations. These issues are likely to spark key debates in the year ahead. Lawmakers are also likely to wrestle with balancing regulatory burdens on smaller businesses with the need for comprehensive privacy protections. In the absence of federal action, states may continue to dominate privacy regulation. Since California passed the Consumer Privacy Rights Act in 2019, 19 states have passed comprehensive privacy laws. Recent state privacy laws have differing scopes, rights and obligations, which creates a fragmented regulatory environment. In 2024, key issues included defining sensitive data, protecting minors privacy, incorporating data minimization principles, and addressing compliance challenges for medium or small businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the federal level in 2024, the Biden administration issued an executive order authorizing the U.S. attorney general to restrict cross-border data transfers to protect national security. These efforts may continue in the new administration. Cybersecurity, health privacy and online safety States have become key players in strengthening cybersecurity protections, with roughly 30 states requiring businesses to adhere to cybersecurity standards. The California Privacy Protection Agency Board, for example, has proposed rulemaking on cybersecurity audits, data protection risk assessments and automated decision-making. Meanwhile, there is a growing trend toward strengthening health data privacy and protecting children online. Washington state and Nevada, for example, have adopted laws that expand the protection of health data beyond the scope of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Numerous states, such as California, Colorado, Utah and Virginia, have recently expanded protections for young users data. In the absence of federal regulation, state governments are likely to continue leading efforts to address pressing privacy and cybersecurity concerns in 2025. Social media and Section 230 Online platform regulation has been a contentious issue under both the Biden and Trump administrations. There are federal efforts to reform Section 230, which shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content, and federal- and state-level efforts to address misinformation and hate speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Trumps previous administration criticized Section 230 for allegedly enabling censorship of conservative voices, the Biden administration focused on increasing transparency and accountability for companies that fail to remove concerning content. With Trump coming back to office, Congress is likely to consider proposals to prohibit certain forms of content moderation in the name of free speech protections. On the other hand, states like California and Connecticut have recently passed legislation requiring platforms to disclose information about hate speech and misinformation. Some existing state laws regulating online platforms are facing U.S. Supreme Court challenges on First Amendment grounds. In 2025, debates are likely to continue on how to balance platform neutrality with accountability at both federal and state levels. Changes in the wind Overall, while federal efforts on issues like Section 230 reform and childrens online protection may advance, federal-level AI regulation and data privacy laws could potentially slow down due to the administrations deregulatory stance. Whether long-standing legislative efforts like federal data privacy protection materialize will depend on the balance of power between Congress, the courts and the incoming administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. South Carolina deputies are investigating a shooting as attempted murder after a teenager was wounded on New Years Day. According to the Sumter County Sheriffs Office, dispatch received a 911 call around 3 p.m. Wednesday reporting a shooting at a home on East Red Bay Road in Sumter. Deputies found a 15-year-old who had been wounded in a drive-by shooting and had non-life-threatening injuries. The teen was taken by ambulance to Prisma Tuomey Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Witnesses at the scene described the car involved as a blue sedan, and said there were several suspects dressed in black on a nearby street who werre shooting in the direction of the residence, according to officials. Around 5 p.m., while investigators were still at the scene collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses, the sheriffs Community Action Team saw a blue Hyundai Elantra matching the description given by witnesses. Officials said that deputies learned the car had been stolen and located it at McCrays Mill Road near Stadium Road, then made a traffic stop. The driver did not stop, and after a high-speed chase with deputies, four occupants left the car and ran toward Forest Drive with deputies chasing them on foot. Three of the four were apprehended by deputies and an officer with the Sumter Police Department. The fourth is still being sought. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two of the suspects were juveniles, the sheriffs office said. The third was identified as 22-year-old Jaden Shamont Smith of Sumter. Smith was found to be in possession of a handgun, ammunition and marijuana. A search of the vehicle found more handguns and ammunition. Smith was arrested and charged with possession of a stolen pistol, officials said. He was taken to the Sumter County Sheriffs Office Detention Center. Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said there is an ongoing investigation. The Sumter sheriff asks anyone with information to call 803-436-2000. Tipsters can also remain anonymous by going to www.p3tips.com or downloading the P3 mobile app. A reward may be available. PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) Several thousand people rallied in Montenegro on Sunday demanding the resignations of top security officials over the shooting earlier this week that left 12 people dead, including two children. Chanting Resignations and Killers," protesters outside the Interior Ministry building in the capital, Podgorica, demanded that Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic and Deputy Prime Minister for Security and Defense Aleksa Becic step down. Milo Perovic, from a student-led group that helped organize the rally, told the crowd that innocent people died during their watch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You failed to protect us, so resign! Perovic said. Hours earlier, hundreds of people held 12 minutes of silence for the 12 victims at a rally in Cetinje, Montenegro's historic capital where the shooting took place on Wednesday. It was the second such massacre in the town in less than three years. Many residents of Cetinje and other Montenegrins believe that police mishandled the situation and haven't done enough to boost security since the first massacre, which happened in August 2022. Wednesday's shooting resulted from a bar brawl. A 45-year-old local man went home to get his gun before returning to the bar and opening fire. He killed four people there and eight more at various other locations before killing himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The massacre fueled concerns about the level of violence in Montenegrin society, which is politically divided. It also raised questions about the readiness of state institutions to tackle the problems, including gun ownership. Police have said the shooting was impossible to predict and prevent, though the gunman, identified as Aco Martinovic, had been convicted for violent behavior and illegal weapons possession. His victims were mostly friends and family. Montenegrin authorities swiftly announced a new, strict gun law and other tough measures to curb illegal weapons, which are abundant in the Balkan nation of around 620,000 people. On Sunday, police said they raided several locations in the country and confiscated about 20 weapons, more than 500 rounds of ammunition and explosives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters in Cetinje and Podgorica also demanded a demilitarization of the population through the destruction of illegal weapons, high taxes on gun ownership and a moratorium on new licenses while existing ones are reconsidered under strict criteria. The attacker in 2022 in Cetinje gunned down 10 people, including two children, before he was shot and killed by a passerby. Maja Gardasevic, a protest organizer, said during the rally in Cetinje that we came here looking for answers to several questions. Why did a massacre happen in Cetinje for the second time? Gardasevic asked. Why is no one responsible? Why is it so hard to resign? ___ Jovana Gec contributed to this report from Belgrade, Serbia. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated a Drone Training Centre at the Arts and Commerce College in Indore on Sunday, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to make India the global leader in drone technology by 2030. "The Flying Club has decided to establish a Drone Training Institute here. I congratulate them on this initiative... As PM Modi has said, by 2030, India will become the capital of drone technology in the world. The Madhya Pradesh government is fully committed to advancing drone technology, and I have encouraged them (Flying Club) to collaborate with IIT Bhopal to make this technology accessible to women, youth, and farmers so they can also benefit," said CM Yadav. Earlier, in a pioneering move, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced the establishment of drone stations across the state to revolutionise disaster management. Speaking on the occasion of the 62nd Raising Day of the Home Guards, CM Sukhu emphasised the importance of adopting modern technology to bolster disaster response mechanisms amidst the growing challenges of climate change. "To address the challenges posed by climate change, it is imperative to modernise our disaster response systems. Drone stations will play a crucial role in ensuring swift and effective emergency responses," the Chief Minister said, adding that a substantial Rs 800 crore has been allocated for this ambitious project. The drone stations, akin to bus terminals, will be established at district headquarters and key locations to facilitate prompt aid delivery and monitoring. Earlier in July, Union Minister Piyush Goyal during his address at the International Innovation Conclave organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PHDCCI) in New Delhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is ready to promote the drone industry that has seen rapid growth in the last three years. Praising the development of technology and growth in the drone industry on the strength of innovation, Goyal asserted that the development of the drone ecosystem and deploying them in villages across the nation aligns with the PM's 'NAMO Drone Didi' initiative that will help empower the women in the agriculture sector. (ANI) New Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said its President-elect Trumps decision to pardon Jan. 6 rioters. Thune joined NBC Newss Meet the Press for an interview that aired Sunday, where he was asked by host Kristen Welker how he felt about Trumps promise to pardon Jan. 6 defendants once he was back in the White House. Thats ultimately going to be a decision that President Trump is going to have to make, Thune said of the pardons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Trump told Time magazine that pardons would start within the first hour or even in the first nine minutes. Trump has long promised to grant clemency to those who stormed the Capitol as Congress certified President Bidens 2020 election victory. On the campaign trail, he called them political prisoners. This year marks the fourth anniversary of rioters storming the Capitol after leaving Trumps rally at the Eclipse in Washington. When asked about Trumps potential pardons, Thune compared it to the recent pardons made by Biden. In a controversial move, Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, after noting he would not grant his son clemency. Biden also announced pardons for 39 people and commuted sentences for 1,500 others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As weve discovered under the Biden administration, the pardon authority is a very broad one, Thune said. The new Senate leader said he isnt examining the past, including Jan. 6, and instead is focused on the future. I think you learn from the past, you remember the past, but you live in the present and the future, he said, turning his attention to the next administrations goals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Will TikTok be banned this month? Thats the pressing question keeping creators and small business owners in anxious limbo as they await a decision that could upend their livelihoods. The fate of the popular app will be decided by the Supreme Court, which will hear arguments on Jan. 10 over a law requiring TikTok to break ties with its Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance, or face a U.S. ban. At the heart of the case is whether the law violates the First Amendment with TikTok and its creator allies arguing that it does. The U.S. government, which sees the platform as a national security risk, says it does not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For creators, the TikTok doomsday scenarios are nothing new since President-elect Donald Trump first tried to ban the platform through executive order during his first term. But despite Trump's recent statements indicating he now wants TikTok to stick around, the prospect of a ban has never been as immediate as it is now with the Supreme Court serving as the final arbiter. If the government prevails as it did in a lower court, TikTok says it would shut down its U.S. platform by Jan. 19, leaving creators scrambling to redefine their futures. A lot of my other creative friends, we're all like freaking out. But I'm staying calm, said Gillian Johnson, who benefited financially from TikToks live feature and rewards program, which helped creators generate higher revenue potential by posting high-quality original content. The 22-year-old filmmaker and recent college graduate uses her TikTok earnings to help fund her equipment for projects such as camera lens and editing software for her short films Gambit and Awaken! My Neighbor. Johnson said the idea of TikTok going away is hard to accept. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many creators have taken to TikTok to voice their frustrations, grappling with the possibility that the platform theyve invested so much in could soon disappear. Online communities risk being disrupted, and the economic fallout could especially be devastating for those who mainly depend on TikTok and have left full-time jobs to build careers and incomes around their content. For some, the uncertainty has led them to question whether to continue creating content at all, according to Johnson, who says she knows creators who have been thinking about quitting. But Nicla Bartoli, the vice president of sales at The Influencer Marketing Factory, said the creators she has interreacted with have not been too worried since news about a potential TikTok ban has come up repeatedly over the years, and then died down. I believe a good chunk think it is not going to happen," said Bartoli, whose agency works to pair influencers and brands. It's unclear how quickly the Supreme Court will issue a decision. But the court could act swiftly to block the law from going into effect if at least five of the nine justices deem it unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, for his part, has already asked the justices to put a pause on the ban so he could weigh in after he takes office. In a brief written by his pick for solicitor general Trump called the First Amendment implications of a TikTok ban sweeping and troubling" and said he wants a negotiated resolution to the issue, something the Biden administration had pursued to no avail. While waiting for the dust to settle in Washington, some creators are exploring alternatives ways to promote themselves or their business, encouraging users to follow them on other social media platforms or are investing more time producing non-TikTok content. Johnson says she is already strategizing her next move and exploring alternative opportunities. While she hasnt found a place quite like TikTok, shes begun to spend more of her time on other platforms, such as Instagram and YouTube, both of whom are expected to benefit financially if TikTok vanishes. According to a report by Goldman Sachs, the so-called creator economy, which has been fueled in part by TikTok, could be worth $480 billion by 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because the opportunity to monetize content exists across a range of platforms, a vast amount of creators have already diversified their social media presence. However, many TikTok creators have credited the platform and its algorithm with giving them a type of exposure they did not receive on other platforms. Some say it has also boosted and provided opportunities for creators of color and those from other marginalized groups. Despite fears about the fate of TikTok, industry analysts note creators are generally avoiding making any big changes, like abandoning platform, until something actually happens. Im anxious but also trying to be hopeful in a weird way," said Brandon Hurst, who credits TikTok with rescuing his business from obscurity and propelling it into rapid growth. A year after joining TikTok, the 30-year-old Hurst, who sells plants, said his sales doubled, outpacing the traction hed struggled to gain on Instagram. He built his clientele through the live feature on TikTok, which has helped him sell more than 77,000 plants. The business has thrived so much that he says he now employs five people, including his husband and mom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For me, this has been my sole way of doing business," Hurst said. Billion Dollar Boy, a New York-based influencer marketing agency, has advised creators to download all of their TikTok content into a personal portfolio, which is especially important for those who post primarily on the platform, said Edward East, the agencys founder and group CEO. This can help them quickly build their audiences elsewhere. Plus it can serve as a resume for brands who might want to partner with them for product advertisements, East said. But until the deadline of Jan. 19 comes around, East said creators should continue to post regularly on TikTok, which has 170 million monthly U.S. users and remains highly effective in reaching audiences. If the Supreme Court does not delay the ban, as Trump is asking them to do, app stores and internet service providers would be required to stop providing service to TikTok by Jan. 19. That means anyone who doesn't have TikTok on their phone would be unable to download it. TikTok users would continue to have access, but the prohibitions which will prevent them from updating the app will eventually make the app "unworkable, the Justice Department has said. TikTok said in court documents that it estimates a one-month shutdown would cause the platform to lose approximately a third of its daily users in the U.S. The company argues a shutdown, even if temporary, will cause it irreparable harm, a legal bar used by judges to determine whether to put the brakes on a law facing a challenge. In under three weeks, Americans will know if the Supreme Court agrees. A timeline of events leading to and following the New Year's Day vehicle attack that killed 14 people in New Orleans before police fatally shot the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, at the crash scene in the city's French Quarter: June 22-July 3, 2023 Jabbar visits Cairo and then returns to the United States. July 10-13, 2023 Jabbar visits Ontario, Canada, before returning to the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oct. 30, 2024 Jabbar visits New Orleans. Oct. 31 Jabbar records himself using Meta smart glasses while riding a bicycle through the French Quarter as he plotted the attack, the FBI said. Nov. 10 Jabbar visits New Orleans again. Nov. 19 Jabbar legally purchases a semiautomatic rifle in a private sale in Arlington, Texas. Authorities say the seller had no knowledge of Jabbar's intentions. Dec. 31 Jabbar visits a gun store in Texas. He also purchases an ice chest that authorities said would hold an improvised explosive device. 2:30 p.m., Dec. 31 Jabbar enters Louisiana. 9 p.m., Dec. 31 Jabbar's rented F-150 pickup truck seen in Gonzales, Louisiana, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) from the French Quarter in New Orleans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 12:41 a.m., Jan. 1 Jabbar parks the truck and walks to Royal and Governor Nichols Street in New Orleans. 1:53 a.m., Jan. 1 Jabbar places the first improvised explosive device at Bourbon and St. Peter streets. Someone moved the cooler containing the IED to Orleans Street, one block over. Investigators said the person who moved the cooler was not connected to the attack. 2:20 a.m., Jan. 1 Jabbar places a second IED at Bourbon and Toulouse streets. 3:15 a.m., Jan. 1 Jabbar drives the F-150 pickup truck onto a sidewalk around a police car blockading the Canal Street entrance to Bourbon Street and rams into New Year's revelers, killing 14 people and injuring dozens of others. He crashes into construction equipment. Police officers shoot and kill Jabbar after he opens fire on them and Bourbon Street crowds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 5:18 a.m., Jan. 1 New Orleans Fire Department responds to a fire at a short-term rental home on Mandeville Street. While Jabbar had placed accelerants throughout the home seeking to destroy evidence, authorities said, the fire went out. Investigators said they recovered bomb-making materials and what appeared to be a homemade rifle silencer. Federal investigators believe he set the fire earlier in the day before leaving for the French Quarter. 1 p.m., Jan. 2 Bourbon Street reopens to the public. Jan. 4 New Orleans residents gather at Bourbon Street for a vigil to honor the victims of the attack. The final victim killed in the attack is identified by her family as LaTasha Polk, a mother and nursing assistant from New Orleans. A top official with Donald Trumps 2024 campaign bent over backwards on Fox News trying to justify the President-elects public statements on a fatal terror attack that took place on New Years Day. Network host Howard Kurtz asked Corey Lewandowski, who acted as senior adviser to the president-elects recent campaign, how exactly the deadly attack carried out by a U.S. citizen had anything to do with the issue of supposedly open borderswhich Trump repeatedly implied were the cause of the attack. As Kurtz put it, Why, the day after we all learned that the New Orleans mass murderer was an American citizen and had served in the Army, did Donald Trump put this up on Truth social: This is what happens when you have open borders with weak, ineffective, and virtually non-existent leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kurtz then directly asked Lewandowski: What has that got to do with the Bourbon Street killer? Lewandowski shot back, Well, Howie, what we know or what we seem to have known about this individual was yes, he served in the U.S. military, but he also went overseas, I think, to the Middle East, where many think he was radicalized over there and then came through Canada before he came back into the United States. Apparently still spry after this impressive feat of mental acrobatics, he then went on, So, you know, we have to make sure that we are vigilant of checking everybody coming to this country and making sure we know where theyre coming in from. Lewandowski also added, Even American citizens, look, they have a right to travel. Of course, they do. But making sure that we understand that were dealing with the mental health crisis that this person clearly had. A top city Department of Education official is soliciting donations for a non-profit that helps migrants fight deportation, raising questions about whether she is bucking the mayor in his bid to work with President-elect Donald Trump. Elizabeth Vladeck, the DOEs general counsel, posted a Dec. 31 request on X urging donations to the non-profit Florence Immigration & Refugee Rights Project. Your support is essential in furthering our mission to provide free legal and social services to detained adults and unaccompanied children facing immigration removal proceedings, Vladeck wrote. Make a gift to the Florence Project today! Liz Vladeck, DOE general counsel, posted a plea for donations to the Florence Immigration & Refugee Rights Project. X @LVladeck Coming on the heels of Mayor Adams cordial meeting with incoming border czar Tom Homan and Hizzoners tougher stance on deporting migrants accused of violent crime, Vladecks pitch has raised some eyebrows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You have a senior member of the administration, the top attorney for the citys largest agency, who is basically bucking the mayor behind his back, a source familiar with the DOE told The Post. After a series of crimes allegedly involving migrants, Adams in February called for a change in the citys sanctuary policy that sharply limits communication with federal agents, and for more cooperation with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. After migrants injured cops making a shoplifting arrest, Adams last month said hes open to deporting those accused of violent crimes instead of waiting for convictions to ship them off. Tom Homan, the incoming border czar appointed by President-elect Trump, met with Mayor Adams to discuss migrant deportations. AP Most recently, he urged the NYPD to work with Homeland Security to file federal charges against the Guatemalan migrant accused of torching a woman to death on the subway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am not going to be warring with this president. Im going to be working with this president, said Adams. The Florence Project, which raised $32.6 million in 2022, according to its latest available tax filings, has assisted thousands of migrants coming through the Arizona border with Mexico, and informs asylum seekers about their legal rights if apprehended by ICE. Mayor Adams has toughened his stance on deporting migrants accused of violent crimes and called for greater cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Paul Martinka Mayor Adams wants federal charges filed against the Guatemalan migrant accused of setting fire to a woman on the subway, killing her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DOEs Project Open Arms is aimed at supporting migrant children. In light of Trumps threat of mass deportations, Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos recently reminded principals not to let ICE or FBI agents enter schools, but to immediately contact the legal division for instructions. Non-local law enforcement agents will be barred without a court-issued warrant or subpoena, the DOE policy says. David Bloomfield, an education professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Grad Center, sees no conflict in Vladecks pitch for the Florence Project. The Florence Project supports migrants crossing the Mexican border in Arizona and their legal rights as asylum seekers. firrp.org Her call to support the organization is consistent with DOE policies to uphold immigrant student rights, and to hold immigration authorities to their legal obligations, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DOE insists that Vladeck followed social media protocol for city and DOE employees, saying she posted the plea for donations on New Years Eve when schools were closed and on her own time. Vladeck did not answer questions. An auto-reply to her DOE email address said, I am currently working on a part-time basis. City Hall had no comment. A traffic stop involving Hall County deputies ended in gunfire early Sunday morning. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Around 3 a.m. Hall County deputies tried to stop a car that officials say was driving erratically on Interstate 985 and State Route 365 northbound. The driver, identified as 26-year-old Austin Cole Abel, of Cleveland, turned from SR 365 onto eastbound Lula Road (State Route 52) with a Hall County deputy following Abels car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The HCSO said Abel opened fire on the deputys patrol vehicle and the deputy returned fire. According to the sheriffs office, neither was injured. TRENDING STORIES: Deputies said, Abel continued driving his car on Lula Road, then drove into a ditch, flipping his car. Authorities said the 26-year-old complained of minor injuries but refused medical treatment. He was then taken into custody. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will investigate the officer-involved shooting aspect of the incident. HCSO investigators are investigating the other aspects of the incident. Around 12:40 p.m., Lula Road (SR 52) was reopened between Clarks Bridge Road and Romey Savage Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office said, the investigation is active, but theres no danger to the public. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Abel is charged with the following: Four counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer Fleeing/attempting to elude He was also charged with the following misdemeanors: DUI drugs-less safe Speeding Reckless driving Improper left or right turn Wireless communication use while driving No safety belt Failure to allow emergency vehicle to pass Failure to maintain lane Driving in an emergency lane Following too closely Three counts of obedience to traffic control devices Obstruction of an officer He remains in the Hall County Jail with no bond. Kennewick police want community members to know that a potential school shooting threat going around on social media is a hoax. A Richland schools student accused of making the threat was taken into custody Sunday afternoon on suspicion of making felony threats, according to an update from Richland police. The student was booked into the Benton County Juvenile Detention Center. The message was reported to police after a Richland school district student was sent a Snapschat message from a friend with a screenshot of a threatening comment their friend had seen on a TikTok video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comment read, Mass cms school shooting on January 6th 12:30. It was made by an account Kennewick police believe is a spoof, AI generated or dummy account setup in order to cause disruption and trouble, according to a social media post from the department. The rumor appeared to get around, and grow. Kennewick police said they wanted to address the speculation because what had been a vague comment on a video was now rumored to be a video showing a Kennewick middle school logo. Despite the speculation, police say there is nothing at this time that connects the threatening comment to the Kennewick middle school. Unfortunately we have investigated multiple threats this year that originate from social media and as students share them they take on a life of their own in the school district they attend, Kennewick police wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are thankful the RSD student brought it to the attention of police. We would encourage parents to have a conversation with their children about reporting threats they observe to them or another adult right away, instead of sharing the threat further. As a precaution and in order to ensure students, parents and faculty feel comfortable enough to attend class Monday, Kennewick police will have additional officers at Chinook Middle School. The district also has full time school resource officers at all of its middle and high schools. Kennewick police will continue to investigate the origin of the threat, but said there is no indication it is credible. Scores of House Republicans are headed to Mar-a-Lago at the end of this week for meetings with President-elect Donald Trump on his ambitious 2025 plans, including one massive budget reconciliation package that will be a huge undertaking. Trump is planning to meet separately with the Freedom Caucus, House GOP Committee chairs and GOP lawmakers from New York, New Jersey and California, along with others, according to three people familiar with the plans. Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday laid out an ambitious timeline for passage of the major, party-line package with energy, tax reform and other GOP priorities, saying hes aiming to get it to the House floor the first week of April, with final passage possible by the end of April. The invitations to lawmakers dont have specific agenda items listed. But Trump wants to press House Republicans to get behind his idea for a massive, one-package budget reconciliation plan, according to two of the people familiar with the meetings. Though, some Trump allies acknowledge its still possible Republicans could ultimately break up the package. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some congressional Republicans expressed public and private trepidation this weekend about forgoing a two-package approach that could notch some quick GOP wins, especially on the border. Several Republicans have suggested that GOP leaders and Trump could pursue one massive package, but may be forced to separate it into smaller pieces later if logistical or political problems arise. Trumps meeting with New York, New Jersey and California lawmakers is set for late afternoon Saturday and is likely to address the major tax reform piece of the reconciliation plans, including a key tax break in those states, known as the state and local tax deduction, or SALT. Demands from GOP lawmakers in those states that Republicans tackle SALT in any major legislative package will be a major challenge for Trump and GOP leaders to navigate, with a large swath of the GOP conference opposed to such a move. (Bloomberg) -- Speaker Mike Johnson vowed that an ambitious bill addressing a range of President-elect Donald Trumps priorities will be voted out of the US House in April, a tight schedule for his narrowly divided chamber. Most Read from Bloomberg In an interview on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures, Johnson said Republicans would use what is known as the reconciliation process, which only requires a simple majority of 51 in the Senate. That means Republicans can pass the legislation without Democratic votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, in a Sunday evening post to Truth Social and X, said lawmakers are getting to work on one powerful bill covering much of his legislative agenda, and demanded that Republicans unite, and quickly deliver his legislative wins as soon as possible. Subscribe to the Bloomberg Daybreak podcast on Apple, Spotify or anywhere you listen. Johnson said the massive bill would address issues such as border security, including money for the mass deportations of undocumented immigrants; an extension of the 2017 Trump tax cuts; raising or eliminating the federal debt ceiling; reducing federal regulations and dismantling the deep state. Trump, in his social media post, said the measure would also include his no tax on tips proposal. The reason were doing it that way is we wont have to negotiate with Chuck Schumer and the Democrats on that, Johnson said, referring to the Senate Democratic leader. An all-encompassing bill would be ready for Trump to sign certainly by May and perhaps the end of April. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump nearly derailed a spending bill that passed in December amid a looming government shutdown because it didnt raise or eliminate the debt limit. Johnson defied Trump and passed the bill without it, angering some members, but suggested Sunday that would be a priority for the incoming House. Republicans have been split on whether to put all of Trumps early legislative priorities in one bill or divide them among two or more. Trump and his party have a limited time to get major legislation passed before the 2026 midterm elections put members of Congress in campaign mode. No ones going to love every element of a large package like that but therell be enough elements in there to pull everyone along, Johnson said. Theyll be able to justify not getting all of their preferences on some of their big issues because there will be so many very important pieces to that one piece of legislation. GOP Senator Lindsey Graham, appearing on the same program, said he opposed trying to cram so many disparate elements into one bill and insisted that border security alone must be Congress first order of business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will try to be a team player here, but I want to tell the American people that the number one job is carrying out Trumps border plan. No way in hell Democrats are going to give us $100 billion for mass deportations. Graham, the incoming Senate Budget Committee chairman, said the House could count me in for cutting taxes but not until border security is addressed. Grahams comments reflect beliefs held by Republicans in both chambers that one bill will be too cumbersome to get done in Johnsons accelerated time frame. Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, said on Sunday Morning Futures that he prefers a two-step process, give President Trump the funds he needs to secure the border, protect this nation and then take our time on making sure that we dont have a massive tax increase in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps 2017 tax cuts are set to expire this year without legislative action. --With assistance from Derek Wallbank. (Adds Trump comments on one-bill strategy and contents starting in third and fourth paragraphs.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. A Delhi Court on Sunday granted 4 days transit remand of Mohd. Sajjad Alam, a key accused in the Phulwari Sharif PFI case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The agency sought transit remand of the accused to produce him before a special NIA court at Patna, Bihar. The accused was arrested on Saturday at Indira Gandhi Airport after he returned from Dubai, UAE. A lookout circular (LOC) was issued against him. An arrest warrant was also issued against him by the special NIA court at Patna. Duty Judicial Magistrate First class (JMFC) Anurag Chhabra granted 4 days transit remand of Mohd. Sajjad Alam to NIA. He is to be produced before the NIA court at Patna on January 9. The Additional Superintendent of NIA, Vipin Kumar moved an application and sought a 5-day transit remand of the accused. Advocate Santosh Singh Barthwal appeared for accused Mohd. Sajjad Alam. It is alleged that the accused is a trained cadre of PFI and was channelling funds from Dubai to the PFI cadre in Bihar through a Dubai, Karnataka and Kerala syndicate. These funds were allegedly used to promote PFI's criminal and unlawful activities. In Phulwari Sharif PFI case, an FIR was registered in 2022. The other 17 accused have already been arrested and chargesheeted by the NIA. Initially, an FIR was lodged by the Phulwari Sharif Police in July 2022. Earlier on Saturday, the National Investigation Agency arrested a key accused in the Phulwari Sharif Popular Front of India (PFI) case from the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi. The accused was arrested on arrival from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the agency said in a release on Sunday. An NIA team arrested accused Mohammad Sajjad Alam of east Champaran district of Bihar, as soon as he landed at the IGI airport. Alam, a trained cadre of the banned PFI, had an arrest warrant issued against him by the NIA special court in Patna and also had a Look Out Circular issued against him. As per NIA investigations, the accused was involved in channelising illegal funds from Dubai to PFI cadres in Bihar through a UAE, Karnataka and Kerala-based syndicate. The funds were used for promoting the banned outfit's criminal and unlawful activities. NIA, which took over the investigation days after the registration of the original case, had earlier arrested and chargesheeted 17 accused in the case. (ANI) Giorgia Meloni flew to Florida to meet with Donald Trump on Saturday, as the key European leader sought to further boost ties with the US before the president-elects inauguration on Jan 20. Members of Mr Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort welcomed the Italian prime minister with applause after an introduction by the president-elect, according to videos shared on social media by reporters and others. Ms Melonis trip comes days before she is to meet Joe Biden, the US president, during his visit to Rome from Jan 9 to Jan 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While no details of their meeting have been disclosed, Ms Meloni had planned to talk with Mr Trump about Russias war in Ukraine, trade issues, the Middle East and the plight of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran, according to Italian media reports. Ms Melonis office declined to comment on the reports. Ms Meloni becomes the latest foreign leader to meet Mr Trump since his re-election - Italian Government/Reuters She is seen as a potentially strong partner for Mr Trump given her conservative credentials and the stability of the Right-wing coalition she heads in Italy. She has also forged a close relationship with Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and a close Trump ally who reportedly spent more than $250 million (201 million) on his successful election campaign. According to reports, Mr Trump told the Mar-a-Lago crowd: This is very exciting. Im here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shes really taken Europe by storm. Mr Trump praises Ms Meloni saying: Shes really taken Europe by storm - Italian Government/Reuters Mr Trump and Ms Meloni then sat down for a screening of a documentary questioning the criminal investigations and legal scrutiny faced by John Eastman, Trumps former lawyer who was central to the president-elects unsuccessful efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. One of the biggest challenges facing Ms Meloni is the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in Iran on Dec 19. Ms Sala was detained three days after Mohammad Abedini, an Iranian businessman, was arrested at Milans Malpensa airport on a US warrant for allegedly supplying drone parts that Washington says were used in a 2023 attack that killed three US service members in Jordan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran has denied involvement in the attack. On Friday, Irans foreign ministry summoned Italys ambassador over Mr Abedinis detention, Iranian state media reported. Ms Meloni became the latest in the handful of foreign leaders who have visited Mr Trump in Florida since the November election. Mr Trump has met with Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary, and Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Former President Donald Trump listens as video from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol is shown while the song, "Justice for All," is played during a campaign rally at the Waco Regional Airport on Saturday, March 25, 2023, in Waco, Texas. The Washington Post via Getty Images WASHINGTON It took decades for defenders of the Confederacy to rewrite the history of the Civil War to recast Southern rebels treasonous attack against the United States as an act of honor and courage. It took Donald Trump a mere fraction of that time to accomplish the same feat for his Jan. 6, 2021, coup attempt. In a mere four years, that days effort to end or, at the very least, suspend American democracy with a deadly assault on the Capitol, incited by Trump himself, has for a large swath of the country instead become a peaceful protest whose participants have been persecuted by Trumps political opponents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What they have in common is that in both cases a story is propagated that a portion of the population wants to hear because it absolves them, or those in their in-group, of a transgression of not just the law, but of commonly held moral principles, said Gabriel Reich, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who has studied how the history of the Civil War and Reconstruction is taught in schools. Liberal democracies really struggle with bad-faith actors who manipulate existing rules and norms to their own benefit, he added. Tom Joscelyn, a counterterrorism expert who served on the staff of the House Jan. 6 committee and was a co-author of its report, said he still finds it hard to believe that people could watch what happened that day unfold on television and then still accept Trumps version of it. Unlike children growing up in the South in the 1940s and 1950s, for whom the Civil War was generations in the past, Trumps followers and allies are rejecting readily available evidence of contemporary violence. All you need is the images and the videos from that day, his own words, and what you saw with your own eyes, and it was clear that he had crossed some bright lines, he said. All of that should have been disqualifying, and it wasnt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps transition team did not respond to HuffPost queries. Even since his win in November, Trump has continued to lie about the 2020 election having been stolen from him and has described those who have been prosecuted for their actions on Jan. 6 as political prisoners. These people have been treated really, really badly, he told Time magazine last month. Theyve suffered greatly, and in many cases they should not have suffered. Mac Stipanovich, a longtime Republican political consultant in Florida, said he remembers as a child reading a plaque honoring dead Confederate soldiers in his town square. Thats the way we grew up. Thats what we knew, he said. That Trump was able to revise his own history so quickly is a noteworthy achievement, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a tribute to Trump and his posses ability to convince half the country, Stipanovich said. And it is a telling indictment of the intelligence of that half of the country. From Protecting Slavery To The Honorable Lost Cause When America elected the leader of a party dedicated to abolishing slavery as president, 11 Southern states decided to secede and started a war against those that remained. That these rebel states would lose was likely inevitable, given the Unions industrial might and population advantage, and 700,000 deaths later, they did. Yet within a few short years, an effort to reinvent that loss and the motivations behind it began. Confederate sympathizers and segregationists in academia, the media and politics cast men like Robert E. Lee officers in the U.S. Army who had taken up arms against the United States as tragic American heroes. And the reason behind the war, the preservation of human slavery, was replaced with a principled defense of states rights even though slavery was plainly cited in the states own articles of secession. They made sure that teachers, including university-level historians, taught that story as historical truth, while simultaneously suppressing other points of view from the media, VCUs Reich said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It took decades of repetition, replete with the construction of statues and memorials to the leaders of the failed insurrection, but this Lost Cause myth eventually became an accepted narrative, primarily in the South but to a lesser extent all over the country. So much so that some U.S. military bases in the first half of the 20th century were named for Confederate officers. Trumps propaganda campaign to redefine Jan. 6, in contrast, has taken place at lightning speed. On Jan. 6 itself and in the days immediately afterward, the early consensus was that Trump had incited the attack on the Capitol and that he was wrong to do so. Republican congressional leaders blamed him in floor speeches. Trump himself on Jan. 7 read prepared remarks warning members of his mob: To those who broke the law, you will pay. Trumps former United Nations ambassador, Nikki Haley, expressed the conventional wisdom at the time that Trump was finished. I think hes lost any sort of political viability he was going to have, she told Politico on Jan. 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four years later, Trump is about to return to the same White House he left in disgrace. His new administration will be stocked with those willing to repeat and spread his continuing lies about the 2020 election. And he has promised not only to pardon those prosecuted for taking part in the Jan. 6 attack but to prosecute those who tried to hold him and his followers to account. The Triumph Of The Repeated Lie That Trump was able to return to power, despite everything, was perhaps foreseeable because he never lost the loyalty of the Republican primary voting base. Indeed, the day after his coup attempt had failed, the overwhelming majority of the 163 members of the Republican National Committee gave him a sustained ovation when he called into their winter meeting in Amelia Island, Florida. Three weeks later, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, at the time the countrys highest-ranking elected Republican, visited Trump at his South Florida country club, effectively signaling that Trump remained the partys leader. Two weeks after that, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, while lambasting Trump for his behavior leading up to and on Jan. 6, nonetheless voted not to convict Trump for inciting the insurrection following his House impeachment for that offense. A conviction would have been followed by a vote to ban him from federal office for life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By April, the RNC was again holding fundraising events at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club, putting donors money into his personal bank account. Officials acknowledged privately that Trump remained their biggest fundraising draw and that they had to go along with the fiction that the 2020 election had been stolen because their voters believed it to be true even though the only reason for that belief was Trumps lies. And by the end of 2021, following the release of conspiracy theorist Tucker Carlsons documentary claiming that the Jan. 6 insurrection was actually a false flag operation by the FBI, Trump began calling those under prosecution for taking part in his coup attempt even the hundreds convicted for having assaulted police officers hostages and political prisoners. Republican candidates for offices large and small in increasing numbers made pilgrimages to Palm Beach to win his endorsement. Journalists similarly made the trek not to ask about his unprecedented attempt to thwart the peaceful transfer of power, but about his candidacy to regain the presidency in 2024. The new Lost Cause myth for Jan. 6 was complete. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its disheartening, Joscelyn said. Stipanovich, who broke from the Republican Party when it embraced Trump in 2016, said that a more apt and troubling comparison to Trumps rewriting of Jan. 6 may be the way Adolf Hitler and the Nazis remade their 1923 Beer Hall Putsch into a valiant act of patriotism, rather than an attempted coup that sent Hitler and others to prison. When it failed, the heroes of the failure became the hope of the future, he said. Whatever the appropriate historical analogy, the fact that Trump was able to assault democracy as he did and still come back to power is worrisome, said Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist. Sabato also grew up in that state, where the Civil War was taught as the War of Northern Aggression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lost Cause was a big lie, but Im not so sure Trumps big lie will ever be a lost cause, he warned. This is not cynicism. Its the reality we face. Related... When a radicalized US Army veteran mowed down 14 people in New Orleans, Donald Trump wasted no time pointing his finger, blaming immigrants and a non-existent open border for the tragedy: This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS... The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors are incompetent and corrupt, having spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME.... Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen to our Country. On-brand, Trump ignored police intelligence that identified the offender as a US citizen, a former U.S. Army staff sergeant and combat veteran from Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also on-brand, Trump co-opted the massacre to redirect attention from his bait and switch on immigration. After convincing 49% of the nations voters that immigrants were the root of all evil, leading to a 1% win Fox News calls a landslide, Trump sided with Elon Musk to defend hiring more foreigners for high-paid jobs under the H1-B visa program. Trumps perfidy aside, no one has forgotten Trumps campaign mantra that illegals were stealing American jobs, murdering Americans and eating their pets. The internecine war between MAGAs anti-immigrant faction and its techbro donors is a by-product of Trumps own disordered thinking, and it is just the beginning. The H1-B debacle The heart of MAGAs current discontent is the H1-B program, which allows employers to hire nonimmigrant aliens as workers in specialty occupations. According to the US Department of Labor, a specialty occupation is one that requires highly specialized knowledge and at least a bachelors degree or its equivalent. Found at 8 U.S.C. 1182 et seq, the law requires employers to pay H1-B employees the prevailing wage for their job title and location, which is meant to protect workers from exploitation. H1-B critics complain that, in addition to the potential for exploitation, hiring aliens disincentivizes companies from developing and hiring American talent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week Elon Musk, who brazenly purchased his proximity to power with wealth built in part on exploitable H1-B talent, threatened to go to war to protect the program. After being obsessed with immigrants in general and the H1-B visa program in particular, and after restricting access to foreign worker visas in the past, Trump has now switched his tune to match Musks, saying he has many H-1B visas on my properties. Ive been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. Its a great program. Trump, whose most educated talent includes convicted tax fraud accountants and convicted lawyers facing debarment, has not explained why cooks, servers, housekeepers and groundskeepers at his motels need high-tech visa clearances. Aside from exploiting foreign workers desperate to remain in the U.S., H1-B also rewards Republicans for de-funding public education, punishing uneducated Americans whom Musk and the broligarchy deem too retarded to power Americas high-tech workforce. Proving that a broken clock is still correct twice a day, rightwing provocateur Laura Loomer argues that these high-tech jobs should be given to American STEM students, and that Musk et al are enriching themselves at the expense of MAGA loyalists. Musk responded with characteristic immaturity towards critics, prompting Steve Bannon to call Musk a toddler who needed a wellness check. Matt Gaetz said Musk was trying to engineer immigration policies, while conservative Ann Coulter showed an uncharacteristic concern for labor, stating, American workers can leave a company. Imported H1-B workers cant. Tech wants indentured servants, not high-skilled workers. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Musk bolstered his critics argument when he admitted that H1-B engineers accept lower salaries just to work in the US. As Musk framed the debate, Its much easier to bring in skilled workers who might not do quite as good a job but will work for a fraction of the cost and be happy just to be here. Got exploitation, anyone? Fox anchors will sell Trump until they cant The worlds richest man, Musk prefers to pay less for talent and no surprise there. What is yet unknown is how MAGA will react when Trump repeatedly kicks them to the curb. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump created anti-immigrant fervor to attract low-information voters, but as long as Citizens United is good law, Republicans will always side with their wealthy donors over MAGA. Similar dynamics will surface when they try to cut Social Security, impose regressive tariffs, or trim the ACA to fund tax cuts for the rich; the intraparty rifts have only just begun. As Trump crosses the line from ignorant bombast to dangerous, Fox News will eventually have to abandon him, given his lame duck status. Too bad Murdoch worked so hard to bash immigrants and accents he could have imported some foreign models and filled those anchor seats for less. For the past 20 years, Tulsa resident Carl Scott has used his Social Security disability payments to cover his essential expenses. Those monthly payments are his only source of income, and he receives them via Direct Express, a setup whereby beneficiaries receive a debit card onto which Social Security funds get loaded. Don't miss "It's my sole means of revenue each 30 days," Scott told 2 News, a local broadcaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Scott lost his Direct Express debit card, he paid $13 to expedite a new one. But since late November, he's been unable to activate it, leaving him helpless and without the money he needs to survive. A dire situation Direct Express allows Social Security recipients to get their funds via debit card. It's an option often exercised by beneficiaries who don't have access to a bank account. Scott said he knew he needed his replacement Direct Express debit card activated right away, so when he ran into issues, he immediately called the program for help. After spending days on hold for hours at a time, he turned to Social Security for help and was told Direct Express would return his call within hours. When that didn't happen, he contacted his 2 News's Problem Solvers team to intervene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, things have progressed. Direct Express returned Scott's calls and told him he needed a new state ID since his current one had expired. But he needed to supply a copy of his birth certificate, a process that could take 20 to 25 days. The Tulsa Day Center provided Scott with a voucher to purchase a new ID. But when he hit a further snag, the Problem Solvers intervened and put Scott in touch with LIFE Senior Services, a nonprofit that assists seniors with everything from taxes to navigating Medicare. Scott's caseworker was able to speed up the process of getting his birth certificate, thereby expediting the process of him getting the new ID needed to activate his Direct Express card. She also made sure Scott was provided with food. But as of this writing, the issue remains unresolved, which means Scott is still missing the income he relies on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 3 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) A troubling trend Scott isn't the first Social Security beneficiary to have issues with Direct Express. In early December, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sued Comerica Bank, the administrator of the program, for repeatedly failing its 3.4 million Direct Express cardholders. The suit states that Comerica deliberately disconnected more than 24 million customer service calls. Not only that, but callers were subjected to excessively long wait times. The suit also says that more than a million Direct Express debit cardholders were charged ATM fees to access their government benefits when they should've been entitled to free withdrawals. And thousands of cardholders were forced to close their accounts in error, causing them to incur fees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The good news is that starting in 2025, Bank of New York Mellon Corp. will take over the Direct Express program, which could make for smoother sailing. Not only that, but the Social Security Administration (SSA) itself is taking steps to improve customer service for beneficiaries. The agency says that over the summer, 50 of its offices began an effort to help customers make appointments instead of being subjected to long lines. When that proved effective in shrinking wait times at local offices, the SSA expanded that effort to about 400 locations and is now working to scale that initiative nationwide The SSA also acknowledged earlier this year that it takes too long to approve initial disability claims. The agency is prioritizing a reduction in disability processing times and has expanded its team of medical consultants to help Disability Determination Service offices get through case reviews more quickly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although theres still work to be done, the hope is that efforts like these will make it easier for vulnerable Americans to get access to the customer service they need, as well as the benefits they need to stay afloat. What to read next A near-record number of Americans are grappling with $1,000 car payments and many drivers can't keep up. Here are 3 ways to stay ahead Are you rich enough to join the top 1%? Here's the net worth you need to rank among Americas wealthiest plus 2 ways to build that first-class portfolio 5 ways to boost your net worth now easily up your money game without altering your day-to-day life This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. By the time 2025 was four days old, Miami-Dade police were investigating the second shooting death of a child. Saturday night, Miami-Dade police say, two children were shot near the corner of Northwest 13th Street and Sixth Avenue in Florida City. Though airlifted by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to Jackson Souths trauma center, Johvan Taylor died at the hospital. He was 13. Johvan Taylor The other child is hospitalized in stable condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social media mourners said Taylor, nicknamed Woodah, loved playing football like his uncle, Maurice Alexander, who made the NFL out of Booker T. Washington High and FIU. Miami-Dade police say early investigation found that a group of youths were outside a home when at least one shooter approached and shot into the group before running away. READ MORE: She turned 10 last week. A stray bullet killed her on Jan. 1, Miami-Dade police say Wednesday, just a few minutes into the new year, 10-year-old Yaneliz Munguia was killed by a stray bullet in Miamis Allapattah neighborhood. Anyone knowing anything about either childs death should reach out to Crime Stoppers of Miami-Dade & the Florida Keys either online or at 305-471-8477 (TIPS). Anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers that lead to an arrest can be eligible for a reward up to $5,000. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will urge allies to boost Ukraines air defenses at a meeting this week in Germany, while both sides said Kyivs forces pressed new attacks Sunday in Russias Kursk region. Russian shelling, meanwhile, killed at least one person and wounded another in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, local officials said. Dozens of partner countries will participate in the meeting of the Ramstein group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday, Zelenskyy said, including those who can help boost our capabilities not only to defend against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aviation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will discuss this with them and continue to persuade them, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Saturday. The task remains unchanged: strengthening our air defense. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin will attend the meeting, which originally had been scheduled for October with U.S. President Joe Biden present. The session was postponed in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton striking the state of Florida. The Biden administration is pressing to send as much military aid as possible to Ukraine before Trump is sworn in Jan. 20. Trump claimed during his election campaign that he could end the nearly 3-year-old war in one day, and his comments have raised questions over whether Washington will continue to be Ukraines biggest and most important military backer. Zelenskyy said last week that Trump is "strong and unpredictable, and those qualities can be a decisive factor in his policy approach to the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia controls about a fifth of Ukraine and last year advanced slowly in eastern areas despite high losses of troops and equipment. The wars trajectory isnt going in Ukraines favor, with the country shorthanded on the front line and in need of more support from its Western partners. In Ukraine's incursion in the Kursk region, Zelenskyy said Russian and North Korean troops had suffered heavy losses in fighting in Russias Kursk region. In battles yesterday and today near just one village, Makhnovka, in the Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroopers, he said. This is significant. Zelenskyy said last month that 3,000 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded in Kursk, where Ukrainian forces launched an incursion in August, dealing a blow to Russias prestige and forcing it to deploy some of its troops from eastern Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incursion didnt significantly change the dynamic of the war, and military analysts say Ukraine has lost around 40% of the land it initially captured. Russias Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukraine launched a fresh offensive in the Kursk region. It claimed its forces pushed back Ukrainian troops, but some reports from Russian military bloggers indicated that Moscow's forces faced significant pressure. A ministry statement said Ukrainian forces attacked about 9 a.m. local time (0600 GMT, 1 a.m. EST) near the village of Berdin with two tanks, a mine-clearing vehicle and 12 armored combat vehicles with paratroopers. Two Ukrainian attacks were repelled, it said. Ukrainian presidential adviser Andriy Yermak said there was good news from Kursk and that Russia was getting what it deserves, while Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraines official Centre Against Disinformation, said on Telegram that Russian troops were attacked in several places. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports. In other developments, local officials said one person was killed and another wounded in Russian shelling of the city of Nikopol in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region on Sunday. Downstream along the Dnieper River, at least six people were wounded when Russian troops shelled the city of Kherson, capital of the region of the same name. Settlements along the west bank of the river come under regular shelling from Russian-controlled territory on the opposite bank. Nine people were wounded in a Russian guided bomb attack on the border town of Semenivka in Ukraines northern Chernihiv region on Saturday evening, local officials said. Moscow sent 103 drones into Ukraine overnight Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraines air force, 61 drones were destroyed and 42 were lost, likely due to electronic jamming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Russian Defense Ministry said that 61 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight Sunday in western Russia. No casualties were reported but Rostov regional Gov. Yuri Slyusar said residential buildings and cars were damaged by falling drone debris. ___ Morton reported from London. - Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Ukrainian forces launched a counterattack in the western border region of Kursk, warning that Russia was "getting what it deserves." Though it was not immediately clear how much Ukraine had advanced in the region, the assault comes at a critical juncture in the nearly three-year conflict with both sides seeking to boost their negotiating hand ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House on Jan. 20. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that he will again call on allies to boost his country's air defenses at a meeting of the Ramstein group in Germany this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the dozens of partner countries will participate in the meeting "including those who can help boost our capabilities not only to defend against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aviation." "We will discuss this with them and continue to persuade them," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Saturday. "The task remains unchanged: strengthening our air defense." Firefighters put out the fire in a damaged building, hundred of meters from Ukraine's Presidential Office following a Russian drone attack, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 1 2025. / Credit: Oksana Johannesson / AP U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin will attend the meeting, which originally had been due to take place in October and attended by President Biden. It was postponed because Hurricane Milton battered the U.S. In its last few weeks in office, the Biden administration has been pressing to send as much military aid as possible to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine used two tanks, a dozen armored vehicles and a demolition unit in Sunday's assault, which was headed towards the village of Berdin about 9 miles northeast of Sudzha, the Russian defense ministry said. "The operation to destroy the Ukrainian army formations continues," it said. Pro-Kremlin military bloggers admitted the Russian army had come under pressure but said Moscow was fighting back. "The main events of the next attempted offensive by the Ukrainian army are clearly still ahead of us," influential pro-Russian Telegram channel Rybar said. Ukrainian officials gave little detail on the new offensive, with a prominent lawmaker urging silence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I can't understand why it is necessary to officially report on the Kursk region. Maybe better to do it afterwards when the operation is over?" Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko said. Other officials expressed their glee at the fightback, which comes almost three years since Moscow launched its full-scale military assault on Ukraine. "Russia is getting what it deserves," Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said. The head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, said on Telegram that defense forces were "working" in the area, without elaborating. "In the Kursk region, the Russians are very worried because they were attacked from several directions, and it was a surprise for them," he said. Ukrainian soldiers fire with a machine gun during shooting training at an outdoor firing range on January 4, 2025 in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. / Credit: Roman Chop/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images Kyiv seized dozens of villages in the Kursk region shortly after its incursion started on August 6, 2024, but its advances stalled after Moscow rushed reinforcements to the area, including thousands of troops from its ally North Korea. A Ukrainian army source told AFP last November that Kyiv still controlled around 300 square miles of the Russian border region. But Kyiv has so far been unable to halt Moscow's advances in Ukraine, which were seven times higher in 2024 than the year prior, according to an AFP analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Russia and Ukraine have exchanged regular attacks since the year began. Russia said Sunday it downed dozens of Ukrainian drones overnight in a barrage that damaged homes and triggered air alerts, while Kyiv said Moscow fired 103 drones into its territory. Four Russian airports briefly suspended traffic early Sunday for "safety" reasons, forcing at least eight planes to divert course, a spokesperson for Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia said. Massive winter storm expected to bring heavy snow, ice, cold to 25 states Rise and shine with sunrise photographer Bugsy Sailor Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan vows administration to address immigration on "day one" Ukrainian troops attacked Russian forces in several directions in Kursk Oblast, Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's counter-disinformation center, claimed on Jan. 5. Reports by Russian pro-war Telegram channels have echoed the statement, saying that a new Kyiv offensive is underway. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian troops repelled two offensives conducted by Ukrainian assault groups in Kursk Oblast on Jan. 5. The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify these claims at the time of publication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reports come as Moscow has been ramping up its efforts to push Ukraine out of the embattled Kursk Oblast as Kyiv continues to hold on to a small piece of Russian territory in the hopes of gaining leverage in possible future negotiations. Roman Alyokhin, a Russian pro-war blogger and a former advisor to Kursk Oblast's governor, claimed that Kyiv launched an attack northeast of Sudzha toward the village of Bolshoye Soldatskoye, using armored vehicles and demining equipment. According to him, the Ukrainian army also "intensified its actions" in other areas of Kursk Oblast. Kovalenko said that Ukrainian troops attacked Russian forces in several directions in Kursk Oblast, which "came as a surprise to them." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Kursk Oblast, good news! Russia is getting what it deserves," Andrii Yermak, head of the President's Office, wrote on Telegram. The Ukrainian military has not publicly reported any new operations in Kursk Oblast. Acting Kursk Oblast Governor Alexander Khinshtein said on Jan. 5 that Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov had arrived in Kursk. It was not immediately clear whether this visit was related to the ongoing activity in the region. Ukrainian forces launched an offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast in early August, achieving initial tactical success. In recent months, Ukraine has been on the back foot as Russia reportedly recaptured half of the lost territory and deployed reinforcements, including North Korean troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House said on Dec. 27 that North Korean soldiers suffered over 1,000 casualties in Kursk Oblast over the past week alone as they carried out "human wave" assaults with little effect. Read also: Ukraine ends year battered, with Russian troops pushing north, east, and south Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The News Kyiv renewed its offensive in Russias Kursk region, as Ukraine tries to hold territory there ahead of US President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration. Since Ukraines initial incursion into Kursk in August the first invasion of Russia since World War II Moscow has regained much of its lost territory. Trump, meanwhile, has vowed to end the war, and a stronger position on the battlefield could give Kyiv a better position in any future negotiations with Russia: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described it as a very strong trump card. The latest push also puts a spotlight on Russias use of North Korean soldiers to bolster its ranks. As many as 10,000 troops were sent to Kursk, and Ukrainian officials said scores have been killed there. India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Sourish Bandopadhyay on Sunday said that there are no chances of rain in South Bengal for the time being. However, dense fog is likely to occur in some places over the next 48 hours, which could lead to reduced visibility. He said that temperatures in South Bengal are currently normal, they are likely to rise slightly in the next couple of days. "There is no chance of rain for South Bengal as of now, and dense fog is likely at some places for the next two days. Temperature is normal, there is a slight increase in temperature in the next 2 days but after January 7, the temperatures will decrease," said Bandopadhyay. Meanwhile, dense fog continued to blanket most parts of North India on Sunday as the region battles cold conditions. In Uttar Pradesh, people woke up to a chilly morning as a dense layer of fog blanketed cities, towns and villages. The minimum temperature recorded in Kanpur was 9 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Ayodhya also saw a thick layer of fog and the minimum temperature recorded was 12.6 degrees Celsius, as per IMD. The low visibility due to the fog reduced the visibility in the city to 50 metres and has also disrupted the traffic. In Prayagraj, the temperature dropped down to 11 degrees Celsius as per IMD. A local said that there was barely any visibility in the city. In Rajasthan, Jaipur recorded a minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius as per IMD. The temperature dip in Delhi earlier this morning led to disruption in the flight and train services. According to the India Meteorological Department, Delhi recorded 10 degrees Celsius at 5.30 am on Sunday. As the harsh winter continued many homeless people were seen staying at night shelters. Earlier on January 3, the IMD had issued an alert regarding a fresh active western disturbance in Northwest India from January 10 to 12. Under the influence of this western disturbance, light rainfall is expected in the northwestern states. (ANI) Key developments on Jan. 4 - 5: Ukraine launches new offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast, mixed reports surface on outcome Russia launches over 300 drones, 20 missiles at Ukraine in first 3 days of new year, Zelensky says Russian soldiers near Toretsk disguise as civilians to bypass Ukrainian positions, military says Heavy Russian, North Korean losses in Russia's Kursk region, Zelensky says More than 50,000 foreign parts found in Russian drones, missiles launched at Ukraine this week, Zelensky says Ukrainian troops attacked Russian forces in several directions in Kursk Oblast, Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's counter-disinformation center, claimed on Jan. 5. Reports by Russian pro-war Telegram channels have echoed the statement, saying that a new Kyiv offensive is underway. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian troops repelled two offensives conducted by Ukrainian assault groups in Kursk Oblast on Jan. 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify these claims at the time of publication. The reports come as Moscow has been ramping up its efforts to push Ukraine out of the embattled Kursk Oblast as Kyiv continues to hold on to a small piece of Russian territory in the hopes of gaining leverage in possible future negotiations. Roman Alyokhin, a Russian pro-war blogger and a former advisor to Kursk Oblast's governor, claimed that Kyiv launched an attack northeast of Sudzha toward the village of Bolshoye Soldatskoye, using armored vehicles and demining equipment. According to him, the Ukrainian army also "intensified its actions" in other areas of Kursk Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kovalenko said that Ukrainian troops attacked Russian forces in several directions in Kursk Oblast, which "came as a surprise to them." "Kursk Oblast, good news! Russia is getting what it deserves," Andrii Yermak, head of the President's Office, wrote on Telegram. The Ukrainian military has not publicly reported any new operations in Kursk Oblast. Acting Kursk Oblast Governor Alexander Khinshtein said on Jan. 5 that Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov had arrived in Kursk. It was not immediately clear whether this visit was related to the ongoing activity in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian forces launched an offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast in early August, achieving initial tactical success. In recent months, Ukraine has been on the back foot as Russia reportedly recaptured half of the lost territory and deployed reinforcements, including North Korean troops. The White House said on Dec. 27 that North Korean soldiers suffered over 1,000 casualties in Kursk Oblast over the past week alone as they carried out "human wave" assaults with little effect. Read also: Over 54,000 Russian targets were hit with Ukrainian drones in December, Syrskyi says Russia launches over 300 drones, 20 missiles at Ukraine in first 3 days of new year, Zelensky says Russia launched more than 300 drones and 20 missiles, including ballistic missiles, at Ukrainian cities and villages over the first three days of the new year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the first days of 2025, Russia carried out a series of attacks against Ukraine, causing the destruction of many residential buildings and infrastructure, as well as civilian casualties. Zelensky added that the Russian army also strikes settlements close to the front line with guided aerial bombs every day. "Such Russian terror, which is not decreasing its intensity, requires us and all our partners to continue to build our air shield and all its systemic elements, from patriots to mobile fire groups," Zelensky said. "It is necessary to replenish the stock of anti-missiles for air defense constantly. We need to increase the capacity of mobile fire groups constantly. I am grateful to all the partners who help us." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us The president also announced meetings and talks next week to strengthen Ukraine's air defense. The next Ramstein-format summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) will take place on Jan. 9. The meeting will be the first since the leader-level summit in Germany was postponed in October 2024 after U.S. President Joe Biden canceled his foreign trips to handle Hurricane Milton. Read also: Russian commander linked to deadly strike in Ukraine severely injured in Russia after explosion Russian soldiers near Toretsk disguise as civilians to bypass Ukrainian positions, military says Russian troops are disguising themselves as civilians to bypass Ukrainian military positions in the Toretsk sector of the front line in Donetsk Oblast, commander of the mortar battery of the presidential brigade, call sign "Mozok" ("Brain"), told Suspilne on Jan. 3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commander's statement comes after reports on Russian forces starting to move toward the town of Toretsk. Fighting with armored combat vehicles, motorcycles, and buggies took place in the village of Nelipivka, located south of Toretsk, in late December. The soldier, whose name is undisclosed for security reasons, said that after passing Ukrainian positions, Russian soldiers disguised as civilians either wait for reinforcements or use anti-tank mines to attack Ukrainian positions. "Some of the soldiers are former prisoners. They are tasked with smuggling anti-tank mines and throwing them into the area of our firing positions when the fighters cannot be knocked out during regular battles. They are trying to blow up buildings where our guys are located," the soldier told Suspilne. Small infantry groups are also trying to storm and bypass positions under the cover of fog, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Toretsk has become one of the hottest spots in Donetsk Oblast in recent months as Russian troops continue advancing in Ukraine's east. Throughout 2024, Ukraine has faced a challenging situation in its defense of the front line. Apart from Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine expects Russian forces to launch larger-scale attacks in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Read also: Drones reportedly target one of Russias largest sea trade ports in Leningrad Oblast Heavy Russian, North Korean losses in Russia's Kursk region, Zelensky says President Volodymyr Zelensky reported significant losses among Russian and North Korean forces during recent clashes in Russia's southern Kursk region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In battles yesterday and today near a single village, Makhnovka, in Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops," Zelensky said in his evening address on Jan. 4, citing information from Ukraine's top commander. He added that "this is significant." While Zelensky did not share further details, a battalion typically consists of several hundred troops. In late 2024, Zelensky also called on China to use its influence over North Korea to prevent the deployment of North Korean soldiers to the front line. "The Korean people should not lose their people in battles in Europe. And this can be influenced, in particular, by Korea's neighbors, in particular, China. If China is sincere in its statements that the war should not expand, appropriate influence on Pyongyang is necessary," Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia has stationed approximately 12,000 North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region to assist in ousting Ukrainian forces. The first confirmed battles between Ukrainian and North Korean units occurred on Nov. 5. Ukraine first began its surprise incursion into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6. Ukrainian forces have been fighting to hold onto territory in the region ever since in hopes it can be used as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Russia. Read also: Uzbek court sentences man for participating in war against Ukraine on Russian side More than 50,000 foreign parts found in Russian drones, missiles launched at Ukraine this week, Zelensky says Hundreds of drones, missiles and guided aerial bombs used by Russia to attack Ukraine this week contained overall more than 50,000 foreign components, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 5. In the first days of 2025, Russia carried out a series of attacks against Ukraine, causing the destruction of many residential buildings and infrastructure, as well as civilian casualties. According to Zelensky, Russian troops launched more than 630 attack drones, around 740 guided aerial bombs, and nearly 50 missiles of various types this week, targeting settlements across Ukraine. Overnight alone, 103 Shahed-type drones launched against Ukraine contained 8,755 foreign-made components, the president said. Ukraine shot down 61 drones, the Air Force said. Another 42 drones were "lost." "The sanctions pressure on supply chains for foreign components remains insufficient," Zelensky said. "Russia continues to acquire the components and manufacturing tools it needs almost globally and uses them in the weapons it employs to terrorize Ukraine." The president urged partners to bolster Ukraine's air-defense and long-range capabilities, as well as strengthen sanctions against Russia. Read also: Nothing of interest Russian envoy dismisses Trumps reported peace deal proposals on Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Achilles Strike UAV Battalion of the 92nd Ivan Sirko Separate Assault Brigade, along with fighters from the National Guard's Burevii Brigade and paratroopers from the 77th Separate Air Assault Brigade, repelled two Russian assaults near the village of Zahryzove on the Kupiansk front on 3 and 4 January. Source: Achilles Strike UAV Battalion of the 92nd Ivan Sirko Separate Assault Brigade Details: The assault began on the night of 2-3 January and continued until the morning of 4 January. Both mechanised attacks were thwarted. Russian forces are continuing their offensive on the Kupiansk front. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the course of two days, UAV crews from the Achilles UAV Battalion destroyed or immobilised 20 units of Russian armoured equipment, including: Tanks 5 (2 destroyed, 3 damaged); BMP infantry fighting vehicles 10 (4 destroyed, 6 damaged); MT-LBs (tracked armoured fighting vehicles) 3 (1 destroyed, 2 damaged); Armoured personnel carrier 1 damaged; GMZ minelaying armoured vehicle 1 damaged. Quote from Anton Shmahailo, commander of the first strike company of the Achilles UAV Battalion: "The enemy made another attempt to widen the wedge of their bridgehead on the left side of the Oskil River (Kupiansk front). The enemy's goal remains unchanged: to take the left-bank sections of Kupiansk and Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi. Furthermore, their actions suggest that they are laying the groundwork for a larger offensive towards Borova's outskirts." Context: The key settlements held by Ukraine's defence forces on the left bank of the Oskil River are Kupiansk, Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi and Borova. Tank divisions from Russias 1st Tank Army are playing a central role in the Russian offensives. Meanwhile, the coordinated efforts of Ukraine's various structural units and combined firepower, of which reconnaissance and attack drones, particularly those operated by the Achilles UAV Battalion, are an integral part, are instrumental in defending this sector of the front. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October, despite heavy losses of personnel and equipment, the Russians managed to breach the Ukrainian defence forces' bridgehead in the vicinity of the settlements of Kruhliakivka, Kolisnykivka and Zahryzove. Now, in early January, this area continues to see the most intense fighting on the Kupiansk front. Background: Commander Anton Shmahailo of the Achilles UAV Battalion has suggested that the Russian forces may have been given a deadline to achieve specific objectives on the Kupiansk front, such as capturing Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi by the New Year. Support: The Achilles UAV Battalion, which operates on both the Kharkiv and Kupiansk fronts, is currently running a campaign to raise UAH 1.5 million (approximately US$36,500) to purchase fibre-optic drones, a vital tool for bypassing Russian electronic warfare systems and repelling Russian assaults. Support UP or become our patron! Oleksii Halionka, a 72-year-old Ukrainian educator and philologist, was killed on 3 January 2025 when a Russian missile hit his home in Chernihiv. The attack, involving three ballistic missiles, struck residential areas, killing Halionka, injuring four others, and damaging several homes. Halionka had already suffered significant losses in 2022 when Russian forces destroyed his family home, along with a personal library of 4,000 books and other belongings. Since then, he had been living in a small building on the same property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had big plans for life this year, including building a new house, his niece Liudmyla Halionka said in an interview with local media outlet Cheline. He was a very kind and sensitive person. Its a great loss for our family, for everyone. A well-known educator, Halionka authored over 100 publications and was an associate professor at the Regional Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education. Local authorities confirmed the missiles targeted civilian infrastructure, leaving parts of the neighborhood heavily damaged. Chernihiv Oblast, situated on Ukraine's northern border with Russia, was partially occupied during the early stages of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Russian forces withdrew from the region in April 2022, Chernihiv Oblast remained under near-daily attack due to its proximity to the border in the following two years. Read also: Ukrainian film actor Yakiv Tkachenko killed in action Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Church Street in downtown Plains was at a somber hush Saturday morning despite the hundreds of people lining the streets when former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral procession made its way to his Boyhood Farm. There, the longest serving National Park Service Rangers in Plains, Randy Dillard and Karen Berry, rang the farm bell 39 times. That same bell would ring an hour before daylight during Carter's boyhood, which was the name of his memoir about his early years.Carters ride through Plains marks the beginning of one last journey, a trip that will mirror the path of his storied life from a modest farm community to the state Capitol in Atlanta and onto Washington D.C. The former President died in his Plains home on Dec. 29 at age 100. "I think he was the finest man that ever served in office," said Randy Fenley, who traveled from Macon, Georgia for the procession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From Plains: "He was the same man all the time": Plains locals, visitors reflect on Carter's humility The procession will conclude back in Plains on Jan. 9, where President Carter also returned from Washington D.C. after losing reelection in 1980. There will be a private funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday school into his 90s, before a private internment at the Carter residence. Jimmy Carter will be buried next to his beloved late wife Rosalynn Carter on those grounds. The home they shared together eventually will become part of the complex that makes up the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site. I think President Carter's story is the quintessential American story, singular in its uniqueness, said Jacob Harper during an interview at the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm last Monday, before the procession. Accompanying Jimmy Carters remains on this trip were members of his family, many who experienced these stops alongside him throughout his life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow along: Live Updates: Motorcade for former President Jimmy Carter heads to Atlanta, The Carter Center Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025; Plains, Ga; The hearse carrying former President Jimmy Carter travels along Church Street through his home town of Plains, Georgia on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. The flurry of people in Downtown Plains also filtered throughout the local businesses. The Plain Peanuts and General Store offered free samples of its signature peanut ice cream. Next door at Southwest Trophy & Gifts, coffee flowed for freetips only. Visitors' hometowns spanned from neighboring rural Georgia communities to states hundreds of miles away. Alan and Owen Bowers traveled from nearby Warner Robins, Georgia, to honor the legacy of President Carter and pay their respects. The father and son woke up at 5:45 a.m. to make the trip. Alan Bowers said coming from a nearby Georgia town provides a sense of kinship to Jimmy Carter. On the quiet drive in, Alan Bowers found himself thinking about the red Georgia clay that President Carter also came from. Its special It shows how hard he had to work to get from his small town to the (Oval) Office, said Owen Bowers, a high school freshman. 'An unbelievable American Story' The funeral procession began Saturday at the Phoebe Sumpter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia, Plains' neighbor city. There, Carter's casket was carried to the hearse, accompanied by nine of his former Secret Service security detail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A train whistle blew in the distance over the reverent crowd of hundreds, waving flags and holding signs. Several hours later, Carters funeral motorcade arrived at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta where Gov. Brian Kemp, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other state and local leaders gathered for a moment of silence on the capitol steps to honor the former president. Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025; Plains, Ga; A boy salutes as the hearse carrying former President Jimmy Carter travels along Church Street through Plains, Georgia on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. All along the 150-mile route from Plains to Atlanta, mourners gathered on the side of the road and along highway overpasses to pay their respects to the former president. There was a lot of love on the side of the road. It was amazing, the presidents son, James Earl Chip Carter III told mourners in Atlanta. Gave me goosebumps just to sit in the van and see the reactions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motorcade then proceeded from the Capitol to the Carter Center where dignitaries were present, but speakers were limited to members of the Carter family. The private service at the non-governmental organization Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter founded in 1982 was in many ways as much for the staff and supporters of the Carter Center as it was for the public watching around the world. The Carter Center ceremony began at 4 p.m. local time with the playing of Hail to the Chief and America the Beautiful as the former presidents casket was moved inside, where a Morehouse College glee club sang hymns. There will be ample opportunities to pay tribute the former president this week, Carters grandson, Jason Carter, said as the ceremony began, but there was a special reason the motorcade stopped at the Carter Center. His spirit fills this place. And the real reason that his spirit fills this place is because of the people who are standing here, Carter said. You all are the real keepers of my grandparents legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their story is an unbelievable American story, Carter said, telling the Carter Center employees that they continue his legacy. We will spend this week celebrating this incredible life, and a life that I think we can all agree is as full and powerful as any life can be, Carter said. As someone said, Its amazing what you can cram into 100 years. Evan Lasseter is the city of Savannah and Chatham County government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@savannahnow.com. Amy Paige Condon contributed to this report. Read it: Celebrate Jimmy Carter's remarkable life and contributions with our new book This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Jimmy Carter's funeral procession makes pass through beloved hometown Thank you for Korie Deans Dec. 26 story about UNC Chapel Hills upcoming class on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The class will be offered by the universitys pioneering School of Civic Life and Leadership, a pro-democracy program conceived and developed by Carolina administrators and faculty over the past seven years. As the story noted, SCiLL received heavy public attention in early 2023 after trustees endorsed the administrations proposal for the school and urged its acceleration. Then-Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz explained to the universitys accreditor that the work regarding the curriculum expansion for the Program for Public Discourse derives from planning, conversations, discussions with faculty leaders, and site visits dating back to February 2018. Guskiewicz told faculty This is not something that dropped out of the sky. Im excited about the opportunities that I believe it presents. Guskiewiczs excitement was well-justified. As the new Israeli-Palestinian course demonstrates, SCiLL is off to a terrific start under his successor, Chancellor Lee Roberts, and the faculty running the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matthew Eisley, Raleigh Working with Carter As the former director of the Johnston County Habitat for Humanity, it was my good fortune to have a connection to our former president, Jimmy Carter. In contrast to our president elect, Donald Trump, Carter was a man of deep religious faith and a man whose entire life reflected love for his country and his God. Due to my connections in Cuba, Carter agreed in a telephone conversation to write a letter to Cubas then-president, Fidel Castro, on behalf of the Johnston County Habitat for Humanity, to work with a Cuban Baptist church in constructing a home in the city of Matanzas, Cuba. I have carefully preserved a copy of that historic letter. Rest in Peace, Mr. President. I cannot even begin to imagine having a conversation with Trump as I had with Carter and having Trump willing to facilitate an effort for Habitat to enter Cuba to assist Cuban families having a decent place to live. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Edward Walsh, Princeton Biden was a success It is hard to fathom how a Republican pundit on a cable news program could say President Joe Biden is leaving his office in disgrace. In addition to bringing the country out of COVID and restoring the nations economy to become first in the western world, he produced bi-partisan legislation at a time when almost no one worked across the aisle. His domestic policies produced more benefit to millions of Americans since the Great Society of the 1960s. Karen Schellhorn, Chapel Hill Griffins challenge In the Dec. 18 article Republican Griffin asks NC Supreme Court to intervene in his challenge of 60,000 ballots, Mr. Jefferson Griffin says At bottom, this case presents a fundamental question: who decides our election laws? Is it the people and their elected representatives, or the unelected bureaucrats sitting on the State Board of Elections? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given that the people elected the representatives who created the election laws and the Board of Elections and gave that board certain powers, his argument rings a little hollow. Robert Harrison, Durham White House mortgage Hope FEMA and DHHS have plenty of cash to cover the storms and pandemics to come. Donald Trump is proposing reducing taxes for his cronies and lifting the national debt limit. Your great grandkids will still be paying for this boondoggle. Well probably will have to take a second mortgage on the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. George Garcia, Rolesville Carter was the best I went to President Jimmy Carters inauguration in 1977, when he held several peoples balls, and we were fortunate to be invited to one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know about anyone else, but I expect our news media to be educating us for an entire week, with coverage of everything he ever did before, during and after his presidency. I remember him as the best president in my lifetime. I remember the interminable funeral of Ronald Reagan. I expect more for Jimmy Carter. Ellen Canavan, Cary Unitree Robotics (Unitree) has just released a new open-source full-body data set that lets its H1, H1-2, and G-1 humanoid robots move more naturally. The released data can even enable the robots to dance like humans. The new range of motions is showcased in an accompanying video released at the same time. According to Unitree, the data was captured using LAFAN1 motion capture with the data compatible with all of the company's main available robot units. "The redirection algorithm combines interactive mesh and inverse kinematics technology, based on optimization implementation, while considering the robots end pose constraints, joint position, and velocity constraints, etc.," Unitree explained in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is worth noting that the redirection only considers kinematic constraints and does not include dynamic constraints and actuator physical limitations," they added. Unitree release new open-source data set Integrating lifelike motions in the new datasets will help users experiment using humanoid robots to interact more naturally in the real world. Hopefully, this will help others make innovations based on playing around with robots. For any robot researchers or hobbyists interested in seeing the data, it can be found on Unitree's dedicated page. The data is free to download and use. If you are unaware, Unitree's HI and H1-2 robots were explicitly designed for high-power performance. H1, in particular, set a Guinness World Record land speed record in March of 2024 by sprinting at 7.38 mph (3.3m/s) on level ground. That broke the previous speed record for a humanoid achieved by Boston Dynamicss Atlas at 5.59 mph (2.5m/s). This was possible thanks to the H1's hollow electrical routing, impressive freedom of movement in their legs, arms, and shoulders, and joint motors that can handle powerful performance, agility, speed, load capacity, endurance, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The G1 model is Unitree's base commercial model that can be purchased for as little as $16,000 apiece. Aimed at researchers and hobbyists, the G1 is an affordable yet cutting-edge humanoid robot. It is smaller than the H1 but is also very agile and can fold to a size that a single human can carry. The G1 comes complete with many of the same features as the H1 and can run almost as quickly at two meters per second. Democratizing robot research Unitree was founded in 2017 and is based in Shanghai, Hangzhou, China. They have since become a world leader in robotics and aim to integrate them into our daily lives. To this end, they want to democratize legged robotics and make them as common and affordable as modern devices like drones and smartphones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Unitrees mission is to rapidly advance robotics technology and intelligent robots, to integrate into specific use case scenarios that will greatly benefit everyday life as cities and lifestyles get smarter. Unitree has been granted more than 150 patents for its technology globally," the company explained in its press release. The company also produces a range of quadruped "robot dogs," robotic arms, and components like LiDAR. Unitree's robots have been featured in many major global events, such as the Super Bowl pre-game show and the Olympics, and have gained widespread recognition. At least seven babies have died due to cold weather and a lack of shelter in Gaza, the UN's Palestinian aid agency said on Sunday. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on X that up to 7,700 newborns in the war-torn territory are living in inadequate accommodation due to the conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group. The Palestinian WAFA news agency reported in late December that four babies had died of hypothermia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have lost their homes as a result of more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza. Displaced residents are living in tents that offer little protection against the cold and rain, with temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius. The Israeli authority responsible for Palestinian affairs, COGAT, said on X that it is working with international aid organizations such as Rahma Worldwide to provide residents with tents, blankets, warm clothing and hygiene products. At least seven babies have died due to cold weather and a lack of shelter in Gaza, the UN's Palestinian aid agency said on Sunday. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on X that up to 7,700 newborns in the war-torn territory are living in inadequate accommodation due to the conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group. The Palestinian WAFA news agency reported in late December that four babies had died of hypothermia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have lost their homes as a result of more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza. Displaced residents are living in tents that offer little protection against the cold and rain, with temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius. The Israeli authority responsible for Palestinian affairs, COGAT, said on X that it is working with international aid organizations such as Rahma Worldwide to provide residents with tents, blankets, warm clothing and hygiene products. Israeli Air Force attacks 100 'terror targets' Also on Sunday, the Israeli Air Force has attacked more than 100 "terror targets" in the Gaza Strip throughout the weekend, the military said on Telegram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dozens of Hamas terrorists were "eliminated" in the process, in response to attacks by Hamas, it said. The military also said it had struck several launch pads said to have been used to fire missiles from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. The information could not be independently verified. In the run-up to the attacks, numerous measures were taken to reduce the risk of harm to civilians, according to the military. Israel's military and intelligence services "will continue to operate against the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip in defense of the citizens of Israel," it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has been waging war on Gaza since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed and some 250 abducted to Gaza. Much of the Gaza Strip has since been rendered uninhabitable amid the fighting and more than 45,700 people have been killed according to Palestinian estimates. Negotiations to secure a ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages have been at a stalemate for months. BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (WBOY) Departments are on the scene of a truck accident on Route 20 at Morris Street, which has resulted in the road being closed and the power going out. According to a Facebook post from the Upshur County Sheriffs Office, Deputy Lamb is currently investigating the crash. Upshur County Truck Accident (Photo Courtesy: Upshur County Sheriffs Office) Upshur County Truck Accident (Photo Courtesy: Upshur County Sheriffs Office) Rt. 20 is currently shut down, with traffic being detoured, the post said. A Smallridge Trucking trailer broke off a Mon Power pole which also interrupted power to area residents. Mon Power crews are on scene working to replace the power pole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another Facebook post from the Buckhannon Fire Department said This will be an hours long incident impacting traffic. A separate post said that a power outage associated with the clean up with the accident will impact Tennerton up to the Sago/Cutright Run area. There is no current estimated restoration time and no information on any injuries that may have occured. The West Virginia Division of Highways is also on the scene of the accident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. The News US officials increasingly view Chinese hackers as a serious military threat. Previously thought of as the cyber equivalent of noisy, drunken burglars, Chinas hackers are now soldiers on the front lines of potential geopolitical conflict following recent operations to infiltrate US infrastructure and telecoms networks, The Wall Street Journal reported. Officials are especially concerned the intrusions could make it harder for the US to respond to a future conflict involving China, particularly over Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nowhere have the alarms flashed brighter than in Guam, Bloomberg wrote. Chinese hackers have penetrated the power grid on the territory, which is key to Washingtons Pacific military presence. A court in Uzbekistan sentenced a 39-year-old man to four years and two months of restricted freedom for participating in Russia's war against Ukraine, gazeta.uz reported on Jan. 5. The man traveled to Moscow in April 2023 seeking seasonal work and later joined the Russian Armed Forces, after undergoing military training for two months at a military base in Moscow. He then fought in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts until December 2023, and admitted to killing ten Ukrainian soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to his claims, he was promised a monthly combat salary of 450,000 rubles but only received two payments of 150,000 rubles before the payments stopped. The defendant admitted to financial hardship as the motivation for joining and voluntarily surrendered upon returning to Uzbekistan. The court took into account his admission of guilt, remorse, and clean criminal record when determining the sentence. In Uzbekistan, mercenary activities are punishable by up to 10 years, and another similar case recently resulted in a five-year prison sentence. At the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Uzbekistan declared that it did not recognize the proxy authorities in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and supported Ukraine's territorial integrity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Tashkent continues to actively trade with Moscow, and the Uzbek government maintains close ties with the Russian leadership. Read also: Heavy Russian, North Korean losses in Russias Kursk region, Zelensky says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. VANDALIA, Ohio (WDTN) Vandalia crews were called after a person got stuck in a train car early Sunday morning. Around 5:15 a.m., Vandalia Fire Division was called to the train tracks at Taylorsville MetroPark to rescue a person trapped in a train car. The person was reportedly on top of the train car before falling inside. Ohio Traveler Alert System activated for Dayton: What to know Rescue crews were able to get the man out, and he was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crews on scene did not comment on why the man was on top of the train car. Its under investigation at this time, we just knew we needed to get him out, said Capt. Derek Copp with Vandalia FD. Vandalia police were called to the scene to investigate. They say the man was traveling from Kentucky in one of the train cars when the incident occurred. Rescue crews were assisted on scene by MetroParks personnel and a representative from CSX trains. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) Interstate 81 northbound has reopened in Bristol, Virginia after a tractor-trailer crashed across both lanes in that direction Sunday afternoon. Photo: VDOT According to the Virginia Department of Transportations (VDOT) traffic map, the crash took place on I-81 north near mile marker 6.9 Sunday at around 1:20 p.m. and both northbound lanes were temporarily closed. Both northbound lanes have since reopened, according to VDOTs traffic cameras. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News Channel 11 has reached out to the Virginia State Police for more information regarding the crash. No further information is currently available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Have you had to pull your child out of private school because of the VAT raid? Email money@telegraph.co.uk Ava Lamberts parents sat her down in the summer, and told her that Labours incoming VAT hike to her school fees meant they could no longer afford them. The 13-year-old felt sick, she recalls. All Ive known is my school and Im really happy there. Well, I was. Since Labour announced the introduction of the 20pc levy on private school fees, applicable from January 1, many families particularly those who have ploughed all of their savings into their childrens education have had their plans upended. In the Lamberts case, covering the extra 1,090 per term in fees to keep Ava at her beloved independent school in Lincolnshire meant selling their house, or else dropping out and beginning the search for a state school place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I knew it must be bad if Mum and Dad had to take me out. I was really worried about money and if we could afford to keep our house, she says. It really felt like a nightmare. I dont think I believed it for a few days, she adds of her abrupt move, which happened in December, partway through the academic year in Year Nine. My friends, my teachers, my work, its all gone. When the VAT rise was announced, Avas mother, Sarah, phoned the local authority in search of a state school place, and was told to contact the schools directly. None within a 20-mile radius had a place until September 2025. She then contacted her MP, and wrote to Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, twice, but received no reply, instead getting a boilerplate response from the early years minister despite the fact Ava is in Year Nine. With the rise in Avas school fees insurmountable, and the only state school place available some 25 miles from their home, Sarah has had to mostly give up work as a nurse practitioner to drive her daughter 100 miles in two round trips each day, clocking up three hours in the car, at a further cost of 2,000 monthly in lost earnings. Ava, meanwhile, has had to drop Russian and Latin as her new school doesnt offer them (she fears this will hamper her efforts to become a vet, as languages are preferred), along with a string of sports. Being at a state school makes her feel bad, she says, because they are already bursting and the teachers have so much to do. I feel like I stand out a bit. My mum is so upset crying, she cant stop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Governments projections, the private school tax will add 460m to the public coffers next year, potentially reaching 1.7bn by 2029. At the same time, 37,000 children (around 6pc of the private school population) are projected to transition to state institutions, at a cost to the state per child of 8,000 per year, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The plans have been widely criticised by parents, and some private schools have already closed. There are wider knock-on effects too, including military families planning to quit the Armed Forces and move overseas in order to escape extortionate fees, and an additional 1m hit to the Foreign Office, as diplomats posted overseas are compensated for sending their children to boarding school. There are fears too that children with special educational needs will be particularly badly affected by the soaring costs of private schooling. The state schools close to where the Lamberts live do not have any places for Ava until September 2025 - Andrew Fox I feel so angry, says Sarah, 59. The mid-year school shift had us blindsided. The increase of more than 3,000 a year pushed Avas school fees to over 10,000, which Sarah describes as another mortgage. The Lamberts only signed Ava up to private education after plotting out a seven-year financial trajectory, which was cheaper than moving house to be near a better state school. Never, at any point, did we even think that a luxury tax of 20pc would be added to her education we just couldnt sustain it, Sarah says, adding that there were never-ending rises to fees that have crept in along the way. We were at a point where we had more going out than we had coming in; we were struggling to pay the bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The VAT change has been labelled an existential threat to private schools, as well as stoking fury among the broad-shouldered parents that Labour believes can easily stump up the extra cash. In reality, says Sarah, its us Its the everyday nurses, security like my husband we made a choice to send our child to independent school. And [we have] had the rug pulled from under our feet through no fault of our own. Sarah is now working from six until two in the morning, and at weekends, to try and cover the financial hole wrought by needing to pay Avas independent school fees upfront until April (even though she has since left) and becoming a full-time chauffeur. Their appeal for school transport was rejected on the grounds this isnt the closest school available to their home, even though none had spaces for a further nine months. If she moves Ava for a second time in nine months, the financial headache would be solved. But how can you take a child out of another school, and put them into another school? asks Sarah. You cant do that. This has been traumatic enough for her. Among the most frustrating things for Sarah is feeling unheard. Bridget Phillipson, Rachel Reeves, Keir Starmer, none of the Government has listened. They have not listened to any of us. They have not listened to our children. Thats what Im cross about. She calls the fact that thousands of children have had their studies disrupted atrocious theres been no consideration of the fallout of this, both on pupils mental health, and academic performance and prospects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Ava, the turmoil has made her feel invisible, powerless and like I dont matter, she says. It feels like [Phillipson] really doesnt care about me at all or the kids in my new school. They all think its really unfair. We all do. We have to do our GCSEs to get a job but how can we do that when we are being pulled out of school and disrupted? I hate it. Its about as far from fair as I can think anything can be. A group of more than 1,400 private schools is currently planning a legal challenge to the VAT increase, but for children like Ava, it is likely too little, too late. The whole thing is a mess, says Sarah. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Sunday urged supporters to demonstrate across the country, saying in a video message that President Nicolas Maduro will not step down on his own and they must make him leave. Machado instructed supporters to demonstrate Thursday, the day before Venezuela's next presidential term is set to begin. Her message came hours after the government again made clear its intention to arrest retired diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez, who claims to have defeated Maduro in last year's election. Maduro is not going to leave on his own, we must make him leave with the strength of a population that never gives up, Machado said in a social media video. Go outside, shout, fight. It is time to stand firm, and make them understand that this is as far as they go. That this is over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Machado, who has been hiding for months at an undisclosed location to avoid arrest, told supporters she will be with them Thursday. Hours earlier, without mentioning Gonzalez's name, National Assembly leader Jorge Rodriguez said the unicameral body would request the immediate arrest of the retired diplomat should he step on Venezuelan soil. The threat followed the government's recent announcement of a $100,000 reward for information on Gonzalezs whereabouts. Gonzalez left Venezuela for exile in Spain in September after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with an election-related investigation. In recent weeks, he has vowed to travel to Venezuela to be sworn in for the presidential term which, by law, must begin Jan. 10, but he has not explained how he plans to return or wrest power from Maduro, whose party controls all institutions and the military. That unworthy being ... has been saying that he is going to return to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Rodriguez said shortly after he was re-elected as the National Assembly's president. Each and every deputy who defends peace will request, if he touches a bit of land of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, his immediate arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gonzalez began a tour of the Americas with stops in Argentina and Uruguay on Saturday, when he told reporters he would travel to the United States next and hoped to speak with President Joe Biden. He said he also planned to visit Panama and the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, Maduro already received an invitation from the National Assembly to be sworn in for a third term Friday, more than five months after the country's National Electoral Council, stacked with ruling-party loyalists, declared him winner of the July 28 election. Unlike previous presidential elections, electoral authorities did not provide detailed vote counts. Yet, the opposition collected tally sheets from more than 80% of the nations electronic voting machines, posted them online and said they showed Gonzalez had won the election with twice as many votes as Maduro. Global condemnation over the lack of transparency prompted Maduro to ask Venezuelas high court, also controlled by ruling-party supporters, to audit the results. The court subsequently reaffirmed his victory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. and most European governments have rejected the elections official results and consider Gonzalez the legitimate winner. Rodriguez on Sunday told National Assembly members that their potential request to have Gonzalez arrested would be based on a recently approved measure that allows for the prosecution of anyone who expresses support for economic sanctions like those imposed by the United States against Venezuela. A man shot dead in Seattles Capitol Hill neighborhood early on New Years Eve has been identified. Jonathan A. Adamow, 29, of Seattle, died from a gunshot wound to the chest. His death was ruled a homicide, according to the King County Medical Examiner. Seattle Police Department officers shut down the corner of East Pike and Broadway Street while they investigated. REMINDER: @SeattlePD activity blocking Broadway from E Pine St to E Union St and E Pike St from Harvard Ave to 10th Ave. Use alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/PwwUeR8z8h SDOT Traffic (@SDOTtraffic) December 31, 2024 Seattle police say this is the 58th homicide of 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers first responded to reports of gunshots just before 3 a.m. when they got to the scene, they found Adamow with several gunshot wounds to his torso. At least ten or more shell casings were found. Police tried to give the victim medical aid, but he died at the scene. A man who has lived in the area for nine years told KIRO 7 his neighborhood is becoming more dangerous. People ought to feel safety... I ought to be able to walk my wife to work without all this, he said. He was emotional as the coroners office took the body away. Thats somebodys baby, makes me wanna cry to be honest, hes lying over there on the ground... how do you see something like that, not feel something, not want to make a change, he said. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, thats more thats a million words. Thats crazy. In the middle of the street in front of a grocery store? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No arrests have been made, but police say there is no reason to be concerned. Theres no info this was anything beyond an isolated incident, so this is a dangerous person that needs to be apprehended, clearly, but no info there is any more danger to the public, said SPD. A violent criminal who was given a last and final chance by a judge when he left a student with life-changing brain injuries has been spared jail again. Michael Murray, 22, was handed a suspended sentence for a glassing attack in a pub fight despite racking up multiple convictions. He was warned three years ago that he would be given a final chance to mend his ways following his involvement in an assault on German student Daniel Ezzedine, who was left disabled and needing full-time care by the attack, by being spared jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murray was given the second chance to become a useful member of the community after appearing at Canterbury Crown Court just before Christmas for not only the glassing of the pub customer but also threatening a neighbour and damaging the home he shared with his grandparents. This was despite him being subject to a suspended jail term at the time, as well as his grandfather expressing fears as to what his grandson might do when high on drugs and carrying knives. Murray was also handed back his XL bully dog that had been seized by police after his lawyer successfully argued at his sentencing hearing on Tuesday that Murray was a fit and proper person to own one. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, criticised the lenient sentence, saying he had urged Attorney General Richard Hermer to intervene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had 13 prior convictions, including causing brain damage. Three years ago he was given a last and final chance by a judge. Yet hes spared jail, again. Career criminals must be locked up, he said. Murray, from Canterbury, was one of nine people involved in the racially motivated attack on student Ezzedine, then 17, in the city centre during a post-exam trip in June 2019. Mr Ezzedine was left disabled, with a life-limiting brain injury, and needing round-the-clock care from his family after the beating involving a bag of bricks and full-force kicks to the head. He spent more than a year in hospital where he underwent surgery to remove part of his brain and have metal plates inserted into his skull. Just six months ago, one of his brothers revealed how Mr Ezzedine, now 22, still relies on a wheelchair, cannot move his right hand, and requires physio, speech and occupational therapy. Samir Ezzedine also spoke of how none of his assailants, one of whom was just 14 at the time, had apologised in the intervening five years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murray was 18 when he admitted violent disorder for the part he played and in June 2021 was handed a 15-month spell in a young offenders institution, but the term was suspended for two years. Daniel Ezzedine was left with life-altering brain injuries following Murrays attack - Kent Online At that time he was told by Judge Simon James it was a last and final chance to mend and change his ways and that he needed to grow up and be a good father to his then unborn child. However, Murray has continued to flout the law, and has 13 previous convictions for 26 offences to his name. At his latest court appearance before Christmas, prosecutor Lucy McGarr detailed how on April 6 this year he glassed a man at the Seven Stars bar in Canterbury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When police raided his home on an unrelated matter 10 days later it was discovered he did not have an exemption certificate for his pet dog. Then, on April 19 he appeared before magistrates who gave him another suspended sentence order (SSO) for six offences relating to drugs, violence and driving matters. Less than a month later he broke two doors and a window at his grandparents home in St Gregorys Road and threatened to smash in a neighbours face while armed with knives. Murray was arrested and later pleaded guilty to two offences of affray, one of criminal damage, one of possessing a fighting dog and breach of an SSO. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Urging that he be given a community-based punishment, his defence lawyer James Burke said Murray had matured while on remand in jail awaiting the courts verdict and had served the equivalent of a 14-month sentence. He added the defendant was now drug-free, had some understanding of his problems with positive future goals and was in a stable, two-year relationship. This is a young man who has had a difficult and deprived background and upbringing, explained the lawyer. Judge Sarah Counsell agreed that Murray could be spared custody once more and be given what she described as a tougher punishment. Imposing a 12-month jail term suspended for 18 months, the judge noted his time in custody had been well spent and he was now drug-free. She believed there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, stopping offending and becoming a useful member of the community. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Two adults, two children and three dogs were displaced from their home after a fire in Virginia Beach Saturday evening. Firefighters were dispatched to the 2700 block of Bernadotte Street at around 7:15 p.m. after reports of a structure fire. Upon arrivals, crews said they saw heavy smoke and flames from the second-floor room over the attached garage. Crews had water on the fire at 7:23 and it was officially marked out by 7:55 p.m. default Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One man was treated for smoke inhalation. The Red Cross was contacted to provide temporary housing assistance to the residents. The origin of the fire was the attached garage, but the cause remains under investigation. Continue to check WAVY.com for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Two months after Democrats were locked out of power at the federal level, a pair of special elections in a part of northern Virginia where Donald Trump dramatically improved his performance in November will offer the first signs of how voters view the political landscape as the president-elect prepares to return to office. Virginia Democrats are poised to hold on to a state House and Senate seat in Loudoun County, a Washington, DC, exurb, as well as their razor-thin majorities in both chambers. Republicans are also favored to hold a Senate seat west of Richmond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The question will be whether either party overperforms, providing an early test of enthusiasm for each ahead of this years Virginia gubernatorial race and next years midterm elections. The results could either suggest that voters are pushing back on Trumps victory, as Virginia Democrats did in 2017 when they made large statewide gains, or that the wide-ranging coalition the incoming president built is as strong as it was in November. Margins, of course, will matter a great deal, said Mark Rozell, dean of the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government. The special legislative elections come after Trump made gains with virtually every part of the Democratic coalition. In Loudoun County, the president-elect won 10,000 more votes in 2024 than he did four years earlier, while Harris received 9,092 fewer votes than President Joe Biden did in 2020. Republicans are banking on continued voter frustration over the economy trickling down to the state level and have highlighted proposals from Trump, such as ending taxes on tips. Democrats have framed state legislative control as a potential check on his power in the face of complete GOP control of Congress which was a key Democratic argument fueling their electoral success after Trumps 2016 victory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the first opportunity after the presidential to send a strong message that Virginia is not going back, said Democratic state Rep. Kannan Srinivasan, who is running for the open state Senate seat in Loudoun County. Srinivasan is competing against Republican Tumay Harding to replace Suhas Subramanyam, the Democrat elected to represent Virginias 10th Congressional District in November. Democrat JJ Singh and Republican Ram Venkatachalam are running for Srinivasans state House seat. If no seats flip, Democrats will have a 21-19 seat majority in the Senate and a 51-49 seat majority in the House of Delegates. In 2023, Democrats won both Loudoun County seats with about 61% of the vote, and the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project has categorized them as strong Democratic seats. (Republicans are expected to hold the state Senate seat vacated by US Rep. John McGuire, a district where voters backed Trump by 29 points in 2024, according to the VPAP.) It is a blue seat, but I dont take anything for granted, Srinivasan told CNN about the open Senate seat hes seeking. Its a local election so we always need to be focused. Thats what Im doing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have pointed to their efforts to advance a trio of proposed ballot initiatives that would enshrine abortion rights, voting rights for formerly incarcerated people convicted of felonies, and same-sex marriage into the state Constitution. The proposals, which would not need to be approved by the governor before being sent to voters, have advanced out of a state House committee but must pass the full legislature twice, with an election in between the two votes. Democrats hope to pass the measures this year and to put the question to voters on the November 2026 ballot. Its a district that we need to be focused on because of the stakes the stakes are enormous, Singh said, pointing to the fate of the ballot initiatives. Both parties view the Loudoun County seats as competitive and unpredictable. The county has a higher than average number of college-educated residents and federal workers, voters who are really tuned into the issues, said Ken Nunnenkamp, the executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia. Nunnenkamp added that Loudoun, and neighboring Fairfax County, are subject to more dramatic shifts and respond to what is happening nationally. He pointed to the 2018 midterm elections, when Democrats ran against Trumps record during his first two years in office and picked up more than 40 US House seats, including that of former Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock. She lost Loudoun County by 33,000 votes that year, after losing it by just 165 votes in 2016, when she held the seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you look at what happened in November of 2024, its pretty clear that people were fed up with the policies of the Biden administration, Nunnenkamp said. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has endorsed Harding, a former teacher and activist in the parental rights movement, which helped fuel the governors own 2021 election, and Venkatachalam, an IT consultant. Youngkin described Harding and Venkatachalam in a statement to CNN as commonsense conservative leaders who would be partners on efforts to provide further tax relief for Virginia families, address the most hated car tax, protect our communities from dangerous sanctuary city policies, and keep parents at the head seat of the table in their childrens lives. Harding and Venkatachalam did not respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which helps elect Democrats in state legislative seats, has named Srinivasan and Singh to its spotlight candidate list. The organization also invested $100,000 into the state Democratic Party. These are the first elections of the new year and are a huge priority as the Democratic firewall in the states has never been more important, Heather Williams, the president of the DLCC, said in a statement to CNN. We are focused on securing these wins and laying the groundwork and infrastructure to be competitive in Virginias elections later this year. Several prominent Virginia Democrats campaigned with their candidates in the final days of the race, including Sen. Tim Kaine, gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, and US Reps. Jennifer McClellan and Suhas Subramanyam. The special elections serve as a precursor to the states odd-year November election cycle, when both parties will compete for control of the general assembly and the governorship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If historic trends hold, Trumps election could be a boon for Democrats in Virginia. During his first term in office, Democrats won the 2017 governors race and flipped control of the legislature, winning their first trifecta in more than two decades. The anti-Trump backlash showed in Virginia immediately in 2017, Rozell said. Democrats may be wondering if they can repeat the same success that they had when Trump first was president. Those gains were short-lived. In 2021, Youngkin won the governorship while campaigning on parental rights and debates over what should be taught in schools, and Republicans won back the House. Two years later, the House swung back to Democrats. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Sadhvi Rithambara, founder of Param Shakti Peeth and Vatsalyagram criticised any claims made on the Maha Kumbh 2025 land on Sunday, saying that the place is a place to get 'Dharam' and 'punya' and said that all properties under the Waqf board should be transferred over to the government. "Those who divided the country based on religion, are capturing India's land with the conspiracy of Waqf, this conspiracy should be stopped... politics should not be played (regarding Maha Kumbh), it is a place to get 'Dharam' and 'Punya'," Rithambara said. She had replied to the claim of Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, the president of All India Muslim Jamaat (AIMJ), who said earlier today that the land where preparations for Maha Kumbh 2025 are being made is Waqf's land and that the entry of muslims is being banned. Rithambara further said that all properties of the Waqf Board should be transferred over to the government. "Everybody should attend the Maha Kumbh. After 12 Kumbhs, such 'Mahapurna' Kumbh' comes...all the properties of waqf should become that of govt," she told ANI. Meanwhile, Acharya Satyendra Das, Chief Priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple also criticised any claim on the land, claiming that the AIMJ president 'does not know the history of Kumbh.' "The truth is that Prayagraj Kumbh is very ancient. Islam did not even exist back then...He doesn't know the history of Kumbh. That is why he is saying that this is being held on Waqf land, this is not true," the Ram Janmabhoomi chief priest told ANI. Earlier, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi had said in a post on X that the land where tents and shamiyanas have been put up, belongs to the Waqf. This land is about 54 bighas. "The land where preparations are being made for Kumbh Mela belongs to Waqf - 54 bighas. Muslims showed a big heart and did not raise any objection but on the other hand, Akhada Parishad and other Babas are banning the entry of Muslims. This narrow-mindedness will have to be given up, we will have to show a big heart like Muslims," Razvi Barelvi said in a post on X. The Maha Kumbh, the world's largest spiritual congregation, is being celebrated after 12 years and a huge turnout of devotees is expected in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. To prevent mishaps, the district administration has been taking important steps to ensure the safety of the devotees, especially for crowd management and avoiding fire incidents. (ANI) WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) The bicentennial bash kicked off with a display of diversity, pride, and history in the form of a parade. City officials, pageant queens, and first responders waved to the crowds as they represented what Walton County stands for. Its a chance for us to really celebrate who we are and to mark this milestone and just kind of remember, as Grit and Grace would say, how do you know where youre going if you dont know where youve been? So this is celebrating where weve been, Public Information Officer Ron Kelley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From Sentencing to Recovery: How Holmes County Sheriffs Office is changing lives People of all ages celebrated, grabbing candy and laughing with their friends and families. Guests enjoyed a variety of vendors and activities. Hundreds gathered in downtown DeFuniak Springs to hear what the 200-year milestone means to several city commissioners. Im looking forward to the of the county commenting to share what they have and it looks like people having a great time. Its a beautiful day, said a member of the Walton family Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert who joined the celebration. Her father was Walton Jr, who was the first secretary of state for the territory of Florida in her grandfather was George Walton, the signer of the Declaration of Independence. So in 1824, Walton County was named for her family, History Connoisseur portraying Octavia Walton Le Vert said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cold weather across the country could have local impacts on flights Walton County officials say they cant wait for another 200 years and many more. Kelley has been gathering interviews from members of the community whose families were in Walton County when it all started 200 years ago, to watch those and for more on the areas rich history, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. With continuing political and legal fallout from the "Feeding Our Future" scandal, Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) has signed an executive order creating a new fraud investigations unit within the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). The move, announced Friday, will see The Minnesota Department of Commerce's fraud investigators moved to the BCA, resulting in a new group called the Fraud and Financial Crimes Unit, according to a news release. Walz also announced a new legislative package designed to "prevent, detect, investigate, and penalize fraud in state programs," the release says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan calls for a wide-ranging effort to beef up the state's anti-fraud efforts, including adding more staff to the attorney general's Medicaid Fraud unit and using artificial intelligence to "analyze data to help detect and flag payment anomalies for Medicaid providers." Additionally, the package would increase criminal penalties for theft of public funds, and make providing kickbacks a state crime, the release notes. As long as there have been programs aimed at helping people, there have been fraudulent actors looking to steal from those who need them most," said Walz in a statement. "Our job is to stay one step ahead of them. Were coupling new tools, like AI, with old fashioned police work, to slam the door shut on theft." Minnesotans rightly have no tolerance for misuse of taxpayer dollars," he added. "This plan directs every single state agency to work together to better prevent, detect, investigate, and punish fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor's office notes that the plan is expected to have a net cost of approximately $54 million over the next four years. The Feeding Our Future scheme in which funds meant to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic instead went into the pockets of fraudsters saw hundreds of millions in losses, and resulted in criticism of the Walz administration. The governor's anti-fraud plan drew a response from Minnesota Republicans, who are promising to introduce a "comprehensive fraud package" in the state House. Creating a fraud bureau overseen by the same administration that allowed over a billion dollars in fraud means today's executive action is nothing but smoke and mirrors," said Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We need real change to crack down on fraud, and that starts with a process that is truly independent of the leadership that allowed fraud to run rampant over the last five years." Demuth went on to say that the GOP's fraud package would include "meaningful accountability for fraudsters and agencies who have failed to protect Minnesotans tax dollars. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) As winter weather makes its way to the Wabash Valley, some local agencies are opening up as warming centers to help keep people warm during this surge of fridged temperatures. Terre Haute Mayor, Brandon Sakbun, highlighted some of these warming centers in a Facebook post. Those warming center locations include: Mental Health America of West Central Indiana (2750 Elm St., Terre Haute) Open from Saturday, January 4 at 2 p.m. through Monday, January 6 until 8 a.m. Annex at the Bridge Church (1520 N. 19th St., Terre Haute) Open from Monday evening at 8:00 p.m. until Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m. Light House Mission (1201 South 13th Street, Terre Haute) As of Noon, January 4, Mayor Sakbun says the Lighthouse Mission still has 20 bed still available for people looking to get out of the cold. Other shelter and housing resources shared by Mayor Sakbun: Bethany House Emergency Shelter (1402 Locus Street, Terre Haute) Shelter for families, single women, and married couples. Open every day 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. CODA Emergency Shelter (26 South 17th Street, Terre Haute) 24/7 domestic violence shelter Light House Mission (1201 South 13th Street, Terre Haute) 24/7 sober living environment for families, single men and women and married couples. Reach Pathways (504 South 15th Street, Terre Haute) Day shelter with showers, laundry facilities and computers. Open Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Reach Services (1400, Hulman Street, Terre Haute) Housing and supportive services for low and moderate income individuals with special needs and their families. Open Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Terre Haute Housing Authority (2001 North 19th Street, Terre Haute) Housing for low and moderate income individuals and families including elderly and handicapped persons. Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. WAIPIO, Hawaii (KHON2) Residents in the Waipio community are urged to conserve water until further notice. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You On Saturday, Jan. 4 around 8 p.m., the Honolulu Board of Water Supply issued a conservation notice after an issue with a valve left the reservoir serving the community empty. City to start Phase 8 of Kailua roundabout upgrades Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an 8:20 p.m. update, BWS announced residents should start receiving water once again. Officials noted water pressures may be lower than normal until the water system fully recovers. Customers are advised to use water for essential needs only such as cooking, cleaning and personal hygiene. Check out more news from around Hawaii The communitys kokua in this endeavor will allow the area reservoir to recover sooner rather than later. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. About 20 miles east of Lake Wales, just up the road from Highway 60, Lake Kissimmee State Park re-created an 1876 cow camp in the heart of Central Florida. A decade after the Civil War, Florida was sparsely populated, made dirt poor by conflict and defeat. Tourism and citrus hadn't yet overtaken the cattle industry, which had started in the 16th century with the original Spanish explorers and their Andalusian cows. Nearly 150 years later, Florida ranks ninth in the country in beef cow production with 862,000 head as of 2024, according to the University of Florida's cattle market update. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So what does this have to do with what's known as the "Florida Cracker"? In the re-enactment, characters with names such as Rooster and Skeeter, drink black coffee from tin cups, pump water by hand, stretch out in rope-and-log beds and whine about their $1.50-a-day pay. More: Was Florida captured during the Civil War? What is a 'marsh tackie'? For centuries, cows were not shepherded herds. They were "free range." Florida had no fences. But it did have cow hunters. This bloodline was a resilient breed that could withstand Florida's climate. They foraged on natural vegetation and withstood the high temperatures and bugs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A team ranging from one person to 25 would work through the trees and scrub, riding a lithe "marsh tackie,'' a diminutive horse bred in Spain to be lean and sure-footed. The whip rarely touched the cow; usually, it just gave the animal a little encouragement. Legend says the crack of the whip is the source of the nickname "cracker," although many old-time Floridians now complain the term has become derogatory. Cow camp at Kissimmee State Park in Lake Wales. The park has a living history exhibit of an 1876 cow camp. The hunters would round up maybe 500 to 700 dogies, then get them across the Kissimmee River valley in an arduous 45-day journey from Okeechobee to Paynes Prairie, south of Gainesville. From there, some cows were fattened before being loaded onto trains for slaughterhouses in Georgia or other northern destinations. The rest were herded down to the docks at Punta Rassa, north of Fort Myers, where they were loaded onto barges for Cuba, where a healthy cow brought $6 to $14, a pretty price at the time. $14 in 1876 is about $340 now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Re-enactments at Kissimmee State Park are on Saturdays, Oct. 1 through April 30, except Christmas. Check with the park for more information at (863) 696-1112. Palm Beach Post investigations editor Holly Baltz, who has a passion for history, contributed to this story. Eliot Kleinberg is a retired Palm Beach Post staff writer and noted Florida historian. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 'Florida Cracker': What is the origin of the name? When an Army veteran hell-bent on creating carnage rammed a 6,000-pound pickup truck into a crowd of revelers, the massacre in New Orleans followed a disturbing trend - assailants using vehicles to run over innocent civilians. More than a dozen high-profile vehicle attacks on crowds have taken place in recent years. While many are terror attacks stem from radical religious beliefs, others have allegedly been carried out by white nationalists or far-right activists. Heres a look at why some killers choose vehicles over other weapons and the motives behind some of the deadliest attacks: Strike as many people as possible The FBI is digging into how the New Orleans attacker a former human resource specialist and Army veteran who served in Afghanistan apparently became radicalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shamsud-Din Jabbar had an ISIS flag on the truck during the massacre. Before he was gunned down by police, the Texas native had recorded videos mentioning his divorce and how he joined ISIS before this summer, authorities said. In the videos, Jabbar said he initially wanted to kill his family but changed his plans because he wanted news headlines to focus on the war between the believers and the disbelievers, an FBI official said. Radical Islamist terror groups such as ISIS and AQAP, al Qaedas branch in Yemen, have long advised supporters to use heavy vehicles as deadly weapons. The AQAP published a 2010 article called The Ultimate Mowing Machine, encouraging followers to mow down the enemies of Allah. It promoted the use of four-wheel-drive pickup trucks because the stronger the better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To achieve maximum carnage, you need to pick up as much speed as you can while still retaining good control of your vehicle in order to maximize your inertia and be able to strike as many people as possible in your first run, the article said. In 2014, an ISIS spokesman called for followers to attack a disbelieving American, Frenchman or any of their allies and run him over with your car if needed. Why some choose vehicles over other weapons A vehicle attack doesnt require any special training, CNN National Security Analyst Peter Bergen said. You just rent a vehicle, buy a vehicle and use it as a weapon. After a vehicle attack, horrific images of covered corpses, scattered belongings and popular areas left in shambles leave a profound psychological impact and often feed into the perpetrators goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Certainly, there is a short-term effect where it terrorizes people, Bergen said. People are worried about going out in places where there are a lot of people gathered. While some vehicle attacks target holiday revelers, others have killed everyday pedestrians. Suspects have included ISIS followers, a white nationalist and an outspoken critic of Islam. These are some of the deadliest vehicle attacks in recent history: Magdeburg, Germany Date of attack: December 20, 2024 Number of casualties: Five people were killed and more than 200 were injured The Magdeburg Christmas market in Germany is left in shambles after a car rammed into a crowd, killing five people and injuring hundreds more. - Axel Schmidt/Reuters What happened: A car plowed into a bustling Christmas market five days before Christmas. The slain victims ranged from 9 to 75 years old. The suspect, 50-year-old psychiatrist Taleb Al Abdulmohsen, was arrested at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why it happened: Authorities have not confirmed the motive. But in May, Al Abdulmohsen posted a cryptic message on X: German terrorism will be brought to justice. Its very likely that I will die this year in order to bring justice. Al Abdulmohsen, a Saudi Arabian citizen, had moved to Germany in 2006. While initially appreciative of Germany, he seemed to grow disgruntled with the countrys immigration policies in recent years. On social media, Al Abdulmohsen vented his frustrations with what he considered Germanys soft line on immigration and Berlins overly cordial relationship with the Saudi regime. He publicly supported the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and accused Germany of promoting the Islamization of the country. In a 2019 newspaper interview, Al Abdulmohsen described himself as the most aggressive critic of Islam in history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement German authorities said they were investigating Al Abdulmohsens dissatisfaction with Germanys treatment of refugees, although they said more time was needed to establish a motive. Waukesha, Wisconsin Date of attack: November 21, 2021 Number of casualties: Six people were killed and more than 60 were injured What happened: The driver of an SUV intentionally drove around barricades and crashed into a Christmas parade, authorities said. The suspect, Darrell E. Brooks, had been out on bond after allegedly running over a woman less than three weeks before the Waukesha tragedy. Why it happened: The motive remains unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brooks represented himself during his trial and asked jurors to consider what if the vehicle couldnt stop because of malfunction? What if the driver of the vehicle was unable to stop the vehicle? Because of that fact, what if the driver may have panicked? Does that make the driver in a rage and intent on killing people? Brooks asked the jury during his closing arguments. Brooks was convicted on 76 counts and sentenced to six consecutive life sentences plus another 700 years in prison. New York City Date of attack: October 31, 2017 Number of casualties: Eight people were killed and about a dozen were injured Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement unknown content item - What it happened: The driver of a rented U-Haul truck jumped a curb and drove down the bicycle path along West Side Highway. The suspect, Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, was arrested and charged with 22 federal counts, including eight counts of murder. Why it happened: Saipov, a native of Uzbekistan, told investigators he was inspired by ISIS videos to use a truck in the attack to inflict maximum damage against civilians, according to a complaint. Investigators searched two of his cell phones and found about 90 videos and 3,800 pictures, many of which were ISIS-related propaganda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saipov said he was motivated by a video of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi questioning what Muslims in the United States and elsewhere were doing to respond to the killing of Muslims in Iraq. A judge sentenced Saipov to eight consecutive life terms, calling him unrepentant. Barcelona, Spain Date of attack: August 17, 2017 Number of casualties: At least 14 people were killed and more than 100 were injured Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas section of downtown Barcelona, Spain. - David Armengou/EPA/Shutterstock What happened: A van plowed into crowds on the Barcelona thoroughfare of Las Ramblas, a popular stretch filled with cafes, bars and street performers. Why it happened: Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the Barcelona attack jihadi terrorism. ISIS media wing, Amaq, has said the Barcelona attackers were soldiers of the Islamic State but stopped short of explicitly claiming responsibility for the attacks or providing evidence for their claims. Charlottesville, Virginia Date of attack: August 12, 2017 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Number of casualties: One person was killed and 19 others were injured A car plows into counterprotesters demonstrating against white nationalism in Charlottesville. - Ryan M. Kelly/The Daily Progress/AP What happened: During a Unite the Right rally, the driver of a gray Dodge Challenger crashed into a group of antiracism counterprotesters. The attack killed 32-year-old civil rights activist Heather Heyer. The driver, James Alex Fields Jr., was later sentenced to life in prison for murder and hate crimes. Why it happened: Fields admitted under oath that he drove into the crowd because of the race, color, national origin, and religion of its members, the US Department of Justice said. Fields also admitted he had expressed white supremacist views on social media; supported the policies of Nazi-era Germany, including the Holocaust; and espoused violence against African Americans, Jewish people and members of other racial, ethnic and religious groups he perceived to be nonwhite, the DOJ said. In addition, a court ruled white supremacist groups must pay more than $2 million in damages to Unite the Right rally victims. London Date of attack: June 3, 2017 Number of casualties: Eight people were killed and more than 40 were wounded What happened: Three men drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge before going on a stabbing rampage at bars at nearby Borough Market. They were shot and killed by police. Inside the van, police found two blowtorches and what appeared to be 13 Molotov cocktails. First responders try to help victims of a terror attack on London Bridge in June 2017. - Daniel Sorabji/AFP/Getty Images Why it happened: Police named the attackers as Khuram Shazad Butt, 27; Rachid Redouane, 30; and Youssef Zaghba, 22. Authorities believe Butt was associated with the outlawed radical Islamist group al-Muhajiroun, cofounded by notorious hate preacher Anjem Choudary. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, though the group provided no evidence for its involvement or details of the attack. Stockholm, Sweden Date of attack: April 7, 2017 Number of casualties: Five people were killed and about a dozen were injured A mourner prays at a memorial near the site of the Stockholm attack. - Lauren Moorhouse/CNN What happened: A stolen beer truck barreled into pedestrians on a busy shopping street in the Swedish capital before plowing into a department store. Why it happened: The attacker, Rakhmat Akilov, had shown sympathies to extremist groups, including ISIS, Swedish police said. Akilov admitted to carrying out a terrorist crime, his lawyer said. He was sentenced to life in prison. Jerusalem Date of attack: January 8, 2017 Number of casualties: Four soldiers were killed and at least 10 people were wounded unknown content item - What happened: Authorities said 28-year-old Fadi Qunbar plowed into a group of Israeli soldiers on a popular promenade overlooking the walled Old City of Jerusalem. Why it happened: The driver may have been an ISIS sympathizer, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. All signs show he is a supporter of the Islamic State, Netanyahu said. We know there is a sequence of terror attacks, and its quite possible that there is a connection between them from France, Berlin and now Jerusalem. Berlin Date of attack: December 19, 2016 Number of casualties: Twelve people were killed and at least 48 were wounded unknown content item - What happened: A tractor-trailer rammed into a crowd at a Christmas market filled with holiday shoppers. The suspect, Anis Amri, was later killed in a shootout with police in Italy. Why it happened: A video showed Amri pledging allegiance to ISIS. And the ISIS-affiliated Amaq news agency said the attack was carried out by a soldier of the Islamic State to target citizens of countries fighting ISIS. Columbus, Ohio Date of attack: November 28, 2016 Number of casualties: 11 people were injured Investigators collect evidence at the scene of an attack at Ohio State University. - John Minchillo/AP What happened: Abdul Razak Ali Artan, an Ohio State University student, rammed a car into a group of pedestrians on the campus. He then got out of the car and lunged at passersby with a knife. Moments later, an Ohio State University police officer fatally shot Artan after he refused to stop. Why it happened: Authorities said they believe Artan was inspired by terrorist propaganda from ISIS and the late Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, two law enforcement sources said. In a Facebook post shortly before the rampage, the Somali immigrant said he was sick and tired of seeing fellow Muslims killed and tortured, federal law enforcement officials said. Artan urged the US to stop interfering with other countries, especially the Muslim Ummah, a term for Muslim people at large. By Allah, we will not let you sleep unless you give peace to the Muslims, he wrote. Nice, France Date of attack: July 14, 2016 Number of casualties: 84 people were killed and more than 200 were injured What happened: Authorities said Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel used a 20-ton truck to strike hundreds of people in Nice, where large crowds gathered to watch Bastille Day fireworks. Mourners grieve the deaths of 84 people killed on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France. - Carl Court/Getty Images After the truck barreled through the crowd for almost a mile, police shot and killed Bouhlel. Why it happened: ISIS said the attack was retaliation for Frances role in the fight against ISIS. The person who carried out the run-over in Nice, France, is one of the Islamic State soldiers and carried out the operation in response to calls to target nationals of the coalition which is fighting the Islamic State, the terror group said in a statement. But French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Bouhlel had no record of making militant statements and was not believed to be a member of ISIS. It seems he became radicalized very quickly, Cazeneuve said. CNNs Brian Todd, Jennifer Arnow, Sandi Sidhu, Ivana Kottasova, Nic Robertson, Matthew Chance, Benjamin Brown, Brad Parks and Nic F. Anderson contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com On May 2, 1945, just a few days before World War II ended and two days after Adolf Hitler committed suicide, Nazi scientist Wernher von Braun and his team of engineers surrendered to American soldiers. The grizzled GIs who received von Brauns surrender were skeptical of the urbane, self-assured Germans claims, write Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III in their new book, Star Bound: A Beginners Guide to the American Space Program, from Goddards Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between (University of Nebraska Press), out now. He claimed to be Hitlers leading rocket scientist, the man who invented the V-2, the worlds first long-range guided ballistic missile. A test-flight of the pioneering V2 space program in Germany back in 1946, which helped kick-start space technological development and exploration as we know it. Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images As one soldier recalled thinking, If we hadnt caught the biggest scientist in the Third Reich, we had certainly caught the biggest liar! But they took him into custody anyway, and brought him back to the United States where he was not only free to continue his research, but would become crucial to the development of the American space program, the authors write. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we think of space exploration, the first names that come to mind are usually icons like John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin, the pioneers who became the public faces of our cosmic ambitions. But there were other trailblazers who were just as important. The story of space exploration is weirder and more compelling than youve been led to believe, write Carney and McCandless. Although Von Braun was an officer in the German Schutzstaffel, or SS, he often claimed he only did so to avoid imprisonment. In fact, in March of 1944, Nazi officials tried to prosecute him for wanting to build a rocket that could reach the moon, rather than Mons (the city in Belgium), write the authors. Von Braun wasnt the only Nazi rocket scientist recruited after the war. Operation Paperclip, a secret American program designed to secure as much of the dark magic of the Nazi rocket program as they could, write the authors, resulted in the postwar employment of more than 1,600 German scientists, engineers, and technicians. A SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral in September, 2024. Getty Images They included men like Kurt Debus, a former SS officer and the future first director of launch operations at the Kennedy Space Center, who traded his deaths-head insignia for a fridge full of Bud and a pair of bowling shoes, write Carney and McCandless. And Arthur Rudolph, who helmed the Saturn V development project at Marshall Space Center before being investigated for war crimes. And Dr. Hubertus Strughold, the father of space medicine who helped design the first pressure suits for astronauts and also allegedly participated in human experiments at the Dachau concentration camp. A capsule from Jeff Bezos Blue Origin space program. Getty Images The decision to hire onetime Nazis as rocket scientists rather than put them on trial was a tactical risk, but benefited the needs of Americas space pioneers. The Germans Jupiter-C launch vehicle, the grandchild of the V-2, lifted Americas first satellite into orbit, the authors write. Von Braun, with his movie star good looks and enthusiasm for all things America, became a famously debonair emissary from the future. He rubbed elbows with Walt Disney on national TV, presenting his plans for Americas inevitable trip to space, and became the chief architect of the Apollo Saturn V rocket that sent astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon in 1969. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While reformed Nazis played a pivotal role in getting us into space, the United States wasnt starting from scratch in its postwar rocketry work, write the authors. Frank Malina and his team of engineers at the California Institute of Technology, Jack Parsons and Ed Forman, were already developing a liquid-fueled launch vehicle for the army. They were given the unofficial name the Suicide Squad, thanks to several explosions caused by their rocket experiments, and having almost destroyed the lawn in front of Caltechs Gates Chemistry Lab. Author Bruce McCandless III. The trio called themselves the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, using the word jet because rocketry was still a fringe pursuit, the authors write. Today, the JPL is NASAs only federally-funded research and development center, and has sent rovers to Mars, among other deep-space robotic spacecrafts. Jack Parsons, the JPL co-founder who developed the first rocket propelled by either solid or liquid fuel, specialized in blowing things up, the authors write. He also drank to excess and experimented with drugs, and dabbled in occult rituals when not working in the lab. One colleague complained that Parsons had opened a door to the underworld as a result of one of his arcane rituals, writes Carney and McCandless. Co-author Emily Carney. Steven Le Thee Photo Ninja Several members of the Suicide Squad were investigated by the FBI for their extracurricular activities. Malina was suspected of being a member of the Community Party, and Parsons for his involvement with a black magic cult. Fitting his reputation, he died in 1952 at the age of 37, caused by a rocket experiment gone awry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their combined efforts resulted in one of the most historic moments of the 20th century, the moon landing in 1969. But after several years of NASA missions, the late 70s saw a dearth of crewed space flights. Fortunately, a new generation of space innovators was already on the horizon, and they believed that the government wasnt the best way to get important things done, write the authors. Space pioneers Dr. William H. Pickering, Dr. Theodore von Karman, and Dr. Frank J. Malina posing for a photo in 1960. Gado via Getty Images It began with David Hannah, a middle-aged Houston real estate investor who had never shown much interest in space exploration, at least until reading a 1976 story in Smithsonian Magazine about American physicist Gerard K. ONeill. ONeill wrote about his ideas for mining ores on the moon and the ways in which massive, self-sustaining, solar-powered sky cities could be constructed, maintained, and populated, write Carney and McCandless. Humankind was killing [Earth] through overpopulation, pollution, and rapid consumption of its natural resources. To save the planet and ourselves, we needed to take to the heavens. SpaceX chief and Trump best-bro Elon Musk has done more to reinvigorate the US space program than anyone else over the past 50 years. Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hannah became convinced that ONeill, and possibly God, had ordained him to build rockets. He founded (and financed) Space Services, Inc. of America (SSIA), and in September of 1982, they launched the Conestoga 1 rocket with parts purchased from NASA from a cow pasture on the Texas Gulf Coast. It reached an altitude of 192 miles before falling back to Earth, making it the first private company to put a rocket into space. It was, as one observer described it, the Kitty Hawk of the commercial space industry. During the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, NASA finally moved to encourage entrepreneurial space operations in a big way through milestone-based contracts for development of commercial space vehicles, write the authors. From Elon Musk to Jeff Bezos, the future of space exploration (and colonization) belongs to wealthy entrepreneurs. Last September, tech billionaire Jared Isaacman became the first-ever non-astronaut to take a spacewalk, and in December he was nominated by Trump to lead NASA. David Hannah in front of a space station model in 1986. Denver Post via Getty Images To Carney and McCandless, this makes perfect sense. Rockets, it turns out, run mostly on money, they write. The United States should be supporting any and all efforts to become a spacefaring nation and ideally, the preeminent spacefaring nation, as Great Britain was the preeminent seafaring power of the nineteenth century, they write and to do that, we need to recognize that the space exploration is no longer the wild, unrealistic fantasy it was during the mid-20th century, when only Nazi scientists and occult-practicing drunkards dared dream of conquering it. Space is here, they write. Were in it. The question is, what do we do with it? Lihue, Hawaii (KHON2) After eight months and 22 negotiating sessions, more than 100 nurses from Wilcox Medical Center are preparing to hold a three-day strike. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The Hawaii Nurses Association said nurses will begin their strike on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 7 a.m. and will conclude on Friday, Jan. 17 at 6:59 a.m. The nurses at Wilcox have been fighting for safer nurse-to-patient staffing to deliver excellent care for the people of Kauai. They should not be subject to retaliation because of their advocacy, explained Rosalee Agas-Yuu, HNA president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 90% Queens Medical Center nurses vote in favor of strike According to HNA, multiple unfair labor practice complaints have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board. One unfair labor practice filed said, off-duty nurses were prohibited from accessing their worksite to speak with their fellow union members and were subjected to illegal threats and discrimination. HPH continues to disrespect its nurses by forcing us to work in unsafe staffing conditions. Ultimately, the people who suffer the most are our patients. This decision to strike is not being taken lightly, said Jessi Dettle, RN, Wilcox nurse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilcox Medical Center announced they received the strike notice on Saturday, Jan. 4, stating they will remain open to provide consistent high-quality care for the community while both parties work toward an agreement. We are extremely disappointed by HNAs decision to strike as we are so close to reaching an agreement. Our responsibility is to take care of our community and the people of Kauai who depend on us. Wilcox will remain open and our patients as we always have. Jen Chahanovich, Wilcox president and CEO The hospital added they have secured a temporary workforce to ensure patient services and hospital operations are not impacted. We are committed to reaching an agreement so that our nurses can benefit from a new contract as soon as possible, and we can focus on what matters most to us all caring for our community, together, Chahanovich added. Check out more news from around Hawaii Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HNA and Wilcox will come together on Thursday, Jan. 9 to continue negotiations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday, urged farmers to come forward for talks without conditions, stating that the central government has already extended an invitation for the dialogue amid ongoing farmers' protest. Khattar further pointed out that farmers didn't engage with the committee set up by the Supreme Court, highlighting the need for cooperation. "The central government has already offered to hold talks with the farmers. The farmers also did not come to hold talks with the committee constituted by the Supreme Court. It is not right on behalf of farmers to hold talks with conditions. They should agree to hold talks and look for a solution..," he said. Earlier today, former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal hit out at the BJP-led NDA government at the centre over the ongoing farmers' protest, accusing them of reneging on what he claimed were 'promises' made to the farmers three years back. In a post on X, the AAP national convenor termed the BJP as 'arrogant.' He also said that the ruling party at the centre will be responsible if anything happens to the farmers in Punjab who are on indefinite hunger strikes. "Farmers in Punjab have been staging sit-ins and indefinite hunger strikes for several days. Their demands are the same ones that the central government agreed to three years ago but has yet to implement. The BJP government has now reneged on its promises. The BJP isn't even talking to the farmers. Engage with them--they are our country's farmers. Why is the BJP so arrogant that it refuses to have a conversation?" he wrote in his post. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court granted time to the Punjab government to comply with its December 20 order to provide medical aid and shift to hospital farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a fast-unto-death since November 26. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Sudhanshu Dhulia listed the matter for further hearing on January 2 after Advocate General Gurminder Singh, appearing for the Punjab government, sought more time for compliance with the order. Singh said, "An application has been moved seeking three more days for compliance with the court's December 20 order for providing medical aid and shifting Dallewal to the hospital." (ANI) Get the latest storm updates at this link. Indiana's first snowstorm of the year predicted by the National Weather Service Indianapolis for days is well underway in Indianapolis and across the state. Areas around the city had seen 4 to 6 inches of snow by mid-evening, covering roads faster than crews could clear them. The latest NWS forecast calls for a total of at least 8 inches of snow along and south of Interstate 70 by Monday evening, with a possibility of freezing drizzle. North of the interstate, light to moderate snow is expected to continue for a total of 4 to 8 inches accumulation by Monday evening. A winter storm warning remains in effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Travel could be difficult as roads, bridges and overpasses will likely become slick and hazardous due to continued snow accumulation and freezing drizzle over parts of Central Indiana. Strong winds and the weight of snow may also bring down power lines, causing sporadic outages. More than 100 flights were canceled at Indianapolis International Airport on Sunday, and 50 more have already been canceled for Monday. Here's what to know about the storm and its impact so far: Evening Indianapolis traffic update Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to more than 80 accidents, slideoffs and disabled vehicles beginning at noon Sunday, the agency said at 7:40 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you dont have to be out - stay home!" IMPD said on X, formerly Twitter. Roads and interstates throughout the region are snow covered. Plows are working on roadways downtown and major thoroughfares across the city. You can track progress through the citys Snow Force Viewer. You can see traffic updates from the Indiana Department of Transportation at 511.org. See which Indianapolis schools are closed Monday As snow kept falling Sunday evening, school district leaders across the Indianapolis area made the call to replace in-person classes with remote instruction Monday or to cancel coursework entirely. Read IndyStar's list of closures here: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School closures: Is school closed or delayed Monday? Here's the list for the Indianapolis area Public library closed All Indianapolis Public Library locations will be closed Monday due to weather, the library network announced late Sunday via email and a notice posted online. Patrons are encouraged to visit indypl.org for additional updates and use the librarys website for services. Indianapolis and Chicago airport delays and cancellations More than 200 flights scheduled to fly to or from the Indianapolis airport Sunday and Monday have been canceled or delayed due to heavy snowfall brought on by Winter Storm Blair. Flight tracking website FlightAware shows 113 canceled flights Sunday about 24% of outbound flights and 43% of inbound flights Sunday and airlines have started canceling Monday flights, as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, 336 flights had been delayed and 178 canceled as of 6:45 p.m. IND traffic: Snow delays or cancels flights for both Sunday and Monday See latest snowfall measurements in Indiana Snowfall totals mounted Sunday evening, with some areas of Southern Indiana recording as much as 8.5 inches. The official total at Indianapolis International Airport was 4.1 inches as of 7 p.m. Check IndyStar's snowfall totals story regularly for the latest reports received across Indiana by the National Weather Service: How much snow has hit Indiana? See snowfall totals around the state. Hoosiers post photos and videos of snow accumulations 5:55 p.m.: Central Indiana residents took to social media Sunday afternoon to document the accumulating snow as they ventured outside their homes and into their neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some braved temperatures in the low 20s to shop for last-minute groceries and goods. Others tried to go to work, while some saw an opportunity to play. They posted before and after pictures of their yards and shared videos of themselves frolicking in the snow. Entrepreneurs on Nextdoor.com advertised their snow removal services to would-be customers, and others inquired about borrowing shovels to earn some cash. One Greenwood company posted drone footage on Facebook.com, showing how the blanketing snow changed the landscape over the course of several hours. Travel watches issued for 19 Indiana counties, including Hamilton 4:45 p.m.: Local agencies are calling for only essential travel in a number of Indiana counties as a wintry mix in the state's southern half makes roads perilous. County emergency management workers have issued travel watches in 19 Indiana counties, signaling conditions bad enough to recommend traveling only for work or emergencies. All are in Southern Indiana except for Hamilton County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four Indiana counties near Louisville are under travel warnings, the highest level signaling residents should refrain from all travel, according to a statewide map. All other counties along or south of the I-70 corridor, including Marion, are under a lower warning called a travel advisory. This means hazards are largely confined to certain areas. The National Weather Service predicts that a wintry mix with some sleet and freezing drizzle will continue in the Vincennes region and hit the Bloomington area by 6 p.m. Indianapolis is forecast to receive heavy snowfall until midnight. Indianapolis road conditions: travel to worsen as heavy snow and sleet drifts north 3:30 p.m.: Snow coverage will gradually spread north in Central Indiana on Sunday afternoon as bouts of heavy snowfall make driving increasingly hazardous, according to NWS Indianapolis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starting in the state's southwestern portion, sleet will mix in with snow at times. South of I-70, approximately 2-5 inches of snow have already been reported, with more than 8 inches measured in the town of Ferdinand. Light to moderate snow will continue across much of central #inwx this afternoon. Snow may be briefly heavy at times. The snow coverage will gradually move north. Across far southwestern portions of the area, some sleet will mix in at times. Travel will continue to be hazardous. pic.twitter.com/tkmDXfs5rb NWS Indianapolis (@NWSIndianapolis) January 5, 2025 What to know as Indy deploys snow plows 3 p.m.: The city of Indianapolis has begun its plan to deploy a fleet of 70 snowplow drivers per shift as snowfall starts to accumulate. This afternoon, crews will keep laying down salt to combat ice as they start plowing snow from the roadways, according to Auboni Hart, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works. Officials urge drivers to keep a safe distance from snowplows, especially if trying to pass them from behind. The snowplow blades are set at an angle to divert snow to the roadside and can slice cars that come too close, Hart said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That plow will treat these cars like a can opener and rip them right open, so we don't want that for them," Hart told IndyStar Sunday afternoon. Track where snowplows are in real-time using the city's Indy Snow Force map. NWS Indianapolis had reported 1.4 inches of snow by 1 p.m. Sunday, and more than 8 inches are expected. Crashes close portions of I-65 amid reports of icy roadways 2:15 p.m.: Multiple crashes and patches of ice have been reported across the Indianapolis area as snowfall picks up this afternoon. At least three crashes had occurred on I-465 by 2:15 p.m., closing down parts of the roadway, according to INDOT. In northeast Indianapolis, between 71st Street and 56th Street, the southbound left lane was closed for a crash. Just north of that area, at the intersection of I-465 and I-69, another crash slowed down southbound traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Near the intersection of I-465 and I-70, a crash closed the northbound right lane. A crash on I-65 near Beech Grove had closed part of the roadway but was cleaned up by 2:15 p.m. Icy conditions are being reported at the interchange between I-74 and I-465, in southeast Indianapolis, and in downtown Indianapolis on Market Street near I-65. INDOT also reports black ice on the Georgetown Road bridge over I-65, in northwest Indianapolis. Gov. Holcomb activates Indiana National Guard Gov. Eric Holcomb activated the Indiana National Guard Sunday to assist with the winter storm system barreling through the region. The activation includes a highway assistance team to help stranded motorists and 122 Hoosier Guardsmen working across seven Indiana National Guard armories in Bedford, Edinburgh, Evansville, Indianapolis, New Albany, Shelbyville and Washington. The activation will remain in place through Tuesday, the National Guard said. Snow-covered roads and low visibility in south Indianapolis A wide range of conditions are being observed throughout the Indianapolis Metro as of 1 PM. Reports range from snow covered roads and low visibility along and south of I-70 to little to no snow in the northern suburbs. #inwx pic.twitter.com/5M9y2rCwqn NWS Indianapolis (@NWSIndianapolis) January 5, 2025 How to check Indianapolis road conditions, live webcams Before heading out the door, check the status of road conditions, including road closures, crashes and live webcams using Indiana's online Trafficwise map at 511in.org, or visit our gridlock guide page for live traffic cams and more. INDOT's CARS Program provides information about road conditions, closures and width and weight restrictions. The website has a color-coded map of Indiana's highways and highlights hazardous road conditions and travel delays. The interactive map also shows road work warnings, closures, roadway restrictions and other information helpful to drivers. See updated snowfall predictions for Indiana 12:15 p.m.: While most of Southern Indiana will see up to 12 inches of snow, areas north will see wide differences in snowfall totals, NWS says. Indianapolis is predicted to get 6 to 8 inches while areas north such as Hamilton County could see anywhere from 4 to 8 inches. Noon Winter Storm Update Actualizacion Mediodia de Tormenta Invernal (English and Spanish graphics) Updating snow accumulations for the I-70 corridor and points north as there will be a sharp snowfall gradient just north of the Indy Metro. #inwx pic.twitter.com/OYgkkQxaea NWS Indianapolis (@NWSIndianapolis) January 5, 2025 Storm begins covering roads in Martinsville, Franklin, others As of 11 a.m., a light but steady snow had begun to fall along the I-70 corridor and south of the city, according to NWS Indianapolis. The further you travel south in the state, the heavier the snow. Parts of southwest Indiana have already received up to 4 inches of snow by 11 a.m., according to NWS. "We're already seeing snow-covered roadways [on the south side], so if you're down in Martinsville or Franklin or down toward Bloomington, anything that you need to do, you might want to do really over the next hour, and then kind of settle in," said NWS Indianapolis meteorologist Mike Ryan. Meanwhile, the north side of I-70 remained largely dry for now. Snow will continue to fall and pick up steam in the mid-afternoon around 3 or 4 p.m. in the Indianapolis metro area, worsening road conditions as the day goes on. A light sprinkling of snow was falling on the north side of the city by 11 a.m. "As we've been saying for the last day or so, we expect the primary more significant impact here in the area to probably hold off until late afternoon into Sunday night," Ryan said. "Things are not going to be too bad north of the city until probably closer to sunset." Snow continues to overspread much of Indiana along and south of the I-70 corridor. Expect snowfall rates to gradually increase through the day. The forecast remains largely on track with little to no changes as of 11 AM EST. #INWX pic.twitter.com/alzCNKD76u NWS Indianapolis (@NWSIndianapolis) January 5, 2025 The 11 a.m. update follows much of the predicted forecast from the last few days, with road conditions expected to worsen throughout the day Sunday and into Monday. Is the Indianapolis Colts game today cancelled? The Indianapolis Colts are set to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium in the team's season finale as scheduled. The stadium roof and window will be closed, owner Jim Irsay announced on social media Saturday. How to measure snowfall totals Wondering the best way to measure the amount of snow that's fallen outside? NWS Indianapolis posted a video showing best practices for measuring. NWS recommends placing a piece of cardboard outside before the snow hits and using a yardstick to measure accumulating snow. If you don't have a piece of cardboard outside, simply place a yardstick in the ground and measure to the nearest tenths of an inch. Don't forget to measure in multiple spots. Indianapolis, Indiana weather radar Snow system moves into parts of Central Indiana Snow is moving into southwest portions of central IN with minor accumulations already being observed. Snowfall rates will continue to increase and road conditions are expected to continue deteriorating in this highlighted area through the morning. #inwx pic.twitter.com/B19actJWBu NWS Indianapolis (@NWSIndianapolis) January 5, 2025 How much snow will Indianapolis get? 7 a.m.: Early Sunday meteorologists predicted Indianapolis could see more than 8 inches of snow during the storm. Areas south of the I-70 corridor could see more than 10 inches of snow. A major Winter storm will bring significant snow and mixed precipitation to central Indiana today through Monday. Posted by US National Weather Service Indianapolis Indiana on Sunday, January 5, 2025 Weather info you need Indiana Weather Alerts: Warnings, Watches and Advisories. Indiana power outage map: How to check your status. Internet outages: How to track them. What you should and shouldn't do when the power is out. Your neighbor left their pet outside. Who you should call. Where to report power outages and downed lines AES Indiana customers: 317-261-8111 Duke Energy customers: 1-800-343-3525 How to report downed traffic signals or tree limbs blocking a road If you encounter a downed traffic signal or a limb blocking a roadway, contact the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622 or online at RequestIndy.gov. When calling after hours, press "2" to be connected. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis snowstorm updates, latest weather predictions Snow and ice left roads a slippery, dangerous mess across parts of the Midwest Sunday including Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky as a winter storm roared east. As one Kansas state trooper put it: "We are in it now." The trooper was referring to the scene as ice shut down lengthy stretches of Interstate 70 in the state and triggered wrecks all along the way. It was just the beginning of a major winter storm's impact on tens of millions from the Plains and Midwest to the mid-Atlantic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First responders were busy with multiple crashes and portions of several interstates were shut down. Road crews struggled to keep up as some areas saw blizzard conditions. More than 100,000 power outages were reported in Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky, leaving people across the region in the dark. The system was named Winter Storm Blair by The Weather Channel. See our full forecast here. These were our live updates as we tracked the storm Sunday: (8:08 p.m. ET) Where The Storm Is Headed Next From weather.com digital meteorologist Jonathan Belles: The snow and other wintry precip will advance and become heavier in the mid-Atlantic through early Monday. You've got a "get out of going to the office" excuse note if you're anywhere from Louisville to Philadelphia on Monday where roads will be anywhere from rough going to very dangerous to traverse, especially early in the day. Conditions will improve from west to east overnight and through the day on Monday. Blair will be off into the Atlantic by Tuesday. Get used to some cooler air behind the winter storm. It will stick around through the upcoming work week. (7:58 p.m. ET) Power Outages Top 100,000 Here's a look at the latest numbers, according to PowerOutage.us: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement -Kentucky - 37,323 -Illinois - 32,970 -Missouri - 31,070 (7:33 p.m. ET) Storm Reaches Eastern U.S. From Belles: Winter Storm Blair is now entering the eastern half of the country after pummeling the mountains in the West and picking up blizzard conditions in the Plains. The most interruptive snow so far has occurred in Kansas and Missouri, although parts of the Sierra, Wasatch and Rockies have all seen more than a foot of snow so far. Ice has also been widespread from Kansas to southern Illinois. A line of strong storms continues to march through the South with gusty winds. (7:13 p.m. ET) State Of Emergency In South Jersey As this storm moves east, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency for seven counties. They are: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem. The emergency goes into effect at 10 p.m. tonight. (7:03 p.m. ET) Pileup Shuts Down Part Of Interstate 70 State police are on the scene of a multi-vehicle crash in eastern Illinois. The incident happened near the town of Greenup, about halfway between St. Louis and Indianapolis. Police said several vehicles are involved, and eastbound lanes of the road could be closed for several hours. There was no immediate word on whether anyone was injured. Trucks and vehicles crashed and slid off the road. (6:34 p.m. ET) Hundreds Of Flights Delayed Or Canceled Here's how airport delays and cancellations are stacking up in the storm's path, according to airline tracker FlightAware.com. Among the worst right now are Kansas City International Airport - where 94% of all departures are canceled, and 90% of arrivals canceled - and St. Louis Lambert International - where 65% of departures and 64% of arrivals are canceled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Combined, that equals nearly 600 flight cancellations. (6:22 p.m. ET) Cantore: 'Its Not Going To End Well' The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore is on the ground in Kansas City. "We've got a long way to go here in town with these roads," Cantore said in a live video. "A long way to go." He echoed the advice from local officials asking people to stay off the roads. "Unless you come out here, unless you have a 4-wheel drive, and you know how to drive in this stuff, its not going to end well." See Cantore's live shot here. (6:01 p.m. ET) What Are 'Blizzard Conditions?' The National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a storm with any amount of snow, but with winds at least 35 mph and visibility less than a quarter of a mile for at least three hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are some areas that saw those conditions today: -Topeka, Kansas -Gardner, Kansas -Salina, Kansas -Dodge City, Kansas -Russell, Kansas -St. Joseph, Missouri (5:08 p.m. ET) Road Crews Struggle To Keep Up From The Associated Press: In Indiana, snow fully covered portions of Interstate 64, Interstate 69 and U.S. Route 41, prompting Indiana State Police to plead with motorists to stay off the roads as plows worked to keep up with the pace of the precipitation. Its snowing so hard, the snow plows go through and then within a half hour the roadways are completely covered again, Sgt. Todd Ringle said. (4:16 p.m. ET) Trooper Hit On Slippery Road A state trooper was injured when he was hit on Interstate 65 near Bowling Green, Kentucky. A photo shared on social media by Kentucky State Police showed the crumpled rear end of the trooper's vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is why we are asking you TO STAY HOME and avoid travel," the post read. (2:50 p.m. ET) Washington Prepares For Winter Storm Blair, Schools Closed Monday Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser held a news conference Sunday afternoon to provide updates about the citys preparations for Winter Storm Blair. The city is expected to get anywhere from 5 to 9 inches of snow starting Sunday night. Mayor Bowser declared a snow emergency Sunday afternoon and she announced that city schools will be closed on Monday. Emergency response and transportation officials urged people to move their parked vehicles from snow emergency routes, a map of those routes are available here Residents were told to expect reduced train and bus service, officials also noted that some stations and routes would be closed because of funeral services for former President Jimmy Carter. (2:34 p.m. ET) School Closures Across Kansas City Schools across Kansas city will either be closed or going virtual on Monday. Multiple districts in the area announced the changes on Sunday as blizzard conditions walloped the region. Local television station KSHB has a list of the school closures and delays. (2:17 p.m. ET) DC Declares A Snow Emergency Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a snow emergency for the city Sunday afternoon. She urged residents to move their vehicles from snow emergency routes and were expecting to get more information during a live news conference from the mayor during the 2 p.m. ET hour. (2:00 p.m. ET) Kentucky State Offices Closed Monday Governor Andy Beshear has announced that all state offices in Kentucky will be closed on Monday, January 6. Gov. Beshear declared a state of emergency on Saturday, just ahead of the winter storms arrival in his state. (1:31 p.m. ET) State Of Emergency In West Virginia West Virginia Governor Jim Justice declared a state of emergency Sunday afternoon for all 55 counties in the state due to Winter Storm Blair. He said National Guard troops and equipment are being staged for a swift storm response. Justice also urged residents to check in on neighbors periodically and remain cautious. (12:40 p.m. ET) Snow Intensifies In Missouri Snow is blanketing the ground outside the offices of the National Weather Service in Weldon Spring, Missouri. Meteorologists there shared photos on social media and warned that as much as 12 inches of snow could fall along the Highway 36 and I-72 corridor. (12:00 p.m. ET) Power Outages Surge In Missouri By midday Sunday, more than 21,000 homes and businesses were without power in Missouri as Winter Storm Blair hit the state. More than two dozen counties across Missouri are impacted. Power outages in Kansas are near 10,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Did you know that one-quarter of weather-related power outages in the U.S. are linked to winter storms? Watch this video for expert advice on how to survive a cold-weather power outage. (11:38 a.m. ET) Multiple Crashes Shut Down Part Of Kentucky Highway Snow and ice caused multiple vehicle crashes on I-64 in Jefferson County, Kentucky late Sunday morning. Governor Andy Beshear said the closure could last for hours. State transportation officials shared a photo on social media showing the shutdown. (11:15 a.m. ET) Blizzard Conditions In Topeka, Kansas Heavy snow and winds gusting as high as 45 mph are hitting the Topeka area. The National Weather Service shared video from early Sunday morning showing blowing snow and near whiteout conditions. More than 10,000 homes and businesses were without power across Kansas by late Sunday morning, according to PowerOutage.us. (10:42 a.m. ET) Road Conditions Worsen in North-Central Kansas Kansas Highway Patrol State report on social media that parts of Interstate 135 are snowpacked and down to barely one lane in both directions. (10 a.m. ET) Nearly 200 Crashes In Missouri The Missouri State Highway Patrol says there have been 176 crashes reported since Saturday afternoon. More than 600 drivers have made emergency calls for assistance. Troopers urged people to stay off the roads until the storm passes. (9:33 a.m. ET) Indiana Activates National Guard Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has activated the National Guard in his state to provide winter storm support and assistance to first responders. According to local news reports, National Guard teams will help stranded motorists and provide other emergency support. Those teams have been deployed from Bedford, Edinburgh, Evansville, Indianapolis, New Albany, Shelbyville, and Washington and will remain active through Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning across much of central Indiana. (9:03 a.m. ET) More than 100 Flights Canceled At St. Louis Airport At least 191 flights were canceled Sunday morning in and out of St. Louis Lambert International Airport, according to flightaware.com A spokesperson for United Airlines and Air Canada told Missouri television station KSDK they canceled all flights at Lambert Airport on Sunday. (8:30 a.m. ET) Snow Moves In On Top Of Ice In Kansas City Kansas City police urged drivers to stay off the roads Sunday morning, sharing the picture below to show how the ice accumulation on roads is shifting to snow. (8:10 a.m. ET) States Of Emergency In Four States The governors of Missouri, Maryland and Kentucky declared a state of emergency in response to Winter Storm Blair. The declarations allow the states to speed up assistance, request federal resources and coordinate emergency responses in their states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Mike Parsons declaration in Missouri warned of as much as 10 inches of snow and sleet in some parts of the state. Maryland Governor Wes Moore urged people to avoid travel if possible Sunday through Monday. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear warned of widespread power outages and freezing temperatures throughout the week. Governor Glenn Youngkin urged Virginians and visitors to monitor weather alerts before getting on the roads. (7:43 a.m. ET) More than 20,000 Without Power As of Sunday morning, more than 20,000 homes and businesses were without power across four states according to PowerOutage.us: -Kansas: 10,458 outages -Missouri: 5,409 outages -Michigan: 3,272 outages -Virginia: 3,068 outages (7:25 a.m. ET) More than 100 Flights Canceled At Kansas City Airport At least 107 flights were canceled Sunday morning at Kansas City International Airport, according to flightaware.com. The airport reopened Saturday evening after being closed for about three hours due to ice on the runways. Flights resumed around 5 p.m. local time. (7:10 a.m. ET) Stretches of I-70 Shut Down Due To Ice Transportation officials in north-central Kansas urged people to stay at home as crews tried to treat roads covered in ice late Saturday. Parts of Interstate 70 were closed in places like Ellsworth, Lincoln, Saline, Dickinson and Geary. (6:50 a.m. ET) Where Are Blizzard Warnings In Effect? From weather.com senior meteorologist Christopher Dolce: Blizzard warnings are in effect for parts of Kansas, northwest Missouri and far southeast Nebraska. The warnings include the Kansas City, Wichita and Topeka metro areas, where the combination of heavy snowfall, strong winds and low visibility might reach blizzard criteria at times into early Monday. Winter Storm Blair has arrived in Greater Cincinnati. A winter storm warning is in effect from 10 a.m. Sunday to midnight Monday, according to an alert issued by the National Weather Service. The storm could bring between 5 and 10 inches of snow to the region as well as a tenth of an inch of ice. A number of agencies have encouraged citizens to prepare and now that the storm is here, they have set guidelines for staying safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following are guidelines compiled from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service on how to stay safe during a winter storm. Snow begins to accumulate in Amberley Village during a winter storm on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. More: Cincinnati Zoo closing early due to winter storm. See list of other closures across region What to do during Winter Storm Blair Check on neighbors and family: Ensure family and neighbors, especially elderly neighbors, have adequate heating and enough food, water and medicine. Encourage them to stay home. Be cautious of carbon monoxide danger: When using alternate heating sources, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning increases. Make sure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also, know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. These include: Headaches. Fatigue. Dizziness. Shortness of breath. Chest pain. Nausea/vomiting. Confusion. Drowsiness or unconsciousness. If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms or a carbon monoxide detector's alarm sounds, the Ohio Emergency Management Agency encourages you to leave your home immediately and call 911. Keep generators and fuel at least 20 feet from your home: This is essential for preventing carbon monoxide poisoning or other hazards. Use generators outside and at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages. Bring your pets indoors and out of the cold. Animals need protection from the severe cold, so do not allow your animals to stay outside overnight during extremely cold temperatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protect yourself from frostbite: Limit your time outside. If going outside, bundle up and dress in layers. Try to have as little skin exposed as possible. Frostbite can occur on exposed skin in less than 10 minutes. Symptoms include a loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in fingers, toes, ear tips and the tip of the nose. If you see signs of frostbite, seek medical care immediately. With the expectation for a major winter storm to impact the region Sunday into Monday, now is the time to make preparations for your home and vehicles! Be sure to stay updated with the latest info from reputable sources as we progress through the next several days! pic.twitter.com/L1Yx7ROzar NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) January 3, 2025 Protect yourself and others from hypothermia. Dress babies and children appropriately for the cold. If you notice anyone exhibiting signs of hypothermia, seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms of hypothermia include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shivering. Exhaustion. Confusion. Fumbling hands. Memory loss. Slurred speech. Sometimes drowsiness in older adults and children. In infants, symptoms can include bright red or cold skin and very low energy. Avoid traveling. But if you must travel, be prepared: Have a winter emergency kit in your vehicle that includes a flashlight, extra batteries, tools, high-energy snacks, bottled water, car charger for cell phone, extra jackets, gloves, hats, blankets, tools and battery jumper cables. Call #677 if you need roadside assistance. How to save money on heating during the winter storm Duke Energy released the following tips to save money when temperatures plunge: Reduce your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting. Even a couple of degrees make it easier on your heating system and can help prevent big spikes in your energy bill from the extreme cold. Leave drapes or blinds open when the sun is out to allow the rays to warm the house. Close them at night to help insulate your home. Set your water heater to 120 degrees or less. Water heating typically uses the second-most amount of energy in your home. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Winter Storm Blair: How to stay safe during the storm in Cincinnati A winter storm warning has been issued for the far southern tier of counties from 9 p.m. Saturday evening until 3 a.m. Monday. A winter weather advisory has been issued for areas along Highway 34. Dry air has significantly affected this system, cutting into the amount of snow that will be possible. A push of more powerful forcing could arrive at some point Sunday morning or afternoon, causing heavier snow to develop in far southern Iowa. Just light flurries are possible elsewhere in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As mentioned, dry air has shifted snow totals farther south. This is a factor weve been warning about with this tricky system! Notable snow looks to be along this Missouri border and primarily south of highway 2. Projected totals in Lamoni for instance have dropped from the 5-9 range to near 3. There will be an extremely sharp cutoff and gradient from nearly no snow to higher totals from north to south, with higher totals to the south in Missouri. Turning to temperatures, lows tonight will be in the single digits north. Expected highs for the following six days are below: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Your WHO 13 7-day forecast gives us a quiet and cold work week: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. A Chicago mother allegedly told police that "voices" in her head led her to murder her young daughter. Marisol Vazquez, 37, has been charged with first-degree murder for the death of her child Lucia on Dec. 20 around 8:30 a.m. local time, according to NBC 5, CBS News and The Chicago Tribune. Per a police report obtained by CBS News, Vazquez was initially found naked on a bed with Lucia behind her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When paramedics tried to perform life-saving measures on the child, who was not breathing, water came out of her mouth, the report said. Police also found water and clothing in a bathtub. Chicago Police Marisol Vazquez's mugshot Marisol Vazquez's mugshot The Tribute reported that Lucia was later pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital. The outlet detailed that police identified the child as a 1-year-old, but prosecutors later said she was 21 months old. PEOPLE reached out to the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office but did not hear back on Sunday, Jan. 5. According to the arrest report, per CBS News, Vazquez made "incoherent statements about being trapped by electronics and that everyone has been raped" when she was questioned by detectives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also allegedly said, "We had to go in the water. We had to be with nature." 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. Vazquez was eventually taken to Ascension St. Mary Hospital for a mental health evaluation, and officers later arrested her there on Thursday, Jan. 2, CBS News reported. Vazquez then allegedly confessed to suffocating Lucia with a bedsheet. She also allegedly told detectives that "the voices were in her head and that the voices told her that she needs to kill herself with her daughter in order for the devil not to eat her daughter," the outlet added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vazquez also told officials that she tried to drown herself but was unable to, so she then tried to cut herself, per CBS News. The woman later appeared in court on Saturday, Jan. 4, when prosecutors said she confessed the killing to her sister and told her not to call the police, according to documents obtained by the Tribune. Vazquez is currently detained at the Cook County Jail. She is set to return to court on Tuesday, Jan. 7. It is not clear if she has legal representation to comment on her behalf. Read the original article on People EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 27-year-old woman is dead following a stabbing early Sunday morning, Jan. 5 at a home in East El Paso County near Horizon City and a 30-year-old man has been arrested, according to the El Paso County Sheriffs Office. The stabbing happened at about 3:30 a.m. on Sunday along the 600 block of Zinc Place. When deputies arrived, they found the woman who had been severely stabbed, the Sheriffs Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman was transported to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries, according to the Sheriffs Office. The Sheriffs Office did not identify the woman, except by age. According to the Sheriffs Office, they identified the suspect as Jorge Albert Chavez, 30, who was seen leaving the residence shortly after the incident. With assistance from the Texas Rangers and the Reeves County Sheriffs Office, law enforcement was able to locate Chavez, who traveling on Interstate 20. Chavez was apprehended and taken into custody without incident, according to the Sheriffs Office. The incident is still being investigated by the Major Crimes Unit of the El Paso County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. It was a first for Oklahoma, but doubly so, when the first women were elected to serve in the 1920-22 Legislature. Bessie Simison McColgin was the first woman elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. That same session, Lamar Looney was the first woman elected to the Oklahoma Senate. The Eighth House of Representatives of Oklahoma, 1920-22 The Eighth session of the Oklahoma Senate, 1920-22 Both McColgin and Looney were elected before women had the right to vote. A headline in The Daily Oklahoman on Dec. 5, 1920, read: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma's Women LegislatorsPioneer Residents, One Elected to Senate, Other to House, Both "Home" Women Above McColgin and Looney's photos on the page, it read: SPIRIT THAT CAUSED THEM TO BRAVE EARLY HARDSHIPS ON WESTERN PRAIRIES LED MRS. LAMAR LOONEY AND MRS. BESSIE M'COLGIN TO BE FIRST WOMEN TO WIN SEATS IN STATE LEGISLATUREBOTH HAVE LARGE FAMILIES AND BOTH HAVE IDEAS ABOUT LAWMAKINGWESTERN PART OF STATE PROUD OF THEMONE A DEMOCRAT, OTHER REPUBLICAN. Amelia Elizabeth Bessie McColgin was the first woman to serve as a legislator in the Oklahoma House of Representatives in the Eighth Legislature. McColgin, who was born in Kansas, was a pioneer who had lived in Oklahoma six years before statehood and was from the community of Ridgeton in Roger Mills County. It was in that county she served as a "civic, religious and government leader much of her life," according to a 1972 story in The Daily Oklahoman about her death at the age of 97: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She taught the first school classes in Roger Mills County, operated the first post office at Ridgeton and the first telephone exchange there. Mrs. McColgin, who homesteaded with her husband near Ridgeton in 1901, was elected to the legislature from Roger Mills County in 1920. She remarked she was elected without making any campaign speeches. In the Dec. 5, 1920, news article, the headline above McColgin's profile story read: "Mother to Leave Six Children at Home When She Comes to the Capitol" The story described her as a "self made woman" and told of the hardships she and her husband and their three children had faced on the prairie. McColgin also spoke of how she had come to be in public service: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Whenever I have been asked to do any public work, when any community interest has called for my help, I have always answered 'yes.'" "So, although this proposal came as a great surprise, and I felt perfectly incompetent, it did not enter my head to refuse." Looney, who had faced her own hardships, was born in 1871 in Alabama. After marriage, she and her husband traveled into what would become the Greer/Harmon County area, according to the Oklahoma Senate website. In the Dec. 5, 1920, article in The Daily Oklahoman, a picture of Looney's life and determination unfolded: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fires of determination glinting in her blue eyes, a young woman once marked off a square of hard-baked prairie soil in sand blown Harmon County. Setting her small foot upon the spade, she started to dig her own "dugout." This was a pioneer incident of twenty years ago. The dainty young woman was a widow, the oldest of her five children was ten, and she had just filed on the claim. Such work was new to her. When Looney was elected to the Senate, she had been serving as the Harmon County clerk. As 2025 begins, The Oklahoma House and Senate will convene for Organizational Day at noon Jan. 7 for the First Session of the 60th Legislature. When the legislative session begins on Feb. 3, there will be 21 women serving in the House of Representatives and 14 women serving in the Senate. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who were the first women elected to the Oklahoma Legislature? NEW YORK (PIX11) Visiting New York City? Here are some fast facts on congestion pricing. The price: Type of Vehicle Peak Off Peak Passenger and small commercial vehicles (Sedans, SUVs, pick-up trucks, and small vans) $9 $2.25 Motorcycles $4.50 $1.05 Trucks and buses $14.40 $21.60 $3.60 $5.40 Peak hours run from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. More Congestion Pricing News What is congestion pricing? Drivers visiting the Big Apple and entering Manhattan below 60th Street will now have to pay a fee. This fee is known as congestion pricing and aims to reduce gridlock and pollution and raise revenue for the citys transit system. How much will congestion pricing raise? According to the MTA website, congestion pricing hopes to raise $15 billion for capital improvements to the MTA network. Where will I be tolled? Drivers will be tolled upon entry to local streets and avenues below and including 60th Street in Manhattan. Are there a lot of cars in New York City? About two million cars are registered in New York City, according to New York Citys GreenDivided. Can I take a taxi or Uber to avoid congestion pricing? Passengers in taxis and for-hire vehicles will have a per-trip surcharge added to their fares for rides to, from, within, or through what is known as the Congestion Relief Zone. That charge is 75 cents for people taking taxis, green cabs, and black cars and $1.50 for Uber or Lyft passengers. Where did congestion pricing come from? Congestion pricing has long existed in other cities around the globe, including London, Stockholm, Milan, and Singapore, but New York is the first U.S. city to adopt it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its been floated in New York for years. Then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg suggested such a scheme in 2007, and state lawmakers approved the concept in 2019. However, it has run into opposition and legal challenges from politicians, commuters, and commercial drivers. This week, a federal judge rejected the state of New Jerseys 11th-hour effort to block the toll temporarily. The plan stalled while awaiting a required federal environmental review during Donald Trumps first presidential administration, and it was finally set to go into effect earlier this year with a heftier $15 toll but Hochul, a Democrat, abruptly halted it weeks before the launch, arguing it was too expensive. She put forward the latest plan with a lower fee in November, shortly after Trump was elected to another term, with the Republican having vowed to stop it after he returns to office on Jan. 20. When does congestion pricing start? On Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story comprises reporting from the Associated Press and PIX11 News reporters Greg Mocker and Dominique Jack. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Agnimitra Paul expressed her displeasure after Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh compared West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Stepping up her attacks on Ghosh, Paul stated that they are not only shocked, but aghast that how a person who says that he is a journalist, can make such a statement. Sharpening her attack, the BJP leader further stated that Ghosh rightly compared CM Banerjee with Netaji's famous quote, 'Give me blood and I will give you freedom' -- Mamata Banerjee also gave freedom - freedom to rape, to loot public money, to destroy Bengal, and to do corruption. Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Agnimitra Paul, " I think TMC spokesperson (Kunal Ghosh) has rightly compared CM Mamata Banerjee with Subhash Chandra Bose. Netaji told us, that people of India, 'give me blood and I will give you freedom' and Mamata Banerjee also gave us freedom, freedom to rape, to loot public money, freedom to destroy Bengal, to do corruption, same thing according to TMC. We are not only shocked, we are aghast that how can a person who says that he is a journalist make such a statement...this is the difference between two parties (TMC and BJP) ..." Levelling allegations against the TMC leaders and West Bengal Police, Paul stated that TMC leaders are making documents of infiltrators and police are verifying it, adding that the Home Ministry of the state is under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. " In Assam and Tripura also infiltrators and terrorists are entering but BSF is catching them and they are not released after that. But, in West Bengal, they are being let go...there is a difference, when, an infiltrator is caught, Assam's govt representative doesn't make documents for them but here TMC leaders make documents of these terrorists. Police are involved in this. In this fake passport case...who verifies the passports? Police do it and who is Police Minister? It is Mamata Banerjee..." Paul stated. (ANI) A young boy who had gone missing was found alive after spending five days alone in a northern Zimbabwe game park filled with wild animals, according to a member of the country's parliament. Mutsa Murombedzi shared news of the "true miracle" Wednesday on X. According to Murombedzi, 8-year-old Tinotenda Pudu wandered 23 kilometers (14 miles) away from his home, lost his way and "unknowingly headed into the perilous Matusadonha game park." She described the area where the boy is from as "a community where one wrong turn could easily lead into a game park." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boy was missing for five days in the jungle near the Hogwe River, Murombedzi said, where he slept on a rocky perch "amidst roaring lions, passing elephants," and ate wild fruits to survive. She said members of the local Nyaminyami community beat drums every day to try to guide the boy back home. But it was rangers from Matusadona Africa Parks who eventually found the child, according to Murombedzi. A boy missing & found in Matusadonha game park A true miracle in remote Kasvisva community, Nyaminyami in rural Kariba, a community where one wrong turn could easily lead into a game park. 8-year-old Tinotenda Pudu wandered away, lost direction & unknowingly headed into the pic.twitter.com/z19BLffTZW Mutsa Murombedzi MP (@mutsamu) January 1, 2025 In a separate statement shared Friday, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) confirmed the rescue but said the boy was 7 years old and that he had wandered 49 kilometers (30 miles) from his village "through the harsh terrain of the lion infested" game park to the point where he was located. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ZimParks said the boy vanished on Dec. 27 and that a search operation began immediately after it received the report that he was missing. The agency said it ran into trouble during the search mission because of heavy rain that was washing away the boy's footprints. On Dec. 30, ZimParks said footprints were located in the Sakata Valley area of Matusadona National Park. They found the boy the next day. ZimParks said the boy was first taken to a local clinic, then a hospital for medical evaluation after the ordeal. Murombedzi shared an update on the boy's condition Saturday. She said medical officials told her the boy has rested and is stable but is awaiting an evaluation from a mental health team to ensure he will not suffer lasting trauma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Above all, we thank God for watching over Tinotenda and leading him back home safely," Murombedzi said in her Wednesday post. "This is a testament to the power of unity, hope, prayer and never giving up." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Four new members of the House made it clear Sunday they are hoping to bring some fresh energy to Capitol Hill. "Young people have seen this country run by an older and older and older generation," said Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), a 30-year-old who joined Congress last week. In a group interview that aired Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," Gill joined Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Rep. Adam Gray (D-Calif.) and Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va) to share with host Jake Tapper hopes and ideas for the new Congress, which was sworn in last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While neither Gray (age 47) nor Moore (age 44) is even close to being one of the oldest members of Congress, Gill is the second-youngest member of the House after Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla., who is 27), and Ansari, age 32, is fourth, one spot after Rep. Addison McDowell (R-N.C., who is 30). "I think that Americans are ready for a new generation of leadership. I think both of us being young demonstrates that," Ansari said, referencing Gill. She added: "I will be the youngest woman in the 119th Congress. And I take that very seriously." Only seven members of the House are under age 35. That's in contrast to 13 members of the House being 80 or over. That list does not include Kay Granger, a Texas lawmaker whose term ended last month. In December, it was reported that Granger had been living in an assisted-living facility for several months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Discussion of Washington's so-called "gerontocracy" has also focused on both President Joe Biden, the oldest person ever to serve in the White House, and President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to surpass Biden as the oldest person ever to be sworn in to the office. All four of the new lawmakers made it clear they wanted to fix things in Washington, though there was notable disagreement on what was wrong. Moore, for instance, said: "I think perhaps there could be some mutual points of intersecting interest on issues like border, which I think is great. But, just to be clear, my constituents have sent me here to this town not to work with Democrats but destroy their agenda over the last four years." Gray, who won one of the closest races in the country, said the largest problem was extreme partisanship. "I guess I'm just curious to see if people want to get serious about solving problems back here," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for Tapper, the 55-year-old brought up his own tenure in Washington in discussing the state of Congress with the group. He quipped of Gill: "I was just saying before the show, the congressman here went to my alma mater, Dartmouth College, and I was upset to find out that he was born three years after I graduated." By Olena Harmash and Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said security guarantees for Kyiv to end Russia's war would only be effective if the United States provides them, and that he hoped to meet U.S. President-elect Donald Trump soon after his inauguration. In an interview with U.S. podcaster Lex Fridman published on Sunday, Zelenskiy said Ukrainians were counting on Trump to force Moscow to end its war and that Russia would escalate in Europe if Washington were to quit the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almost three years after Russia's invasion, the election of Trump, who returns to the White House on Jan. 20, has sparked hope of a diplomatic resolution to stop the war, but also fears in Kyiv that a quick peace could come at a high price. Zelenskiy used the three-hour interview published on YouTube to call for Ukraine's NATO membership, emphasizing his belief that a ceasefire without security guarantees for Kyiv would merely give Russia time to rearm for a new attack. The Ukrainian leader said the White House under Trump had a vital role to play in providing security guarantees and asserted that he and the U.S. president-elect saw eye to eye on the need for a "peace through strength" approach to ending the conflict. "Without the United States, security guarantees are not possible. I mean these security guarantees that can prevent Russian aggression," he said, tacitly acknowledging that Kyiv's European allies would be too weak militarily to manage on their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskiy made the case that Russian President Vladimir Putin was not interested in serious negotiations to end the war, and that the Kremlin leader would have to be compelled to stop and agree to a lasting peace. The state of play on the battlefield is at its most challenging for Ukraine since the early months of Russia's 2022 invasion and Kyiv's largely outnumbered troops have been losing village after village in the eastern Donbas region for months. Though he said it was up to the United States to determine its future, Zelenskiy cautioned that any decision by Washington under Trump to exit NATO would weaken the military alliance and embolden Putin in Europe. "I'm simply saying that if it does (quit the alliance), Putin will destroy Europe," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian leader said he needed to sit down with Trump to determine a course of action to halt the Kremlin and that Europe's governments also needed to have a voice in that process before Kyiv could sit down for talks with the Russian side. UKRAINIAN VISIT Trump, the Ukrainian leader added, had indicated when they spoke late last year that there would be an official Ukrainian visit to the United States soon after he takes office. "He told me on the phone that my visit would be one of his first. This topic is important to him. I hope we will meet," he said. The Ukrainian leader also said he would attend Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration if he receives an official invitation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interview was published the evening after Ukrainian troops on Sunday launched a new offensive push in Russia's Kursk region where they carved out an enclave in a surprise incursion last August. Ukraine has for months said Russia had deployed thousands of North Korean troops in the Kursk region to help its forces there. Zelenskiy estimated that 3,800 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded in the fighting so far, but that he believed Pyongyang had the capacity to send many thousands more troops if it chose to do so. He also said that North Korea had provided 3.7 million artillery shells to Russia so far, a figure he contrasted with the 1 million provided by the European Union last year. Reuters could not independently verify those figures. (Reporting by Olena Harmash and Tom Balmforth; Editing by Chris Reese and Richard Chang) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that about 3,800 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded in the war against Ukraine. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman Quote: "North Korea. 12,000 have arrived [in the Russian Federation to join the war against Ukraine ed.]. As of today, 3,800 have been killed or wounded. They can bring 30,000-40,000 more. Or maybe 500 [thousand]. They can bring many people. Because they have an autocracy." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy believes that Europe will not be able to "build an army consisting of 2-3 million people". "There is no such purpose as gathering everyone we do not want any war. We want to stop the Russians. And they invite North Korean soldiers. They themselves burn the faces [of those] who cannot escape, injured or killed," the Ukrainian president said. He noted that Ukraine's military is the largest in Europe, comprising 980,000 personnel, followed by France, whose armed forces are approximately four times smaller, with about 200,000 members. Background: On 23 December, Zelenskyy announced that based on early estimates, the number of North Korean soldiers killed and wounded in action in Russia's Kursk Oblast exceeds 3,000. Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasised that Ukraine must have reliable security guarantees to end the war, not just a piece of paper, because the guarantors of the Budapest Memorandum "didnt give a f**k" about Ukraine. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman Quote: "The Budapest Memorandum included security guarantees for Ukraine. At first, three, the most important security guarantors for Ukraine: strategic friends and partners of Ukraine the US, Russia, Britain. France and China joined. Five states in total... Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We now understand that this is not a guarantee of security. Because on the one hand, these are security guarantees, but there was an English word, as far as I understand, assurance. These are the largest states, the nuclear five. Now we just need to find these people and we just need to put in jail all of those who, frankly, invented all this After occupying part of our Donbas and Crimea, Ukraine sent diplomats three times. We sent letters to all security guarantors, to all members of the Budapest Memorandum. What was written on the piece of paper? Consultations. Ukraine holds consultations if its territorial integrity is violated. And everyone should be in consultation. Everyone must come. Everyone must meet urgently USA, Britain, Russia. France, China. Did anyone come, you ask? No. Did anyone reply to these letters, official letters? Did anyone conduct consultations? No. And why not? They didn't give a f**k. This is understandable in Russian, right? That as Russia didn't give a damn, neither did all the other security guarantors of the Budapest Memorandum. None of them gave a damn about this country, these people, these security guarantees." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy noted that he has discussed the Budapest Memorandum with US President-elect Donald Trump, saying, "We haven't finished this conversation yet; well continue it." He added that in February 2022, after the full-scale war began, letters were again sent to request consultations, but "no one answered". Quote: "The question is simple about Budapest. Can we trust this? No. Whichever country out of these five sat at the negotiating table just a piece of paper: Believe me, we will save you." The president described the security guarantees for Ukraine as a "train with waste paper", with the second car being the Minsk agreements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The United States of America was no longer there. I understand that Obama was here at the time. I think they were simply not interested in what happened to Ukraine and where it was in general, where it was located..." More details: Zelenskyy also accused former German Chancellor Angela Merkel of forcing others not to give Ukraine a NATO invitation at the 2008 Bucharest summit when even US President George W. Bush supported such a decision. Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that on the second or third day of Russia's full-scale invasion, self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko apologised in a phone call for the missile strikes being launched on Ukraine from Belarusian territory and even suggested that Ukraine retaliate by striking the Mozyr Oil Refinery in Belarus. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman Quote: "And later, a few days into the war, I spoke with Lukashenko on the phone, and he apologised. And he said, It was not me; missiles were launched from my territory, and Putin was the one launching them. These are his words; I have witnesses. And I apologise, he said. But believe me that's what he told me Volodya, this is not me. Im not in charge, he told me, Im not in charge, these are just missiles, this is Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I told him, You are a murderer too, I'm just saying. And he told me, You must understand, you can't fight the Russians. I told him that we never fought them. I said, It's war, the missiles came from your land, from Belarus. How did you allow this? Then he replied, All right, retaliate then. I still remember him telling me. Hit the refinery, you know how much I care about it. The Mozyr Oil Refinery. I told him, What are you on about, what retaliation?" Details: Zelenskyy said this conversation occurred "on the second or third day of the war". Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Russian leader Vladimir Putins goal is to create discord between him and US President-elect Donald Trump and to complete the occupation of Ukrainian territory. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman Quote: "Today he [Putin] is afraid of Trump. But once Trump manages, for example, to do a ceasefire deal without serious security guarantees for Ukraine, he will give a pass to Putin. Not that he wants to. No, he does not want that. I believe in what he says. But he will give Putin an opportunity, because in Putin's head, he wants me to fight with Trump. Putin's plan is to complete the occupation of our territory. This is in his sick head. Im absolutely sure of this. That is why I told you, don't wait for Putin to want to stop the war. Pressure him so that he is forced to stop the war." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy also stressed that Trumps tenure will only last for his presidential term and not for his lifetime. Quote: "For example, he [Trump ed.] came for four years, and for the fifth year Putin came with a war. Will it make Trump feel better that there was no war during his time and that Ukraine was destroyed after him? Why destroyed? Putin is whoever a killer, whoever but not a fool. He will be prepared. He knows all mistakes. He understands how we defeated his army after the invasion began He will let everything into arms production. He will have lots of weapons, and there will be a very large army. And you think that after such humiliation, four years without a war, he did not finish us, he will return and fight only against Ukraine? He will destroy everything around. And if you say there is a risk that President Trump will withdraw from NATO, Putin will destroy Europe." Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he would like to attend the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on 20 January, but only if he receives an invitation from Trump. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman Quote: "I would like to. Of course, I will be considering what is happening then in the war, because there are moments of difficulties, escalation, many missiles, etc. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But honestly, well, I cant come, especially during the war, unless President Trump invites me personally. Im not sure its proper to come, because I know that in general, leaders are, for some reason, not usually invited to the inauguration of presidents of the United States of America. And I know that there are leaders who can simply come, want to come, and will come. And I know the temperament of some of these people they can come at their discretion. This is very, very difficult for me. I am the kind of person that cannot come without an invitation. This is Putin we did not invite him, he came to us, so to say. And me I cant do that." Details: Zelenskyy noted that there are certain security issues and that the US has to provide him with security, although he does not want them to. "I don't want to disturb anybody and cause anyone problems with me. And thats why if he [Trump ed.] invites me, I will come With pleasure. With my wife, of course, and I think its important," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Background: On 16 December Trump said he had not invited Zelenskyy to his inauguration. "But if hed like to come, Id like to have him. I didnt invite him, no," Trump added. Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that he urged the US to impose preemptive sanctions on Russia before the full-scale invasion, describing their threats of sanctions in the event of an attack as "bullshit". Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman Quote: "I asked only for one thing, primarily from the United States if you are sure, if you have evidence, if you talk to him [Putin] and he tells you that there will be an invasion, if all this scares you. I only asked for two things: send us weapons, or better yet, strengthen us with preventive measures so there would be no war. It wasn't the weapons that I was asking for I asked for sanctions. Intimidate him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please don't say If he comes, if he crosses borders, if he kills, we're imposing sanctions. Well, this is complete bullshit. Sorry, but really." Details: At this point, Fridman, who speaks Russian, noted that he had understood one particular word without translation. He also asked if Zelenskyy meant that Ukraine was not given help. "I believe we didnt. We didnt receive help. If we assume that words are help, well, then yes, we received a lot of it, because there were plenty of words," the president responded. Support UP or become our patron! Congress State Minister Shivaraj S Tangadagi on Sunday, responded to the alleged suicide of Bidar contractor Sachin Panchal, questioning the BJP's criticism and stated that an investigation will reveal the truth behind the incident. He also accused the BJP of being "unemployed" and told them to keep quiet. "What did Priyanka Kharge do? Was his name written on the death note? BJP should keep quiet first, they have no work to do, and they are just unemployed...Sachin's death has indeed hurt us too. Why it happened will come out through the investigation..," he said. This came in the wake of the controversy surrounding the alleged suicide of a contractor named Sachin Panchal due to alleged harassment and threats from Minister Priyank Kharge's close aide, Raju Kapanur, as claimed by the BJP. However, Priyank Kharge dismissed all the allegations surrounding the issue. Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council and BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy on Saturday demanded the resignation of Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge over the alleged suicide of Bidar contractor Sachin Panchal. Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Narayanaswamy said, "When the minister's name came into it (Bidar case) he should give the reply. 'Honey trap' is illegal... We filed a complaint in a police station but no action was taken. We will hold a protest today. The minister, Priyank Kharge should resign. We have sent the evidence, the suicide letter that we have to AICC president Malikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, and Karnataka CM." Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has strongly hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following its criticism in the wake of the alleged suicide of Bidar contractor Sachin Panchal. Kharge earlier questioned the BJP's approach, stating that the party needs to "do their homework" before making accusations and undermining the state's leadership. "The BJP is trying hard to establish their leadership and give report cards to central leadership about how many times they scolded Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, raised slogans against Priyank Kharge...," he said on Friday. (ANI) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he respects American billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk and would like Musk to fully support Ukraine. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman Quote: "First of all, I had a conversation with him [Musk ed.] at the beginning of the war. I respect him, first and foremost I respect the self-made man, right? Nothing fell into their lap, but the man did something, did it all himself. I worked myself, and I know what it means to make money, to select talented people to create something important for certain people. I'm not comparing myself to Musk. He is a great leader of innovations in the world. And I believe that such people move the world forward. Therefore, I respect the result of his work. And we see this result. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Let's take the war. We are very grateful for Starlink. It has helped. We used it after Russian missile attacks on the energy infrastructure, there were problems with the internet, etc., with the connection. We used Starlink both at the front and in kindergartens. It was used in schools. We used it in various infrastructures. And it helped us very much. And I would very much like Elon to be on our side, as much as possible, to support us. And yes, I am grateful to him for Starlink, truly I am." Details: Zelenskyy added that he would like Musk to visit Ukraine, to talk to people and see the situation firsthand. Support UP or become our patron! Jan. 4Workers will install a new water main pipe down the middle of West Zia Road later this week near the intersection with South St. Francis Drive, leading to changes for drivers in the area. The work is part of the infrastructure improvements for the Zia Station project, a 384-unit residential and mixed-use development by SF Brown/Zia Station LLC. Merritt Brown, a co-owner of SF Brown Inc., said the new traffic pattern will go into effect Thursday, when workers will begin to install the 16-inch main. Message boards have been installed on all approaches to the intersection of Zia and St. Francis to warn motorists of the coming changes, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown said the work on the water main is expected to take a week to 10 days. But the project is only the first in a series of lane disruptions that will take place in the area for the next month or two. Starting Thursday, Zia Road will be reduced to a single lane in each direction from Vela Street to just past the intersection with Galisteo Road, Brown said, although eastbound drivers on Zia will have access to all four lanes two left-turn lanes and two regular lanes as they approach the Rail Runner Express commuter train tracks and St. Francis Drive. But drivers headed west on Zia who want to make a left turn onto Galisteo Road and head south will be prohibited from doing so during the construction, Brown said. Drivers headed north on Galisteo toward Zia Road who wish to turn left onto Zia and continue west also will be prohibited from doing so. Motorists trying to access the Rail Runner Express Zia Station are advised to take Sawmill Road to Rodeo Road and Galisteo Road, Brown said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drivers headed north on St. Francis who wish to turn left onto Zia still will be able to do so, but only one left turn lane will be open instead of the usual two lanes. Drivers headed north or south on St. Francis through the Zia intersection will not face any lane closures or changes to their traffic pattern. The Zia Station development was approved by the Santa Fe City Council in 2021, but work on the project was delayed when a group of residents of the area appealed the decision in court. The state Court of Appeals ruled against the group in September 2023. Alibaba Group Holding is pushing further into the expanding market for artificial intelligence (AI) hardware through a new partnership with Hong Kong-based augmented reality (AR) glasses maker RayNeo. Under the deal, the cloud computing and AI unit of Alibaba will provide exclusive technology support for RayNeo's products through its Qwen large language models (LLMs), the companies said on Thursday. LLMs are the technology underpinning generative AI services such as OpenAI's ChatGPT. "This partnership represents a new application of the Qwen LLM in the field of smart glasses," said Zhou Jingren, chief technology officer at Alibaba Cloud. It also marks the first in-depth collaboration between an LLM developer and an AI glasses manufacturer in China, according to Alibaba Cloud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. Smart glasses, which are lighter and slimmer than AR and virtual reality headsets, have seen a surge in fresh interest stemming from new capabilities introduced by generative AI. Rokid, an AR glasses brand founded by former Alibaba employee Misa Zhu Mingming and based in California, announced in November its first AR glasses equipped with LLMs, powered by Alibaba's Qwen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baidu in the same month launched the Xiaodu AI glasses supported by its Ernie LLM, while Xiaomi-backed start-up Superhexa introduced its AI audio glasses Jiehuan in August. Facebook owner Meta Platforms in September unveiled Orion, which it called one of the most advanced pairs of AR glasses ever made. The company previously introduced a series of smart glasses with Ray-Ban. Alibaba Cloud said AR glasses are an ideal platform for applying LLMs. As part of its latest partnership, the company said it would develop customised models to enable deeper integration between AI and hardware. Alibaba is pushing deeper into AI as part of its business strategy. Photo: EPA-EFE alt=Alibaba is pushing deeper into AI as part of its business strategy. Photo: EPA-EFE> Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While AI glasses remain at an early stage of development, the market has the potential to rival that of smartphones in the long term, according to analysts at Hong Kong-based Shenwan Hongyuan Securities. Extended-reality research firm WellsennXR predicts that by 2029, the annual sales of AI glasses could reach 55 million units. The global smart-glasses market was estimated at US$1.93 billion in 2024, according to consultancy Grand View Research. It is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 27.3 per cent from 2025 to reach US$8.26 billion in 2030. Established in 2021, RayNeo is a subsidiary of TCL Electronics Holdings, a major player in the global consumer electronics industry known for its televisions. The company said it had sold over 5,000 pairs of its recently launched RayNeo Air3 AR glasses. RayNeo founder and CEO Li Hongwei said the company would unveil its V3 AI camera glasses and X3 Pro AR glasses at CES 2025 - one of the world's largest annual technology shows, which officially kicks off in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. (Reuters) -Italy is in advanced talks with Elon Musk's SpaceX over a 1.5 billion euro ($1.55 billion) deal for the company to provide secure telecommunications to the government, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday. Discussions are ongoing and a final agreement on the five-year contract has not been reached, but the project has already been approved by Italy's Intelligence Services and Defence Ministry, the report said, citing unnamed sources. SpaceX and Italy's Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment outside regular business hours. The report said the deal involves SpaceX supplying Italy with a full range of encryption for telephone and Internet services used by the government. It also includes communications services for Italy's military in the Mediterranean area and the rollout of satellite services in Italy for use in emergencies such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters, it said. The news comes after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Sunday she was ready to work with Donald Trump after making a surprise visit to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida to meet the president-elect before his inauguration on Jan. 20. Meloni has also forged a close relationship with billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk, a close Trump ally. Reuters reported last month that Italy plans to begin tests as early as January to see if the satellite-based connectivity offered by Musk's Starlink is a viable solution to boosting the rollout of high-speed internet in the country. ($1 = 0.9708 euros) (Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi and Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Jan Harvey) State lawmakers are considering making it a traffic violation to operate a vehicle in Arizona with an animal on the drivers lap. The violation would come with a fine. Do you agree? You voted: Awanish Kumar Awasthi, advisor to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday inspected the information complex built for Mahakumbh Mela 2025. Speaking to ANI, Awasthi stated that the Chief Minister has estimated that the number of devotees visiting the Mahakumbh area would almost double what it was in 2019, adding that 25 crore people visited Prayagraj during Kumbh 2019. As he was inspecting the information complex, Awasthi stated that a big centre has been built to accommodate all the media persons, whether national, international or social media influencers. Highlighting the preparations, Uttar Pradesh CM's Advisor said, "25 crore people had come to Kumbh in 2019. This time it's Maha Kumbh...CM Yogi Adityanath has estimated that almost double the number of people will come this time. Today he has instructed all the officers that we all should go and see the spot and ensure that whatever finishing touches are to be given to the system and the work is done...A big centre has been built to accommodate all the international and national media people, social media people, influencers and all the people. The press room is double as the last time. The entire set-up of the workstation inside here looks three times bigger to me and it is very beautiful..." Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government has implemented extensive security measures and made elaborate arrangements to ensure a safe and grand celebration of Maha Kumbh 2025. With the deployment of thousands of AI-powered CCTVs, underwater drones, and state-of-the-art facilities for visitors and devotees, the state government and administration are ready for the grand mela, scheduled to begin on January 13 in Prayagraj. The Maha Kumbh, held once every 12 years, will conclude on February 26. On Sunday, police and paramilitary forces conducted security checks and area domination patrolling to ensure security preparedness in the mela area. Jagdish Kaliraman, ACP (Parade Area Kumbh), said that they are conducting regular checks and monitoring based on instructions from senior officials. "We are doing security checks constantly at the parade point, as the public will enter and exit from this point. It is a sensitive point, so manual and equipment-based checking is ongoing. We are also checking at the district hospital where people come for health check-ups," the ACP said. Prayagraj Commissioner of Police, Tarun Gauba, also visited various akharas and interacted with saints and sadhus to assess the arrangements. Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh government has deployed 40 electric buses for devotees, with 30 more buses expected from Lucknow to ensure seamless transportation across various routes. As Maha Kumbh preparations intensify, multiple sages and akharas are also drawing attention. Notable figures such as Bavander Baba, who travelled over 100,000 kilometres, and Splendor Baba, a differently-abled individual who journeyed from Gujarat on a three-wheeler motorcycle, are attending the Kumbh Mela. The main bathing rituals (Shahi Snan) of the Kumbh will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami). Pilgrims will gather at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, to take a holy dip believed to absolve sins and grant moksha (liberation). The Maha Kumbh Mela is expected to host over 45 crore visitors. (ANI) New Delhi: The much-awaited teaser of Deva, starring Shahid Kapoor, has finally arrived, sending waves of excitement across fans and movie enthusiasts. Produced by Zee Studios and Roy Kapur Films, the teaser follows the release of two gripping posters that offered fans a sneak peek into the intense world of Deva, setting the stage for the high-octane action to come. The anticipation reached a fever pitch after the Grand Fan Event, where Shahid Kapoor interacted with his fans in a heartwarming celebration. During the event, the actor expressed his gratitude for their unwavering support, adding to the growing buzz. Now, with the teaser out, audiences are treated to a glimpse of the chaotic and electrifying world of Deva, filled with jaw-dropping action, mesmerizing dance sequences, and a gripping storyline that promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Shahid Kapoor, known for his versatile acting skills, takes on a bold new role in Deva, showcasing an intense and fierce avatar. The teaser is packed with explosive fight scenes, high-speed chases, and stunning stunts that highlight Kapoor's dedication to the role. His electrifying dance moves also promise to elevate the films overall appeal, making it a must-watch for fans and action lovers alike. Watch The Trailer Here: Adding to the excitement, Deva draws inspiration from Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchans legacy, with Shahid Kapoor embodying that powerful aura in a modern twist. Directed by the acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrrews, Deva is an action thriller set to hit the big screens on January 31, 2025, and is sure to be one of the biggest films of the year. New Delhi: The recently released teaser for Shahid Kapoors highly anticipated film Deva has set social media on fire, with fans and critics calling it the "Teaser of the Year." Within minutes of its release, the teaser captured the attention of cinema lovers, sparking widespread excitement and anticipation for the film's release. Packed with adrenaline-pumping action, breathtaking visuals, and a mesmerizing performance by Shahid Kapoor, the teaser offers a glimpse into the larger-than-life world of Deva. Shahids intense portrayal of the titular character, coupled with his electrifying dance moves and powerful dialogue delivery, has left netizens in awe. The teaser also pays homage to Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, drawing inspiration from his iconic angry-young-man persona, which has only added to the excitement. Social media is abuzz with reactions from fans who are already praising the teaser as one of the best of the year. One user tweeted, "What a lovely teaser of Deva movie of Shahid. It's the teaser of the year....guys agree?" What a lovely teaser of Deva movie of Shahid. It's the teaser of the year ....guys agree? Ashisha Singh Rajput (@ashisha_rajput) January 5, 2025 Another shared, "Just watched the teaser of Shahid Kapoors Deva movie and baap re baap kya paagalpanti hai... seems like the year will start with a blockbuster. Anyway, I am a huge fan of Shahid. Best teaser of the year!" Just watched teaser of Shahid Kapoor Deva movie and baap re baap kya paagalpanti hai...seems like saal ki shuruaat blockbuster film se hogi. Anyway I am a huge fan of Shahid. Saal ka sabse best Teaser Sandeep kishore (@sandeepkishore_) January 5, 2025 Yet another fan said, "Deva teaser is mind-blowing, and I cant get enough of it. Its the best thing that could happen in the new year. Waah, maza aa gaya!" Deva teaser is mind blowing and can't get enough of it. It is the best thing that can happen in the new year. Waah maza aa gaya Arpita Shaiva (@arpispeaks) January 5, 2025 One more excited user commented, "Oye hoye! Deva ka teaser dekha. Shahid is crazy only, and we love him for that. This teaser is the killer of all. Simply the best of the year!" Oye hoye! Deva ka teaser dekha. Shahid is crazy only and we love him for that. This teaser is the killer of all. Teaser is simply the best best of the year. Ishika (@Sanskari_Girll) January 5, 2025 Directed by the acclaimed Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrrews and produced by Zee Studios and Roy Kapur Films, Deva is set to release on January 31, 2025, and is already one of the most anticipated films of the year. New Delhi: Indian-origin executive Kevan Parekh has made headlines as he takes over as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Apple Inc., effective January 1, 2025. Parekh steps into the role previously held by Luca Maestri, who served for nearly 11 years. Stepping into his new role as Apples CFO, he will earn an annual salary of $1 million (Rs 8.57 crore), marking another milestone in his remarkable career. An Impressive Journey at Apple Kevan Parekh joined Apple in June 2013 and has since played a vital role in the companys success. He holds a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Over the years, Parekh has taken on several key responsibilities at Apple, including financial planning, investor relations, and market research. Broad Expertise and Key Mentorship Kevan Parekhs expertise goes beyond finance, with experience in sales, retail and marketing. He worked closely with product marketing and engineering teams. Bloomberg reports that outgoing CFO Luca Maestri has been mentoring Parekh for this role which makes him a natural choice as his successor. While Parekh may not be a household name, he is highly valued within Apple and regularly briefs CEO Tim Cook on critical financial matters. Career Before Apple Kevan Parekh, before becoming Apples CFO played a crucial role in shaping the companys strategies and operations across multiple departments. His career includes senior leadership roles at Thomson Reuters and General Motors before joining Apple. CEO Tim Cook has praised Parekhs sharp intellect, sound judgment, and deep understanding of Apple. After facing flak over remarks on senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Kalkaji candidate Ramesh Bidhuri on Sunday courted yet another controversy, targeting Delhi Chief Minister Atishi this time over her surname. Speaking at the saffron partys 'Parivartan Rally' in Delhis Rohini, Bidhuri said that Atishi changed her surname from "Marlena" to "Singh." Atishi, who is the sitting MLA from the Kalkaji seat, dropped her surname a while back. "This Marlena (surname used earlier by Atishi) became Singh and changed her name. Kejriwal swore over his children not to go with the corrupt Congress; Marlena changed fathers. Earlier she was Marlena; now she has become Singh. This is their character," Bidhuri charged. As the video of Bidhuri's speech showed up on the internet, former Delhi CM and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal slammed the BJP, saying that its leaders crossed all the limits of "shamelessness." Kejriwal took to the social media platform X and said, "BJP leaders are hurling abuses at Delhi chief minister Atishi ji. Delhi people will not tolerate the insult of a woman chief minister. All the women in Delhi will take revenge for this." The AAP, in a statement, said Bidhuri's "abusive remarks" against a female chief minister exposed the BJP's "anti-women" mindset. "If he behaves this way now, imagine the treatment ordinary women would face if he mistakenly becomes an MLA," said the ruling party in Delhi. The party said Kejriwal's promise of a Rs 2,100 monthly allowance for the city's women has rattled the BJP. Delhi will teach the BJP and Ramesh Bidhuri a lesson by defeating him, the AAP asserted. The elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly are due in February. Earlier in the day, Bidhuri sparked a fresh controversy after he allegedly said that after securing victory in the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls next month, he will develop smooth roads in the constituency like Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's "cheeks." Telugu actor Allu Arjun, named as an accused in the case related to the tragic death of a woman during a stampede at the premiere of his latest film Pushpa 2, appeared before the police here on Sunday as part of his bail conditions. The actor appeared before the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chikkadapally police station, completed the court formalities and left, police said. Arjun, listed as accused No 11 in the case, was granted regular bail by a city court on January 3. As per the courts directives, the actor is required to appear before SHO, Chikkadpally police station on every Sunday between 10 am and 1 pm for a period of two months or till filing of charge sheet, whichever is earlier. Additionally, the court instructed the Pushpa star not to change his residential address, without prior intimation to the court, till disposal of the case. He was further asked not leave the country without prior permission of the court The incident took place on December 4, when a stampede-like situation erupted at Sandhya theatre in Hyderabad as fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor during the Pushpa 2 premiere. A 35-year-old woman lost her life, and her eight-year-old son sustained injuries in the chaos and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in the city. Meanwhile, the SHO of Ramgopalpet Police Station served a notice to Allu Arjun on his proposed plan to the visit the hospital (to visit the boy undergoing treatment) on Sunday asking him to "reconsider" his decision, in view of heightened public interest in this matter, and to ensure minimal disruption to hospital operations and other patients. If he still intends to visit the hospital, then the actor's management was asked to coordinate with hospital authorities and the police to plan his entry and exit in such a way that minimises inconvienence to the hospital inmates and the public, police said. The police also advised him maintaining the confidentiality of his visit to "prevent any gathering of public/media at the premises" which could disturb the peaceful environs of the hospital. The actor, however, cancelled his visit to the hospital citing "advise" from his legal team, official sources said. Following the tragedy, a case was registered against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management at the Chikkadpally police station. The charges were filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a complaint by the deceased womans family. Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with the case. However, the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail on December 14, which is set to expire on January 10. Four Naxalites and one head constable of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) were killed during the encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, a senior police official said on Sunday. A gunfight erupted on Saturday evening in a forest in south Abujhmaad, near the border of Narayanpur and Dantewada districts, during an anti-Naxalite operation by a joint team of security personnel, according to officials. Following the exchange of fire late Saturday night, the bodies of four Naxalites and automatic weapons, including an AK-47 rifle and a self-loading rifle (SLR), were recovered from the scene, officials reported. DRG head constable Sannu Karam was also killed in the gunfight, the official said. Search operation was still underway in the area, he added. (With PTI inputs) Days after former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav had claimed that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) was keeping its "doors open" for the former ally Janata Dal (United), CM Nitish Kumar on Sunday snubbed the RJD, stating that he had forged alliances "by mistake" with the opposition party, which "did nothing" while in power. Last year, Nitish Kumar had snubbed ties with the opposition bloc INDIA and returned to the BJP-led NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. While speaking to reporters in the north Bihar district of Muzaffarpur, as part of a state-wide Pragati Yatra, Kumar quashed all rumours of joining hands with his former ally and said, "Those who were in power before us... did they do anything? People used to fear stepping out of their homes after sunset. I had by mistake aligned with them a couple of times," as quoted by news agency PTI. "What was the condition of women back then? Today you can see these self-help groups, which we gave the name 'Jivika'. The Centre replicated our model and called it 'Ajivika'. Did you see such confident rural women earlier?" asked the longest-serving CM of the state. The Bihar CM, however, did not take questions about the cryptic "offer" from Prasad, which was made light of by the RJD supremo's son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav but endorsed by ally Congress. Prasad's comments had come in the backdrop of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's equivocal stance on projecting Kumar as the chief ministerial candidate in the assembly polls due in less than a year. State BJP leaders, on their part, have been maintaining that the JD(U) supremo will be the "face" of the NDA in the 2025 assembly elections. The BJP, which fell short of a majority in the Lok Sabha polls, depends on allies like JD(U) and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's TDP to survive in power at the Centre. (With PTI Inputs) Kerala Lottery Results Sunday 05-01-2025 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "AKSHAYA AK-684" Lucky Draw Result today Akshaya AK-684, January 05, 2024. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2024 for "Akshaya AK-684" will feature 12 series, with changes in series possible each week. A total of 108 lakh tickets are available for purchase weekly. The ticket prices may vary. Check the Akshaya AK-684 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 70 Lakhs. Stay tuned to this website for the live update of Kerala Lottery Akshaya AK-684 results today. Kerala Lottery Result 05-01-2025 January: FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR AKSHAYA AK-684 Draw LUCKY NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 70 LAKHS IS: AO 840995 LUCKY NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 5 LAKHS IS: AU 206724 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 Lakh ARE: AN 319662 AO 695122 AP 250782 AR 659392 AS 865122 AT 437263 AU 672821 AV 679875 AW 947467 AX 880142 AY 575389 AZ 941317 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE: AN 840995 AP 840995 AR 840995 AS 840995 AT 840995 AU 840995 AV 840995 AW 840995 AX 840995 AY 840995 AZ 840995 (For The Tickets Ending with The Following Numbers below) LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE: 0150 1127 2510 3159 3467 4604 4833 4839 5121 5494 5620 5774 6599 7098 7937 9024 9666 9848 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 2,000 ARE: 1409 1459 2524 4982 6873 7998 8802 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE: 0081 0550 0838 0864 0918 1161 1554 2126 2199 2348 2666 2842 3685 4238 5297 5868 6020 7234 7279 8096 8149 8408 9025 9292 9615 9752 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE: 0064 0188 0479 0594 0697 0890 0947 1013 1043 1046 1074 1348 1367 1429 1875 1896 1900 2103 2201 2413 2445 2606 2622 2854 2967 3079 3097 3155 3227 3257 3562 3614 3632 3633 3954 4209 4220 4297 4481 4493 4516 4641 4665 4873 4920 5725 5825 6059 6238 6368 6570 6760 6811 6872 6970 7174 7207 7313 7405 7678 7932 7979 8028 8090 8150 8208 8247 8756 8765 8766 9093 9734 LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE: 0058 0089 0145 0318 0352 0587 0642 0809 0930 1047 1227 1324 1469 1525 1596 1743 1835 1924 1967 2023 2077 2122 2135 2165 2269 2652 2782 2847 2990 2992 3107 3219 3284 3539 3593 3717 3734 3972 4131 4240 4275 4289 4314 4356 4543 4587 4749 4790 4796 4818 4997 5025 5076 5139 5218 5260 5461 5624 5660 5806 5828 5883 5898 5944 5998 6002 6012 6025 6148 6233 6339 6413 6476 6497 6558 6581 6840 6848 6884 6920 7042 7121 7239 7248 7251 7344 7359 7414 7475 7533 7553 7738 7825 7879 7925 7984 8159 8216 8239 8294 8374 8392 8401 8431 8502 8514 8528 8604 8623 8900 8965 8983 9142 9232 9356 9366 9413 9477 9627 9771 9804 9837 9946 KERALA LOTTERY RESULT 05-01-2025 January TODAY: AKSHAYA AK-684 LOTTERY PRIZE DETAILS 1st Prize: Rs 70 Lakhs 2nd Prize: Rs. 5 lakhs 3rd Prize: Rs. 1 Lakh 4th Prize: Rs. 5,000 5th Prize: Rs. 2,000 6th Prize: Rs. 1,000 7th Prize: Rs. 500 8th Prize: Rs. 100 Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000 (NOTE: Lottery can be addictive and should be played responsibly. The data provided on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advice or encouragement. Zee News does not promote lottery in anyway.) The Uttar Pradesh government is prioritising the health and well-being of devotees at the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela, with over 10,000 patients receiving medical care so far. Under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, dedicated healthcare services have been implemented, including the establishment of a fully operational Sub-Central Hospital in Sector 24, Arail, alongside the Central Hospital. An official statement said, "The Yogi government is prioritizing the health and well-being of devotees at Mahakumbh. On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the best possible medical care is being provided to devotees across the Mahakumbh area." Over 10,000 patients have received medical care in the Mahakumbh Mela area so far. Doctors from the Central Hospital are working with full dedication, ensuring round-the-clock treatment, the statement added. Further, as per the release, in a significant step toward expanding healthcare accessibility, a Sub-Central Hospital has also been established in Sector 24, Arail. The hospital is now fully operational alongside the Central Hospital. According to Gaurav Dubey, Nodal Officer of the Mahakumbh Medical Establishment, this initiative aligns with CM Yogi's vision of ensuring quality medical treatment for every devotee attending the Mahakumbh. Specialist doctors have been deployed at the Sub-Central Hospital, and formal treatment for patients from across the country and abroad has already commenced. The 25-bed Sub-Central Hospital in Arail has been equipped with advanced medical facilities, mirroring the infrastructure available at the Central Hospital. Specialist doctors have been stationed here to ensure expert medical care. CM Yogi has directed that better healthcare services should be available in every corner of Mahakumbh, the statement added. The official release, citing Gaurav Dubey, emphasized the ongoing efforts to prioritize health services and shared that 900 patients were treated at the Central Hospital on the first day of the New Year alone, reflecting the scale and efficiency of the healthcare arrangements. People have started visiting the Central Hospital of Mahakumbhnagar for medical care not only from across the country but also from abroad, it further says. Meanwhile, recently, a couple from Fatehpur, Ajay Kumar and Puja, were blessed with a baby boy at the hospital. Considering his birth a divine blessing of the Mahakumbh, the couple named him Jamuna Prasad, inspired by the sacred river. Dubey confirmed that the successful delivery was conducted by Jasmine and Sister In-Charge Rama. The newborn, weighing 2.3 kg, is completely healthy, as confirmed by the medical team. Ahead of Delhi Assembly elections, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and party's candidate from Kalkaji, Ramesh Bidhuri, has sparked a fresh controversy after he allegedly said that after securing victory in the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls next month, he will develop smooth roads in the constituency like Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's "cheeks." Bidhuri faced flak from the Congress over his comments, and the grand old party launched a scathing attack on him. "I assure you that just as we made the roads in Okhla and Sangam Vihar, we will make all the roads in Kalkaji like Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks," Bidhuri is heard saying in the purported video, which went viral on social media, as quoted by PTI. Reacting to Bidhuris remarks, Congress candidate from Kalkaji and Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba accused him of "insulting" women once again in his "usual indecent language." "Will the public in Kalkaji have such a person who cares neither for the dignity of the House (Parliament) nor respects the women?" she said in a post on X. She demanded the BJP leader tender a public apology for his statement and asked the senior BJP leaders to clear their stand on the issue. The Mahila Congress workers led by Lamba also torched an effigy of Bidhuri over his alleged statement against Gandhi. The statement was made by Bidhuri on Saturday during campaigning in the Kalkaji constituency, one of his aides said, as reported by PTI. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh dubbed the remarks "cheap and shameless", and questioned the BJP's respect for women. "It is very shameful. BJP has given a ticket to a person who used abusive language in the Parliament and also to the person who was openly distributing money to the people... Making such cheap and shameless comments on a senior Congress leader is very unfortunate. The women of Delhi must have understood the kind of security they will be getting under their rule," Singh said. Amid the controversy over his remarks, Bidhuri expressed regret and said that he takes his words back if anyone is hurt. "...I have said that in the context of what Lalu Yadav had said. Congress remained silent on that even when he (Lalu Yadav) was a minister in their govt... If anyone is hurt by my remark, I express regret over it and I take my words back..," Bidhuri said. #WATCH | Delhi |"...I have said that in the context of what Lalu Yadav had said. Congress remained silent on that even when he (Lalu Yadav) was a minister in their govt... If anyone is hurt by my remark, I express regret over it and I take my words back..." says Ramesh Bidhuri, pic.twitter.com/EHj8VPhLyZ ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2025 The former two-time Lok Sabha MP from South Delhi and three-time MLA from the Tughlaqabad constituency is not new to controversies surrounding his public statements. Earlier last year, Bidhuri invited widespread condemnation over his outburst during a Lok Sabha session, targeting then BSP MP Danish Ali. His behaviour was referred to the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha. Pakistan's federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the government was facing no pressure to hold talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stressing that the purpose of negotiations is to reduce political tensions, The Express Tribune reported. In an interview on Express News programme Centre Stage, Asif said there has been no significant progress in the ongoing talks between the government and Imran Khan-founded party. He said that the PTI has been given a week's time and there are expectations of progress in the negotiations, according to The Express Tribune report. Pakistan's Defence Minister said, "The negotiations have so far been limited to discussions without any concrete outcomes." He said, "There is absolutely no pressure on the government to negotiate with PTI; we are exploring a path to reduce political tension." He stated that had the government been under pressure to hold dialogue, Pakistan's economy would not have been on the path to recovery. He said that ongoing economic recovery was proof that the end of political tension is contributing positively to the financial landscape of Pakistan, according to the report. His remarks come amid ongoing political unrest and efforts to reduce the tensions between the government and the opposition. The second round of talks between the government and PTI could not make significant headway, as the party's leadership has demanded frequent meetings with Imran Khan to finalise their list of demands, Dawn reported. The government and PTI will meet again possibly next week. Notably, PTI has publicly talked about his two demands, which include a judicial commission to probe the May 9 and November 26 violence and the release of political prisoners. Imran Khan-founded party has already given an ultimatum that talks should conclude by the end of the ongoing month. Before the talks began, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that the demands would be presented during the meeting. Following the meeting, Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, while addressing a press conference, said, "During the last meeting, it was decided that PTI leaders will give a written list of demands, but today they again requested more time for the finalisation [of demands] as they need to consult Imran Khan." He noted that the meeting took place in a pleasant setting compared to the last meeting, adding that the next round of talks would be held next week. Sadiq that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur tabled "excellent proposals and spoke with an open heart", Dawn reported citing APP. He said that the consensus among all participants to hold talks for Pakistan's betterment, covering issues such as the economy, terrorism, and other critical matters was the most positive outcome, Dawn reported, citing state news agency. (ANI) Bengaluru: Kannada star Dr Shivarajkumar, son of Kannada film legend Dr Rajkumar, has been discharged from the hospital in Miami, US, following complete recovery from cancer, family sources confirmed on Saturday. Nivedita, Shivarajkumars daughter, has shared a picture showing the actor and family in a relaxed mode. Sources further stated that Shivarajkumar will be in the US for follow-ups and resting for one month and he will be back for the shooting by Feb first or the second week. Shivarajkumar is expected to begin shooting of the Telugu superstar Ramcharan-starrer pan India movie soon. Earlier, Shivarajkumar shared a video from the US on the first day of 2025, detailing his journey of overcoming cancer and assuring fans of his return. In the video, he conveyed his New Year wishes to everyone and said, I am hesitant to speak as I might get emotional at this moment. Leaving Karnataka was a very emotional experience for me. Under these circumstances, fear is inevitable, but the support of my fans has significantly reduced it. He continued, The way the doctors took care of me, gave me immense courage. While shooting for the movie 45, I underwent chemotherapy and even filmed the climax fight scene. As the date to leave for the US for treatment approached, I became anxious. However, my wife Geetha and daughter Nivedita stood by me throughout. Dr Manohar, who treated me, cared for me like a child. My urinary bladder has been replaced, but there is no need for anyone to panic. I am doing well and will be back with double the energy. I thank all my fans for their unwavering support, Shivarajkumar assured. Geetha Shivarajkumar, his wife, who had appeared in the video alongside him, stated that all the medical reports had come back negative, and it was officially declared that Shivarajkumar is cancer-free. He recovered because of the blessings of his fans, and I will never forget this, she said. The actor underwent surgery at a hospital in Miami, US, where his cancerous bladder was removed. According to the surgeon, Dr Murugesh Manoharan, an artificial bladder was created using Shivarajkumars intestine. In November, Shivarajkumar had spoken publicly about his illness, acknowledging that he was human like everyone else. While he didnt disclose it was cancer at the time, he said, At the end of the day, I am a human being. I have a health issue and am currently undergoing treatment for it. I have completed a couple of treatment sessions, and a few more are pending. After that, I will undergo surgery, either in India or the US. Los Angeles: American rapper Nicki Minaj has landed in legal trouble for allegedly assaulting her "former manager." As per Variety, Nicki has been allegedly sued for assault and "intentional infliction of emotional distress" by a man named Brandon Garrett who alleges the Grammy-nominated rapper struck him in the face during a confrontation. In a complaint filed on Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Garrett claimed he was working as a day-to-day manager for Minaj's Pink Friday 2 tour when Minaj (real name Onika Maraj) hit him multiple times. The altercation allegedly occurred backstage at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on April 21 following one of Minaj's concerts. However, Nicki's lawyer Judd Burstein denied such allegations. "At this time, no complaint has been served upon Mrs. Petty [Minaj's husband is Kenneth Petty], and therefore, we are unaware of the specific allegations," Bernstein said. "However, if the lawsuit is as reported by TMZ, it is completely false and frivolous. We are confident that the matter brought by this ex assistant will be resolved swiftly in Mrs. Petty's favor." Garrett filed an official report in Detroit and is seeking punitive and general damages, asserting that the incident caused him significant distress. Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan, who was last seen in Fighter, had once spoken up on how superstar Salman Khan helped him during the making of his debut movie Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai. A throwback video of Hrithik from Rendezvous with Simi Garewal has gone viral on social media. In the video, Hrithik opened up about how Salman Khan played a pivotal role in his early career. Talking about the challenges he faced as an inexperienced actor, Hrithik said, "Things got decided that I was going to be in Dad's next film. I, there was no time, and I was skinny as hell. I was half of this so you can imagine. With little time to prepare, Hrithik reached out to Salman Khan, whom he believed to be the best in the business. He said, "I called him up just out of the blue. I had to remind him who I was... he just took me in. The actor shared that Salman not only helped him with his training but also motivated him during tough times. He further mentioned, Along with training me, the moral support that he gave me was incredible. He was one of the few people who really believed that I would be a phenomenon. Hrithik also discarded rumors about competition or insecurity, in the video, as he said, "When he's around me, you know, he's always pushing me. He's like a brother. Meanwhile, Hrithik will be next seen in War 2 in which he will share the screen with Telugu superstar NTR Jr. Salman Khan, on his part, will be next seen in Sikandar along with Rashmika Mandanna. The film, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by A R Murugadoss, is set to release on Eid 2025. At least eight civilians were killed and 53 others injured in artillery shelling by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Sudanese capital Khartoum and El Fasher city in western Sudan's North Darfur State. "The RSF militia on Saturday continued its systematic shelling against civilians in Karari locality in Omdurman city, north of Khartoum, and Sharq Alneel (East Nile) locality, east of Khartoum, killing 4 civilians and injuring 43 others," Khartoum State's Health Ministry said in a statement. The injured have been transferred to receive treatment at Al-No and Abu Sied Hospitals in Omdurman, and El Ban Jadid Hospital in Sharq Alneel locality, Xinhua news agency reported. Also on Saturday, the 6th Infantry Division of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) said in a statement that four civilians were killed and 10 others injured in a shelling by the RSF on residential neighbourhoods in El Fasher on Friday. The RSF has yet to comment on these incidents. Earlier in December at least 20 civilians were killed and 17 others injured in attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on two displacement camps in El Fasher city in Sudan, a local government official said on Saturday. "Last night (Friday), a RSF militia drone dropped four bombs on Qoz Bena school, a camp hosting hundreds of displaced people in El Fasher, killing 19 civilians and injuring 16 others," Ibrahim Khatir, director-general of North Darfur State's health department said. "This morning, the militia launched artillery shelling on Abu Shouk displacement camp, north of El Fasher, killing a civilian and injuring a girl," he added. The RSF has not issued any comment on the attack on the Abu Zeriga area. On December 4, Sudan's Darfur region governor announced that 20 civilians had been killed in an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in an area in North Darfur State in Sudan. "The RSF committed a massacre in the Abu Zeriga area, south of El Fasher city, killing 20 civilians and injuring 20 others," Governor Minni Arko Minnawi said in a post on his Facebook page. Since May 10, 2024, fierce clashes between the SAF and the RSF have been raging in El Fasher. Sudan has been gripped by a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which claimed at least 29,683 lives and displaced over 14 million people, either inside or outside Sudan, according to the latest estimates by international organisations. The Tibetan lawmakers in exile have criticised China for imposing sanctions against two civil society organisations and 20 individuals associated with the organisations in Canada. The sanctions target the Uyghur rights advocacy project, the Canada Tibet Committee and 20 individuals associated with the organisations. The deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in-exile, Dolma Tsering, said that the decision shows how far the Chinese Communist regime's hands can go. She urged nations of the United Nations and all free democratic nations to stand up against this and not delay in condemning China's action. Speaking to ANI, Dolma Tsering said, "This shows how far the Chinese Communist regime's hands can go. When we say that Tibet is going through atrocities and subjugation and not only they are satisfied with the occupation of Tibetan land and controlling the Tibetan people inside Tibet but their hand is also reaching out beyond the boundaries therefore we say that Chinese policies are meant not only within what China have occupied but even in the free world also, they are making the people fearful of what they do in the free world. Therefore, putting sanctions on the Tibetan community society and the Uyghur community society in Canada is just an example. Even within the Tibetan refugees also, those who have their relatives there, through their relatives the Tibetans inside India the free world, they are being intimidated, they are made to make themselves isolation from the advocacy and the cause of Tibet." "It's been going on for quite a while but now the world knows transnational aggression of China should not be tolerated, if you want that you don't want your citizens to be intimidated by China, their stringent policy against human rights and China being one of the signatories of human rights conventions, universal declaration of human rights. I am sure in their constitution and the basic law also there are so many good things that they don't abide by so it is up to the free world and the United Nations to make them accountable. I truly condemn this, and not only we Tibetans in the refugee states are condemning it. We want the countries of the United Nations and all free democratic nations to stand up for this. Today it is us tomorrow it could be you, your citizens so let's not delay in condemning and taking a stand on this," she added. Speaking to ANI, Member of Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, Namgyal Dolkar, called China's action a definite threat to a nation that holds veto power in the United Nations Security Council. She said that China has previously imposed sanctions on members of parliament. However, she noted that China has for the first time imposed sanctions against NGO and individuals working there and termed Beijing's actions "shameful." On China's sanctions against NGOs and individuals in Canada, Namgyal Dolkar said, "I see this as a definite threat that China is extending for a nation that holds a Veto power in the Security Council of the United Nations for it to be so scared of an independent organisation working in Canada. It shows how it remained scared despite being this territorial regime any sort of voice against it is being looked upon as a threat and I believe that such an important nation that holds a security council position to make such decisions. So far, we have only seen it to come up with sanctions against members of the parliament around the world but it's for the first time we have seen it imposing sanctions on an NGO and individuals working there." "So it is just very shameful on the part of China but then it's China so what else to expect? And what is threatening in a way is the fact that I see this sort of trend spreading across different countries, there are possibilities that any form of voice against the Chinese Communist Party will be treated the same way. It started in Canada and it will extend to different nations including India, this is how I look at it, there are so many Tibet-based NGOs in India who are working constantly to expose China and I see that as a coming trend shortly," she added. Earlier in December, the Canadian government condemned China's imposition of sanctions on two Canadian civil society organisations and 20 human rights advocates, calling it an arbitrary target against those speaking for human rights. The Canadian government also expressed solidarity with the targeted groups, and called on China to "respect its obligations under international law." In a statement released on December 24, the Canadian government said, "On December 22, 2024, the Government of the People's Republic of China arbitrarily targeted two Canadian civil society organizations and twenty human rights campaigners with sanctions." "Global Affairs Canada expresses solidarity with the members of the Canadian Tibet Committee and the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project and condemns the decision by the Chinese government to punish them for speaking out for human rights," the statement added. The statement further underlined that Canada would not tolerate any threats, acts of violence, or harassment against people in Canada, or their families and friends, because of their political opinions or to silence dissenting viewpoints. "Multiple independent United Nations experts and other established multilateral mechanisms have called on China to respond meaningfully to credible allegations of human rights violations. China must respect its obligations under international law. Canada views scrutiny of its own human rights record as an opportunity to improve its performance, and continues to call on China to do so, as well," the statement added. The government also advised Canadians in China to exercise caution due to the risk of arbitrary law enforcement. "Canada continues to urge all Canadians in China to exercise a high degree of caution in China due to the risk of arbitrary enforcement of local laws. Global Affairs Canada stands ready to offer consular assistance to any Canadian nationals in China impacted by these sanctions," the statement added. (ANI) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and spokesperson for the government negotiation committee Senator Irfan Siddiqui said on Saturday that ongoing dialogue with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could face significant challenges as the Imran Khan-founded party has not submitted its demands in writing as initially agreed, ARY News reported. In his remarks at an interview, Siddiqui noted that there has been minimal progress over the past 12 days. He said that PTI's negotiating team had facilitated a meeting with the party chairman to build trust. However, he said that uncertainty remains over whether the 'Charter of Demands' will be provided in writing despite prior commitments from the two sides. During the meeting on December 23, Imran Khan's party promised to present its demands in writing, a promise reiterated in the joint statement. Siddiqui said that the demands were not submitted by January 2. During the meeting, the government negotiating team was told that PTI needed another opportunity to hold talks with their chairman to finalise their written demands. The government had agreed to PTI. However, the party did not present a written 'Charter of Demands' during the third meeting, potentially complicating the negotiation process. On the issue of political prisoners, Siddiqui stressed that being a political prisoner is defined by the nature of the crime and not the identity of the person. He said, "If I, as a member of the Senate, commit murder and end up in jail for it, I would never be considered a political prisoner," according to ARY News report. PML-N leader noted that even the country's president does not have immunity in such matters. He said PTI has raised several demands, including the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and other prisoners, establishing the judicial commissions and the tracing of 45 missing persons. When PTI was asked about names, addresses and identities of these missing persons, Imran Khan-founded party said that no such list exists. When asked whether the government could find people without any information, Siddiqui said that the government negotiation team did not make any demands of PTI nor they asked the party to withdraw its call for civil disobedience, ARY News reported. In response to another question, Siddiqui said that the government or any other institution has given no offer to transfer Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to Bani Gala or elsewhere, according to ARY News report. He further said that there were no parallel or behind-the-scenes negotiations taking place and added that PTI would set the date for the third negotiation meeting. The second round of talks between the government and PTI could not make significant headway, as the party's leadership has demanded frequent meetings with Imran Khan to finalise their list of demands, Dawn reported. The government and PTI will meet again possibly next week. Notably, PTI has publicly talked about his two demands, which include a judicial commission to probe the May 9 and November 26 violence and the release of political prisoners. Imran Khan-founded party has already given an ultimatum that talks should conclude by the end of the ongoing month. Before the talks began, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that the demands would be presented during the meeting. Following the meeting, Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, while addressing a press conference, said, "During the last meeting, it was decided that PTI leaders will give a written list of demands, but today they again requested more time for the finalisation [of demands] as they need to consult Imran Khan." He noted that the meeting took place in a pleasant setting compared to the last meeting, adding that the next round of talks would be held next week. (ANI) According to the IDF, the attack on Hamas took place far from the movement of trucks without affecting the continuity of aid. Separately, Israeli aircraft targeted a vehicle in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza carrying four armed Hamas terrorists. The IDF also said on Saturday that soldiers in the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit located and dismantled an underground tunnel route containing a Hamas weapons manufacturing site in central Gaza. The complex contained several lathes, as well as processing and cutting machines used, among other things, for the production of weapons. Military equipment was also seized. The troops also discovered underground tunnels fitted with blast-resistant doors and utility rooms used by Hamas. At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 97 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. Hamas has also been holding captive two Israeli civilians since 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014. (ANI/TPS) Five people were killed and six others injured in firing between two parties in the Tehkal area of Pakistan's Peshawar on Saturday, Dawn reported, citing police. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Kashif Zulfiqar said that the incident happened during an exchange of fire between two parties, indicating an issue of personal enmity. The official said a heavy police contingent arrived at the site of the incident and a search for the fleeing suspects was being conducted. Warsak Superintendent of Police Mukhtiar Khan said people from one party were heading back from a wedding ceremony when they faced the other party that was present near a bridge, Dawn reported. He said that an exchange of firing took place between two parties that claimed the lives of five people and injured six others. The SP said, "As per our information, they had a past conflict and there was personal enmity between the parties over property and previous murders." The official said that police were determining how many people were targeted from each side and added that there were no arrests made so far. Earlier in December, five people, including three of a family and two passers-by, were killed when they came under fire near Academy Town. The local police said it had arrested one of the suspects, identified as Saboor, while other attackers escaped from the spot, Dawn reported. The alleged attackers and victims were said to be close relatives and they had blood feuds. According to an official at the Pishtakhara police station, several members of a family were travelling in a vehicle when they were targeted by their rivals. Earlier in November, seven people were killed, and two others, including a woman, were injured in two separate incidents in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, The Express Tribune reported. In the first incident, a clash between two groups in the Bahadurabad area of Batkhela left five people dead and one seriously injured. The incident occurred following a dispute between two local clans over a pathway, with both sides opening fire on each other, the Express Tribune reported. In the second incident, in the Kurram tribal district, two people were killed and a woman injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on a bus near Dad Kumar in Lower Kurram. The deceased were identified as Mushtaq Ali and Wahab Ali, while a female passenger, Sakina Bibi, was injured but reported to be in stable condition. (ANI) Amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that over the past two days, battles near the village of Makhnovka in Kursk region resulted in significant losses for the Russian army, which lost up to a battalion of infantry, including North Korean soldiers. In a nightly address on Saturday, Zelenskyy stated that the Commander-in-Chief provided a detailed briefing on the ongoing actions at the front, highlighting the fierce battles along the entire front line, with the most intense fighting near Pokrovsk. "Today, Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi gave me a detailed briefing on our actions at the front. Fierce battles continue along the entire front line, with the hottest spot being near Pokrovsk. The occupier continues to waste an insane number of its people in assaults. And I thank each and every one of our units, all our brigades defending Ukrainian positions and eliminating the occupier," Zelenskyy said, according to the Ukraine's President Office. He added, "The Commander-in-Chief also reported on the situation in the Kursk region. Specifically, in battles today and yesterday near just one village - Makhnovka in the Kursk region - the Russian army lost up to a battalion of infantry, including North Korean soldiers and Russian paratroopers. And that's tangible." Speaking about the Russian strikes in the Sumy and Kharkiv region, the Ukrainian President said, "Rescue operations are underway in Svesa, a town in the Sumy region, following Russian bomb strikes. A residential building was hit. An entire section was destroyed - apartments from the first to the fifth floors. Neighboring buildings were also damaged. Yet another Russian attack on the lives of ordinary Ukrainian families. Seven people were injured, including a child, a two-year-old girl. She's currently in the hospital. All the victims are receiving the necessary assistance." He added, "Today, there were also strikes with guided aerial bombs on other villages in our Sumy region - Myropillia and Vilna Sloboda - as well as on the Kharkiv region. Meanwhile, the rescue operation in Chernihiv has been completed following a missile strike there. More than forty buildings were destroyed or damaged. Sadly, there was one fatality in Chernihiv. My condolences." US, Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence estimates indicate that the number of North Korean soldiers in Russia are between 11,000 to 12,000, some of whom have already engaged in combat operations alongside Russian forces to assist in recovering parts of Kursk that were taken during Ukrainian offensive in August. Earlier on December 22, 2024, the Ukrainian military had said that North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia were given fake military documents with Russian names and birthplaces, CNN reported. The statement came amid claims from Ukraine that Russia is trying to not disclose the presence of foreign fighters in the conflict. In a statement, Ukraine's special forces said that they had killed three North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk region and seized their documents. The statement said that their military identification documents "lack all the stamps and photos, the patronymic names are given in the Russian manner, and the place of birth is signed as the Republic of Tuva," referring to a Russian region in southern Siberia bordering Mongolia, according to CNN report. (ANI) The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has criticised the government for allegedly reducing internet speeds under the pretext of addressing security concerns. The party claims that this policy disproportionately targets PTI while having grave economic consequences for the nation, Dawn reported. PTI officials urged the government to reconsider its approach, citing the detrimental effects of internet restrictions on Pakistan's economy and global standing. In a statement reacting to a report by Top10VPN.com, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram highlighted that Pakistan incurred the highest economic losses globally due to internet shutdowns in 2024, amounting to USD 1.62 billion. "Despite a 15.8 per cent worldwide decline in costs associated with internet shutdowns, Pakistan topped the charts," he stated, calling this an alarming trend. He added that the financial implications of a single 24-hour internet shutdown in Pakistan result in losses exceeding PKR 1.3 billion, which he attributed to "short-sighted and ineffective policies." Sheikh Waqqas also condemned the Minister of State for IT and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman for repeatedly using security concerns as a justification for restricting internet access. He emphasised that the root cause of security issues lies in "misguided priorities and flawed policies," contrasting this with what he described as a period of "exemplary peace" during the PTI-led government under Prime Minister Imran Khan, reported Dawn. He blamed the resurgence of terrorism on the policies of the current administration, which he accused of prioritising self-interest over national welfare. "The power-hungry clique's ill-advised policy will have far-reaching devastating economic consequences for the country, including the loss of substantial foreign exchange earnings and potential business contracts," Waqqas asserted. He criticised the government for promoting initiatives like the 'Uraan Pakistan' program and plans for a 5G spectrum auction while failing to deliver concrete economic outcomes. Instead, he urged policymakers to focus on crafting a "well-orchestrated strategy" that could harness the IT sector's potential to drive economic growth and recovery. Waqqas also raised concerns about the impact of these policies on foreign investor confidence. He warned that such measures would push Pakistan's economy further into crisis, making a complete business meltdown inevitable, Dawn reported. "By prioritising their own interests over the nation's well-being, the government risks undermining the very foundations of the economy," he said. He concluded by urging the government to abandon its "ill-conceived" policy and focus on providing uninterrupted high-speed internet access, which he argued is crucial for boosting IT exports and revitalising the country's struggling economy. (ANI) Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said that the Chinese newspaper Strait Herald would be indefinitely barred from stationing reporters in Taiwan due to its involvement in "united front work" activities and said that it no longer consider the outlet as a "legitimate media platform," according to a report by Focus Taiwan. "The media outlet has a clear nature of engaging in united front work targeting Taiwan... We believe the Strait Herald is no longer a legitimate media platform," Liang Wen-chieh, deputy head and spokesperson of the MAC said on Thursday. Liang Wen-chieh, didn't provide any detailed explanations for the timing of the decision. Liang also noted that Lin Jingdong, a member of the Strait Herald management committee, had been found by the Taichung District Court in August to have fabricated public opinion polls about Taiwan's 2024 presidential election. The polls were allegedly intended to manipulate public opinion and interfere in the election. In addition to the ban on Strait Herald reporters, Taiwanese authorities will also prohibit the newspaper's parent organisation, Fujian Daily Newspaper Group, from assigning reporters to Taiwan, Liang added. Currently, the Strait Herald has one reporter stationed in Taiwan whose permit is valid until January 23. The MAC clarified that the reporter would not be required to leave before the permit expires. Chinese reporters permitted by Taiwanese authorities to work in Taiwan are allowed to stay for up to three months at a time, according to MAC regulations. In response to the MAC's announcement, Chen Binhua, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said that the suspension was an act of "smearing with groundless accusations" against Chinese reporters stationed in Taiwan for their "legitimate reporting activities," Focus Taiwan reported. As of now, there are 12 reporters from eight Chinese media outlets stationed in Taiwan, including China Central Television, China National Radio, Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, China News Service, Xiamen Star, Strait Herald, and Hunan Broadcasting System, according to the MAC. (ANI) The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), a group representing US shrimpers, has renewed its call for the US government to take action against a Chinese seafood processor, Rongcheng Sanyue Foodstuff Co., over allegations of forced labour, IntraFish reported. The SSA has submitted a petition to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), requesting that the company be added to the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act Entity List, which targets companies linked to forced labour in China's Xinjiang region. This petition follows a similar effort in June when the DHS added Shandong Meijia Group (also known as Rizhao Meijia Group) to the same list, at the SSA's request. The alliance is now calling for Rongcheng Sanyue's inclusion, citing the company's refusal to allow US officials to inspect its facilities in China. Despite this, Rongcheng Sanyue continues to export Argentine red shrimp to the US market, reported IntraFish. The SSA has also raised concerns about the exportation of Argentine red shrimp by Chinese processors to the US without proper documentation. The group argues that US consumers have no way of knowing whether the shrimp they purchase was processed in China. They further point out that some shipments have passed through Shandong, a region tied to forced labour. In response, the US government has prioritised the seafood industry for enforcement, given the risks of forced labour involving Uyghur Muslims and other persecuted groups. This follows investigations, including one by the Outlaw Ocean Project, which documented the use of Uyghur workers in Chinese seafood plants, IntraFish reported. The SSA's petition emphasises its continued efforts to ensure that shrimp and other seafood products sold in the US are not produced under exploitative conditions. The group is calling for stricter oversight of companies suspected of engaging in forced labour practices. (ANI) The South China Sea remains one of the world's most volatile geopolitical hotspots, with escalating tensions and territorial disputes involving China and its neighbouring countries. As countries within and outside the region become involved, Radio Free Asia's latest report highlights five key developments to watch in 2025. The Taiwan Strait has seen an intensification of military activities, with nearly 3,000 incursions into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) between January and November 2024. These incursions were accompanied by two major Chinese military exercises--Joint Sword A and B--aligned with significant political events in Taiwan. In his New Year address, Chinese leader Xi Jinping emphasised that the unification of Taiwan was "inevitable." Shen Ming-Shih, a research fellow at Taiwan's Institute for National Defence Security Research (INDSR), stated, "China will continue to hold exercises in 2025 if senior Taiwanese officials visit the United States or top US officials visit Taiwan." He added that these military drills, including joint fire strikes, blockades, and anti-access area denial tactics, will become less effective as Taiwan advances its defence countermeasures. However, another INDSR research fellow, Ou Si-Fu, noted that despite the growing military tension, China is not ready for a full-scale war. "Xi is not confident with his army," Ou remarked, pointing to recent high-level firings in the People's Liberation Army (PLA). "The PLA has not fought a real war in a long time, so an imminent invasion of Taiwan is not expected," Ou concluded. Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te, meanwhile, reaffirmed his government's commitment to boosting defence spending and military capabilities. At Scarborough Shoal, located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone but under de facto Chinese control, tensions have been mounting. In late December 2024, the PLA Southern Theatre Command conducted large-scale combat readiness drills around the shoal, involving both naval and air force units. China's coast guard and maritime militia have maintained a strong presence in the area. On December 5, China's coast guard fired water cannons at a Philippine fisheries bureau boat delivering supplies to fishermen, claiming the boat had "dangerously approached" Beijing's territorial waters. Former Philippine Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio criticised China's actions, saying, "You cannot draw baselines if you don't own the features." Carpio urged the Philippines to challenge China's territorial claims at an international tribunal. Despite the ongoing dispute, Chinese assertiveness suggests that 2025 could see new developments at the shoal, including possible construction projects. The Philippines has been actively removing Chinese floating barriers around the reefs, but access for Filipino fishermen remains limited. Furthermore, Manila is reportedly contemplating a new legal case against China for its violations of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The situation at Second Thomas Shoal has also seen heightened tension. In 2024, China and the Philippines were engaged in multiple stand-offs at the shoal, located in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. In June, Chinese coast guard personnel armed with pikes and machetes punctured Philippine boats during a resupply mission, resulting in the injury of a Filipino sailor. Both sides later called for de-escalation. On December 12, China agreed to allow the Philippines to resupply the "illegally grounded" warship on a humanitarian basis, though the situation remains tense, especially given the proximity of the Second Thomas Shoal to China's heavily militarised Mischief Reef. The United States has remained actively involved in the region. In November 2024, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin revealed the creation of Task Force Ayungin to safeguard Philippine operations at the shoal. Philippine military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr outlined the country's strategy, which includes maintaining a strong presence, modernising military equipment, and strengthening alliances. Despite this, China insists that the BRP Sierra Madre warship be removed from the Second Thomas Shoal, with the Philippines remaining steadfast in its commitment to defend the area. Vietnam's island-building activities in the South China Sea have reached record levels. According to a study by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), the area created by Vietnam between November 2023 and June 2024 totalled 692 new acres, matching the combined total from 2022 and 2023. In total, Vietnam has expanded its holdings by around 2,360 acres (955 ha), nearly half of China's 4,650 acres (1,881.7 ha). Vietnam's extensive reclamation work on the Barque Canada reef is particularly noteworthy, as the island now includes a nearly finished 3,000-meter airstrip. AMTI noted that "it would be unsurprising" if Vietnam expands its runway network to additional reefs such as Pearson and Ladd. Tom Shugart, an adjunct senior fellow at the Centre for a New American Security, remarked, "New bases and runways would give Vietnam a position on the other side of China's 'Big Three' islands." These developments are expected to significantly alter the balance of power in the region, as Vietnam continues to expand its strategic capabilities. Finally, the ongoing negotiations over the Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea remain a key issue. As Malaysia takes over the chairmanship of ASEAN, the question of a legally binding COC has resurfaced. Negotiations between China and ASEAN countries began in 2002 with the Declaration of Conduct, but progress has been slow. Chinese Premier Li Qiang assured that China and ASEAN are striving for an early conclusion of the COC, but challenges persist. Former Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said, "Negotiations on the COC continue at a snail's pace." Antonio Carpio, a former Philippine Supreme Court justice, said, "An agreement seems impossible...China will never agree to some provisions, Vietnam to some others." This prolonged deadlock highlights the division within ASEAN and the complexity of reaching a consensus. Isha Gharti, a public policy professor at Chiang Mai University, suggested that ASEAN could strengthen its collective bargaining power by aligning the interests of its member states and presenting a unified front, as reported by the RFA. As Malaysia takes charge of ASEAN in 2025, it remains to be seen how the country will approach these challenges and the future of the South China Sea. (ANI) Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior (MOI) on Sunday discovered that several borough chiefs held Chinese citizenship and called upon them to give up their citizenship, Taiwan News reported. Further, the Ministry clarified its directive to five borough chiefs requiring them to relinquish their Chinese citizenship is based on Taiwanese law and does not constitute any 'political persecution'. The ministry on Thursday issued letters to their respective district offices, instructing them to address the matter in accordance with the Nationality Act and the Household Registration Act, as per Taiwan News. According to the MOI statement, "Public officials in Taiwan are obligated to demonstrate loyalty to the nation." The Nationality Act mandates that elected officials renounce any foreign citizenship before taking office and complete the renunciation process within one year, it added The ministry further explained that individuals from China who cancel their Chinese household registration under the Cross-Strait Act and obtain Taiwanese citizenship are recognized as Taiwanese nationals. If they assume public office, they must comply with the Nationality Act by renouncing any foreign citizenship after being elected or taking their position. Meanwhile, Taiwan has been detecting Chinese aircraft and naval vessels around its territory every day for some time. On Sunday, they detected five People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and six People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels. In response to the PLA's activities, the MND initiated war-preparedness drills at strategic locations across the island and is closely coordinating with the Coast Guard Administration to implement appropriate countermeasures. The Taiwan-China issue is a complex and longstanding geopolitical conflict centred on Taiwan's sovereignty. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), operates its own government, military, and economy, functioning as a de facto independent state. However, China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and insists on the "One China" policy, which asserts that there is only one China, with Beijing as its capital. This has fuelled decades of tension, especially since the Chinese Civil War (1945-1949), when the ROC government retreated to Taiwan after the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, took control of mainland China. Beijing has consistently expressed its goal of reunification with Taiwan, using diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to isolate Taiwan internationally. Meanwhile, Taiwan, supported by a significant portion of its population, continues to maintain its independence. (ANI) During the visit, the Commanding Officers of the French Ships would interact with the senior hierarchy of Southern Naval Command, according to Indian Navy PRO. The visit includes professional exchanges, cross-deck visits and Subject Matter Expert Exchanges( SMEE). The visit of the French ships aims to further strengthen ties and reaffirm India's commitment to constructive collaboration and mutual growth. https://x.com/defenceprokochi/status/1875859493348945942?s=48 In a post on X, PRO Defence Kochi wrote, "French Naval ships FS Forbin and Alsace, part of the French CSG, are visiting #Kochi. The visit aims to enhance interoperability, foster mutual understanding & strengthen collaboration between the two Navies." Earlier, the French carrier strike group (CSG), led by the aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle, made stopovers in Goa, Kochi on Friday as part of Mission CLEMENCEAU 25 Currently deployed in the Indian Ocean, the CSG is conducting joint training with regional allies, including India, ahead of its participation in multinational exercises such as La Perouse in the Indonesian zone and Pacific Steller in the Pacific Ocean. During Mission CLEMENCEAU 25, the Charles de Gaulle CSG and Indian navy ships will take part in the 42nd annual Varuna bilateral exercise. The aim of this aero-naval training is to develop interoperability between our two navies and to prepare crews to deal with a multi-milieu threat (air, surface, submarine) as part of a coalition. India has been France's foremost strategic partner since 1998, and the excellent Indo-French military cooperation is characterised by numerous bilateral exercises such as Shakti on land, Varuna at sea and Garuda in the air. India also plays host for numerous operational stopovers made by French Navy vessels, accounting for 16 port calls since 2022. As resident nations of the Indian Ocean, France and India regularly cooperate to contribute to maritime safety in the region. (ANI) During the call, Badr Abdel Aaty emphasised the importance of intensifying regional and international efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire and ensure the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Abdel Aaty also stressed the need for Israel to cease its aggressive policies against the Palestinian people, condemning in the strongest terms the systematic targeting of healthcare infrastructure and hospitals in Gaza, which he described as a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law. Regarding the situation in Syria, Abdel Aaty reaffirmed Egypt's support for the Syrian people. He underscored the need for a comprehensive, nationally owned political transition in Syria, free from external impositions, to ensure the country's security, stability, and territorial integrity. (ANI/WAM) Indian Navy Ship Tushil visited the Port of Dakar on Friday as a part of its ongoing operational deployment, the Ministry of Defence said on Sunday. INS Tushil, Indian Navy's latest stealth frigate's visit to Dakar will further bolster the existing ties with Senegal and enhance interaction between the navies of the two countries, the Ministry of Defence noted in its press statement. The ship is being commanded by Captain Peter Varghese and will engage in various military and social engagements during the port call. This will include interactions with senior Senegalese military and government officials and showcasing the cutting-edge indigenous weapons, sensors, and equipment fit on board. The ship will conduct interaction between subject matter experts from the two navies for mutually beneficial avenues and carry out training along with demonstrations, according to the Ministry of Defence. In a novel gesture, an invigorating session of Yoga is also planned for Senegalese enthusiasts. To showcase Indian culture, the ship will also organise social interaction on board. On completion, the ship will participate in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) and joint patrol with the Senegalese Navy off the waters of the West African Coast. The exercise is aimed at furthering maritime cooperation between the two navies while enhancing regional security and promoting interoperability, the Ministry of Defence said in its press statement. The visit is another strong sign of the importance India attaches to its relations with Senegal and its quest to further strengthen the growing defence cooperation and friendly ties between the two nations. It will also provide an opportunity for both navies to learn from each other and explore new avenues of cooperation, the Ministry of Defence underscored. The Indian warship INS Tushil, on its maiden operational deployment, had also made a port call at Casablanca, Morocco, on December 27. INS Tushil was commissioned on December 9, 2024, in Russia and is commanded by Captain Peter Varghese, supported by a dedicated team of 250 personnel. As the frigate continues its journey to its home port in Karwar, it will participate in collaborative exercises with friendly foreign navies, further promoting India's maritime diplomacy in the region, the Ministry noted. (ANI) Israel on Sunday issued a stern warning to Hezbollah, stating that the ceasefire agreement between the two parties may collapse if the Iran-backed group fails to withdraw its forces beyond the Litani River in southern Lebanon, which considers as one of the key stipulations of the truce, CNN reported. Notably, both parties have repeatedly accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement although it has largely been held. Following the ceasefire deal, in which the two parties agreed to stop hostilities for at least 60 days from November 27, as per CNN. At this time, Hezbollah fighters were expected to retreat 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Israel-Lebanon border, while Israeli ground forces withdrew from Lebanese territory. According to CNN, the agreement also required that, before January 26, only the Lebanese military and UN peacekeeping forces would be present south of the Litani River. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday warned Hezbollah and affirmed: "If Hezbollah does not withdraw beyond the Litani River, there will be no agreement. "Israel seeks to uphold the agreement in Lebanon and will continue to enforce it fully and without compromise in order to ensure the safe return of northern residents to their homes," Katz said, according to his spokesperson. "But the first condition for the agreement's implementation is the complete withdrawal of the Hezbollah terrorist organization beyond the Litani River, the dismantling of all weapons, and the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure in the area by the Lebanese army - something that has not yet happened," he continued. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in a speech on Saturday that it was up to the group to decide whether or not it would abide by the 60-day period. "Our patience (regarding Israeli violations of the ceasefire) might run out or it may persist as it is now ... and when we decide to act, you will see it immediately," Qassem said Tit-for-tat strikes have occurred on multiple occasions after the truce was implemented. Israel has conducted numerous operations in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah has fired at Israeli-occupied territory, he added citing Israeli truce violations. Higlighting Israel's actions, he stated, Less than a week after it went into effect, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said Israel had breached the ceasefire agreement "approximately 100" times. On Saturday, UNIFIL said that peacekeepers had seen a bulldozer belonging to the Israeli military "destroying a blue barrel marking the line of withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel in Labbouneh, as well as an observation tower belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces immediately beside a UNIFIL position there." The Israel Defense Forces' "deliberate and direct destruction of both clearly identifiable UNIFIL property and infrastructure belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces is a flagrant violation of resolution 1701 (a 2006 resolution calling for a full cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah) and international law," UNIFIL said. (ANI) In a mutual exchange of fishermen coordinated between the Indian Coast Guard and the Bangladesh Coast Guard, ICG Ship Varad and Amrit Kaur successfully repatriated 95 fishermen along with four Indian fishing boats while handing over 90 Bangladeshi Fishermen including 12 rescued from sunken fishing boat "Kaushik" on Sunday, as per an official statement. The Indian Fishermen are being handed over to West Bengal State Fisheries authorities at South 24 Parganas post repatriation from Bangladesh. In recent months, several Indian fishermen have been arrested by Bangladesh authorities when they happened to inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line and entered Bangladesh waters. Several Bangladesh fishermen have also been apprehended by Indian authorities in similar circumstances, the official statement noted According to the official statement, by ensuring safe arrival of the fishermen back home and uniting them with their families, yet another cradle of Indian Coast Guard mandated charter reaffirms its resolve "Vayam Rakshamah". In a press release on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "In recent months, several Indian fishermen have been arrested by Bangladesh authorities when they happened to inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line and entered Bangladesh waters. Several Bangladesh fishermen have also been apprehended by Indian authorities in similar circumstances. The Government of India attaches the highest importance to the safety, security and welfare of Indian fishermen. To this end, it has worked assiduously to secure the release of our fishermen from Bangladesh custody." The details were also shared on X by the Indian Coast Guard. https://x.com/IndiaCoastGuard/status/1875892531961221298 During the weekly press briefing of the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday, the MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had acknowledged about the reciprocal repatriation of Indian and Bangladeshi fishermen. According to the MEA, the exchange has been worked upon keeping in mind the humanitarian and livelihood concerns of fishing communities from both sides. Speaking on the fishermen exchange, Randhir Jaiswal said, "On the fisherman issue, this exchange is going to happen on 5th (January). 95 from their side, Indian fishermen, and 90 from our side (Bangladeshi fishermen). These fishermen had gone astray as it happens in waters where you know you don't have proper marking or sometimes people can just lose their way so that is what has happened." (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], January 5 (ANI/TPS): After news broke on Sunday of an Israeli soldier being forced to leave Brazil over a war crimes investigation, an Israeli who faced a similar predicament in Britain shared his experience with The Press Service of Israel. "If you ask me if I'm scared to fly, yes I am very scared," Alon Elgali told TPS-IL. Elgali, a civilian, is the owner of Meshek Afar Ltd, a contracting company that works for the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza who was in London for a wedding in November. The Israel Defense Forces has warned soldiers traveling abroad that they risk being arrested, forcing them to cancel travel plans while others have been advised to return home -- including one who narrowly avoided arrest in Cyprus in mid-November. He explained to TPS-IL that the Hind Rajab Foundation, a Belgian-based non-governmental organization, had written about him. "They knew I was at a wedding in London and its whereabouts. They followed my every step." The Hind Rajab Foundation was created in September 2024 and is linked to Hezbollah, TPS-IL has learned. The foundation's chairman, Dyab Abou Jahjah, is a known supporter of Hezbollah, according to the NGO Monitor, a Jerusalem-based organization that monitors the activities and funding of NGOs. Jahjah boasted of his membership in the terror group when he told The New York Times in 2003, "I had some military training, I'm still very proud of this." The foundation has filed similar legal complaints against Israeli soldiers traveling in other countries, including the Netherlands and Ecuador. It also petitioned the International Criminal Court to issue Interpol arrest warrants against 1,000 Israeli soldiers in eight different countries, including France, Ireland, and South Africa, according to the foundation's website. Elgali said he was never contacted by British authorities. Elgali's wife, Yifat, an attorney, told TPS-IL that they first realized there was trouble in London when several Arabs from an organization that she believed was Hind Rajab questioned her and Alon about what he did in Gaza. An article published in one Arab news site based on Hind Rajab claimed Alon demolished mosques and United Nations schools in Gaza. Said Alon, "We don't demolish mosques or UNRWA schools. It isn't something that is happening." Yifat told TPS-IL, "We avoided flying abroad because we still don't have definitive answers if we have an arrest warrant somewhere in the world," his wife, Yifat added. "We don't even know today if it was a request or an existing arrest warrant." Scotland Yard did not respond to TPS-IL requests for comment. The Israel Defense Forces formed a special unit after October 7 to monitor the information about possible arrests and to warn the soldiers, or help them to return to Israel if there is a fear of arrest. They also advise a soldier who wants to go abroad about possible risks and how to avoid them in a specific country. Soldiers are advised not to upload images of them in Gaza, especially where they can be identified. An Israeli military source told TPS-IL in December that soldiers are advised not to upload images of them in Gaza, especially where they can be identified. "But the discipline regarding this, especially among the reservists, could be better," he admitted. Legal expert Maurice Hirsch told TPS-IL in December that regarding complaints filed by anti-Israeli NGOs, the situation differs from country to country. "Many countries have legislation that allows them to prosecute war criminals, even if they are not citizens of the country. It is the so-called 'universal authority,'" said Hirsch -- a senior legal analyst at Human Rights Voices, who served previously as Director of the Military Prosecution in Judea and Samaria. Countries that do not recognize the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction, such as the US, China and India, are relatively safe for travel. "Every country has its own rules regarding this. In the UK, for example, they changed the legislation a few years ago, and now only the government can file a complaint like this, but not an NGO or a private person. In Belgium the situation is different," he explained. (ANI/TPS) Tel Aviv [Israel], January 5 (ANI/TPS): The Prime Minister's Office said as part of the government of Israel's program to fight against organized crime and the possession of illegal weapons, especially in Arab communities, Justice Minister Yariv Levin approved publishing for public comments a memorandum of law to increase the enforcement of weapons offenses, which have become a "scourge of the state" and have claimed many victims in recent years. The memorandum includes a series of legislative amendments aimed at providing law enforcement authorities with additional tools for deciphering weapons cases, facilitating prosecution of weapons offenses, and making punishment more severe. The memorandum was formulated through inter-ministerial staff work led by the Ministry of Justice, and included the head of the headquarters for combating crime in Arab society in the Prime Minister's Office and his representatives, the Ministry of National Security, the Israel Police, the Attorney General's Office, and security officials. "We continue to fight criminal organizations on several fronts," said Prime Minister Netanyahu. (ANI/TPS) US President-elect Donald Trump has praised Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who visited him at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida's Palm Beach, as a "fantastic woman" who has "really taken Europe by storm," CNN reported on Sunday. "This is very exciting," he told a crowd at his residence. "I'm here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy. She's really taken Europe by storm.," said Trump welcoming Meloni on Saturday. Meloni, a member of the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, took office in October 2022 and is known to have ties to the incoming Trump administration, in particular with his ally Elon Musk, as per CNN. While European powerhouses France and Germany are going through a period of rocky politics, the stability of her coalition in Italy and conservative credentials make her a natural ally for the incoming US leader. Trump and Meloni were joined by his nominees for secretary of state and national security advisor - Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Florida). According to CNN reports, the details of the meeting have not been disclosed, although the Italian leader, like others, has been seeking to strengthen ties with the President-elect ahead of his inauguration on January 20. One possible topic on the agenda was the detention of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was arrested in Iran last month, it said. Italy's foreign ministry confirmed in a statement last Friday that Sala, a reporter for Italian daily Il Foglio, was detained in Tehran. Iranian state news agency IRNA said Monday that Sala had been detained on December 19 after "violating the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran." Sala's detention has caused a diplomatic headache for Italy, with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani saying his government was working "tirelessly" to bring her home. Meloni's visit to Florida comes after she dined with Trump and Musk during the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris last month. (ANI) The Additional Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued a notification imposing Section 144 in Kurram district for a period of two months, as reported by ARY News. The decision comes amid concerns over attempts to disrupt the peace agreement in the area. According to the notification, Pakistani authorities will launch a crackdown against those people who are responsible for destabilizing peace in Kurram. The directive also includes a ban on all types of public gatherings and the display of weapons on the main highway in the district, ARY News noted. This measure aims to restore and maintain order in the region while deterring any further attempts to disturb the peace. Pakistani authorities are closely monitoring the situation, the notification said. As per Ary News, the notification came after an acting Deputy Commissioner had been appointed in Kurram following the recent firing incident that left the current DC injured. According to reports, grade 18 officer Ashfaq Khan has been assigned the role of acting DC, according to a notification issued by the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The appointment of an acting DC aims to ensure smooth administrative operations in the region during this critical time. Investigations into the attack are ongoing. According to ARY News, days after a peace agreement between the warring tribes was finally reached, violence flared out in the region again on Saturday, as Kurram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud sustained injuries in a firing incident. Referring to local administration, ARY News reported that the deputy commissioner's vehicle came under attack in the Bagan area of Lower Kurram. The deputy commissioner was rushed to Lower Alizai Hospital for treatment where his condition is said to be stable. Earlier, it was reported that the Kurram peace deal will be implemented from Saturday, January 4, with a convoy of passengers travelling to Parachinar in a security cordon. Under the agreement signed during the Grand Jirga, it was noted that all bunkers would be demolished within 15 days and all types of arms would be collected and handed over to the government. ARY News said that despite the peace deal for normalization in Kurram, sit-in protests continue to take place in the Parachinar and Baggan areas of the Lower Kurram region. The participants of the Parachinar sit-in demanded that the government ensure security by opening all roads including the main highway. (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], January 6 (ANI/TPS): Israel's Ministry of Transportation has approved the advancement of a plan to establish three advanced transportation terminals in the Haifa area and Northern districts. They will be located in the following cities: Ma'alot Tarshiha, Kfar Kana, and Harish. The new facilities include an integrated terminal in Ma'alot Tarshiha. The terminal will serve 3 urban lines, 6 regional lines and 7 intercity lines. The facility will include an overnight parking lot with 110 bus parking spaces including charging stations, as part of the transition to green public transportation. The Kfar Kana terminal will be built in the northern industrial area of the settlement and will serve as an operational terminal, without passenger activity. The facility will serve 7 urban and regional lines in the Nazareth area. A new terminal will also be built in Harish for the developing city. The facility will serve both the existing urban and regional lines and the new lines planned in the area. Last year, 853 million trips were made in Israel on public transportation, of which 740 million, or 87%, were on buses. The plan is based on the assumption that even after the mass transportation systems currently being established and planned, such as the light rail and metro, are operational, buses will continue to serve as the most significant layer of public transportation. (ANI/TPS) The Pakistan government on Sunday expressed "suprise" over new demands made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser, calling for the inclusion of an establishment representative in the ongoing talks and the party's reluctance to give a formal charter of demands, Dawn reported. Speaking to DawnNews TV programme 'Doosra Rukh' on Sunday, the government committee spokesperson Senator Irfan Siddiqui said he was "surprised" by Qaiser's new demands and added that that these demands were not raised in committee meetings. He said, "What he (Qaiser) said in the interview with Dawn News is surprising and very big." Siddiqui said, "Now he has put forward new demands that a representative of the establishment should be included in the negotiations." Irfan Siddiqui noted that Qaiser did not bring up these demands during the committee meeting. He also expressed surprise over Qaiser's demand for uninterrupted access to other incarcerated PTI leaders for consultations on the talks. His remarks came after Qaiser, while speaking on DawnNews TV programme 'Doosra Rukh' on Saturday, said the PTI would not continue talks with the government to bring down the political temperature unless it was given "uninterrupted access" to party founder Imran Khan for consultation, stressing that only he could make final decision. He further said that PTI leaders should get uninterrupted access to other incarcerated party leaders to hold political consultations. Although Qaiser did not mention "establishment", however, he said that the PTI had asked the government to include "the stakeholder" in the dialogue as "the thinking of those who have the real decision-making powers is yet to be seen", Dawn reported. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Raja Pervez Ashraf, during the same programme, said, "They (the establishment) are a part of the government, of course, the committee will talk with them as and where it is needed." He made these remarks when he was asked about bringing an establishment representative on board for talks. Earlier on January 2, Irfan Siddiqui in a joint press statement said that PTI at the last meeting requested for being allowed to meet Imran Khan in Adiala Jail to consult him on the final charter of demands. Siddiqui warned that ongoing talks could face significant challenges as Imran Khan-founded party failed to present their demands in writing as initially agreed, Dawn reported, citing APP. Referring to how demands were being presented, he said, "This is strange." Since Imran Khan's arrest in various cases, PTI's ties with the government and the establishment have deteriorated, marked by protests that frequently turned into violence amid state repression. After the turmoil, PTI founder formed a five-member committee to hold talks with "anyone", indicating a shift in party lawmakers' stance in parliament. In response, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also established a committee with ruling coalition members. The first meeting between the government and the PTI took place on December 23 while the second took place on January 2. The two sides are expected to meet again next week. (ANI) As many as 47 security personnel were killed and more than 30 others were injured in the Baloch Liberation Army's (BLA) "Fidayee unit" Majeed Brigade's suicide attack on a Pakistani army convoy near Balochistan's Turbat on Saturday, The Balochistan Post reported. In a statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said that the attack took place in the Behman area, which is located some eight kilometres from Turbat city, at around 5:45 pm (local time). He said the target was a convoy of 13 vehicles, including five buses and seven military vehicles, heading from Karachi to the Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Turbat. The group said that the Pakistan army convoy included personnel from MI 309, FC SIU, FC 117 Wing, FC 326 Wing, FC 81 Wing, and retired army Captain Zohaib Mohsin, who now serves as a police official, The Balochistan Post reported. The BLA claimed that one bus was "completely destroyed," others were partially disabled and one military vehicle was demolished in the blast, which it said was coordinated with help from its intelligence wing, "ZIRAB." The statement said, "ZIRAB had provided authentic information that an enemy convoy was leaving Karachi for Turbat and included important troops of the occupying army." The BLA said that the attack's success showcases the "excellent performance" of its intelligence and the "unparalleled sacrifice of the Fidayee Sangat." The statement said, "The success of this mission reflects the excellent performance of our intelligence and the unparalleled sacrifice of the Fidayee Sangat. This attack is a clear message that the land of Balochistan will never be safe for the occupying state." The attacker has been identified as "Fidayee Sangat Bahar Ali" from Qohda Murad Muhammad Bazar in Turbat's Dasht Hochat area. According to BLA, he joined the Baloch national movement in 2017 and served on both urban and mountain fronts. He also volunteered for the Majeed Brigade's "Fidayee" mission in 2022, The Balochistan Post reported. The BLA has accused Pakistani forces of "torturing innocent Baloch people, opening fire, and forcibly disappearing many individuals." It asked transport owners not to facilitate what it terms the "occupying army" and threatened to burn vehicles involved in resource extraction. The group further said that Balochistan's highways would be "made unsafe" for the army, state agents, and investors, based on intelligence shared by "ZIRAB" and urged civilians to avoid state convoys, according to The Balochistan Post report. In the statement, the BLA said, "Our land will always remain insecure for the occupying state, and we will not step down from our struggle until we achieve liberation." Meanwhile, the authorities initially said that there were 11 fatalities in the Turbat suicide attack on the FC convoy on Saturday. However, the authorities have not released any new updates since the statement issued by BLA. (ANI) Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Shazia Marri has said that the party might withdraw its support from the federal government due to a lack of trust in important decisions, emphasising that the government will collapse if PPP pulls out support, The Express Tribune reported. In a statement, Shazia Marri strongly reacted to the Maritime and Shipping Port Authority decision. She said that Pakistan's federal government is consistently taking decisions without holding discussions with the PPP, including the formation of the Pakistan Maritime and Shipping Port Authority. She said that both the PPP and the Sindh government were kept in the dark regarding the formation of the authority. She reiterated that the government will remain in power until PPP continues its support. However, she noted that the government will collapse if the PPP withdraws support, according to The Express Tribune report. Shazia Marri noted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) might not realize this and added that the PPP had been calling for the convening of the National Interest Council meeting for a long time. However, it has not been called in eleven months. PPP leader pointed out the ongoing violation of the constitution by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is legally bound to convene the Council of Common Interests every three months. She called for bringing up the matter of the formation of the Maritime and Shipping Port Authority to the Council of Common Interests, stressing that decisions on key national issues should not be made without discussions with the allies and provinces, as per the report. PPP spokesperson termed the federal government's actions incomprehensible and added that they could cause deeper divisions. She called for governing the country by constitutional and legal principles, with consultations with allies and provinces before making decisions on maritime issues and port authority recommendations. Earlier, Punjab's Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said the alliance of the PML-N and the PPP has damaged the latter in Punjab. He predicted that it was the PML-N's turn to bear the brunt of the alliance, The Express Tribune reported. Khan, who belongs to the PPP, assumed office after PML-N and PPP had a power-sharing deal following the February 8 general elections. As per the agreement, the PPP opted for the constitutional positions of the president, governorship of two provinces - Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Senate chairmanship in return for supporting the PML-N-led federal government. Before the emergence of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the PPP and PML-N were arch rivals and the two parties had a history of turf war in Punjab which the PML-N had snatched from the PPP. (ANI) Heavy snowfall has affected air travel in the UK and Germany. A number of airports in the UK closed their runways on Sunday due to heavy snow and ice, CNN reported. Many areas of UK were under snow and ice warnings on Sunday, including most of Northern Island, the majority of Scotland and a large part of central and northern England, according to the UK's Met Office. A yellow rain warning has been issued for almost all of Wales. Manchester Airport said on Sunday morning that it had temporarily shut its runways due to heavy snow. In a post shared on social media, the airport said that staff members were on the ground to clear the snow from the runway, before the runway reopened around 9:45 am (local time), according to CNN report. Liverpool's John Lennon Airport also temporarily shut its runway on Sunday morning due to snow, before reopening it at 10:15 am (local time). Newcastle International Airport said that flight schedules were disrupted due to "heavy and continuous snowfall." Birmingham Airport had closed for several hours around midnight so that staff could clear the snow. However, it was later reopened on Sunday. In a statement shared on X, the Birmingham Airport said, "As a result of resilience teams working throughout the night, the start up to the schedule remains business as usual. Passengers travelling to the airport are advised to allow plenty of time, we will continue to update passengers throughout the morning. Please check our website and with your airline for the latest flight information." https://x.com/bhx_official/status/1875754392533557551 Bristol Airport in west England closed on Saturday due to "challenging weather conditions." The airport later reopened in the evening. The airport warned that the closure may still impact departing flights on Sunday, CNN reported. According to UK's National Rail statement on Sunday, the train routes in England, Scotland and Wales were impacted by the poor weather. In a statement, it said, "Ice and snow can mean speed restrictions and line closures are implemented to ensure trains are able to run safely on the railway." National Highways, the government company that operates major roads in England, put out a countrywide severe weather alert for snow across England on Saturday and Sunday, as per the CNN report. It stated, "Road users are advised to take extra care if travelling over the weekend." Meanwhile, Frankfurt Airport in Germany cancelled 120 of its 1,090 planned takeoffs and landings on Sunday due to clearance work on runways and reduced visibility affecting the airport's flight capacity, airport operator Fraport spokesperson said, Euro News reported. Restrictions were imposed on flight operations at Munich Airport, where only one runway was open while the other was being cleared. Munich Airport spokesperson said that 35 take-offs and landings had already been cancelled on Saturday as a precautionary measure, while around 750 were postponed to Sunday. Officials at Stuttgart airport said that de-icing machines were also taking longer considering the weather conditions. According to local officials, up to 10 centimetres of fresh snow fell in Cologne during the night and early morning, Euro News reported. Amid the snowy weather conditions in some parts of Germany, an increase in accident reports was reported. According to authorities, a large number of weather-related accidents were happening as people were driving on snow-covered roads with summer tyres, the report said. Germany's weather service issued black ice warnings for people, advising them to stay home where possible. (ANI) The Dominican Republic deported more than 276,000 people in 2024, the countrys Immigration Directorate said Wednesday. In the last three months of the year alone, over 94,000 foreigners with irregular status were deported under a new operation aiming to remove up to 10,000 undocumented Haitians per week, ordered by the Dominican Republics National Security and Defense Council headed by President Luis Abinader. Dominican authorities also deported 48,344 during the January-March quarter, 62,446 between April-June, and 71,414 from July to September, according to the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Government spokesman Homero Figueroa told reporters in October that the government ramped up deportations to address an excess of Haitian migrants in the Dominican Republic, which shares an island with Haiti. The two countries have long seen an informal flow of people across their shared border. Haitis then-Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy condemned brutal scenes of raids and deportations, and demanded justice for dehumanizing acts against her compatriots. Dominican authorities maintain that the deportations are carried out in compliance with human rights. In October, Reuters footage captured dozens of migrants crammed into caged Dominican Republic law enforcement trucks heading to Haiti. Aid organizations have rushed assistance to the Haitian side of the border to assist the thousands of deportees. The mass deportations come amid a worsening political and social crisis in Haiti; gangs are estimated to control more than 80% of the countrys capital, Port-au-Prince. Correction: This story and headline have been corrected to reflect that the cited deportation statistics did not specify nationality. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Italys far-right prime minister has spoken out about her similarities with Sir Keir Starmer, saying the pair are in tune on the fight against mass illegal immigration. Giorgia Meloni, known for her hardline views on immigration, sparked concern across Europe as her coalition government came to power in October 2022. But after meeting the UK prime minister in September, it seems the pair have struck up good relations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, she said relations between herself and Starmer were very well, adding: We are in tune on many issues. I am thinking, for example, of the management of migratory flows and the fight against mass illegal immigration, because it is a phenomenon that affects the entire European continent, even outside the EU borders. Last year, Meloni backed a 556m deal to transport 3,000 people intercepted in Italian seas each month to Albania - but the plan has not been successful so far due to legal problems. Starmer faced criticism in September after he said that the UK would send Italy 4m to support the Italian PMs immigration crackdown. Meloni spoken of warm relations between her and the UK prime minister following their meeting in September. (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Meloni added: We agree with Starmer that we need to intensify the fight against traffickers, work on greater cooperation between our police forces, strengthen the commitment to assisted voluntary repatriations and not be afraid to explore innovative solutions, such as the one that Italy has started with the protocol with Albania to process asylum requests in non-EU territory, but under Italian and European jurisdiction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the same interview, Meloni detailed her friendship with owner of social media site X and fellow right-winger Elon Musk. We are definitely two people who have a great relationship. Elon Musk is a brilliant man and it is always very interesting to talk to him, she said. Meloni detailed her friendship with owner of social media site X and fellow right-winger Elon Musk. (Getty Images) Musk is a great personality of our time, an extraordinary innovator who always looks to the future. I find it natural to be able to talk to him. Of course, there are things on which our point of view is more similar, others that we see more distant, but this does not prevent comparison. And, allow me, it makes you smile quite a bit when until yesterday those who exalted Musk as a genius and today instead paint him as a monster, only because he chose the side considered wrong of the barricade. I have never thought this way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes as Musk launched an attack on Starmer and the Labour government after Labour rejected a call for a national inquiry into child grooming. The tech billionaire triggered an explosive row on Thursday over Sir Keir Starmers handling of historic child abuse in Oldham after he suggested the prime minister had failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions. WEST MELBOURNE A 22-year-old Fort Pierce man has been charged with the shooting death of his former girlfriend, whose body was found in early November lying along a road in West Melbourne Travion Demetrius Dean was arrested last week in connection with the Nov. 4 shooting death of 20-year-old Aniya Sheppard, also of Fort Pierce. Both had been in a previous relationship that Sheppards family described to investigators as "toxic and violent," including a history of the two pointing weapons at each other during past confrontations, court records show. Dean, taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Fort Lauderdale after returning from Jamaica, was charged with first-degree premeditated murder. He is being held without bail at the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case was one of 38 reported homicides to take place in Brevard County during 2024. Aniya Sheppard "As Agents went to work, they determined that Sheppard had been staying with Dean at a local hotel and were observed on surveillance video the morning of the incident, leaving together," Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a statement released following the arrest. Investigators said Sheppard and Dean, who had been in a relationship, were staying at the Extended Stay America motel on U.S. 192. The pair then left the motel in a rideshare that dropped them off on Hollywood Boulevard, the sheriffs office reported. The case unfolded early Nov. 4 after a resident alerted a Brevard County sheriffs deputy about an unresponsive person seen lying near the road along Eber Boulevard just east of Buddy Drive in West Melbourne. The deputy went to the site and found Sheppard lying unresponsive along the shoulder of the road. Six bullet casings were found nearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An autopsy later determined that Sheppard was shot in the leg, wrist, chest and head, records show. Sheppard also provided a crucial key to identifying the suspect in the case after apparently sending a Facebook Messenger video showing a man walking with her a short time before she was fatally wounded, court records show. Investigators recovered Sheppards cellphone and found the Messenger video captured minutes before the shooting. Sheppard had sent the message to her mother. Investigators also located other surveillance clips that showed the couple together in the area. Dean used another rideshare service to leave the site. He then left Brevard County and traveled to Jamaica while investigators put together evidence in the case, police said. "Conveniently, Dean then took a vacation to Jamaica not long after this, but unlucky for him, our Agents had an arrest warrant with his name on it patiently awaiting his return home where he was charged with 1st Degree Premeditated Murder with No Bond!!" Ivey said. "We continue to pray for Aniyas family and friends as they navigate through these times," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jdgallop@floridatoday.com. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Fort Pierce man charged in death of woman found dead in West Melbourne Former President Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of 100 on Dec. 29. As I think back on his presidency and the legacy of his post-presidential achievements, I wonder how our public life went from his example of honor, integrity, and selfless service to the self-serving narcissistic plague we now endure. Carters election was a singular statement of protest against the cynicism of the post-Watergate and post-Vietnam era. From the lies the Pentagon told the American population during the long years of the Vietnam War to the rampant dishonesty of the Nixon White House, Carter arrived in Washington, D.C., and to the office of the presidency determined to restore a belief that government can be a force for good. While many critics have argued in the 45 years since he ceded the presidency to Ronald Reagan that Carter was an ineffective and inconsequential president, his underlying philosophy that the president is elected to serve all of America, not just his party or his political allies, is a forgotten ethos. Reinforcing that notion, Carter warned in his farewell address in January 1981 that the growing trend of Americans turning to single-issue groups and special interest organizations to ensure individual views and private interests are protected was distorting the nations purpose. He argued that the national interest is not always the sum of all our single or special interests. We are all Americans together, and we must not forget that the common good is our common interest and our individual responsibility. More: Opinion: After election, continue to have faith in country and those who serve honestly Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Common purpose is a dead concept in American politics. It is either my way or the highway for the majority of political officials or their base operatives. Mitch McConnell famously stated before Barack Obama was even inaugurated that the Republican-led Senate has one mission oppose every proposal and ensure he is a one-term president. Much the same could be said of the Democrats response on the eve of the first Trump Administration in 2016. In Congress, we see hard won compromises thrown in the waste bin because a self-serving party leader doesnt want the other side to get credit. Individual Republican lawmakers repeatedly shoot themselves in the foot and reload because of entrenched individual preferences that are not compatible with effective governing. Just ask Kevin McCarthy (and potentially Mike Johnson) how that worked out. Now, three weeks away from the inauguration of another Trump presidency, we hold our breaths waiting to see in which direction our country travels. If the transition period and the roster of billionaires and TV personalities nominated to important government positions is any indication, we would be naive to bet on a course of unity and common purpose. Trumps statements and social media posts reveal little in the way of governing for all Americans. Statements from his class of nominees are equally dismissive of an agenda that serves anyone but the billionaires at the head of the class. Even his blue collar MAGA base is falling out of love with First Bro Elon Musk as he throws cold water on the anti-immigration fever of the far right and then blocks his critics on their beloved X platform. So much for his mantra of free speech. We stand at the dawn of a pivotal chapter in American history. Foreign policy hawks are screaming for doubling the defense budget on the premise that we can only protect American interests and preserve our great nation with peace through strength. Right wing politicians are doubling down on Ronald Reagans admonition that government is not the solution, but rather the problem in calling for a gutting of the federal budget and the regulatory regimes that protect our water, air, land, and less fortunate from the profit driven whims of our corporate moguls. If these forces are successful, what common purpose of which Jimmy Carter spoke will be served? What grand American society will be left? Naively or not, Jimmy Carter believed that America is best when its government protects the human rights and needs of every American. Nothing in the press pamphlet of the incoming administration suggests that Trump shares that vision. We need politicians and citizens to stand up and fight for Carters common purpose, not Trumps pay-to-play approach to government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Opinion: If we talk to one another we may discover how much we agree and have in common More: Opinion: Believe Trump when he says he will turn US government into his vendetta machine Brad Gutierrez Brad Gutierrez, Ph.D. is a retired U.S. Air Force combat pilot, professor of Political Science, military diplomat, and senior public policy civil servant. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Where have the Jimmy Carters of public service gone? | Opinion Sunny skies and a Mediterranean breeze: that was what awaited holidaymakers aboard British Airways flight 2616 from London Gatwick to Malta two days before Christmas. Among them was Sue Heath, 64, from Buckinghamshire. But just before the Airbus pushed back from the gate, she was ordered to leave seat 23C on the aircraft. Even though her UK passport is valid for travel to Malta and the rest of the European Union until late March, ground staff wrongly offloaded Ms Heath and then blamed her for having an expired passport, when the document was perfectly valid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was told my passport was not valid for the EU, said Ms Heath, who has spent much of her working life in travel. I had to accept their decision and sadly miss my Christmas in Malta. I felt very humble and embarrassed that I had messed up. In fact, British Airways ground staff at Gatwick had once again messed up by denying boarding to a properly documented passenger. On a single day earlier this year, BA turned away two separate passengers from the Sussex airport because ground staff did not understand the rules for their destinations. Since Brexit, a UK passport must meet two conditions for travel to the European Union: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No more than 10 years old on the day of entry to the EU. At least three months remaining on the intended day of departure from the EU. Ms Heaths passport comfortably met both of these requirements. But ground staff appeared confused about whether her passport was valid. The gate agent was concerned about my passport not being acceptable, and initially said I could not board the flight, Ms Heath said. She tried to call her office but could not get an answer. She then looked again and said it was OK and checked me back in and boarded me again. I went on board, but about 10 minutes before departure she came and asked to look at my passport again. She telephoned the office and gave them all my passport details, and my return flight travel information. She then said unfortunately I couldnt travel, as I would have had to be out and back from Malta by 22 December 24. Then she took me off the plane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I came off the flight and was escorted out through passport control and customs into the arrivals hall by a BA agent. I went home and later that day called a BA customer service number, but all they really could say was documentation was my responsibility and to call an embassy if I needed clarification. Welcome sight: Valletta Harbour in Malta, in December (Simon Calder) The post-Brexit rules took effect in 2021. BA, along with other airlines, was informed of them in that year. The majority of passengers flying on British Airways short-haul services from Gatwick are UK passport holders heading for the European Union. It is not clear why ground staff evidently including the supervisor who was involved by phone should still be unaware of the requirements and invent their own rules for these travellers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A British Airways spokesperson said: We are investigating this particular case to understand why the customer wasnt permitted to travel and are in contact with them directly to resolve it as soon as possible. Under air passengers rights rules, Ms Heath is entitled to 350 in compensation for being denied boarding, as well as her fare refunded. BA is also understood to be meeting the cost of the accommodation in Malta that Ms Heath lost as a result of being taken off the aircraft at Gatwick. What to do if airline staff wrongly turn you away from a flight PROVIDENCE A 27-year-old Pawtucket man was at the wheel of a Providence Police cruiser when he was arrested early Saturday morning in eastern Connecticut, according to the Connecticut State Police. Two state police troopers converged on the stolen cruiser as it rolled off Interstate 95 in Groton and sped north on a local road, Route 117, from Groton into Ledyard, police said. Police said the troopers attempted to stop the cruiser, which accelerated to speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ledyard police were notified. Several miles up the road, officers set up a tire-shredding device and succeeded in stopping the cruiser, state police said. The stolen cruiser was outside Rhode Island Hospital when it was stolen at 1:46 a.m., a Providence police spokeswoman, Lindsay Lague, said Saturday in a written statement. The statement did not explain how the man actually took control of the cruiser. Connecticut state police learned that the cruiser was entering eastern Connecticut from Rhode Island at 2:32 a.m. A Connecticut state trooper spotted the Providence cruiser soon after that on I-95, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Pawtucket man was arrested without incident after he was stopped and was charged with first-degree larceny, engaging police in a pursuit, reckless driving, failure to drive in the proper lane and resisting an officer. He was shirtless in a booking photo. He failed to post a bond of $50,000 and remains held in Connecticut in advance of a court appearance on Monday morning, police say. The man also faces charges in Rhode Island, Lague said. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI man in stolen Providence police car arrested in Conn. after chase TOKYO, Jan 05 (News On Japan) - At the first tuna auction of the year held at Tokyos Toyosu Market, a bluefin tuna from Oma, Aomori Prefecture, was sold for 207 million yen, the second-highest price in history. Shortly after 5 a.m. on January 5th, the traditional New Year auction began at Toyosu Market. The highest bid was for a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna from Oma, fetching 207 million yen, significantly exceeding last year's record of 114.24 million yen. The successful bidders were the Onodera Group, which has won the top bid for five consecutive years and operates sushi restaurants, and seafood wholesaler Yamayuki. Onodera Holdings President Shinji Nagao said, "Since the first tuna of the year is considered an auspicious symbol, I hope people will enjoy it and have a good year ahead." Yamayuki President Yukitaka Yamaguchi commented, "Its hard to say whether 200 million yen as the second-highest price ever is good or not, but considering the festive occasion, it was probably a positive result." Additionally, at the first auction for fresh sea urchin, around 400 grams of sea urchin from Hakodate, Hokkaido, paired with a lacquerware box, fetched a record 7 million yen. This sea urchin will be served at Sushi Naomitsu in Tokyos Nakameguro from January 6th, priced at 400,000 yen per piece. Source: ANN Welcome to Japan. If you've just landed at Narita Airport (NRT) and are wondering how to get to Tokyo city center on the plane, this guide will walk you through your first 60 minutes in Japan. From immigration, baggage claim, train & transport options, to getting your SIM card & cash. (Tokyo Kenchan) Jan 05 (NHK) - Japanese weather officials are calling on people returning from their holidays in northern Japan to brace themselves for traffic disruptions. The warning comes as record amounts of snow pile up. The Japan Meteorological Agency says a winter pressure pattern and a strong cold air mass are bringing heavy snow mainly to mountainous areas in the country's north. As of 5 p.m. on Saturday, 406 centimeters had accumulated at an observation point in Sukayu in the Hakkoda Mountains in Aomori Prefecture. Aomori city had 122 centimeters, which is more than triple the average year. The city of Hirosaki, also in Aomori Prefecture, had 114 centimeters at one point, a record for January. The weather officials are urging people to be prepared for electrical blackouts caused by downed power lines. They expect temperatures will start to rise from Monday, increasing the risk of avalanches. Jan 05 (News On Japan) - US President Joe Biden has issued an order to block Nippon Steel's planned buyout of US Steel. In a statement released on Friday, Biden said there is credible evidence the Japanese firm "might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States." Biden also said Nippon Steel and US Steel should "take all steps necessary to fully and permanently abandon the Proposed Transaction no later than 30 days after the date of this order." The deal was first announced in December 2023. The US Committee on Foreign Investment failed to reach a consensus on possible security threats in the deal by the December 23 deadline. It then referred the case to Biden. White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Friday that President Biden's order to block Nippon Steel's acquisition of US Steel will not affect the US-Japan alliance. He was asked whether Biden's decision to deny a close ally would cast doubt on the reliability of the US as a partner. Kirby responded that the decision is not about Japan, but about the US keeping one of the country's largest steel producers as an American-owned company. He added the decision is not about the "extraordinary, close relationship and alliance" the US has with Japan. Meanwhile, the leader of the United Steelworkers union, or USW, has welcomed President Biden's order. But the company's CEO strongly condemned the decision. USW International President David McCall said in a statement the union has "no doubt" the decision is the "right move" for its members and US national security. He expressed USW's confidence that "with responsible management, U.S. Steel will continue to support good jobs, healthy communities and robust national and economic security well into the future." Union members have consistently opposed the Japanese firm's proposed acquisition and criticized its responses. US Steel President and CEO David Burritt called Biden's action "shameful and corrupt" in a statement on X. Burritt said Biden "insulted Japan, a vital economic and national security ally, and put American competitiveness at risk." He accused Biden of making the decision while refusing to even meet with management to learn the facts. Burritt stressed that Nippon Steel's investment guarantees a great future for US Steel, its employees, communities and the United States. He added his company intends to fight Biden's "political corruption." FUKUOKA, Jan 05 (News On Japan) - A Shinto ritual wishing for abundant harvests and good fishing throughout the year was held at Hakozaki Shrine in Fukuoka City, one of Japans three major Hachiman shrines. The Tamasese-ri event at Hakozaki Shrine, believed to have originated during the Muromachi period, involves around 300 shrine parishioners who divide into two teams, the Land Team and the Sea Team, to compete for control of an 8-kilogram wooden ball. Touching the ball is said to bring good fortune, and if the Land Team offers the ball, it is believed to bring a good harvest, while an offering by the Sea Team is believed to ensure a plentiful catch. This year, the Land Team emerged victorious in the contest. Meanwhile, in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, an archery ceremony known as the Hatsusha-kai was held. A total of 78 archery enthusiasts, aged between 18 and 85, dressed in traditional hakama, took part in the event, shooting arrows at a 36-centimeter target placed 28 meters away to mark the beginning of the new year. TOKYO, Jan 06 (News On Japan) - In 2025, all members of the postwar baby boomer generation will reach the age of 75 or older, becoming what is categorized as late-stage elderly. The sudden surge in people requiring care has raised concerns over the so-called "2025 Problem," posing a serious challenge to caregiving services. The baby boomer generation, born during the first postwar baby boom and known for its active involvement in student movements, numbers just under six million. By 2025, this entire demographic will have entered the late-stage elderly group, further accelerating the pace of aging in society. As a result, the number of people needing care is expected to increase sharply, intensifying the existing shortage of caregiving staff and raising fears that essential services may become inaccessible. Professor Yuki Yasuhiro of Shukutoku University warns, "There is a possibility that from 2025 onward, we may see the start of what could be described as 'care collapse.'" According to estimates from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 2.4 million caregiving personnel will be required by fiscal 2026, meaning an annual increase of around 63,000 workers will be necessary. However, despite this urgent need, the number of caregivers in 2023, as reported by the ministry last month, has declined for the first time since the launch of the national long-term care insurance system in 2000. The primary reason cited for this decline is the relatively low wages compared to other industries. Professor Yuki explains, "The wage hikes in other industries are significantly higher, resulting in an even greater wage disparity for caregiving staff. We need to raise caregiver wages to match the levels of other industries." Furthermore, as the number of people requiring care continues to grow, so will the number of "business carers"employees who juggle work while caring for family members. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry predicts that the number of such carers will exceed three million this year. Since April, companies have been legally required to inform employees about support measures for balancing work and caregiving, such as caregiving leave. This new regulation aims to encourage corporate involvement in addressing the caregiving issue. The number of people needing care is expected to continue rising, with the peak projected around 2040. Professor Yuki stresses, "If we don't improve the caregiving environment between 2035 and 2040, Japan's economy and society will face severe difficulties. People in their 50s and 60s will struggle with caregiving responsibilities for their aging parents, leading to an era where many will be unable to continue working." The "2025 Problem" highlights the urgent need for societal transformation to address this growing caregiving crisis. Source: TBS TOKYO, Jan 05 (News On Japan) - During the New Year's holidays from January 1st to 3rd, two elderly men in Tokyo lost their lives after choking on mochi, according to the Tokyo Fire Department, which has issued a warning urging caution when consuming the traditional rice cake. The Tokyo Fire Department reported that between January 1st and 3rd, nine elderly individuals, aged between 73 and 84, were rushed to hospitals after choking on mochi. Among them, a man in his 70s from Itabashi Ward and another man in his 80s from Nerima Ward, both of whom were eating mochi at home, were confirmed dead. As mochi consumption is expected to remain frequent during the New Year's season, the Tokyo Fire Department is advising people to take precautions when eating it. These include cutting the mochi into smaller, easier-to-eat pieces, chewing slowly, and drinking tea or soup beforehand to moisten the throat. Previously: Safety Warning After Elderly Man Chokes on Mochi Source: TBS Jan 06 (See U in History / Mythology) - Japan buzzed with rumors of an impending clash between two legendary samurai: Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro. Representing innovation and tradition respectively, the rivalry captured the nation. The duel, set on Ganryujima Island, showcased Musashi's psychological tactics and unconventional strategy. Arriving late with a wooden oar as his weapon, Musashi unsettled Kojiro, exploiting his pride and discipline. Kojiros signature Swallow Counter was foiled as Musashi struck with precision, killing him swiftly. The duels shocking end cemented Musashi as Japans greatest swordsman but left him burdened with a bittersweet victory, sparking debates that resonated for centuries. The Police Command in Jigawa has confirmed nine persons dead and four others injured in a communal clash that occurred on Friday in the state. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Lawan Shiisu, confirmed the incident in a statement issued to newsmen in Dutse, on Saturday. Shiisu stated that the incident occured at Gululu village in Miga Local Government Area (LGA) . He explained that the incidents occurred after residents of the village discovered that a shop in the area was broken and goods looted by unknown persons. The PPRO added that as a result, the villagers traced the suspected thieves footsteps to a village in the neighbouring Fulani community in Jahun LGA. He said that the community members were alleged to have shot the visiting villagers with bows and arrows, injuring four persons. According to him, in retaliation, the villagers from Gululu later mobilised and attacked and set ablaze Fulani settlements in both Miga and Jahun LGAs. On 03/01/2025, information from Gululu village in Miga LGA indicated that a group of miscreants suspected to be Fulanis broke into a shop and stole a quantity of hibiscus flower and other provisions. A team of villagers (Hausawa) traced their footprints to a Fulani settlement Camp in Yankunama village, Jahun LGA. On sighting the villagers, the Fulanis started shooting the villagers with bow and arrows and as a result, four persons were seriously injured. The villagers mobilized and started attacking the Fulanis and setting their houses ablaze at various locations within Miga and Jahun LGAs, Shiisu said. He added that upon receipt of the report, a team of policemen from the two LGAs rushed to the scene to assess the situation and restore peace and order. Unfortunately, upon their arrival, nine bodies were recovered and taken to Jahun and Miga Hospitals where the medical doctors on duty confirmed them dead, he said. The PPRO said that the Commissioner of Police (CP) in the state, Mr Ahmadu Abdullahi, alongside other senior officers, have already visited the scene of crime, where a stakeholder meeting was immediately convened. According to him, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Haruna Aliyu, who is from Miga, Council Chairmen, District Heads, leaders of Miyetti Allah and Vigilante Groups from the two affected LGAs also attended the meeting. The meeting was centered on maintaining law and order, avoiding violence, propaganda and reprisal attacks. And in the meantime, patrols are being stepped up in the affected areas to prevent further break down of law and order, Shiisu said. He added that while the situation has been brought under control, investigation is currently ongoing to bring the perpetrators to justice. By Donatus Anichukwueze Police operatives attached to the Imo State Command have successfully executed a daring rescue operation that led to the safe liberation of 4 kidnapped hostages. The operation, according to a statement by the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, on Sunday, was carried out on Saturday after the operatives received a distress call reporting the abduction of 4 persons in Umuokanne, Ohaji Local Government Area of Imo State. He said that the police operatives swiftly swung into action, locating the criminal hideout and engaging the kidnappers in a fierce gun-duel, during which 2 of the kidnappers were neutralized. The Force PRO added that the success of the operation led to the rescue of the 4 victims and the recovery of 1 Ak-47 rifle, 1 Ak-47 magazine and 21 rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition. The Force reaffirmed its resolute devotion to combatting heinous crimes such as this and assured members of the public that efforts to rid of criminal elements from our society will continue relentlessly, ensuring the safety and security of all residents. In another development on Friday, Adejobi said that police operatives attached to the Ebonyi State Command arrested 17 suspects in Enohia Itim village, Afikpo LGA for the murder of one Uromchi Okorocha m, who was accused by local youths of being involved in the killing of several individuals through alleged witchcraft and spiritual means. The suspects had mobilized and apprehended the deceased, but instead of handing him over to legal authorities and committing to the rule of law, they decided to take laws into their hands, becoming judge, jury and executioner. The police operatives of the Uwanna Division mobilized tactical teams to the scene on a rescue mission, but the angry mob had already killed and burned Mr Okorocha before the arrival of the Police team, the statement read in part. The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, condemned the act of jungle justice in totality. Citizens are once again urged to refrain from taking laws into their hands and report any suspected criminal activities to the nearest police division or formation around them for necessary action. The efforts of the police are constant reaffirmations of the dedication to bring to book perpetrators of heinous acts of crime in our societies. The IGP once again reiterates the unwavering commitment of the Force to public safety and justice for victims of violent crimes. Citizens are encouraged to engage with security agencies, providing any information that may assist in the ultimate goal of creating a utopian society for all. The Nigeria Police Force remains ever committed to ensuring a safe environment for everyone, the statement added. As violence and unrest continue to grip Mozambique following the disputed presidential election, the influx of Mozambican refugees into neighboring Malawi and Eswatini continues to rise. For nearly two months, Mozambicans have been demonstrating against the disputed 9 October election results, which saw the Frelimo party extend its five-decade rule in the Southern African state. Violent unrest has reportedly claimed hundreds of lives, and also led to an escape of over 1,500 inmates from a high-security jail, adding to the already tense atmosphere in the country. Businesses were shut down in Mozambiques capital, Maputo, on Friday (3 January), and security patrols were on alert amid fears of outbreaks of further violent protests by the opposition. Meanwhile, the aftermath of disputed presidential election has driven an estimated 3,000 people to seek refuge in neighboring countries, most notably Malawi and Eswatini. Malawi has seen a surge in refugees, with nearly 2,000 Mozambicans arriving in just one week, according to the reports from the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR. Many fled after their villages were attacked and their homes looted, risking their lives to cross the Shire River by swimming or using makeshift boats. Eswatinis authorities have reported nearly 1,000 Mozambicans who crossed the border into the kingdom over the past two months. One refugee facility near the border is now overwhelmed, struggling to accommodate the influx, according to the UNHCR. Tanzanian authorities have said there is no record of Mozambicans having crossed into the country. Cameroons military has announced the seizure of several hundred weapons and combat uniforms that were being smuggled by suspected Boko Haram militants to a hideout of the Nigeria-based terrorist group. The items confiscated this week in Maroua, a town near the central African countrys border with Nigeria and Chad, included long-barreled firearms, military uniforms, over 400 packets of tear gas and more than 100 gallons of oxidizing agents used to make explosives, Cameroon government officials said. According to the regional governor, Midjiyawa Bakari, the weapons were being smuggled to the Sambisa forest, in Borno State, northeast Nigeria, which has long served as a hideout and stronghold for Boko Haram members. Bakari also said the terrorist group is re-arming and recruiting members after it was weakened by troops of the Multinational National Joint Task Force of the Lake Chad Basin (MNJTF) made up of about 11,000 military personnel from Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad. Cameroonian troops have recently been deployed in the Lake Chad Basin region in a bid to capture more weapons and prevent Boko Haram from re-arming itself. The government in Yaounde has called on civilians to help prevent Boko Haram from re-arming and recruiting new members by reporting strangers in all border towns and villages to government troops. Over 40,000 people have been killed and 3 million have fled their homes in these four regional states since 2009, when fighting between Nigerian military and Boko Haram terrorist group escalated into an armed conflict and gradually spilled over into neighboring countries. The feckless Algerian military regime starts 2025 with another diplomatic crisis with neighboring Mali making analysts expect more turmoil this year as army chief Said Chengriha has tightened his grip on the country after he promoted himself to Delegate defense minister, while the region and the world are witnessing tectonic geopolitical changes. Chengrihas promotion has altered the balance of power in the country. By holding two posts, he gives himself almost complete control over the military, security, political and economic institutions. As a minister, he attends cabinet meetings and takes part in all decision-making. Chengrihas increased power has been further enhanced by his replacement of Major General Amar Athamnia as Commander of the Land Forces by Major-General Moustafa Smaili. The holder of the post usually becomes the next Chief of the Army Staff and therefore Chengrihas likely successor. Athamnia was neither supportive nor opposed to Chengriha, unlike Smaili, known for his close ties with the newly appointed delegate defense minister. According to some experts prediction, Algerias political and economic crises will continue to worsen in 2025 with growing social discontent over the deteriorating living conditions. Algerians are suffering from acute shortage of drinking water and staples such as milk, flour, oil, lentils, beansin an oil- gas producer and exporter country. The price of potatoes, peppers, green beans, oranges and meat have gradually risen, fueling public anger and resuscitating again the Hirak movement which is gaining momentum in social media networks. Thousands of Algerians have launched on social media a campaign to express their dissatisfaction about the countrys deteriorating political and social conditions. The hashtag #_ (I am Not Satisfied) has gone viral, showing the extent of the public anger against the current military regime. Alarmed by the situation which comes following the fall of the Assad regime, the Algerian authorities reacted violently against the activists and internet users who shared the anti-government hashtag. Security forces have intensified their crackdown on dissent and online protestors through restrictions on freedoms of expression, association, assembly, and movement. Algerian authorities have increasingly used charges related to terrorism to prosecute and muzzle human rights defenders, activists, and other critics, exacerbating social and political instability, turning the country into a ticking time bomb, threatening regional peace and stability. On the international scene, Algeria has strained relations with all its neighbors (Morocco, Mauritania, Libya, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad) as well as with Gulf nations, most African countries, European Union and even superpowers namely the USA and Russia. The Algerian regime violations of human rights, absence of democratic reform and increasing militarization of the State could lead to global sanctions, deepening further its international isolation and risking the same fate as Assad dictatorship. China Eastern Airlines Group will launch, via its subsidiary Shanghai Airlines, an air route between Shanghai and Casablanca starting January 19, Chinese media report. The long-haul flight, to operate three times a week (Tuesday, Friday and Sunday), will link Shanghai-Pudong international Airport to Casablancas Mohammed V Airport, with a layover in Marseilles. Flights from Shanghai will depart at 1:55 a.m. local time and land in Casablanca at 1:10 p.m. local time, according to Shine, a website belonging to Shanghai Daily, the largest English-language newspaper in Eastern China. These flights will be operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft with a capacity of 285 seats, including 26 in business class, the paper added. The timing of the routes launch comes at a convenient time in the run-up to the Chinese New Year, usually celebrated between late January and mid-February. In mid-December, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) announced the relaunch of its first-ever direct flight between Casablanca and Beijing as of January 20, 2025. RAMs new service will operate three times a week. Originally launched in January 2020, the route was suspended just a few weeks later due to the global health crisis. The relaunch of this vital connection is expected to play a pivotal role in further strengthening Moroccos appeal to Chinas growing outbound tourist market, the largest in the world. To mark this milestone, RAM signed 16 agreements with major Chinese travel agencies during a special ceremony held in Beijing. This new service is part of RAMs broader plan to enhance air connectivity between Morocco and China as part of its 2024-2037 strategic roadmap. RAM plans to increase the frequency of flights to Beijing from three to seven weekly flights and expand its network to other major Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou. Rabat and Beijings relations have particularly strengthened since Morocco decided in 2016 to exempt Chinese nationals from visa formalities, making the country a popular destination for travelers. The Whoa Vicky Jumped OUT! Reply Thread Link shes a snack Reply Parent Thread Expand Link omg she was on Dr. Phil wasn't she? I remember this Reply Parent Thread Link Can we call her Whoa Ari? Reply Parent Thread Link WHAT THE FUCK Reply Parent Thread Link I'm just dead tired with all this stuff against her. Reply Thread Link its all valid criticisms though Reply Parent Thread Link given the fact that justin timberlake, christina aguilera, eminem and countless others who are fluent in blackcent have avoided this criticism, i'm not sure how valid it really is. i'm no fan of ariana and if there's anything I despise more is white people talking black, but this almost feels like a making up for all those years of keeping mum...dumping it all on one girl who's been taught that adopting black culture is perfectly acceptable by the aforementioned. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link You done dead then Reply Parent Thread Expand Link RIP ichabod_crake Reply Parent Thread Link and I'm dead tired of these lil white girls trying to serve black girl magic. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link wrong answer Reply Parent Thread Link CLIVE. Ugh I love him. Reply Parent Thread Link she looked so much better before the surgeries and weight loss Reply Parent Thread Link Her brow lift makes her look tired all the time Reply Parent Thread Link Yes. It's insane to me that anyone would do this it makes me sick to my stomach Reply Parent Thread Link I will never not judge doctors who do this shit. Not that women can't make their own choices and all, but when they're SO young and it's coming from a misguided place...yikes. Reply Parent Thread Link i honestly would not think they were the same person Reply Parent Thread Link Her real fave was cute, sad... Edited at 2018-12-06 06:24 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link at least she looks alive behind her eyes in this clip and she isn't fucking w her voice tone Reply Parent Thread Link I only made it :48. All the "like" were driving me crazy Reply Parent Thread Link Doing tribal dances... Reply Parent Thread Link ...the name 'dan schneider' rings an unpleasant bell, but i can't quite remember why... Reply Parent Thread Expand Link These arent even the worst of her tweets too lol Reply Parent Thread Link she said finna. like... lmao Reply Parent Thread Link omg that video of that impersonator that somebody on here posted was dead-on Reply Thread Link omg this gem killed me Reply Parent Thread Expand Link omg im crying at her singing over the rainbow Reply Parent Thread Link The "Hi. Yuh." kills me. Did they get the real guy who does these? Reply Parent Thread Link she is a treasure ! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Ahaha this was so good Reply Parent Thread Link Why did I watch that and what point did it serve since it was not at all funny? Reply Parent Thread Link please let more outlets pick this shit up and run with it Reply Thread Link As they should! Reply Parent Thread Link We can only hope. Reply Parent Thread Link Lettuce pray Reply Parent Thread Link i even saw this on a reddit beauty channel Reply Parent Thread Link omg ariana getting called out on her blaccent/brown face/cultural appropriation somewhere other than ontd? its a christmas miracle Reply Thread Link I seen a YT video about it, that called her out for blackfishing and her stans are all over it, defending her. Not surprised. The comments are something else. Reply Parent Thread Link her stans really are delusional :/ Reply Parent Thread Link it will last for 2 days max then people will forget. She'll get away with this SADLY and will get no repercussions whatsoever Reply Parent Thread Link I've seen it happen a few times, the difference is that, outside of ONTD, there are always tons of stans ready to defend her, so it ends up getting almost no traction. Reply Parent Thread Link I've seen her called out on Twitter but her fans usually flood the comments Reply Parent Thread Link I was disappointed that they talked about this on the Keep It podcast this week and the hosts all thought the blackface critique of her video was overblown. I feel like Ira and Kara usually get it right but they were really dismissive of the criticisms. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Shawn my love <3333 Edited at 2018-12-06 08:40 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link nnnn a HBK gif Reply Parent Thread Link MTE Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link an HBK gif on my ontd??? <3 Reply Parent Thread Link ugh such a gd BABE Reply Parent Thread Link blaccent to go with her blatant blackface. perfect match made it yt hell Reply Thread Link She sounds like Miss Nikki baby from LHHH lol Let her have her moment, I get it, but like anytime a female is succeeding the media is so quick to tear them down. Reply Thread Link Did she say juice Reply Thread Link Janelle better get awards for this album istg Reply Parent Thread Link I've been saying this like...if the Grammys snub her I'm gonna rage Reply Parent Thread Link Shes slept on tbh Reply Parent Thread Link promote this!!! Reply Parent Thread Link I know I'm gonna sound dumb right now, but what is YT? I thought it was You Tube, but I'm guessing not? Reply Parent Thread Link Xtinas was worse tbh Edited at 2018-12-06 06:27 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link Omg that one VMA when she wore the tiny skirt and scarf bra...whew chile! I was hollering every time she opened her mouth. Reply Parent Thread Link I mean at least shes actually a Latina but still like you said... whew chile!!! Lmao (Also auto correct does not understand slang apparently ) Edited at 2018-12-06 06:50 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link (that look is soooo iconic, legit my favorite next to her dress that was hot pink feathers) Edited at 2018-12-06 07:00 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Like, she's legit 1/2 Ecuadorian,.. as in her dad is a whole ass Ecuadorian man which means that blood runs through her! He was indeed part of her life growing up,.. did ya'll NOT listen to stripped?,.. "I'm OK?" Like, her dad royally messed her up, hence he was part of her life! What I don't get is that someone like Mariah NEVER gets questioned when it comes to her urban influence, yet her dad was never even part of her life (as far as I know) and her mom is legit a white opera singer? Yet Mariah is HEAVILY influenced and part of the urban genre and doesn't get questioned about it, but Xtina legit isn't latina to you guys? Her ancestry.com results would shut you all down right quick. And back to the topic of her dad not being part of her life, hence invalidating her latinaness,.. she even recently posted pix of her and her dad for veterans day,.. like, ya'll don't know her life! Thank you to the men and women who have fought and sacrificed so much to keep our country safe. pic.twitter.com/HzSqFNXmUZ Christina Aguilera (@xtina) November 12, 2018 Also, that VMA clip is definitely OTT,.. I truly think she was just HIGH AF tho! (not an excuse,.. just saying) What the hell w/ these replies invalidating Xtina being latina?!Like, she's legit 1/2 Ecuadorian,.. as in her dad is a whole ass Ecuadorian man which means that blood runs through her! He was indeed part of her life growing up,.. did ya'll NOT listen to stripped?,.. "I'm OK?" Like, her dad royally messed her up, hence he was part of her life!What I don't get is that someone like Mariah NEVER gets questioned when it comes to her urban influence, yet her dad was never even part of her life (as far as I know) and her mom is legit a white opera singer? Yet Mariah is HEAVILY influenced and part of the urban genre and doesn't get questioned about it, but Xtina legit isn't latina to you guys? Her ancestry.com results would shut you all down right quick.And back to the topic of her dad not being part of her life, hence invalidating her latinaness,.. she even recently posted pix of her and her dad for veterans day,.. like, ya'll don't know her life!Also, that VMA clip is definitely OTT,.. I truly think she was just HIGH AF tho! (not an excuse,.. just saying) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link TY to these people Are the replies agreeing with them or stans claiming they're reaching b/c I don't want to look if it's the latter lol my blood pressure can't handle it Reply Thread Link The DELUSION lol Reply Parent Thread Link Halp! CACKLING Reply Parent Thread Link OMG, yeah , I read a Twitter thread that said she looked white in Victorious because Nick forced her to look like that because colorism and racism (not joking those are the words they said ) and that the 50 shades darker Ariana is her one and true self , I can't believe the mental gymnastics some people do to defend their faves Reply Parent Thread Expand Link These mental gymnastics are honestly worrying. Its not only delusional but they are seriously trying to rewrite history and gaslight people into thinking that she was brown this whole time. Her fans are a piece of work. Reply Parent Thread Link Police officer closing jail cell door locking up Nicki Minaj arresting arrested on Instagram live pic.twitter.com/MI09yEK5Zs Brians Reaction Videos (@celestesangels) May 26, 2024 Reply Thread Link WAIT IS THIS REAL Reply Parent Thread Link Yes, this was when she got detained/arrested transporting weed across country lines in Europe. Edited at 2025-01-05 12:24 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link She won't have a phone this time Reply Parent Thread Link why did she think linvstreaming this was a good idea, its just going to be meme'd Reply Parent Thread Expand Link god this was so embarrassing for her Reply Parent Thread Link Happy 2025 indeed Reply Thread Link God is real. Reply Thread Link who this cutie?? Reply Parent Thread Link Kurt Huang playing yuan in the Taiwanese show Unknown. It's SO good and it's gay. Yuan was LIVING for the mess unfolding. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm surprised she didn't do something to deflect like she does when more stuff comes out about her husband. Reply Thread Link She's probably too coked out to think clearly lol Reply Parent Thread Link Im guessing since there are actual charges against her, shes listening to her to people telling her to stfu. Her going off like she usually does would probably be used against her in court Reply Parent Thread Link yessss Reply Thread Link I'm surprised she hasn't gone on at least one rant about this yet on social media lol Reply Thread Link Maybe she's in the slammer Reply Parent Thread Link Go for her! Reply Thread Link Crazy reaction because of a "prescription". Reply Thread Link Genuine question: why does she have a warrant for arrest but Jay Z doesn't? Reply Thread Link The case against JayZ is civil. The case against Nicki is criminal. Reply Parent Thread Link probably because this happened more recently? Reply Parent Thread Link What everyone else said but also tbh that Jay Z case has pretty big inconsistencies that may very well end up getting it dismissed (I dont know enough to say either way obviously but that lawyer has been making some weird decisions overall) Reply Parent Thread Link lmao moron Reply Thread Link Electricity prices were a popular topic in global headlines in 2024. President-elect Donald Trump ran a campaign based on promises to slash energy prices for United States consumers. Ukraine is facing a brutal winter with punishing electricity costs on top of its already stressed and war-stricken economy. Europe is facing ever-higher rates of energy poverty and is desperately seeking solutions. But while problems surrounding energy prices are widespread, they are not exactly global. Around the world, people are paying vastly different prices for their energy. Prices can vary wildly between and even within countries. The four primary factors impacting your utility bill are the cost of the fuel itself, the cost of services associated with bringing that energy to your home, the weather which impacts those services as well as the availability of variable energy sources such as solar and wind power, and, of course, the amount of energy you consume. Each of these factors is heavily influenced by where in the world you are located. These four basic factors are each heavily dependent on other local and regional conditions such as infrastructure, geography, domestic energy resources, energy policy, and taxes and levies. Some of the highest energy prices in the world can be found in countries that charge their own residents residential end-user electricity prices, including Denmark, Belgium, and Sweden. Meanwhile, other countries, especially energy-rich ones, subsidize their electricity so significantly that energy is virtually free for those who live there. So who is paying the most and who is paying the least to keep the lights on around the world? In 2024, Italy, Ireland, and Denmark had some of the highest household electricity prices in the world. As of March of this year, Italian households were charged around 0.43 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour, while in Ireland, the price stood at 0.41 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour, Statista reports. By comparison, in the United States, residents paid almost three times less. On the other end of the scale, perhaps unsurprisingly, some of the biggest oil-producing countries in the world make up the nations with the lowest overall energy prices in 2024. These include Iran, Qatar, and Russia. In those locations, the average household pays less than 0.1 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Germany and Italy, which were among the countries paying the most for energy this year, were also the two top importers of natural gas in Europe in 2023. Thats no coincidence. Net exporters of fossil fuels are able to maintain stable and low energy prices for their own domestic markets, whereas net importers are highly vulnerable to shocks and volatility in oil markets. Energy prices in the United States are relatively reasonable, ranking toward the middle of the spread. However, even these comparatively affordable prices are proving to be punishing for U.S. households. The landscape of energy poverty in the United States is changing rapidly thanks to policy, industrial, and climate concerns. And energy prices over the next few years are shaping up to be a wild ride, as Trump promises to slash prices but also promises to boost United States liquified natural gas imports, which experts agree will drive up prices. A recent Department of Energy report found that increasing natural gas exports exposes a triple-cost increase to U.S. consumers, in the words of Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. Moreover, energy demand rates are rapidly changing in the United States due to skyrocketing consumption from data centers driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence, as well as a warming climate pushing residents in the South and Southwest to crank their air conditioners to new heights. Of course, the issue of AI and the climate are not isolated to the United States, and we can expect to see the average electricity prices fluctuate in many countries and regions in the coming years. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Once Russia's initial push to subjugate Ukraine failed in the first weeks of its full-scale invasion, a widespread view prevailed for two years or more: There's no end in sight. That has changed in recent months for several reasons, with factors ranging from the situation on the battlefield and shifts in public opinion to the election of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who returns to the White House on January 20 and has repeatedly said he would put paid to the biggest armed conflict in Europe since World War II within a day or two. So, will Russia's war against Ukraine end in 2025? If an end means a durable peace deal, the answer is no, many analysts say in part because Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn't want it, regardless of what he claims, unless it leaves Moscow with a degree of dominance over Ukraine that is unacceptable to Kyiv and its backers abroad. Experts say Putin wants Russia to pose a persistent threat to Ukraine and a challenge to the West, which he casts as the aggressor in a civilizational confrontation. Ukrainians, meanwhile, don't want a peace deal if it means formally handing territory to Russia and giving up hope of holding Russia to account for its crimes against the country and its people. "I think we're very, very far from an end to the war," said Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. A push for a cease-fire is almost a given, though, in light of Trump's promises to end the war quickly, and negotiations seem more likely than they have since a series of discussions petered out a few months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "The smart money right now is that [Trump] can probably get the Russians and the Ukrainians to talk to both him and each other," Olga Oliker, program director for Europe and Central Asia at the Crisis Group, told RFE/RL. "I think thatwhat we will likely be looking at is some de facto, at least, if not a de jure cease-fire with some degree of negotiation, tacit or explicit, over the course of 2025," Sam Greene, professor at the King's Russia Institute at King's College London and director of democratic resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis, told RFE/RL. Land And Security There are plenty of pitfalls that could stem from a cease-fire, including the risk that Russia could use it as a chance to regroup and attack again unless effective deterrents and protections for Ukraine are in place. There are also plenty of obstacles to any deal, some of them stemming from seemingly irreconcilable positions on crucial aspects of the conflict. One of them is territory. A cease-fire agreement seems more likely now than it has in the past in part because of signs that Ukraine, which Oliker said is "tired and exhausted and on the back foot" amid slow and enormously costly but persistent Russian battlefield gains, may be prepared for a deal that would leave much of the land Moscow's forces now occupy under de-facto Russian control on a temporary and unofficial basis. But that might not be enough for Putin. He and other Russian officials have said that recognition of four mainland Ukraine provinces in their entirety as Russian -- including large portions that Ukraine controls -- is not negotiable, a position that is unacceptable for Kyiv. An even bigger obstacle is the need for serious, effective security guarantees for Ukraine. Russia is dead set against Ukraine joining NATO: One of the demands Moscow put forward as a way to avert the full-scale invasion was a binding assurance that Kyiv would never become a member. And analysts say the Kremlin is also almost certain to bristle at any arrangement it can cast as the virtual equivalent of membership in the Western military alliance. If Kyiv's Western backers "tried to tiptoe around this, to construct something that had the content but not the form of a guarantee, Putin would make clear that would not be acceptable to him, Gould-Davies said. "It's very, very hard to see what that would look like," he said of a security assurance for Ukraine that would suit both sides. 'His Theory Of Victory' A major focus of discussion in recent weeks has been the prospect of sending Western troops into Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire. But there are disagreements about this in Europe, and Russia would not be happy with it. "The Kremlin will not want to see Western troops, NATO troops, in particular, along that line of control of policing a cease-fire," Greene said, because "Russia will want to maintain the power of initiative. It will want to be the one controlling the dial when it comes to escalation;, it will want to be able to keep everybody else, including the Ukrainians in the West, off balance." "The question is, will [Kyiv and the West] be able to force Moscow into a position where it doesn't have a choice but to accept that kind of an arrangement?" he said. With Russia advancing on the battlefield, its economy apparently far from collapse despite warning signs, and uncertainty about the future of Western support for Ukraine, that prospect seems distant for the time being. "At this point, [Putin] believes that his theory of victory is proving itself, that Russia is just in the long term big enough and tough enough to impose costs and incur costs against the smaller adversary, Ukraine, grind it down militarily, and outlast the West politically," Gould-Davies said. "The thing that could change that and force Putin to take a different view of the future would be if the Trump administration put real pressure, significant major pressure on Putin by threatening costs of continuing the war that would lead Putin to believe that his own regime could be jeopardized," he said. Beyond suggesting he would use levels of aid to Ukraine as levers of influence over both Kyiv and Moscow, Trump has said little about how he hopes to end the war. While he waits for Trump's term to begin, Putin seems to be playing a double game, as he often does, sending contradictory messages in almost the same breath: casting Russia as constructive and prepared for concessions but at the same throwing up barriers to any agreement that might be acceptable to Kyiv and the West. Case in point: At a 4 -hour question- and-answer session live on state TV on December 19, Putin asserted that Russia is ready for compromise on Ukraine -- but also said several things that suggested it isn't. 'Built Around The War' For one thing, Putin portrayed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as an illegitimate leader with whom he would not sign a deal. For another, he once again indicated that the so-called Istanbul Communique, a framework agreement floated shortly before talks between Moscow and Kyiv broke down months into the full-scale invasion, must serve as a basis for any negotiations. "What Putin is saying though is that the terms of that deal, which envisaged an essentially neutered Ukraine -- not just barred from joining NATO, but also demilitarized, and thus a very, very easy target for Russia in the futurehas to essentially be at the center of any future peace deal," Russia analyst Mark Galeotti said. "He's trying to make this process as awkward as possible, while making it sound as if he's as flexible as possible," Galeotti said on his podcast on December 22. Greene suggested Russia might be prepared to "turn down the violence" and consider a cease-fire, but only if Putin is confident that Moscow could continue to threaten Ukraine and keep its standoff with the West, which he has made a defining feature of his rule, simmering along. "The Russian economy right now is only functioning because of the war. The Russian political system is now built around the war. It excuses and explains the level of centralization, the level of repression, the level of ideological control, which are going to be things that the Kremlin will be very loathe, if able at all, to countenance pivoting away from," he told RFE/RL. "Even if Russia were to pivot towards a cease-fire, I think it would find itself seeking to maintain the level of confrontation that it currently has with Ukraine, but [also] with the West more broadly." In propaganda terms, Greene said, "Putin and the Kremlin in general has given itself a significant amount of rhetorical wiggle room. They can define victory, even temporary victory, partial victory, in a number of different ways," he told RFE/RL. 'An Enormous Mistake' Oliker also indicated that Russia's stated positions on territory and other issues don't necessarily mean a deal would be out of reach if talks take place. "There is advantage of getting talks started. And once you've gotten them started, people might be willing to make concessions that they don't say they're willing to make when they go in," she said. "You always go in with your maximal position, and you'd be a fool not to." An agreement may not come to pass in 2025. But if talks are held and a deal is done, analysts warn, Western nations must be careful to avoid congratulating themselves and considering the matter closed. "Europe's response to any cease-fire agreement will be critically important -- both for Ukraine and for themselves," Ruth Deyermond, senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, said in written comments to RFE/RL. "With many countries dealing with political turmoil at home (often stoked by Russia), they may be tempted to treat this as an end to the conflict and an opportunity to reset relations with Russia. That would be an enormous mistake," she wrote. "Russia will continue to pose the most serious and immediate conventional and non-conventional threat to European security." By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com By the time a menacing, black wedge of a tornado crested a hill on Omahas western edge on April 26, staff at the National Weather Services Omaha office had been warning of the potential for hazardous weather in the metro area for five full days. Four days before tornadoes landed, the offices meteorologist in charge was talking about increasing staff for the end of the week. Ultimately, the staff decided that nearly all available meteorologists would be on duty the day of the storm, nearly a dozen meteorologists and staff vs. the usual two to cover the offices 38-county service area in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. All week long, they provided round after round of briefings with emergency managers, media meteorologists, law enforcement, school officials and others. On that fateful Friday, at 10:30 a.m., they briefed the officials again and included estimated arrival times and tornado potential for many communities. They noted that the storms were likely to coincide with school dismissal. By 2 p.m., the dire forecasts were coming true, as warm, moist air was propelled upward, forming super cells packing high-velocity winds, heavy rain, lightning and hail. Meteorologists issued a tornado warning for Lincoln and nearby Waverly, then one for the area from Saunders County into western Douglas County. Soon after, with the vortex kicking up so much dirt and debris that it was visible on radar, they posted a tornado emergency, a warning so dire and rare that only one of the meteorologists working the all-hands-on-deck event had ever issued one. Over the course of the next several hours, the strongest tornadoes in a decade slammed into the area, carving 25 tornado tracks that totaled 208.1 miles long. The two widest, which struck Elkhorn and Minden, Iowa, each measured a little more than a mile across. After the dust settled and residents began emerging from hundreds of shattered homes in the hard-hit Elkhorn, Bennington and Blair areas, the only real surprise was how few injuries the storm had caused a scattering among the thousands of residents in the storms path. A different tornado spun out of the same storm system caused one death in Minden, Iowa. And the Arbor Day outbreak was just one storm system in an active weather year that produced 74 total tornadoes double the previous record of 37 in 2008 in the offices warning area. All together, the staff issued 130 tornado warnings, second most in the U.S. behind the office covering western Oklahoma, and 415 severe thunderstorm warnings, putting the office at No. 6 in the U.S. They had received 24 preliminary reports of winds of 75 mph or more, which is second most by one during that period, and 13 reports of hail 3 inches in diameter or larger. For their early, lifesaving warnings, particularly during the Arbor Day outbreak and the severe weather warnings that followed last year, the staff members of the weather services Omaha office have been named the Omaha World-Heralds 2024 Midlanders of the Year. THEY DEFINITELY SAVED LIVES Erv Portis, assistant director of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, said he credited the weather service staff when CNN asked him a day or two after the storm how Nebraska had been fortunate enough to avoid serious injuries or deaths from the storm. They were messaging about that storm system and the serious potential for several days before, Portis said. The local media was doing the same. The weather service plays such a huge role in getting good information out and helping us get information out to keep people prepared and safe. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer saw the impact from two angles. As police chief, he was managing his departments overall response that day. He also drove to his Elkhorn area home to check on his family and watched from a safe vantage point as the huge tornado swept across the western part of the community. After it passed, he drove to the scene, bracing to see injuries and death. When he saw people emerging largely unharmed from basements and garages, he felt the same sense of relief hed experienced on arriving at a west Omaha Target store in 2023 after a gunman fired multiple shots inside and learning no civilians had been injured. Its hard to even imagine that because the houses were sheared off, said Schmaderer, who also credited local news stations continuous coverage of the incoming storm. I was convinced at that point in time they definitely saved lives. Getting advanced warning from the weather service, he said, also allowed police and fire departments to ramp up so they could maintain continuity of service, including bringing in extra officers to handle 911 calls. Weather service staff, for their part, credited residents for taking the warnings seriously. I keep going back to the stories of people who did the right thing, said Brian Barjenbruch, the National Weather Service science and operations officer on duty that day. They got the warning, they sheltered in the right spot, and then they ended up with minor injuries or none, even though everything around them was destroyed. Thats the big thing that keeps coming around in my head. You cant stop a tornado. You can only tell people its coming, then hope that people ... seek the best shelter. And so many people did. In the tornadoes aftermath, The World-Herald interviewed scores of people who told tales of lost homes and lost peace. Some, like Elkhorn resident Mike Perry, had been following the forecasts and left their jobs early to check on family members. As the storm approached, he hustled his parents, aging knees and all, down the basement stairs and into a closet. Many realized the extent of the damage only after they arose from their safe shelters. Kellie Backlund and her family huddled in the basement of their home outside Bennington during the moments of the April 26 storm, she told The World-Herald. We felt safe down there, but we could hear everything going on, she said. When we came out, the whole back of the house was gone. Becky Kern, a 25-year veteran who had become warning coordination meteorologist five days before the storm, said she believes the storm prompted some residents to reevaluate their safety plans, including where they will shelter the people for whom theyre responsible. IT NEVER GETS EASIER Suzanne Fortin, the meteorologist in charge of the Omaha area office, said the anxiety level was high in the office the day of the outbreak. By midafternoon, a series of super cells had begun popping up on meteorologists radar screens in shades of fiery yellow, orange and red. A big tornado, an EF2, had already carved a 27-mile path in Boone County, starting in the warning area of the weather services Hastings office and ending in the Omaha offices territory. An hour later, the Omaha staff issued the tornado warning for Lincoln and nearby Waverly. One super cell produced an EF3 tornado that struck the Garner Industries plant at 98th Street and U.S. Highway 6, where 70 employees were sheltered. It collapsed the roof of the plant and three walls. The storm continued north and east. The office issued a tornado warning for Saunders and western Douglas Counties. At that point, both Valley and the weather service office lay in the warning area. The staff discussed whether they would need to seek shelter and go to backup, turning operations over to the Hastings, Nebraska, weather service office as theyd done briefly during a Dec. 15, 2021, tornado warning. The Hastings team was ready. But the Omaha meteorologists determined the cells path would take it south and east of Valley. Then around 3:30 p.m., they could see from the dark red on the radar that a large amount of earth and debris was being kicked up in the storms wake, a sign a tornado was on the ground. It was soon confirmed by an employee at Two Rivers State Recreation Area near Highway 92 and 264th Street. About six minutes later, the tornado still churning and gaining speed, they issued a tornado emergency, a newer warning added in about 2008 and one intended to alert responders that a dangerous tornado was heading into a heavily populated area. Only Fortin had issued one before. The team also issued two other newer warnings in 2024, one for a snow squall and a fire warning for David City in mid-October. They continued to track the storm as it produced the separate EF4 tornado that struck Elkhorn, Bennington and Blair before crossing the Missouri River into Iowa, a path of 31 miles. At one point, it was on track to hit both Fortins and Barjenbruchs houses. It passed within a half-mile of several staff members homes. We just hoped that those that we loved and our neighbors were OK, Fortin said. It wasnt a new feeling for the 40-year weather service veteran. She previously had served in Oklahoma and Kansas, the heart of Tornado Alley, and worked large tornadoes in heavily populated areas. It never gets easier, she said. Thats the reason that I still come to work and try to move the needle forward each day. Kern was off that day but followed the storm from home. Her husband, a state employee, also was home for the Arbor Day holiday. After seeing what was happening near Lincoln, the couple, who live in Fremont, went to pick up their son from school. She also abandoned plans to attend a wedding in Fort Calhoun. She kept checking in and, after the storm passed, sometime before 5 p.m., headed for the office. As she approached, she found the U.S. Highway 275 exit clogged by vehicles sheltering from small hail under the overpass. Frustrated, she drove through the ditch to get around the backup. Fortin said some staff members had to take some breaks during the tense and intense situation. But all continued to do their part to protect lives and property. She has been in similar situations where she has seen people get up and walk away. (There is) such a high sense of fulfilling the mission and keeping people safe with the people that work here in this office that its truly humbling to work with them, she said. During big storms, Fortin said, staff pitch in wherever theyre needed, from answering phones to launching weather balloons. When the office was hit by lightning and someone smelled smoke, an electronic technician climbed into the ceiling to check. He found a slipping belt on an AC unit. But two weeks before, a lightning strike had knocked out radar and fried display screens. A technician got the radar up again within a half-hour. The office also has a database of several thousand trained spotters, who serve as extra eyes and call the office, dial 911, post on social medial or phone a local TV news station to report what theyve seen. On April 26, the offices phone lines were tied up for several hours. But Fortin said the staff got the the information, which made a difference in several cases, either providing insights they couldnt get from radar or confirming what the radar showed. We rely on them heavily, she said. And the team has built relationships with local emergency responders, broadcast meteorologists and others over the years. The staff had drilled just such a disaster a massive tornado bearing down on a highly populated area during training sessions with many of its those partners just months earlier. Nor did the threat end after the Lincoln area and Elkhorn-Bennington-Blair tornadoes had lifted off. A separate storm produced an EF3 tornado that developed just east of the Eppley Airfield runway, destroying several aircraft hangars and aircraft, and then crossed the river and damaged homes south of Crescent. A third storm produced two EF3 tornadoes, one that started in southwest Iowa and came within a mile or two of McClelland and another that struck Minden before tracking as far as Harlan and Defiance, cutting a path nearly 41 miles long. The day itself proved one for the record books. All together, the offices staff issued a record 42 tornado warnings that day and tallied 25 tornadoes. Nationally, 2024 has proved to be the most intense year for tornadoes in a decade, the New York Times recently reported, with more than 1,700 reported through November, according to preliminary data. The Elkhorn-Bennington-Blair rated an EF4, the first such twister recorded in Nebraska since four EF4 tornadoes struck northeast Nebraska, including Pilger, on June 16, 2014. About three weeks after the Elkhorn area storm, another EF4 tornado struck Greenfield, Iowa, killing five. Researchers suggest the increase in tornadoes may be linked to climate change. They also link the cycles of more severe weather, stronger storms and hotter hots to the changing climate. All of those make the National Weather Services work to assess and warn about coming threats more crucial. As of early December, Nebraska had experienced five federally declared disasters with $118 million in damage to public infrastructure alone, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. Other factors also may be at work in the increase in reported tornadic activity. Not only have tornado detection systems improved in recent decades, the use of social media and the ability for anyone to snap a photo with their phone has played a role in the increase in recorded tornadoes. But Fortin said the Omaha office staffs ability to predict storms and provide advanced warnings is among the best in the nation. On April 26, they warned about the west Omaha tornado 20 minutes in advance. The weather services goal is 10 minutes. HUMANS DECIDE WHEN TO ISSUE A WARNING The decision to issue a tornado warning is entirely a human call. Its issued when meteorologists believe a storm is producing, or is likely producing, a tornado. But issuing a warning also triggers other important steps in the process of alerting the public. Once the weather service issues a warning, it activates the Wireless Emergency Alert System, which sounds warnings on NOAA all-hazards radios and cellphones. Broadcast media have access, so warnings also sound on televisions. Kern noted that cellphones default to respond to the alerts. Users have to turn them off. But whether the warnings sound on phones depends on a variety of factors, including their owners carrier, the cellular tower theyre pinging at the time and whether the devices have been updated. Thats why forecasters and emergency managers stress the need for people to have multiple ways to receive warnings, including weather apps and phone trees with friends and family, in case one doesnt get through. The emergency alert also goes to 911 dispatch centers in the area. In Douglas County, 911 dispatchers then hit a button that sends a signal from a radio tower that is picked up by and activates every tornado siren in the county, said Whitney Shipley, director of the Douglas County Emergency Management Agency. The county had two towers until around 2010, when one was shuttered. Generators can supply the remaining tower if the power goes out, she said. But because of concerns that having only one tower could threaten the ability to sound sirens if it were damaged, the Douglas County Board last year approved funding for a second tower to be installed this year. After the tornado, we said we should probably invest in that redundant capacity, she said. Kern said local weather service meteorologists, emergency responders and broadcast meteorologists also use a chatroom during severe weather to communicate in real time. Forecasters provide insights into their decisions, which broadcast meteorologists often share on air. Barjenbruch said one advantage of the Arbor Day storm was that it was visible from miles away. Storms that arrive under the cover of night, like the one that moved through a month later on May 24, producing 16 smaller tornadoes and winds strong enough to be classified as a derecho, have the potential to produce different outcomes. But people took those warnings seriously, too, and sought shelter. Not every tornado warning is going to have a tornado hit your house, thank goodness, he said. But every one is worth taking action for. ... Thats kind of our goal ... so that you dont have to think about it, so you dont have to see it, before getting to safety. After the Arbor Day storm, not only public officials but also average citizens acknowledged that the warnings had prevented harm. Some even brought cookies and sandwiches to the Valley office to thank the team, a first in Kerns memory. A needs assessment the Douglas County Health Department conducted after the outbreak indicated that 93% of households surveyed knew the difference between a watch and a warning, far better than the national average, said Caleb Kuddes, supervisor of emergency response for the Douglas County Health Department. A little more than 50% learned about the tornado watch from television and 51% from an automated text or phone message. Only 10.9% said they took no action after that notification, he said, indicating that most people started doing something, such as checking weather reports and emergency supplies. Some 78.6% heard the sirens after the warning was issued, and 71.3% got an automated text or call. And all but 3.6% did something about it. In open-ended survey questions, several respondents credited the weather service and broadcast meteorologists for providing information they needed to keep safe. One anonymous respondent thanked the weather service team. The constant text messages were extremely helpful and let us know we needed to take this seriously. So grateful we did! The Three Rivers Public Health Department conducted a similar survey in Washington County with the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health. Some 65% of respondents to that survey heard about the warning on TV and 62% through an automated text or phone notification. Terra Uhing, the Health Departments executive director, said shes convinced the warnings had an impact. Going door to door to conduct the survey proved one of the most impactful experiences of her career. Not to have any lives lost, with (all) the destruction, she said. Thats a huge win for Nebraska. IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN ... SO YOU PREPARE For the weather service, neither the job of tracking tornadoes nor the task of preparing for the next storm ends when the wind stops blowing. After the Arbor Day outbreak, the Omaha meteorologists, aided by staff from at least four other offices, fanned out to tally the damage and rate the tornadoes. The scale is based the kind of damage the storm causes, a process that involves trying to determine how much force it takes to mangle a steel road sign or knock a house off its foundation, factoring in how it was built. Fortin said the team was able to advance the science of rating in that regard. Barjenbruch said he never wants to look at a screen again and see a large wedge-shaped tornado approaching. But the reality is that cities are getting bigger, and that makes them increasingly hard for storms to miss. So the team will continue to work on partnerships with local agencies. This year, Fortin said, that will include speaking with school administrators about their needs and lessons learned. The weather service also plans to conduct outreach events with the deaf and hard of hearing community and to work with the Douglas County Health Department to translate some messages into additional languages. The thing is, it will happen again, Barjenbruch said. It might be 20 years, it might be 2025. You dont know, so you prepare. By Richar Adeniyi Newly elected President, Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) Dr. McGeorge Onyung has promised to ensure the disbursement of the over $100 million that has accrued into the Cabotage Vessels Finance Fund (CVFF) for the development of indigenous shipowners. Speaking shortly after the election, which held in Lagos recently, Onyung said the association would engage the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Federal Ministry of Transportation over the disbursement of the fund. According to him, the intervention fund was created for the benefits of shipowners and it must be disbursed for their use. The CVFF is created for the benefit of indigenous shipowners and the fact that it had not been disbursed means something needs to be fine-tuned. So I will come back with my team to look at what are the possibilities and what is the real nagging problem so that we can address it for a win-win situation. It is not my job to ensure CVFF is disbursed but I believe the government is working on the disbursement but we will create a team that will address all issues that affect our members and the CVFF is one of them. We will look at the best way to ensure that it is disbursed to our members, he said. Onyung, who noted that the task ahead of the new executive is enormous, promised to build an association that would engage stakeholders in the sector constructively. He said the association is also in support of the NIMASAs five years waiver cessation plan for the actualisation of the Cabotage act. The task for the future is very enormous, I want to see a very smoother relationship with our stakeholders and regulators, the shipping industry to be moved to the next level and creating a formidable team that will engage stakeholders. l will work with them and engage them positively. On Cabotage, I believed going forward, it will be made to work. it is a good thing but we have to sit and go back to the drawing board and see which area we can fine tune the rough edges and see areas that can be smoothen for the benefits of the maritime industry, he stated. An Ado-Ekiti High Court on Thursday sentenced two men, Oluwayomi Adedayo, 27, and Seyi Daramola, 23, to death for armed robbery. Justice John Adeyeye held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and consequently, found the duo guilty as charged. It was reported that the convicts carried out a robbery activity with guns on or about August 4, 2016 at Club 15, Dynamic Lounge, Irewumi, Opp. Bawa Estate Road in Ado Ekiti. The convicts were first arraigned on October 16, 2017 on two charges of armed robbery and conspiracy but they pleaded not guilty. The Prosecutor, Sgt. Ekijah Adejare, told the court that an eye-witness whose name was not provided at the court, said that some robbers came to their club with guns and other dangerous weapons and robbed them of their valuables, including phones, laptops and cash. But they were arrested when they went to sell the items, particularly the laptops and phones when they could not provide the passwords, the prosecution stated. The prosecution, represented by Mr Felix Awoniyi, to prove its case, called six witnesses and tendered exhibits, including the two laptops and statements from the two convicts. The convicts were represented by Mrs Toyin Oluwole. By William MacKenzie, During the recent Legislative session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 5701 to set aside $2 million for the Old Town Community Association. The bill proposed putting the money toward establishing a 30,000-square-foot green manufacturing facility in the Old Town section of Portland that would help get new companies off the ground and existing companies develop new products and technologies for the footwear and apparel industry. WHY? The proposed facility would potentially be part of a $125 million Made In old Town (MiOT) project that would eventually include 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space, 120,000 square feet of housing and 145,000 square feet of office and retail space in eight largely vacant Old Town buildings. MiOTs backers need to raise $5 million from the private sector to fund the green manufacturing facility, which they hope to open by this fall. Elias Stahl, a MiOT Board Member and CEO and co-founder of Hilos, an Old Town-based 3D-printed footwear company, told The Oregonian in March he was extremely confident they could raise the money. In early April 2024, it looked like Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek might throw a monkey wrench into the deal when she said she was considering vetoing the $2 million item. My office is awaiting more information from the development group about the viability of financing for the entire project before I make my decision, Kotek said. But on April 17, 2024, Kotek announced she would allow the expenditure for the project to move forward. I am grateful to legislators for responding to our states most pressing needs, she said. In the days following last weeks notice of potential vetoes, I received adequate information to have confidence in signingSenate Bill 5701 On April 11, 2024, Vince Porter, Koteks Economic Development and Workforce Policy Advisor, informed the governor and key staff that he had received a letter from the Old Town Project and followed up with a conversation with Jonathan Cohen, the Old Town Community Associations treasurer, who made a commitment that they will not request (state) funding until they have raised their own funding, referring to the $5 million to be raised from the private sector. I think the letter along with written confirmation from me will meet the requirements we specified for the project, Porter said. Hopefully you all feel the same. Jonathan will provide documentation during the DAS funding process demonstrating that the other financing is secured to match the state funds. This will include seller financing which they are counting on to complete the project. The MiOT projects website announces it will be building An Innovation Campus in a Thriving Neighborhood Creating the Next Generation of Footwear & Apparel. The website says MiOT is currently accepting tenancy applications, with various lease terms and spaces available, and that MiOT plans to announce the first cohort of brands that have signed on as founding members early in 2025. Democratic State Treasurer-elect Elizabeth Steiner, who previously served as a state senator representing Oregons 17th district, including the Old Town neighborhood, said in April, As somebody who both cares about her district and cares about the City of Portland and the state as a whole, creative ideas like thatthat revitalize a part of the city that has really been neglected, if not abandoned for a long time, and do so in a way that meet a bunch of different goals simultaneouslyare a very exciting prospect for me. The collaborative nature of the project, its potential to revitalize a neighborhood and support re-shoring manufacturing in the U.S. has merit. But, given all the states pressing needs and the wealth and resources already available to MiOTs key backers, plus the presence of hundreds of companies in the Portland metropolitan area tied to the footwear and apparel industry, why did the governor sign this ill-advised bill that would siphon money from Oregon taxpayers for private gain? I can understand why politicians like Steiner would go for MiOT. Politicians love the spectacle of ribbon-cutting ceremonies and the prospect of jobs (and voters). But that shouldnt drive this corporate welfare. Oregon does, indeed, have other pressing needs that should take a higher priority in the allocation of public dollars. If the players behind the entire MiOT project are confident of its viability, let them provide the start-up money. If they make their vision a reality, taxpayers will have been spared the diversion of public dollars and the backers of the project can take full credit for MiOTs success. By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com A political sticker plastered on an Oregon Public Beach instruction board warns everyone, Your time, money, and energy are too precious to give to these parasites. This is part of a be-against-everything movement. By not taking sides, you never have to take responsibility. Yet, these people will also take credit for any success that these sides accomplish. When anarchists or non-conformists say that all politicians, all parties, all religions and all media are corrupt, they are in fact AGREEING with a central pillar of conservatism which believes that humanity is fallen, flawed and corruptible. This is why conservatives believe in term limits, limited government, competition and tough-on-crime and liberals do not. So to whoever is littering Oregon with these against-everything stickers, we welcome you to our fiscal conservative movement and to be a part of the solution for the things you wish to see. READ MORE ON THIS SERIES BELOW: Signs call to end America (Street Propaganda #4) Street Propaganda #3: Rioting is love? Street propaganda #2: Libs warn Biden Come November, Well Remember Street Propaganda #1: Libs now favor guns? . If you see Street Propaganda or local political vandalism please email us to document it at: The Taxpayers Association is launching a series called Street Propaganda to highlight when Oregon political activists mass produce flyers or stickers in an attempt to litter a City in hopes of swaying (or intimidating) public opinion. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain For decades, the corporate makers and users of "forever chemicals" used on carpet produced in Northwest Georgia have hidden the associated dangers, leading to a public health crisis, Murray County alleges in a new lawsuit. In its complaint Monday, the county took aim at chemical producers including 3M, Daikin and DuPont as well as carpet manufacturers including Mohawk and Shaw Industries. It claims the companies have known since the 1960s that the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances they make and use are toxic, and hid that fact while contaminated waste was dumped in the county landfill. "Thanks to these and other failures by the chemical makers and users, all or substantially all the residents of Northwest Georgia effectively have Scotchgard, Stainmaster, and Teflon coursing through their veins, suppressing their immune systems and triggering debilitating and fatal illnesses," the county says in its lawsuit. Representatives for the companies sued by Murray County did not immediately respond Monday to inquiries. A spokesperson for DuPont noted that its predecessor, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., is the entity sued by Murray County, under the new name EIPD Inc. He said E.I. du Pont de Nemours operated its performance chemicals business until it was spun out and became the Chemours Co. in 2015. Murray County's case, which also includes claims against Chemours, is the latest in a growing legal battle stemming from the use of chemicals known as PFAS in Georgia's carpet manufacturing industry. The county sits between Dalton and Ellijay and extends to the Tennessee line. It has a population of almost 40,000. The chemicals, also used in nonstick pans, firefighting foams and some food wrappers, do not break down in nature and have been increasingly linked to fertility problems, developmental delays and increased risk of certain cancers. Attorneys representing Murray County and others involved in pending litigation have assembled a team of lawyers, water experts and consumer advocates, including Erin Brockovich, whose fight against Pacific Gas & Electric Co. inspired an Oscar-winning film. 3M has pledged to cease making PFAS by the end of 2025. It agreed to pay up to $12.5 billion to public water suppliers. In 2023, DuPont and associated companies announced a $1 billion settlement to end PFAS-related drinking water claims. In 2005, DuPont paid $10 million to settle U.S. Environmental Protection Agency claims that it failed to report PFAS-related risks. Murray County's complaint comes on the heels of a lawsuit Mohawk itself filed in a Whitfield County court against 3M, Daikin and other chemical makers, alleging they concealed the dangers of PFAS from users. In its complaint, Murray County says it wants the defendant companies to foot the bill for the necessary cleanup, claiming they made billions of dollars from PFAS-tainted products. "The PFAS in and around the county's landfill, which are migrating into the waters of the state of Georgia, must be contained, captured and destroyed," the county said in its suit. Dozens of water systems in Georgiafrom small providers in Chatsworth and Summerville in North Georgia to larger ones serving cities like Augusta and Columbushave already uncovered PFAS levels in their water that could exceed safe levels. Murray County alleges in its complaint that its landfill is "pickled" in PFAS, which migrate daily into waterways through stormwater runoff, groundwater and landfill "juice" called leachate, in which PFAS levels are "off the charts." The county's complaint includes a map showing dozens of water sources around the landfill that it says have high levels of PFAS. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Earlier this year, the small North Georgia city of Calhoun agreed to overhaul its water system as part of a legal settlement with the Coosa River Basin Initiative. The city of Dalton, known as "the carpet and flooring capital of the world," is pursuing its own water pollution case against 3M, Daikin, EIPD, Chemours, Shaw Industries and others. Rome has been grappling with PFAS in its water system for years. It settled PFAS claims against 3M for $75 million in 2023. More than 30 other defendants also settled with the city. Jarrod Johnson, a Rome resident, has separately been notching agreements with various companies to improve water quality in his community as part of a proposed class action against dozens of alleged polluters, including 3M, Mohawk and Daikin. Johnson's case has been pending before a federal judge in the Northern District of Georgia since the start of 2020. His settlements with some of the defendant companies include river protection efforts and promises not to discharge wastewater containing PFAS into public water treatment systems. 2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 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: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The rise of bird flu across farms in California has raised questions about the virus and its potential threat to humans. While the threat to humans is currently small. On Dec. 18, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as the H5N1 bird flu virus continues to infect dairy herds across the countryincluding more than 600 in California, according to the state's Department of Food and Agriculture. Since April, there have been 61 human cases of avian flu nationwide, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. And in California, there have been 36 confirmed cases of the illness since Friday, Dec. 20, according to the state Department of Public Health. Though risk of infection remains low for the general public, according to the CDC, California officials declared the emergency to ensure a swift and coordinated statewide response to the outbreak. What's the risk, and how is it spread? Wild water birds, according to the CDC, are carriers of avian influenza A viruses. Birds infected with the disease can spread it among themselves and to other animals through mucous, saliva, and feces. The outbreak poses little risk to the general public, according to the CDC. Those most likely to get infected are people working directly with infected birds and animals without personal protective equipment. In California, people infected with the virus have experienced symptoms similar to mild cases of the flu, according to Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, Regional Chief of Infectious Diseases at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. "For most people in the U.S. who have gotten this, their symptoms have been relatively mildcough, sore throat, fever," Hudson said. "However, there's a very impressive conjunctivitis or pink eye that we have seen with this, a little bit different than what we would see with seasonal flu." Serious symptoms of bird flu, according to the CDC, can include high fever, shortness of breath, altered consciousness, and seizures. Though previous strains of the virusfirst seen in humans in 1997have been deadly, this particular outbreak has been mild in comparison. The virus has primarily affected individuals in contact with dairy cows and commercial poultry, meaning that people who do not deal with these animals are at a low risk. No human-to-human spread of bird flu has been reported in the United States. Limited person-to-person spreadwherein the virus spreads to one or two other people, but stops therehas been reported in other countries in the past, according to the CDC. However, a study published by scientists at Scripps Research Institute says the virus isn't very far away from human-to-human transmission. According to Dr. Jim Paulson, a co-senior author of the study, a single mutation of the hemagglutinin protein, represented by the "H" in H5N1, could turn the virus into a pathogen targeting human cells. "It's a very rare event for these mutations to be accepted into the virus population," Dr. Paulson said. "But you only need it to happen once." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Will cases increase? It's difficult to tell whether cases will continue to increase across the country and in California, according to Dr. Jim Paulson with Scripps Research Institute. "If these inflections continue to occur, and they happen to occur in a human that's already been infected by a human influenza virus, then a new hybrid virus could appear more easily," Dr. Paulson. "A new influenza virus more easily adapted to humans can become a pandemic." Though there is no approved vaccine to prevent infection, Dr. Paulson said that Tamiflu, prescribed to treat the regular flu, can also be effective in cases of bird flu and may have some preventative protection. Why did California declare a state of emergency? Newsom said in a statement that the declaration was made "to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak." The governor also said that the risk to the public remains low, but noted that the government would need to take preventative measures to help stop the spread. The state emergency declaration allows agencies across California to coordinate testing and virus surveillance efforts, as opposed to a decentralized, regional strategy to combat the spread of bird flu. How will this impact the agriculture industry? While the virus is generally not fatal in cows, it causes decreased milk supplyand is always fatal in poultry. "The impacts are primarily production and financial losses to farmers and ranchers, as the production of milk and eggs declines, and in the case of poultry, complete re-establishment of flocks is required," Steve Lyle, a California Department of Food and Agriculture spokesman, said. Higher prices for dairy and poultry products in stores is a direct result of the outbreak, which started in the fall, Lyle said. The spike in infected flocks coincided with the holiday seasonwhen demand at the grocery stores is already higher than the rest of the year. "While most eggs consumed in California are imported from other states, about 40% are produced here, and two-thirds of egg-laying hens in California have been lost in the recent outbreak," Lyle said. "We anticipate that supply will remain tight for at least the next several weeks." Dangers of consuming raw milk There is no risk associated with consuming cooked meat or pasteurized dairy, Dr. Paulson said, but a recent recall has raised concerns about the dangers of raw milk. Raw milk and cream produced by Raw Farm, LLC in California and several products from Valley Milk Simply Bottled of Stanislaus County were recalled after the virus was detected. Consumption of raw milk has caused severe illness and death in various mammals, especially cats, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced. Five indoor cats from a single Los Angeles household died after consuming recalled raw milk products. The department also warned against feeding animals raw pet foods. A cat from a different household in Los Angeles contracted the virus after eating two different brands of pet food containing raw poultry and beef. How can I protect myself? Those in contact with dairy cows, commercial poultry or backyard birds should use respiratory protection, such as masks, eye protection and gloves, whenever interacting with these animals, in order to lower the risk of infection. Sick animals or dead birds, whether or not confirmed to be infected, should not be handled. People who are not regularly in contact with these animals should take precautions typically used to avoid the flu, such as hand-washing, cleaning commonly used surfaces and keeping your distance from other people experiencing symptoms. 2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. 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: View of Kororareka in the Bay of Islands, 1845. Credit: George Thomas Clayton, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY New Zealand's first jail was a simple affair, just a symmetrical four-roomed log building, built in 1840 at Okiato in the Bay of Islands, not far from present-day Russell. But its historyespecially the bits that have been forgottentells us a lot about how we have framed our colonial past, particularly in relation to architecture. Typically, New Zealand's earliest non-Maori buildings were depicted as having a direct lineage with imperial Britain. As one of our earliest architectural histories (written by Christchurch architect Paul Pascoe and published for the 1940 centennial) put it: "Our architecture derived from England." But as my recent research has found, this isn't the whole story. In fact, it obscures another important strand of New Zealand's early development, which reveals how the evolving colony wanted to see itself. 'Little more than shacks' At the time the first jail was built, Okiato was the colony's administrative capital, close to Kororareka, which Governor William Hobson renamed Russell. The building consisted of two windowless cells, with a central kitchen and a back room for the jailer. It was located in a yard surrounded by a three-meter-high log wall, and was built by men from the 80th Regiment at a cost of 420. Architectural historian John Stacpoole (19192018) described it as one of a series of buildings that were "little more than shacks," and on the surface it doesn't sound terribly special. There was no Victorian grandeur that might be typical of a civic building, and it wasn't built of brick or stone as English prisons were at the time. And there was a reason for this. The jail was designed in the Colonial Architect's office in New South Wales. As such, it was a direct import from Australia's convict system. Most New Zealanders probably think of their country at that time as a British colony. But before it became its own distinct colony, Britain extended the boundaries of the colony of New South Wales to include New Zealand. This arrangement lasted almost a year, but is often forgotten or overlooked. Partly this is because considerable effort was put into distancing New Zealand from the convict "taint" of Australia's penal colonies. Australian designs There is further confusion over the jail's designer. The architect usually credited is William Mason (181097), who was employed by the New South Wales Colonial Architect's office before arriving in New Zealand. Mason is better known for buildings such as Government House in Auckland (1856), All Saints Church in North Dunedin (1865) and the Stock Exchange Building in Dunedin (1868, demolished in 1969). But the Okiato jail design wasn't one of Mason's. It was actually a standard plan designed by Ambrose Hallen, also from the Colonial Architect's office. Hallen's time as colonial architect from 1832 to 1835 coincided with a government policy of territorial sprawl in New South Wales, which included building more judicial and penal infrastructure. The policy required the design of what Australian prison historian James Kerr has called the "basic plan." This was adapted across state as a watch house, a lockup and a jail for more than half a century. An example is the Goulburn Plains design, which incorporated a timber weatherboard courthouse straddling the stockade surrounding its log jail. Another version added a room for the jailer behind the kitchen's fireplace. It was this design Mason had built at Okiato. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. How and when history is told The forgotten influence of the New South Wales Colonial Architect's office on New Zealand's earliest prison architecture surely relates in part to the building's apparently rudimentary nature. Simple log buildings fit with a pioneering, frontier myth of transience and impermanent architecture. This sits at odds with the sophisticated skills already evident in 1840s Aotearoa, including Maori expertise and the craftsmanship of British and US ship carpenters. But it may also be to do with how we tell the histories of our colonial architecture. Consistent with Paul Pascoe's assertion that local architecture "derived from England," our first jail buildings have perhaps been measured against English prison architecture and found inadequate. But the jail at Okiato was not a makeshift one-offa deliberately designed structure that links the young colonies of New South Wales and New Zealand in ways that help us understand our early European history. Alas, it no longer exists. After ten months, Hobson left Okiato and established a new capital at Tamaki Makaurau-Auckland. References to the jail suggest it operated until about 1844. The Okiato jail might not have loomed large in New Zealand's architectural histories, but the story of its origin is nonetheless a useful one. It's a healthy reminder that history has a complex relationship with "the truth," so we need to constantly reexamine it. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Serbia recorded its hottest year in history in 2024, the Balkan country's meteorological office said this week. The average surface air temperature last year was 13.3 degrees Celsius (56 degrees Fahrenheit), "which is 2.3C higher than the average for the period 1991-2020 and almost 1.0C more that the previously hottest year2023," the State Hydro-Meteorological Service said in a report on Friday. Globally, the United Nations' climate and weather agency has said 2024 is set to be the warmest ever seen across the planet, capping a decade of unprecedented heat fueled by human activity. UN leaders and climate scientists blame global heating for a string of calamitous floods, fires, heat waves and hurricanes across the world in 2024. Serbia was not spared, enduring a series of heat waves in June, July and August. The Serbian met office reported a record number of days when temperatures topped 35C, the highest ever number of tropical nights and the smallest ever number of frosty and icy days. Physicist Irina Lazic said Serbia had been more like the Mediterranean than the Balkans last year. "The temperature range in 2024 was typical for the coastal regions of Spain, Italy or Greece in the period 1961-1990," Lazic, a member of the Physics Faculty in Belgrade wrote for climate website Klima 101. In a sign of accelerating global heating, the met office report said all of the 10 hottest years in Serbian history had occurred since the year 2000. Of the hottest 20, all had been in the 21st century except two, 1994 and 1951. The town of Negotin in eastern Serbia, known for its very cold winters, witnessed its lowest ever snowfall in 2024, just two centimeters deep. Several weather stations reported their fewest ever days of snow cover. The 2015 Paris climate accords aimed to limit global warming to well below 2.0C above pre-industrial levelsand to 1.5C if possible. Last year the average global temperature was 1.45C hotter than before the industrial revolution, when humans started burning large amounts of fossil fuels. The UN's World Meteorological Organization is set to publish the consolidated global temperature figure for 2024 in January. 2025 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Urban sprawl is not just unsightly. It could also be impeding intergenerational mobility for low-income residents and reinforcing racial inequality, according to a series of recent studies led by a University of Utah geographer. One analysis of tract-level Census data co-authored with a former economics graduate student in the U's College of Social & Behavioral Science found that people who grew up in high-sprawl neighborhoods have less earning potential than those who grew in denser neighborhoods. "For adults, jobs are harder to access in more sprawling neighborhoods," said Kelsey Carlston, now an assistant professor of economics at Gonzaga University. "If we can understand how kids' interactions with their neighborhoods are related to their economic opportunity, we can come up with some targeted policies for how to help poor kids get out of poverty and improve their situation." Published in Economic Development Quarterly, this study and two related ones were led by Yehua Dennis Wei, a professor in the School of Environment, Society & Sustainability. The other two were co-authored with graduate student Ning Xiong. Wei's three new studies build on prior work led by Utah city and metropolitan planning professor Reid Ewing, whose research scrutinizes the adverse impacts of sprawl and identifies features of urban resilience. Ewing and colleagues, including Wei, demonstrated how sprawl at the city level could lock families into cycles of poverty across generations. The new research gets more granular, extending into the neighborhood level by analyzing demographic information on the 71,443 tracts covered by the U.S. Census. Such tracts have 8,000 or fewer residents, and census tract data enables social scientists to survey local differences in poverty rates, income levels, ethnic characteristics, education levels and other characteristics for sub-county geographic areas. The U studies characterize sprawl as urban environments that have low accessibility, high levels of car travel and sharply separated residential, commercial and business areas. In other words, places with poor pedestrian street access and long distances between places of work, schools, recreation, shopping and home. "One finding is that typical livable-city indicators, like walkability, mixed-use development and job-housing balance, improve intergenerational mobility," Wei said. However, this might not always be the case, depending on the socioeconomic factors at play, he cautioned. "We find that those kinds of dense mixed-use walkable neighborhoods sometimes have lower intergenerational mobility because of high concentrations of low-income families and single-parent families, and sometimes also minority populations," Wei said. "The general finding is true, but it also depends on who is living there and the social relations in those neighborhoods." At the city level, sprawl has been linked to lower social cohesion and increased racial and income segregation, in addition to having negative effects on public health and the environment. Credit: University of Utah At the neighborhood level, explored in the new studies, sprawl is associated with reduced social interaction and social capital. Wei and his co-authors relied on observational data compiled in a dataset called Opportunity Atlas, which enabled them to match IRS tax records of adults born between 1978 and 1983 to their parents' tax records. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "The Opportunity Atlas has average outcomes at the tract level and city level for kids from different economic backgrounds," Carlston said. "We can see how kids do compare to their parents and the relative income distribution and see if kids had the opportunity to improve their position. Then we control for variables like income, school quality, demographics and social capital." The dataset gives several measures of intergenerational mobility at the tract, county and commuting-zone levels. Its measures include the likelihood of going to prison, teenage birth rate and income rank. The scholars compared intergenerational mobility in sprawling and non-sprawling neighborhoods and cities. "If someone grew up at a tract in a 10th percentile sprawl, so very low sprawl, rather than a 90th percentile sprawl, which is very high sprawl, their expected annual income was $2,864 higher, which was almost 10% or a few percentage points in the income ranking," Carlston said. "However, the same didn't hold for kids from higher-income families. In high-income families, kids in sprawling neighborhoods did slightly better." Even within dense cities, they found that sprawling neighborhoods had a strong correlation with low mobility for low-income families. Carlston cautioned the new research does not establish a causal link between sprawl and poor social mobility. "However, the relationship likely implicates a number of problems associated with sprawl," she said. "For instance, sprawling areas are often broken into smaller municipalities, which means that the number of resources like community centers and parks that you have is more dependent on the income of the immediate residents." In other words, higher-income residents are incentivized to live where the development pattern is not best for society, but for them personally. "That means that local city planners and officials need to consider the broader social implications and choose zoning patterns and regulations that are best for all residents, particularly trying to reduce sprawl and increase infill development may have a long-lasting positive impact on children's economic possibilities," Carlston said. "We probably can't turn Atlanta into New York City, but we could shape neighborhoods to be built for everyone. Additionally, we could try to reduce the negative effects of sprawl by increasing connectivity with better transit and finding mechanisms to spread funding throughout metropolitan areas." Dennis Wei's study co-authored with Kelsey Carlson, titled "Urban Sprawl and Intergenerational Mobility: City- and Neighborhood-Level Effects of Sprawl," appears in the November edition of Economic Development Quarterly. His study titled "Neighborhood environment, socioeconomic conditions, and intergenerational mobility" appears in the journal Cities. And "Urban sprawl and racial inequality in intergenerational mobility" appears in the Journal of Economic Geography. Ning Xiong, a co-author on the latter two studies, is a doctoral candidate in geography. Sergio Rey of San Diego State University is also a co-author. More information: Kelsey Carlston et al, Urban Sprawl and Intergenerational Mobility: City- and Neighborhood-Level Effects of Sprawl, Economic Development Quarterly (2024). DOI: 10.1177/08912424241279561 A new wine shop opened in one of San Antonios most historic neighborhoods. Owners Elizabeth and Victor Eichhorn wanted more walkable options. Yuliia Kokosha/Getty Images A new wine shop in San Antonios revitalized Beacon Hill neighborhood wants to offer something for the whole family. Copper Rose Wine celebrated its grand opening at 1810 Blanco Road on Friday. Owners and couple Elizabeth and Victor Eichhorn wanted more walkable options in their own neighborhood, one of San Antonios oldest. The new shop sells affordable bottles of wine, which guests are free to open on their spacious outdoor patio. There are also wines by the glass for curious connoisseurs who want to try a sip before committing to the whole bottle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad And for those participating in Dry January and beyond, the shop offers non-alcoholic beer and wine. The 1,000-square-foot shop, a former vintage store, has small bites and sells new and used books to educate wine novices and sommeliers alike. For the parents who need a quick happy hour without calling a babysitter, Copper Rose Wines patio features playground equipment and a mini library. Copper Rose Wine joins new restaurant Moo Deng, a Thai eatery inspired by the social media famous hippo, in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. Navy locates drugs and weapons in Cancun residential neighborhood check stop Cancun, Q.R. The Navy arrested two men and seized drugs, a long weapon and other objects during a check stop operation in Cancun. According to a statement from the Navy, the operation was carried out during ground surveillance patrols in the Los Heroes residential subdivision. The detainees were aboard a vehicle, where after an inspection, personnel located a long weapon, five loaded magazines, 30 packages of green grass similar to marijuana (weighing approximately 14.5 kilograms) plus another four more packages of the same substance, a gram scale and three cell phones. Authorities transferred the detainees, the vehicle and the seized objects to the facilities of the Attorney Generals Office of Quintana Roo for further investigation. The Navy reported that the operation was in coordination with municipal, state and federal government agencies to strengthen security, recover public spaces and weaken the logistical structures of criminal groups that generate violence in the region. Police capture a states Most Wanted in Isla Mujeres homicides and extortion Isla Mujeres, Q.R. A suspect on the state of Quintana Roos Most Wanted list was captured over the weekend in Cancun. Hugo Zuriel N, alias Gemelo, was wanted in relation to the October 2024 theft of 3 million pesos in Cancun. He was also wanted for one count of homicide, three counts of attempted homicide and extortion in Isla Mujeres. According to police, Hugo Zuriel N was taken into custody on outstanding arrest warrants for his alleged involvement in events possibly constituting the crimes of qualified homicide and attempted homicide and extortion. Through intelligence, field and office work, it was possible to locate the now detained. He was taken into custody from SM 514 of Cancun. During his arrest, police reported finding narcotics. In a statement, authorities said Hugo Zuriel N was considered a priority target of the State Criminal Atlas (Atlas Delictivo del Estado). His location and capture was in coordination with Investigative Police, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, the Secretariat of the Navy, the Secretariat of National Defense and National Guard. Regarding the arrest warrants issued against Hugo Zuriel N, one is for qualified homicide and attempted homicide against three victims, which occurred in Isla Blanca, while the other is for extortion in the same area of the Continental Zone of Isla Mujeres. Hugo Zuriel N would also be related to the theft of 3 million pesos, an event that occurred in the Jardines del Sur subdivision of the municipality of Benito Juarez, on October 31, 2024. Once the corresponding procedures were carried out, the detainee was placed at the disposal of authorities, they reported. The day before he was sworn into his third term in office, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar received good news. The jail regained its compliance status with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Bob Owen/Staff photographer The day before he was sworn into his third term in office, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar received good news. The jail regained its compliance status with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Salazar had faced some criticism after a recent spate of more than a dozen jail inmate deaths, two of which were the focus of the violations issued by the commission in November. But after a re-inspection on Tuesday, a state commission inspector found that all deficiencies had been corrected, and the jail now meets the state's minimum jail standards. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Dec. 31 letter detailing the compliance status, which was obtained by the San Antonio Express-News, was addressed to the sheriff and Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai. In a statement, Salazar vowed that the jail's plan, innovative measures, and life-saving practices that staff implemented in response to the violations would remain. "We are confident the recent changes we've made to operations will not only help us stay in compliance, but will also safeguard the lives of our inmates," Salazar said. Jail administrators were notified that the jail was out of compliance on Nov. 19 after an inspection the day before. It was the second time in 18 months that the commission had deemed the Bexar County jail out of compliance with the state's minimum jail standards. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Brandon S. Wood, executive director of the commission, wrote in the Nov. 19 letter that if the jail failed to take adequate corrective measures, the agency could issue a remedial order. Under the Texas Administrative Code, the commission can order all or a portion of a jail closed, prohibit confinement of certain classifications of inmates, or require that inmates be transferred to another correctional facility, or any combination of those actions. In the letter, state officials detailed two violations related to the deaths of inmates Fracisco Javier Salinas and Paul Anthony Sarabia. Salinas, 41, was found unresponsive on April 19 by a deputy who was conducting face-to-face observation checks. The sheriffs office said it appeared Salinas had suffered a medical episode compounded by withdrawal symptoms. The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office said he died of diabetic ketoacidosis. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sarabia, who was 50, experienced a medical episode compounded by withdrawal symptoms on Sept. 5, jail officials said. He died the next day at University Hospital. Sarabia's cause and manner of death were still pending as of Jan. 2, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office. The first violation identified by the commission was that an inmate had been held in a temporary holding area for more than 48 hours. The second violation involved an inmate who had not received prescribed medications and later died. No distribution of medication to the inmate was documented for Sept. 3 or Sept. 4, and records for Sept. 5 indicate the inmate was not available, the commission found. To meet the commission's requirement, Bexar County jail officials developed a detailed plan of action to correct deficiencies. Jail administrators developed inmate tracking reports that notify detention staff who has entered the lockup and tracks the amount of time that an inmate without a designated housing space is still in holding. The report is sent out automatically once every two hours, with priority given to inmates who have not been assigned a unit for the longest periods of time. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A commission inspector reviewed 13 days' worth of inmate tracking reports and determined that no inmates remained in holding for more than 48 hours. To address the second violation, the commission reviewed 50 medication administration records and found that inmates in holding were receiving medications as prescribed. Some of the changes the jail staff said it would make include installing radar technology to the single cells in the main jail's booking hub and select cells of the main jail infirmary and annex infirmary. The radar technology, which Bexar County officials said it began installing in May, can read and detect an inmate's motion, heart rate, and respiration, while the inmate is in the cell and does not require the inmate to wear any device, county officials said. Jail and medical staff are alerted when an inmate's vitals are outside of the preset boundaries, allowing for early intervention. Garcia said that the radar technology has so far also been used at a detention center in Oklahoma, but that the Bexar County jail is the first jail in Texas to use it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bexar County's plan of action also requires detention officers to immediately interview and place inmates once they are seen by a magistrate judge. Any delays due to medical or disruptive are noted in jail records. The jail's standards and compliance unit now conducts daily audits of the booking and classification sections. The audits ensure that inmates are housed well within the minimum standard. To address the second violation, University Health, which oversees the jail's healthcare, provided a comprehensive plan of action to ensure all medical instructions of designated physicians are followed. Staff has also taken steps to ensure that distribution of medication to inmates is accurately documented, including instances when inmates refuse medication. The new plan includes operational process changes, training of medical staff and additional oversight, including routine self-audits. The standards and compliance unit is conducting daily audits of nursing notes to ensure that all medical instructions are being followed and documented as required by minimum jail standards. Last year, the jail reported 13 inmate deaths. Four of the last five deaths at the jail stemmed from what the sheriff's office called medical episodes. Marcus Fontenette, 46, was the final reported Bexar County jail death of 2024. He died on Nov. 13, the same day he was booked for allegedly violating a criminal trespass order. His cause of death remained pending as of Jan. 3, according to the medical examiner's office. Fontenette had previously refused treatment by the facility's medical staff, according to jail officials. The Sheriff's Office has bolstered efforts to prevent inmate deaths through "Operation Lifeguard." The effort includes additional medical training for detention deputies, as well as signs and wristbands to designate inmates with certain medical needs. In October, Salazar issued an order requiring police officers to transport certain sick or intoxicated arrestees to a hospital. The jail would only accept arrestees detoxing from alcohol or narcotics, insulin-dependent diabetics and those who need dialysis after they were medically cleared, the sheriff said. READ MORE: Bexar County sheriff and San Antonio police chief at odds over sick and intoxicated arrestees San Antonio Police Chief William McManus and heads of other law enforcement agencies spoke out against the new procedure, saying it is unlawful, causes delayed justice and places staffing and financial burdens on their departments. The Bexar County jail is facing at least two lawsuits in connection with inmates deaths. One lawsuit, which names the Bexar County jail and the sheriff as defendants, was filed by the family of Daniel Pentkowski, an inmate who was found dead in his cell on Jan. 25, 2023. The sheriff's office said Pentkowski, 53, appeared to have suffered from self-inflicted injuries that occurred earlier that day. However, the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office said Pentkowski died from being physically restrained and ruled his death a homicide. In the lawsuit, Pentkowski's family alleges that during his arrest, a San Antonio police officer used unnecessary and excessive force on Pentkowski that resulted in blunt force trauma. In another lawsuit against the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, was filed by the family of Derrick Ellison, 47. He died on Dec. 5, 2022 after having trouble breathing while in his cell. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleges Ellison was assaulted by either correctional officers or other inmates. Ellison told medical staff that he had been jumped the day he died, according to the lawsuit. He had several injuries and swelling to his face and fractures to his ribs. He died five hours after he had been brought to the hospital. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. When it comes to our moral panics, it sometimes feels like the 1980s and 1990s never ended. We find ourselves at the tail end of a panic about cancel culture and wokeness in the U.S., which hasminus a mention of social media here and of #MeToo therethe longer it has gone on simply recycled the earlier panic about political correctness. But part of the feeling that were stuck in the forever 80s is that, recycled or not, the panic clearly worked. (Barely) reheated PC discourse though it may have been, the freakout over wokeness likely helped Donald Trump retake the White House. Its not just the purveyors of this kind of rhetoric who are stuck in timewere all there with them. What many Americans likely dont know: Countries the world over enthusiastically adopted the panic over PC in the 1990s and adapted it to their own local needs. Stories of censorious undergraduates and ridiculous newspeak in the U.S. found grateful consumers in French, German, and U.K. media. And since 2018, these other countries have begun importing stories about cancel culture. I trace that process in my new book, The Cancel Culture Panic. Fears of PC and cancel culture took varied paths in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, South America, Turkey, or Russia. But at least in most democratic countries, they wind up in a remarkably similar place. Slate receives a commission when you purchase items using the links on this page. Thank you for your support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By far the most bizarre bits of detritus from this panic I encountered in my research were the dictionaries of political correctness that proliferated across various countries and languages. Even though they were far more prevalent outside of the U.S. than domestically, these fascinating documents sum up the PC panic rather well. This goes beyond the snarky entries about dreadlocks and gender, or homophobia, even beyond the tired anecdotes (heres a thing a foundation wrote on its website, or a thing a college professor was yelled at over). Its about the particular kind of broad brush with which this discourse painted, about its pretense at playfulness and irony, when it was actually pretty indignant about old hierarchies eroding, and about its unwillingness to admit just how right wing it really was. As part of my research, I read my way through more than a dozen of these in four languages: English, French, German, and Spanish. There was a veritable wave of these in the mid-90s, including in Germany, France, the U.K., and Spain, with only a drip of new releases in the years since. Still, Carlos Rodriguez Brauns Diccionario Politicamente Incorrecto has gone through three editions since 2005, and two German dictionaries that came out in 1994 and 2007 published (slim) second volumes in 2001 and 2022 respectively. Advertisement Advertisement There are a handful of cancel culture dictionaries todaysimilar projects that use updated culture-war language. Australian political commentator Kevin Donnelly had the misfortune of publishing A Politically Correct Dictionary and Guide in 2019, just as a new, shinier vocabulary was becoming available. Undaunted, he published The Dictionary of Woke three years later. But in a way, these books do belong to the PC era, when bookstores were still plentiful and national newspapers relatively robust. You could imagine one of them placed in a decorative basket on the back of a toilet, ready for a pre-smartphone visitor to browse, or given as more or less welcome gifts to a graduate, or a younger family member, by elders out to torment. Advertisement These strange relics allow us to understand a lot about what the contemporary fear of cancel culture among right-wingers and reactionary centrists is really about. For one thing, they suggest why the U.S. was due for a new version of PC worries after #MeToo and Black Lives Matter, and why this new version both warned about and fundamentally relied on social media. These books register nothing so much as the writers outrage that there is an evolving social consensus the writer doesnt share. The authors of these books regarded the fact that other people had become sensitized in their language use as at best a personal affront and at worst a conspiracy. And even well before the social media age, they were horrified to have to watch other people speaking differently. No wonder the PC dictionary was a global export that went viral before we had virality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These books were both local and part of a global phenomenon. Most of their examples (and most of their entries) drew on developments in the U.S. In the one French dictionary that I found that actually had footnotes, those consisted of about 20 percent references to U.S. anti-PC literature. These books reflected an evolving media system that today nurtures global fears of cancel culture: international newspaper readers who love to hear about the latest linguistic outrages perpetrated by Oberlin sophomores or the Berkeley City Council. At the same time, the same book most frequently cited French articles about American anecdotesmeaning that these stories reflected a common consensus back at an audience that was already extensively exposed to that consensus. In the hands of a French or German writer, these anecdotes clearly expressed a leeriness about the U.S. and its global influence. This is the fear expressed by continental writers that a woke wave is crashing upon French shores, that France, as Emmanuel Macron warned in 2020, is being subverted by certain social-science theories entirely imported from the United States. Advertisement That, as the title of a 2022 book by Anne Toulouse has it, France will be contaminated by wokeism. The fear that American conditions were now coming to Australia, the U.K., France, or Germany is common to these books, in spite of the fact that their publication is spread across 30 years. And it is, of course, odd that they verbalized these fears by simply importing wholesale a hacky discourse from the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement As various authors tried to localize a U.S. culture war for their hometown audience, there was a pretty serious description creep. Maybe this was simply owed to the demands of the book formhow many ways can you find to say animal companion, the supposed PC term for pet? Nigel Rees The Politically Correct Phrasebook from 1994 has a list of dozens of variations on the formula xyz challenged, and several of themhygienically challenged and orthographically challengedget their own entries. You have to fill the 150 pages of this kind of book somehow, I suppose. But at other times, the forced breadth authors must adopt in order to satisfy the dictionary format makes for unintentionally revealing reading. Philippe de Villiers French PC dictionary includes the euro (yes, the currency, which seems to have represented a collective Europeanism offensive to his nationalism), the word Indians, AIDS, and Franco-German unity. Fellow Frenchman Andre Santini has an entire entry on Kevin Costner, who was supposedly the politically correct movements favorite Hollywood hunk. This because one of his films argued that maybe hunting bison to extinction was suboptimal, and another introduced a Black man into Sherwood Forest. (I dont know if Santini has seen Yellowstone, but if so, he might need to write to Costner to apologize.) Director Robert Altman said hed leave the U.S. if George Bush was reelected but didnt actually leave? Political correctness! Climate change used to explain a flood or a drought? Political correctness! A war described as senseless? Bingo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not the first person to note the strange mobility with which the term wokeness has detached itself from specific concerns around Black civil rights and became a bizarre catchall for various reactionary complaints, such that the anti-woke position is actually more sharply defined than anything woke. In reading these dictionaries, you can see how the impulse to say everythings woke is a case of reflexes rehearsed in the 1990s springing back to life. The books all traded on a simple but extremely questionable premise. Political correctness wasnt something we all engaged in at one time or another. No, there were the politically correct and there were the few, the proud, the politically incorrectamong them, presumably, the heterodox thinkers who had heterodoxically decided to blow money on a dictionary of political correctness. There were those repulsed by the kind of language parodied in these books, and those who forced everyone else to speak this way. Its worth noting that both of these propositions seem wrong. No one refuses all language change; people who keep noting that they dont know what xyz group wants to be called now somehow managed to learn what email was, or TikTok. Conversely, most of the language change these books freaked out about, no one actually engaged in. Unless parentally disadvantaged is indeed, as Rees claims, the preferred term for an orphan, and I somehow missed it. Advertisement Related From Slate Once Again, the History of Witch Trials Has Inspired the Worlds Most Annoying Merch Read More Another parallel to todays freakout about wokeness: None of these books seemed very interested in understanding the politically correct. There is little coherence to the projects these books ascribe to the politically correct, except the coherence conferred by their dislike. Some terms they list are bureaucratic newspeak, some are leftist jargon, some have to do with Black culture, and otherslike the Costner thingseem simply to reflect cultural phenomena the particular writer happened to dislike. Advertisement These books necessarily had to cast their net very wide. Some of the entries are what youd expect (Genders! Sometimes more than two!), others seem frankly made up or based on a single anecdote. Andre Santinis book includes an entry for Sergei Prokofievs Peter and the Wolf, which a cellist in an amateur orchestra in Northern California apparently claimed was anti-wolf. Some of them refer to specific culture war grievances, others are incredibly broad. Klaus Rainer Rohls German-language dictionary includes an entry on a pork schnitzel with a questionable name and another on the word acceptance. Meaning: Theres almost no aspect of contemporary discourse that doesnt come in for some criticism. These books seem upset by nothing less than the fact that different people talk differently, or that the way people talk changes with time. Or rather: that the ways they themselves like to speak are not as uncontested as they maybe once were. De Villiers dictionary, for instance, opens his entry on the term homosexual couple with the sneering sentence fragment: The future of man. What convinced de Villiers that being in a gay couple would soon be mandatory? Not any legislation (France didnt legalize gay marriage until 2013). No, a single municipal clerk in Saint-Nazaire (pop. 72,000) had issued marriage licenses to a few gay couples. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not always clear how panicky this moral panic ever wasor is, for that matter. Its warnings, then as now, certainly sound extremely seriousMcCarthyism, witch hunts, and gulags are no laughing matter. But there were, in many of these dictionaries, a good deal of unseriousness to the apocalyptic warnings. Henry Beard and Christopher Cerf, who wrote The Official Politically Correct Dictionary and Handbook in 1992, were both National Lampoon alums. The cover for Rees book is bright yellow, with a humorously labeled peg-legged pirate. But by the time the book came out in the U.K., the cover was a somber gray, and the peg-legged pirate was gone and had been replaced with the ominous (and vaguely conspiratorial) subtitle: What they say you can and cannot say in the 1990s. Advertisement An odd thing happened as the format began to travel the globe. It became less funny. Where the American and British books came from people who were professionally funny (even if they seemed to have written the books on their off days), the Spanish, German, and French editions came from politicians, serious journalists, and political pundits. They were still meant to be humorous, of course. But a different kind of humorous: a humor barely hiding its simmering resentments, its sharp sense of who is worth listening to and who isnt. Advertisement Advertisement This cuts to the heart of the PC phenomenon. People who freaked out about PC told themselves they were being humorous, when in fact they were being perfectly serious. Meanwhile they imputed to the politically correct a humorlessness that the very existence of the term PC (which originated as a piece of leftist self-irony) would seem to belie. And where they cast themselves as merely reactive, they were, in fact, being quite creative. As John Wilson pointed out in the 1990s, PC was a discourse that inspired readersand above all, thousands of would-be stand-up comicsto come up with their own PC newspeak. Their inventionsanimal companion instead of pet! Womanhole covers instead of manhole covers!often enough entered the churn as more fodder for outrage down the line. Some of what got later cited as examples of PC newspeak originated, in fact, as parodies of supposed PC newspeak. Warnings about cancel culture have the same tendency to deflate their own seriousness when pressured. Political Correctness Used to Be Funny, New York Times columnist Pamela Paul titled a column last year. Now Its No Joke. Of course, the fact that PC was a joke would have come as a surprise to whatever designer put the giant words Thought Police on the cover of Newsweek in 1990. Or the Time article that called it totalitarian. Or the many stories that compared it to witch hunts. The unseriousness was always there, of course. But you didnt dwell on it while you were still able to frighten people with these stories. Once theyd gotten wise, you had, of course, been kidding all along. Which allowed you to thenlike Pamela Paultalk about the new thing, which supposedly truly was frightening. What the boy who cried wolf couldnt make work, this brain trust has somehow figured out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dictionaries of political correctness were a global phenomenon, written by a strange cast of characters ranging from a few dyed-in-the-wool leftists (though with a strong culturally conservative streak) to a bunch of sort-of-conservatives, to basically fascists. And that range is, to some extent, the point of these books. Their posture of complaint allows them to elide some pretty serious differences. This lexicon gives a humorous and precise overview of the most important words and phrases of politically correct newspeak, the back cover of Klaus Rainer Rohls Politisch Korrekt von A bis Z from 1995 promises. The book explains the language of concern (Weizsacker-German), the jargon of post-68 politicians and media people (Tuscany German), feminist slang, autonomous [Marxist] cant, alternative dialects and musli-German. This is an incredibly scattered list, combining autonomous Marxist punks, left-liberal intellectuals, and Germanys longtime President Richard von Weizsacker. You might wonder whether these people all speak the same languagewhether a conservative politician in the 1990s would talk about sexual harassment, for instance, or whether a punk would use the euphemism high earners for rich people. Well, they only do in one respect, and that seems to be Rohls main fixation: Theyre all associated with attempts to work through and do penance for Nazi Germanys crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Sure, Rohl complained about gendered language or changing names of food items, but the only consistent throughline in his book is the idea that PC Germans are people who somehow think Germany has something to apologize for regarding its conduct during the 1930s and 1940s. Whichto be clearby 1995 was something many Germans believed who might otherwise have more conservative views about what food should be called. Threaded throughout the hacky bits about lady pilots and names for food is an earlier jargon of historical revisionismone that, if served straight, would have been easily recognizable as pretty far right. The trick was, when this same meal is served up in a dictionary alongside a bunch of phrases that, well, yes, you do find kind of annoying, it becomes easy to miss. Advertisement The language wars around PC wereand theres reason to suspect complaints about cancel culture remaina meeting ground. A place where people can agree that you cant say anything anymore but can have two very different sets of anything in mind. A place where you can agree that certain things, habits, ideas are simply better, but you dont have to spell out exactly what makes them so. Where you can be a little wishy-washy in whether you think the established hierarchies in society are God-given, or a reflection of biological superiority, or, goshdarnit, just the way weve always done it. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/russias-izvestia-journalist-killed-in-ukrainian-drone-attack-in-dpr-5-others-injured-1121357401.html Russia's Izvestia Journalist Killed in Ukrainian Drone Attack in DPR, 5 Others Injured Russia's Izvestia Journalist Killed in Ukrainian Drone Attack in DPR, 5 Others Injured Sputnik International The freelance correspondent of Russia's Izvestia newspaper, Alexander Martemyanov, was killed on Saturday, while five other journalists, including two Sputnik correspondents, were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). 2025-01-04T20:29+0000 2025-01-04T20:29+0000 2025-01-05T03:31+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine yuri romanenko donetsk unesco russia ukraine izvestia journalism journalists free press https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/01/05/1121357247_0:1:1280:721_1920x0_80_0_0_994cea86c848f796e5a73e5f0877dfbe.jpg Ukrainian forces deliberately struck a civilian car driving along the Donetsk-Gorlovka highway, far away from the front line, an injured Sputnik correspondent, Maxim Romanenko, reported from the site of the incident. The journalist added that he had a concussion and several grazes on his face. Another Sputnik journalist, Mikhail Kevkhiev, also sustained injuries in the attack. Both Romanenko and Kevkhiev remain in stable health condition.Russias Foreign Ministry had previously criticized UNESCO over apparent bias against Russian journalists. In a statement issued on November 18, the ministry pointed out that UNESCO and its chief Audrey Azoulay continue to ignore numerous crimes perpetrated by Ukraine against Russian journalists. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241118/russian-tv-shannels-slam-unesco-for-ignoring-attacks-on-their-journalists-1120920812.html donetsk russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian journalist killed, ukraine strike journalists, donetsk journalists hit by a drone, attacks on russian journalists, ukraine against free press https://sputnikglobe.com/20250105/chinese-embassy-reminds-us-that-sanctions-cannot-be-imposed-without-evidence-1121357543.html Chinese Embassy Reminds US That Sanctions Cannot Be Imposed Without Evidence Chinese Embassy Reminds US That Sanctions Cannot Be Imposed Without Evidence Sputnik International WASHINGTON, (Sputnik) - The US sanctions against Chinese tech companies are unfounded, China firmly opposes such approach, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told Sputnik. 2025-01-05T03:35+0000 2025-01-05T03:35+0000 2025-01-05T03:35+0000 world china us washington chinese embassy us treasury hacker attack hacker cyber crime cyber attack https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/04/10/1117961333_0:0:3073:1730_1920x0_80_0_0_8eb43dc7260bc08bf09c1a67f32580bc.jpg "The US has drawn conclusions without effective evidence, made groundless accusations and smears against China, and imposed sanctions on Chinese entities, which is extremely irresponsible and purely confusing right and wrong. China firmly opposes this," Liu Pengyu said in response to a request to comment on Washington's latest sanctions in the cyber sphere. The US Treasury previously announced sanctions against Chinese company Integrity Technology Group (also known as Yongxin Zhicheng), accusing it of promoting state cyberattacks. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241221/how-us-uses-spy-craze-to-crack-down-on-chinese-high-tech-firms-1121228824.html china washington Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International chinese hacker attack, chinese hackers, us sanctions on china, us-china conflict, chinese cyberattacks, integrity tech china https://sputnikglobe.com/20250105/houthis-claim-1st-attack-on-power-plant-in-northern-israel-1121360316.html Houthis Claim 1st Attack on Power Plant in Northern Israel Houthis Claim 1st Attack on Power Plant in Northern Israel Sputnik International Yemeni movement Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, said on Sunday it carried out its first missile attack on the Orot Rabin power plant near the city of Haifa in northern Israel 2025-01-05T11:35+0000 2025-01-05T11:35+0000 2025-01-05T11:35+0000 world middle east houthis ansar allah israel yemen https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/01/01/1121329397_7:0:755:421_1920x0_80_0_0_a936323966786ab637afde36ca444677.png The Houthis have previously attempted to target power plants near Tel Aviv and Jerusalem after Israel bombed a power plant in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and the western city of Al Hudaydah. The spokesman added that the operation had been carried out in support of the Gaza Strip and said their military capabilities were constantly evolving. In December, Ansar Allah's leader announced that the movement had used 1,147 missiles and drones to attack Israel since November 2023. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250103/yemens-houthis-mobilize-to-fight-us-israel-prepare-to-welcome-enemies-to-great-hell-1121347327.html israel yemen Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International mideast crisis, houthi vs israel, yemen ansar allah, houthis attack israel, arab-israel conflict, mideast crisis https://sputnikglobe.com/20250105/israel-may-slash-gaza-aid-after-trump-takes-office-1121359509.html Israel May Slash Gaza Aid After Trump Takes Office Israel May Slash Gaza Aid After Trump Takes Office Sputnik International The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs earlier appealed to the bodys Security Council to end the "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza. 2025-01-05T08:32+0000 2025-01-05T08:32+0000 2025-01-05T08:32+0000 world israel gaza strip humanitarian aid supplies israeli-palestinian conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/01/05/1121358759_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_ba672fa485c8a833f2ef7d7215bd1275.jpg Tel Aviv considers cutting humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip after US President-elect Donald Trump enters office, an unnamed Israeli official has been cited by CNN as saying.UN, Israel at Odds Over Gaza Aid TrucksThe claims come after the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that only 2,205 aid trucks had entered Gaza in December. In October, the Biden administration argued that Israel had allegedly made some good but limited progress in terms of increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, which is why Washington wont limit arms supplies to Israel as the White House had pledged if the situation had not improved.US Alarmed Over Gaza Aid RestrictionsRelief groups, however, said that the aid-related situation is worse than ever in the Gaza war. Since the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in October 2023, the Jewish state slapped severe restrictions on crossings into Gaza, blocking essential goods and limiting humanitarian aid.UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed expressed deep concern over the aid restriction, describing the flow of supplies to Gaza as "outrageously" insufficient. "Aid by exception is neither humane nor effective," she underscored.At least 59 more Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza over the last 24 hours, bringing the Palestinians death toll to 45,717, according to Hamas-run Health Ministry. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241023/israeli-govt-may-hire-private-security-firm-to-deliver-aid-to-gaza---reports-1120650278.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20241205/this-is-genocide-rights-group-accuses-israel-of-deliberately-destroying-palestinians-in-gaza-1121100290.html israel gaza strip Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg humanitarian catastrophe in gaza, humanitarian aid to gaza, israel's alleged plan to limit gaza aid, acute food insecurity, gaza population, palestinian-israeli conflict https://sputnikglobe.com/20250105/nato-to-urge-uk-to-boost-air-defense-spending-over-countrys-vulnerability-1121358217.html NATO to Urge UK to Boost Air Defense Spending Over Country's Vulnerability NATO to Urge UK to Boost Air Defense Spending Over Country's Vulnerability Sputnik International NATO will urge the United Kingdom to sharply increase spending on air and missile defense amid concerns that the British military will not be able to repel attacks on cities and outposts in 15 years, the media reported, citing sources. 2025-01-05T05:33+0000 2025-01-05T05:33+0000 2025-01-05T05:33+0000 military military & intelligence nato united kingdom (uk) richard barrons george robertson ballistic missiles https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0b/13/1104440400_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_d86d1f87bb74b522b83e08fdc3c27fae.jpg According to the publication, NATO is expected to formally request it in 2025, when the alliance will provide its members with updated requirements for its armed forces, explaining where they need to prioritize work to strengthen their collective defense. As military sources told the newspaper, a number of NATO members have recently expressed disappointment that London was not doing enough to protect Europe from long-range missiles. A draft NATO plan called Capability Target 2025 will raise the need for the UK to invest in land-based air defence systems, to protect critical national infrastructure such as nuclear power plants and military bases, the newspaper said. Senior defense sources have warned that the UK "is in peril now" and that within 15 years a ballistic missile "will be able to hit Britain from anywhere in the world," it said. An independent commission led by former NATO Secretary General George Robertson and former UKs Joint Forces Command chief Richard Barrons, working on the Strategic Defense Review, is expected to focus on the need for new investment, it said. Experts have told the media that the UK had failed to invest in missile defense systems for decades. The newspaper interviewed around a dozen military and defense experts who described growing threats to Britain and its overseas military installations as some countries advance in the field development of ballistic missiles. Thus, according to the media sources, British ships could be attacked by more modern ballistic missiles if they are transferred to players such as the Yemeni Houthis. In addition, British overseas bases and intelligence facilities, including in Cyprus, are threatened by "non-state actors and terrorists," the publication said. It is also noted that groups in war-torn countries of the Middle East and North Africa, for example, in Libya, could potentially strike London if they received long-range missiles. As military insiders told the newspaper, the British Navy insists that the government, as part of the strategic defense review, agree on funding for the replacement of destroyers to protect Britain from an attack using ballistic missiles. According to the sources, the UK spends only 1.6% of GDP on conventional defense, excluding obligations such as nuclear deterrence. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241222/uk-military-faces-crisis-as-soldiers-quit-despite-pay-raise-1121236597.html united kingdom (uk) Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International uk air defense, uk ballistic missiles, uk vulnerable, uk ballistic air defense,uk defense spending, uk missiles defense https://sputnikglobe.com/20250105/russia-demands-unescos-reaction-to-ukraines-attack-on-journalists-in-dpr-1121357703.html Russia Demands UNESCO's Reaction to Ukraine's Attack on Journalists in DPR Russia Demands UNESCO's Reaction to Ukraine's Attack on Journalists in DPR Sputnik International The Russian Foreign Ministry demand that UNESCO and other international organizations react to attack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian journalists in the DPR, in which freelance correspondent of the Izvestia newspaper, Alexander Martemyanov, was killed, the ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Sunday. 2025-01-05T05:04+0000 2025-01-05T05:04+0000 2025-01-05T05:04+0000 world unesco dpr russia ukraine maria zakharova donetsk ukrainian crisis https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/08/0f/1119779665_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a1c5886e044d75f4e2543f7193e031a8.jpg "We demand that yet another brutal murder of the Russian war correspondent receive the proper reaction from [UNESCO head] Audrey Azoulay, as prescribes the mandate assigned to her. We also expect an equally decisive condemnation of this atrocity from all other human rights organizations and agencies," Zakharova said. Kiev's perceived "complete impunity and permissiveness" was a consequence of the deliberate ignoring of its crimes by such organizations as Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNESCO and the OSCE. "The conscious murder of Russian journalists is another cruel crime in a series of bloody atrocities of Zelenskys regime, openly resorting to terrorist methods to eliminate his ideological opponents," Zakharova said. All those responsible for the crime against Russian journalists in Donetsk will be established and will suffer a well -deserved and inevitable punishment, she stressed. On Saturday evening, Ukrainian troops deliberately struck an FPV-drone on a civilian car far from the contact line on the Donetsk-Gorlovka highway, killing freelance correspondent of the Izvestia newspaper, Alexander Martemyanov. Sputnik correspondent Maxim Romanenko was hospitalized with a concussion, his colleague Mikhail Kevkhiev received a mild concussion and did not need hospitalization. In the car, there were also two employees of Donetsk-based publication Bloknot. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/russias-izvestia-journalist-killed-in-ukrainian-drone-attack-in-dpr-5-others-injured-1121357401.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20241215/killed-in-line-of-duty-paying-tribute-to-fallen-russian-journalists-1121178965.html russia ukraine donetsk Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian journalist killed, ukraine strike journalists, donetsk journalists hit by a drone, attacks on russian journalists, ukraine against free press, zakharova journalists, investigation journalists killed, ukraine kills journalists Still recovering from the holidays? Or maybe youre suffering from allergies like so many of us? In either case, if you couldnt spare the time to keep up with the weeks news, we can help. Here are the stories that most captured our readers' interest. The Monterey Melt is one of the menu items Whataburger is bringing back for its 75th anniversary this year. Whataburger The San Antonio-based fast-food chain is bringing back two fan favorites in honor of its 75th anniversary this year. Click to find out which menu items are making a comeback. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gov. Greg Abbott, seen here addressing a National Rifle Association meeting in Dallas. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responded to former President Jimmy Carters death by sending condolences to the former first lady, although she has been dead for over a year. Click to find out how he fixed the faux pas. President Joe Biden, center, stands with Laura Blevins, left, before presenting the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration, posthumously to her father, Gen. Richard Cavazos, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Susan Walsh/Associated Press The late Army Gen. Richard Cavazos, a larger-than-life San Antonian who served as a role model for Hispanic soldiers, was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Joe Biden this week. Click to read more about why Cavazos received the nations highest medal for battlefield valor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A gauge measures the flow of Comal Springs in Landa Park in New Braunfels. The springs, which rise from the Edwards Aquifer, are currently at less than one-quarter of their average flow for December, a sign of the aquifer's low water levels due to persistent drought. William Luther/Staff photographer The Edwards Aquifer, the largest groundwater system in Central Texas, started the new year with water levels more than 40 feet lower than normal in San Antonio. Click to read more about what this means as the regions years-long drought continues. SpaceX Starship number 33 preparing for testing ahead of flight 7. Courtesy SpaceX SpaceX is getting ready to ring in the new year with a Starship launch from South Texas as soon as Jan. 10. Click to read more about the first flight for the second-generation version of the mega-rocket being developed at Starbase. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250105/russian-aerospace-forces-down-ukraines-mig-29-fighter-1121360141.html Russian Aerospace Forces Down Ukraine's MiG-29 Fighter Russian Aerospace Forces Down Ukraine's MiG-29 Fighter Sputnik International The Russian aerospace forces have shot down a MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian air force, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Sunday. 2025-01-05T11:27+0000 2025-01-05T11:27+0000 2025-01-05T11:27+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine russian army russian armed forces russian defense ministry ukrainian crisis mig-29 https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/1b/1116440001_0:222:2954:1884_1920x0_80_0_0_e638d00ba77cc1056f84576035d49951.jpg The Russian aerospace forces have shot down a MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian air force, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Sunday. Ukraine has lost up to 1,360 soldiers in battles with Russian forces over the past day, the ministry added.Kiev has lost up to 450 servicepeople in clashes with Russias Zapad group of forces, which also repelled four Ukrainian counterattacks, the ministry said in a daily bulletin.Russias Tsentr group of forces has eliminated over 410 Ukrainian soldiers, two Leopard tanks, and repelled 17 counterattacks, while Russias Yug group eliminated up to 230 Ukrainian troops, the ministry said.At the same time, Russia's Sever group of forces has inflicted damage on the Ukrainian military in the Kharkov direction, eliminating up to 40 Ukrainian soldiers and an ammo depot, the ministry added.Moreover, Russia's Vostok group of troops has eliminated up to 150 Ukrainian servicepeople and a Krab self-propelled howitzer over the past day, the ministry said.Russia's Dnepr group of forces has taken more favorable battlefield positions and eliminated up to 80 Ukrainian servicepeople, the ministry concluded. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250105/russian-military-says-ukraines-atacms-attack-on-belgorod-region-will-not-go-unanswered-1121358012.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International ukrainian crisis, russia's special military operation, mig shot down, russian offensive, ukraine death toll https://sputnikglobe.com/20250105/scholz-may-meet-with-putin-before-february-23---german-lawmaker-1121358546.html Scholz May Meet With Putin Before February 23 - German Lawmaker Scholz May Meet With Putin Before February 23 - German Lawmaker Sputnik International German Chancellor Olaf Scholz can visit Russia before early elections to the Bundestag planned on February 23, and the meeting of US President-elect Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin is planned for March, German parliamentarian from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Roderich Kiesewetter, said on Saturday. 2025-01-05T05:52+0000 2025-01-05T05:52+0000 2025-01-05T05:52+0000 world russia germany vladimir putin olaf scholz christian democratic union (cdu) roderich kiesewetter bundestag https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/02/0f/1093063177_0:0:3001:1688_1920x0_80_0_0_1195b5518ae1cd7e9e57bf6e311b87d3.jpg "There are increasing indications that Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow and meet Putin before February 23," Kiesewetter said on X. The meeting of Putin and Trump is planned for March 2025, he added, without providing sources of his information. Kiesewetter himself is against any agreements regarding the end of the conflict in Ukraine, since, in his opinion, they will in any case harm Kiev. In December, German media reported that the CDU circulated rumors that Scholz in the coming days might go with a "peaceful mission" to Moscow. The press service of the German government told Sputnik that media reports about the possible imminent visit of Sholz to Moscow were fiction. https://sputnikglobe.com/20241215/no-taurus-missiles-spd-backs-scholzs-approach-to-ukraine-and-natos-limits-1121181296.html russia germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International putin-scholz meeting, scholz visit moscow, cdu rumors putin-scholz meeting, scholz cdu leaks, scholz ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20250105/why-could-us-military-bases-in-honduras-be-closed-after-trumps-inauguration-1121362173.html Why Could US Military Bases in Honduras Be Closed After Trumps Inauguration? Why Could US Military Bases in Honduras Be Closed After Trumps Inauguration? Sputnik International President-elect Donald Trump earlier signaled readiness to send back millions of Latin American citizens, who illegally reside in the United States. 2025-01-05T14:52+0000 2025-01-05T14:52+0000 2025-01-05T14:52+0000 us honduras airbase troops deportation migrants donald trump americas https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/01/05/1121362008_0:278:2997:1964_1920x0_80_0_0_946720f72fc97d7677ffc5f97b315d91.jpg US troops will be expelled from Honduras if Washington carries out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants from America, Honduran President Xiomara Castro has warned.The statement was followed by Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina pointing out that the countrys president had the power to suspend a decades-old agreement with the US on the airbase without the parliaments approval.What is Soto Cano Airbase?The Soto Cano Airbase, which was originally built by the US in the 1980s to help contain what Washington at the time said was the Communist threat in the region. The base currently hosts more than 1,000 American military and civilian personnel.How Did the US React?Brian Hughes, a spoksman for the Trump transition team, responded by saying that the Trump administration "looks forward" to engaging its Latin American partners to ensure US southern border is secure and "illegal immigrants can be returned to their country of origin."Did Trump Outline Concrete Plan on Migrants' Deportation?Trump earlier promised that he would swiftly deport undocumented immigrants from the US when he took office on January 20, with his transition team, though, declining to elaborate on concrete plans. The US President-elect deported about 1.5 million illegal migrants during his first term. honduras americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg undocumented migrants, us airbase in honduras, honduran president xiomara castro Ministry of Commerce and Industry, through the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), has issued Notification No. 48/2024-25 permitting the export of 2,00,000 metric tons (MTs) of wheat (HSN 1001) to Nepal. This export is authorized under Section 3 and Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, and in accordance with the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, as amended. The National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) will facilitate the export. The notification aligns with the provisions outlined in Para 2(B) of a prior notification (No. 06/2015-20, dated May 13, 2022). The directive specifically authorizes this quantity of wheat to ensure regulated trade practices and bilateral support between India and Nepal. Ministry of Commerce & Industry Department of Commerce Directorate General of Foreign Trade Vanijya Bhawan New Delhi Notification No. 48 /2024-25-DGFT | Dated: 4th January, 2025 Subject: Export of Wheat to Nepal through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) -reg S.O. 101 (E)- In exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 read with Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development 8. Regulation) Act. 1992. read with Para 102 and 201 of the Foreign Trade Policy. 2023. as amended from time to time, and in pursuance to the provision under Para 2(B) of Notification No 06/2015-20 dated 13 05 2022, the Central Government hereby permits export of 2.00.000 MTs of Wheat (IiSN 1001) to Nepal. through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) Effect of the Notification: Export of 2,00,000 MTs of Wheat to Nepal is permitted through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) (Santosh Kumar Sarangi) Director General of Foreign Trade Ex-Officio Additional Secretary Government of India E-mail. dgft@nic in (Issued from F No 01/91/1911049/AM-24/E0E-37225) This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Of all the rich and powerful people cozying up to President-elect Donald Trump, few have rushed to Mar-a-Lago faster than the crowned heads of big tech, including California's own chiefs of Google and Meta. And few have a stronger motive to curry Trump's favor than Silicon Valley: The fate of the H-1B visa program that permits foreign-born computer scientists, engineers and other highly skilled workers to migrate to the United States hangs in the balance. Support for retaining H-1B from Elon Musk, the incoming president's new closest associate, has stirred rage through much of Trump's MAGA base, which is against immigration in almost any form. But keeping the pipeline open for tech and other skilled workers is seen by many business leaders as critical for the American economy, especially in California. The state is by far the biggest user of the H-1B. More than 9,600 employers in California sought clearance for at least one H-1B worker in fiscal 2024, with 78,860 visa applications for new and continuing employment being approved, according to data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). They include all kinds of skilled work in various industries, including nurses and science teachers. But the top 10 beneficiaries of H-1B visas in Californiaaccounting for almost one-third of all the approvalswere dominated by tech giants, most of them in the Bay Area. "Those companies are the ones that can afford to hire outside firms that navigate the paperwork, the bureaucracy, and can jump through the hoops," said Todd O'Boyle, who leads technology policy at the Chamber of Progress, a group backed by big tech firms. The number of H-1B visas for new employment is capped at 65,000 a year nationally. An additional 20,000 are set aside for foreign nationals who have earned a master's degree or higher in the U.S. H-1B visas are good for three years but can be extended for up to another three years. Tech companies in California and elsewhere have relied on the program even as they made massive job cuts following the pandemic, during which many went overboard on hiring and other spending. The fact that tech companies have fired thousands of American workers while hiring large numbers of foreign workers has added to the fury of anti-immigration Trump supporters, who have long argued immigrants take jobs away from Americans by working for less pay. The question of whether that claim is valid does not have an easy or simple answer. U.S. graduate school students in engineering and the sciences are disproportionately foreign-born, and even with that there are shortages of some highly skilled workers, particularly in high-tech engineering and emerging areas such as artificial intelligence. Nvidia, the major Santa Clara supplier of AI hardware and software, got H-1B visa approvals for more than 1,500 workers last year in California, according to USCIS data. The company declined to comment, and other top tech users of the H-1B, including Google, Meta and Apple, didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. "If you lay off a programmer, it's not the same skill set as somebody who has a post-doctorate in AI, so you have to look at the skills that are sought and why," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, who sits on the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. But she said the H-1B isn't without its challenges, pointing to cases in the past at UC San Francisco and Southern California Edison in which U.S. workers were reported displaced by lower-paid H-1B visa holders. Employers who hire H-1B workers are required to pay wages at least as much as for similar U.S. professionals, but there are abuses. Lofgren said systemic improvements are needed, including stronger analysis on skill sets for the jobs available and more robust advertising on openings. What's more, workers from India dominate H-1B visas, in part because there are country quotas for permanent immigration, and temporary work visas are seen as a bridge to that, although the wait is often many years. "People say the immigration system is broken, and this is part of the brokenness," Lofgren said, adding that especially for California, "our economy is dependent on, and our prosperity is tied to, immigrants." The acrimony over the H-1B in recent days spiraled after far-right activist Laura Loomer attacked H-1B as a threat to American workers and national security. She and other critics of worker visas say they lead to fewer jobs for U.S. workers, but academic research over the years has found little evidence to support that claim overall. And although some laid-off workers have been forced to retire or switch careers, studies have found many have also been re-employed relatively quickly. For computer and mathematical occupations, the November unemployment rate was just 2.5%, up from 1.7% a year ago; and it was unchanged at 2% for architectural and engineering occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Loomer suggested a major clash ahead between immigration hardliners like Stephen Miller, named as Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy, and those including Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate who, with Musk, has been charged by Trump to cut government spending and regulation. Musk, the world's richest person who runs Tesla and SpaceX and is himself an immigrant and onetime H-1B visa holder, has come out championing the hiring of skilled foreign workers. The visa program has certainly helped Tesla, which this fiscal year received H-1B approvals for 1,765 new and continuing workers, although SpaceX has grown with little benefit from H-1B workers. (Musk moved Tesla's headquarters to Austin from Palo Alto at the end of 2021, and said this year that he was relocating SpaceX to Texas as well.) "OF COURSE my companies and I would prefer to hire Americans and we DO, as that is MUCH easier than going through the incredibly painful and slow work visa process," Musk wrote on Christmas Day on his social media platform, X. "However, there is dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America." He added, "It comes down to this: do you want America to WIN or do you want America to LOSE. If you force the world's best talent to play for the other side, America will LOSE." Trump on Saturday seemed to side with Musk. "I've been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times," he told the New York Post. "It's a great program." (Trump's businesses have predominantly used the H-2B program, which is for temporary seasonal workers that hotels and tourist businesses, for example, make heavy use of during summer. H-2A is for temporary farm workers.) Despite his record and promises to seal the borders and deport millions of undocumented immigrants, Trump's remarks raised hopes among some immigration advocates that the incoming president could take a softer tack on H-1B visas. In his first term, Trump's team made it a lot tougher for employers to get H-1B approvals, and denial rates jumped above 20% in fiscal years 2018 and 2019, triple the average of the prior administration, according to the National Foundation for American Policy, a Washington think tank that favors higher levels of immigration. "At minimum, it muddies the waters," said Stuart Anderson, the group's executive director. "It could signal a neutral policy rather than a hostile one." Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration expert at Cornell Law School, said that despite the deficiencies in H-1B, he believes that "most employers try to follow the rules. At the macro-level, H-1B workers are helping our economy and creating more jobs for U.S. workers." Entrepreneurs, in particular, have talked about skilled worker visas as being critical for their growth. Yale-Loehr also noted that recent changes have given U.S. immigration officials greater authority to tighten up the H-1B program, including imposing penalties and inspections. That could strengthen enforcement and cut down on abuses, if Trump actually follows through on his supportive remarks. "It's too early to see. You've got some people in the administration like Elon Musk who want to preserve the H-1B category and other people like Stephen Miller who want to restrict all immigration, including H-1B," Yale-Loehr said. "We'll see which side wins over the four years of the Trump administration." 2024 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain After years of preparations, Aurora Innovation's big launch of autonomous trucks in Texas is facing an unlikely stumbling block: safety triangles. When a traditional big rig pulls to the side of the highway, drivers are legally required to place a series of orange triangles or flares at the rear of the vehicle, to alert oncoming traffic. Aurora's semis are designed to operate without a human in the cabin, meaning there would be nobody to put out warning signs when the trucks pull over. The Strip District-based company joined with Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet, to petition federal regulators for an exemption in early 2023. Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rejected the request, raising questions about how Aurora will pull off a commercial launch that is scheduled for April. An Aurora spokesperson said the decision will not impact the timing of that launch and that the company believes it can still comply with regulations, without outlining how. The government said Aurora and Waymo, which has since narrowed its focus to robotaxis, failed to provide adequate data to show that their solutiona series of cab-mounted warning beaconswould provide the same level of safety as the traditional approach. The companies can resubmit an updated application, but that could take months to process. Aurora was originally planning a commercial launch by the end of 2024, but pushed the debut because its software wasn't ready. The company said in October that it will begin with a single truck, monitored remotely on a route from Dallas to Houston. Regulators said their highest priority is safety. The administration embraces "technology advancements that further our policy goals, including reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities on our nation's roads," communications director Cicely Waters said by email. To reverse the agency's decision, Aurora would need to provide additional data showing the effectiveness of their warning beacon approach. The company may also need to narrow the scope of its application. Aurora and Waymo originally sought a broad, industry-wide exemption for all companies operating autonomous commercial motor vehicles. The government expressed concern about how different companies would approach the task. Waymo declined to comment on whether it would refile with Aurora. The Mountain View, California-based company abandoned some trucking efforts in July 2023 to focus more on its fleet of robotaxis, which provided 4 million fully autonomous passenger trips in 2024. Critics of autonomous vehicles used the application as a forum to file broader grievances about the burgeoning industry. "We continue to see too many instances where AV technology does not perform the way it is designed, which further jeopardizes safety performance," Todd Spencer, president and chief executive of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, wrote in a letter to the agency. Zach Cahalan, executive director of the Truck Safety Coalition, wrote that "the lack of data requires that [the Department of Transportation] not unnecessarily risk the lives of the 200+ million roadway users who never agreed to be part of this experiment." Aurora declined to comment further on the rejection, instead referring to a public statement from Jeff Farrah, chief executive of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, who wrote last week that "the AV industry is disappointed by the Department of Transportation's decision." "Stakeholders widely agree that technology will make American roads safer. Yet DOT took nearly two years to decline an opportunity to embrace technology at a critical juncture," Mr. Farrah wrote. "The AV industry will be looking at all available options to ensure that this technology can be deployed to save lives." 2024 PG Publishing Co. 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: Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill briefs the media about the Tesla Cybertruck which exploded in front of the entrance to Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Las Vegas. Credit: Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP Your car is spying on you. That is one takeaway from the fast, detailed data that Tesla collected on the driver of one of its Cybertrucks that exploded in Las Vegas earlier this week. Privacy data experts say the deep dive by Elon Musk's company was impressive, but also shines a spotlight on a difficult question as vehicles become less like cars and more like computers on wheels. Is your car company violating your privacy rights? "You might want law enforcement to have the data to crack down on criminals, but can anyone have access to it?" said Jodi Daniels, CEO of privacy consulting firm Red Clover Advisors. "Where is the line?" Many of the latest cars not only know where you've been and where you are going, but also often have access to your contacts, your call logs, your texts and other sensitive information thanks to cell phone syncing. The data collected by Musk's electric car company after the Cybertruck packed with fireworks burst into flames in front of the Trump International Hotel Wednesday proved valuable to police in helping track the driver's movements. Within hours of the New Year's Day explosion that burned the driver beyond recognition and injured seven, Tesla was able to track Matthew Livelsberger's movements in detail from Denver to Las Vegas, and also confirm that the problem was explosives in the truck, not the truck itself. Tesla used data collected from charging stations and from onboard softwareand to great acclaim. "I have to thank Elon Musk, specifically," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill to reporters. "He gave us quite a bit of additional information." Some privacy experts were less enthusiastic. "It reveals the kind of sweeping surveillance going on," said David Choffnes, executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University in Boston. "When something bad happens, it's helpful, but it's a double edged sword. Companies that collect this data can abuse it." General Motors, for instance, was sued in August by the Texas attorney general for allegedly selling data from 1.8 million drivers to insurance companies without their consent. Cars equipped with cameras to enable self-driving features have added a new security risk. Tesla itself came under fire after Reuters reported how employees from 2019 through 2022 shared drivers' sensitive videos and recordings with each other, including videos of road rage incidents and, in one case, nudity. Tesla did not respond to emailed questions about its privacy policy. On its website, Tesla says it follows strict rules for keeping names and information private. This undated photo, provided by the Las Vegas Police Department shows the Tesla Cybertruck involved in an explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. Credit: Las Vegas Police Department via AP "No one but you would have knowledge of your activities, location, or a history of where you've been," according to a statement. "Your information is kept private and secure." Auto analyst Sam Abuelsamid at Telemetry Insight, said he doesn't think Tesla is "especially worse" than other auto companies in handling customer data, but he is still concerned. "This is one of the biggest ethical issues we have around modern vehicles. They're connected," he said. "Consumers need to have control over their data." Tensions were high when the Cybertruck parked at the front doors of Trump's hotel began smoking, then burst into flames. Just hours earlier a driver in another vehicle using the same peer-to-peer car rental service, Turo, had killed 15 people after slamming into a crowd in New Orleans in what law enforcement is calling a terrorist attack. Shortly before 1 p.m., the Las Vegas police announced they were investigating a second incident. "The fire is out," the police announced on the social media platform X, one of Musk's other companies. "Please avoid the area." Tesla shortly thereafter swung into action. "The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now," Musk wrote on X. "Will post more information as soon as we learn anything." Over the next few hours, Tesla was able to piece together Livelsberger's journey over five days and four states by tracking, among other things, his recharging stops in various locations, including Monument, Colorado, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Flagstaff, Arizona. There are no federal laws regulating car data similar to those that restrict information collection and sharing by banks and health care providers. And state laws are a grab-bag of various rules, mostly focused on data privacy in general. Daniels, the privacy consultant, thinks that new national laws are needed because rules have not kept up with technology. "I think law enforcement should have access to data that can help them solve things quickly," she said. "But we have a right to privacy." 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Elizabeth L. T. Moore is a Hearst Fellow in San Antonio. She can be reached at Elizabeth.Moore@hearst.com Elizabeth did her first fellowship year as a reporter with the New Haven Register in Connecticut. Moore has published bylines with Bloomberg News, The Virginian-Pilot and The Daily Tar Heel, the student newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Moore placed nationally in the Hearst Collegiate Journalism Program, and she is fluent in Spanish. Former San Antonio police officer Matthew Luckhurst, who was accused of giving a feces sandwich to a homeless man in 2016, has been working for the Benavides Police Department for nearly a year. Emilie Eaton/Staff Matthew Luckhurst, the San Antonio police officer who was fired for allegedly providing a feces sandwich to a homeless man, watches as San Antonio Police Chief William McManus speaks during an arbitration hearing on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Billy Calzada/Staff Photographer A former San Antonio police officer accused of giving a homeless man a sandwich with dog feces is back at work with a South Texas police department. Matthew Luckhurst, who was fired from the San Antonio Police Department in 2020, now serves as an officer for the city of Benavides, police department officials told the San Antonio Express-News. Luckhurst is one of two police officers employed in the town located about two hours south of San Antonio in Duval County. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Benavides Police Chief Andre Hines said he's aware of Luckhursts past disciplinary history, but he meets the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement employment standards. Luckhurst has worked with the department since April 2023. Hines said Luckhurst has performed well during his employment there. The news of his hiring was made public through social media by San Antonio Street artist Joshua Lakey Hinson. After he was fired from SAPD, Luckhurst was hired by the Floresville Police Department in 2021. But he was let go a year later after news coverage critical of his hire. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He was cited in a 2022 state report as an example of why the states disciplinary process for bad cops needs to be completely overhauled. The states regulation of law enforcement personnel and agencies is, by and large, toothless, the Sunset Advisory Commission concluded in its deep-dive study of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, the agency responsible for licensing police and corrections officers. Luckhursts trouble with keeping a job started nearly a decade ago. In 2016, Luckhurst, a bike patrol officer, gave a homeless man a sandwich with dog feces inside it. The incident was reported by his colleagues. A month later, after a female officer requested the womens bathroom be kept clean, he and another policeman responded by defecating in the toilet without flushing, then spreading a brown substance with the consistency of tapioca on the seat. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The department fired Luckhurst several months after the sandwich incident. But he was reinstated in 2019 after an arbitrator concluded the department had missed a 180-day legal window to discipline him. Luckhurst appealed again when he was fired for the second feces-related incident. In June 2020 an arbitrator agreed the police department was justified in the dismissal. Jeffrey Schopp, 33, died after pulling out a gun while running away from a San Antonio police officer on Dec. 3. Bexar County Sheriff's Office A still image from a body camera worn by Officer James Lopez shows Jeffrey Schopp running from officers with what SAPD said was a gun, circled in red. Schopp was shot and killed by an officer moments later as Schopp held the weapon to his head. Courtesy of SAPD According to SAPD, this is the weapon being carried by Jeffrey Schopp at the time of the shooting and recovered from the scene. Courtesy of SAPD A still image from a body camera worn by Officer James Lopez shows first contact with Jeffrey Schopp as he begins to run from officers. Schopp was later shot and killed while holding what SAPD said was a gun. Courtesy of SAPD The San Antonio Police Department has released the body cam footage of a Dec. 3 officer-involved shooting in which an officer shot and killed an armed man. ALSO READ: Man killed by San Antonio police officer identified SAPD officer James Lopez fired over a dozen rounds at Jeffrey Schopp, 33, after he pulled out a gun while leading officers on a foot chase through a parking garage and into a North Side drainage ditch, police said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Schopp shot himself as he was shot by the officer, who struck him in the chest, police said. Schopp died at the scene. The incident began after police attempted to detain Schopp around 3 p.m. near Loop 410 and Jones Maltsberger Road for crossing the street without using a crosswalk. The department released two body cam videos on Friday. The narrated video footage shows Schopp walking on the sidewalk when the officer repeatedly orders Schopp to approach him. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Im not doing all of that man, Schopp can be heard saying in the video. Am I under arrest? The officer tells Schopp he is being detained for failing to use a crosswalk. Schopp apologizes several times, but still refuses to approach the officer. I aint looking for an apology, the officer say as he walks closer to Schopp. Schopp then drops one of his backpacks and runs away. In the video, Schopp can be seen running into a nearby parking garage and darting between cars. The officer runs after Schopp, but loses sight of him in the garage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lopez, who was nearby, responds after he hears the officer announce over the radio that Schopp had gotten away. He sees Schopp running from the parking garage and jumping an iron fence, body cam footage shows. Lopez yells at Schopp, ordering him to get on the ground. Schopp ignores the officers commands and flees. Lopez then gets into his patrol vehicle and drives toward a drainage ditch along the 700 Block of East Rector Street where he finds Schopp hiding in tall grass. Lopez pulls out his Taser and orders Schopp to get on the ground, but Schopp ignores him. Lopez then sees that Schopp is holding a gun, the video appears to show. He has a (expletive) gun! Lopez yells. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lopez fires several rounds at Schopp. Schopp, who was in the drainage ditch, raises his gun. Another officer at the scene yells at Schopp, telling him to drop his gun. Lopez resumes shooting, striking Schopp in the chest. Officers provided life-saving measures, but Schopp was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators later determined that Schopp shot himself in the head, police said. Lopez, who has been with the department for four years, was not injured during the incident. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Originally, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said it appeared that Schopp had fired his gun toward the officers, but notes the investigation is underway. The departments most recent report did not mention that Schopp had fired at the officers. Schopp had an extensive criminal history that dates back to 2013, which includes charges of assault, drug possession, theft and forgery. The SAPD Shooting Team and the Internal Affairs Unit are continuing to conduct separate, concurrent investigations. Their findings will be sent to the Bexar County District Attorneys Office for an independent review. (TBTCO) - Lai suat ngan hang ngay 14/3/2025, tiep tuc chung kien nhieu thay oi manh me. Sau ot ieu chinh lien tuc tu au thang, cac ngan hang a cong bo muc lai suat moi, ac biet la lai suat huy ong cho cac ky han tu 12 - 36 thang. Cac thay oi nay phan anh xu huong giam lai suat huy ong o nhieu ngan hang, nhung cung co nhung ngan hang ap dung cac chuong trinh lai suat ac biet cho cac khach hang co so du gui tiet kiem lon. Microsoft plans to invest around $80 billion in the expansion of data centres for artificial intelligence (AI) during the current financial year - with more than half of that to be invested in the US, German press agency (dpa) reported. The current fiscal year for Microsoft runs until the end of June. The additional computing power is intended to be used for training AI models and launching AI-based features worldwide, the company said in a blog post on Friday, stated the dpa report. Microsoft became a frontrunner in the use of AI software through a multi-billion dollar pact with ChatGPT developer OpenAI and is attempting to integrate it across its entire product range, it added. Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit accusing its digital assistant Siri of listening in on users' private conversations. The proposed settlement detailed in a court filing accessed on Thursday came with Apple holding firm that it did nothing wrong. "Apple has at all times denied and continues to deny any and all alleged wrongdoing and liability," the tech titan said in the proposed settlement, which requires a judge's approval to be finalized. A class action lawsuit filed five years ago accused Siri of listening in on private conversations of people with iPhones, iPads, HomePods or other Apple devices enhanced with the digital assistant. The California-based tech giant has made user privacy a big part of its brand image, and one of the reasons it tightly controls its "ecosystem" of hardware and software. Talk captured by "unintended Siri activation" were obtained by Apple and perhaps even shared with third parties, according to the suit. A proposed settlement fund of $95 million would be used to pay no more than $20 per Siri device to US owners who had private conversations captured without permission, the settlement indicated. The agreement also requires Apple to confirm it has deleted any overheard talk and make user choices clear when it comes to voice data gathered to improve Siri. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In 2023, Amazon agreed to pay more than $30 million to the US Federal Trade Commission to settle litigation accusing the company of violating privacy with its Ring doorbell cameras and Alexa digital assistant. Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, has announced that it has secured an order from Bechtel Energy to supply gas technology equipment for two liquefaction plants for Woodside Energy Groups Louisiana LNG development. The project, in its Phase I, will have a total capacity of 11 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and on completion will boast a total overall permitted capacity of 27.6 MTPA. The contract award, which includes eight main refrigeration compressors driven by LM6000PF+ gas turbines and eight expander-compressors, leverages Baker Hughes proven, best-in-class LNG technologies to support Bechtel and Woodside. Baker Hughes history of working with Bechtel and Woodside will support the delivery of Phase 1 of the project. The order marks a significant milestone as Woodside targets final investment decision (FID) readiness from the first quarter of 2025, it stated. "Louisiana LNG will play a vital role in meeting the worlds increasing LNG demand," remarked Paul Marsden, the President of Bechtel Energy. "Bechtel is proud to collaborate with Baker Hughes to help deliver this critical project," he noted. In addition to this award, Baker Hughes was previously selected to supply Woodside electric-powered Integrated Compressor Line (ICL) packages and other turbomachinery equipment for the associated pipeline serving the LNG export terminal. Ganesh Ramaswamy, the Executive Vice President of Industrial & Energy Technology at Baker Hughes, said: "We are committed to providing our proven technology to ensure the LNG industry stands ready to meet the rapidly growing energy demand." "Building on our 40-year track record in LNG and established collaboration with both Bechtel and Woodside, we look forward to supporting this important project and contributing to sustainable energy development," he added.-TradeArabia News Service The Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport announced the resumption of international flights to and from Damascus International Airport, starting next Tuesday (January 7), reported WAM. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted Ashhad Al-Salibi, Chairman of the Authority, as saying, "We reassure Arab and international airlines that we are in the process of fully rehabilitating both Aleppo and Damascus airports, with the assistance of our partners, to ensure they can receive flights from all over the world." Earlier, the airport had only received planes carrying international aid or foreign officials, while domestic flights had resumed earlier. PRESIDENT of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) Pandits Parishad (council of pandits) Pt Navin Omadath Maharaj supports the call by Hindus to declare the festival of Phagwa a public holiday. This move, he said, would increase awareness of the festival, which has seen both local and international growth in recent years. Phagwa, also known as Holi, will be observed at several locations across the nation on Sunday. The Hindu festival is popularly known as the festival of colour. The New York judge presiding over President-elect Donald Trump's hush money case on Friday set sentencing for 10 days before his January 20 inauguration and said he was not inclined to impose jail time. Judge Juan Merchan said Trump, the first former president ever convicted of a crime, can appear either in person or virtually at his January 10 sentencing. In an 18-page decision, Merchan upheld Trump's conviction by a New York jury, rejecting various motions from Trump's lawyers seeking to have it thrown out. The judge said that instead of incarceration he was leaning towards an unconditional discharge -- meaning the real estate tycoon would not be subject to any conditions. The sentence would nevertheless see Trump entering the White House as a convicted felon. The 78-year-old Trump potentially faced up to four years in prison but legal experts -- even before he won the November presidential election -- did not expect Merchan to send the former president to jail. "It seems proper at this juncture to make known the Court's inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration," the judge said, noting that prosecutors also did not believe a jail term was a "practicable recommendation." Trump is expected to lodge an appeal that could potentially delay his sentencing. Trump was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter. Trump's attorneys had sought to have the case dismissed on multiple grounds, including the Supreme Court's landmark ruling last year that former US presidents have sweeping immunity from prosecution for a range of official acts committed while in office. Merchan rejected that argument but he noted that Trump will be immune from prosecution once he is sworn in as president. "Finding no legal impediment to sentencing and recognizing that Presidential immunity will likely attach once Defendant takes his Oath of Office, it is incumbent upon this Court to set this matter down for imposition of sentence prior to January 20, 2025," the judge said. Trump spokesman Steven Cheung denounced Merchan's decision to set sentencing for the former president, calling it a "direct violation of the Supreme Court's Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence." "This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed," Cheung said in a statement. "President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts," he said. "There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead," Cheung added. Trump also faced two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith but both were dropped under a long-standing Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. In those cases, Trump was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and removing large quantities of top secret documents after leaving the White House. Trump also faces racketeering charges in Georgia over his alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in the White House. We found something strange while trying to date the Earth In 1979, Jimmy Carter created the Department of Education, giving education its own cabinet-level department separate from the existing Department of Health, Education and Welfare. The issue was that, during the 1970s, people showed insufficient knowledge of fun trivia facts, and Carter believed that a shift in personnel and funding could help Americans become more competitive at Trivial Pursuit. Is the above claim true? Not exactly. But the following ones are. Advertisement 15 But Why? The Village People didnt originally plan on spelling anything out with their YMCA dance. They just raised their hands to clap and keep time. Then the audience assumed they were doing a Y pose, and the group decided to roll with that. Advertisement 14 Rocket Man Authorities were baffled at first about what killed Wang Diange, a man found dead in his home under a broken roof. They first thought it was lightning. It was actually a weather rocket, which fell through the roof and struck him, entering his body. 13 Just Plumb Stumbled on It Lead poisoning wasnt originally discovered because anyone was deliberately looking to protect health or the environment. Instead, geochemist Clair Patterson discovered it because he was measuring lead to try to calculate the age of the Earth. 12 The Price of Fame A postal worker filed a workers comp claim, saying she was unable to raise her arms. She then appeared on The Price Is Right, lifting her arms on TV and reaching to spin the wheel, and so the government charged her, and she pleaded guilty to fraud. Advertisement Advertisement 11 Vestigial Syrup Maple syrup bottles often have a little handle on top, which serves no purpose, as its easier to hold the bottle at any other spot. It used to serve a purpose, though. Syrup used to come in five-pound bottles, and the handle was scaled proportionately, so you could actually use it before. Marvins Country Store If they did sell five pounds of this stuff today, you couldnt afford it. 10 Well Be Going Strong After Bill Haleys death, Bill Haley & His Comets went on. Seven different groups all claimed to be the surviving Comets. Multiple ones even called themselves Bill Haleys Comets. The issue was that the band had a rotating selection of members back when Haley was alive. Advertisement 9 Shiny Metal Ass To test how car seats react to being sat on, car companies employ robotic butts. And since purely metal butts cant properly simulate everything butts do, some of these robots are programmed to sweat. Advertisement 8 Write What You Know The famous opening of Carrie involves kids in a high school locker room pelting one girl with tampons. Inspiration for this hit Stephen King during his time as a high school janitor, when he entered the girls room and had to ask to find out what the tampon receptacles were. Advertisement 7 Natural Aptitude When he retired after 35 years, the top crayon molder at Crayola, Emerson Moser, revealed that he was color blind. He was unable to distinguish between blues and greens and had been dodging that task for decades. 6 Ultimate Fantasy In 2015, a miner in South Africa slipped and impaled himself on a 5-foot pole, which entered his groin and ripped out near his shoulder. He recovered in just three weeks, and he also didnt find the experience painful. Daniel De Wet Who needs two kidneys, right? One is more than enough. Advertisement 5 Gonna Need an Ocean Poison ivy isnt poisonous (or venomous). Instead, when you get a rash, youre having an allergic reaction to a substance in the oil called urushiol. Its a very common allergy, but its not universal, which is why some people arent affected by poison ivy at all. Advertisement 4 Hot Merchandise When a Paraguayan supermarket caught fire in 2004, the owner ordered the doors locked, to prevent anyone from taking the opportunity to loot the place. This succeeded, but it did lead to 450 people inside dying. Advertisement 3 Swine Before Pearls Many centuries passed between the invention of paint and the inventions of little tubes you could squeeze paint out of. Until then, the best place to keep your paint was in a pigs bladder, held shut with string. 2 Gee Whiz American cheese is a type of processed cheese thats great for creating slices for hamburgers but might not seem particularly gourmet. However, that doesnt mean all American cheeses are like that. One American cheese won Best Cheese in the World at the 2019 World Cheese Awards. Advertisement Advertisement Foreign investors net sold over VND93 trillion (US$3.7 billion) on the Vietnamese stock market in 2024, a fourfold increase over 2023 and the largest-ever sale in history, according to Fiintrade, a trading information and analytics platform. The record sale resulted from frontier markets, including Vietnam, and emerging markets being less attractive than developed peers. Of the total, some VND90 trillion ($3.5 billion) was net sold by foreign investors on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE). Foreign investors net sold a total of VND167.2 trillion ($6.6 billion) in 2019-24, nearly double their net purchases in 2007-19. The net buying value did not include the value of transactions via private placements and public offerings of listed companies. As a result, foreign investors ownership rate of domestic shares fell to the lowest level in the past 10 years, reaching 12.8 percent, on December 31. The rate was 16.8 percent on HoSE alone. At the beginning of February 2020, the rate stood at 21 percent on HoSE. The director of analysis at a securities company told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that foreign investors preferred large-cap stocks. Therefore, their net selling has put pressure on these stocks. Vietnam remains a frontier market and needs to upgrade to a secondary emerging market to attract more large foreign investors, the director noted. In 2024, sectors experiencing the most significant net selling by foreign investors included real estate, banking, food, steel, securities, and information technology. Meanwhile, foreign investors net purchases concentrated in retail, logistics, maintenance, waterway transport, paper, and water. Although foreign net selling has slowed down over the past few months, it has not shown signs of reversing. Foreign investors have continued net selling in the first sessions in 2025, but many securities companies have forecast that foreign indirect investment channeled into the Vietnamese stock market will improve, especially in the second half of this year. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read what is in the news in Vietnam today: Society -- The Vietnamese government has issued a decree allowing support of up to 50 percent of initial investment costs for businesses engaging in semiconductor and AI research and development projects, the Vietnam News Agency reported. -- Vietnam's Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank on Saturday rejected a rumor on social media that its senior leader gambled and transferred tens of millions of U.S. dollars abroad. -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked billionaire Pham Nhat vuong, chairman of leading private conglomerate Vingroup, to develop a metro line from downtown Ho Chi Minh City to outlying Can Gio District, the government leader said at a conference in the southern metropolis on Saturday afternoon. -- Police in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam said on Saturday that they had arrested a man a day earlier as he insulted and slapped a local police officer in the face after being advised to visit a higher-level hospital for injury treatment. -- A forest protection officer spotted a reticulated python which is some four meters long and weighs nearly 100 kilograms in a forest in Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam and drove it back into the forest, the Phu Quoc National Park management board reported on Saturday. -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has announced the suspension of tours of the office building of the municipal People's Council and People's Committee for site maintenance. The time to reopen the edifice to visitors is not disclosed. Business -- Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc on Friday signed a decision to eliminate another decision to exempt the value-added tax and import duty on products each valued below VND1 million (US$39.3) imported via express delivery services. -- Foreign investors net sold over VND93 trillion (US$3.7 billion) on the Vietnamese stock market in 2024, a fourfold increase over 2023 and the largest-ever sale in history, according to Fiintrade, a trading information and analytics platform. World News -- The world's oldest person, Japanese woman Tomiko Itooka, has died at the age of 116, AFP cited the city of Ashiya where she lived as saying. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has announced the suspension of tours of the office building of the municipal People's Council and People's Committee for site maintenance. The time to reopen the edifice to visitors is not disclosed. During the 2025 New Year holiday, the City Hall welcomed nearly 2,100 domestic and international visitors. According to the municipal Department of Tourism, the Management Board of Industrial and Civil Engineering Construction and Investment Projects will repair and upgrade the hall this year. The city will also receive attendees of a ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of southern liberation and national reunification in April. As a result, tours of the hall were suspended to ensure the progress of the upgrade, the success of the anniversary celebration, and safety for visitors. The Department of Tourism encouraged tourists to join other tours around the city, such as those to the Saigon Central Post Office, the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, and other cultural and historical sites. The department was committed to offering special experiences and improving service quality, helping promote images of a dynamic and modern city to international friends. Tours of the office building of the People's Council and People's Committee are a distinctive new tourism product, making the cultural heritage more approachable. The product is also a highlight in the citys tourism promotion campaign 'Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City' after the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to developing the friendly, open, and approachable Ho Chi Minh City administration. The edifice of the People's Council and People's Committee received visitors for the first time during the Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1) holiday in 2023, attracting 1,500 Vietnamese and international visitors. It was opened to visitors on the last weekend of each month from July 2023. Each group of 30 visitors were allowed to spend 60 minutes in the CIty Hall learning about its history and architectural highlights, and visiting several rooms such as the international reception room, the meeting room, as well as exhibition spaces. Tours of the hall helped introduce French architecture and the citys establishment and development. Designed by French architect Femand Gardes, the edifice, which is one of the citys classic architectural structures, was built in 1898 and completed in 1909. During the French colonial time, the building was called Dinh Xa Tay. Before 1975, the year when Vietnam was reunified, it was named Saigon City Hall, where city government officials worked and held meetings. Since April 30, 1975, the building has been the workplace of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee and Peoples Council. Located at 86 Le Thanh Ton Street in District 1, the building faces Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street and overlooks the Saigon River. In November 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism recognized it as a national architectural relic site. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said Friday that Lebanon was working to find a solution with Syria, after two security officials said Damascus had imposed new restrictions on the entry of Lebanese citizens. "Work is underway to resolve the issue of Lebanese citizens being prevented from entering Syria," Mawlawi told AFP. He said Lebanon's General Security agency was in touch with "the Syrian side" to resolve the issue. The developments appeared to be the first instance of friction between the two neighbours, who share a fraught history, since Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last month. Lebanese nationals had previously been allowed into Syria without a visa, using just their passport or ID. But a Lebanese General Security official told AFP on Friday that they were "surprised to see the border had been closed" to Lebanese citizens "from the Syrian side". The official, who like other sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that no new border measures had been communicated to them yet. A security source at Masnaa, the main land border crossing between the two countries, said Syrian authorities had implemented "new procedures" since the previous night, only allowing in Lebanese with residency permits or official permission. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati's office later said he had a phone call with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, during which they discussed bilateral relations as well as border skirmishes with the Lebanese army. Sharaa also invited Mikati for an official visit to Syria. The statement said Sharaa "confirmed that Syria's relevant agencies have done all that is necessary to restore calm at the border and prevent the recurrence of what happened". Lebanon had imposed similar restrictions on Syrians entering the country after the civil war erupted more than a decade ago. The Lebanese army said in a statement on X that its soldiers had clashed with armed Syrians at the border after the armed forces tried to "close an illegal crossing". It said five soldiers were wounded. Lebanon's eastern border is porous and known for smuggling. It was unclear who the armed Syrians were. "Syrians attempted to open the crossing using a bulldozer, so army personnel fired warning shots into the air. The Syrians opened fire on army personnel, injuring one of them and provoking a clash," the army said. Last month, Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told visiting Lebanese Druze leaders that his country would not negatively interfere in Lebanon and would respect its sovereignty. For three decades, Syria was a dominant military and political force in Lebanon after intervening in its 1975-1990 civil war. Syria eventually withdrew its troops in 2005 under international pressure after the assassination of Lebanese ex-prime minister Rafic Hariri. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh revealed that he had proposed to Vingroup chairman Pham Nhat Vuong, the countrys wealthiest individual, the idea of building a subway line connecting downtown Ho Chi Minh City with coastal Can Gio District. PM Chinh shared this information during a Saturday conference held by the city administration to unveil the Ho Chi Minh City Master Plan for 2021-30, with a vision extending to 2050. "I recently suggested to Vingroup chairman Vuong the idea of constructing a metro line linking the city center to Can Gio District, and he enthusiastically supported the initiative," Chinh stated. Vuong, who also serves as CEO of electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast, is Vietnam's richest person and ranked 833rd on Forbes magazines global rich list with a net worth of $4.1 billion as of late 2024. The prime minister said it is important to involve major enterprises with substantial resources in projects critical to Vietnams social and economic progress. I am offering initiatives to businesses and encouraging them to develop innovative approaches, Chinh said at the conference. Resources stem from our ideas, and motivation arises from our innovation. This mindset must guide us as we implement the citys master plan. Hailing the citys efforts to put its first metro line, among the eight planned subway projects, into operation last month, Chinh advised that the countrys most populous metropolis further exploit its sea and underground spaces, including developing more subway systems, to meet rising travel demand. In July 2024, the Department of Transport and the Department of Planning and Architecture proposed that the local government build an appropriate urban railway line to link the citys central area to Can Gio -- a move to better the local traffic infrastructure. The proposal for the subway system followed PM Chinhs directive after he and other officials visited Can Gio in July 2023. Four months later, during a meeting on the implementation of the legislatures Resolution 98 which outlines pilot policies for Ho Chi Minh Citys development the premier spotlighted the need for a subway or elevated road to Can Gio. He highlighted this as part of the efforts to preserve the Can Gio mangrove forest, a UNESCO-recognized world biosphere reserve since 2000. "One of the key principles in developing any project is to protect what nature has gifted us, ensuring benefits for the nation as a whole and Ho Chi Minh City in particular," PM Chinh stressed. At the conference, the prime minister also commended the citys Master Plan, describing it as a comprehensive blueprint that addresses strategic visions and critical priorities for Ho Chi Minh Citys sustainable socio-economic growth in the years ahead. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam's Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank on Saturday rejected a rumor on social media that its senior leader gambled and transferred tens of millions of U.S. dollars abroad. The bank issued a statement saying that some individuals made corrupt use of social media to spread fabricated and inaccurate information about its leader. According to ACB, the rumor severely damaged the dignity, honor, and legitimate rights and interests of its leader as well as tarnished the bank's image and reputation. The rumor may have caused public disturbance and confusion while exerting an impact on the financial security of Vietnams financial and banking sector. The bank said it had collected evidence and reported the case to relevant agencies for handling in line with the law. The lender also affirmed its commitment to transparency, safety, and accountability in all operations, ensuring the rights and benefits of its customers, stakeholders, and partners. During a live stream on TikTok, a social media influencer said that she was shared the information about ACB chairman Tran Hung Huys gambling and illegal money transfers worth tens of millions of U.S. dollars. Huy later uploaded ACBs announcement denying the rumor about himself to his Facebook page. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Two major submarine cable systems linking Vietnam to the global network -- the Asia Pacific Gateway (APG) and the Intra Asia (IA) -- are still out of service, slowing the country's Internet connection to international destinations. The Vietnam News Agency cited a local Internet service provider as saying on Friday that while the Asia-Africa-Europe-1 undersea cable has been fully restored, issues persist with the APG and IA cables. The APG cable is experiencing faults on two branches -- S1.9 and S8 -- which connect Vietnam to Malaysia and Thailand, respectively. Meanwhile, the IA cable encountered an issue on December 26 on its S1 branch between Vietnam and Singapore, cutting off connections from Vietnam to Hong Kong and Singapore. International partners have yet to provide a timeline for resolving the issues on the IA cable to local Internet service providers. For the APG cable, repairs to the S8 branch are expected between January 6 and 10, but no timeline is available for the S1.9 branch. Submarine cable disruptions significantly slow Vietnams international Internet speed and bandwidth, causing widespread inconvenience. To address these challenges, the Ministry of Information and Communications included the expansion of Vietnams international cable infrastructure in its June 2024 strategy for international cable development. According to this strategy, Vietnam looks to add at least 10 new undersea cables by 2030, increasing the total to 15. Besides, as part of the national digital infrastructure strategy approved by the central government in October 2024, the country plans to launch at least two new submarine cables by 2025 and at least eight more by 2030. These efforts aim to enhance the resilience of Vietnams telecommunications infrastructure, ensure uninterrupted connectivity, and expand international bandwidth. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Bac Thai drum-making village, a centuries-old hub, is bustling as the Vietnamese Lunar News Year (Tet) is three weeks away, remaining the only drum-making center in Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam, preserving the traditional craft passed down by their ancestors. In Bac Thai Drum Village, located in Thach Hoi Commune, Ha Tinh City, the sounds of saws, chisels, and drum testing have filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere these days. With over a century of history, Bac Thai is the only drum-making village in Ha Tinh that produces large quantities of drums for both domestic and international markets. Though many clans live in Bac Thai, it is the Bui family that has exclusively continued the drum-making tradition. Over a hundred years ago, a member of the Bui clan brought the craft from Thanh Hoa Province to Bac Thai, where it was passed down through generations as a livelihood and has evolved into the thriving industry it is today. Bui Van Luong finishes a drum for delivery to a customer in Bac Thai Drum Village, Thach Hoi Commune, Ha Tinh City, Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam. Photo: Le Minh According to Phan Huu Duan, deputy chairman of Thach Hoi Commune, about 25 households in Bac Thai Drum Village specialize in drum-making, most of whom are descendants of the Bui clan. Major producing families include Bui Dang, Bui Cat, Bui Nghiem, and Bui Can, with the village generating an annual income of about VND4-5 billion (US$157,325-196,657). Bui Van Luong, 68, one of the oldest drum makers in the village, has been making drums for 40 years. He started helping his family as a child, later worked as a mechanic, and then returned to his roots in the drum-making business. He explains that the first full moon of the lunar year, the seventh full moon, and Tet are the busiest times in the village on account of local clans' high demand for festivities and ritual use. Wood and cowhide are sun-dried in Bac Thai Drum Village, Thach Hoi Commune, Ha Tinh City, Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam. Photo: Le Minh The drum-making process involves several stages, with the most critical being selecting wood, sawing it, drying cowhide, and assembling the drum. The wood must be termite-free jackfruit wood which is increasingly hard to find locally, forcing villagers to source it from neighboring provinces. It takes me about 10 days to complete a large drum which sells for around VND10 million [$393], with raw materials costing about VND5-6 million [$196-236], Luong said. Skilled drum makers like him enjoy a stable income from their craft, but few are able to achieve this level of success. Nguyen Thi Binh, a 42-year-old local, runs a household that produces 20-30 large drums per month, earning about VND200 million ($7,866) annually. In addition to making drums, her family also repairs damaged ones. Nguyen Thi Binh finishes a drum for delivery to a customer in Bac Thai Drum Village, Thach Hoi Commune, Ha Tinh City, Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam. Photo: Le Minh Binh points out that while Bac Thai drums are famous, most villagers, including her family, struggle to secure orders. They rely on self-sourcing clients or sending drums to local agents for sale, which limits their market reach. Luong shares a similar frustration, noting that if there were a broader market, he could double his production. However, due to the difficulty in finding consistent buyers, he only produces drums when there are confirmed orders, keeping his operation on a small scale. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! The new Stand Up to Cancer series premiered on Sunday, 5 January. What did you miss? Celebrity Hunted stars Giovanni Pernice and Kai Widdrington have revealed why they teamed up as fugitives for the Channel 4 reality show. On Sunday, 5 January's opening episode of the series, which is raising money for Stand Up to Cancer, the professional dancers were one of six partnerships to disembark a train in the middle of nowhere after Denise Welch pulled the Emergency Stop chord, thus kickstarting this year's hunt. In a pre-recorded talking head interview that was intermixed with frantic on-the-run footage, Pernice joked that his Strictly Come Dancing and Anton & Giovanni's Adventures colleague Anton Du Beke wasn't available at the time of filming, hence Widdrington's presence. What, how and why? Pernice and Widdrington's profiles on display at Hunted HQ (Channel 4 screenshot) "Why did we choose each other to go on the run together?" Widdrington contemplated. ADVERTISEMENT Pernice, whose behind-the-scenes bullying scandal effectively cost him his place on the Strictly pro team in 2024, went on to quip: "Simple question... Anton was unavailable!" Read more: Meanwhile, one of the hunters back at HQ told The Chief: "Giovanni and Kai are on Strictly Come Dancing. They're both used to supporting their partners, that is what they do as dancers so together they are actually quite formidable." Widdrington also claimed to the cameras that he and Pernice can "absolutely" conquer the Celebrity Hunted format, as they're "two of the most competitive people" on the planet. ADVERTISEMENT For clarification, this series of Celebrity Hunted was filmed before the Sicilian's Strictly departure. Where can you watch Anton & Giovanni's Adventures? Still from Anton & Giovanni's Adventures in Spain (BBC Studios) Anton & Giovanni's Adventures consists of two three-episode series, with the pair traversing the splendour of both Spain and Sicily. Adventures in Spain and Sicily are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now, where viewers can enjoy their trips to Mount Etna, Pernice's hometown of Palermo, Costa Blanca and Seville. The episodes are all just under one hour in duration. Celebrity Hunted airs on Channel 4 and 4OD. A NANG An investment certificate on chip design has been given to SkyeChip, a Malaysia-based leader in semiconductors, to develop a project in the central city of a Nang. A source from the a Nang Semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence Center for Research and Training (DSAC) said the certificate was handed over to the Malaysian investor at a ceremony on Thursday, promising a surge in investment projects in semiconductors, AI and chip design. A report from the city unveiled that some key investors including Mixel Viet Nam, the a Nang branch of Marvell Viet Nam, Sibridges Viet Nam, Connexus and Ideas2Silion Viet Nam and the domestic AIAIVN, a Vietnamese generative AI firm, have registered to bring their operations to a Nang. Other businesses, including Synopsys, Quest Global, FPT Semiconductor and Renesas, plan to expand their investment and workforce training programmes in the central city. The report also noted that firms like Nvidia, Qualcomm, Intel, Mediatek and Super Micro had paid for field surveys to explore the investment environment and opportunities in a Nang. Last May, the US-based Marvell Technology, Inc. announced the opening of a new design centre in a Nang. The central hub plans to be one of the three largest centres of semiconductor and AI industries in Viet Nam, along with HCM City and Ha Noi. Requirements include training 5,000 engineers, including 2,000 chip designers, by 2030 in order to supply manpower for these industries. A series of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed by the citys Department of Information Technology and Communication and partners including Synopsys International, Marvell Viet Nam, local investor Sovico, Viettel Group and FPT IS at a semiconductors and AI conference last year. The city has been accelerating plans to complete the a Nang Software Park No 2, a centralised information technology zone owned by the Government, to provide working spaces for 6,000 IT and semiconductor employees. DSAC and six universities in the city also agreed to cooperate in research and training for semiconductors and AI. Arizona State University has already started the first training courses for 22 trainees in microchip design and 17 other trainees in Assembling, Testing and Packaging in the city. Partners from Viet Nam and South Korea also signed five deals on cooperation and development of AI technology in healthcare and smart cities in a Nang. South Koreas LG Electronics plans to build an R&D centre, while Samsung established a Samsung Innovation Campus at a Nang-Duy Tan University. The Viet Nam-Korea Information Technology and Communications University plans to cooperate with LG Electronics and the University of Northampton in the UK to research digital human resources and applications in high-tech industries. To date, 14 businesses are operating chip design and semiconductor facilities in the central city, including Synopsys, Uniquify, Renesas, Synapse (now Quest Global), Sannei Hytechs, Mixel Viet Nam, Marvell Viet Nam, Sibridges Viet Nam, Ideas2Silion Viet Nam, FPT Semiconductor, Viettel Hi-Tech and Acronics. VNS Venezuelan opposition politician Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who fled the country after a tumultuous election and subsequent police crackdown, said Saturday he has plans to speak with US President Joe Biden. Appearing in Argentina, where he met with President Javier Milei, Gonzalez Urrutia added that he was traveling to the United States on Sunday, though it was unclear when the conversation with Biden would take place. "We are planning a conversation with President Biden and we are waiting for details regarding the new authorities," Gonzalez Urrutia said in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, referring to incoming US president Donald Trump, set to take over on January 20. Gonzalez Urrutia's meeting with Milei came at the start of a regional tour aimed at building international support for the man Venezuela's opposition considers the rightful president-elect. The 75-year-old appeared alongside Milei on a balcony of the Casa Rosada, the Argentine president's official workplace, as hundreds of Venezuelans gathered below on the Plaza de Mayo chanted "Venezuela, you are not alone!" "Argentina will not be complicit in silence in the face of the injustices and abuses of the Maduro regime," Milei said in a statement Saturday. The appearance came just days before Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro -- whose government led a crackdown on the opposition following the election -- is set to be sworn in for a third presidential term in Caracas. The United States, the European Union and dozens of other countries say Venezuelan election officials manipulated the results of the July 28 elections, which they have yet to publish in detail. Some countries have recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as the clear winner, with Maduro recognized by a handful of others, including Russia. Gonzalez Urrutia arrived in Buenos Aires quietly from Madrid, where he has lived in exile since fleeing Venezuela in September. Authorities in Caracas have offered a reward of $100,000 for information leading to his capture. Street protests erupted after the election and degenerated into clashes with police, with 28 people dead, 200 wounded and more than 2,400 arrested. Gonzalez Urrutia will travel to Panama on Wednesday and the Dominican Republic the day after. The opposition figure says he will be in Caracas on January 10 to be sworn in as president. It remains unclear how the Maduro government will respond. Gonzalez Urrutia's visit to Argentina came amid heightened bilateral tensions following the arrest in Venezuela of an Argentine policeman on what Buenos Aires says are trumped up charges of terrorism. The relationship was already strained following an exchange of insults and, ultimately, Argentina's refusal to recognize Maduro's victory claim. The Argentine embassy in Caracas has also been sheltering six opposition figures accused of "terrorism" -- a matter Gonzalez Urrutia had said he would take up with Milei. After his visit to Argentina, Gonzalez Urrutia arrived in Montevideo on Saturday afternoon for talks with Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou and Foreign Minister Omar Paganini. During their meeting, Gonzalez Urrutia shared with Lacalle a copy of the electoral records that the Venezuelan opposition says proves their victory. Their talks focused on "the institutional crisis" arising from the Venezuelan administration's "refusal to recognize the election result, and on the political persecution of which (Gonzalez Urrutia) is a victim", according to an Uruguayan government statement. "We will obtain the restoration of our Venezuela and the release of all political prisoners," Gonzalez Urrutia told reporters after the meeting. HCM CITY A private lender has dismissed allegations that its executives have been involved in gambling and transferring large sums of money abroad, labelling these claims as 'false and defamatory.' Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) said it would report the matter to the relevant authorities for investigation. In a press release issued on Saturday (January 4), Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), a leading retail bank in Viet Nam, stated that false information has been disseminated via social media, posing serious risks to the dignity and reputation of its leadership, as well as to the broader banking sectors stability in Viet Nam. Its Chairman Tran Hung Huy, 47, who has served in his role for over a decade, is recognised as a significant public figure in the banking community. ACB is currently collecting relevant materials to support its case and ensure accountability. The bank reiterated its commitment to transparency and responsible management to protect the interests of its customers and stakeholders. In 2024 it ranked among the top ten most profitable banks in Viet Nam. VNS HCM CITY HCM City's master planning scheme embodies an innovative thinking, strategic vision, foresight and bold ambitions, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said on Saturday. Attending a conference announcing the master planning scheme for the 2021-30 period with a vision to 2050 in HCM City, PM Chinh stressed that following this planning scheme is not solely the responsibility of HCM City but a task for the entire nation and region as a whole. The master planning scheme, approved by the PM on December 31, 2024, aims to transform HCM City into a global, civilised, modern, compassionate, dynamic, and innovative city. HCM City is set to cultivate a quality workforce, foster modern service and industrial sectors, and lead in green economy, digital economy, and digital society. It aspires to become a national hub for economy, finance, trade, services, culture, education, and science-technology, achieving extensive global integration and a prominent position in Southeast Asia. Simultaneously, the city seeks to offer high-quality living conditions, a rich cultural identity, a sustainable environment, and strong adaptability to climate change. During the 2021-30 period, HCM City aims for an average annual gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate of 8.5-9 per cent. By 2030, its per capita GRDP at current prices is projected at VN385405 million (US$14,80015,400). The service sector is expected to account for over 60 per cent of GRDP, the industrial and construction sector around 27 per cent, and the agro-forestry- fishery sector roughly 0.4 per cent. The city also aims for the digital economy to contribute over 40 per cent of GRDP. By 2030, the city's population is estimated at some 11 million, rising to around 14.5 million by 2050. The urbanisation rate is set to exceed 90 per cent, with a goal of 100 per cent of communes meeting the standards for model new-style rural areas, and 50 per cent achieving the criteria for smart rural communes. All districts are targeted to meet the standards for model new-style rural districts. By the end of 2030, the city plans to double its poverty threshold compared to the national average. The PM outlined the citys master planning scheme with 2 corridors, 3 sub-regions, 9 key spatial axes, and 1 coastal spatial axis; a multi-centre spatial structure; and the utilisation of outer space, maritime space, and underground space. He called for effectively pooling and using all legal resources to promote traditional growth drivers such as exports, investment, and consumption. Additionally, breakthroughs should be made into new growth drivers, including green economy, digital economy, circular economy, sharing economy, knowledge economy, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development. The government leader also suggested enhancing human development via training a quality workforce, nurturing talents and ensuring social welfare; increasing connectivity between the city and its surrounding areas, both at home and abroad, through the development of transport systems, production and supply chains, and market linkages. The city was urged to pioneer in developing a comprehensive, strategic infrastructure system encompassing transport, digital infrastructure, health care, education, social services, sports, as well as both hard and soft infrastructure. The advancement of innovation, science-technology and digital transformation, along with the development of quality human resource training, were also highlighted. The master planning scheme should align with the national, regional and sectoral master planning schemes, toward achieving double-digit growth this year, he said, proposing boldly piloting new mechanisms and policies, particularly for key projects such as the International Financial Centre, Can Gio port, the transport network connecting to Long Thanh international airport, and the urban railway network. Affirming the Governments commitment to accompanying the city, ensuring that local residents truly benefit, PM Chinh asked ministries, agencies and localities to act with this spirit. He urged businesses, partners, and investors to continue cooperating and investing in the city, fostering a spirit of listening and understanding, sharing the vision and actions; working, benefiting, winning and growing together; enjoying joy, happiness and pride together. Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen said the city will continue concretising the Politburos Resolution 31 on orientations and tasks for development until 2030, the National Assemblys Resolution 131 on the organisation of the urban governance model, and the NAs Resolution 98 on piloting special mechanisms and policies for the city's development. These efforts aim to promote rapid and sustainable development, living up to the Party and State's trust, he said. VNS HCM CITY Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh offered incense in tribute to late Chairman of the Council of Ministers Pham Hung and late PM Vo Van Kiet at the residences of their families in HCM Ciy on January 4 evening. In memory of late Chairman of the Council of Ministers Pham Hung (19121988), the delegation expressed their profound reverence for his contributions to the cause of national construction and defence. PM Chinh hailed late Chairman of the Council of Ministers Pham Hung as a shining example of revolutionary ethics and unwavering loyalty to the Party's revolutionary cause. He was always ready to fight and sacrifice for national independence and freedom and well-being of the people, he said. With over 75 years of life and 60 years dedicated to revolutionary activities, he earned the trust of the Party and the people, holding numerous pivotal roles during Vietnams past struggle for national liberation and its subsequent reconstruction and development, he said. Honouring the legacy of late PM Vo Van Kiet, who passed away in 2008, PM Chinh lauded him as an eminent leader and an outstanding disciple of President Ho Chi Minh. Known for his democratic approach and hands-on working style, Kiet blended theory with practice, upheld the principle of speaking and acting in unison. His boldness, decisiveness, and accountability left an indelible mark on Viet Nam's journey of renewal, integration and development. Many of his enduring contributions have been and will continue to be upheld by the Party, State and people in the ongoing efforts to build and defend the Fatherland of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. These contributions serve as a foundation as the nation moves toward a new era of prosperity, strength and development, he said. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam's health authorities said on Sunday they are closely monitoring the situation regarding the new outbreak of virus-induced pneumonia in humans in China. In a press release today, the Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health says it will update and proactively provide and share accurate, comprehensive information. Earlier, on December 16, 2024, the Department of Preventive Medicine has issued Official Dispatch No. 1432/DP-DT to provincial and municipal health departments to proactively combat infectious diseases during the winter-spring season. According to the department, on January 2, 2025, several foreign online platforms reported an outbreak in China with numerous cases of pneumonia caused by a virus (Human Metapneumovirus HMPV). The reports indicated that the disease spreads quickly, showing symptoms similar to influenza and COVID-19, raising concerns about another potential health crisis after COVID-19, which also became a global issue in largely the same time period back in 2020. In addition, images of overcrowded hospitals in China due to viral infections and reports of emergency declarations and overwhelmed crematoriums were shared on social media platforms. Upon receiving this information, the Department of Preventive Medicine contacted the World Health Organisation (WHO) (in Viet Nam and the Asia-Pacific region) and the International Health Regulations (IHR)'s focal point in China, which is the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese CDC). As of now, the WHO has not provided official information regarding the outbreak in China, nor has it verified the credibility and legitimacy of the news circulated on media and social networks. The Department of Preventive Medicine stated that it would continue closely monitoring the outbreak caused by the virus in China, collaborate closely with the WHO and the IHR focal point in China to update information, and proactively provide accurate, comprehensive information, preventing unnecessary panic while ensuring vigilance and caution during the current winter-spring period, which is conducive to the spread of respiratory pathogens. According to surveillance results from the 52nd week of 2024, reported by the Chinese CDC, specimens collected from outpatient and emergency departments revealed primary causative agents, including influenza viruses, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), and rhinovirus. For specimens from severe acute respiratory infection cases requiring hospitalisations, the primary agents identified were influenza viruses, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and HMPV. Currently, China is in winter, the usual time for respiratory infections to increase. The main pathogens include seasonal influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children, and HMPV. According to the same surveillance report, the number of respiratory infection cases with flu-like symptoms is lower than during the same period last year. On January 4, 2025, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the ongoing respiratory infections in the country are typical and not an unusual public health event. Respiratory infections often peak during this time of year in China. VNS Saigon Indigo has been making hand-dyed indigo products for the last two years, and seeks to help preserve this traditional craft of the Mong people. Its founder and owner, o Bich Phuong, speaks to Viet Nam News about her journey. Inner Sanctum: Could you tell us about yourself and your work? I am o Bich Phuong of HCM City. I am the founder and owner of Saigon Indigo, a hand-dyed clothing brand, and La Dua (Pandan Leaves) Arts and Craft Gift Shop. I have been making indigo-dyed products for nearly seven years. I have been into fashion since young, but back then living in the city made me think of fashion as something fast-paced and industrial. I spent a lot of time searching for something that really suits me, and eventually knew about natural dyeing, specifically indigo dyeing. Inner Sanctum: What is the story behind your brand Saigon Indigo? I learnt about indigo dyeing in 2015. I had a business making essential oils in Sapa Town in the northern province of Lao Cai, and I stayed at Cat Cat Village with ethnic Mong women. Indigo dyeing has long been a tradition of the Mong, and it is one of their daily activities. I really like the techniques and meticulousness behind the craft. Indigo dyeing is close to nature, which really suits me. It does not need to follow trends, so it is also a sustainable way to do fashion. My interest in fashion and the will to pursue this craft nudged me forward, so I started learning it and created a fan page for Saigon Indigo in 2018. But then the pandemic hit, and I postponed my plan by three years. The middle of 2022 was when I took things seriously and turned Saigon Indigo into a business. Inner Sanctum: What are the differences between indigo dyeing and industrial dyeing? Indigo dyeing has been a traditional craft around the world for thousands of years. In Viet Nam, the Mong people are among the few to use this method to make their garments. The craft involves natural or organic dyeing, with only natural ingredients being used. The Mong grow the indigo plants themselves, and even the fabrics they use are made from natural fibres. This makes indigo dyeing more environmentally friendly and sustainable compared to other methods. Another plus point is that the dyeing techniques prevent the colour from bleeding. Inner Sanctum: Saigon Indigo products are 100 per cent handmade. Can you explain for the readers how the dyeing process works? The process starts with making the dye. An indigo dye is a mixture of indigo paste, lye water and white liquor in a precise ratio. I usually make a batch of 20 to 30 litres at a time. The dye is then left at room temperature to ferment. The fermentation can take from a few days to weeks depending on the weather and humidity. Once the fermentation is done, it is ready. Saigon Indigo uses various types of fabrics, which can be divided into two groups: natural and industrial. For the former, I like to use hemp fabric, or gai dau in Vietnamese. I usually buy it in Sa Pa. The Mong people there grow the plants, make the fibre, and weave the fabric themselves. For industrial fabrics, I prefer linen, cotton and muslin. I choose these fabrics because they are made of natural fibres and so are durable and sustainable, and take up the dye colour really well. The patterns are all handmade. I refer to many traditional techniques and use things I find around me. Sometimes I use rubber bands to tie knots around a piece of fabric, sometimes I sew and tie the fabric in layers. I also use leaves and branches. Another great way is to collect spare pieces of fabric and quilt them together. I can be as creative as I want. After choosing the fabric and making the patterns, I start dyeing. Whether the colour is light or dark depends on the number of times I dip the fabric into the dye. Each time a fabric is dipped, dried partially, washed under water, and dipped into the dye again. The process is repeated until I reach the desired shade. Doing this teaches me how to be patient and careful. It also allows me to be creative and freely design fashion items in my own style. Inner Sanctum: What are the difficulties you face in this craft? The most challenging thing is to preserve the dye from getting spoilt since it contains all natural ingredients and no preservatives. If this happens, it stalls the entire process and reduces the quality of the products. Finding the ingredients is another challenge. The main element of the dye, indigo paste, can be found only in Sa Pa in Lao Cai and other provinces in the northwest of the country. Thus, when there are bulk orders, it is hard for me to find a large supply of ingredients. This craft requires me to learn and explore new things every day, and I am happy about that. Inner Sanctum: Since this craft is not known to a lot of people, what do customers say when they first see your products? Many Vietnamese customers do not know much about organic dyeing or indigo dyeing at first. They are very surprised to know that there are still people doing organic and hand dyeing these days. As for foreign customers, most really prefer hand crafted items, and so they adore them. Inner Sanctum: What is the impact you want to make through your craft, and what are your future plans? I want to broaden Saigon Indigo further so that more people know about organic dyeing and support the craft and craftspeople. I am holding workshops for young people and school children. I hope I can somehow inspire the young to start researching and become more engaged in not only organic dyeing but also other crafts as well so that the Vietnamese hand dye and craft communities can grow holistically. I believe our communities will help preserve and innovate such traditional crafts in the country. VNS Aerial images taken in November 2024 of Meristem's Indigo community. Courtesy Meristem Communities Developers are carving out some sizable communities along U.S. 59 southwest of Houston to meet the growing demand for housing in the Sugar Land, Richmond, Rosenberg region of Fort Bend County. Heres a roundup of projects to know about that have recently opened or are coming soon. Austin Point Houston-based Signorelli Co. anticipates a summer 2025 grand opening for its 4,700-acre Austin Point master-planned community in southern Fort Bend County. Located about 10 miles south of U.S. 59 off FM 762, the community south of Richmond broke ground in 2023. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Envisioned as a place with homes for sale and rent, apartments, office, medical, retail and hospitality components, Austin Point could eventually have 50,000 residents and take more than a decade to complete. Phase one, on 165 acres off Boothline near Ricefield, includes 421 single-family homes. Planned amenities include parks and nature trails and the 1824, a cafe and community event space for outdoor concerts, yoga and other programming. Model home construction is expected to begin in spring. Prices are expected to start in the low $300,000s, according to Signorelli. RELATED: 14 development projects to watch in the Houston area in 2025 and beyond Outdoor spaces for connecting with neighbors are part of the plan at Austin Point in Fort Bend County. The Signorelli Co. Indigo Indigo, a 235-acre development of Meristem Communities near the northwest corner of U.S. 90 and the Grand Parkway in Richmond, will welcome its first residents in early 2025. Centered around a 42-acre farm, the community will have about 800 homes, including 265 in phase one. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Designed for connecting with neighbors and nature, some homes will have shared green spaces and small parks in front and garages accessible by alley in back. Indigo Commons, a mixed-use development planned for restaurants and shops in walking distance of homes, is under construction. Other planned amenities include neighborhood trails and a lake for swimming, fishing and kayaking. Indigo is located along Harlem Road, about 28 miles southwest of downtown Houston. Homebuilders are starting construction within Indigo, a 235-acre 'agrihood' rising southwest of Houston in Fort Bend County. CultivateLAND MORE PROJECTS: Houston residential development tracker Brookewater Global real estate powerhouse Hines is developing the 850-acre Brookewater community in Rosenberg in partnership with Trez Capital, Caravel Ventures and Sumitomo Forestry. Upon completion, it's planned for 2,500 homes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sales in the initial section of 450 lots began in 2024 with homes priced from the high $300,000s to $700,000. Planned community amenities include a resort-style pool and lazy river, playground, pavilion with outdoor fireplace and seating, an event lawn and more than 200 acres of parks, lakes, trails and open space. Brookewater is about 40 miles southwest of downtown Houston off U.S. 59 and Finney Vallet Road. The first phase of Brookewater, a development of Hines off U.S. 59 and Finney Vallet Road in Rosenberg, is planned for 450 homes. Hines Ryehill PulteGroup will bring a combined 2,500 homes to Sugar Land with the development of Ryehill and sister active adult community Del Webb Sugar Land at Ryehill. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The communities are situated on 958 acres of former farmland near FM 762 and FM 2759, a couple of miles south of U.S. 59 and the Grand Parkway near the Greatwood master-planned community. Ryehill is expected to open in late 2025 with homes by Pulte Homes and Taylor Morrison. Del Webb Sugar Land at Ryehill, a gated community of 777 homes for ages 55 and up, will follow in 2026. About 60 acres will be used for retail, commercial and office space. Del Webb, a brand of PulteGroup for residents age 55 and up, offers a range of homes with open floor plans. PulteGroup Emberly Home sales in Emberly, a 933-acre community along U.S. 59 near Doris Road in Beasley, began in 2023. Starwood Land is developing the community planned for about 2,500 homes in partnership with Land Tejas. Prices range from the $200,000s to the $500,000s. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 2026 and beyond Johnson Development, the Houston-based developer behind Sienna, Harvest Green and Cross Creek Ranch, acquired 1,500 acres of farmland from the George Foundation in early 2024 for its next master-planned community. The site is about 40 miles southwest of downtown off of FM 2977 at Koeblen Road in Thompsons. The company anticipates breaking ground in the first quarter. Snow in Wrexham police remind only essential travel is recommended This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jan 5th, 2025 A the predicted overnight snow has hit the area, rural police are reminding people only essential travel is recommended in current conditions In town there is a light covering, with the predicted heavy snow not appearing overnight, however areas further north and on higher ground do appear to have had more. Icy conditions appear to be an issue, with several people in touch with issues this morning. Temperatures are set to be around 1C today, with some rain / sleety showers due later today and through tomorrow. They have issued a snowy pic of them out and about, along with some advice, If you do have to drive today, follow some of these tips for a safer journey: Leave extra time before setting off on a journey to thoroughly defrost your vehicles, ensuring your windscreens, roofs and lights are completely clear, and to give yourself time to allow for slower driving conditions. Drive slowly and maintain safe stopping distances in bad weather it can take ten times longer to come to a stop. Give more warning than usual to other drivers when turning, stopping or changing lane. If you happen to skid, steer gently into it and try not to brake or accelerate until youre back in control. When driving uphill, leave plenty of room in front or wait until it is clear so that you can maintain a constant speed. Check your tyres to ensure they have the legal tread required, tyres with less tread are more likely to lose grip with the road. Plan your route before leaving, check for delays and road closures and pack essentials in your car. If you need us, call 101 in Non-Emergencies and 999 for Emergencies well be here for you snow matter what K tc x vung bin tai x Tam Quang, huyen Tuong Duong (Nghe An). Anh: TTXVN phat Chap cnh nhung uoc mo Tai Nghe An hien c 2 m hnh K tc x vng bin do cc on Bin phng trien khai, o au at tai x Tam Quang (Tuong Duong) v Truong Trung hoc co......[Nhieu Hon...] 2025-02-25 Houston Chronicle/Breaking News Houston Chronicle Authorities are searching for a man who fatally shot a fellow patron at a Northeast Houston bar Friday night. The Houston Police Department responded to a shooting at Club Waikiki, 3115 Bay, around 10:40 p.m Friday, said Victor Senties, a spokesperson for the agency. There police found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest. Although emergency personnel with the Houston Fire Department attempted CPR, the man was pronounced dead at the scene, Senties said. Patrons at the bar told authorities the shooter was a large man who barged into the establishment, shot the victim once in the chest and then left the bar immediately after, Lt. Wilkens of HPD told OnScene TV reporters Friday night. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were pretty certain he knew exactly who he was coming in to shoot. He came into the bar, went to this individual, shot him one time and then took off and left, Wilkens said. As of Saturday, police had no additional information on the gunman, and the investigation was ongoing, Senties said. The identity of the man who was killed was not released as of Saturday, Senties said. The shooting at Club Waikiki on Friday came just weeks after two separate shootings at nightclubs in the North Houston area in December. One man was killed and three others were injured in a shooting at an unlicensed club in North Houston on Dec. 22. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A 60-year-old woman is charged in the New Years Eve stabbing death of a U.S. Army veteran in Birmingham. Zingy Gamble is charged with murder in the slaying of her boyfriend, 68-year-old Ernest Paul Rickey Christion Jr., Birmingham police announced Saturday. Gambles son, La Verne Gamble, 40, is charged with first-degree hindering prosecution. Officer Truman Fitzgerald said investigators believe Zingy Gamble stabbed Christion during a dispute over money. Both suspects were booked into the Jefferson County Jail midday Saturday. La Verne Gambles bond is set at $15,000. His mother is being held without bond. Just after 7 p.m., Tuesday Birminghams West Precinct Officers were dispatched to a house in the 2500 block of 15th Street in Ensley. Birmingham police investigate a homicide at a house in the 2500 block of 15th Street in Ensley.(Carol Robinson) Officers found Christion unresponsive inside the house. He was rushed by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service to UAB Hospital and pronounced dead at 7:50 p.m. Christion was Birminghams last homicide victim of 2024, which saw a record number of people die by violence. Family described Christion as a kind-hearted soul whose laughter, humor, and genuine care for others touched the lives of everyone he met. Rickey was more than just a veteran; he was a beacon of joy and love. His sense of humor was infectious, and his ability to keep people smiling, even during difficult times, will always be remembered, family members said in a statement to AL.com. Whether it was a funny joke, a lighthearted comment, or his unwavering positivity, Rickey had a special gift for making those around him feel good. Prince William expressed his shock and sadness Saturday at the news of the death of his former nannys stepson in the New Years truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people. Londons Metropolitan Police confirmed Saturday that they are supporting the family of 31-year-old Edward Pettifer, including helping them through the process of returning his body to the U.K. Pettifer was from west London. In a statement on social media, the Prince of Wales said he and his wife, Catherine, were shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack. Read more: Pettifer was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who was the nanny for both William and his brother, Prince Harry, between 1993 and 1999, which included time after the death of their mother Princess Diana in 1997. Legge-Bourke, who is also known as Alexandra Pettifer, was regularly photographed with Diana. British media also reported that King Charles III is said to be deeply saddened by the news and that he has sent his condolences to Pettifers family. In a statement, Pettifers family said they were devastated at the tragic news of Eds death and described him as a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many. We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack, the family added. The U.K.s Foreign Office also said it was supporting Pettifers family and was in contact with U.S. authorities. Authorities say 14 people were killed and about 30 were injured in the attack early Wednesday by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a former Army soldier who posted several videos on his Facebook hours before the attack previewing the violence he would unleash and proclaiming his support for the Islamic State militant group. The coroners office listed the cause of death for all 14 victims as blunt force injuries. Jabbar, 42, was fatally shot in a firefight with police at the scene of the deadly crash on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans historic French Quarter. Click here to sign up for the Comeback Town newsletter. Todays guest columnist is Ted Smith. Imagine a high-speed rail service that whisked us from Birmingham and dropped us off in downtown Atlanta near stadiums and arenas and/or the airport in about 90 minutes. If we had this capability at our doorstep, it would bring growth to the Birmingham area and eventually connect us to places like Charlotte, New Orleans and Dallas at speeds much faster than a car or shuttle bus. Ive lived in metro Birmingham for more than 40 years. Like many here, I make frequent trips to Atlanta, where I have family. Others go to catch flights at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, shop or attend Hawks, Braves and Falcons games. Thereve long been whispers here about having a high-speed rail service between BHM and ATL, but we generally have not seen beyond the status quo beyond simply driving back and forth between the cities or utilizing the shuttle bus service. Well, its long past time we looked beyond what we see now and ask: Why not Birmingham for high-speed rail service? Why not get on board the growing trend of high-speed rail service in the South to not only add another convenient option for travelers between the cities but also spur commerce and economic growth in our region? High-speed rail isnt new just faster. The idea dates back to the High-Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 . Of course, earlier high-speed trains are the horse-and-buggy predecessors of todays high-speed rails, which generally exceed 110 mph. Acela , which is part of Amtrak and connects cities in the Northeast, can reach a top speed of 160 mph. In Californias Central Valley, construction is underway for high-speed rail along 119 miles and several cities in the region. The line, which will eventually stretch 171 miles, is slated to roll in 2028. That same year, another route between Los Angeles and Las Vegas is scheduled to begin. During my tenure as chair of the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, we saw seeds of high-speed rail being planted in numerous forward-thinking cities throughout the Southeast. In Florida, high-speed rail travels between Miami and Orlando, with discussions underway to expand to Jacksonville and Tampa. Proposals are incubating from Washington D.C. to Raleigh to Charlotte to Atlanta and beyond. Why not Birmingham? In December 2023, the High-Speed Rail Alliance , a non-profit member-supported organization, completed a Southeast Regional Rail Plan that proposes a vision for a regional passenger-rail network, according to its website . The plan identifies core elements and steadily builds out that core with new segments and upgrades to existing lines, the site notes. From the pivot point of Atlanta, three high-speed lines would radiate out and link the region, with lines to Tampa Bay (via Jacksonville and Orlando); to Nashville; and Washington D.C. (via Charlotte and Raleigh). Why not Birmingham? To me, it is a no-brainer. High-speed rail service would create jobs, increase corporate hubs, and jumpstart economic growth in our communities. The BJCTA has formed a group that is already studying the possibility and feasibility of high-speed rail for our area from construction to completion. Were no longer asking, Why not Birmingham? Were answering the question by looking beyond the status quo forward into the future. If we do not, who will? Between 2018 and 2024, Ted Smith was chair of the BJCTA Board of Directors. He currently serves as secretary. David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown . Hes past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP). Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.com A major, disruptive winter storm was sweeping across the central U.S. on Sunday, forecasters said, bringing with it a dreaded combination of snow, ice and plunging temperatures. The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings from Kansas and Missouri where blizzard conditions are expected to New Jersey. Even some parts of Alabama could see light snow Monday. At the end of the week, snow is possible across a larger portion of the state. National Weather Service forecast Jan. 5, 2025.National Weather Service In Missouri and Kansas, where blizzard warnings were in effect, travel could be very difficult to impossible, with snow whipped around by high winds reducing visibility, the NWS said. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches. Do not travel unless necessary! the NWS said. The polar vortex of ultra-cold air usually stays penned up around the North Pole, spinning like a top. But sometimes it escapes or stretches down to the U.S., Europe or Asia and thats when large numbers of people experience intense doses of cold. Studies show a fast-warming Arctic gets some of the blame for the increase in polar vortex stretching or wandering. Snow and ice in the forecast By Saturday evening, widespread heavy snow was likely between central Kansas and Indiana, especially along and north of Interstate 70. The storm was forecast to move then into the Ohio Valley, with severe travel disruptions expected. It will reach the Mid-Atlantic states on Sunday into Monday, with a hard freeze even expected as far south as Florida. AccuWeather issued a new snowfall forecast map for Monday's winter storm that increased totals to 6 to 12 inches for Cape May County and parts of Salem, Cumberland and Atlantic counties.AccuWeather.com Severe thunderstorms, with the possibility of tornadoes and hail, were also possible ahead of the storm systems cold front as it crosses the Lower Mississippi Valley, the National Weather Service warned. Parts of upstate New York saw 3 feet (0.9 meters) or more of snow from a lake effect event expected to last until late Sunday afternoon. Please stay off the roads. Crews are seeing too many vehicles out and sliding off, Missouris transportation department said on the social platform X. Air travel also was snarled The Kansas City International Airport temporarily halted flight operations in the afternoon due to ice. Dozens of flights were delayed, including a charter jet transporting the Kansas City Chiefs, before the runways reopened. Work will continue overnight to keep the airfield clear, Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a message on X. Temperatures dip, though no records break Starting Monday the eastern two-thirds of the country will experience dangerous, bone-chilling cold and wind chills, forecasters said. Temperatures could be 12 to 25 degrees (7 to 14 degrees Celsius) below normal as the polar vortex stretches down from the high Arctic. In Chicago on Saturday, temperatures hovered in the teens (minus 7-10 Celsius) and around zero in Minneapolis (minus 18 C), while dropping to 14 below (minus 25 C) in International Falls, Minnesota, on the Canadian border. Disruptions extend southward Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Friday evening ahead of the storm and encouraged residents to vote early on Saturday ahead of the states special elections Tuesday in a statement on X. Alabama will see very cold temperatures extending throughout the week. When it comes to snow chances in Alabama, it's always a guessing game. But there is the potential to see snow on Monday and then again later this week. Above is the forecast for Friday morning. Parts of the state have the potential to see some snow, but that's far from certain. In addition, areas in north Alabama could see some flurries or snow showers on Monday.National Weather Service Similar declarations were issued in Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland and multiple cities in central Illinois. This is the real deal, meteorologist John Gordon said at a press conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Are the weather people blowing this out of proportion? No. Sicario: Whats your name? Captive: Sebastian Martinez Perez. Everyone knows me as 05. Sicario: How old are you? Captive: 39. Sicario: Where you from? Captive: Tamazula, Durango. But I currently live in Culiacan, Sinaloa. Sicario: Which criminal group do you work for? Captive: I belong to the Cabreras mob. In addition, I report to El Picudo who in turn works for Mayito Flaco. Sicario: Whats your job? Captive: I recruit people to fight in the towns of Casala, El Salto, and other areas. Sicario: Is there something that youd like to say to your buds from that criminal cell that you belonged to? Captive: Things are tough out here. Its best that everyone give it some thought before engaging in anything because this isnt a game. As you can see my companions are in the same boat that Im in. And the honest truth is that the Chapiza mob is to tough to defeat. Everyone is asking for people to come work with them out here but they honestly dont need them. Its best for everyone to just stay the **** out of this. Were out here dying of hunger and there isnt any support for us. Weve been out here for several days now and we havent had any help. Just stay the **** out of this. Otherwise, the same fate that weve had awaits you guys. Everyone that was told that theyd ascend within the organization needs to just to stay away if youre seeing this video. The Chapiza mob isnt easy to defeat. Were fighting for a mob that cant always provide what all we need. These gentlemen spared my wife the day I was captured. I was told that they dont mess with women and immediately let her go. The message is clear gentlemen. I already know that my life has gone to shit. But for everyone out there that still has a chance. Its best that you stay the **** out of this conflict. Dont bother going into Culiacan either because everything will end horribly for you. Theres no reason why our mob should have us out here like this. As everyone can see my partners have also been captured Raphael's Disputation of Holy Sacrament, Public Domain The Great East-West Schism in Christianity dates to 1054. Not acknowledged by any but a few, given the repression of shared memories from a Christian past, the consequences of this rupture remain significant to our self-understanding as Christians. It requires joint reflection to get in depth and understand how that break of communion so long ago has affected us ever since. As with the psychoanalysis of an individual, who is floundering through life, seemingly aimless and unhappy, the hope for our civilization lies in the courage of earnest self-examination: we must piece together the fragments of the collective unconscious into a meaningful narrative of who we are and, not least, why we should adhere to our way of living. In the West, where many have given in to materialism and renounced spirituality, we need to find our way back to our roots. It seems that our fellow believers, who suffer every day for their faith, condemned to live as second-class citizens in landscapes invaded by outside tribes, have something valuable to share with us. It is about humility, sincerity, and closeness to God. So, in retrospect, as a warning of further calamities to follow, Greek and Latin speakers went their separate ways. Thus, considering the fatal threats that lurked southeast of Constantinople, growing year by year, the fraternal feud in the Christian family would seem highly unreasonable, not to say suicidal. As recorded, the break was due to an amalgam of theological and ecclesiastical disputes, including the question of papal primacy. While the Catholic Church, committed to a strictly hierarchical organization, had its papal headquarters in Rome, the Orthodox Church reported to the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, defined as first among equals. The deadline eventually turned out to be four centuries before the disaster occurred. In 1453, the metropolis at the bridge to the Orient, overlooked by Hagia Sophia, fell after a 55-day siege by an Ottoman (Turkish) army. Orthodox Christians were not the only victims trapped behind enemy lines as Arabs and Turks pushed ahead by turns and conquered their lands. For centuries, a number of Christian communities (e.g. Armenian, Assyrian, and Maronite) founded in the time of the Roman Empire managed to survive in Anatolia and the Levant despite continued persecution, enslavement, and decimation. Now, however, time is running out for the pre-Islamic minorities. Neither Catholics nor Protestant-Anglicans in the West, whose populist leaders lack both faith and historical insight, take it upon themselves to effectively protest violations of human rights and ethnic cleansing. Modern-day ignorance of the suffering that has befallen Christians for a thousand years as victims of Islamic expansion leaves a void to be filled with malicious, false claims of original ownership by others of not only the Levant, but also Anatolia and North Africa indeed, the rest of the world for that matter. Arguably the closest to assume spiritual leadership, coming to the rescue of their Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ, patriarchs of Moscow (i.e. the so-called Third Rome) have never shown any interest in recapture of assets lost to the enemies of Christendom. Rejecting the universal and supreme jurisdiction of the pope, which represented a tactical concession made in return for Western military aid, the Russian Orthodox Church broke with the ecumenical patriarchate of Constantinople in 1448. However, when Western reinforcements proved to be completely inadequate in the war with the Turks, leaving the metropolis vulnerable to siege, its citizens prayed in vain for signs of Moscovian leverage. By and large, the attitude to the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) tragedy unfolding since the Battle of Kosovo (June 15, 1389), where invading Turks defeated a Christian army of Serbs, Romanians, and Bulgarians, has been indifferent shrugging or impotent hand-wringing. Since the Crusades, nobody has seriously undertaken to organize the joint resistance against barbarians threatening our very civilization. After the collapse of Bolshevism, nostalgics intensely hoped for the Russian Orthodox Church to revive and enter a new era of glory. At any rate, construction of churches and monasteries took off all over Russia, reinforcing the expectation of full institutional restoration. On the site of an outdoor bath, the Moscow Pool, where the Cathedral of Christ the Savior had stood before it was blown up on the orders of Joseph Stalin in 1931, a replica was thus rebuilt in record time (19952000). Indeed, determined to persecute reactionary believers and destroy their houses of prayer, Stalin earned in every thinkable way his place as a modern Antichrist. At the hands of Nicolae Ceausescu, another Marxist tyrant, whose social engineering involved brutal oppression, impoverishment, and vandalism of cultural heritage, central Bucharest was demolished to make way for a gigantic palace. On a hill nearby, the largest shrine of the Orthodox Church, the Peoples Redemption Cathedral, is currently being built. As such, the theatrical backdrop for liturgical rituals is truly moving. A testament to the ignorance that characterizes younger generations in the West, the narrative that the Crusaders were Christian colonizers has gained traction. This interpretation is patently false. A fake. To be sure, it is the other way around. Several Christian lands, but also Zarathustrian Persia, were conquered by Muslims originating in the Arabian Peninsula. The Holy Land and the rest of the Levant were conquered by armies of the Rashidun Caliphate. Extensive conquests followed in West Africa and on the Iberian Peninsula under the Umayyad Caliphate. Later yet, spearheading jihad, Turkish tribes broke into Anatolia and smashed millennia-old Greek communities. As the capstone of Islamic conquests in the old world, millions of Arabs and Turks are now flooding Western Europe as asylum seekers or exploiting unimaginably lenient laws relatives of other immigrants. At the same time, original Europeans are becoming fewer and fewer. They have given up faith in the future. Starting a family and bringing children into the world seems hopeless. The mood of the West is distinctly melancholic. From Norway in the North to Spain in the South, churches close because of the relativist secularism that has tragically robbed Westerners of the will to thrive and survive. In reality, it is a tragedy that surviving parts of the Orthodox Church in Europe neglect fellow believers in Anatolia and the Levant. Likewise, it is outrageous that pampered, ideologically depraved Westerners of Christian descent pretend to be on friendly terms with Muslim authorities in the Middle East despite the ongoing persecution of Christian minorities. Christians should join forces and defend their civilization against the common enemy. However, the problem is that they lack a true leader, a unifying voice. Unlike John Paul II and Benedict XVI, the current pope in Rome, Francis, is a Marxist, morally objectionable, and unfit to lead the Christians. Succumbing to relativism, Protestant bishops primarily identify as academics and hardly count as Christians by conviction; on the contrary, they are government officials with a taste for comfort. Nor do Anglican bishops have anything to show for it but apologies for the alleged sins of Christendom and support for the campaign against social injustice in the Third World. Showing true courage and fighting for those, who die for their faith in the Middle East and beyond, is unthinkable for them. Complacent to their fingertips, they are not warriors, but chroniclers, if anything. Finally, Orthodox patriarchs have little commanding authority outside the narrowest circle of clerical secretaries and functionaries. Walking in procession, they come across as grieving specters, politically isolated or cynically exploited as pawns in the geostrategic power games of others. Jesus was truly no bloodthirsty warlord but turned the other cheek and endured pain. Self-surrendering in the compassionate way (i.e. rather than hatefully murdering others in the very act of sacrifice), Christian martyrs also made themselves available for pain. As Christians, however, we have to stand firm on justice and cannot pretend that our life in this world does not oblige us to moral actions other than to refrain from mortal sins. We are not philistines, paralyzed hypocrites, but soldiers in the heavenly army on earth. Not fatalism in the death camps, but armed resistance, broke the Nazis in 1945. Not apathy of the enslaved masses, but intellectual rebellion (in the context of socio-economic collapse), broke the Bolsheviks in 1991. What does it take to stand up against the enemies of civilization in our time? For sure, crying prayers cannot stand alone. On January 6, 2025, Congress certifies President-Elect Donald J. Trumps victory. There is something poetic about reclaiming that day from all those who have worked so hard to turn the sixth of January into a date which will live in infamy. To be sure, Democrats and propagandists in the press will continue to frame January 6, 2021 as worse than Pearl Harbor, 9/11, and the Civil War fantastically false claims that make the speaker look dumb, deceitful, and historically illiterate. Still, it will be difficult for Establishment automatons to continue pushing J6 lies when January 6ths bete noire is celebrating re-election. Democrats, Uniparty Republicans, and unelected bureaucratic tyrants have spent eight years trying to turn Donald Trump into a social pariah. They called him a Russian spy, an illegitimate president, a misogynist, a racist, and a cheat. They committed perjury in sworn affidavits and in testimony before Congress just to sully his name, maliciously prosecuted his friends for nonexistent crimes, and defrauded the American people with their Russia collusion lies. They turned the DOJ and FBI into lawless Get Trump gangs, impeached him twice, hunted down his voters as insurrectionists, and accused him of treason. The American people voted overwhelmingly for President Trump anyway. Congress certifying his victory on January 6 while simultaneously denouncing him as some kind of un-American dictator would be as incongruous as Congress remembering the attack on Pearl Harbor while simultaneously making December 7 a day of national recognition for Japanese achievement. Many members of Congress are stupid enough to try, but for all intents and purposes, the Establishments misguided efforts to transform the sixth of January into a day for national mourning are over. The pretense is shattered. The jig is up. Far from being destroyed, Trump and his MAGA political movement are ascendant. What remains of this four-year propaganda operation to slander President Trump and his voters as domestic terrorists? Nothing good for the crusty Establishment barnacles that have long clung to the American hull. In trying to delegitimize Trump and his supporters, the parasitic ruling class has only further delegitimized itself. During his lucid moments as president, Joe Biden never missed an opportunity to label the January 6 protest a deadly insurrection, but the only people killed four years ago were Trump voters including unarmed Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt. Instead of subsequently de-escalating tensions and pursuing national unity, the Gestapo FBI dedicated tremendous resources to terrorizing patriotic grandparents for the crime of behaving like tourists and snapping pictures inside the Capitol. The psychopathic DOJ unconscionably drove defendants to bankruptcy and suicide for doing nothing more sinister than strolling calmly around the Peoples House. Political prisoners who refused to accept bogus guilty pleas have languished inside jails without pre-trial bail and served years in prison for minor trespassing or vandalism offenses that never would have been pursued against the FBIs Antifa and BLM friends. The odor of two-tiered justice has been rank, and nobody with a nose can stomach the federal governments revolting cruelty. January 6 will be remembered for decades to come, but not for the reasons D.C.s occupying clans have long hoped. More akin to the Boston Massacre, the date will remain a rallying cry for public defiance against government villainy. Remember January 6 will acquire the same connotation as Remember the Alamo provoking patriotic fervor in the face of despotic Big Government brutality. Had the information warfare specialists gamed this scenario properly, they never would have taken the chance of turning January 6, 2021 into a sacred day of remembrance for the very people they wished to minimize, censure, and condemn. The propagandists will regret their role in creating an enduring symbol for their enemies. Americans who have long wished for the government to leave them alone see in January 6 the glowing embers of growing tyranny. When public calls for liberty rise against the inevitable excesses of the metastasizing national security surveillance state, Remember January 6 will roll off tongues with the same fervor of our forefathers exhortation to live free or die. Far from burying the MAGA movement, January 6 emboldened it. As for the intellectually challenged stenographers who enjoy journalistic sinecures in corporate newsrooms and the Old Guard ruling class who see political power as a birthright, I want to explain clearly why their J6 intelligence operation failed. President Trumps first term in office provided a Great Awakening for millions of Americans, who saw for the first time how the federal government and its media co-conspirators routinely lie to the public. For decades, institutional authorities had been given so much deference that attempts to question official narratives were dismissed as uninformed opinion or denigrated as conspiracy theories. Donald Trump almost singlehandedly upended this cursed arrangement. He called out the federal governments penchant for endless wars, reckless spending, bad trade deals, open borders, and industrial outsourcing. In turn, the Establishment Class told American voters that putting Trump in the White House would trigger nuclear war, economic depression, and national collapse. When Americans ignored the experts and voted for Trump anyway, he gave middle-class Americans real economic growth, more secure borders, and a remarkably effective peace-focused foreign policy. In short, the political outsider proved more competent and truthful than the political insiders. Despite Trumps numerous policy successes, he committed the political sin of exposing the ruling class as the un-American snake that it is. Consequently, the Deep State snake dedicated all its resources to sabotaging Trumps presidency and harassing him with criminal investigations. In the old days, the institutional onslaught against him would have surely succeeded, but this time around, the Establishments ruthless partisanship and litany of demonstrable lies proved its undoing. There are only so many times that a reasonable person can hear Adam Schiff, Hillary Clinton, Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi, or John Brennan babble about Russian collusion before Americans accept that institutional authorities cannot be trusted to tell the truth. The Americans who showed up in D.C. on January 6, 2021 to protest for free and fair elections were not armed and were not trying to overthrow the U.S. government no matter how many years lying politicians, prosecutors, and credentialed journalists continue pushing that inane fantasy. They showed up because Democrat operatives used COVID as an excuse to flood battleground states with anonymous and unsecured mail-in ballots and succeeded in overturning substantial Trump vote leads days after the election. President Trump not only won ten million more votes than in his 2016 election, but also won nearly every traditional bellwether county by double-digits. Joe Biden had never been a popular politician, had failed in several previous presidential campaigns, and was already showing signs of dementia, yet the American people were told that the basement-dwelling Biden somehow won millions more votes than any candidate in American history. Nothing smelled right about the 2020 election. Voters tried repeatedly to litigate claims of vote fraud in court. Judges refused to do their jobs and scrutinize the elections. Democrat secretaries of state certified vote counts that could not be replicated including from precincts recording more votes than voters. Democrat attorneys general refused to investigate allegations of fraud. The news media ignored every story that cast doubt on a Joe Biden victory. It was in this atmosphere of organized crime and journalistic apathy that ordinary citizens came to the nations capital to seek redress. Little did they know that political leaders would weaponize their exercise of free speech and destroy their lives all in the name of democracy. President Trump, free the J6 political hostages. Pardon those who have suffered due to government malice and corruption. Remedy these awful abuses against the American people. Use your victory to save their lives. Remember January 6 now and forever. Image: PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay, Pixabay License. The first week of 2025 is a reminder that while the country and the world face peril, we are on the cusp of a revolution in the West by voters who demand accountability and a sweeping out of arrogant, corrupt, and incompetent leadership. The week began here with an Islamist from Houston who plowed an F-150 into New Years celebrants on New Orleans Bourbon Street. He left the truck and began firing into the crowd. Brave law enforcement officers dashed to the scene of the mayhem and eliminated him and the threat. The first announcement by the FBI denied that it was terrorism, though the perpetrators truck carried an ISIS flag that law enforcement or the FBI had tried to cover from view. That was retracted shortly afterward though the Bureau emphasized he acted alone -- this under circumstances too early in any investigation to be credible. At about the same time, a military man home on leave from Germany rented a Tesla truck, loaded it with explosive materials, and drove it to the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, where 17 seconds after parking, he shot himself to death and the explosives were triggered. The second incident is particularly mysterious as the purported driver had a sterling record, was well-versed in explosive devices and surely knew the Tesla would -- as it did -- contain the explosion. For days online posters with various levels of expertise and good sense have been trying to solve the mystery. One of the most prevalent hypotheses was that the driver was shot before the incident and the truck made it to the scene by means of its self-driving capabilities. This proved to be the least plausible as Tesla engineers confirmed the vehicle was not ever in self-driving mode and videos of the charging stations showed the person law enforcement said was the driver charging the vehicle. Whatever the truth is, few people any longer trust the FBI to give a credible account. The agency has lost our respect as regards integrity, veracity, and competence. For years now it has been tracking down grandmas who walked through the Capitol on January 6, surveilling school board meetings and churches, and doing little to monitor and protect us against what every rational person knows -- the growing threat of Moslem extremists. Almost instantly, it gave us yet another reason to distrust it. @donsurberhttps://open.substack.com/pub/donsurber/p/highlights-of-the-week-472 ITEM 11: AP reported, FBI releases new video of a suspect planting a pipe bomb near DNC offices on eve of the Capitol riot. Right after two terrorist attacks, the FBI suddenly finds a new video. Its as if the Bureau holds information until it wants to change subjects in the news. Trust in the competence of elected leadership in the West has been worn thin, largely because of feckless immigration and economic policies, the same things which have cost Democrats dearly. Wednesday, the Liberal party caucus met to discuss removing Justin Trudeau, Canadas fey dictator. The AfD party in Germany seems to be picking up steam and in the United Kingdom. Keir Starmers popularity keeps plunging as Brits grow increasingly angry about the Labour partys immigration mess, its economic failures, and its Stalinist restrictions on free speech. Tommy Robinson, now confined to jail, and Elon Musk have revived discussion of the horrid sexual abuse of thousands of young British women by Moslems in Great Britain, the biggest scandal in British history that the British press (including the BBC) and Labour politicians keep trying to ignore. Starmer can lock up Thompson but X is global and he cant bottle that up. In a series of posts, Charlie Peters lays out the scandal and the enormous efforts the politicians in Labour districts (which is where the outrages occurred) went to protect the criminals and denigrate their victims -- their endeavors motivated by a combination of political advantage, prejudice against Britains lower-class girls, and minimal expectations of the Third World thugs they imported. He begins by describing how this began in the 1970s and how social workers and others who reported it were shut up, and goes on to how it took on epidemic proportions: But the true horror of the grooming gangs scandal is that Rotherham wasnt the only town. There was also Rochdale. A gang of Asian men had abused girls. They took them to a 'special place' and plied them with alcohol. Then they were passed around from man to man, like a ball. There was a list of names on the door of the building where the girls were kept. Whenever an abuser went there, they put a tick by their name so they could pay for their rapes at the end of each month. It was like a paedophile honesty box. The failures in Rochdale were so severe that it took the bravery of whistleblower @MaggieOliverUK to expose the scandal in the town. And then there was Telford. The Labour council there tried to block an inquiry. 10 men wrote a letter to the Home Secretary saying it wasn't necessary. Some claimed reports of abuse, uncovered by investigative journalists, had been 'sensationalised', even after what had been revealed in Rotherham and Rochdale. But when the Crowther report was written, it found there were at least 1,000 victims. [snip] Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford are just a handful of the towns and cities that have endured these abuse gangs. I've compiled compelling reports and successful prosecutions from across Britain, from Bristol and Oxford right up to Glasgow. The horrors in each of these towns deserve their own report, their own reckoning, their own righteous response. And many of the girls were trafficked between towns by their abusers. When parents tried to intervene, they were often threatened with arrest. I've met parents who were desperate for support from the police, but instead found themselves being penalised when they raised concerns about their children, their little girls, being targeted by rape gangs. The grooming gang story is a stake through the heart of multicultural Britain. For decades, gangs of largely British Pakistani men deliberately targeted and abused underage white girls. And the authorities did nothing because they did not want to rock the boat of racial tensions. They literally prioritised community cohesion over the safety and security of women and girls. In many cases the abuse went beyond rape into sadism. Reading the testimony, attending the trials, speaking to survivors... sometimes, it is truly harrowing. [snip] I'm convinced that it is the greatest race hate crime in modern Britain. [snip] And the people who set our national conversations don't want to see it that way. He goes on to show how they manipulated statistics to cover for the perpetrators and the high percentage of criminals in these gangs were Pakistanis. He reports that Starmer refused to meet with a whistleblower who had evidence of these abuses when he could have made a difference. As Trudeau and Starmers stars seem to have faded, president-elect Trump will be confirmed on January 6 and inaugurated on the 20th. In the meantime, hes having a significant effect here and abroad, being treated, in effect, as if hes already holding office. He endorsed Mike Johnson for speaker and Johnson won. Mexicos President Claudia Sheinbaum has agreed to take in people we deport, even those from other countries, if we will pay to transport them to their home countries. Concerned that Denmark was not adequately providing Greenland with the defenses needed against Russian intrusions, Trump had suggested we should buy it. This week, Greenlands prime Minister Mute Egede announced Greenland should be independent of Denmark. Should that take place, I expect the Trump administration will work out a security agreement with Greenland. The level of UNRWA's U.S. funding was cut by Trump; Biden reinstated it. Now it looks as if (bolstered by the fact that they once again have an ally in the United States) Israel has banned this Hamas-cover from operations in Gaza and the West Bank. Since its reason for existing was always establish and support an operating theatre for destroying Israel, it really is about to be put to bed for good. Buckle up. There are a lot of tectonic plates shifting beneath our feet this year. Fourth grade science teacher Paul Obakpolo during a tour of Benavidez Elementary School on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Maria Salazar, left, hugs Tammie Wright, director of special education at Our Savior Lutheran, after talking about her daughters progress after starting the semester at the school Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 in Houston. Salazar unenroll her daughter, Lucia Salazar, 9, who is dyslexic, from Houston ISD during the middle of this school year because she has not gotten proper care or diagnoses from the district. While Lucia is on the waitlist for the Success Center, which the school has promised the Salazars that she will be in the program in the new school year, she works with Wright after school three days a week. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Teacher Samuel Shurtleff speaks with Benavidez Elementary School principal Dr. Rania Khalil during a tour of Benavidez Elementary School on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Alexandra Lynch spends an afternoon artificial rock climbing Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at Momentum Climbing in Katy. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer Lucia Salazar, 9, poses for a photograph at her new schools Success Center, the special education program, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 at Our Savior Lutheran in Houston. Lucias parents unenroll Lucia, who is dyslexic, from Houston ISD during the middle of this school year because she has not gotten proper care or diagnoses from the district. While Lucia is on the waitlist for the Success Center, which the school has promised the Salazars that she will be in the program in the new school year, she works with the specialist after school three days a week. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Houston ISD's state-appointed superintendent and Board of Managers have maintained a laser-like focus on improving schools' state-issued accountability scores since taking over the district in June 2023, overhauling 130 campuses with staffing and curriculum reforms to improve academic results. That's because one of the most challenging criteria for the district to exit the state takeover is that no HISD campus can receive failing ratings from the TEA for consecutive years. Forty-one campuses received a D or F rating from the Texas Education Agency in 2024, according to unofficial results. But another exit criterion demands that HISD meet all state and federal requirements in its long-struggling special education department, according to the TEA. In 2024, the state issued "needs intervention" as the district's special education determination status. HISD enrolled more than 18,000 children in special education services in 2024, or about 10% of the student population. (The third and final criteria to exit state takeover is improving board governance.) Advertisement Article continues below this ad Reports commissioned by the district in 2011 and 2018 detailed major gaps in HISDs special education practices, and in 2016, just 7.4% of HISD students received special education services about half the national average. A 2020 TEA investigation found that HISD had significant, systemic and widespread issues with its special education services, violating state and federal laws designed to ensure students with disabilities receive needed supports. A state-appointed conservator began monitoring HISD in December 2020, including setting goals and publishing monthly reports on the district's progress. New exit criteria were added at the advent of the state takeover in June 2023. HISD reported that it significantly improved its services for special education students in the 2023-24 school year, although conservators wrote in May that the district still remains slightly off track to reach full compliance with its goals and legal mandates. In total, the district must master seven criteria related to special education services to exit both the state-appointed special education conservatorship and districtwide state takeover. Here's what Houston ISD must do related to special education to regain local control: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Initial evaluations Both parents and school staff can request a student's evaluation if the child is suspected of having a disability and needing additional services. School districts then have 15 school days to inform parents whether they plan to evaluate the student. Districts are required to perform an initial evaluation on the student within 45 days of receiving parents' consent. A school must then create an admission, review and dismissal committee a group that includes parents, teachers, administrators and special education educators within 30 days of the evaluation. Houston ISD must maintain 100% compliance to these standards by July 2025 to exit its conservatorship, a goal it first reported meeting in summer 2024. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Re-evaluations Every student with a disability needs to be re-evaluated at least every three years, per federal law. The district missed 18 reevaluation timelines in September across 13 campuses, according to a September conservator's report. HISD made 96 percent of its reevaluations in time in September, up from a yearly average of 94 percent. The district also missed 60 annual ARD meetings across 38 campuses in September, falling short of federally mandated 100% compliance by 3 percentage points. The district began training evaluation staff, generating weekly reports and using an ARD tracker in the 2024-2025 school year to better monitor those timelines. Decreasing complaints Parents in Texas can request an ARD meeting anytime to discuss concerns they may have with their child's plan or progress. If still dissatisfied, they can submit questions or complaints in HISD's "parent conflict resolution portal" or file a formal complaint with the state. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Each TEA complaint triggers a state investigation and report, which could result in required action from the district, and is often seen as a last resort by both parents and the state's education agency. In HISD's internal complaint system, the district had 188 parent complaints related to students' evaluations and 45 complaints about students who were denied the ability to enroll or transfer campuses in the 2023-24 school year. As of September, there were just four complaints across those categories for the school year. Two of those complaints in September related to the "child find" requirement in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which mandates that the district identify and evaluate every child who needs special education services from birth to age 22, regardless of whether the child is enrolled in the public school system. Under its conservatorship, HISD is required to decrease the number of substantiated TEA complaints in that category before July 2025. The district aimed to have one child find complaint in the 2024-25 year, but is off track from that goal because it faced two substantiated complaints. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If parents are not satisfied with their child's special education evaluation, the district is required to pay for another evaluation from a professional evaluator not affiliated with the district. The district received no substantiated complaints for those Independent Educational Evaluations, or IEEs, in September. Student progress As HISD tightened up its special education timelines and procedures, it began shifting its focus to student progress. Every child within the department is given an individualized education plan, which includes measurable goals used to track progress. Under its conservatorship, HISD aimed to have 99 percent of students' IEPs finalized within the first six weeks of the school year. By July 2025, 75% of students with IEPs should report measurable progress within those IEPs to exit state takeover The district fell just short of that goal in the first six weeks of school but saw an increase of 6 percentage points compared to the prior school year. Parent participation Districtwide, 92% of parents participated in their children's ARD meetings in September, up from 90% the previous school year. The district remains below its goal of 97% parent participation by June 2025 that resulted from the state's 2020 investigation. HISD maintained its goal to speed up the conflict resolution process within its parent portal, with 97% of 110 parental concerns resolved within five days in September. Plans, procedures and annual reports The district successfully created a professional development manual and special education communication plan extending from the district's upper echelon to the campus level by September, per its progress report. It remained behind, however, on its draft for an OSES Operating Guidelines Manual, which is scheduled to provide training and support to all district staff by July 2024. HISD was asked to do this after the state's 2020 investigation. Other goals, including providing equitable special education access for students from pre-K to high school and information from ongoing folder audits, will be available in the district's December 2024 progress report. Other pending reports, which include results from the TEA's Results-Driven Accountability Data, annual State Performance Plan and financial audits, will be used to determine whether the district can exit its state takeover. From the beginning of the Harris/Biden administration, the focus of the FBI and every other organ of government has been not protecting America from criminals, terrorists, or hostile foreign states like China but pursuing and punishing political enemies. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made clear his quixotic campaign against white people in the military. Then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley vowed to combat white rage. Joe Biden repeatedly proclaimed Americas greatest terror threat was white supremacy, which, to his way of thinking, was Normal Americans who opposed his policies. Graphic: X Screenshot The FBI, which once focused on federal law enforcement, counter-espionage, and counter-terrorism, had a new focus: finding domestic racial threats that, for all intents and purposes, didnt exist. Agents of the FBI found them in radical traditional Catholics, people who took their faith seriously andgasp!appreciated the Latin Mass. FBI Director Wray lied about that, claiming he was appalled that a single field office did that sort of thing, which he immediately stopped. It didnt take long to discover multiple field offices were involved. FBI resources were also diverted to combat another domestic terrorist scourge: parents speaking out at school board meetings over concern about the political and sexual indoctrination and recruitment of their children. We have no idea of the total FBI resources committed to that diabolical threat, but schools are everywhere, so it cant be small. Graphic: X Screenshot Weve finally learned at least 26 FBI assets were present at the Capitol on January 6 and were just sort of hanging around enjoying the sights. They werent there at the FBIs direction and didnt incite anything, no sir! That came from an Inspector General, not the FBI, and we can be reasonably certain there were far more present; they were there for a reason, and it wasnt just to take in the sights. The FBI, DOJ, White House, and congressional Democrats remain very proud of the more than a thousand Americans theyve prosecuted and jailed over January 6, most having done nothing more than non-violently touring the Capitol building, and many who were merely present, harmed no one and nothing, and never entered the building. The CCCP has long operated secret police stations in our cities. Chinese agents are seeded throughout our universities and businesses, stealing all manner of secrets. Innumerable military-aged and appearing Chinese males have swarmed over the border. We also know hundreds of Islamists on terrorist watch lists have been intercepted, but the Administration wont say what has happened to them. Thousands have simply walked across the border, and weve no idea who or where they are. Our enemies have arrangements with Mexican cartels who help them cross the border and supply them. The FBI has involved itself in what it claims are nothing more than crimes of local jurisdiction and, in so doing, very carefully controlling what information about the criminals and their crimes leaks out. The FBI usually has no interest in or time for local crimes. And weve learned that in addition to the FBIs realigned focus on becoming the political enforcers of the administration, theyve entirely embraced DEI, CRT, and every other facet of wokeness. Whistleblowers have reported theyre hiring based virtually entirely on racial and gender quotas. Hiring standards have dramatically declined, and the FBI has been hiring bread crumbs, people no other federal agency wants. DEI hires are promoted over the capable and competent to supervise and promote more DEI hires. Attempts by honest agents to fire incompetent DEI hires are countermanded by FBI Headquarters. People who cant meet basic health and fitness standards, who have histories of drug use and financial problems, and who have no history of reliability or full-time work. Even people with identified mental health deficiencies have been hired and retained. Some new FBI Academy graduates arrive at their first field office with writing skills so poor they cant do daily required paperwork and are useless at preparing reports for court or for testifying. One DEI hires primary qualifications were that they had been unemployed for several years and were a gamer. An experienced agent complained new agents have no work ethic, vanish during the day, leave early and wont work late or after hours. With these priorities, with this reality, we face what could be the beginning of a wave of domestic terror attacks. Automatic weapons arent necessary to kill Americans. As was recently demonstrated in New Orleans and Las Vegas, vehicles will suffice. And the FBI is on the job, just not the job we might expect. Graphic: Breaking 911 Screenshot Normally, it takes many years of experience and dedicated excellence to be appointed a special agent in charge (SAIC) of an FBI field office, yet in New Orleans, an obviously very young female SAIC with a nose ring(?!) who can barely speak coherent English claimed that attack wasnt terror-related, an idiotic assertion the FBI had to walk back within an hour. It appears Donald Trump will have a bigger job than anyone imagined revamping the FBI. On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that weve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. President Biden presented both Hillary Clinton and George Soros with the Presidential Medal of Freedom Saturday. (I hope you have a barf bag nearby.) According to the Associated Press: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton aroused a standing ovation from the crowd as she received her medal. Clinton was accompanied to the event by her husband former President Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea Clinton and grandchildren. Democratic philanthropist George Soros and actor-director Denzel Washington were also awarded the nations highest civilian honor in a White House ceremony. For the final time as president I have the honor bestowing the Medal of Freedom, our nations highest civilian honor, on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary people, who gave their sacred effort, their sacred effort, to shape the culture and the cause of America, Biden said in his opening remarks. Soros, who at age 94, wasn't there, probably had a minion tweet out this for him: As an immigrant who found freedom and prosperity in America, I am deeply moved by this honor. I accept it on behalf of the many people around the world with whom the Open Society Foundations have made common cause over the past 40 years. https://t.co/vdwTgHcZBy George Soros (@georgesoros) January 4, 2025 Talk about an abuse of power! Is John Hinckley, Jr. next in line for the prestigious award? He came within a half an inch of assassinating Ronald Reagan in 1981 but now lives on his own and has started his own record label! Maybe instead of Biden just granting 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed a plea deal, he could award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, too. Perhaps Biden will even posthumously award Thomas Crooks the Presidential Medal of Freedom soon, too. Join the club, Crooks, youd fit right in. Come to think of it, perhaps Biden and his handlers could bestow the Presidential Medal of Honor on Satan while theyre at it. Old Mephistopheles has been a long-time fan and partner of the Democrat party since the time of slavery. Tesla founder Elon Musk was among many on social media that werent happy about the reported decisions. He labeled them "a travesty and shared a video clip of himself on Joe Rogan's podcast saying that Soros "fundamentally hates humanity." Musk elaborated by noting of Soros: "He's doing things that erode the fabric of civilization. You know, getting DAs elected who refuse to prosecute crime. There is a difference between being non compos mentis and being possessed by a deranged and demonic desire to reward the most dangerous and despicable anti-American prevaricators extant or otherwise. These decisions reek of Obama -- with perhaps a little Adam Schiff or Nancy Pelosi thrown in for bad measure. Hillary Clinton is to decency and transparency as Josef Mengele is to Judaism. George Soros, the Hungarian bagman, funds a significant percentage of all the Leftist and anti-American groups and activities in existence. Awarding PMFs to characters like these is demeaning to the American people and all those who value honesty, integrity, and America itself. These actions perfectly illustrate todays Democrat party with its simultaneous worship of depravity and rabid pursuit of power. Image: X video screen shot Fortunately, for its own survival and the survival of western civilization, Israel has recognized certain pressing realities: Israel cant exist with terror states on its borders bent on its destruction. Terrorists have no better ally than Democrats and Joe Bidens handlers. Only obliterating terrorist organizations and terrorists can secure Israels future. Donald Trump is going to support Israel and western civilization, and January 20 cant come soon enough. Graphic: X Screenshot Israel knows that in part because of Trumps past support and because he told Hamas if the hostages werent released before he takes office, theres going to be all hell to pay. Hamas has stupidly chosen to call his bluff: The Iranian-backed terror group Hamas has decided to call President-elect Donald Trumps bluff and abandon negotiations toward a hostage deal, waiting instead to see if it can get a better deal when he takes office January 20. Trump said at Mar-a-Lago on New Years Eve, They better let the hostages come back soon, reiterating a threat that there would be ALL HELL TO PAY if Hamas did not free its remaining 100 Israeli hostages by his Inauguration. But Hamas has decided that it would rather take its chances and evidently believes that Trump will not do anything. The Wall Street Journal reported that Hamas has pulled back from talks that once looked promising: Cease-fire talks between Palestinian militant group Hamas and the Israeli government have hit an impasse in recent days, Arab mediators said, making any deal unlikely before the end of the Biden administration. Rational people would learn from Trumps rapid obliteration of Isis and his precision droning of Iranian General Soleimani, but Islamist fanatics arent rational. The sticking points are the precise number of living hostages to be released in the first phase of a deal; the identities of Palestinian terrorists to be released from Israeli prisons; and whether a deal would bring the war to an end. Hamas wont name living hostages not only for what they think might be political and military advantage, but likely because so few remain alive. Islamist fanatics like Hamas believe God is on their side and they must inevitably win. Theyve enjoyed four years of the dim-witted and arguably treasonous fecklessness of Bidens handlers. Even though Israel has all but obliterated them, theyre determined to survive and with Irans help, rebuild and rearm in their never-ending quest to kill every Jew and infidel and conquer the world for Islam. Hamas is determined to survive and to return to power in the Middle East. It fired two short-range rockets at Israel at midnight on New Years Eve a weaker barrage than it used to greet 2024, but a sign that it is still committed to war. Of course it is. Hamas, every Palestinian faction, Hezbollah and Iran live to kill Jews and all infidels. They make no pretense otherwise. When they daily chant death to Israel and death to America, theyre not spouting negotiating tactics they intend to abandon for other concessions. They mean it and are willing to die and kill any number of innocents, including their own people, to accomplish those diabolical ends. Lasting peace can only be accomplished by ending the idiotic two state solution, which Islamists have proved time and again means the utter destruction of Israel. Bidens handlers and the UN, knowing thats exactly what that solution entails, maliciously continue to support it. Graphic: IDF Screenshot But war never solves anything! Islamists think it does and though were not at war with Islamists, theyve been at war with us for decades. The Middle East is rapidly changing. The unexpectedly rapid demise of the Syrian regime and increasing domestic unrest in Iran are changing the calculus, just as Israels success in nearly destroying Hamas and badly damaging Hezbollah has advanced the chance for an eventual, actual peace. A revitalized America that can identify its allies and enemies and that is willing to destroy those enemies is not only necessary but much to be desired. A venerable diplomatic axiom is there is no more dangerous ally than America. Understanding that, and dealing with Bidens handlers withholding of arms shipments, and threats to end them, Israel is working to build its own defense industries to provide necessities like artillery shells and defense missiles. Even with the promise of a friendly Trump administration, thats a good idea for them and western civilization. Donald Trump surely knows the nature of Hamas. He knows most hostages have likely been murdered, and its equally likely Hamas will murder them all. He knows the UN isnt a friend of civilization. He knows Islamist fanatics understand and fear strength and exploit weakness. If were to get any hostages back alive, we must be ready to make an example that will deter future hostage takers. Hamas thinks theyre calling Trumps bluff; theyre wrong. On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that weve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. The peaceful transition of power between an outgoing administration and a democratically elected incoming government is considered the hallmark of the American Republic. But is the Shining Beacon on the Hill not shining so brightly of late? Since Trump was declared winner of the 2024 presidential election, weve witnessed many moves by the Biden administration to hamper President Trumps agenda. Additionally, awards and pardons have been issued to those most vociferous or instrumental in blocking Trump over the past ten years. Are these the actions of a government handing over power peacefully? Or is all of it a declaration affirming the continuation of a potentially deadly war against President Trump? If the latter, then the transition of power that the United States has known since its inception is no longer peaceful. Some of the peaceful transition actions taken by Biden include, but are not limited to, the following: Executive orders and administrative actions banning (perhaps permanently) new offshore oil and gas development to counter fossil fuel extraction and hamper Trumps energy independence promise. Bills that would give Congress control over the border, limiting the incoming presidents traditional power of executive action on immigration policy. Last-minute funding of the Ukraine War, potentially to weaken Trumps negotiating power in his declared quest for peace. Attempting to sell the border wall materials before the new administration takes office, which would delay Trumps promise to complete the wall and secure the border, at the same time facilitating illegal border crossings to beef up the illegal alien presence and make deportation that much more difficult. Changes made to the H-1B visa rules, effective on January 17, to thwart Trumps ability to stop visa abuse. Plans have been laid to use law to stop every aspect of President Trumps agenda. Powerful actors in Congress have brazenly announced plans to derail his inauguration. Seemingly, every policy being rushed into place by Biden before his exit is calculated to oppose or hinder the president-elects promises and ability to govern. A strategy begins to emerge, to entrench certain Democrat policies or protections, and make it increasingly difficult for Trump to reverse them without significant legislative, legal or administrative effort. Since there are no guns being fired, we accept that this as just part of a peaceful transition. But cyber-warfare is still war. Psychological warfare remains warfare even though not a shot has been discharged. Modern warfare techniques have led to a type of complacency in the public, a suspension of belief, in which we dont have to acknowledge actions of war. Without that acknowledgment, we can blithely continue, uninterrupted, with our everyday lives, falsely asserting our safety and security. Modern warfare no longer needs to be fought with cannon and bombs. Wars nowadays can be conducted while the target barely recognizes that it is under attack. We have seen frequent examples of cyber-warfare against the USA. Some known examples: Cyber-attack on U.S. Treasury Department (2024): targeting the U.S. Department of Treasury Salt Typhoon Hacks (late 2024): an espionage campaign that compromised nine U.S. telecom companies Microsoft Hack (2024): by a China-based actor, impacting more than twenty-four organizations, including the U.S. State and Commerce Departments. But the press has obfuscated any possibility that these are acts of war by a foreign nation, couching its descriptions in platitudes such as cyber-attack or data breach (CNBC, Reuters, the White House, et al.). Modern warfare is no longer necessarily hot. It is varied, insidious, and most often clandestine. But it is not peaceful. In recent days, the Presidential Medal of Freedom has been doled out to Trumps staunchest enemies not as an act of compensation for loss in war, but as encouragement to the generals defeated in a skirmish. This is a signal to the undeclared army from its mysterious leader, that the war will continue unabated until the opposing forces are routed once and for all. This election made it abundantly clear that the organization bearing Biden as its figurehead is not opposing Trump alone. The county electoral map clearly illustrates that supporters of Trumps policies constitute approximately 85% of the country. Stealth operations of the outgoing administration, while purporting to be blocking President Trump, are aimed squarely against the majority of the United States citizens. A peaceful transition of power implies handing over the reins to the peoples choice, without hindrance or malice. What we are witnessing today illustrates something totally different. Are we are unable to see, or unwilling to admit, that the transfer of power before our eyes is anything but peaceful? Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. In looking forward to the upcoming struggles against the far left, we would be well advised to consider the wise words of those who also fought the same forces of evil (yes, we said it) in the new year. These are the sayings that we need to consider and keep in mind to defeat whats left of the Un-Democratic party. Live not by lies. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn This was not just a saying, but an essay, written just before Solzhenitsyn was exiled from the USSR. Its an admonition that we should not allow this kind of behavior, and it eviscerates most of the tactics of the far left. Most, if not all, of their contentions are lies of varying forms lying with language, repetition of falsehoods, and outright gaslighting. The problem for the left is that lies can be carried along for only a limited amount of time. They project their fascist tendencies on the pro-freedom right, while they have to lie by omission on the true definition of the word socialism with a capitalist veneer. Where socialism sought totalitarian control of a societys economic processes through direct state operation of the means of production, fascism sought that control indirectly, through domination of nominally private owners. Where socialism nationalized property explicitly, fascism did so implicitly, by requiring owners to use their property in the national interest that is, as the autocratic authority conceived it. The far left and the nations socialist media (but thats being repetitive and redundant) spend a lot of time repeating the fascism falsehoods without ever mentioning this crucial fact. Thats how you know theyve been lying about this all along. If they ever admitted the full truth of the matter, they would never again be able to exploit one of their most cherished falsehoods. It also follows that the likely reason their tired, 80-year-old Hitler smear failed to work this time around was not only from excessive overuse but simply the fact that the truth has become more widely known that the National Socialist German Workers Party was leftist and indeed a socialist workers party go figure. Once again, Hitler was a socialist. Theres also the video What Modern Socialists Dont Want You To Know About Hitler, with Dr. Rainer Zitelmann, author of a groundbreaking book on Hitlers National Socialism. He noted that although we have the facts on our side, the left has emotions and slogans, and we have to take a page from leftists to beat them at their own game, which brings us to our next words of wisdom. Words mean things. Rush Limbaugh. The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name. Confucius Authoritarian leftists are always exploiting language to falsely portray the political landscape. Theyre forever changing names and ideological labels to confuse the public as to what they are. We defeat them when we refuse to play along and use their terms. We can easily illustrate this with just the words they use every day that are virtually meaningless from an ideological standpoint but convey a positive vibe to confuse the issue. A video featuring left-wing progressive David Pakman, titled Leftist vs Socialist vs Liberal vs Progressive: Political terms explained, is a prime example of the BS they spew daily. He deceptively exploits the term socializing instead of the proper terms socialism or socialist as in socializing ownership of the means of production. Attempting to make an ideology that has seen the mass murder of 100s of millions of people sound like being social...isnt that special? Its important to refute the lies by refusing to accept the lefts distortion and outright lies with language. Theyve blatantly hijacked certain positive terms like progressive, democrat, and liberal to confuse the public about their true intentions. Its time to stop helping them by going along with the ruse. PragerU produced a 5-minute video that perfectly encapsulates the subject: Left or Liberal? Authoritarian leftists belong on the far end of the political spectrum, with communists, fascists, and socialists. Whereas true liberals belong near the center next to conservatives or what could be alternatively termed classic liberals, as noted in a Rubin Report video from a few years ago. Trust, but verify. Ronald Reagan In his speech at the America Fest Conference, Glenn Beck went through a chalkboard run down of recent history, noting that President Trump wants to bring us back to the limited government days before Woodrow Wilson. Noting that many who used to count themselves as Democrats have jumped ship, Beck invoked the adage from President Ronald Reagan in dealing with the old and thankfully defunct Soviet Union: Trust, but verify. Here, were building on the wisdom of being honest and understanding that words mean things because we need to realize that liberals are supposed to be champions of individual liberty and fundamental rights in contrast to leftists. A case where we all should have a mutual agreement is on the Bill of Rights and limited government. This differentiates the pro-freedom community from that of the collectivist left, Democrats, and progressives that would shred most of those documents they dont care about. If we want to relegate the left to a political minority, we need to welcome those who are leaving the left with common ground issues. We wont agree on everything, but that is how the marketplace of ideas is supposed to work, which brings us to our final point disagreements are normal in any organization and dont automatically indicate a civil war or other melodramatic terminology. I remain convinced that most human conflicts can be solved through genuine dialogue conducted with a spirit of openness and reconciliation. Dalai Lama The final word is that there are always going to be differences within any group, and it doesnt signify the outbreak of a civil war by any means. Debate and disagreement are all part of the process of the marketplace of ideas. A political re-alignment of true liberals and conservatives at the center of the political spectrum means that there will be conflicts, but they ought not to be divisive. The tension among people who have the same fundamental beliefs in the founding document will always leave the pro-freedom community stronger to deal with the political minority extremists of the commie-fascist far left. That is how we keep on defeating the Un-Democratic Party. D Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history, former director of communications for a civil rights organization, and a long-time contributor to conservative websites. Find him on Substack. Image via Pixabay. Creating new technologies and making existing ones better is not the only thing that big tech companies care about. They must also know how to navigate the political arena to be on good terms with the current administration. Apple is one of the firms that has best understood this, and now its CEO has donated $1 million to Donald Trumps inauguration fund. Apples Tim Cook joins list of tech CEOs donating to Trumps inauguration fund Donald Trumps inauguration will take place on January 20. For weeks now, top executives of big tech companies have been calling and meeting with the new president-elect of the United States to strengthen ties or even smooth things over. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, had some meetings with Trump during his first term and even received praise from him. You could say that the relationship between Cook and Trump has been good for several years. On the other hand, Trump has been critical of companies such as Google. Now, Apples CEO has joined the list of those who donated to Trumps inauguration fund. According to a report by Axios, Tim Cook will personally contribute $1 million soon. Both personalities already had a meeting last month at Trumps Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), was also present. Apple could gain some notable benefits from Tim Cooks positive relationship with Trump. Before the last presidential election, the CEO of the company discussed with Trump the strict regulatory issue in the EU. The 47th president of the US reportedly assured Cook at the time that he would not allow the European Commission to take advantage of American companies. Other companies have had to smooth things over with the new US president In December last year, Trump met with Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google. Earlier in November, he met with Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta. Both companies had yet to smooth things over with the president-elect after a rocky relationship. During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly accused Google of promoting negative news about him and hiding positive ones. Months earlier, he referred to Facebook as the enemy of the people. Both have already donated $1 million to Trumps inauguration fund. Sam Altman of OpenAI also did it. Meta even restructured its policy department to get along better with the new administration. Joel Kaplan, who has close ties to both Trump and JD Vance, replaced Nick Clegg as the offices head. Net neutrality is a controversial topic in the telecommunications industry. Some believe it is necessary to ensure there is no discrimination in terms of speed or bandwidth to access certain websites or services, while others consider it a potential regulatory overreach. Now, a federal appeals court has ruled against the restoration of net neutrality rules in the US. Net neutrality rules restoration struck down by US federal appeals court Net neutrality is based on all websites and services being equally accessible. There should be no discrimination or preference in terms of speed or even freedom of use. This includes situations such as websites with wider bandwidth designated by paying fees to an ISPand vice versaor free access to servicessuch as social networks or messaging appseven if you are out of mobile data quota, among others. In 2021, Joe Biden urged the FCC to restore the net neutrality rules repealed by Donald Trump in 2017 during his first term. Last year, the FCC addressed the issue in a vote that resulted in the restoration of the regulation. The Sixth Circuit US Court of Appeals recently said this week, though, that the FCC does not have the power to make such a move. The judges used as their main argument a Supreme Court decision from last year that struck down the Chevron deference. The Chevron deference is a legal doctrine that allows state agencies to interpret laws deemed ambiguous. It appears that the decision on the net neutrality rules was based on such an interpretation. So, the court has ruled against it. Now, the net neutrality rules, originally pushed by Barack Obama in 2015, have been put to a screeching halt. Some states, like Washington, California, and Colorado, have their own rules about net neutrality. The latest federal appeals court ruling has no effect on them. The position of US ISPs on net neutrality In the US, ISPs see net neutrality rules as a liability rather than a positive. They believe they should be able to manage their bandwidth as they see fit. This would make it easier for them to avoid network congestion, for example. They also say that different kinds of online communities need different amounts of bandwidth. ISPs and groups that are against net neutrality say that this potential overreach by regulators leads to higher tech costs that consumers have to pay. TikTok, like many other social media apps like Instagram, allows users to host livestreams. This is where content creators get to interact with their viewers live. Unfortunately, it looks like TikTok has found itself embroiled in yet another lawsuit filed in Utah. This time, the lawsuit is alleging the exploit of minors during TikTok livestream videos that the company turned a blind eye to. TikTok livestream exploit A Reuters report claims that TikTok knew minors were being exploited on these videos. The lawsuit alleges that the company was aware that TikTok Lives was exposing minors to inappropriate messages from adults, but chose to still allow these events to take place. This is due to the fact that TikTok profited significantly from these exchanges. For those unfamiliar, TikTok Live has a virtual gifting system. This is where viewers can purchase virtual gifts for content creators during a livestream to show their appreciation. Users can later exchange these gifts for real-world money. This gives creators another way of making money. This system seems quite innocent on the surface. However, an investigation by TikTok itself called Project Meramec uncovered hundreds of thousands of children managed to bypass its age restrictions. This allowed these children to host their own livestreams and interact with adults. In some cases, these interactions apparently led to nudity and sexual activity in exchange for these virtual gifts. Despite these activities taking place, the lawsuit claims that TikTok turned a blind eye to it. This was due to the profits it was making through the purchasing of these virtual gifts. TikToks algorithm favors these livestreams. As a result, these videos reached a much larger audience than usual. TikTok refutes the allegations To no ones surprise, TikTok is refuting these allegations. The company was asked to comment on the lawsuit in which it issued a statement saying, This lawsuit ignores the number of proactive measures that TikTok has voluntarily implemented to support community safety and well-being. Instead, the complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and outdated documents and presents them out of context, which distorts our commitment to the safety of our community. The company added, We stand by our efforts, which include: robust safety protections and screen time limits for teen accounts enabled by default, Family Pairing tools for parents to supervise their teens, strict livestreaming requirements, and aggressive enforcement of our Community Guidelines on an ongoing basis. This lawsuit is just one of the several ongoing legal issues the company is facing. Last year, the US DOJ announced plans to ban TikTok unless ByteDance was willing to sell it off. US President-Elect Donald Trump has since stepped in asking the Supreme Court to delay the decision. CES 2025 is fast approaching, and big tech brands are already teasing the products they will showcase during the conference. Samsung Display was a pioneer in the foldable display segment. The company has also been working on rollable or slidable display technology for a while now. Now, Samsung has revealed that it will bring its latest advancements in foldable and slidable displays to the upcoming CES. The worlds first 18.1-inch foldable panel for IT devices Samsung is proud to announce the worlds first 18.1-inch foldable panel for computing devices. The technology seems ideal for developing a foldable laptop. When folded, theres a 13.1-inch touchscreen and a wide bottom section for a virtual keyboard. You can also use the whole screen by connecting a keyboard. The company had already shown a similar technology in 2022, but the screen was 17.3 inches. Samsung to showcase multiple slidable display form factors at CES 2025 The most interesting part of Samsungs CES conference aims to be the one related to its slidable displays. The South Korean giant has three form factors ready based on this technology. Theres the Slidable Flex Duet, with a base size of 8.1 inches that can be extended up to 12.4 inches. Theres also the Slidable Flex Solo that starts at 13 inches and grows up to 17.3 inches. Both models are designed to unroll horizontally. On the other hand, the Slidable Flex Vertical, as its name suggests, is aimed at devices that you usually use verticallymainly smartphones. This display has a fairly compact base size of 5.1 inches. However, it can grow up to 6.7 inches. This technology may be the answer to those users who prefer small and compact phones while also enabling a more standard screen size when unrolled. New QD-OLED TV display tech with 4,000 nits of brightness Last but not least, Samsung will show off its over 4,000 nits bright 2025 QD-OLED TV technology. These 77-inch screens were made with the goal of being as immersive as possible. There are no technical details about the panel yet, but the company claims that the high color purity of its QD-OLED tech minimizes color blending with surrounding hues, allowing it to more accurately display natural colors that traditional displays struggle to reproduce. Samsung achieved the astonishing peak brightness of 4,000 nits thanks to the implementation of new organic materials and panel driving technology. The firm claims that it is the brightest OLED TV display in the industry. It is up to 30% brighter than previous models from Samsung Display itself. The QD-OLED TV tech also features the highest pixel density among currently available self-emissive monitors, the company claims. New OLED-based technologies for displays in vehicles Samsung also wants to push the advancement of smart displays for cars. The firm seeks to lead the transition from LCD technology currently present in most vehicles to OLED. The change will not only be for aesthetics but also for functionality and flexibility. Samsung has integrated the Under Panel Camera (UPC) for the first time in displays for vehicles. This will enable better driver monitoring systems that will not affect aesthetics and will improve recognition capabilities thanks to the sensors relocation. Samsungs OLED-based HUD Real Black will also make it easy to see information at a glance while driving. This section will be located at the bottom of the windshield, replacing the dashboard, which in turn will offer greater flexibility to the vehicle designer. The extra information that was on the dashboard will now be on an 18.1-inch CID that blends to fit the cars design. It seems that the breach of US telecommunications infrastructure from China is not the only problem facing the countrys authorities. Another group with ties to China, Flax Typhoon, is said to have tried to hack into government agencies to get secret information. Now, the US government has announced sanctions against the Integrity Technology Group for its links to Flax Typhoon. Integrity Technology Group sanctioned by the US for links to Flax Typhoon The US Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that the Beijing-based cybersecurity company was involved in malicious cyber-enabled activities. Flax Typhoon allegedly used a botnet with Integrity Technology Groups tech to launch DDoS and stealthy attacks on multiple US and European organizations. Authorities were tracking the activity of the botnet under the Raptor Train codename. There were more than 260,000 internet-connected devices in the malicious network. It included cameras, storage devices, and routers, among others. The campaign reportedly took place over a yearbetween mid-2022 and late-2023. The FBI dismantled the botnet in September 2024, although attackers compromised multiple servers and workstations at a California-based entity. The name of the affected organization is still secret. Between summer 2022 and fall 2023, Flax Typhoon actors used infrastructure tied to Integrity Tech during their computer network exploitation activities against multiple victims. During that time, Flax Typhoon routinely sent and received information from Integrity Tech infrastructure, reads the OFAC statement. Consequences of sanctions As a result of the sanctions, US companies will not be able to do business with the Integrity Technology Groupalso known as Yongxin Zhicheng. Organizations that violate the ban also face potential severe sanctions. Plus, the government will freeze any Integrity Technology Groups assets in the country. Attacks from China are currently one of the most active and most persistent threats to the United States, the Treasury statement said. The FBI is still working to address the Salt Typhoon groups breach of US telecommunications. Additionally, the US Treasurys sanctions office was the target of a hack last December. The hackers tried to steal classified data about Chinese companies that might face financial sanctions from the US, although they only managed to access declassified information. Students in the team center during a tour of Benavidez Elementary School on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Multiple community organizations are seeking donations or volunteers to help provide free clothes, books, technology and other services to Houston ISDs low-income students in the new year. According to data for the 2023-24 academic year, approximately 80% of HISDs students are economically disadvantaged, which means they qualify for free or reduced-price lunch based on their household size and income. The percentage of economically disadvantaged students in HISD has increased slightly every year since the 2020-21 school year. Heres how you can support some of the nonprofits serving Houston's students and their families: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Books Between Kids Books Between Kids is a nonprofit that provides at-risk children in the Houston area with books to build their own home libraries. The organization expects to provide 27,000 HISD students with books this year through events like Book Celebrations, which are books fairs where students can select up to six books to keep for free. Members of the public can volunteer to count, sort, bag or box books at the nonprofits warehouse by signing up on GivePulse. They can also donate new books that are appropriate for pre-K through fifth graders by scheduling a drop off at the organizations warehouse. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Clothed by Faith Clothed by Faith is an organization that provides about one week's worth of clothing, including shoes, underwear and socks, for adults and children, including HISD students. It hosts closets within certain schools, and it also provides clothes directly to social workers, school counselors and other personnel who request clothing for students and their families. The organization accepts gently used clothing or donations of new underwear for all genders and sizes at its donation bin locations around the Houston area, along with financial donations on Apple Pay. People can also volunteer at its Katy or Deer Park branch to sort donations, fill client requests and repackage clothing donations. Communities In Schools Communities In Schools partners with campuses in HISD and other school districts to provide support specialists who offer a variety of services to students, including guidance and counseling, tutoring sessions, organizing field trips, parent engagement workshops, and college and career readiness support. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The nonprofit is seeking volunteers to serve as mentors, tutors in math, science and reading, or prepare students for college and work. Houstonians can also donate to the Communities In Schools on its website, or contact the group to provide in-kind support, such as school supplies, clothing or other items. Compudopt Compudopt, a Houston-based nonprofit, provides free computers and other services to underserved youth in the area. In addition to free technology, the organization offers programs to teach students computer and technology literacy, including Tiny Techs, STEAM Team and Learn2Earn. To support the organization, people can donate used laptops, desktops, tablets or smartphones at Compudopts Houston location or any Micro Center location. They can also make direct financial donations or sign up to volunteer to hand out computers, load trailers, take photos and videos, and engage in other opportunities on the groups website. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Items in the food pantry at the Youth Development Center, 6050 Bretshire Dr., are shown Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Houston. The Houston ISD's Sunrise Center, a service hub designed to provide HISD students and their families with a variety of resources, is located in the center. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Second Serving Second Servings provides free groceries, including produce, meat, eggs and dairy, to HISD families and other underserved communities through its PopUp Grocery Store program. Families can select surplus food from locations, such as Kroger, Whole Foods and Trader Joes to take home during the monthly events at schools, Sunrise Centers and other locations. Businesses, such as distributors, hotels, or grocers, can sign up to donate their surplus food on Second Sevings website. Houstonians can also make financial donations to the organization or volunteer to set up events or distribute food with the organization. Kemi Badenoch is not likely to apologise after she accused Reform UK of publishing a fake membership count online, the shadow home secretary has suggested. Asked whether the Conservative leader will say sorry for a row about the ticker showing rising Reform membership, Chris Philp told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News: I dont think so. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage used rallies on Friday and Saturday to declare Ms Badenochs North West Essex seat a target area for his party at the next election. After Reform published a membership counter online, Ms Badenoch alleged on Boxing Day it was a fake, coded to tick up automatically. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has claimed the Reform membership ticker is fake (PA) Mr Philp said: She obviously had information that she based her comments on. You know the most important facts are, since the general election, there have been I think 175 council by-elections. We have won seven times more of those than Reform. Weve won about 50, theyve only won I think seven. Were winning seats from Labour, Labour are losing seats to us. Sky News has reportedly verified the counters legitimacy. The shadow home secretary added: Im not going to offer an opinion one way or another because I havent seen the evidence. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice told the same programme: The thing about legal action is you have to prove harm. The truth is that Kemi Badenoch has helped us, so were sort-of thanking her. But what wed like is an apology. I think Chris Philp has just confirmed were not going to get an apology, so instead, what Nigel announced yesterday is that were going to instead make her constituency a key target seat for Reform at the next general election. We think that might focus the mind of the leader of the Opposition actually on what really matters, and thats what voters think. I think voters are appalled at the suggestion that we were not being truthful about our membership numbers. Look, we all make mistakes, even you, Trevor. When we make them, the simple answer is just apologise and move on. Ahead of Saturdays rally at Chelmsford City Racecourse in the North West Essex constituency, Mr Farage told his supporters in Leicester on Friday that the gloves are off. He said: Its all well and good saying sue her, but you have to prove actual harm. She hasnt harmed us. Shes given us tens of thousands more members. British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage says that his musical compositions do not get played much on classical music radio stations. The 64-year-old, who has created music for ballets and operas, composed the music for the opera-version of Coraline, based on the novel of the same name by British author Neil Gaiman that was made into a film. Turnage told BBC Radio 4s Desert Island Discs programme that theres a lot of opposition to modern classical music. The Ivor Novello-winning composer said: I remember, like, once reading, I think it was like (in) GQ magazine, where it listed the biggest turn-offs, and contemporary classical music was number one on the list.. And I was like, that was my world, and I was thinking, Oh, come on, thats sad. Mark-Anthony Turnage has created music for operas and ballets (Dominic Lipinski/PA) I dont write music (like controversial composer Karlheinz) Stockhausen, its not really, really difficult music, but, still, it doesnt get played much or at all on Classic FM. When asked why he thinks that is, Turnage said: I think when people are in concerts, I think theyre trapped, or they feel theyre trapped. If you go to an art gallery and theres a picture you dont like, you just move away straight away. But if youre in a concert where this music is being played, youre in the middle of the row, people are polite, they dont walk out. So, I think people feel a bit oppressed by it. I do actually understand it, I have difficulty with a lot of contemporary classical music, obviously naming no names. He also said people are worried about how they should react, how they should behave at classical concerts, and feel intimidated. Mark-Anthony Turnage when he became a CBE with the late Queen (Yui Mok/PA) Turnage has also composed Up For Grabs, a 25-minute score to be played over a historical Arsenal match, celebrating a win over Liverpool in the 1980s, and operas The Silver Tassie, based on Irish writer Sean OCaseys play of the same name, and Anna Nicole, about the life of American model Anna Nicole Smith. During the interview, he also spoke about the death of his brother, Andy, who died of an overdose, and who he composed the music Elegy For Andy for. He said that he still cant believe it happened and his death is still hard. Turnage added: Ive got a picture of him above my work desk and I look at it (and) I still think maybe hes still (around), I dont know why, Isnt that ridiculous? I know hes dead. He also said writing music helps his grief, including when his teacher and mentor, the composer Oliver Knussen, died at the age of 66 in 2018. Turnage said: I write a lot of memorials.. as you get older, you lose friends, and writing pieces about it, or in memory of people, friends and colleagues, is a way of dealing with it, to some extent I did that with Olly, when he died (in) 2018 I wrote a little piano piece and then expanded it. I didnt really know how to cope with that at all. I found myself crying all the time, but writing pieces got (it) out of my system, (and) sort of helped. Turnage picked up a classical music gong in 2021 at the Ivor Novello Awards and became a CBE for his services to music in 2015. Desert Island Discs airs at 10am on Sunday on BBC Radio 4. Wes Streeting has said attacks made by Elon Musk on Jess Phillips over grooming gangs are a disgraceful smear considering the Labour ministers efforts to support victims of abuse. The billionaire owner of social media platform X, Tesla and Space X suggested the safeguarding minister deserves to be in prison for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham. He also said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had failed to bring rape gangs to justice while director of public prosecutions. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage defended Mr Musk, saying the South African-born US businessman had used very tough terms but that in public life, tough things get said. Ms Phillips said in a letter to the local council that Oldham must follow other towns such as Rotherham and Telford and commission its own inquiry into historical abuse of children. Health Secretary Mr Streeting was asked what he would say to Mr Musk after his comments about Ms Phillips, which include calling her a rape genocide apologist. It is a disgraceful smear of a great woman who has spent her life supporting victims of the kind of violence that Elon Musk and others say that theyre against, he told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. And its all very well sitting there, and Im not just talking about Musk Im talking about armchair critics on social media its all very easy to sit there and fire off something in haste and click send, when people like Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips have done the hard yards of actually locking up wife beaters, rapists, paedophiles. Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended Jess Phillips and Sir Keir Starmer (PA) He said the best response from the Government to Mr Musk was to focus on tackling the problem, not talking about it. Mr Streeting added that if Mr Musk wants to roll his sleeves up and actually do something about tackling violence against women and girls, platforms such as X can help law enforcement to clamp down on people trying to groom children online. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has also defended the safeguarding minister, describing her as a fearless and formidable advocate for sexual abuse victims who has campaigned tirelessly for justice for those let down by institutional failure. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said some of Mr Musks comments about Ms Phillips were not appropriate but he was right to raise the issue of grooming gangs. I think some of the specific language he used about Jess Phillips is not appropriate, but raising the issue as he has done generally I think is reasonable because vulnerable young girls were let down by the system, he told the the BBC. Mr Philp denied he was playing politics with calls for a statutory inquiry into cases from Oldham which the Home Office rejected under both the previous Conservative and new Labour governments. Chris Philp denied he was playing politics with calls for a statutory inquiry into cases from Oldham (Jonathan Brady/PA) Tory leader Kemi Badenoch repeated her call for an inquiry in the Mail on Sunday, saying some action was taken under the previous Tory government, but not enough. Mr Farage said Mr Musk had put his criticism in very tough terms, telling the Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: If you do believe theyre inciteful, then they go beyond the line, but declining to say whether he personally thought the comments had crossed a line. In public life, tough things get said. They get said by both sides of the debate, Mr Farage said. This man happens to be the richest man in the world, but equally, the fact that hes bought Twitter now actually gives us a place where we can have a proper open debate about many things free speech is back. We may find it offensive, but its a good thing, not a bad thing. There has been speculation that Mr Musk plans to donate a substantial sum to Reform UK. Asked if he was reluctant to criticise the billionaire because of this, Mr Farage said: I think I made it perfectly clear that I dont agree with everything he stands for, but I do believe in free speech. I think hes a hero, and I said that well before any potential money was offered. Elon Musk suggested Jess Phillips deserves to be in prison (PA) Richard Tice refused to say it was factually wrong to call Ms Phillips was a rape genocide apologist in an interview with Sunday with Lewis Goodall on LBC. Mr Musk is entitled to say what he wants, the Reform UK deputy leader said. Reform UK has called for a national inquiry into grooming gangs, but Mr Streeting said the Government was against launching another nationwide probe because there has already been the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, which published its final report in 2022. Led by Professor Alexis Jay, the inquiry looked into abuse by organised groups following multiple convictions of sexual offences against children across the UK between 2010-2014, including in Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Rochdale and Bristol. The Health Secretary rejected that the Governments reluctance to launching a national inquiry was due to the dominant ethnicity of the gangs involved, when asked by Sir Trevor Philips on Sky News. The Government would absolutely support a local inquiry in Oldham, he said, and pointed to the probe in Rotherham that highlighted part of the problem there had been some people not speaking up for fear of being accused of being racist or failing to take action for fear of upsetting community cohesion. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said he is already carrying out an ongoing major inquiry that has led to multiple arrests, charges and convictions, adding, there has been a substantial report into what happened in Oldham. Heavy overnight snow has created significant travel disruption across the UK as the cold start to the new year continues. Stranded vehicles and collisions have left key roads in northern England closed while rail services have also been cancelled with two amber weather warnings still in place. Several major airports have reopened but passengers have been warned to still expect delays. A new yellow rain warning for southern England has also been issued on Sunday where milder temperatures bring a risk of flooding, with more than 20 flood warnings and more than 200 flood alerts in place. The Met Office said some rural communities could be cut off, with up to 40cm of snow on ground above 300m before conditions ease later on Sunday. National Highways warned that up to 25cm of snow could affect roads in northern England. (PA Graphics) Snow closed the A628 Woodhead Pass which connects Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire through the Peak District overnight in both directions between the A616 at Flouch and the A57 at Hollingworth. The A66 in County Durham and Cumbria was closed between the M6 and A1M because of the conditions, while the A1 was closed southbound between the A639 North Elmsall and the A1(M)/A638 Doncaster in South Yorkshire due to a collision involving a car and and a HGV. The M180 in Lincolnshire was closed westbound between J5 Grimsby and J4 Lincoln due to a serious collision. Cumbria Police said it was responding to a multiple vehicle collision on the A595 at Bothel and to a one-vehicle collision on Kirkstone Pass in the Lake District, where there was a lot of ice and snow on the road. Liverpool John Lennon Airport in Liverpool saw heavy snow overnight (Peter Byrne/PA) Traffic was stopped on the A1M southbound between J61 Bowburn and J60 Bishop Auckland in County Durham due to stranded vehicles on the carriageway before being released just before 10.30am. The A303 was closed westbound between the A3057 and the A343 near Andover in Hampshire due to an overturned vehicle, and one lane of the northbound A3 in Hampshire was closed on Sunday morning due to flooding following overnight snow, National Highways said. Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon Airport closed their runways for several hours on Sunday morning due to heavy snow. Manchester Airport said delays to some departures and arrivals are still possible as staff de-ice aircraft and clear walkways. Husband and wife, Bronya and Stefan Meadley, sledge in Studley Royal park in North Yorkshire (Danny Lawson/PA) Leeds Bradford Airport confirmed shortly after 2.15pm that its runway had reopened but added some disruption was expected to continue throughout the day. It had earlier warned that access through security could be temporarily restricted due to the high number of customers already in the departure lounge awaiting flights. Birmingham Airport had suspended operations for several hours overnight for snow clearing and safety reasons, but said it was on schedule for business as usual on Sunday. Bristol Airport reopened at about 11pm on Saturday but warned of ongoing delays because aircraft were out of position following flight cancellations. All the affected airports urged passengers to check with their airline for updates. National Rail said the line between Leeds and Halifax via Dewbury was closed in both directions, with disruption on northern routes expected into Monday. Trains were subject to delays across Merseyside due to snowfall (Peter Byrne/PA) Avanti West Coast trains running to and from Liverpool Lime Street were cancelled due to depot issues with disruption expected until midday. The Environment Agency had issued 22 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, across southern England and more than 200 flood alerts across the country on Sunday afternoon. Two amber weather warnings from the Met Office have been put in place in England and Wales, with 3cm to 7cm of snowfall predicted for much of the affected area, mixing with rain at times in lower-lying areas. An unsettled afternoon to come across the country Heavy rain, sleet and snow continuing, with weather warnings in place for many, including an amber warning for snow across parts of northern England All the latest https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs pic.twitter.com/NYxvJfFcn7 Met Office (@metoffice) January 5, 2025 Bingley in West Yorkshire had 17cm of snow up to 11am on Sunday, with Shap in Cumbria and Capel Curig in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, both recording 10cm, the forecaster said. One amber warning for snow and freezing rain, which covers much of Wales and the Midlands as far north as Manchester, is in place until midday on Sunday. Higher ground in Wales and the southern Pennines could see 15cm to 30cm of snow, the forecaster said, with milder air leading to a rapid thaw in the south of the warning area through Sunday. The second amber warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, is in place until midnight on Sunday. A new yellow rain warning for southern England from Cornwall across to Kent was issued and put in place on Sunday morning and will last until 9am on Monday. A yellow warning for snow and ice covers most of the remaining parts of England and Wales until midnight, while a similar warning covers large parts of Northern Ireland from 6pm on Sunday. The north of Scotland is covered by a yellow warning for ice until 10am on Sunday, with another for snow and ice in the east of central Scotland until 6am on Monday. There is also a yellow warning for rain covering much of Wales and the West Midlands on Sunday from 6am to 9pm. Japans Hideki Matsuyama and Americas Collin Morikawa took control of the PGA Tour season opener in Hawaii as they moved away from the field with a pair of 62s. Matsuyamas 11-under par third round took him to 27-under-par as he set a new 54-hole record at Kapalua to hold his one-shot lead at The Sentry. The former Masters champion was within reach of tying the course record with a long eagle attempt from just short of the 18th green. Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, hits from the 14th tee (Matt York/AP) He took two putts for birdie to maintain his lead over Morikawa, who holed his birdie putt on the par five closing hole for his 62. Morikawa took the lead on the front nine with three birdies and an eagle in the first five holes, capped off with a 25-foot eagle putt. But his lead did not last long, with Matsuyama who has dropped just one shot in the opening three rounds catching him on the next hole. Matsuyamas 11 birdies are the most he has made in a single round on the PGA Tour. Belgiums Thomas Detry is four strokes further back after a 64, one better than South Koreas Sungjae Im who also carded a 62. Englands Harry Hall is fifth on 20-under-par after a third-round 66. A Texas flag is photographed on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 at SPJST Lodge 88 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Austin might try to lay claim to the weird, but its nowhere near the top of the heap in terms of the weirdest Texas city/town/unincorporated area/patch of grass names. Heres an incomplete list of a few Texas town names were charmed by and, as best we can tell, how they came to be. Cut and Shoot Cut and Shoot is a city of just over 1,000 in Montgomery County, about an hour north of Houston, depending on how miserable traffic is. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to legend (the version on the citys website, at least), the name came to be in July 1912 with a fight between denominations. Before 1912, Baptists and Methodists built a two-in-one, church-and-schoolhouse building called the Community House, which all were free to use. In July 1912, the story goes, a new preacher rolled into town (a preacher of, some said, questionable morals) and was invited to hold a meeting at the Community House. The population quickly split into those who wanted the meeting and those who thought it shouldnt happen. WHO OWNS TEXAS: This searchable map reveals who owns every property in the state The conflict came to a head on July 21 when the pro-new-preacher-meeting crowd gathered at the Community House, their guns tidily tucked in their quilts just in case. They found the Community House door locked. The anti-meeting side showed up, and each blamed each other for whatever had happened with the lock. Amidst the argument, a little boy was said to say, "I'm going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute!" Advertisement Article continues below this ad There was no cutting or shooting that day, but a name was born. For more, check out this from the Cut and Shoot city website. In this historic photo, Mayor Raymond Rushing stands in front of the new city limit signs welcoming visitors. Houston Chronicle archive DISH No, the all-caps are not an accident. DISH, Texas, is a town of just over 400 people (per the 2020 Census) in Denton County. Once upon a time (2005), DISH had only 125 people and was called Clark. But that year, the city entered into an agreement with EchoStar Communications Corp, which operates Dish Network satellites, to change its name to DISH. In return, the town got 10 free years of satellite service. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Not everyone was thrilled with the results, as a 2013 New York Times piece showed. One resident lamented that he wished Jack Daniels would have looked us up. Another unhappy resident? L.E. Clark, whose family name once identified the area. I dont especially like it, he said in a 2005 NBC article. I worked my butt off a little over a year getting it incorporated. A city limit sign in Dish, Texas, March 8, 2013. The town, formerly known as Clark, agreed in 2005 to change its name as part of a deal with the Dish Network satellite TV service, but some resident wonder how they have benefited from the 10-year arrangement. Rex C. Curry/The New York Times Ding Dong We might be stretching the definition of town here, but we loved the name too much to pass it up. Ding Dong is an unincorporated area in Central Texas, which, as of 20 years ago, had a population of 22 (it does not have its own Census entry, so its hard to say how many are there now). Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ding Dong was settled in the 1930s by Bert and Zulis Bell. As legend goes, a painter made a sign for their store and painted two bells next to each other, one for each Bell. A nameless resident with a sense of humor suggested that the painter include Ding Dong on the sign. (They did.) Ding Dong sits along the Lampasas River. To make things even more complicated, it is in Bell County. Bell County is not named for the Ding Dong Bells. That honor belongs to Peter Hansborough Bell, the third governor of Texas. Bug Tussle Once upon a time, this little unincorporated community in Fannin County was named Truss after a man who settled there. At some point, its name was changed to Bug Tussle. Per the Texas State Historical Association, there are a few versions of the story explaining why: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bugs invaded a church ice cream social one Sunday. Two residents got it in their heads that they wanted to change the community name to something but couldnt agree on what. Partway through the argument, one of the residents got distracted by wrestling bugs and remarked, "Look at those bugs tussle. The Community Formerly Known as Truss was so painfully boring that the only thing to do was watch bugs tussle. Sarah J Maass bestselling A Court Of Thorns And Roses series has helped drive demand - WENN Rights Ltd /Alamy The use of Wales as inspiration for fairy porn novels is patronising, experts have warned. Welsh mythology produced the legends of King Arthur, and the language served as the model of Elvish in The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. The countrys mystical associations have since been repeatedly mined by fantasy authors, including by those working in a new genre dubbed fairy porn. The blending of romance and elements of high fantasy has proven popular with female readers, and author Sarah J Maass bestselling A Court Of Thorns And Roses series has driven demand. But some are not enthused about the American authors rehashing of Welsh language and lore, with her characters including Rhysand, Gwyneth, Alis and Morrigan, The Welsh language served as the model of Elvish in The Lord of the Rings - Film Stills Prof Dimitra Fimi, who taught in Cardiff for decades and is now a lecturer in fantasy literature at the University of Glasgow, said: Fantasy has definitely in the last couple of centuries been consciously playing with myths, legends, folk tales. Wales in particular has a very rich tradition and there is a chain of key fantasy authors that have played around with that material. She told the BBC: Its a positive thing in terms of discovering a very rich new culture or opening up to other perspectives. What worries me is a particular perception of Wales developing within fantasy, which is that its this magical, rural, romantic place. It can be pretty patronising. It creates an image of the country which isnt realistic. Thats not all that Wales is. King Arthur is part of Welsh mythology - Hulton Archive/Hulton Royals Collection Bethan Hindmarch, a Carmarthenshire bookseller and fantasy blogger, has also become irritated by the trend: It was something that, at first, would always really excite me, but has become increasingly something of a pet peeve, she said. Tolkien was the one who opened that floodgate. Terry Pratchett always did it in a great way. His own daughter has a Welsh name and it was about honouring and being respectful. But you do get authors who want their fantasy to sound more mystical, magical and made up. Mining the language of the Celtic fringe has also led to issues over the use of Scots Gaelic words. In 2023, US fantasy author Rebecca Yarros faced criticism for her unusual pronunciation of her borrowed vocabulary Her novel Fourth Wing uses Gaelic words to name dragons, which she was asked to read out in an interview to clarify how they were intended to be pronounced. Scots readers took to social media to criticise her pronunciation, particularly her way of saying Gaelic (gay-lik) rather than using the correct sounds for Scots Gaelic (gaa-lik). Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in We Live in Time - PA/Peter Mountain Florence Pugh worked with a midwife to perform a sweaty scene in which she gave birth, taking eight goes before they got it right. A moment in the film We Live in Time sees the British actress, who stars opposite Andrew Garfield, portray a woman giving birth. John Crowley, the director, said that as Pugh had not given birth in real life the on-set midwife provided expert assistance and helped make the scene as authentic as possible. We had a midwife on set who was fantastic, who worked in great detail with Florence, Crowley told the British Film Institute (BFI). Florence hasnt given birth and wanted to get it exactly right. The director and the midwife both gave feedback on the scene which saw Florences character, a chef called Almut, give birth in a petrol station in Croydon it took two days to get the perfect cut. Florence gave birth eight times that day, Crowley said. Each take wouldve been around 15, 16 minutes long. So their exhaustion is real by the end of it. Florence Pughs latest film, We Live in Time, was released last week - PA/Ben Whitley Pugh told The Sun that the process was amazing and emotional. It was insane, and it was amazing. The only problem was I didnt have a baby that came out. So I was just so exhausted and sweaty and tired and Id got no endorphins or anything. We worked with a midwife, she said. Tiring, amazing, exhausting, so beautiful to watch, because it is just all about life. And it was like Andrew and I were preparing for a baby, and it was really, really beautiful. It was so emotional, it was like we had a child. Crowley said the repeated long takes and the introduction of a real baby in the scene made the actors feel like they had been through it for real. Handling that little child made it very special, Crowley said. It was a very special couple of days and one of those sequences that you shoot where the actors come out the far side of it and feel slightly changed by it. The birthing scene is a key moment in the film and a vital act which convinced Crowley to take on the project. The mixture of absurdity, jeopardy and the ultimate profundity, I was laughing through my tears, he told the BFI. I knew when I read it I was in. The film is largely shot in south London and features scenes in Brockwell Park and Herne Hill, as well as in Croydon. The film is largely shot in south London with Brockwell Park and Herne Hill featuring - PA/Peter Mountain Garfield, Pughs co-star, was criticised when he was filmed allegedly confronting a group of onlookers watching the film being shot from the window of their London home. An excited fan and resident claimed at the time of filming in 2023 that Garfield called cut after seeing four housemates clamber to view the star through their window. He walked over to us and gestured for us to stop, moved his hand across his neck and then he came up and told us to put the window up so he could talk to us not in a polite way, it was very sort of demanding, a housemate told The Telegraph at the time. According to the resident, the actor said guys you know this is super disrespectful youre being so distracting. Foreign nationals were arrested at twice the rate of British natives according to the Centre for Migration Control - Steve Finn Foreign nationals are more than three times as likely to be arrested for sexual offences as British citizens, according to the first analysis revealing the scale of crime by migrants. Police made more than 9,000 arrests of foreign nationals for sexual offences in the first 10 months of last year in 41 of the 43 forces in England and Wales. This represented a quarter (26.1 per cent) of the total estimated 35,000 sexual offence arrests, according to the first analysis of its kind by the Centre for Migration Control of data from police forces, the Home Office and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Foreigners were 3.5 times as likely to be arrested for sex offences as British suspects, based on a rate of nearly 165 arrests per 100,000 of the migrant population against 48 per 100,000 for Britons. For all crimes, foreign nationals were arrested at twice the rate of British natives, accounting for 131,000 of the arrests from January to October 2024. While foreigners make up nine per cent of the population, they accounted for 16.1 per cent of the total number of arrests according to the figures, released under freedom of information (FOI) laws. The crime league table places Albanians as the nationality most likely to be arrested, followed by Afghans, Iraqis, Algerians and Somalians. There were 48 nationalities with a higher arrest rate per 1,000 of their populations than British suspects. The analysis comes amid claims of an institutional cover-up over the publication of migrant crime rates. Meanwhile, demands are growing for a public inquiry into sex grooming scandals where the ethnicity of suspects was allegedly suppressed. Senior Tory MPs have urged both the Conservative and Labour governments to publish data, as is done in Denmark and some US states, that would enable league tables of the crime rates of nations migrants to be compiled. A backbench amendment to Rishi Sunaks Sentencing Bill would have required the government to present a report to Parliament each year detailing the nationality, visa and asylum status of every offender convicted in English and Welsh courts in the previous 12 months, but the Bill was ditched because of the general election. Supporters including Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, who first proposed the legal change, said such data would enable the Home Office to toughen up visa and deportation policies for nationalities linked to higher rates of crime in the UK. MPs are expected to put forward similar amendments to immigration and sentencing legislation to be laid before Parliament by Sir Keir Starmer later this year. Mr Jenrick supported the Sentencing Bill which would have required government to present a report to Parliament detailing the nationality, visa and asylum status of every offender - Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph Mr Jenrick said: To establish an immigration and criminal justice system that serves the interests of the British public, policy makers need this information. There is not a single good reason why the Ministry of Justice shouldnt publish this in full, completely transparently, on a regular basis. According to the analysis, foreign nationals were arrested at almost twice the rate of British people in the first 10 months of 2024, with 23.9 arrests per 1000 for migrants compared with 12 per 1000 for Britons. For sex offence arrests, the rate rose to 3.5. Foreign nationals account for 5.5 million people in Britain, according to the ONS, while the British population is 53.5 million. The 9,055 foreign national arrests for sex offences works out at a rate of 164.6 per 100,000 of the population, compared with 25,680 arrests of Britons a rate of 48 per 100,000. Some forces recorded higher rates of arrests of foreign nationals for sexual offences. In the City of London, they accounted for two-thirds (66.9 per cent) of the arrests. The Metropolitan Police recorded 39.2 per cent, while in Derbyshire it was 44.8 per cent and in the West Midlands 38.8 per cent. The FOI data for arrests for rapes, which was only available from 29 of the 43 forces in England and Wales, show there were 2,775 arrests of foreign nationals for the offence. For all crimes, Romanians accounted for the most arrests at 11,678 followed by Poles (9583), Albanians (5,665), Indians (5,414), Pakistanis (4,171), Nigerians (3,317), Lithuanians (3,253) and Iranians (3,000). However, once weighted for the respective populations, based on the latest ONS figures from 2021, Albanians had the highest arrest rate at 209.8 arrests per 1,000 of their population followed by Afghans (106.9), Iraqis (92.9), Algerians (72.7), Moroccans (70) and Somalis (64.6). The rate for British suspects was 12. The Government publishes data on the ethnicity of people arrested and the nationalities of foreign offenders held in UK jails of which there are more than 10,000. Albanians are the largest nationality, accounting for 13 per cent, followed by Poles, Romanians, Irish and Jamaican. Robert Bates, the founder and research director of the Centre for Migration Control, said: There should not be a single foreign national in the UK who is breaking our laws. Not one. Yet we somehow have over 10,000 foreign nationals in Britains prisons, many more on probation or released into the community, and a merry-go-round of repeat offenders that we are unable to deport. Were the Home Office seriously committed to the well-being of the British public it would, without hesitation, look to address this problem by introducing far stricter visa protocols on those nationalities with a disproportionately high propensity to engage in criminality. A Labour spokesman said: A quick reminder to the former secretary of state that the Ministry of Justice already publishes the data on convicted foreign nationals serving in our prisons, just like Denmark. He clearly needs to spend more time thinking and learning about his brief. Leave the Government to implement our plan for change and smashing the criminal gangs. Weve already removed over 13,000 in our first few months in office, which is 14 per cent more foreign national offenders from our prisons than Tories did. Home Office must be far stricter on nationalities most likely to engage in criminality by Robert Bates In February 2020, during his successful leadership campaign, Keir Starmer called for a transparency revolution within the Labour Party. His time as leader of the opposition saw a similar fixation with promoting transparency and openness in government, as he time and again used these warm-sounding words as a bludgeon with which to beat the imploding Tory government. He is right, of course, that a democracy can only properly function if the public are kept informed about the policy decisions which affect their lives. However, he would be kidding himself if he thought this was actually being delivered by the British state. Yes, we are able to see information on the Department for Culture, Media and Sports gender pay gap, or the amount that Department for Work and Pensions civil servants are spending on pizza in any given quarter, but surely as a country which purports to be one of the oldest democracies in the world we should be aiming for slightly more than this. On the biggest public policy area affecting our country, mass migration, we know next to nothing. We do not know how much high-skilled migrants are paying in tax, what the British taxpayer is having to fork out to foreign nationals in Universal Credit, or indeed the amount of crime that is being brought to our shores as a result of mass migration. All we have are the warm words and reassurances of the political class that everything is going swimmingly and frankly, after decades of misdirection on this issue, that will no longer wash. British people can tell that their country is broken, and they deserve to know why. A new report by the Centre for Migration Control, in which we extracted foreign national arrest data from every police force in England and Wales, shows why government ministers have been hesitant to produce the facts on migrant crime. In 2024, foreign nationals were arrested at twice the rate of British people, with over 130,000 detentions, this is despite them accounting for just nine per cent of the population. Violent crime was by far the most common offence type committed, but we must give special focus to the fact that over a quarter of all sexual offence arrests last year were of non-British citizens and over a third of these were for rape, including those under the age of 13. Other crimes committed within this category were sexual assault, child grooming, trafficking and voyeurism. This is a national crisis, and yet the minister responsible for tackling violence against women and girls, Jess Phillips, has previously ignored the clear demographic pattern of Britains child grooming scandal. This problem cannot be solved by politicians unable to call a spade a spade. There should not be a single foreign national in the UK who is breaking our laws. Not one. Yet we somehow have over 10,000 foreign nationals in Britains prisons, many more on probation or released into the community, and a merry-go-round of repeat offenders that we are unable to deport. Were the Home Office seriously committed to the well-being of the British public it would, without hesitation, look to address this problem by introducing far stricter visa protocols on those nationalities with a disproportionately high propensity to engage in criminality. Visa applicants from those nations with the highest arrest rate such as Albania, Afghanistan, Iraq, Algeria, and Morocco should have far more hoops to clear before getting to the UK than those from countries such as France or Italy, where significantly fewer nationals fall foul of the law. It is a common-sense approach utilised by countries around the world, yet, in 2020, the Equality Act was evoked by Left-wing campaign groups to claim that such measures would be discriminatory and the idea has been discarded ever since. Further problems in weaning out criminality at the border arise because we do not require every migrant entering the UK to produce a criminal record certificate and instead we rely on shaky database sharing with other nations. This has meant that since 2021, nearly 400,000 migrants have been awarded a UK visa without having to produce the equivalent of a Disclosure and Barring Service certificate. Mass migration was a huge policy shift, carried out against the wishes of the British public, and one that the apparatus of the state is loathe to abandon. The reluctance to produce an evaluation of the policys failings is a last-ditch attempt to keep our country tethered to a path that no one wants. It will not work. Robert Bates is founder and research director of the Centre for Migration Control Data on grooming gang deportations is not available The Home Office is refusing to publish figures for the number of grooming gang members that have been deported. The department has declined to put the figures in the public domain despite an outcry over child sexual exploitation and demands for a fresh state-backed inquiry into the abuse. Labour last week refused to launch a public inquiry into historic sexual abuse by gangs in Oldham, saying it was for the council to decide whether one was necessary. The Home Offices refusal comes after calls from Suella Braverman, a former home secretary, for a zero tolerance approach to the deportation of foreign child sex offenders. She said: We need to have a zero tolerance approach when it comes to deporting those foreign nationals who have been found guilty of these heinous crimes. Suella Braverman wants zero tolerance approach to grooming gang deportations - Paul Grover /For The Telegraph As of 2024, a convicted Rochdale grooming gang ringleader was still living in the city where he abused children some nine years after his deportation was ordered. Qari Abdul Rauf was one of nine Asian men convicted of sex offences against vulnerable girls in the Greater Manchester town in 2012. Rauf was sentenced to six years in jail but was released in November 2014 having served just two years and six months. Theresa May, then home secretary, ordered him to be sent back to Pakistan but he was still in Rochdale as of this time in 2024, with his victims forced to live alongside him. Pakistan, the other country where he refused to have nationality, reportedly refused to take him back despite a previous hearing concluding it would be relatively easy for him to reclaim his nationality. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: Governments have been trying to deport these perpetrators for years - Jonathan Brady/PA On Sunday night, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, called on the Government to restrict visas for countries such as Pakistan if they refuse to take groomers back. Mr Philp said: Governments have been trying to deport these perpetrators for years, including stripping them of citizenship where possible. If their original home country does not take them back, we should look at reducing or stopping visas to nationals of those countries. I expect the countries concerned will then rapidly reconsider their position. A Home Office source said: As you would expect, the Government explores all avenues to pursue removal of foreign criminals, including to Pakistan. It is completely unforgivable that under the Tories, deportation of these foreign criminals dropped by 20 per cent and in April 2022 the Nationality and Borders Act was given royal assent. The Conservatives seem to have forgotten it was their legislation and its interesting that they have only remembered this now. Police have been required to collect data on the ethnicity of those in child grooming gangs since April 2022. But the previous government, led by Rishi Sunak, ordered a further crackdown, saying political correctness must not stop police using suspects ethnicity as an identifying tool. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which was published three years ago, warned that victims and survivors suggested that professionals feared allegations of racism and that this was prioritised over their safety. In 2012, Sir Keir Starmer was forced to admit that a generation of vulnerable girls had been let down by the justice system while he was in charge of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Then director of public prosecutions, he said authorities had not taken the abuse seriously. He also conceded that the ethnicity of suspects was an issue, saying prosecutors had failed to understand the nature of the abuse. Those comments were made after it was revealed that the CPS, under Sir Keirs leadership, had dropped a case against a rape gang despite overwhelming evidence of their guilt. A Home Office spokesperson said: Foreign nationals who commit heinous crimes should be in no doubt that we will do everything to make sure they are not free on Britains streets, this includes removal from the UK. Foreign national offenders can be convicted of several offences. We are transparent with our data and publish data frequently on returns. Prisoners at the Regina Coeli jail in Rome may soon be able to use love rooms - ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP Italian prisons must allow inmates to make love to visiting partners, the countrys top court ruled. The Constitutional Court said a prisoners right to have sex with a spouse or partner should only be denied for reasons of security or maintaining order and discipline, or by the danger of the inmate or judicial reasons. The ruling triggered calls from rights activists for officials to create love rooms inside prisons for more comfortable conjugal visits. It comes amid wider prison reforms rolled out in Italy by Georgia Melonis government. After a spate of hunger strikes and violent protests in Italy last year, the prime minister threatened a tougher stance, before passing a law in August promising more prison personnel, simplified procedures for early release and improvements in community care facilities. Rita Bernardini of Hands Off Cain says it is important for prisoners to have affectionate relations - LaPresse / Alamy Stock Photo/Alamay The court ruling on sex for prisoners came after an inmate serving time in a prison in the northern city of Asti was denied the right to have sex with his wife. The prisoners rights group Hands Off Cain has called for stanze dellamore or love rooms to be established after the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of the inmate in Asti. Freedom to enjoy emotional relations constitutes a constitutionally protected right, the court said in a ruling on the case. The 34-year-old prisoner, identified only as A.S., took his complaint to Italys highest court after his previous request for conjugal access was rejected by a regional court in Turin. The details of his crime and sentence have not been revealed. It is important for prisoners to have affectionate relations, Rita Bernardini, the Italian president of Hands Off Cain, told The Telegraph. Spain, France and even Romania, have already created these rooms, Italy is way behind. We have an antiquated approach to sexual relations, its hypocritical. Irma Conti, who heads the national body charged with protecting prisoners rights, said the government was considering the best solution, but noted the most practical option might be to issue inmates with a permit so they could leave prison for a fleeting conjugal visit. If you think of Regina Coeli (Romes central prison) where there are more than 1,000 people, one room would not be enough, Ms Conti told Il Messaggero. It would be more logical to grant permits, where the requirements of the (prisoners) term are addressed. Irma Conti, who heads the national body charged with protecting prisoners rights - LaPresse / Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Despite concerns about oppressive conditions, Ms Bernardini said not every prison in Italy was impacted by overcrowding and her organisation had identified 40 prisons where love rooms could be created to ensure couples could have a private life, whether they were heterosexual or gay. She said these rooms should be furnished with kitchens and bathrooms so they could also be used for family visits. Prisons should create a room that resembles a home as much as possible, she said. It is not just about intimate relations with a partner, we think it is important for an inmate to see their children in a welcoming environment, so they dont have to experience the trauma of prison. A corridor of the Regina Coeli prison in Rome, where there is an overcrowding problem - ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP Ms Melonis prison reforms have been described by ministers as prison humanisation. But Antigone, a prison welfare organisation, said the law did not go far enough. According to its own data, Italian prisons currently house more than 62,000 inmates, more than 15,000 above capacity. It estimates 88 inmates committed suicide in Italy in 2024. Justin Welby will have to seek special permission to officiate as a priest after his tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury comes to an end - Gareth Fuller/PA Justin Welby will have to seek special permission to officiate as a priest after his tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury comes to an end. Mr Welby will officially quit the role at midnight on Monday, almost two months after announcing his resignation over failures in the handling of a Church of England abuse scandal. Under Church rules, when a priest leaves office or retires, they may not officiate at services or act as a priest until they have been granted permission to officiate by a bishop. Former Archbishops are believed to have been given such permission, but it remains to be seen whether any bishop would grant the same to Welby so soon after his resignation over a safeguarding scandal. A source told The Telegraph: It would be up to them (the bishop). The Archbishop of Canterbury during the royal wedding in 2018 - Owen Humphreys/PA An independent review last year concluded that barrister and Christian camp leader John Smyth, thought to have been the most prolific serial abuser to be associated with the Church, might have been brought to justice had Mr Welby formally reported him to police in 2013. The Archbishop has made few public appearances since mid-November, and did not give the traditional Christmas Day sermon from Canterbury Cathedral. While in his initial resignation statement on November 12 he said he was stepping down in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse, he had to issue an apology later that month following his final speech in the House of Lords. On that occasion he was accused of making light of serious safeguarding failures in the Church, with an abuse survivor branding the speech - which referenced a 14th century beheading and prompted laughter from some peers - tone deaf. King Charles III was crowned with St Edwards Crown by the Archbishop of Canterbury - Victoria Jones/PA In recent weeks, a major charity, The Childrens Society, also rejected a Christmas donation from Mr Welby saying that accepting it would not be consistent with the principles and values that underpin our work. Mr Welby will spend Monday privately at his London residence, Lambeth Palace, attending a lunchtime Eucharist and later a service of Evensong. It is during the latter that he will lay down his bishops crozier - a ceremonial long staff - in a symbolic act which marks the official end of his ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury. Justin Welby will officially quit the role at midnight on Monday - Gareth Fuller/PA From Tuesday, most of the official functions normally held by the Archbishop of Canterbury will be delegated to the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, while some will go to the Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, and the diocesan functions will be carried out by the Bishop of Dover, Rose Hudson-Wilkin. Mr Cottrell has faced calls to resign over his handling of a separate abuse case, but appearing to reject those calls in recent weeks, he has pledged to do what I can to bring about independent scrutiny of safeguarding in the Church. The process to replace Mr Welby is expected to take months, with an announcement about a new Archbishop of Canterbury possible in autumn. Keir Starmer and Bridget Phillipson I cant say that I liked school much. I went to three: a nasty local state school in small-town Massachusetts run by teachers who seemed to be there solely to vent their hatred of children; an experimental independent day school in another small town nearby, whose relative cheapness was made up for by the ropiness of its curriculum, and finally, on a sizeable violin scholarship, to a famous mixed, co-ed independent school Bedales in Hampshire. I didnt really care which type of school I was in, as I always found it both inherently tiresome and socially stressful. I did, however, find two out of my 11 years of schooling academically enriching and worthwhile, even if they were lacking in other ways. These were the final two, where I did A levels in economics, French and English (I know, a slightly strange trio). The teaching was erratic but the exam board (Cambridge) was solid back then and I found, absent being cool and into binge drinking, that revising like the devil for the exams meant grappling with Miltons verse rhythms, Hamlets core themes, concepts like marginal utility and opportunity cost, and the nuances of Cyrano de Bergerac in French. None of that would have been possible under reforms like the ones now being pushed through under grim Labours even grimmer Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, an Oxford graduate from Tyne and Wear, the beneficiary of just the sorts of approaches, schemes and funding she now wants to axe. She launched an independent review of the school curriculum soon after Labours July victory, and has apparently now come to the conclusion that it needs a major overhaul. The curriculum, she reminded us last week, will be getting a refresh because it is outdated thanks to the issues and diversities of our society. She therefore intends to breathe new life into the national syllabus. Thats Shakespeare told. The monochrome pursuit of cultural right-think has already led Labour to axe funding for Latin teaching in state schools via the Latin Excellence Programme. This fits nicely with the partys zest for sabotage and hypocrisy by ensuring that Latin the tongue in which much Western civilisation was laid down, and a root language that makes the study of romance languages much more accessible is only available to the richest. For those are now the only people who, following the VAT hike on independent schools, can afford private education. As has been widely noted, Phillipson is hardly an outlier, however grotesque her vandalism of received epistemology. The teaching unions are all over this agenda, suffused as performative Leftists tend to be, by the most arcane woke convictions, demanding that English literature should be less traditional and more diverse. One union insists schools should embed anti-racist and decolonised approaches in the curriculum, while another sounded the alarm that currently ethnicity and sexual orientation are under-represented. Unions have said that pushing high standards in English and maths has discouraged attendance. Phillipson is keen to do away with the whole notion of subjects as we know them, as these are certainly too regressive. She is simply done over it with the likes of history and literature, at least as we know them, full of the richness laid down by our most brilliant ancestors. They are to be replaced in their former glory and lifelong guides by a full load of the woke DEI rubbish that has already destroyed university curricula. Even most eerily, and in keeping with some of the worst American campus excesses, she wants science mauled too by way of being de-Westernised. Truly depressingly, the evidence drawn on by the Government for doing this came from bodies that should be championing the teaching of science, not trying to destroy it. And yet the Royal Society of Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry, and Institute of Physics all said that pupils should learn why some cultures were less able to claim credit and ownership for ideas. They say that heroes should be done away with. Presumably that includes the likes of Marie Curie, who discovered radium and polonium, and Rosalind Franklin, who was key in the discovery of DNA. The race to the bottom in education, this rampaging through the likes of merit, standards, talent, interest and standards may mask itself in words like refresh and update. But the reality is that the hills children who are interested in learning real things must now climb have just multiplied. The whole system is working against curiosity by making it dangerous and extremely expensive to indulge, to the detriment of our entire society. In a state school, the desire to learn, say, more about Isaac Newton or Jane Austen will carry the handicap of political incorrectness, and the would-be Austenite will no doubt be faced with a barrage of attempts to redirect her to something more pro-trans and anti-racist. The groupthink language used in describing this overhaul is useful for one thing: as a warning of the sorts of muddy, menacing burble recipients of Labours educational agenda will be taught to use. This is the most incompetent Government in history, but with shake-ups like this, it becomes possibly the most damaging ever. A generations chance to think, inquire and debate has already been stoppered by the hideous climate at universities and in woke workplaces. Ed Milibands plans to decarbonise the grid by 2030 will leave the UK dependent on electricity imports which are at risk of sabotage, a Tory MP claims - Danny Lawson/PA Ed Milibands net zero zealotry will leave Britain vulnerable to Russian and Chinese sabotage, No 10s national security adviser has been warned. Jonathan Powell has been told that the Climate Secretarys plans to decarbonise the grid by 2030 will leave the UK more dependent on electricity imports. A letter from Nick Timothy, a Tory MP, warns that as a result any disruption to those supplies could spark energy rationing and even blackouts. It comes amid growing concerns that Russian and Chinese ships are deliberately cutting undersea cables in Europe to disrupt electricity supplies. One such interconnector between Finland and Estonia went down on Christmas Day in what is a suspected act of sabotage by a Russian tanker. The electricity cable between Finland and Estonia was damaged on Christmas Day in a suspected act of sabotage by a Russian tanker - Jussi Nukari/AFP Britain is already dependent on imports of electricity from the continent, which accounted for 16pc of the power the nation used in the first nine months of 2024. Mr Timothy warned that Labours plan to decarbonise the grid by switching to intermittent renewables would leave the UK even more reliant on it in the future. He said: Ed Milibands net zero zealotry means he is forcing policy to move faster than technology will allow, betting everything on renewable technologies that do not work when the wind doesnt blow and the sun doesnt shine. As a result we are going to rely more and more on electricity imports from Europe. But this is a dangerous strategy. All this matters to every household in the country. Disruption to our electricity supplies would mean a greater risk of blackouts, rationing and price spikes. Russia has publicly threatened to target British infrastructure including energy supplies in response to No 10s backing for Ukraine. Chinese registered ships have also been suspected of cutting undersea cables by deliberately dragging their anchors along the sea bed. In one incident last November two cables - one connecting Finland and Germany and the other linking Sweden to Lithuania - were damaged. New cables between Britain and the continent are being planned, with the capacity for cross-Channel imports and exports of electricity set to double by 2035. Mr Timothy said: Russia has made clear its intent to attack infrastructure of this kind, and to target Britain. We need to know what the Government is doing to protect this vital energy infrastructure. And Miliband needs to be told to live in the real world. Britain needs to exploit its own oil and gas reserves and develop new nuclear as a matter of urgency. Nick Timothy, a Tory MP, demanded to know what the Government is doing to protect this vital energy infrastructure In his letter to Mr Powell, who was appointed as national security adviser in November, Mr Timothy asked for details of what steps are being taken to protect undersea cables. He also asked: What assessment has the Government made of the role of China and Russia in these threats? Mr Miliband has said he wants to end the use of fossil fuels for energy generation by 2030, which means shutting down Britains gas power stations. At the same time Labour has said that it will not authorise any new drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea in order to encourage the switch to renewables. A Government spokesperson said: We constantly monitor UK territorial waters and our areas of interest to protect the UK and safeguard critical infrastructure drawing on well-established maritime security capabilities and working with our allies in Nato and partners in the Joint Expeditionary Force to increase security and respond to evolving threats. By making the UK a clean energy superpower as part of our Plan For Change, we can make Britain energy secure, protect households from energy price spikes, reindustrialise the country with thousands of skilled jobs, and tackle the climate crisis. Elon Musk and Nigel Farage met at Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in December Elon Musk has called for Nigel Farage to be replaced as the leader of Reform UK, claiming he doesnt have what it takes. The US tech billionaire, a key ally of Donald Trump, turned on Mr Farage on Sunday after the Reform leader distanced himself from Mr Musks support of Tommy Robinson. Mr Farage, who met Mr Musk in December 2024 at Mr Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort, said the jailed former English Defence League leader was not what we need. The row will cast serious doubt over whether Mr Musk, a vocal critic of Labour and Sir Keir Starmer, will go through with his reported plans to hand a multimillion-pound donation to Reform. It will also prove politically tricky for Mr Farage and may test the strength of his long-standing friendship with Mr Trump. Mr Musks intervention comes ahead of the president-elects inauguration later in January, at which both he and Mr Farage are expected to be present. The Reform leader has talked up his friendship with the Republican and has offered to help Sir Keir build bridges with the new White House. But on Sunday afternoon Mr Musk, who has previously been complimentary of Reform, wrote on his social media platform X: The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes. Elon Musks message on X on Sunday - X Mr Farage responded within the hour, saying: Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles. Mr Farage replied to Mr Musk on X - X Before the row there had been a widespread expectation that Mr Musk was set to give Reform a sizeable donation running into millions of pounds. There had been reports the Tesla owner was considering donating up to $100 million (80 million), although those suggestions were personally hosed down by Mr Farage. That financial boost, which Reform would have spent on reaching out to disaffected young voters, now appears in doubt. On Sunday night, Mr Musk signalled his agreement with a post that claimed Mr Farage probably suffers from Stockholm syndrome over Islam, writing: Interesting perspective. The post included a clip of the Reform leader telling a podcast if we politically alienate the whole of Islam, we will lose as a consequence of the rapidly growing British Muslim population. Mr Musk later appeared to back Rupert Lowe, a Reform MP and former Southampton FC chairman, to take over the party. In a statement Mr Lowe backed his leader but also said that Robinsons role in exposing the grooming gangs scandal should be acknowledged. Elon Musk and Nigel Farage disagreed over the imprisoning of Tommy Robinson - Yui Mok/PA No 10 on Sunday dismissed suggestions that Mr Musks remarks could increase the likelihood of president-elect Trump voicing support for Robinson. A senior figure close to Sir Keir said it was unlikely that Mr Trump would choose to support Robinson over Mr Farage, who has long been a political ally. However, Mr Musks comments are likely to rattle government figures who have tried to cultivate a relationship with Mr Trump since his election on Nov 5. The Telegraph revealed in December that Lord Mandelson, the new ambassador to the US, was set to call on Mr Farage to help him win over Mr Trumps administration. Mr Farage distanced himself on Sunday from Mr Musks attacks on Labour ministers over the grooming scandal, insisting he doesnt agree with everything he says. Mr Musk was on Sunday accused of a disgraceful smear against Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, who he said should be in prison for blocking a government inquiry into grooming gangs in Oldham. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, said Mr Musk had attacked a great woman in a strident intervention that marked a shift in the Governments approach to Mr Musk, who has used his social media site to launch repeated attacks on Labour. Mr Musk has suggested that Labour blocked an inquiry in order to protect Sir Keir over failings while head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), saying he was complicit in the rape of Britain. The X owner has latched onto claims that Sir Keir failed to prosecute grooming gangs while in post, something his allies have strongly rejected. Nick Candy, Reforms treasurer, met Elon Musk with Nigel Farage in Florida in December 2024 - Stuart Mitchell/Reform UK Sir Keir is expected to personally defend his record on the issue on Monday when he holds a major press conference to announce reforms to the NHS, prompting Mr Musk to write on Sunday night: Prepare for some epic cringe. The Government is resisting growing calls for a fresh inquiry into failings around the grooming scandal that would examine the role of the CPS, where Sir Keir was director of public prosecutions between 2008 and 2013. Sir Keir has previously addressed the failure of police forces and prosecutors to take action against suspected British Pakistani grooming gangs for fear of being called racist or Islamophobic. Mr Musk has praised Robinson, who was jailed in October for contempt of court for repeating false allegations against a Syrian refugee, for highlighting the grooming gangs scandal. But Mr Farage said at a rally in Leicester on Friday night that Robinson was not what we need as he looks to build Reform as a party. He said that Mr Musk sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs but added: Of course, the truth is Tommy Robinsons in prison not for that, but for contempt of court. Mr Musk publicly praised Kemi Badenoch on Sunday over her calls for a public inquiry into the grooming scandal, though it is understood the Tories are not banking on him switching his allegiance from Reform. All four fellow Reform MPs rowed in behind their leader on Sunday and backed his decision to exclude Robinson and his supporters from the party. Lee Anderson, the former Tory deputy chairman who defected to Reform in 2024, said: Could you imagine the daily media frenzy and the constant headlines which would put people off from joining or getting involved? Party insiders said they were quietly relieved about the row and that it had given them a chance to spread their stance on Robinson to a wider audience. One said that voters thought Mr Farage was right to exclude the far-Right activist and that doing so would help boost his popularity. Gawain Towler, a former Reform and Ukip spokesman who worked with Mr Farage across two decades, also said Sundays events would only serve to benefit his old boss. Its actually a good thing. It nails this one down once and for all, he told The Telegraph. And he doesnt need to build a bridge with Trump hes got a friendship that goes back eight or nine years. Hes known Musk for, what, a month? Reform was sacking people as candidates for being Tommy supporters during the election. This does Nigel no harm at all. In an interview with The Telegraph on Boxing Day 2024, Mr Farage had said Mr Musk would play a key role in helping Reform to beat the Conservatives as well as Labour. Addressing his popularity, Mr Farage said: The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on, and frankly thats only just starting. Noreen Riols, 2005 - Paul Cooper/Cooperphotos Noreen Riols, who has died aged 98, was one of the last surviving women to have served with SOE sometimes known as the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare in the Second World War. In February 1944 Noreen moved from SOE HQ in London to Beaulieu, Hampshire, where she lived in a cottage on Lord Montagus estate and worked as a secretary. Prospective agents were billeted in a dozen or so houses in the forest. This was the final stage of their training before being infiltrated into enemy occupied territory. Agents were taught how to pick locks, blow up safes and spread rumours about diseases that would be contracted from visiting brothels used by German soldiers. They also learnt how to make secret ink out of egg white or urine and how to instruct women doing the laundry to put itching powder into German underwear. They discovered how to turn themselves into hunchbacks or cripples and could age themselves by 40 or 50 years with the skilful application of ashes or white shoe cleaner. Noreen Riols as a young woman After an exhausting night exercise, agents could be awakened at three oclock in the morning by a loud hammering on the bedroom door and shouts of, Open up! Gestapo! If they did not respond at once in the language of the country for which they were destined, they earned a bad mark. Agents were sometimes given the task of tracking down Noreen on the streets of Bournemouth and shadowing her. Once she had identified her pursuer, she would try to lose him. A ploy that usually proved effective was to visit the lingerie department of a big store knowing that he would probably be too embarrassed to follow her there. After the agent had been through the six months of arduous training, his final test was to have dinner with one of the officers in a hotel by the sea. While they were having their pre-dinner drink, Noreen would appear and be greeted as an old friend and invited to join them. As soon as she was settled, looking seductive, and sipping a cocktail, the officer would be summoned to take a phone call. She would then take the agent out to the balcony, ply him with more drink and try to charm him into indiscretions. One beautiful moonlit evening, propped against the balustrade and gazing out to sea, she encouraged a good-looking Danish man to become sentimental and talk about his mission. The following morning, she was asked to come in during his interview. Asked whether he knew her, he looked stunned. Pain and disappointment, she said, was then replaced by rage. Half rising from his chair, he spat out, You bitch! She was very upset and felt that her whole life was a lie and that it had made her insensitive to the feelings of others. Her colleagues, however, assured her that exposing flaws in the make-up of a prospective agent was an essential part of her work. A man who could be induced to reveal secrets to an attractive young woman was a serious liability. Noreen Riols (seated, right) during a BBC broadcast with (l-r) Terry Kilmartin, Margaret Lerick and Col Buckmaster, leader of the French section of SOE - Paul Cooper/Cooperphotos She was born Noreen Baxter to English parents in Valletta, Malta, on May 9 1926. Her father had retired from the Royal Navy by the outbreak of the Second World War but was recalled and served in the Norway Campaign and then in the Far East. Her mother left London and moved to Bath. Her brother was at school in Yorkshire. She left the French Lycee in London at the outbreak of the war and wanted to become a Wren because of the glamorous hats and stockings that they wore. When told that the only vacancies were for cooks, she applied for a job with the BBC. The Labour Office refused to let her work there because she would not have been in a reserved occupation like agriculture or working in the docks or down the mines and she was subsequently recruited by French Section SOE which was headed by Colonel Maurice Buckmaster. She was considered to be too young to be sent on missions and started by typing and delivering messages which were broadcast to France every evening. She got to know many of the agents and it was a hectically busy and intensely lived existence. She worked first at Montagu Mansions, near Baker Street, with a team of agents known as the Crazy Gang. After moving to Norgeby House, Baker Street, she attended debriefing sessions. Having listened to the harrowing stories of returning agents some of whom had lived closely with death, torture and betrayal, as she wrote in her memoirs, the once happy-go-lucky, starry-eyed teenager grew up fast. She fell in love with Bill, an agent about 12 years her senior. After an affair lasting a few months, he was dispatched on a mission and she never saw him again. In June 1945 Noreen left Beaulieu and returned to SOE HQ in London. Two months later, she joined the BBC and, for the next five years, worked in the news room. Two failed engagements were followed by a teaching job in Bucharest and then a move to Paris where she joined a press agency. Noreen Riols with her husband Jacques in 2005 - Paul Cooper/Cooperphotos There she met her future husband, Jacques Riols, whom she had first encountered in 1946 after he had been demobilised from the French 1st Army. They married in 1959, bought a 17th century house in a village near Versailles and lived there for the next 50 years. After 2000 when most of the SOE files were opened, she felt able to talk about the part that she had played during the war. One of her favourite stories was about the courier on a bicycle who was stopped by the Gestapo at a roadblock and asked what she was carrying in her basket. A radio transmitter, she told them with a sweet smile. They could not believe that anyone so pretty could be risking her life in an enterprise of that sort and waved her through. An experienced public speaker, Noreen made many broadcasts on radio and television and published about 10 books, several of them wartime romances. The Secret Ministry of Ag and Fish (2013) gives an account of her experiences in SOE. In 2023 she was appointed MBE. She was predeceased by her husband and is survived by two sons, two stepsons and a stepdaughter. Noreen Riols, born May 9 1926, died January 2 2025 On the left: The future radar at 2 p.m. Sunday as a line of storms approaches the Houston area. On the right: Potential wind chill values Monday morning. Pivotal Weather Houston weather has gotten off to a relatively quiet start in 2025, but that is all about to change. A strong, arctic cold front will move through Southeast Texas by late Sunday afternoon or evening, and it will bring a plethora of different kinds of weather to the region. First, a line of strong to severe thunderstorms is expected to develop along the cold front and move through parts of Southeast Texas. Then, the front will bring Houston its coldest air so far this winter, as low temperatures fall to near freezing by Monday morning. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The front will also bring gusty winds, making temperatures feel even colder as we walk out the door Monday morning. Heres a look at what you can expect. Shown are expected temperatures and the position of the cold front at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon, according to the HRRR weather model. WeatherBell Sunday storm chances Morning (4 to 10 a.m.): A quiet, muggy start to the day is expected as temperatures hover in the upper 60s between 5 and 9 a.m. A few isolated showers are possible, but most areas will stay dry through the morning hours. Midday (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.): By the middle of the day, temperatures will rise into the low to mid-70s. The arctic cold front will be situated to our north, draped across Central Texas and moving southeast toward Houston. As it moves closer, scattered rain chances should increase as well. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Late afternoon (2 to 6 p.m.): This is when storm chances will be at their greatest, as the cold front moves through the region. A few storms across Houston could produce damaging winds and hail as large as quarter-sized. Theres also a small, isolated tornado threat. Shown is the SPC outlook for Southeast Texas on Sunday. Houston is under a Level 1 marginal risk of severe thunderstorms. NWS Houston/Galveston Houston is under a Level 1 risk of severe weather, meaning the overall risk of severe weather is on the lower side. Areas farther east, including Livingston and Beaumont, are under a Level 2 risk of severe weather, meaning the risk of damaging wind, hail and tornadoes is slightly higher. Plunging temperatures Shortly after the cold front moves through Houston, temperatures should drop into the 50s by 6 p.m. and into the 40s just after 8 p.m. In addition, the front will bring much drier air into the region, ending all rain chances. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Cold air will continue to move through overnight. Houston will drop into the 30s after midnight, bottoming out near the freezing mark of 32 degrees early Monday morning. Areas to the north, such as Conroe, College Station and Huntsville will experience a hard freeze as temps drop to between 26 and 29 degrees. On the left: Potential low temperatures Monday morning. On the right: Potential wind chill values Monday morning. WeatherBell Wind speeds will stay gusty, coming in at 15 to 20 mph through the morning. That will send Houstons wind chill temperature to around 20 degrees between 6 and 8 a.m., so be sure to find your biggest winter coat before heading out Monday morning. Temperatures will stay cold all day, but thanks to bright sunshine across the region, we will warm up into the mid-40s by Monday afternoon. However, another bitterly cold night is in store as low temperatures drop to near freezing again by early Tuesday morning. The rest of the week Very cold temperatures are expected all week long. Houstons warmest day will likely come Tuesday, as highs reach the upper 40s to near 50 degrees. After that, higher atmospheric moisture levels, cloud cover, and precipitation will keep afternoon temperatures nearly 20 degrees below average. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Houston can expect high temps in the mid-40s from Wednesday through Friday. Low temperatures will warm slightly, hovering slightly above freezing in the mid-to upper 30s. Shown is the potential future radar Thursday evening, according to the ECMWF weather model. Rain and snow will be possible across Texas. Pivotal Weather Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, is the latest Labour figure to rule out a new inquiry - Jeff Overs/BBC A child sex abuse inquiry backed by Labour did not properly investigate grooming gangs, critics have said. The Government, under pressure to set up a statutory inquiry into the scandal, has pointed to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) over the past week to insist the topic had been covered at a national level. On Sunday, Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, again dismissed demands for a new inquiry, claiming the problem had been covered by the IICSA, which reported in 2022. He denied the Governments reluctance to announce an inquiry was linked to the dominant ethnicity of the gangs involved, adding: The reason were not doing another national inquiry is because theres already been a national inquiry. But while a section of the 180 million report did look into child sexual exploitation by organised networks, the focus on grooming gangs was extremely limited and did not hear evidence about the scandals in towns such as Rotherham, Rochdale and Oxford. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said on Sunday that a national inquiry was vital to get to the truth, and suggested the Government was scared to sanction one because it was frightened of what it might unearth. Wes Streeting before his BBC interview with Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, who repeated his demands for an inquiry - Jeff Overs/BBC Mr Philp said: The IICSA inquiry only covered six of the towns involved in the child rape gang scandal. Many of the worst affected towns were not even looked at by IICSA. We urgently need a full public inquiry to get to the truth including the truth about the failure by the police to investigate, the truth about cover-ups by Labour local councils and the truth about the CPS approach to prosecutions, including during Keir Starmers time as DPP. We have already heard from Simon Danczuk, the former Labour MP for Rochdale, that he was pressured by the then chair of the Labour Party to cover up the child gang rapes for political reasons. Labour is refusing to sanction a public inquiry because theyre scared what it will find about the Labour party themselves. The row exploded last week when it emerged that Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, had refused calls from Oldham Council to hold a public inquiry into grooming gangs in the town. The Government said it would support an inquiry at a local level commissioned by the council. Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, was the target of an attack by billionaire Elon Musk, who said she should be jailed for refusing to hold an inquiry over Oldham - Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire But Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Twitter and close ally of Donald Trump, described the decision as disgraceful and suggested Ms Phillips should be in jail. Responding to the attack, Mr Streeting told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: It is a disgraceful smear of a great woman who has spent her life supporting victims of the kind of violence that Elon Musk and others say that theyre against. And its all very well sitting there and Im not just talking about Musk, I talk about armchair critics on social media. Its all very easy to sit there and fire off something in haste and click send. People like Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips have done the hard yards of actually locking up wife-beaters, rapists, paedophiles. Theyre good people with great records outside politics. However, calls for a fresh statutory inquiry into the grooming scandal, at which witnesses would be compelled to attend and would be under oath, have continued to grow. Children deserve protection Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the crossbench peer, told The Telegraph: Its always quite complicated because an inquiry will take a couple of years and theres not a quick solution, but ultimately I would welcome a new inquiry into it. We cant keep letting children down. Children deserve to be protected and not be in a situation where theyre abused. Its just heartbreaking when you see the stuff about how young children have been abused and theres no excuse for it, really. Baroness Grey-Thompson is also urging the Prime Minister to back her Private Members Bill to introduce mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect. The Bill has its second reading on Jan 17. Laura Farris, a former Home Office minister who worked on the IICSA report as a barrister, said: The Independent Inquiry on Child Sexual Abuse was important but very broad, covering everything from the Anglican Church to Dolphin Square, and its focus was historic. The grooming gang scandal has continued to unfold in recent years with major convictions across the country showing it to be a nationwide scandal. The number of arrests made by the grooming gang taskforce that was set up by Rishi Sunak show this is a crime that continues to plague our communities. Grassroots Labour group weighs in Blue Labour, a grassroots Labour pressure group, has also called for a fresh national inquiry and said a reckoning with the grooming issue was long overdue. A spokesman for the group said: In the face of the systematic grooming and rape of young girls by mostly Pakistani men across English towns, progressives denied, obfuscated, equivocated, averted their eyes, changed the subject. Anything but look the dark side of multiculturalism squarely in the eye. Those who extol the benefits of immigration and multiculturalism most loudly seem to have little interest in what their policies have meant for towns across England. In liberal society, it is seen as impolite to talk about such things. This squeamishness is moral cowardice. We hope the attention on the most awful scandal in modern British history leads to justice for the victims. A national inquiry would be a start, but what is really needed is tougher sentencing, an end to political correctness and a total reset of our immigration policy. Speaking to Times Radio, Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and a former Labour health secretary, said he would not shy away from any further action at a national level. Temperatures in Sydneys city centre were expected to reach 31C on Sunday but it was even hotter elsewhere in Australia. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian Winds from the Southern Ocean will bring relief on Monday to parts of south-eastern Australia sweltering through a three-day heatwave. A heatwave warning for South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania was issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for the weekend as temperatures were expected to spike in some parts to 40C. Temperatures in Sydneys city centre were expected to reach 31C on Sunday, with much higher readings forecast for surrounding suburbs. Maximums were expected to hit 38C in Richmond, 37C in Penrith and 36C in Liverpool and Campbelltown. In Melbourne, the mercury was forecast to reach 38C, with maximums climbing as high as 40C at Tullamarine and Watsonia, and 39C in Scoresby and Yarra Glen and similarly high temperatures forecast for regional areas. Related: Fears for hiker in bloody tough country as Kosciuszko search enters day 11 Mildura was expected to reach 42C, with Bendigo and Shepparton hitting 40C and the Latrobe Valley and Albury-Wodonga rising to 39C. As of 11am on Sunday, temperatures in Sydney had reached 28.9C at Sydney airport, 28.9C at Penrith and 29.7C at Richmond. In Melbourne temperatures hit 31.7C at Olympic Park, 35.4C at Avalon and 34.4C at Laverton. Across the other capitals, the expected maximums were 34C in Darwin, 33C in Adelaide, 32C in Perth, 29C in Brisbane and 23C in Hobart, with inland areas including Alice Springs expected to reach 42C. Hot weather, fire conditions and heatwaves for much of south-east Aus is forecast this weekend. More: https://t.co/jlOoTZL1iF or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/bg8USwzJDh Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) January 4, 2025 A senior BoM meteorologist, Miriam Bradbury, said heatwave conditions were being created by winds sweeping down across the continent from the north-west, dragging heat from the Pilbara, Kimberley and interior regions to the south-eastern states. This is pretty typical summer weather, we tend to get this happening at least once a week or so with a front moving through, Bradbury said. This is a particularly hot one one that is pushing the fire dangers as well. We are seeing extreme fire dangers issued across parts of Victoria, much of Western Australia and parts of the south-east are seeing elevated fire risk. Its really something to be aware of as people are getting out and about. Conditions are expected to shift on Monday with a change in winds travelling up from the Southern Ocean, drawing cold air up through Victoria and bringing much-needed relief, including to fire crews working on the fire front in the Grampians. Bradbury said South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania should wake up to a much milder day but residents further north along the New South Wales coast would have to wait longer for relief, with conditions easing going into Tuesday. Queensland and northern Australia were facing patchy, persistent storms. Normally the region receives rainfalls of between 30mm to 60mm but Bradbury said a standout observation had been a sticky storm that formed over Mossman, near the Daintree in far north Queensland. Weve seen more than 200mm of rain overnight, and when we look down the road, weve only got 12mm, she said. Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer meets staff at Bassetlaw Hospital Keir Starmer has begun to adopt the demeanour of a prime minister who has been in power for six years, rather than only six months. One can only hope that his winter break in Madeira has enabled him to recover his mojo and banish the tetchiness that has begun to define his public utterances. It is certainly true that, far from enjoying any sort of honeymoon period, Starmers first six months in office have been challenging, to say the least, not helped by apparently not knowing which levers to pull to make things happen. Hes not alone in that. Most of his Cabinet dont either. As the Prime Minister looks ahead to 2025, his political fate may well be determined by those Cabinet ministers who deliver, and those who dont. If they have shown no signs of turning things around by Christmas this year, the long-term prospects for a second Starmer term will look even more shaky than they do now. And Nigel Farage wont just be licking his lips, he will be positively salivating. There cant be any more failed resets or relaunches. No more talk of foundations, milestones or missions, which mean little to Joe Public down the Dog and Duck, and little more to think tank wonks. It leaves voters scratching their heads, thinking politicians like Starmer live on a different planet to the one they inhabit. This is evidenced in a new Deltapoll survey, which shows that 69 per cent of people think the country is heading in the wrong direction. A mere 18 per cent disagree. If that doesnt cause alarm bells to ring loudly in Downing Street, nothing will. One third of voters also believe Starmer wont be prime minister by the end of the year, with his approval rating sinking to its lowest ever levels. Talk privately to Labour MPs, and indeed some Labour ministers, and there is a growing frustration that most of the errors made by the Government have been unforced or self-inflicted. All governments can be blown off course by events, but this one seems to revel in making mistakes that anyone with half a political brain can see will not end well. And too many of these mistakes are being made by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves. Where are the greybeards and wise old owls who urge caution before its too late? Instead, as in the previous Conservative administrations, too much reliance is being put on 20-something, inexperienced special advisers. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, is one of the few who seems to know what hes doing and can pull the levers of change. Yet over the weekend he launched yet another independent commission to look into social care, when the sector is in crisis. It wont report until 2028, the most likely year of a general election. There is already a consensus about social care, it just needs political leadership to decide how to reform and fund the system. The last thing that is needed is another three-year-long talking shop, even if it is being chaired by the excellent Louise Casey. On the day that Parliament returns, Keir Starmer finds the murky waters of the child grooming gang scandal lapping around his feet, partly courtesy of Elon Musk, partly because his safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, failed to explain adequately why she wouldnt agree to a proper inquiry, rather than just a local one in Oldham. If this isnt gripped, and properly accounted for, the issue has the potential to topple a prime minister, and I dont say that lightly. Starmers record on this as Director of Public Prosecutions at the Crown Prosecution Service had better be squeaky clean but as his evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee seemed to show in January 2013, he has displayed a worrying degree of nonchalance and buck passing. The mistakes of 2024 must not be repeated in 2025. No more tax rises without a full explanation of how a tax rise will grow the economy. (Clue: it never will.) No more handing the NHS 22 billion with no guarantees of improvements. No more new quangos, leading to an ever-increasingly bloated state and ever more regulation. It really does come to something when the Prime Minister appeals to regulators for ideas on how to stimulate economic growth. The irony beggars belief. Its a make or break year for Keir Starmer. I wonder if he realises it. Russian war bloggers have published imagery they say shows Ukraines counterattack Russias defence ministry may believe its forces are defeating Ukraines counter-offensive in the Kursk region, but Vladimir Putin clearly doesnt. He has sent one of his toughest generals to organise the fight back against Ukraines surprise Sunday morning counter-offensive. General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, promoted in December 2024 by Putin and trusted to run Russias border defences and Africa mercenary projects, arrived in Kursk less than a couple of hours after Ukrainian tanks started rumbling towards Russian positions. By sending Gen Yevkurov to Kursk, Putin has shown his hand. Although it is still unclear how successful the Ukrainian counter-offensive will be, he is clearly worried. Repelling Ukraines August 2024 advance into Russias southern Kursk region has become a priority project for Putin before Donald Trump is inaugurated as US president on Jan 20 2025 and imposes a peace deal. Turning up to negotiations with Ukraine still holding on to Russian territory, even small parcels, will weaken Putin. Pro-Russian social media channels showed screenshots of Ukrainian forces advancing in the Kursk region Volodymyr Zelensky knows this. The Ukrainian president may have calculated that with his forces being pushed back along the main front line, applying pressure in Kursk is his best option. If his forces can push back Russian soldiers in Kursk and hold on to captured ground for another two or three weeks, Mr Zelensky may feel that he can strengthen his negotiating position. But the stakes are still much higher for Mr Zelensky. Sundays Kursk counter-offensive could be his final roll of the dice. Since the start of the war in February 2022, Mr Zelensky had staked his presidency on an unflinching determination to defeat Russia on the battlefield. His language has softened since the summer, when it became clear that Ukraine was too weak to defeat Russia militarily and Mr Trump won the US presidential election, but his instinct is still to fight rather than negotiate. Mr Zelenskys problem is that this instinct now lies at odds with the exhausted Ukrainian population which now favours negotiating a peace deal with Russia. He will hope that his attack in Kursk will once again persuade his Western allies that Ukraine still has the stomach for a fight and is worth backing. Yunus-Bek Yevkurov is one of Putins toughest generals - Mikhail Metzel/AFP via Getty Images As for Putin, Sundays action is probably more of an irritation, perhaps just a distraction, than a major headache. It is a personal affront for Ukraine to attack his forces inside Russia again, but he will cling to his core belief that with the weight of numbers, Russian forces will defeat Ukrainian troops eventually. The problem for Putin is eventually. His tactic of overwhelming Ukrainian positions with swarm infantry tactics relies on time. With the clock ticking down towards a second Trump presidency and potential peace negotiations, he may not have this luxury in the Kursk region. Mr Zelenskys second Kursk counter-offensive is a gamble, both strategically savvy and desperate. People walk their dog through snow in the Pentland Hills, Balerno, Edinburgh. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA Media Homes were left without power, roads were closed, cars stranded, and flights and train services disrupted on Saturday as heavy snow and freezing rain hit much of the UK. The National Grid said on Saturday night that power was cut to properties across the Midlands, south-west England and south Wales, including Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, and that work was under way to get services restored. The Met Office had issued a slew of weather warnings as the weekend approached, along with forecasts for up to 30cm of snow. Bristol airport said on Saturday evening that it had suspended operations for a few hours due to challenging weather but that it had now reopened, adding that its teams were working hard on snow clearing. Police in Wiltshire said the weather was causing chaos, Cumbria police said it had received calls about a multi-vehicle collision in the Lake District, while Avon and Somerset police warned of significant disruption on roads in parts of Somerset. Among the roads closed were the A303 in Wiltshire between the A338 Cholderton and A345 Amesbury in both directions. The A628 Woodhead Pass, which connects Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire through the Peak District, was closed in both directions between the A616 Hollingworth and the A57 Flouch because of snow. National Highways said on Saturday that there had been a number of collisions on the M5 between junction 21 at Weston-super-Mare and junction 25 at Taunton. On the rail network, Great Western Railway was among the operators affected, with severe weather in the Dawlish area disrupting trains on the line between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth. An amber warning for snow and freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England, including the Midlands and the north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester, came into effect at 6pm on Saturday and would last until midday on Sunday, the Met Office said. The second warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, started at 9pm on Saturday and will remain in place until midnight on Sunday. Both of the warning areas could expect to see 3cm to 7cm of snowfall widely, while snow might mix with rain at times in lower-lying areas, the forecaster said. Overnight on Friday, the lowest temperature was seen in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, where -8.6C was recorded. A yellow warning for snow and ice until midnight on Sunday was issued for much of England and Wales not covered by the amber warnings and there was a yellow warning for snow and ice covering much of Northern Ireland until 6pm on Sunday and a warning for ice in the north of Scotland until 10am on Sunday. A yellow warning was also in place for rain covering much of Wales and the West Midlands on Sunday from 6am until 9pm. The Met Office chief forecaster, Jason Kelly, said some significant accumulations of snow were possible in parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England, and the additional factor of strengthening winds could lead to drifting of lying snow. He continued: There is a risk of freezing rain across parts of the Midlands and northern England, but especially Wales, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places. As the super-cooled rain droplets hit the surface they instantly freeze, covering everything in a layer of ice, making it extremely dangerous. The UK Health Security Agency cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place for a week of low temperatures. Amber alerts were issued on Thursday and would run until 8 January, meaning a rise in deaths was likely, the agency said. Councils across London and southern England have activated emergency measures including additional accommodation to help rough sleepers stay safe during the cold snap. Further weather warnings could be issued for the start of next week, the Met Office said. Women wave revolutionary Syrian flags in a restaurant in Damascus as they celebrate the fall of the Assad regime last month. Photograph: Omar Sanadiki/AP The feminist activist Ghalia Rahhal recalls with wry laughter her visit to the blue building in Idlib three years ago, an office where the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) monitored civil society organisations such as hers. Her colleague at a womens rights organisation was once called there to hear a list of issues they were banned from working on: child marriage, divorce, and anything related to gender equality. Rahhal had already survived an assassination attempt in her home town of Kafranbel as well as the murder of her son in Aleppo, leaving her unfazed by pointed questions levelled at her by an official: we heard you were training women in the refugee camps about politics, about equality, he told her with suspicion. Rahhal instead saw an opportunity for dialogue, wondering if she could capitalise on a chance to speak with the authority that back then ruled only the enclave of Idlib in Syrias north-west. Why are you angry that we are teaching them these things? she asked him. My goal is not to teach those women to fight you, its for women to become decision-makers. We cant have a displacement camp full of women run by a man, to name just one example. She continued her work in secret, providing lectures and training to women so that they would be ready to participate in a transitional government if the opportunity ever presented itself. That opportunity suddenly and unexpectedly arrived last month, when former president Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow as his fearsome regime crumbled. The Islamist group HTS, which spearheaded the insurgency that ended Assads rule, is now the de-facto authority in Syria and has begun touting many of the same ideas it once chastised Rahhal for when she taught them to women displaced by Syrias bloody civil war. There is, so far, little clarity about how the new government will rule, particularly when it comes to women. Even so, many see this moment as one of boundless opportunity and say they are ready to dissent against any new authority wanting further control of their lives. Others, such as Rahhal, say they believe the transitional authority made up of HTS appointees simply doesnt have the same means to crack down on women across the country in the same way they sometimes did when they ruled only a small mountainous enclave. Many remain hopeful despite mounting unanswered questions, including how the reborn country might approach the sexual violence weaponised in Assads prisons, or whether thousands of exiled female activists, along with others who fled for fear of persecution over their gender expression or sexuality, could one day feel safe to return to the new Syria. A few handpicked to serve in the transitional government have already drawn anger for their comments about women. Obaida Arnout, a spokesperson for the new authority, said womens biological and physiological nature made them unfit for some government jobs. And Aisha al-Dibs, the new minister for women, said she would not give room to any civil society organisations that disagree with her view, citing one catastrophic programme eight years ago that she claimed led to a rise in divorce rates. Both statements sparked a fierce backlash, all of which appeared to chasten the new government. Days later, Maysaa Sabrine, a former deputy at the Syrian central bank, was appointed to head the institution, the first woman to do so in its history. Rahhal views this as part of a push-pull of draconian measures she said she was familiar with under HTS rule, with their repeal labelled as responsiveness to criticism. Delal Albesh, who has run a centre providing vocational training for women in Idlib for years under HTS, said things in the city had improved and she hoped the new authority would take a similar approach nationwide. Her centre was one of a number of womens empowerment facilities, providing opportunities to learn new skills so they could enter the job market or treat injuries caused by the Assad regimes bombardments. She is now looking for an office in the capital, Damascus. Since many men were fighters, women didnt sit back and wait they worked, she said. Women had taken on more roles across civil society, she said, particularly after the deadly earthquake that jolted northern Syria and southern Turkey in early 2023, killing an estimated 8,000 Syrians. Her organisation, Zumoruda, found that HTSs pressure had eased after it registered with the local authorities, allowing it to expand its fieldwork and reach more women. Her sister, Amina Albesh, who works with the Syrian civil defence group known as the White Helmets, said she didnt want to talk politics as her organisation has long strived to remain neutral of any ruling authority. But she was confident that women would seize new roles in Syria. Many women lost their partners and have done a lot of hard work these past 14 years, she said, estimating that 70% of the women living in Idlib had been working to provide for their families. They are tired, she said. But we are against all these statements that women cant do this or that. We have proved we can do literally anything. Both sisters said there had been few civil appointments open during HTSs rule of Idlib, which they felt explained why no women had ever been appointed to leadership roles. Rahhal remains sceptical about the transitional governments promises of change. She described examining each new development from her exile in Berlin, comparing it with decisions that HTS took in the past, including when the group operated under the name Jabhat al-Nusra, an offshoot of al-Qaida. Then, she said, their violations were blatant, including a convoy of cars arriving to raid the Mazaya womens centre she co-founded. I dont trust HTS because I still dont know whether they are truly changing or they just claim to have changed Ghalia Rahhal, activist A year prior, an unknown assailant had set Mazayas offices on fire, and Rahhal was the target of a car bomb. The activist doesnt know who planted the bomb, and is still seeking justice for the murder of her son, the journalist Khalid al-Issa, who was killed by an explosive device hidden in his home in Aleppo in 2016. Rahhal believes that some of those involved in his murder could now be in power. In general, I dont trust HTS because I still dont know whether they are truly changing or they just claim to have changed, she said. Are they really changing ideologically, or just for their own interests? After she was questioned in the so-called blue building, she said, it didnt end the pressure on womens rights organisations, but things did shift. Just like when she was briefly detained by the Hisbah, a local authority for enforcing religious edicts, who accused her of not wearing appropriate clothing but was thereafter dissolved, her detention ended up causing headaches for HTS just as much as it bothered Rahhals group. Pressure on womens rights organisations had become more politicised before she left Idlib two years ago, she said. Imams aligned to HTS would preach against the womens empowerment centres, accusing them of spreading corruption, and warning people to be careful around them. Women would be called in for warnings, she said, but the local authority run by HTS was also careful to foster supportive relationships with select female empowerment centres who they felt aligned with their aims. Still, Rahhal continued her activities to train women to be ready for leadership roles in a future democratic society. Related: What comes next for Syrias women? A revolution that doesnt free them is no revolution at all | Mona Eltahawy They prevented this during their rule in Idlib, because without my doing these trainings in secret it would take many years to re-establish a space among women to discuss civil rights, transitional justice and equality, she said. Because I did it in secret before, now I can build from this base but their plan was to marginalise women so they dont understand these things and get involved in government. She remains encouraged by a few statements from HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, but feels the real tests lie ahead. Rahhal is keeping an eye on those attending the national dialogue where al-Sharaa is expected to dissolve HTS, although preparations have so far proved opaque. I dont want to see 300 versions of Aisha al-Dibs attending, I want to see real representation, she said. Rahhal does not expect an invitation, but feels attendance is more than symbolic. This is the first step towards having real female representation, to make real change, she said. Washington County Correctional Facility Lyndon Henderson He was beat like a man. That is how the grandmother of 1-year-old boy Kybrel described the alleged incident that led to his hospitalization with a traumatic brain injury to Pittsburgh outlet WPXI. Kybrel was admitted to the hospital on Nov. 23, after authorities found him unresponsive in the Pittsburgh apartment where his mothers boyfriend, Lyndon Henderson, was babysitting him, according to a criminal complaint obtained by local outlet WTAE. The baby boys unnamed mother told authorities that she left Kybrel with Henderson, 24, while she was at work, and when she returned home to check on the 1-year-old, she found him unresponsive on the couch, according to the complaint. Kybrel, who sustained a traumatic brain injury and multiple bruises, was rushed to the hospital, WTAE reported. He also suffered a stroke and broken neck vertebra and, once admitted, was placed on a ventilator because his brain was deprived of oxygen and swelling, according to WPXI. He has also since been placed on a feeding tube, as he is currently in a medically induced coma, per WPXI. After the November incident, Henderson was arrested and charged with assault, but those charges have since been upgraded to attempted homicide, Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh told WPXI. My office will always seek justice for victims, Walsh told the outlet in a statement. Children are innocent and our most vulnerable, and I will prosecute offenders who commit crimes against them vigorously and to the fullest extent the law allows. Washington County Correctional Facility Lyndon Henderson At the time of his initial arrest, Henderson told officials that Kybrel fell off the couch and onto the floor after he spun him in circles and placed him on the furniture, WPXI and WTAE reported. According to the official complaint, Henderson also told authorities that the 1-year-old had recovered and was smiling. In the same complaint, however, the babys physician told officials that the brain injuries he suffered are 100% unequivocally the result of child abuse. 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. Speaking to WPXI after visiting her grandson in the hospital, Carla Darrell, the babys paternal grandmother, said, It wasnt good. He was on all kinds of machines. He was beat like a man. A man beat my grandson. He didnt do [anything]," she added of the 1-year-old. "There was nothing possible he couldve [done] to do this to him." Darrell also said that had she known Kybrel needed a babysitter, she and her son the boys father would have happily obliged. Nobody else had to watch him, she told WPXI. We wouldve watched him. Henderson is currently being held in Washington County Jail under no bond, awaiting a court appearance later this month. Darrell told WPXI she hopes he stays there, saying, I dont believe he belongs out of jail. He belongs there. "He belongs where he deserves, she added. He deserves [to be] in there. Read the original article on People The California state capitol building in Sacramento. Asilvero via Wikimedia Commons (The Center Square) Nearly 30,000 state jobs will no longer have degree requirements in California after a decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The state has now removed college degrees or other certain educational requirements for nearly 30,000 state jobs, a news release stated. This effort is part of the Newsom administrations work to modernize state government and improve the hiring process by removing unnecessary barriers to public service jobs, according to the release. The release also announced a new goal to double the number of the almost 30,000 jobs void of degree requirements in 2025. The proposal for an additional roughly 32,000 positions statewide is currently being negotiated with employee unions and will be submitted for approval in 2025, the release said. The California Human Resources Department (CalHR) is the group that evaluates whether a degree or other educational requirements are necessary for a job, the release said. CalHR is the states department responsible for things like state employee salaries, job classifications, training, exams, and so forth, according to its website. Deputy director of communications at CalHR Camille Travis told The Center Square that CalHR has committed to the policy and ongoing practice of ensuring there are multiple pathways, including without a degree, to most jobs. Travissaid that CalHR has removed barriers to employment from the minimum qualifications [totalling] approximately 176 job classifications to date where a degree or other educational requirement is not necessary, expanding opportunity and access to well-paying jobs in public service. Since 2014, CalHR has worked to simplify the States job classification plan via projects that streamline processes and address barriers to state hiring, exam maintenance, bargaining discussions, and pay equity for affected classes, Travis said. In the news release, Newsom said that California is working to ensure that every person has what they need to get a well-paying, long-lasting job so we can build an economy for the future that supports all families. Every Californian deserves the opportunity to build real-life skills and pursue a fulfilling career including those that dont require college degrees, Newsom said. The decision to remove degree requirements for some jobs is in line with Newsoms Freedom to Succeed Executive Order, the release said. The executive order is a career education effort intended to prepare students and adults for the workforce of tomorrow and reduce employment barriers for state jobs, according to a news release on it. College degree requirements that are unnecessary to job duties are some of these barriers. According to Tear the Paper Ceiling, 50 percent of the American workforce are skilled through alternative routes, or, STARs." These 70 million workers do not possess bachelor degrees and most commonly gained their skills through on-the-job experience, Tear the Paper Ceiling stated. Tear the Paper Ceiling is a campaign by Opportunity@Work that advocates hiring based on skill rather than degrees, according to a release. If you can do the job, you can get the job, Opportunity@Work CEO Byron Auguste said in the release. Sixty-six percent of rural working Americans qualify as STARs, as stated by Tear the Paper Ceiling. According to a Brookings commentary, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia among others have ceased to require college degrees for even up to 90% of state jobs, depending on the state. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned in an interview Sunday on ABC's "This Week" of a "very difficult threat landscape" in the wake of the New Orleans truck attack. And Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman emeritus of the House Homeland Security Committee, noted the resurgence in the Middle East of ISIS, the extremist group which the New Orleans suspect said he was inspired by. Early New Year's Day, 14 people were killed and dozens more were injured after Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran drove a pickup truck through a crowd on New Orleans' Bourbon Street, authorities said. The suspect, a U.S.-born Army veteran from Texas, posted videos online before the deadly rampage "proclaiming his support for ISIS" and mentioning he joined ISIS before this summer, according to the FBI. "We have not only the persistent threat of foreign terrorism -- that, of course, created the Department of Homeland Security -- but we have adverse nation-states, and for the past 10 years, we've seen a significant increase in what we term 'homegrown violent extremism,'" Mayorkas told anchor George Stephanopoulos. "It is a very difficult threat landscape, and it is why that we as a community -- not just the federal government, but state and local officials and residents -- need to be alert to it and take the precautions necessary to avoid violence from occurring." Mayorkas said his office worked with local law enforcement and "took additional sweeping measures" to ensure New Orleans' annual Sugar Bowl college football game could safely go on after the attack. Despite immigration being the department's "highest responsibility," Mayorkas emphasized that the New Orleans attack was unrelated to issues at the southern border. MORE: New Orleans attack latest: Authorities probe attacker's 'radicalization' process "The assailant who perpetrated the terrorist attack in New Orleans was born in the United States, raised in the United States, and served in our armed forces," he said. "It is not an issue of the border." PHOTO: Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas and Rep. Michael McCaul appear on 'This Week with George Stephanopoulos' on ABC News, Jan. 5, 2025. (ABC News) Mayorkas said he has been in touch with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for DHS secretary. I have spoken with Governor Noem a number of times, including on New Year's Day and immediately thereafter, with respect to the horrific terrorist attack, and we have spoken substantively about the measures that we take, and I am incredibly devoted to a smooth and successful transition to the success of Governor Noem, should she be confirmed as the Secretary of Homeland Security," he said. MORE: Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion latest: Police look for clues in suspect's writings McCaul, who also served as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the resurgence of ISIS in Afghanistan and Pakistan "concerns me greatly." McCaul advised the Trump administration to be wary of attacks by those who become radicalized online, urging officials to "pay attention to the social media and connect the dots before these events happen." "You really have two types of threats. One is operational, the other one is inspired attacks radicalized over the internet," McCaul said. "They're both equally lethal, and they need to be focused on to stop it." McCaul was also asked about the war in Ukraine and how he expects Trump to address it. Some of McCaul's Republican colleagues have questioned the U.S.'s continued assistance to the country as it fights against Russia and Trump has promised to end the war quickly. The congressman said retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's pick for the newly created position as envoy to Ukraine and Russia, "believes that we cannot afford to lose Ukraine to Russia." "That would be a horrible foreign policy decision that would put us in the position of losing to Russia, and Ukraine, and threatening Eastern Europe," McCaul said. McCaul said Russia's threat extends beyond the region. "And the fact is, George, I can't overemphasize, as I have to my colleagues, it's not just Putin. Putin is aligned with Chairman Xi in China, who threatens the Indo-Pacific. He's also aligned with the ayatollah in the Middle East who we have seen threatened Israel. And they're all in this together. And [North Korean leader] Kim Jong-un sent 10,000 troops of his own to fight Ukraine's," he said. McCaul said he believes Ukraine needs more "leverage" in negotiating a deal than the Biden administration has provided. "I think President Trump does want to end the war, have a peaceful negotiation. We're all for that, but it's got to be on terms that do not throw Ukraine under the bus," he said. "They were thrown under the bus in the Budapest agreements where they gave up all their nuclear weapons in assurance for security. And guess what happened? There was none. And if there is a deal cut, we have to have teeth in that enforcement agreement, such that if Russia ever invades again, there will be consequences because they gave up all their nuclear weapons." Mayorkas and McCaul warn of ISIS-inspired threats after New Orleans attack originally appeared on abcnews.go.com This story was originally posted on March 23. It was updated on Jan. 4, 2025. In Aurora, Colorado, James Craig was a well-known dentist. He and his wife Angela Craig were raising six children. On March 6, 2023, Angela Craig reported feeling sick and her husband took her to a hospital. There would be two hectic weeks and three hospital visits. On March 15, Angela Craig was put on life support; three days later, she was dead. Within hours, James Craig would be charged with first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty. Angela Craig's autopsy revealed she had been poisoned. And police claim the evidence points to her husband alleging he searched online videos about poison and then purchased potassium cyanide and arsenic. Podcaster Steffan Tubbs, who covered the case, says police allege in the arrest warrant that James Craig had made a Google search for "How many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human?" Authorities believe he went further, lacing his wife's drinks with poison. "He administered, allegedly the poison via her protein shakes," said Tubbs. Skye Lazaro, an attorney familiar with cases involving poison, tells "48 Hours" contributor Natalie Morales that James Craig's defense might argue that police rushed to arrest him. "It's essentially a three-day investigation," she said of the time it took police to charge him with his wife's murder. James Craig's defense has said he has a history of depression and had sought counseling in the past. Lazaro says they might argue he bought poison not to use on Angela Craig but on himself. As for those allegedly poisoned protein shakes, Lazaro says that from what she's seen of the evidence made public so far, "The state hasn't presented you any evidence that the poison was actually in the drink," she said. ANGELA CRAIG TEXTS HER HUSBAND "I FEEL DRUGGED" On March 18, 2023, in the Denver suburb of Aurora, Angela Craig died. Just days later, former radio personality Steffan Tubbs began his podcast about the sensational case and the unimaginable news. STEFFAN TUBBS ("Arsenic, DDS" podcast): I want to personally send our condolences to the friends and family of Angela Craig, just 43 years old. She passed away, declared brain dead And not lost on me is the fact that this family has been temporarily destroyed. James Craig had been almost immediately charged with the first-degree murder of his wife Angela. He has pleaded not guilty. The story of the dentist, his wife and the allegedly poisoned shakes would be told around the world. Steffan Tubbs: Come on. A dentist. Allegedly ordering potassium cyanide and arsenic. Really? But it was all as painfully real as a dentist's drill. Chelsea Otoya: Dr. Craig and Angela Craig were just like two peas in a pod. Chelsea Otoya: The two of them in the office was cute cause they would play pranks on each other all day long. Chelsea Otoya got to know James and Angela Craig when she worked for Dr. Craig at Summerbrook Dental. Chelsea Otoya: They seemed like the perfect couple. Until, according to Colorado police, James took his shot at the perfect crime. CBS NEWS STREAMING NETWORK: Investigators say he researched poisons in the days leading up to his wife's death. Angela and James Craig were married for 23 years and shared six children. Their lives were steeped in their Aurora, Colorado, communitytheir church, their children and James Craig's dental practice, Summerbrook Dental. / Credit: Facebook The idea that the dentist stood accused of murdering Angela, his wife of 23 years, seemed incomprehensible because the Craigs seemed so close. Chelsea Otoya: It just was heartbreaking for everyone, and I felt bad. Steffan Tubbs (driving): Coming up on our left, the former home of Summerbrook Dental. For Tubbs, the office building once home to Summerbrook, has become a tragic touchstone. Steffan Tubbs (driving): The last time that I had eye contact with Dr. Jim Craig, he gave me a root canal. Steffan Tubbs: I thought he was a great guy. I got incredibly competent friendly care. He was a family man. We talked about his family, his kids I I met his wife. Angela Craig was the heart and soul of that family mother to their six children and a hands-on partner in what seemed like a thriving business. Steffan Tubbs: She was not somebody just sit there and stay quiet. She was engaged in the dental practice. She was somebody who was talking about ideas, and their marketing, their message. Tubbs helped refine that message, working on some of Summerbrook's advertising. He witnessed how those two peas in a pod worked side by side, with Angela pitching in as one of Jim's office managers. Steffan Tubbs: I thought it was kind of cool. You know, you've got a husband and wife, huge family. I thought it was it was great to see a small Colorado business operated by, you know, husband and wife. Tubbs' podcast would delve into the disturbing details of Angela's medical journey: how and why she was allegedly murdered. That account from police is contained in a 52-page arrest warrant. Steffan Tubbs: In nearly 34 years of being a newsman, the most unbelievable and seemingly thorough arrest affidavit I have ever read. The warrant alleges that "James has shown the planning and intent to end his wife's life by searching for ways to kill someone undetected." Steffan Tubbs: This was not the James Craig that I knew. The James Craig Aurora knew was on display that March 6, 2023, the day Angela's odyssey began. James was at Summerbrook Dental when Angela texted from home: "My eyes don't want to focus." She texted "I feel drugged." James Craig headed right home. He picked up Angela and drove to the ER at Parker Adventist Hospital. She reported feeling dizzy and weak. Doctors fast went to work. Natalie Morales: She ends up going into the hospital, first time was March 6th, is that correct? George Brauchler: That's right. March 6th was her first time into the hospital. At the time, George Brauchler was another force in Colorado talk radio. He is also the former elected district attorney for Arapahoe County, where Angela Craig lived and would die, rattling this community. George Brauchler: This is a huge story. Like Tubbs, Brauchler has immersed himself in the details of Angela's final daysa desperate two-week ordeal. But on that March 6, as the hours passed in the ER, there were lots of questions, but few answers. George Brauchler: They really didn't have a good answer for what she was going through and they end up releasing her and sending her home. Home where Angela Craig appeared to think she was safe in her marriage. At least that's how she sounded in messages the couple sent each other, with Angela now home, recuperating from her ER visit. George Brauchler: There were texts that would suggest a very supportive loving relationship. James Craig texts, "I love you. It was so nice hanging out with you and just watching a show and snuggling." Angela Craig texts James: "Hi Baby! I love your face." Back home, the busy couple picked up the daily routine that sustained them. George Brauchler: Jim and Angela apparently worked out in the morning. They worked out together. And one of the things that Jim did for his wife was to prepare her a protein shake It was an absolute routine. George Brauchler: This was just part of the normal day. James Craig texts: "I'll need to ask what you're hungry for and bring it to you. I'm kinda feeling just a smoothie or something." "I'm not feeling anything." Angela Craig replies. "Don't bring anything, I'll eat something here." Within 24 hours, Angela Craig's symptoms came back fast and strong. She headed back to Parker Adventist. This time she would be admitted. Steffan Tubbs: The doctors and nurses are trying. They're conducting tests. They just cannot figure out what is ailing this relatively normal and healthy 43-year-old woman. George Brauchler: All the steps that the doctors and medical staff had taken seemed to not be working. it was a real mystery. UNRAVELING A MEDICAL MYSTERY Steffan Tubbs: There was nothing that would be even remotely a red flag, or this is a rocky, troubled marriage. None of that at all. With Angela Craig still terribly sick, in March 2023 she was back at Parker Adventist a second time, now as an admitted patient. According to the warrant during her stay, Angela Craig texted her husband James Craig to say, "Now I'm hungry" and he texted back later that was bringing food, writing "Ok I gotchu." George Brauchler: The loving husband who wants to see his wife remain healthy. Aurora police documented evidence in a 52-page arrest warrant when they charged James Craig with murder. Podcaster Steffan Tubbs said of that warrant, That arrest warrant contains numerous texts detailing how as Angela Craig was hospitalized, James Craig went back and forth from their home to her bedside to Summerbrook a husband seemingly supporting his wife and caring for their kids. Steffan Tubbs: He's continuing to go to work, and I don't begrudge him for that. He's got a family of six kids. And the warrant would show that apparent trust that Angela Craig placed in James, how she reached out to him to share her symptoms, texting, "I'm cold, super tired, weak, shaky and dizzy" And James Craig sent compassionate texts to Angela Craig: "I love you and miss you and I'm so worried. I wish you were healthy enough to come home tonight and snuggle me." Steffan Tubbs: Angela Craig was so sick. It seemed that all her symptoms had returned. Steffan Tubbs: She had horrible headaches. Horrible nausea She was dizzy. And doctors were at a loss. George Brauchler: Struggling to figure out what in the hell is causing this. What is making her sick? Steffan Tubbs: And they just could not get an answer. As Angela Craig stayed in the hospital without a diagnosis, James Craig was in touch with his friends Michelle and Ryan Redfearn.. Ryan Redfearn, a fellow dentist, had recently become business partners with James Craig, he would later tell police. George Brauchler: Ryan Redfearn went to dental school with Jim Craig all those 20-plus years ago. He'd known him all that time. He was a close confidant. And with Angela Craig so sick, according to the warrant, James Craig also texted with Ryan's wife, Michelle Redfearn, trained as a nurse. Natalie Morales: What were they texting about? George Brauchler: The texts were really the kinds of things you would exchange with someone who's another medical professional. I mean, he was talking about blood pressure. He was talking about concerns the doctors had expressed about symptomology that should have resolved by now. But one of James Craig's texts, in retrospect, seemed odd, as it appeared he was making light of Angela's mysterious illness. Steffan Tubbs: Jim Craig texts Michelle Redfearn, quote, "If it wasn't my wife, this would be kind of a fun puzzle to try to work out, exclamation point." Who says that? Still, a bad joke in times of crisis isn't unusual, says former DA Brauchler. George Brauchler: Everybody reacts to trauma differently. And James Craig seemed worried. It had been four hectic days since Angela was admitted. Police say Jim told others he was sleeping on a stool next to Angela that night when her vital signs crashed. Doctors responded through the night. Steffan Tubbs: I have thought about every agonizing minute that Angela Craig was in. Angela and James Craig / Credit: Facebook But over the next day Angela Craig seemed to stabilize. And on March 14, still with no answers as to why she was sick, Angela was released from Parker Adventist. Once again, Angela Craig came home to her husband of 23 years. But she wouldn't be home for long. Within a day she started feeling sick again. On March 15, she was admitted to nearby University Hospital. There would be more tubes, tests and monitors. James Craig was soon by her side. Steffan Tubbs: They had no idea what was wrong with her. Police say James Craig didn't stay long at first. Within half an hour, he drove home from the hospital. Then about an hour-and-a-half later, he returned, carrying food. Police say he then went into Angela Craig's room, alone. Soon after, Angela Craig had a seizure and once again her vital signs crashed. George Brauchler: It was critical. James Craig took photos of his wife as hospital staff tried to save her. George Brauchler: She is getting into dire, dire medical consequences. Angela Craig, once so full of life, was put on life support. George Brauchler: Doctors are struggling to figure out what in the hell is causing this? What is making her sick? What medical staff didn't know at the time was that days earlier, according to police, a package had arrived at James Craig's office. Authorities say what was in that package, ordered by James Craig himself, would become key evidence in this case. James Craig allegedly told a staff member "that he would be receiving a personal package" and "not to open it." Steffan Tubbs: Jim Craig had said don't open this package. Somebody did. She sees the words "potassium cyanide." Steffan Tubbs: Why are we getting potassium cyanide to a Colorado dentist's office? A PACKAGE MARKED POISON Angela Craig was on life support and fighting to survive. James Craig texted the photos he took to Michelle Redfearn, writing "crash" "intubated" and "doc says she's 'very very worried'." The couple raced to the hospital. Ryan Redfearn would later tell police he watched as James Craig broke down. Natalie Morales: He saw Craig crying after speaking to doctors about Angela's prognosis. George Brauchler: Yep. He did say he saw him crying afterwards. But according to police, Ryan Redfearn was far from convinced those tears were real. That's because, on his way to the hospital, he had gotten a call from a staff member at the office. The call was to alert Ryan Redfearn about that package marked potassium cyanide that had arrived at Summerbrook Dental allegedly addressed and later given to James Craig. Steffan Tubbs: And there's the dominoes that are now falling one after the other. Ryan Redfearn led the way. George Brauchler: He does what any other normal person would do. According to police, while Angela Craig was on life support, Ryan Redfearn tells a nurse that James Craig "recently ordered Potassium Cyanide," adding that there was no medical reason or purpose to order Potassium Cyanide for a dental practice." Steffan Tubbs: The nurse, being a mandatory reporter, calls Aurora police, and I mean it's like that. Within five hours, probably even less, there is a member of the homicide unit with Aurora P.D. is at University Hospital. Police started asking questions. Then, according to the warrant, "Ryan received a call from James's personal cell phone." Natalie Morales: Tell me about that phone call. George Brauchler: I think Ryan and his wife are in the parking lot of the hospital when Jim calls them. According to police, James Craig asked Ryan Redfearn "if he had said anything to the hospital staff." Ryan Redfearn confirmed that he had and told James Craig that he knew what James Craig had ordered. And James Craig replied that the "package was a ring for Angela and that he wanted to surprise her." George Brauchler: And Ryan says, " it's not a ring, we know what was in there." I mean this is a testament to Ryan Redfearn. A decades-long friendship was about to be tested, then shattered. This tale was once again told in a text, revealed in that warrant, as the next morning James Craig pleaded with his pal and partner, texting in part: "I want to make an urgent plea to you. please don't talk to anyone including any law enforcement officers. You are under no obligation to answer their questions unless you are served a subpoena and you will do more damage than good to my family by continuing to insert yourself into this." Natalie Morales: How damning is that text in itself? George Brauchler: I'm trying to think of all the innocent applications of the phrase, please don't talk to the police. I can't come up with any. George Brauchler: It's a desperate effort to try to keep Ryan from cooperating any farther with law enforcement. But if that's what he was trying to do, it was too late. Police had already launched their investigation. On March 18, 2023, Angela Craig was taken off life support. A friend, wife, and mother of six was dead. Chelsea Otoya: I was in complete shock, in complete disbelief. In my head, I'm like, this is crazy, it's not true. Chelsea Otoya: I thought maybe it was an accident. James Toliver Craig was charged with first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty. / Credit: Aurora Police But investigators didn't think so. Just hours after Angela Craig died, Dr. James Craig would be arrested and charged with the first-degree murder of his wife. Steffan Tubbs: There's my dentist, a mugshot. James Craig would plead not guilty. Months later, Angela Craig's autopsy would be released. That autopsy states Angela Craig died from "lethal concentrations of cyanide" and "a lethal concentration" of tetrahydrozoline, the chemical found in some eye drops. And it says that Angela Craig had "toxic concentrations" of arsenic in her blood in those two earlier hospital visits. Steffan Tubbs: To think about what Angela Craig endured. This woman was in agony, dying, for so long. Just a week before Angela Craig got sick, according to the warrant, James Craig set up a new email account using the alias "Jim and Waffles" and used it to research multiple poisons all part of his plan, according to investigators, to murder Angela Craig. Steffan Tubbs: One particular Google search, "how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human?" James Craig, investigators say, also found videos online with titles like "Top 5 Undetectable Poisons That Show No Sign Of Foul Play." And police say on the same day he did that online research, James Craig made a purchase arsenic and had it delivered straight to his family's mailbox. George Brauchler: I think he legitimately believed that he would be able to poison his wife, she would die, he would have her cremated. And then they'd move on. Poison. Some call it the recipe for the perfect crime. A silent, invisible killer no blood, no gun, no fingerprints. Even doctors can have a hard time spotting it. Dr. Jeff LaPoint: It's a pretty rare medical subspecialty. Doctor Jeff LaPoint is the director of the division of medical toxicology at San Diego's Kaiser Permanente Hospital. Dr. Jeff LaPoint: If it's a poison or a venom that's what we specialize in. Natalie Morales: You're that guy? Dr. Jeff LaPoint: Yeah. So "48 Hours" asked him, and Dr. LaPoint focused in on the alleged actions of James Craig and the final days of Angela Craig's life. He reviewed the arrest warrant for us, and some of the deadly drugs it lists. Natalie Morales: Let's start with arsenic. Dr. Jeff LaPoint: OK yeah, arsenic is a very famous poison. It's not detectable by taste or odor. LaPoint says Angela Craig's symptoms in those first two hospital visits are consistent with arsenic poisoning. Dr. Jeff LaPoint: Nausea and vomiting. Natalie Morales: Lower blood pressure, higher blood pressure? Dr. Jeff LaPoint: Generally lower. Natalie Morales: How much would kill a person? Dr. Jeff LaPoint: It does not take very much. But police say there was more. A week after he purchased that arsenic, they allege James Craig as "Jim and Waffles" went back online. He ordered a second poison. Natalie Morales: Oleandrin, what is that? Dr. Jeff LaPoint: So, oleandrin is a toxin found in oleander. Natalie Morales: I'm thinking of those white flowers. Jeff LaPoint: Yeah, they're really beautiful. As lovely as a rose. Only deadly. Dr. Jeff LaPoint: It prevents the heart from beating very efficiently. But after three days, the oleandrin hadn't been delivered. That's when investigators say James Craig upped the ante. Police say he placed an order with a medical supply company for his strongest toxin yet: potassium cyanide. Dr. Jeff LaPoint: Cyanide is one of the most effective poisons that exist. Natalie Morales: Just a microdose could kill you then? Dr. Jeff LaPoint: Yeah, a very small amount per kilogram and you're not gonna live. When you are poisoned with cyanide, you're being suffocated on a cellular level. It's a very potent poison. Your victim would die very rapidly. Cyanide is so deadly that you need a medical license to buy it. And police say that when Dr. James Craig placed his order from a medical supply company, he stated he needed it for a complex dental procedure. Dr. Jeff LaPoint: There's no use for potassium cyanide in my practice or I can't think of many medical practices. Natalie Morales: So, a dentist ordering arsenic, potassium cyanide and oleandrin What does that suggest to you? Dr. Jeff LaPoint: Someone is trying to collect poison. But this father and husband would offer a very different story about why he wanted those deadly poisons. WAS INTEREST IN ANOTHER WOMAN A MOTIVE FOR MURDER? Detectives suspected James Craig had bought all those poisons to kill his wife, but they wanted to know why. They would find a lead miles away from Aurora on a trip James Craig made and a woman he met just before Angela Craig got sick. Steffan Tubbs: Doesn't it just always seem like there's another woman involved? Always, almost always. "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." It's a rule of the road there, but investigators allege it is yet one more rule James Craig didn't think he had to play by, when he met Karin Cain. Steffan Tubbs: Karin Cain, an orthodontist from Austin, Texas She meets James Craig at a dental conference in Las Vegas. It was Feb. 23, a week-and-a-half before Angela Craig first went to the hospital. The doctor was traveling alone. And he rolled the dice. George Brauchler: They strike up a relationship. Steffan Tubbs: They hit it off it's a whirlwind. A few weeks later, according to the warrant, Cain would fly to Colorado and rendezvous at a hotel with James Craig. He would use that newly created email, "Jim and Waffles," to flirt with her. Skye Lazaro: It's not illegal to have affairs. Skye Lazaro is an experienced defense attorney familiar with cases involving poison. James Craig and his attorney declined our request for an interview. Lazaro reviewed the case against James Craig for "48 Hours." And she identified potential weaknesses. Skye Lazaro: Is it reasonable that you would kill your wife to be with someone that you had had a 10-day relationship with? Natalie Morales: The common defense strategy is affairs do not make a murderer. Skye Lazaro: Right. One doesn't automatically mean you did the other. At the time she visited James Craig in Colorado, Cain did seem to know Angela Craig was very sick and in the hospital. In fact, she had sent a concerned e-mail to James Craig. It read in part: "Hi honey, I am so sorry for what has transpired this week in your world. I am praying for you and seeking God's wisdom for this time. I love you." But there is no evidence to suggest Cain knew anything more. George Brauchler: Nothing that I have seen gives any indication that she knew that Jim was trying to kill his wife. And according to investigators, James Craig lied to Cain, telling her that he "filed for divorce and was living separate in an apartment." Steffan Tubbs: He gives the standard male, typical, "I'm going through a divorce." No, he's not. And a detective said she told them her relationship with James Craig was "intimate but not sexual." Cain sent "48 Hours" an email, writing: "I had absolutely nothing to do with this horrific 'crime' and 'my heart is absolutely broken for Angela Craig and her family.'" And she says she is "cooperating fully with the police and prosecution." Steffan Tubbs: Karin Cain met the wrong guy at the wrong time. She didn't know anything. Dr. James Craig is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife after he allegedly poisoned her protein shakes. / Credit: CBS News Tubbs and Brauchler imply maybe no one knew anything about who James Craig really was. His pristine image loving parent, church member, dedicated husbandnow all being questioned. And as cops continued to investigate, another possible motive emerged. Steffan Tubbs: One of the things that surprised me in this story is the financial duress that Summerbrook Dental was under. In fact, James Craig's business had filed for bankruptcy in 2020, and shortly after, his then-friend Ryan Redfearn signed on as a partner. Natalie Morales: Financial problems? George Brauchler: Financial problems. Natalie Morales: He was way in over his head then, in debt? George Brauchler: Way in over his head. And at a preliminary hearing in 2023, prosecutors argued that James Craig had "about 3.4 million reasons to kill his wife" the value of Angela Craig's life insurance. George Brauchler: Jim had liabilities in excess of $2 million and we know that from some of the bankruptcy filings. But Lazaro says she's not convinced those financial problems give James Craig a motive for murder. Natalie Morales: Is this sort of the portrait of a desperate man? Skye Lazaro: Not necessarily. Skye Lazaro: We see businesses go through bankruptcy all the time and come out the other side. And, as for any poisons he may have ordered, Lazaro states those purchases may not even be illegal. Skye Lazaro: He can legitimately purchase it because he has a DEA number. Natalie Morales: As a doctor. As a dentist, right. Skye Lazaro: Right. Skye Lazaro: Just having it isn't murder. Natalie Morales: Mm-hmm. Administering it. Right. But according to the arrest paperwork, James Craig might have thought he had that figured out, too. Authorities say he could have slipped the poison into one of those protein shakes he so often made. Natalie Morales: A morning routine at home for example. George Brauchler: Yeah. On that morning of March 15 the day Angela Craig would finally crash before she was taken to the hospital, she was home with James Craig. Investigators say that's when he may have made her one of those protein shakes and laced it with potassium cyanide. George Brauchler: It is tasteless. It is odorless. It is colorless. It is really hidable inside something like a shake. Natalie Morales: And highly lethal. George Brauchler: Highly lethal. But attorney Lazaro counters the evidence may not be there. She has reviewed the transcripts from that July 2023 preliminary hearing and says there's nothing there that shows James Craig put poison in Angela Craig's shakes. Skye Lazaro: They went and tested everything in the house and didn't find any trace evidence of there being arsenic or cyanide or anything in the protein powder, in the protein bottles. Skye Lazaro: The state hasn't presented you any evidence that the poison was actually in the drinks. And Lazaro says the defense can paint a picture of James Craig as a kind and attentive partner. Skye Lazaro: Jim's text messages to Angela are extremely loving and extremely caring. He repeatedly asks her how she's doing. He tells her he loves her. So if James Craig didn't poison his wife, who did? He had a story to tell about that. WHAT ANGELA CRAIG'S AUTOPSY SHOWED As Steffan Tubbs reported on his podcast, there may be another story to tell about James Craig and what happened to Angela Craig. The story wasn't about murder; it was about suicide. STEFFAN TUBBS (podcast): Craig says to the business partner on the phone she was just playing chicken. According to the warrant, when Ryan Redfearn confronted James Craig about the cyanide, James Craig allegedly said that Angela Craig asked him to order it for her. That it was all a darekind of a deadly game of "chicken." Steffan Tubbs: According to Jim Craig She's been threatening suicide. And this game of chicken is Now are you gonna take it? But according to that 52-page warrant, none of Angela Craig's family members told police she was suicidal. A more likely argument for the defense, says Lazaro, is that James Craig had been looking for cyanide not to kill Angela but to kill himself. Skye Lazaro: There was some statements that he, in fact, was suicidal, not her. At that preliminary hearing in 2023, James Craig's defense team said he had spoken to a friend about his own past plans to die by suicide, and that "Dr. Craig had made a statement" to that friend that he was going to die by "suicide with something that was not traceable." The defense pointed out that James Craig "suffered from depression" and went to counseling in the past. And, the defense indicated, James Craig told Angela Craig at one point that he had actually drugged her years earlier, when he had tried to kill himself hoping that while she was drugged, she wouldn't be able stop him. Natalie Morales: It sounds like there had been something that he had tried before with her. Skye Lazaro: Mm-hmm. ... That he had drugged her, so that she would fall asleep, so that he could go essentially kill himself. And she wouldn't be there to render any aid or call for help. According to the arrest warrant, James Craig wrote: And remember when Angela Craig first started feeling sick, and she texted James Craig: "I feel drugged"? James Craig's defense points out that he texted back, "Given our history, I know that must be triggering. Just for the record, I didn't drug you." The defense said this text supports the story of James Craig's past depression and suicide attempts. But Lazaro says it's unlikely the defense would try to tell a jury that Jim and Angela Craig were both trying to die by suicide. Skye Lazaro: You have to pick one at some point. Natalie Morales: Mm-hmm. Skye Lazaro: And it's either she's suicidal or that he's suicidal and this is why he bought the drugs. But perhaps the most compelling evidence authorities say they have is what Angela Craig left behind in her own blood. That autopsy revealed something investigators find remarkablethe levels of cyanide in Angela Craig's body actually increased while she was in the hospital on that final day. The possible implication? Tubbs wonders if prosecutors will contend James Craig gave his wife more poison in the hospital. Steffan Tubbs: If the allegations are true, this is about as cruel as it gets. Period. James Craig's defense has hired its own toxicologist. And, come his trial for murder, Lazaro says James Craig, innocent until proven guilty, may himself be portrayed as a victim of cops too eager to make a fast arrest. Skye Lazaro: It's essentially a three-day investigation. James Craig's quick arrest, she says, could be a weakness for the state. Skye Lazaro: You decided from the get-go that this had to be poisoning This was the foregone conclusion. So you never went and looked for anything else. And as for that idea that poison might be the key to someone trying to commit the perfect crime, toxicologist Dr. Jeff LaPoint says that is just plain wrong. Jeff LaPoint: You're going to get caught. Natalie Morales: That's an important message. Jeff LaPoint: Yeah, very. Natalie Morales: There are ways that these will be traced, and you will be found. Jeff LaPoint: You'll be found. Angela Craig / Credit: Facebook And while Angela Craig's friends and family are waiting for their day in court, they are left with photographs and their memories. Three of Jim and Angela Craig's six children are living with James Craig's brother. The other three are now adults living on their own, including their daughter Mira. On Mother's Day 2023, Mira wrote this message on social media: "as of tomorrow my mom will be two months gone. I haven't the words to express the heartache my siblings and I feel every day." Chelsea Otoya: There's no words, you know? the whole situation is just traumatic. Steffan Tubbs: This will all end, the lights will come down, the cameras leave. Thirty years from now, those kids who are in their teens right now still will be without a mom. Mira's last words in that post: "I love you so much mama" "we miss you." In November 2024, prosecutors charged Jim Craig with soliciting the murder of one of the detectives on his case. Soon after this, Craig's attorney asked to be released from the case, citing a rule that allows attorneys to quit when they consider a client's behavior to be "repugnant." No new trial date has been set. "48 HOURS" POST MORTEM PODCAST Host Anne-Marie Green, Natalie Morales and "48 Hours" producer Sarah Prior go behind the scenes, discussing how James Craig used his license to order potassium cyanide, the suspicious "jimandwaffles" email address he created just weeks before his wife's death, and arguments the prosecution and defense might make when the case goes on trial. Produced by Jamie Stolz and Sarah Prior. Elena DiFiore, David Dow and Michelle Sigona are the development producers. Doreen Schechter is the producer-editor. Gary Winter and Gregory Kaplan are the editors. Michael Loftus is the associate producer. Patti Aronofsky is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. Tiger Bech's family on his final moments after New Orleans attack ATF head warns that the Trump administration's funding cut plans could risk lives Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum director on his life, impact A tornado watch is in effect for areas north of Houston and Harris County until 6 p.m. Sunday. National Weather Service A tornado watch is in effect north of Houston and Harris County through Sunday afternoon. The potential for strong and severe storms come along the leading edge of a powerful cold front that will bring Houston the coldest temperatures since January 2024. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here's what to know about Sunday's storm risk. Tornado watch details The following counties in Texas are included in the tornado watch until Sunday at 6 p.m.: Angelina, Cherokee, Hardin, Harrison, Houston, Jasper, Liberty, Marion, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Polk, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Walker. While Harris County and Houston is not included in this tornado watch, Greater Houston residents should still closely monitor the forecast through Sunday afternoon. What to do A tornado watch means that conditions are favorable for the development of strong storms capable of producing tornadoes. Those under the tornado watch need to be prepared to seek shelter immediately if a tornado warning is issued for their location. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The safest place to be during a tornado is in a basement or storm shelter. Basements aren't common in Southeast Texas, so an interior bathroom is a great option given because plumbing helps to fortify your shelter. An interior closet is also a great option if you don't have an interior bathroom. The idea is to put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible. If you're able to safely do so, grab bike helmets or pillows before scurrying to your storm shelter. Do not waste time opening windows to your home. Not only does this open your home up to damaging wind from outside your home, it's a waste of precious moments that could be spent seeking shelter. Strong thunderstorms have already developed towards Texarkana late Sunday morning. No severe storms in SE Texas, at least not yet. A tornado watch is forthcoming in/around #Houston this afternoon, per the @NWSSPC. Stay with the @HoustonChron for the latest. pic.twitter.com/E3kHrbN8gX Justin Ballard (@JustinBallardWx) January 5, 2025 If you're caught in your vehicle during a tornado warning, seek out a sturdy building like a grocery store or a fast food restaurant. If you are not near sturdy structures, stay in your car with the seat belt on and attempt to get below the windows. Cover your head with your hands, a blanket, or a bike helmet. If you can safely get below the level of the roadway in a ditch, leave your car and seek shelter there, keeping your head covered as best as possible. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Do not seek shelter under an overpass. The narrow space underneath an overpass can help magnify already powerful winds a tornado can bring. Timing of strong storms Storms have already developed late Sunday morning north and west of Houston along the fast-moving cold front. The cold front is expected to make it to Crockett and College Station between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday. Areas like Livingston and Columbus should see the cold front knocking on their door between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Storms late Sunday morning will be located north and west of Houston. The High Resolution Rapid Refresh model, shown here, forecasts strong storms to get into Greater Houston between 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday (left image), before storms push offshore by early Sunday evening (right). WeatherBELL In Houston, the line of thunderstorms is forecast to approach from the northwest between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The last areas to see storms clear will be Galveston to Freeport and Palacios, with the cold front likely not arriving until 3 to 5 p.m. WASHINGTON No one expects an angry mob to show up this time. Four years to the day that supporters of Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol and tried to halt the certification of the 2020 election, Congress will usher in a new Trump era on Monday when it gathers to count each states electoral votes and officially declare him the winner of last years presidential contest. This time, the proceeding is expected to go off smoothly. No rioters storming the Capitol. No one pushing past police barricades and beating officers with makeshift weapons. No lawmakers running through the Capitols corridors in fear of their lives. No sitting president pressuring a vice president to thwart the process. I think it will almost be a nonevent, predicted Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. Donald Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to force Congress to halt the certification of the 2020 election, which Trump lost. The difference between then and now is Trump. Four years ago, the Republican refused to acknowledge he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, claiming the 2020 election was tainted by widespread fraud. On Jan. 6, 2021, the day Congress was to certify the results of that election, Trump held a rally on the Ellipse with the White House in the background and urged thousands of his supporters to march down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol and fight like hell. They did, setting in motion the most violent attack against the seat of government since the War of 1812. But Trump eagerly embraced the results of last years election after he won both the popular vote and the Electoral College over the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. Though Trump had again warned of the possibility of election fraud, he went suddenly silent about those dire predictions after his victory. Heightened security: Security measures pick up around DC ahead of Jan. 6, Carter funeral, Trump Inauguration Day Congressional Democrats are not expected to challenge the election results when they gather to certify them on Monday. I think its safe to say that even the Democrats heard from the American people that this is what they wanted, said Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla. Even so, hanging over the certification process will be unsettling memories of the assault on the Capitol, uncertainty over whether Trump will follow through on his promise to pardon those involved and questions of how the Jan. 6, 2021 attack will be viewed through the broader lens of history. For a significant chunk of the population, including me, it will be remembered as a frightening attempt to use force to overrule the results of a presidential election, said Alexander Keyssar, a Harvard professor who taught a class on the Jan. 6 attacks. For a different segment of the population, it may be remembered as a day of courage and heroism, Keyssar said. Will Trump issue Jan. 6 pardons? Either way, Trump, who was impeached twice during his first term, will immediately earn a couple of places in the history books when he begins his second term on Jan. 20. He will be the first president since Grover Cleveland to leave office in defeat and return four years later. He also will become the first president to enter office with a criminal record after his conviction in New York last May on 34 felonies involving hush-money payments to a porn star. Trump was indicted on federal charges tied to his mishandling of classified documents after he left office and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election leading up to the attack on the Capitol. But three weeks after last years election, a judge acting on the request of special counsel Jack Smith dismissed the charges that Trump tried to steal the election in 2020. Smith also effectively ended the classified documents case by dropping his appeal of a separate judges dismissal of those charges. Federal prosecutors did win the conviction of more than 1,000 people who were involved in the Jan. 6 attack. At least 645 were jailed and another 145 were serving home detention as of Dec. 6, according to the Justice Department. Trump has vowed repeatedly for years to pardon defendants charged in the attack, leading some to ask judges to postpone trials, sentencings or incarceration until after he is inaugurated. Some defendants have asked permission to attend the inauguration while awaiting trial. Tommy Tatum of Mississippi, who was charged with using a flagpole to intimidate police at the Capitol, asked the court to let him travel to Washington on Jan. 6 to attend a news conference and on Jan. 20 to attend the inauguration. The Government is punishing Mr. Tatum by preventing him from attending a press conference as a journalist and from expressing his support for President Trump by attending his inauguration, clearly in violation of Mr. Tatums First Amendment rights, Tatums lawyers wrote in their request. There is no legitimate government objective to prevent Mr. Tatum from visiting D.C., the lawyers argued. U.S. District Judge John Bates of the District of Columbia denied Tatums request, saying his alleged conduct on Jan. 6 was particularly violent. The travel restriction is necessary to ensure community safety, Bates wrote. Trump hasnt spelled out what he will do. He voiced sympathy during the campaign for nonviolent offenders and decried long sentences. But he hasnt detailed how he would weigh pardons for nearly 1,600 people charged and 1,000 people convicted in the riot, which has left his allies and critics waiting to see what he will do on his first day in office. The moment we win, we will rapidly review the cases of every political prisoner unjustly victimized by the Harris regime, and I will sign their pardons on Day One, he told a Wisconsin rally in September. For Trump, pardoning the defendants would amount to the concluding chapter of the Jan. 6 saga, said Julian Zelizer, a history professor at Princeton University and the author of a book on Trumps first term as president. He survived all the prosecutions, and he survived the electoral threat that that posed to his future and to the MAGA future, Zelizer said. Then he won reelection, and he won it with the popular vote and with all the swing states. A pardon is the final step, saying, Youre free. Congressional Democrats warn pardoning those involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection would send the wrong message. The pardon power should be used to correct procedural or substantive injustices, said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and a former professor of constitutional law. No one has identified any injustice in the prosecution of people who violently assaulted police officers, who were engaged in seditious conspiracy, which means conspiracy to overthrow the government of the United States, Raskin said. I would view the promise of pardoning hundreds of convicted insurrectionists as a continuation of the assault on American constitutional democracy. Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., said granting a pardon to the Jan. 6 defendants, particularly those who committed acts of violence, would send a signal that violent law-breaking will be allowed as long as it is done under a MAGA banner. That would open the floodgates to chaos all across the country because there will be a whole lot of people out there, including deranged and violent individuals, who think that Donald Trump will give them a Get Out of Jail Free card, Magaziner said. Magaziner said he recognizes the vast majority of Trump supporters are peaceful, patriotic Americans, but we're not talking about peaceful patriotic Americans when we talk about the Jan. 6 rioters. Were talking about criminals and many of whom committed acts of violence. History's view of Jan. 6 For some lawmakers, Trumps threats to investigate, prosecute and imprison his perceived enemies are another cause for alarm. During a December interview with NBCs Meet the Press, Trump said members of a congressional committee that spent 18 months investigating his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection should go to jail. Thats not how government works, Raskin said. The whole point of the American Constitution is we have no kings here, Raskin said. We have no monarchs. We have no queens, no emperors. We don't put people in jail because the president doesn't like them. Honoring the investigators: Biden gives Jan. 6 committee leaders Cheney, Thompson Presidential Citizens Medals Trumps return to power will likely result in a revisionist history in terms of how Jan. 6 is remembered among a segment of the American electorate, Keyssar said. In Trumps view and that of many of his supporters, he said, Trump's victory in November validated many of his grievances about the 2020 election. There's a large segment of the American population which equates democracy as the protection of the rights and powers for some people but not others and, thus, it was legitimate to have this attack on the (election) procedures because the procedures were leading to the wrong outcome, Keyssar said. In many ways, Keyssar said, its reminiscent of how regional differences shaped Americans understanding of the Civil War for more than a century and, in some cases, even today. In the South, he said, they continue to call it the war of northern aggression. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Trump era to begin Jan. 6, four years after attack on Capitol From Jan. 1, social media platforms with more than 8 million users in Malaysia need to have a license to operate or risk getting blocked. Malaysias government said the licensing requirement, first proposed in July, is needed to combat cybercrimes like scams, bullying, and sexual offenses. But not all Big Tech companies are on board. Google, which operates YouTube, and X have yet to apply for a license, according to Malaysian authorities. According to a government statement, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is evaluating Xs claim that it did not have enough users in Malaysia to meet the 8 million threshold. The statement also says that Google is concerned over how to classify YouTubes video sharing features. Google and X did not immediately respond to Fortunes request for comment. As of Jan. 1, Tencent, which operates the messaging platform WeChat, and TikTok owner Bytedance have secured the license. Telegram and Meta, which operates Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, are currently in the process of applying for a license. The MCMC statement said Telegram and Meta are expected to get their licenses soon. Tech firms have been uneasy about Malaysias new social media license since it was first announced. In an October interview with Reuters, Meta director for Southeast Asia Rafael Frankel complained that the timeline to apply for the license was exceptionally accelerated, and that the licenses obligations for social media firms were unclear. Broadly, authorities argue that the license is required to protect Malaysians against incidents like online sex crimes or bullying. An Asia-Pacific crackdown Malaysia is the latest government in the Asia-Pacific region to regulate social media companies or the content found on these platforms. Earlier this year, South Korea launched a monthslong crackdown on deepfake pornography following a surge in such material shared on messaging platforms like Telegram. The country toughened penalties on those possessing or sharing deepfake pornography, and is considering fines on social media companies that dont crack down on illegal content. In late November, Australian lawmakers approved a bill that banned those under the age of 16 from using social media, even with parental permission. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese painted social media as a tool for scammers and online predators in his comments supporting the ban. Yet the bill does not present clear guidelines on how the ban, which takes effect near the end of 2025, will be enforced. And in December, a new law in Vietnam came into effect on Christmas Day that requires tech giants operating in Vietnam to verify users accounts via their phone numbers or Vietnamese identification numbers alongside their full name and date of birth. Firms that provide social media services have 90 days to report back to Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications with the verified user information according to local media reports. These social media companies must also provide data to authorities about access to social media services from Vietnam, such as the number of frequent users each month. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men block a highway during a protest against army recruitment in Bnei Brak, Israel, on June 27, 2024. (Oded Balilty/AP/File) The Israeli military has enlisted the first batch of about 50 recruits into its new ultra-Orthodox brigade after a controversial decision to end their decades-long exemption from service. By the end of the day, about 100 additional ultra-Orthodox recruits will be enlisted for reserve service, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday. The two companies enlisted today mark the initial step in establishing the ultra-Orthodox brigade, a significant milestone in expanding the service of the ultra-Orthodox sector in the IDF, particularly in light of the operational needs arising from the demands of the war, a statement from the IDF read. Israel has turned to enlisting ultra-Orthodox (or Haredi) Jews of draft age after more than a year of war against Hamas, Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups in the Middle East has strained its military. In June, the Supreme Court ruled that ultra-Orthodox Jews could not be exempt from military service, as they had been since the founding of Israel. But the move has been deeply unpopular with a community on whose support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies for his governing coalition. Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews have protested the draft and some even defied it. In November, Israels military issued 1,126 arrest warrants for conscripts who had not responded to the draft order. The vast majority of ultra-Orthodox Jews do not participate in the countrys mandatory military service. Many Haredi men spend much of their early lives out of the workforce, instead studying at religious schools known as yeshivas, which they view as fundamental to the preservation of Judaism and as important to Israels defense as the military. But many Israelis believe that all Jewish citizens should serve in the military, especially during wartime. The Israeli military said Sunday it would enlist more recruits throughout the month to join those already recruited in basic training. In preparation for the brigades establishment, an extensive preparation process was undertaken, which included identifying and training personnel, adapting policies, renovating the training base, and adjusting it to accommodate the ultra-Orthodox way of life, the IDF said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A jar containing Guinea worms is shown in Atlanta, where Carter Center volunteers helped assemble medical kits to fight Guinea worm disease, on July 28, 2004. The Summary Former President Jimmy Carter worked for decades to eliminate Guinea worm disease around the world. Whereas 3.5 million cases of the painful parasitic infection were recorded in 1986, preliminary data indicates there were just 11 this year. Carter died Sunday at age 100. Former President Jimmy Carter hoped to outlive the Guinea worm and he came achingly close to achieving that goal. Carter, who died Sunday at age 100, and his nonprofit, the Carter Center, led a decades-long campaign against the disease, marshalling funding, tracking cases, helping to quell outbreaks and organizing support among world leaders and health agencies. Guinea worm infections are caused by a parasitic worm whose larvae can contaminate water. When people consume the tainted water, the larvae mature inside the body, growing to about 3 feet long. The worms then burrow out of peoples bodies, blistering the skin as they exit in an agonizingly painful process that can take weeks. In 1986, five years after Carters presidency ended, 3.5 million cases of the disease were recorded globally. As of early December, preliminary data indicates that just 11 cases have been recorded this year, and in just two countries Chad and South Sudan, according to Adam Weiss, the director of the Carter Centers Guinea Worm Eradication Program. We continue to see a tightening of how widely distributed the disease is from more than 20 countries in the 1980s to just a few so far this year, Weiss said. A lot of good progress is being shown. In 1986, the World Health Assembly called for eradication of Guinea worm disease. The Carter Center, a nonprofit created by the former president, stepped in to lead the effort, partnering with health departments in partner countries, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carter visited a village in Ghana in 1988 that was suffering from Guinea worm infections, and he often spoke about an image that haunted him from that visit of a Guinea worm emerging from a womans swollen breast. It left such a deep imprint on him, not because he saw despair. He felt the despair, but what he saw was theres an opportunity, Weiss said. It was something he couldnt turn his back on. Carter remained focused on the project until his death, telling reporters in 2015 that he wanted the last Guinea worm to die before I do, according to The Associated Press. He received updates on Guinea worm even after he entered hospice care, the AP reported. Former President Jimmy Carter delivers a lecture on the eradication of the Guinea worm at the House of Lords in London on Feb. 3, 2016. Only one human disease smallpox has been eradicated by human efforts. Guinea worm disease could become the second, though it may take years and new methods to push the effort across the finish line. The disease, which is most often reported in rural, impoverished areas without clean drinking water, remains endemic in several African countries. People can be infected by multiple worms at a time one man in Nigeria suffered as health workers removed more than 80 worms from his body in 1999. Unlike smallpox, there is no vaccine or treatment to stop Guinea worm disease. So the Carter Center has worked with African and Asian health agencies to change how rural villagers live daily life by offering education about how the disease spreads and how to prevent it, providing water filters to those in need and using larvicides to control outbreaks. By 2000, the disease had been eradicated from Southeast Asia. You need a champion like President Carter to say, This is the flagship program of the Carter Center in health. We want this done, said Dr. Jordan Tappero, the deputy director of neglected tropical diseases for the Gates Foundation, which has given funding to the Carter Centers work. Children in South Sudan collect drinking water from a pond using filters provided by the Carter Centers guinea worm eradication program on Nov. 4, 2010. The World Health Organizations goal is to eradicate Guinea worm disease by 2030. For that to happen, global cases have to remain at zero for three consecutive years. This years preliminary case total of 11 represents a record low, but Tappero said more work lies ahead and new methods are likely required to achieve eradication. Complicating the efforts are cases of Guinea worm disease detected in domestic animals. Guinea worm disease was first detected in dogs in 2012, forcing a shift in strategy. Infection in dogs and cats in these last countries makes it harder to get there by 2030, Tappero said. You cant teach a dog to say this pond is safe to drink from, and that ones not. Tappero said researchers are developing tools to immediately detect signs of the disease in water samples, working on diagnostic tests that could identify cases months before the parasite emerges and pursuing trials of a drug called Flubendazole for use in infected dogs. In 2022, the Carter Center held a summit for some of the last countries fighting the disease. Angola, Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, South Sudan and Sudan all agreed to accelerate their efforts to eradicate Guinea worm. That kind of political will is so important having that kind of high-level commitment coupled with at the village level. People just want to get this done, Weiss said. The path Carter paved, he added, makes it pretty straightforward now. CORRECTION (Jan. 1, 2025, 7:15 p.m. ET): A photo caption in a previous version of this article misstated where children were pictured collecting drinking water from a pond. It was in the country of South Sudan, not in southern Sudan. An Illinois man recently discovered a hidden treasure behind a wall in his childhood home. Tim King, owner of T.King Construction Services in Lombard, told PEOPLE that he was helping his parents with a home renovation project when he found a Christmas present with his name on it behind a bathroom wall. We took out a medicine cabinet before we drywalled, and I thought, Id better just look in there to make sure nothings back there, King, 53, tells PEOPLE. And then there it was! Related: 'Vintage' Burger King Restaurant Found Fully Intact Behind a Wall at a Mall in Delaware King posted about the experience on Instagram on Dec. 27 in a video that has received more than 35,000 likes as of Jan. 4. In the clip, King guided viewers to a spot behind a bathroom wall before pulling out a neatly wrapped present covered in dust. #Christmasmiracle, he captioned the post. In a follow-up video, King can be seen opening the gift and revealing the contents inside: a box containing now-vintage Matchbox Thunder Jet model airplanes. 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. Related: Engineers Find 132-Year-Old Message in a Bottle Hidden Inside Lighthouse Wall: 'We Were Shaking' My mom wasnt awake yet, so we waited to open it in front of her, he says, noting that his mother has no recollection of ever buying the gift. King explains that his parents used to hide gifts in the attic, and the box likely fell into a crawl space without anyone ever noticing. He estimates that the toy would have been new in about 1978, which would have made him around 6 years old at the time. And as to how King feels about the belated discovery? So I have one sister, and my mom has always been very picky about getting us the exact same amount of gifts, he says, adding with a laugh, so weve been joking that Ive been screwed out of one present for 46 years. Read the original article on People Getty Images Who knew Matthew McConaughey was such a foodie? Well, we did. Before he went viral for his incredibly unique tuna saladfilled with frozen peas, apples, and wasabi mayoand his hilarious pantless ads with his wife, Camila Alves McConaughey, for their tequila Pantalones, the actor was dropping nuggets about his love for food for years. That includes how he builds the perfect burger (hint: it involves a packet of onion soup mix). While he may be cooking up ribeye steaks with Gordon Ramsay now, McConaughey is no stranger to working with celebrity chefs. The Greenlights author appeared on a 2012 episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri as the pair took on a diner in Georgetown, Texas. McConaughey loves to show his Texas pride. From his support for the University of Texas Longhorns to his favorite Texas bite of jalapeno sausage and spicy corn at Opies BBQ, the Oscar-winning actor is always boasting about the Lone Star State. So, we were surprised to learn that McConaughey didnt grow up eating the Texas classic comfort food, King Ranch Chicken Casserole. The Texas Staple Matthew McConaughey Could "Shovel Dpwn" In the episode, Fieri and McConaughey visited Monument Cafe in Georgetown, Texas, to try the Texas staple, which is a Tex-Mex casserole with layers of tortillas, chicken, cheese, and a creamy sauce made from soups, vegetables, and spices. Everyone in Texas has a different recipe. Did you grow up on it?, Monument Cafe owner Rusty Winkstern asked McConaughey. No, my mom was not a good cook. Sorry, mom, you know you werent, he responded. However, after digging into a plate of the King Ranch Chicken Casserole, McConaughey was hooked. [Could you] shovel down a plate full of that?, Fieri asked McConaughey. Easily, the actor replied, taking another bite. How To Make King Ranch Chicken Casserole DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS If you want to try the King Ranch Chicken Casseroleor cassilada as McConaughey would call it (since he thinks its a mix between a casserole and enchilada)we have an easy recipe with hundreds of 5-star reviews to boot. To make King Ranch Chicken Casserole, youll need to whip up a sauce of onions, bell peppers, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, Ro-Tel, chicken broth, sour cream, cumin, ancho chile powder, oregano, and chipotle chile powder. Once thickened, youll add some sauce to the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish, top with a layer of cooked chicken, more sauce, cheese, and corn tortillas. Then, youll repeat the layers once more and top the tortillas with cheese before baking in a 350-degree F oven until bubbly. Its the perfect easy, hearty comfort meal for a weeknight dinnerand after one bite, youll understand why McConaughey couldnt stop smiling while eating his piece. Youll probably be shoveling down a plate, too. Get the Recipe Read the original article on ALLRECIPES NYPD Suspects in the attempted robbery of 71-year-old New York City woman An elderly New York City woman fought off four potential robbers on New Years Day. Linda Rosa, a retired MTA worker from East New York in Brooklyn, was on her way to a church service on Wednesday, Jan. 1, when she was attacked by four teenage girls, according to The New York Post. The NYPD confirmed the report to PEOPLE, stating that "the individuals attempted to remove the victims bag and struck her about the body" at about 6 p.m. local time. "After being unsuccessful in their attempts, the individuals then fled the subway heading towards unknown whereabouts," the department continued in a statement. Rosa, 71, told the Post that she had exited a subway train at the Hoyt Street stop in Brooklyn and had just walked through a turnstile to leave the station when one of the four girls attempted to snatch her purse. And then I [thought to myself], Oh, no, this is not going to happen today, she recalled to the outlet. Rosa went on to detail that one of the young women punched her in the face, causing her glasses to fly to the floor, at which point a second teen grabbed a pouch containing Rosa's ID and medical records. I was still wrestling with the first person, Rosa told the outlet. Then I was trying to kick her in between her legs, but my leg wouldnt stretch far enough. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty N.Y.C. subway platform (stock image) I fell, and then she [the first assailant] stomped on me, she continued, adding, I got an impression in me that she was going to stomp me again, but she was going to aim towards my head. So I got up right away, and with that, I grabbed her braids and twirled them around my right hand, and then I pulled her down. 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. Rosa said it was at this point that the teen who had grabbed her pouch tossed it to the floor and also came towards her. So out of nowhere, I grabbed her hair and twisted it around my left hand, Rosa said. So I had them both facedown ... [like] rams when theyre getting ready to fight. Rosa then said that she began yelling for assistance while she continued to hold the two girls by their hair. She said she eventually did let go, at which point all four teens ran away. Rosa said she continued on to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, where congregation members tended to her wounds and called the police. She was then taken to the Brooklyn Hospital Center for treatment of "minor injuries," per the NYPD's statement to PEOPLE. The NYPD has since released video footage of the four attackers, which shows them passing through subway turnstiles moments before the attack. Police have since asked for the public's help in tracking down the suspects. For her part, Rosa said she does not harbor any ill will toward her attackers. I forgive them. They do not know what they do, she told the Post. They dont know what they did. Its just teenagers acting foolish. Read the original article on People By Francois Murphy VIENNA (Reuters) -Talks between Austria's two main centrist parties on forming a coalition government without the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) collapsed on Saturday, prompting conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer to announce he would step down. A day earlier a third party, the liberal Neos, walked away from the talks, blaming the other parties for failing to take the bold and decisive action it said it had called for. "I will stand down as chancellor and as leader of the People's Party in the coming days and enable an orderly transition," Nehammer said in a video statement on X, after talks with the Social Democrats (SPO). The coalition talks' collapse three months after September's parliamentary election underscores the growing difficulty of forming stable governments in European countries, such as Germany and France, where the far right is on the rise but many parties are loath to partner with them. The eurosceptic, Russia-friendly FPO won that election with roughly 29% of the vote. It would have needed a coalition partner to govern but Nehammer ruled out governing with FPO leader Herbert Kickl, meaning no potential coalition partner for the FPO was forthcoming. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, a former leader of the Greens, therefore tasked Nehammer with forming a government. Now that Nehammer is stepping down, the two most likely options are either that Kickl is tasked with forming a government or a snap election is called. Nehammer has described Kickl is too much of a conspiracy theorist to lead a government yet has said much of the FPO is trustworthy. Kickl, however, is not an outlier within his party, which overlaps with Nehammer's party on issues such as immigration. The leadership of Nehammer's People's Party (OVP) was due to meet on Sunday morning to discuss who should succeed him. Whoever takes over is likely to be more open to a coalition with the FPO, which a large portion of the OVP favours. The two parties governed in coalition under OVP leadership from 2017 until 2019, when the FPO's then-leader was felled by a video-sting scandal and that coalition collapsed. FAR RIGHT RISING Support for the FPO has grown since the last election. It holds a lead of more than 10 points over the People's Party (OVP) and the SPO, opinion polls show. That poses a dilemma for President Van der Bellen, who has expressed reservations about Kickl becoming chancellor. SPO leader Andreas Babler confirmed at a news conference that the talks had collapsed, blaming Nehammer's party for seeking to skimp on pensions and salaries for teachers and police officers. Nehammer blamed the SPO for insisting on taxing wealth and inheritance, the SPO's flagship campaign policy. "We know what threatens to happen now. An FPO-OVP government with a right-wing extremist chancellor that will endanger our democracy on many points," Babler said. Kickl, who has consistently railed against the coalition talks and Van der Bellen's decision not to task him with forming a government, again likened those talks to the three-party "traffic-light coalition" in Germany which recently collapsed. "Nehammer, Babler and Van der Bellen have also failed. They were the architects of the loser traffic light (coalition) and are now confronted with the ruins of their Kickl prevention strategy," Kickl said in a statement. "Alexander Van der Bellen bears a significant share of the responsibility for the chaos that has arisen and the time that has been lost ... After today's events, he is under pressure to act." (Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Jason Neely) On Oct. 31, 2020, at around 5 a.m. Livye Lewis was found unresponsive in her car on the side of a road in Hemphill, Texas. Her ex-boyfriend, Matthew Edgar, said he had no memory of what happened to Lewis or how he ended up in the fetal position behind her car. Livye Lewis, 19, was a recent high school graduate who had dreams of becoming a physician's assistant. / Credit: Wandering Rose Photography To find out what happened to Livye, investigators had to retrace her steps from the night before. 2:30 a.m. | A party turned sour About two hours before Lewis was found in her car, she was at a friend's pre-Halloween party. Edgar, her ex-boyfriend, and his ex-wife, Montana Bockel, were also there. Lewis had broken up with Edgar a few weeks before, and according to the party's host, Bobby Ozan, Lewis and Bockel were enjoying the night while ignoring Edgar. By 2:30 a.m., most people had already left the party except Lewis and Bockel. According to Bockel's first interview with investigators, Edgar suddenly returned to Ozan's house and overheard that Lewis was going to spend the night with Ozan. Dents on Montana Bockel's car after Bobby Ozan says Matthew Edgar This made Edgar so furious that he started attacking Bockel, feeling she could have stopped Lewis. He was also kicking Bockel's car. Ozan tried to restrain Edgar, giving Bockel and Lewis a chance to escape. Bockel headed to Edgar's grandparents' home seeking refuge, but it is unclear where Lewis was headed. Once inside Edgar's grandparents' home, Bockel began texting Edgar. Those texts would become key evidence in the case. 3:34 a.m. | Livye is "Dead" Edgar was angry at Bockel because he said she knew about Lewis and Ozan. Bockel and Lewis had a friendly relationship. Timestamps show Matthew Edgar and Montana Bockel were communicating by text at 3:34 a.m. on Oct. 31, 2020. / Credit: Sabine County Sheriff's Office At 3:34 a.m., Bockel texted Edgar asking where Lewis was. He responded: "Dead." 3:30 to 5 a.m. | The crime scene The text messages indicate Edgar was at the scene at around 3:30 a.m.. A pickup truck that belonged to Edgar's cousin was parked behind Lewis' car. Livye Lewis was found shot dead inside her vehicle (foreground). A pickup truck belonging to Matthew Edgar's cousin is behind Lewis' car. Matthew Edgar was found on the ground in the fetal position between the car and the truck. / Credit: Sabine County Sheriff's Office "I think she pulled over to talk to him and I'll tell you why," Sabine County Sheriff's Investigator J.P. MacDonough told "48 Hours." She was just sitting there with her legs crossed. Well, it indicates to me she was not afraid It was not a fight or flight thing where she was prepared to just bolt out the car. She was actually, to some degree, comfortable with who she was speaking with." 5:15 a.m. | A passerby calls 911 An image from bodycam video of the passerby who called 911 on Oct. 31, 2020. / Credit: Sabine County Sheriff's Office A 911 call was placed around 5:15 a.m. The caller had seen a car on the side of the road and stopped to help. She discovered a grisly scene. Lewis didn't have a pulse. She was dead from a gunshot wound to the neck. Around 6 a.m | Evidence at the scene Matthew Edgar's rifle the murder weapon -- was found at the crime scene. / Credit: Sabine County Sheriff's Office When first responders arrived, they discovered Edgar on the ground. While Edgar was transported to the hospital, investigators processed the scene. They located a rifle in the nearby grass that they later linked to a bullet fragment found inside Lewis' car. 7:39 a.m. | A mother looking for answers At around 7:30 a.m., Darci Bass arrived at the scene looking for her daughter Livye Lewis. Bass had gotten a call from a friend saying something happened to Lewis. Darci Bass says she was not notified by police of her daughter's death. Instead, she heard from a friend that Lewis was in trouble and showed up at the crime scene. Her anguished cries for answers were caught on police bodycam video. / Credit: Sabine County Sheriff's Office Bass' interaction with officers at the scene was captured on bodycam footage. She asked at least 23 times where Lewis was, but authorities seemed reluctant to tell her. Finally, once they said Lewis was sitting in her car, Bass dropped to the ground, realizing her daughter had been killed. 7:28 a.m. | Hospital interview with Matthew Edgar While the scene investigation continued,. MacDonough met with Edgar at the hospital. He captured the entire encounter on bodycam. Sabine County Sheriff's Investigator J.P. MacDonough interviewed Matthew Edgar at the hospital, where Edgar was later arrested and charged with Livye Lewis' murder. / Credit: Sabine County Sheriff's Office A bloodied Edgar claimed he did not remember how he ended up on the ground on the side of the road. After admitting he drank an entire bottle of whiskey the night before, Edgar says the last thing he remembers is falling asleep on his porch and then waking up in the ambulance. MacDonough informed Edgar that Lewis was found dead in her car. Edgar appears to cry but MacDonough wasn't buying his story. MacDonough arrested Matthew Edgar for Livye Lewis' murder while he was still on that hospital bed. Around 8:15 a.m. | DNA evidence Livye Lewis' blood was found on the pants Matthew Edgar wore the night of her death. / Credit: Sabine County Sheriff's Office While at the hospital MacDonough also gathered Edgar's clothing as evidence. DNA testing revealed a tiny drop of Lewis' blood on Edgar's pants that later became key evidence for prosecutors. But Edgar's defense attorney, Rob Hughes, argued it was impossible to tell how long the blood had been there. Jan. 4, 2022: Matthew Edgar's trial begins Matthew Edgar and his mother Cindy Hogan leave the Sabine County Courthouse during his trial. Edgar, who was still out on bond, walked in and out of court like a free man. / Credit: Sabine County Reporter Matthew Edgar was free on bail. On Jan. 4, 2022, Edgar went on trial, but he only faced the jury for two days. On the third day of testimony, Edgar failed to show up to his own murder trial. His mother, Cindy Hogan, informed Hughes that her son was nowhere to be found. Authorities say Edgar had let the battery on his ankle monitor die and escaped most likely on foot. The trial continued without him, and he was found guilty. 2022 | Where is Matthew Edgar? With Edgar on the run, Bass put up wanted posters in hopes of finding her daughter's killer. Darci Bass posted homemade wanted posters around town after Matthew Edgar fled. / Credit: Darci Bass "That time was was horrible. It was scary. And I thought that he was going to just get away and nobody was looking, and I was having to make wanted posters and go hand 'em out at the flea markets or little events that they had around town, put 'em up in the store windows with people telling me to take it down," Bass told "48 Hours." Dec. 29, 2022 | Matthew Edgar captured A still from body camera video shows Matthew Edgar's arrest on Dec. 20, 2022, after evading authorities for nearly a year. / Credit: Sabine County Sheriff's Office Nearly a year later, U.S. Marshals along with the Sabine County Sheriff's Office and Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, found and arrested Edgar. It turns out the house where he was found was just yards away from his grandparents' home. Investigators later determined that the home belonged to a family friend. Edgar's mother Cindy Hogan was also found at the house when Edgar was captured. Jan. 3, 2023 | Matthew Edgar formally sentenced Matthew Edgar is seen leaving court after being sentenced for the murder of Livye Lewis. / Credit: KJAS On Jan. 3, 2023, Edgar was formally sentenced to 99 years in jail with the possibility for parole after 30 years, for the murder of Livye Lewis. Tiger Bech's family on his final moments after New Orleans attack ATF head warns that the Trump administration's funding cut plans could risk lives Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum director on his life, impact The owner of a marijuana dispensary in the Big Apple is on a financial high after his budding business raked in about $7 million in sales last year - nearly two decades after he was locked up for selling weed. Someones in cannabliss. The owner of a marijuana dispensary in the Big Apple is on a financial high after his budding business raked in about $7 million in sales last year nearly two decades after he was locked up for selling weed. Everything that really made me where Im at right now is showing up every single day and putting in that work whether I had to clean the floor or the sidewalk or wipe something down or pick something up, Coss Marte, the founder and CEO of ConBud, told CNBC. Coss Marte went from convict to entrepreneur. CNBC I was just showing up. We dont take days off. I work 365-days a year. I love the hustle. I love the grind. I love the work. Marte, who was busted on a drug conviction in 2009 that landed him a seven-year prison sentence, now projects his booming business will bring in $12 million this year, boasting an $800,000 monthly profit, the outlet reported. Martes cannabis store ConBud located in the Lower East Side. CNBC ConBud, one of the first businesses fully-licensed to sell recreational cannabis in Manhattan and the first in the citys Lower East Side, sells various ganja goodies, with prices ranging from $10 to $700. The pot proprietor had his conviction expunged in 2021 when New York legalized adult-use weed and announced a year later that entrepreneurs with cannabis convictions on their records or their families could receive recreational marijuana licenses. Marte greeting a customer at his shop. CNBC Marte opened his first location on Delancey and Orchard Streets in October 2023 and has since expanded his growing business to The Bronx. I was following this law, and what they required was two years of a net profitable business and a conviction on your record, Marte said, the outlet reported. Now how many people have that to qualify for a cannabis license? Not many. Thirteen licenses were awarded to entrepreneurs with arrest records in the city in November 2022. Marte initially gained a huge following after launching a no-frills, prison-style boot camp upon his release from prison in 2013. Martes shop did $7 million in business in 2024. CNBC While serving his four-year prison term at Greene Correctional Facility in upstate New York, a doctor warned Marte he would die within years if he didnt take better care of himself. Marte lost 70 lbs. behind bars and eventually turned his work-out routine into a business. Marte launched ConBody and opened his own studio in January 2016 at Broome and Eldridge streets the same corner where he once sold drugs starting when he was 13-years-old and hired fellow ex-cons as trainers, maintenance and customer-service workers. The former dealer has adhered to that hiring practice since opening his cannabis shop. I still dont believe I work here everyday, a ConBud employee told the outlet. Marte served four years at Greene Correctional Facility. CNBC I come in and get an actual tax-paying check for selling marijuana. Its crazy. The legal cannabis industry in New York is expected to soar in 2025, with state regulators projecting the number of new licensed pot stores will more than double from 275 to more than 625. In 2024, consumers purchased more than $840 million in legal ganja. When factoring in sales from 2023, the legal market has exceeded the milestone of $1 billion in total sales. The Office of Cannabis Management said sales this year could exceed $1.5 billion, or about double last years haul while law enforcement will expand efforts to padlock illegal stores. Its a big, big community thats growing with us, Marte told the outlet. I feel blessed. This combination of photos shows former President Donald Trump in New York, April 23, 2024, from left, President Joe Biden in Scranton, Pa., April 16, 2024, and former President Jimmy Carter, July 10, 2021, in Plains, Ga. Trump is running against Biden, but Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, keeps bringing up Carter. Trump likes to cite the 99-year-old former president as a measuring stick to belittle Biden. (AP Photo) Associated Press Carter's legacy Regarding "Jimmy Carter was as great a president as he was an ex-president | Editorial," (Dec. 29): Jimmy Carter versus Donald Trump, what a contrast! Carter spoke the truth to the American people, even at his own political peril. Trump tells untruths for his own political gain. Carter created a long-lasting peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, but Trump and his family are using the Middle East for their own financial gains. Carter and Rosalynn had a strong moral compass and became great humanitarians, while Trump has no morality as evidenced by his conviction on sexual charges, unfaithfulness to his wives and untruths told to Americans. History and the Great Creator will judge each, with Carter being at the top and Trump at the very bottom. What a contrast indeed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad John Martinez, Houston Of all the praises and tributes being paid to Jimmy Carter, Tuesday's Houston Chronicle editorial cartoon, to me, is the best and most respectful. It hits the nail on the head with the drawing of heaven and the words, "Turn in your tools Jimmy. We built a house for you." It brought tears to my eyes. Audrey Schambon, Houston Carter did his stint then returned home to live under the situation he helped create. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jack Gaarder, Spring Carter, the man: decent, good, rare Christian who practiced what he preached. Carter, the president: terrible, worst president we've had until Biden stole the honor. J. Jones, La Porte Children could be children Regarding "How Jimmy Carter built 100 homes during one scorching week in June 1998," (Dec. 29): Thanks for the memories of that Habitat for Humanity week. I was a volunteer with Habitat for over 10 years through my church. Our leaders at that time volunteered us for the first day build, the framing. And it was hot. By 11 a.m., I had asked for an aspirin from the medic tent. By 1 p.m., I figured if I went back for another, Id be on a gurney and off to the hospital. I was close to a heat stroke. So I went home. I was on my third giant ice tea, watching TV, only to see myself walk behind a TV reporter taping an interview. My tool belt low on my hips with hammers swinging, bandanna around my neck and a hard hat. Luckily from my best side (rear), so no one recognized me. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I kept on volunteering. Most of the houses on Waco street have nails I hammered in with a plain hammer, no power tools. One Saturday, I took a break and watched two young Black boys, 10 or 11 years old, riding their bikes around the two blocks we had built. In a safe place, just like I had been blessed to have as a child. Only a few blocks away was the strip for prostitution and drugs. But on this street, children could be children. Thats why I kept building. Mary T. McGuire, Houston Inauguration Day is coming Regarding "When is Inauguration Day? How you can get tickets to the 60th Presidential Inauguration in January," (Dec. 30): In a few short days, a new president and new Congress will take their oaths of office. Our responsibility to vote will take a break until the next round of elections, but our responsibility to be actively engaged in our democracy continues. One of those responsibilities is to hold those elected public officials accountable for executing the duties of their offices and supporting the Constitution, whose goals include ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare and securing the blessings of liberty not just for voters who supported them, and certainly not just for wealthy individuals. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The president-elect has nominated 13 billionaires to his administration, including two unelected businessmen with no government experience charged with restructuring the federal government. Wealth is not an indication of character, but it is hard to imagine an advisory group less representative of our citizenry. It will be up to us to demand our elected officials honor their oaths. Cathy Murphree, Richardson Substance abuse Regarding "Deaths involving substances spiked 75% in Harris County over the last five years, figures show," (Dec. 21): I am writing in response to an article by Tanya Babbar that cited statistics about drug use and substance deaths in youth. The article ended with the following statement, "The ZIP codes in Harris County that saw the highest number of substance-related deaths were also shown to have the most limited access to substance-use treatment centers." I work with a nonprofit organization called Adult and Teen Challenge of Texas which has residential centers in the Houston area. We have a men's program in Magnolia and a women's center in Alvin. We serve people from all backgrounds and areas who are willing to participate in a 12-month, faith-based program to help them overcome life-controlling issues, namely substance abuse. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I wanted to make you aware that this service exists for anyone having limited access to help. We charge $1,500 for an admissions fee, but we do not turn anyone away for lack of funds. Through private donations we are able to provide this incredible service, which has been shown to have a 78% success rate for graduates of the program, even up to two years post-graduation. Please make your readers aware of Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas (www.tctexas.org) so that they can get the help they need. If you would like to respond for additional information, I would be happy to speak with anyone. Vinny Ferraiolo. There is a lot that Faith Ferraiolo doesnt know about the 2014 death of her father, 48-year-old Vincent Vinny Ferraiolo. No one knows what happened, Faith told Dateline. It was just rumors on Facebook groups. But he was a person. He was my favorite person. Faith and her father, Vinny. Faith was 11 years old when her fathers body was found hanging inside his exotic pet shop off Ironbridge Road in Chesterfield, Virginia, on January 3, 2014. [My family] just said that he died. I didnt know for a long time what happened, she said. There was one moment where my mom had mentioned briefly that alluded to the fact that there was something else going on. But but, like, no details, nothing. Of all the questions Faith has about her fathers death, one is most elusive did Vinny Ferraiolo die by suicide, or was he murdered? Now 22, Faith is determined to find the truth. The Life of Vinny Ferraiolo Vinny Ferraiolo. Faith has vibrant, poignant memories of her father. He loved Superman. And hed dress up for school and, like, just I dont think it was for anything, she told Dateline. Just like a random Tuesday or something, and he just, like, would go to school, like, decked out in like his Superman stuff his cape and everything. Vinny was a science teacher at Thomas Dale High School in Chesterfield. All his students have always just, like, adored him so much, Faith remembered. He would do anything to make people laugh. Faith told Dateline she makes a conscious effort to embody her fathers spirit. He just made everything so magical, and he made you see the world in that kind of whimsical way, she said. It reminds me to, like, stop taking life so seriously. Vinny Ferraiolo holding a snake. Vinny was also the owner of an exotic animal pet shop. One of his employees was a high school student named Tripp Ford, who said that, despite having four sons of his own, Vinny made Tripp feel like another son. He was nothing short of a hero, Tripp told Dateline. He described Vinny as one of the most beloved members of the Chesterfield community a local celebrity. He was the best human being I have ever met in my entire life, Tripp said. He always only ever inspired me and pushed me to do great things. 11 years after his death, Tripp continues to be inspired by Vinny. And he just like Faith is demanding answers about his death. The Death of Vinny Ferraiolo On the night of January 2, 2014, Vinny asked Faith if she wanted to come to the pet store with him the next day. I think I just, like, wanted to sleep in, Faith remembered. She did not go to the store with her father the next morning. Vinny was scheduled to have a reptile show that day at the store around 10 a.m. According to Faith, her father would show up to work sometime before 8 a.m. whenever he had a show, and would park in the parking lot out front because it was easier to move materials in and out of the store from there. Once done, he would move his car back where he usually parked. Around 12:30 p.m., a nearby store owner noticed that Vinnys car was still parked in the parking lot rather than around back, so they went to check on him. According to Chesterfield Police Department Criminal Investigations Division Captain Randy Horowitz, the store owner found Vinnys body with a rope around his neck hanging from the ceiling inside the shop. The call came in at 12:30 from one of the other store owners noting that they had found him, Capt. Horowitz told Dateline. Vinny Ferraiolo. Tripp was scheduled to work at the store that day. I was supposed to meet him at about eight oclock that morning. I didnt wake up till about 11, he said. The fact that he didnt call me that morning to wake me up and to let me know to meet him was also strange. Faith told Dateline she later learned that her father had canceled the show that morning. Tripp headed to the store shortly after waking up. I ran up there and then thats when I saw the first police car pulling up, he said. According to Captain Horowitz, Vinny was pronounced dead at 12:51 p.m. Faith was at home with her siblings when it all happened. She remembers her mother coming inside the house later that evening followed by several family members. As everyone gathered inside the living room and her mother approached her, Faith began to feel uneasy. Theres always a moment where you realize somethings not quite right. It was that moment, Faith recalled. She just knelt down in front of me -- and you can tell shed been crying -- and she just all she said was, Daddy died. Faith says she did not learn any details about her fathers death in the months after his body was found. She remembers that time as being a blur, the only solid memory being a sense of helplessness. There were no answers. There was no closure, she said. There was nothing. Just a question. What happened to Vinny Ferraiolo? The Investigation About six months after Vinnys death, the Office of the Medical Examiner of Virginia declared it a homicide. The Chesterfield Police Department, however, did not agree with that assessment. The Medical Examiner was concerned because there were two sets of marks on the neck, Captain Horowitz explained. The injuries Vinny sustained on his neck were uneven across either side something the captain says is generally uncommon for people who die by hanging. Its not the most common break to have that break but were not talking, like, one-in-a-million, he said. Its our belief that he attempted to commit suicide and the rope did not hold, and then he was more successful on the second trial. Dateline requested a copy of the medical examiners report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia. In an email to Dateline, Central District Administrator LaKeshia Johnson said the office was unable to provide the full report. However, she was able to confirm Vinnys manner and cause of death. The manner of death is homicide and the cause of death is ligature strangulation, Johnson wrote in the email. Unfortunately, we will not be able to discuss anything additional. Tripp Ford believes Vinnys death was a homicide. He told Dateline that when he arrived at the shop that morning at about the same time as the police, the fish tanks had been moved, blocking both the front door and Vinnys body from view. Everything was thrown all over the place, he said. He did not do that himself. Tripp says he still vividly remembers the way the store looked when he went inside. There was blood everywhere in the back office, on the register, on the walls, everywhere up to where his body was hanging, he said. I had to clean it myself. The pet store on Jan. 3, 2014. During his interview with Dateline, Capt. Horowitz addressed Tripps recollection of the scene, noting that the door was not barricaded when police arrived. [Tripp] recalled puddles of blood, and blood spurting onto the walls, and splattered on the walls, Horowitz said. There was a small amount of blood but it wasnt on the walls, and it wasnt puddling. The captain confirmed that Vinny had wounds on his hands. He also had a knot on the back of his head and some blood on the ladder he appeared to have used. According to Horowitz, the ladder was partially knocked over. There was blood on his hands, pants and face, but no evidence of a laceration, he said. Theres no question that he fell at one point, Horowitz said of the injury to Vinnys head. As far as the wounds on his hands, speaking to people who worked with him or worked at the store and knew him from the store said it was not unusual for him to have lots of cuts and bruises on his hands from the way he handled animals. But all those injuries were consistent with the idea that he attempted to commit suicide by hanging and the rope did not hold and then he made a second attempt, which was successful. Vinny Ferraiolo. According to Captain Horowitz, Vinnys case was closed as a suicide in August of 2014, despite the medical examiners assessment. This occurred after the department received a report from the DFS [Department of Forensic Science] Lab and after consultation with the Commonwealths Attorney Office, he wrote in a follow-up email to Dateline. During the original investigation, the Chesterfield Police Department used DNA testing technology on a piece of paper with red stains, a swab of a red stain from the microwave, and a piece of paper towel with red stains from the top of a sink. The lab report indicated that all items tested returned found no foreign DNA and only the DNA of Mr. Ferraiolo, Captain Horowitz wrote. In September 2019, Vinnys case was assigned to a detective in the Unsolved Major Investigations Group of the Chesterfield Police Department for additional review. After review, a few more items were sent to the DFS for additional testing and they also returned found no foreign DNA and only the DNA of Mr. Ferraiolo, Captain Horowitz wrote in an email to Dateline. The case remained closed after the lab results showed no new leads. After that detective retired, the investigation was reassigned to another officer within the same group in June 2022. This detective re-interviewed multiple witnesses and had the computer of Mr. Ferraiolo inspected, Captain Horowitz wrote. This examination revealed numerous Google searches indicative of a person experiencing mental health issues. According to Captain Horowitz, the Chesterfield Police Department met with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia on June 17, 2024, to discuss the case again. Essentially, they were not interested in hearing anything different, he said. We presented them with our information, they have their thoughts, and we walked away agreeing to disagree. Vinny Ferraiolo. Vinnys daughter, Faith, also disagrees. Why the two ligature marks? Why was [the neck broken unevenly]? Why was there a bloody tissue on the ground? Why was he still parked out front? she questioned. Why was there no note then? Why would he invite me to go to the store with him that day? Why? Its like so much of it did not make sense. More than a decade after walking into the pet shop that day, Tripp Ford asks himself those same questions and comes to the same conclusion. Theres just no way he just up and decided to do that and to leave his body there for us to discover, he told Dateline. That is not something he would have ever done. Tripp believes the Chesterfield Police Department mishandled Vinnys case, claiming they did not conduct a proper thorough investigation into his manner of death. Captain Horowitz responded to that allegation. He was a very popular teacher. People cared about him and, from what I can tell, he cared about a lot of people. People dont want it to be this but we followed the evidence and thats what the evidence is showing us, he told Dateline. If the question is, Did we take it serious? The answer is, Yes. 11 Years Later Ultimately, Faith knows she may never understand her fathers death in the way that she wants to. I might never get an answer. There might never be anything definite, of course. Its been so long, she said. She does, however, feel comforted by the fact that sharing her fathers story keeps his memory alive. Its just the first time I ever felt like I I could help. I could do something, she said. I just want to make him proud. Tripp told Dateline he thinks of Vinny often and hopes for justice. Shame to whoever did this. I wont go a day without believing in it and knowing for a fact that he was murdered, he said. He was such a great person and its a damn shame that he hasnt been able to rest. Vinny with four of his kids. Everyones like, My dads the best. Like, my dad really was the best, Faith said. Im 22, almost 23 now. I havent had a dad since I was 11. I have never met anyone as caring, as giving, as kind, as loved, as just loved by everyone as good as my dad was. Captain Horowitz says that even though the case is closed, if theres new information that comes forward on this case or any case were always open to hear that, he said. And if it raises to the level that we think requires us to reopen it, were more than happy to do that. Anyone with information about the death of Vinny Ferraiolo should contact the Chesterfield Police Department at 804-748-1251 or Chesterfield Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660. If you have a story to share with Dateline, please submit it here. The debate over highly skilled foreign workers is heating up. A contentious exchange over foreign workers that began during Christmas between conservative activist Laura Loomer and Elon Musk has spilled over from X, now with a prominent Democrat weighing in. The focus, though, has turned away from undocumented workers, a central theme in Donald Trump's presidential campaign last year, to those here legally on H-1B visas. Critics of the work visa program worry that these workers are displacing Americans by providing cheaper labor, especially in the tech industry, which is the largest sponsor of these visas. Supporters say there are simply not enough US workers to fill the demand needed in these growing industries and the program's rules prevent wage suppression. "This program should not and was not intended to substitute the American talent. It was designed to supplement it and, by and large, it has been working," Jeanne Batalova, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, told Yahoo Finance. But she noted that some companies have used the program in a way that's "not within the spirit of the law," which is part of what is fueling the current debate. Here's what to know. Elon Musk speaks after President-elect Donald Trump spoke during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) What is the H-1B visa program? Created in 1990 by the Immigration Act, the H-1B is a temporary, nonimmigrant visa program that allows companies to request permission to hire very skilled foreign workers with at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent. (Fashion models "of distinguished merit and ability" also fall under this visa category but without the education requirements, according to the US Department of Labor.) If granted the visa, a foreign worker can initially stay in the US under the H-1B for three years, with a possible extension to six years. But some workers stay on H-1B visas for longer than that if they have an approved petition for a green card. "We limit the number of people from any given country that can get a green card in a given year, so you can stay in H-1B status while you're waiting to make the country's quota," Mark Regets, a senior fellow at the National Foundation for American Policy, said. Since the H-1B status was created, Congress has limited the number of new H-1B visas available each year. Currently, the annual cap is 65,000 new H-1B visas and an additional 20,000 for foreign professionals who graduate with a masters degree or higher from a US university. That hasn't changed since 2006. Where do H-1B visa holders work? The biggest industry by far using H-1B visas is what's categorized as professional, scientific, and technical services, which made up almost half of all approved initial visas in fiscal year 2024. Following that were educational services at 11.9% of all approvals, manufacturing at 9.3%, and healthcare and social assistance at 6.5%. The largest employers of H-1B visas are subsequently concentrated in the tech sector, starting with Amazon (AMZN), which had 3,871 approved H-1B petitions for new employment in fiscal year 2024, followed by Cognizant (CTSH) (2,873), Infosys (INFY) (2,504), TCS (1,452), and IBM (IBM) (1,348). Other tech behemoths like Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), and Apple (AAPL) are included in the top 25. Of special note, Musk's Tesla (TSLA) came in at No. 16 on the top employers for initial H-1B visa approvals at 742. Non-tech companies like Ernst & Young, Walmart (WMT), Goldman Sachs (GS), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), and Citibank (C) all appear in the top 25 as well, according to the National Foundation for American Policy, using data from the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub. Overall, more than 30,000 employers across the US had at least one H-1B visa petition approved in 2024, and over half of those new petitions went to employers that filed 20 or fewer applications. Employers in California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia had the most approved H-1B petitions for initial employment last year. Do H-1B workers displace American workers and harm wages? The H-1B visa program has rules employers must follow to make sure hiring a foreign worker doesn't harm US ones. Before an employer can file a petition for a visa, it must first attest on an application certified by the Department of Labor that employing an H-1B worker won't hurt the wages or working conditions of similar US workers. An employer is also required to notify its employees that it plans to hire an H-1B worker. In the tech field, several experts said that the growth in those industries has occurred so quickly that there are too many positions available and not enough qualified US workers to fill them. That's why tech companies turn to foreign labor to meet the demand now. "If you're looking to grow an industry quickly, you don't necessarily have time for a whole workforce to take 10 years to get their PhD in semiconductor nanorobotics," said Courtney Shupert, an economist at MacroPolicy Perspectives. "You want all of those PhDs now." Still, researchers at the Economic Policy Institute noted that the supply-demand imbalance for workers in the tech industry has been overstated. Other EPI research shows tech companies continue to hire H-1B workers in large numbers while shrinking their US workforces. They conclude that some tech companies are turning to cheaper foreign workers rather than hiring US workers. Other employers have brought over foreign tech workers and leased them out to other US companies, which lay off their IT departments made up of local, more expensive workers, according to EPI. Why are H-1B workers cheaper? They aren't supposed to be. To ensure wages remain competitive, an employer must pay the H-1B worker either the same wage it gives to other employees with similar experience and qualifications for a given job or the prevailing wage for that position in the area it's located, whichever is higher. Regets said studies have found that most people with a temporary work visa in the US with a college degree or higher actually earn a bit more than a comparable US-born worker. Another study showed that native-born IT professionals earn more than other US-born professionals, indicating there's no suppression of wages due to H-1B workers in the industry. But the EPI found that some companies, again often in the tech field, are taking advantage of how the program level-sets wages to pay H-1B workers less than what a US worker in the same position would make. Batalova noted that some companies, often in the tech sector, have exploited loopholes in the rules of the H-1B program. (Even Musk acknowledged the program "needs major reform" around setting minimum salaries.) Some of these issues are getting addressed, with new rules requiring that a petition is for a specific worker rather than a position, Batalova said. These kinds of efforts should deter fraud, but "not be so stifling that [the program] doesn't work in practice," she said, noting there are very real needs H-1B workers are filling. Not only is our workforce shrinking as the baby boomers retire, but the pandemic also exacerbated shortages in certain industries, such as teachers in K-12 education. Sen. Bernie Sanders, in a release this week raising concerns about the visa program, asked: "Can we really not find English teachers in America?" The answer appears to be no in some school districts. The city of Dallas has been leaning on international educators due to a shortage of bilingual teachers in the US. In 2022, the Camden City School District in New Jersey turned to foreign labor to help fill 28 open positions it couldn't find hires for after months of searching. And Milwaukee Public Schools in 2023 brought in 140 teachers from other countries, including Nigeria, Mexico and the Philippines, amid the teacher shortage. H-1B visas also allow international students graduating from US medical schools to stay in the country and work in hospitals or clinics in underserved and often remote or rural areas, Batalova said, places incidentally "where American workers will not go." Correction: The article has been corrected throughout to denote that the H-1B program is a work visa program, not an immigration program. Janna Herron is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X @JannaHerron. Items resembling homemade explosives were found in the car of a Virginia man arrested on New Year's Day, according to officials. On Wednesday, police officers arrested Alexander Sweetman, 19, from Arlington, Virginia, after investigating reports of a suspicious driver wearing a ski mask, according to a press release posted to the Warren County Virginia Sheriff's Office's Facebook. He was apprehended after fleeing police on foot after deputies tried to approach him at a 7-Eleven. Warren County, Virginia is located about 80 miles west of Washington, D.C. Police originally received reports of a suspicious vehicle, a dark-colored Honda, off a roadway. But, when they arrived at the scene, they could not find the vehicle. A vehicle was later reported that matched the description of the Honda at a 7-Eleven, near where the suspect was apprehended. According to police, a preliminary investigation revealed that Sweetman did not own the car, did not have a driver's license and "exhibited signs of potential mental health issues." Biden to visit New Orleans: Law enforcement concerned over copycat vehicle attacks In the car, police found "burglary tools" and, after obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle, found several objects that looked like homemade explosives, according to police. The Warren County Fire Marshal's Office, Loudoun County Bomb Squad, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division were contacted for assistance. Bomb Squad technicians the removed devices from the car and conducted a controlled detonation. While police conducted a search for any discarded items at the location Sweetman and the vehicle were originally reported, explosive detection canines were taken to the area for an additional search after the explosives were found. What was Sweetman charged with? Sweetman was taken to a hospital for a medical evaluation and, once cleared, was taken to the Rappahannock-Shenandoah-Warren Regional Jail, where he was charged with the following, according to police: Obstruction of justice Possession of burglarious tools Wearing a mask to conceal identity Driving without a license Manufacturing and possessing explosive materials or devices Sweetman is being held at the jail without bond, according to police. What happened? At around 9:30 p.m. local time, the Warren County Emergency Communications Center received reports of a suspicious vehicle, a dark-colored Honda with no visible license plate off a roadway, according to the press release. Reports said the driver wore a ski mask. When deputies arrived at the scene, they were unable to locate the Honda. Police were later notified that a car matching the suspicious vehicle was spotted at a 7-Eleven, according to police. When police approached the driver, who was still wearing the ski mask, he fled on foot and was apprehended. Largest cache of explosive devices seized in Virginia Sweetman's arrest comes weeks after the FBI seized what was described as the largest seizure of explosive devices in the agency's history in Virginia, prosecutors said in court documents. Brad Spafford, 36, of Isle of Wight, Virginia, was arrested on Dec. 17 after federal agents executing a search warrant found more than 150 apparent explosive devices on Spafford's farm east of Newport News, Virginia, according to court records. The suspect was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of an unregistered short-barrel rifle, which carries a potential sentence of 10 years in prison. But Spafford faces additional charges for possession of unregistered destructive devices, said assistant U.S. attorney Rebecca Gantt in a motion filed Dec. 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Police: Virginia man arrested after homemade explosives found in car By Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A massive winter storm moving across the United States will not keep the U.S. Congress from meeting on Monday to formally certify Republican Donald Trump's election as president, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday. "The Electoral Count Act requires this on January 6 at 1 p.m. - so, whether were in a blizzard or not were going to be in that chamber making sure this is done," Johnson told Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" in an interview. Johnson said he hoped there would be full attendance despite the storm and that he had encouraged lawmakers to stay in the city. Forecasts called for heavy snow and high winds from the Central Plains to the mid-Atlantic states, the National Weather Service said. Severe weather advisories were issued across the eastern half of the country, including blizzard warnings in parts of Kansas. In Washington, mixed snow and sleet accumulations were expected to be between three and seven inches (7 to 18 cm), promising a difficult commute and possible closings of schools, government and businesses. Bad winter weather can wreak havoc in the Washington metropolitan area, which has seen mild winters in recent decades and has at times been unprepared for accumulations of snow or ice. The city ordered public schools closed on Monday and school cancellations were also announced in several suburban Virginia counties. School systems in neighboring Maryland were likely to follow suit. Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives returned to Washington on Friday after the winter break and Republicans gathered on Saturday with Johnson to discuss legislative priorities. Republicans won control of both the chambers in November's election. Other leaders stressed they were not contemplating a weather delay. "No change to the schedule," said Lauren Fine, communications director for Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. The certification process, usually a formality, was upended four years ago when supporters of Trump violently stormed the U.S. Capitol in a bid to halt the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden, who won the 2020 election. Trump has continued to falsely claim his 2020 defeat was the result of widespread fraud. Biden and the Democrats say they will honor the 2024 election results and proceed with certification. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu, Patricia Zengerle and Richard Cowan; Editing by Heather Timmons and Chris Reese) 5 January 2025 20:20 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more The irrelevance and toothlessness of the Minsk Group, which has been flogging a dead horse since its establishment, have already been confirmed by Russia, the co-chair of the group, as well. Recently, in a press briefing, the spokesperson of the Russian MFA, Maria Zakharova, touched upon the issue and pointed out that all structures of the Minsk conference, meaning the Minsk Group and the post of the OSCE representative dealing with the Garabagh resolution, are subject to dissolution. She added that the optimal path for making such a decision would be a joint proposal by Baku and Yerevan to disband these structures. It is worth noting that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had previously expressed a similar idea in an interview with an international media outlet. During the interview, Ilham Aliyev rightfully posed the following question: 'If Armenia has recognized Garbagh as part of Azerbaijan, and the Minsk Group was created to resolve the Garabagh issue, why is it still needed?' Supposedly, even Armenia is in favor of the dissolution of the Minsk Group. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that Armenia's stance on the idea of disbanding the OSCE Minsk Group is constructive. This raises an irony: despite two belligerent sides and one of the three co-chairs being in favor of disbanding the group, yet it continues to exist. Why? To put this into perspective, one should look at the date Groups establishment and the reason for its establishment. Thus, the Minsk Group was established in 1992 to moderate peaceful solutions to the Garabagh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. However, from the day it was set up, the Group proved to be toothless or biased, because it did not take any measures against Armenia to cajole it to withdraw its army from invaded Azerbaijani territories. Over the course of 30 years, the chairmen of the Group traveled to the region dozens of times and exerted fruitless efforts. The absurdity of the issue extended to such a degree that even the members of the Group started to mock their own activities. After the 44-day war, reminiscing about the halcyon days, one of them noted that they used to stay in luxury hotels and dine in the most expensive restaurants in Baku and Yerevan when they visited the region. In other words, he just admitted that it had suited them and they had been reluctant to solve the conflict. Instead, they had taken advantage of the conflict and spent a good time at the cost of the agony of millions of refugees. Their inactivity emboldened Armenia to dare to proclaim 'New Wars, New Territories' and to attack Azerbaijan, which resulted in capitulation. More precisely, on September 27, 2020, in the wake of the Armenian attack, Azerbaijan conducted the Counter Assault Operation, which would later be dubbed in history as the Second Garabagh War, or the 44-day war, and liberated its territories from the Armenian invasion. So, this raises questions: 'If Azerbaijan liberated its territories through the war, sacrificing 2,500 of its sons and spending millions of dollars, why did we need the Minsk Group? To feed them? To entertain them in luxury hotels and restaurants? To top it all off, the Garabagh issue has been solved, and Armenia has recognized Garabagh as an integral part of Azerbaijan. So, why do we need the good-for-nothing Minsk Group? Here is the point: Armenia has not learned a lesson from all the tragedies that happened in the last century. Or, the ineffectiveness of international organizations, including the Minsk Group, in the face of Armenia's Garabagh invasion left a sweet taste in the mouth of Yerevan. They do believe that once again they will be able to grab a territory from Azerbaijan and that is why they do their best to keep the Group alive and avoid signing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. Armenia should not forget that Armenia will not get anything good from warring with Azerbaijan. It should not be forgotten that the Garabagh conflict morphed Armenia into a failed state. Every six Armenians have left the country for 30 years. The country has been isolated from all international projects traversing the region. New wars will not bring new territories. On the contrary it will much more decreasing in the population and much more economic problems. So, as they say, action speaks louder, Armenia should come to make its move and together with Azerbaijan apply to the Minsk Group to dissolve it. 5 January 2025 13:15 (UTC+04:00) A total of ten trucks carrying 200 tons of food supplies from Baku have successfully traversed Turkiye and arrived at the Syrian border, Azernews reports. Currently stationed at the Cobanbey border crossing in Kilis, the trucks are awaiting customs clearance before proceeding into Syria. Once they pass through the checkpoint, the aid vehicles will be handed over to AFAD's logistics warehouses. Following necessary preparations, the supplies will be distributed to families in need within Syria. This convoy is part of a broader humanitarian initiative, following directives issued by the President of Azerbaijan on December 30. The aid is aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Syrian population amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis. The convoy comprises nearly 200 tons of essential food and nutrition products, highlighting Azerbaijan's commitment to providing critical support. The organization and dispatch of this aid underscore the logistical and diplomatic efforts required to deliver such a significant amount of resources across international borders. The involvement of AFAD ensures that the transit and delivery processes are efficiently managed, reflecting the strong coordination between Azerbaijani and Turkish authorities. This action also illustrates the broader context of regional cooperation in humanitarian efforts. The crisis in Syria has prompted neighboring countries and international entities to step up their support for those affected by the conflict. Azerbaijan's initiative is a testament to its solidarity with the Syrian people and its commitment to global humanitarian principles. 5 January 2025 11:05 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Italy has significantly increased its natural gas imports from Azerbaijan, Azernews reports citing Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 5 January 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. China's central bank has outlined its monetary and financial priorities for 2025 following a two-day meeting that ended Saturday, emphasizing expanding domestic demand, stabilizing expectations and stimulating vitality to ensure sustained improvement in the Chinese economy, Azernews reports, citing Xinhua. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 5 January 2025 18:10 (UTC+04:00) An award-winning political cartoonist for the Washington Post has announced her resignation after a cartoon depicting the newspapers billionaire owner grovelling before United States President-elect Donald Trump was rejected. Azernews reports via nzherald.co.nz that Ann Telnaes posted on Substack late Friday local time that this was the first time she had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at. The cartoon which she included in her post depicts Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, as well as Facebook and Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and other media and tech moguls, kneeling and holding up bags of money before a massive Trump. Also shown is a prostrated Mickey Mouse, the symbol of the Disney Company, which owns ABC News. The television network recently reached a US$15 million ($26m) settlement with Trump after he sued for defamation over reporting on his sexual abuse trial in New York. Telnaes wrote that while previous sketches of hers had been rejected, this was the first time that had happened because of her point of view. As we prepare to enter the new year, we're taking you back to some of The Daily Wire's best reporting from 2024. This article was originally published on July 2.Birzeit University, located just outside of Ramallah in the West Bank, is home to an overwhelmingly Hamas-affiliated student government that holds on-campus terrorist parades. It also has relationships with some of America's most prestigious universities, despite the fact that its leadership and faculty openly harbor pro-terrorist and anti-American sentiments.The chairwoman of Birzeit's Board of Trustees denied Hamas's brutality and rape on October 7, and the school's official account called fordays after the attack. Yet its relationships in the United States remain largely intact - it has active relationships with Harvard University, Rutgers University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and others across the country.Harvard University is set to host anext month at Birzeit, where students will learn aboutRutgers University affirmed its relationship with Birzeit in May amid student encampment protests and William Paterson University entered into an agreement with the Hamas-run university in 2022 for exchange programs, sharing curricula and joint degree programs. Other schools, such as MIT, have recently co-hosted conferences, invited Birzeit professors for speaking events, or had student groups visit its campus.Experts say the university hassince Hamas' October 7, 2023, terrorist attack, with leadership openly defending the actions and broadcasting lies about the conflict.Birzeit's Terrorist-Sympathizing LeadershipHanan Ashrawi, the chairwoman of Birzeit University's Board of Trustees, has denied Hamas committed sexual assault on Israeli civilians during its October 7 massacre, endorsed the lynching of Israeli soldiers, and defended Hezbollah, according to CAMERA UK.On October 11, Ashrawi wrote that Israel'swasand that the Western mediaAshrawi doubled down on sexual assault denial in March, calling a UN report finding grounds that Hamas committed sexual violence invalid because it included mostly interviews with Israelis.Jonathan Schanzer, Senior Vice President for Research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said he is not surprised that Birzeit's radical views are expressed at the highest levels.Schanzer told The Daily Wire, pointing out that she was once part of the Oslo Accords.In a January 2, 2024 post on X, Ashrawi voiced her frustration with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) killing Saleh al-Arourui, the founding commander of Hamas's military wing, the al-Qassam brigades, who she labeled aHanan Ashrawi, the chairwoman of Birzeit University's Board of Trustees, has denied Hamas committed sexual assault on Israeli civilians during its October 7 massacre.Ashrawi wrote.Ashrawi also sat on the Honorary Editorial Board of the Palestinian Chronicle, the U.S.-based non-profit that employed Abdallah Aljamal, who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in June as three hostages held prisoner in his home were rescued.Previously a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, she was also a founding member of Miftah, an organization with a history of anti-Ssemitism, including publishing an article claiming Jews use Christian blood to make matzah for Passover before apologizing, according to the Times of Israel. Ashrawi was denied a visa to the United States in 2019, according to her Twitter though it is unclear if she was given one in the following years for trips.Schanzer said.Celebrating Anti-Semitic Protests On American CampusesBirzeit itself has a troubling social media history since October 7, including calling forjust three days later, praising terrorists, and declaring support for U.S. student encampments that caused turmoil on campuses, led to the harassment of Jews, and resulted in the cancellation of some commencement ceremonies.In a post on X, Birzeit mournedAysar Safi, a student killed in a combat mission against the IDF, according to the U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which claimed him as a member. In another post, Birzeit shared an image from Safi's on-campus funeral with attendees holding flags of the student wing of the PFLP and Hamas's al-Qassam brigade.Schanzer said.In multiple posts, Birzeit called the encampment activistsand said theirBirzeit's website states.In a joint-letter with other Palestinian universities, Birzeit said the protesters in the encampmentsBirzeit, which describes itself as aand says it is making an impact throughhas openly honored terrorists. The school has a Kamal Nasser Hall, named after the leader of Black September, the terror organization responsible for kidnapping and killing 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.Birzeit was under controversy in 2014 its policy of banning Israeli Jews from campus was exposed when it removed a left-wing reporter for Haaretz from a conference.Birzeit's Anti-American ProfessorsBirzeit shared a letter from its faculty and employee union which praised thecalled for an Israel boycott, and refrained from calling the United States by name, instead opting to usea term used by so-calledto suggest that the United States exists on stolen land.the letter reads.Birzeit University's teacher and employee union praised theand refrained from calling the United States by name, instead opting to usea term used by so-calledto suggest that the United States exists on stolen land.Birzeit's faculty includes notable terrorist sympathizers, including assistant professor Basil Farraj who wrote a eulogy for Walid Daqqa, the leader of a group that kidnapped and killed an IDF soldier.Philosophy professor Abdaljawad Omar appeared at a PFLP-linked conference attended by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, where he praised the October 7 attacks for openingand said theOmar also denied accusations of rape and criticized the IDF for refusing to allow Israel to be taken over by thein an op-ed shortly after the attack.Omar wrote.Hamas-affiliated Students Celebrate, Or Commit, TerrorismA majority of Birzeit's students are radicalized, as evident from its student election last year where a Hamas-affiliated student bloc won 25 of the 51 seats in a race with a 77% voter turnout, according to the Jerusalem Post. The PFLP-affiliated group won six seats.At the Islamic Bloc victory celebration, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called in and claimed the win shows Hamas isin the West Bank, Middle East Monitor reported.In a December 2022 annual on-campus parade, students with military uniforms, mock suicide belts and rockets celebrated the 55-year anniversary of the PFLP while chantingreported Memri. At the 2021 rally, photos of participants making Nazi salutes were shared by PFLP's military wing on Telegram. A day later, the Islamic Bloc held their own rally where a speaker saida video by Memri shows. Beaufort County Schools are building a new school on the same ground where Eastern Elementary already exists, at a cost of $10,500,000.00 to Beaufort County's Taxpayers. Is this a wise expense of taxpayer dollars at this time? 20.93% Yes, Beaufort County has been awarded a 42 million dollars of grant money from the state of North Carolina (FREE MONEY) to construct school at 3.00 per squ. ft.67.44% No, this is the wrong time, to build the wrong school, on the wrong placement - its lowest point - of Eastern Elementary's existing location, when community schools work best.11.63% Why should I care about the public's education? Andrew Davidson will take on the challenge of a lifetime. Andrew Davidson receives some last-minute advice from Angela Knox (r), Consultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Lead for glaucoma services at the Shankill Wellbeing & Treatment Centre, along with his friend and fellow trekker Claire Bonner. A Belfast man with limited vision is taking on his biggest challenge yet to raise funds for the treatment of glaucoma in Northern Ireland. Seven years ago, Andrew Davidson, a graphic designer from Gilnahirk, was forced to face the reality of sight loss after being diagnosed with advanced glaucoma. Thanks to the care of his close optician friend, the glaucoma team at the Shankill Wellbeing & Treatment Clinic in Belfast, and the world-famous Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, he has retained limited sight in one eye. Andrew has made it his mission to pay it back to the Shankill Clinic, by raising funds for advanced diagnostic equipment which will enable the early detection and treatment of glaucoma. On 17 January Andrew, along with his wife, daughter and 11 close friends, sets off to Tanzania, where he will lead an eight-day trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro, Africas highest mountain. I believe in the power of progress in the fight against glaucoma, said Andrew who recently took early retirement from his role as Head of Graphics at BBC NI. Known for his positive spirit and dogged determination, Andrew is also a talented artist and plans to start a degree in Fine Art when he returns from his African adventure. I admit I was floored when I was first diagnosed, and could easily have fallen into the victim trap, said Andrew. But the expert care and generous support I received from the glaucoma team at the Shankill Clinic was a game-changer. Their actions went above and beyond, preserving my remaining sight and helping me through the darkest of times. Andrew Davidson will take on the challenge of a lifetime. Andrew, who has always been active, previously led fundraising trips to Cambodia, Tanzania, India and Poland in aid of Habitat for Humanity. Reflecting on all he has achieved, Andrew pays credit to his family, friendship group and the power of community spirit. I hit many low ebbs and there were times when I thought my window for independence and opportunity was firmly shut. But the Gilnahirk community is strong and when a good friend suggested I try Park Run at Stormont, it was the catalyst which changed my mindset. In December Andrew clocked his 178th Park Run. Over the last seven years he has also skied, cycled (on a tandem), is a regular at the gym, and completes an average of two dawn runs each week with another friend from his Gilnahirk community. I try to think of my sight limitations as a different way of viewing life. Ive a new-found strength and determination to show the world I wont be defined by glaucoma. Andrew established Pressure-Eyes with the goal of raising 40,000 by the end of 2025. In addition to the Kilimanjaro trek, he is organising a concert in March and a gala ball in October. In Northern Ireland glaucoma affects 2% of the population over the age of 40, rising to 5% for those aged over 80, but around half arent aware they have a problem. Andrew Davidson receives some last-minute advice from Angela Knox (r), Consultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Lead for glaucoma services at the Shankill Wellbeing & Treatment Centre, along with his friend and fellow trekker Claire Bonner. According to Angela Knox, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Clinical Lead for glaucoma services at the Shankill Wellbeing & Treatment Centre it could be described as a hidden disease. Regular eye tests with a community optometrist can detect the disease at an early stage. But glaucoma patients require lifelong assessment, treatment and monitoring by specialists. This is essential to detect disease progression and manage treatment accordingly. Diagnosis can be devastating but with appropriate early detection and management, progression can be slowed, and adverse effects minimised. "We are currently monitoring 14,000 patients and there are hundreds more awaiting first assessment, which places great demand on limited resources. The funds raised by Andrew and his team will be a huge boost for our clinic, enabling us to enhance patient engagement, and extend our monitoring and teaching services. On why summiting Kilimanjaro is so important to him, Andrew said: Our vision is something we often take for granted at least until it deteriorates, or we lose it completely. Chris McCauslands amazing performance on Strictly Come Dancing has helped to focus the spotlight on sight-loss, reframing how we think about disabilities and individual potential. Together with my gang of intrepid trekkers, we are thanking the Shankill clinic for all it has done for me. And in a practical way helping treat and maybe someday finding a cure for this horrible condition. The 14 Kilimanjaro climbers are paying for the trek themselves. 100% of the funds raised will go to the Shankill Wellbeing and Treatment Clinic. Donations can be made here. Met Office puts NI on alert until 6pm this eveningFlights from Belfast affected as UK airports shut runwaysLiverpool v Manchester United game goes ahead28,000 are left without power in Irish Republic A new weather warning is in place in Northern Ireland as freezing temperatures cause chaos across the UK. The original yellow alert for snow and ice is in effect until 6pm today but the Met Offices latest warning for ice will be in place from midnight until 11am on Monday. Between 5-10 cm of snow is possible over the Mournes, Sperrins and Antrim Hills, with lighter dustings elsewhere, on Sunday the Met Office said. Mondays yellow warning for ice said to expect icy stretches developing during the early hours of the morning, bringing some disruption - especially to travel. However, Northern Ireland appears to have escaped the worst of the weather seen elsewhere. Across the UK, heavy overnight snow has caused disruption. The Met Office said Bingley, West Yorkshire, had seen 12cm of snow up to 7am on Sunday, with Shap in Cumbria and Capel Curig, Gwynedd, both seeing 10cm. Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon Airport closed their runways for several hours on Sunday morning due to heavy snow. Manchester Airport said delays to some departures and arrivals are still possible as staff de-ice aircraft and clear walkways. Leeds Bradford Airport said it was hoping to re-open its runway at midday but this was subject to change. Birmingham Airport had suspended operations for several hours overnight for snow clearing and safety reasons, but said it was on schedule for business as usual on Sunday. Bristol Airport reopened at about 11pm on Saturday but warned of ongoing delays because aircraft were out of position following flight cancellations. All the affected airports urged passengers to check with their airline for updates. The Liverpool v Manchester United Premier League game had been in doubt after snow in the city but goes ahead. Liverpool FC said: Two safety meetings were held earlier to assess the weather and travel conditions. We thank everyone involved in helping us to get this game on today. If youre travelling to Anfield then please take extra care. We look forward to seeing you there. The latest weather warning covers all six Northern Ireland counties. The Met Office said: Spells of rain, sleet and snow will develop from the south late on Saturday before clearing through Sunday. "Coastal areas will likely see rain, but inland and over higher ground, sleet and snow is more likely. "Locally 1-3 cm of snow is possible away from coasts, with 5-10 cm possible over the Mournes, Sperrins and Antrim Hills. "Ice will be an additional hazard, especially on untreated surfaces. Larger snowfall is expected at higher grounds The Met Office said there is likely to be disruption to transport and some infrastructure. It added that some roads and railways are likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services. There is also a warning of some icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, and the risk of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces. It comes as many workers return and schools reopen tomorrow after the Christmas break. Larger snowfall is expected at higher grounds Temperatures plummet to minus 5C overnight as cold snap continues to grip UK The Met Office has cautioned commuters of a fairly considerable ice risk in place, with a particular focus on rural areas. They advised those travelling to give themselves extra time due to the more hazardous conditions. The latest Met Office forecast for Sunday predicts cloudy conditions with outbreaks of rain, mostly over Antrim and Down, falling as snow over higher ground and dying out during afternoon. It will be drier and brighter in west with a maximum temperature of 4C. Tonight will bring clear periods with a few wintry showers, developing more widely later in the night. It will be a cold night with a risk of ice and a minimum temperature of -1C. Monday will be rather cloudy with scattered sleet and snow showers but mostly rain near the north coast. The maximum temperature will be 4C. Altnaheglish reservoir In the Irish Republic, around 28,000 premises are without power as a result of adverse weather conditions, according to ESB Networks. The figure, which is accurate as of 8.30am, mainly consists of homes, farms and businesses in counties Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois and Wicklow. There was significant snowfall overnight, particularly in Munster and southern Leinster. Met Eireann has forecast temperatures will struggle to get above freezing before Thursday. Police said the victim was walking near the junction with Candahar Street when a male snatched her bag. Credit: Google Maps A woman was threatened with a suspected handgun in south Belfast after chasing the man who snatched her handbag. The robbery occurred in the Ormeau Road area around 3.10pm on Saturday. A spokesperson for the PSNI said the victim, who is in her 20s, was walking and as she began crossing at the junction of Candahar Street, an unknown male snatched her black leather bag from her shoulder. The male off towards Burmah Street when the female gave chase and at the junction of Burmah Street and Ava Avenue, it was reported the male pointed a suspected handgun at the woman before making off in the direction of Parkmore Street, said the PSNI. The woman received a cut to her knee and was left bad shaken following the incident. The male is described as of thin build and wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, a black zipped up coat and wearing grey, black and white trainers with a baby blue tick on them. Enquiries are continuing and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident, or who may have any information which could assist with the investigation to contact detectives on 101 quoting reference number 740 04/01/25. South Belfast SDLP councillor Gary McKeown has condemned the robbery. "I'm appalled that a woman was robbed in broad daylight on the Ormeau Road, and extremely concerned at reports that a suspected handgun was pointed at the victim when she gave chase, he said. "This is a very busy and popular part of the city, particularly on a Saturday afternoon with many people including families in the area, so for an attack like this to happen is very shocking. "This incident will cause a lot of concern in the community, and my thoughts are with the woman who endured this awful experience. I hope she is getting the support she needs after such an ordeal. "Anyone with any information, or who saw anything, should come forward." The Austrian Peoples Party has nominated its general secretary, Christian Stocker, as interim leader after the expected resignation of Chancellor Karl Nehammer. Mr Nehammer announced on Saturday he would resign in the next few days after coalition talks with the Social Democrats collapsed. Mr Stocker, a lawyer and member of the Austrian Parliament, has served as general secretary since 2022. He is seen as an experienced and calm crisis communicator who has frequently appeared in Austrian media to defend controversial decisions. It is not clear yet who will become acting chancellor until a new government is formed. Protected by special police forces, Mr Nehammer walked across the square from the Chancellery toward the presidents office in Vienna on Sunday. President Alexander Van der Bellen will make a public statement to announce the next steps once the meeting with Mr Nehammer is over. Mr Nehammer said: What is important for me is that the way of stability and the centre can be continued. The 52-year-old became chancellor and party leader in 2021, after his predecessor Sebastian Kurz was forced to stand down following allegations of corruption. In April 2022, he became the first European leader to visit Moscow and meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the invasion of Ukraine in February that year. Before going to Moscow, he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Austria was thrown into political turmoil on Friday after the liberal party NEOS pulled out of coalition talks with the centre-left Social Democrats and the conservative Peoples Party. On Saturday the two remaining parties, who have a razor-thin majority in Parliament, made another attempt to negotiate and form a government but this effort also ended in failure after a few hours, with negotiators saying they were unable to agree on how to repair the budget deficit. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will again call on allies to boost its air defences at this weeks meeting in Germany, as US President-elect Donald Trump takes over later this month with a vow to end the almost three-year war quickly. Mr Zelensky said dozens of partner countries will participate in the meeting of the Ramstein group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday, including those who can help boost our capabilities not only to defend against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aviation. He added: We will discuss this with them and continue to persuade them. The task remains unchanged: strengthening our air defence. US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin will attend the meeting. In its last few weeks in office, the Biden administration has been pressing to send as much military aid as possible to Ukraine before Mr Trump is sworn in on January 20. Volodymyr Zelensky wants Ukraines allies to boost its air defences (PA) Mr Trump claimed during his election campaign that he could end the war in one day, and his comments have put a question mark over whether the United States will continue to be Ukraines biggest and most important military backer. Mr Zelensky said last week that Mr Trump is strong and unpredictable, and those qualities can be a decisive factor in his policy approach to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, and capitalised last year on weaknesses in Ukraines defences to slowly advance in eastern areas despite high losses of troops and equipment. The wars trajectory is not in Ukraines favour. The country is shorthanded on the frontline and needs continued support from its Western partners. Mr Zelensky said on Saturday night that Russian and North Korean troops had suffered heavy losses in the fighting in Russias Kursk region. In battles yesterday and today near just one village, Makhnovka, in the Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroopers, Mr Zelensky said. This is significant. Donald Trump, who returns to the White House this month, has claimed he could end the Russian invasion in one day (Evan Vucci/AP) He said last month that 3,000 North Korean troops had been killed and wounded in Kursk, where Ukrainian forces launched an incursion in August, dealing a blow to Russias prestige and forcing it to deploy some of its troops from a slow-moving offensive in eastern Ukraine. The incursion did not significantly change the dynamic of the war, and military analysts say Ukraine has lost around 40% of the land it initially captured. In other developments, local officials said one person was killed and another injured in Russian shelling of the city of Nikopol in Ukraines Dnipropetrovsk region on Sunday. Downstream along the Dnieper River, at least six people were hurt when Russian troops fired shells into the city of Kherson, capital of the region of the same name. Settlements such as these on the west bank of the river are subject to regular shelling attacks from Russian-controlled territory on the opposite bank. Nine people were injured in a Russian guided bomb attack on the border town of Semenivka in Ukraines northern Chernihiv region on Saturday evening, local officials said. Moscow sent 103 drones into Ukraine overnight into Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraines air force, 61 were destroyed and 42 were lost likely due to electronic jamming. Russias defence ministry said 61 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight into Sunday in five regions of western Russia. No casualties were reported but Rostov regional governor Yuri Slyusar said residential buildings and cars had been damaged by falling drone debris. Get my f***ing name out of your mouths: Suspect in disappearance of John George denies involvement Man at centre of Spanish investigation issues denial in foul-mouthed online rant Search technicians from K9 Search and Rescue NI have travelled out to Alicante to help with the hunt for John George (inset) John Toner Sun 5 Jan 2025 at 08:09 A suspect in the disappearance of Belfast dad-of-two John George has launched a foul-mouthed denial of involvement, saying: Get my f***ing name out of your mouths. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. Hundreds of Massachusetts motorists will no longer lose eligibility for commercial driver's licenses after Gov. Maura Healey signed a new law Thursday preventing some decades-old offenses from counting against them. The bill (H 5139) Healey signed exempts most passenger vehicle offenses committed before Sept. 30, 2005, from counting against commercial license eligibility, effectively mirroring a similar policy at the federal level. The governor's office said about 280 people who were facing disqualification will be sent letters starting Thursday informing them that they no longer need to worry due to the new law. Another 65 drivers will benefit from the law after they address other outstanding obligations, Healey's office said. Drivers with three or more operating under the influence convictions will be ineligible for commercial licenses. State law previously disqualified drivers with certain infractions on their records from acquiring commercial licenses regardless of how old the incidents were. The Registry of Motor Vehicles over the summer informed nearly 500 drivers their licenses would be downgraded from commercial to passenger as a result, despite seemingly not fully enforcing the measure in the past. In response to outrage over the maneuver, Healey instructed the RMV to craft new regulations allowing drivers to regain commercial eligibility after a 10-year disqualification period, and she also filed the bill that formed the new law to align state and federal eligibility timelines. The RMV has already reversed disqualifications for about two dozen commercial drivers, according to Healey's office. "Our administration is committed to ensuring safety on our roads while also supporting the many hardworking Massachusetts residents who rely on Commercial Driver's Licenses for their livelihoods," Healey said in a statement. "The RMV will take immediate action to inform eligible drivers that their CDLs will not be disqualified and will continue updating its regulations to ensure that drivers who have served disqualifications for significant periods of time will have a pathway to reinstatement. We're grateful to the Legislature for their expeditious review of this bill, which will save hundreds of jobs." The number of students attending post-primary schools in Ireland has reached a new record with over 425,000 enrolled at secondary level in the current academic year. New figures published by the Department of Education show total enrolments in post-primary schools stood at 425,433 in September 2024 an annual increase of 8,858. Advertisement The latest figures show the number of students attending secondary schools increased by 2.1 per cent over the past 12 months and has grown by approximately 90,000 in the last 20 years. For the second year in a row, the number of students attending multi-denominational schools at post-primary level has exceeded the numbers enrolled in Catholic schools. Preliminary enrolment figures for the 2024/25 school year reveal that multi-denominational schools currently account for 48.6 per cent of all second-level students with 47.6 per cent attending post-primary schools with a Catholic ethos. They also show that numbers attending multi-denominational schools increased by 2.8 per cent or just over 5,700 in the past 12 months ahead of the 1.6 per cent increase in the student population at Catholic schools where enrolments rose by approximately 3,100. Advertisement In contrast, there was a slight reduction in the number of students attending Church of Ireland schools at post-primary levels to around 12,400. Despite the increase in the number of students at secondary levels, the number of post-primary schools remained static at 722. Over the past decade, however, the number of multi-denominational secondary schools has grown by 26 to 358, while the number of Catholic schools has decreased by 12 to 337. The rise in student numbers at post-primary levels was reflected in increased enrolments in almost every county across the Republic with the largest increases in Dublin (2,840), Cork (745), Kildare (684), Galway (584) and Meath (576). Advertisement Only two counties recorded an actual decrease, albeit by small numbers Waterford and Leitrim. The figures are based on the annual census recorded by all schools of their student numbers on September 30th, 2024 In sharp contrast to the large increase in numbers attending secondary schools, the total number of pupils enrolled in primary schools in the current academic year has fallen by almost 1 per cent. Total enrolments in mainstream primary schools in September stood at 542,417 an annual decrease of 4,341. Advertisement It represents a reduction of 0.8 per cent twice the rate of decrease of the 2023/24 school year. The number of pupils attending primary schools in the Republic has been falling since 2018, although an influx of Ukrainian refugees halted that trend briefly in 2022. The proportion of primary students enrolled in Catholic schools has continued to decline, albeit at a modest pace and now stands at 88.4 per cent down from 88.9 per cent 12 months ago. The latest figures show numbers attending Catholic schools are down 4,829 to just under 480,000 a drop of 1 per cent. Advertisement They also reveal that eight Catholic primary schools have closed, been amalgamated or changed ethos in the past 12 months. The total number of primary schools with a Catholic ethos now stands at 2,722 a decrease of over 100 in the past decade. Enrolments in multi-denominational schools currently total 45,013, representing 8.3 per cent of the primary school-going population up from 8.1 per cent in 2023/24. There are currently 170 multi-denominational primary schools nationwide up from 113 a decade ago. The Department of Education figures show that most counties recorded a decrease in enrolments at primary level due to the overall demographic trend with the biggest reductions in Dublin (-1,842), Cork (-581), Meath (-344) and Clare (-325). Slight increases in the primary school population were registered in Westmeath, Offaly, Monaghan, Leitrim, Laois, Wexford and Kildare. The latest figures show the number of Ukrainian pupils at primary level has fallen by 7.2 per cent over the past six months. A total of 10,459 students from Ukraine were attending primary school in the Republic in December a decrease of 808 since the end of the 2023/24 school year last June. In contrast, the number of students from Ukraine attending post-primary schools grew by 1.1 per cent over the same period. The figures show there were 6,924 Ukrainians enrolled in secondary schools last month an increase of 78 since June. Children from Ukraine account for 10 per cent of all primary level pupils at schools in Cork and over 9 per cent of pupils at schools in Dublin and Kerry. At post-primary level, students from Ukraine represent 11.4 per cent of all enrolments in secondary schools in Dublin and over 9 per cent in schools in Cork and Kerry. A huge Government spend on consultants, and government formation talks being held up by climate issues are among the stories that feature on Sunday's front pages. The Coalition spent 37 million on consultancy services over two years, The Sunday Times reports. Advertisement Government formation talks are intensifying, wih climae policies remaining an issue, the Sunday Independent reports. The Business Post leads with an interview with Minister for Finance Jack Chambers, who said a stagnant EU and the incoming Trump administration pose risks to Ireland. Our front page today. Pick up a copy in stores or subscribe at https://t.co/LyVcHklEWC for these stories plus: Jack Chambers on a stagnant EU and Trump trade war risks Exclusive interview with property giant Pat Davitt Matt Cooper on Elon Musks America pic.twitter.com/FbCnEp2TRi Business Post (@businessposthq) January 5, 2025 Veteran criminal John Gilligan is being held in a Spanish prison as part of an operation targeting the synthetic drug trade, the Sunday World reports. The Sunday Life leads with a story on a kidnapped boxer who has owned up to a robbery plot. Advertisement The Prince of Wales shock at the death of Briton Edward Pettifer in the New Orleans terror attack on New Years Day features on the front pages of Sundays UK newspapers. The Sun on Sunday and Sunday People focus on Williams reaction to the death of his childhood nannys stepson. A picture of Mr Pettifer features on the front of The Sunday Telegraph alongside a story about the prospect of a rise in the cost of flights in the push to reach net-zero targets. The Observer concentrates on fears of unrest for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over a potential move to use open prisons for more offenders. There is more bad news for Sir Keir in the Mail on Sunday, which focuses on a poll suggesting a third of people asked think he will last no more than a year in office. The PM also features on the front of The Sunday Times with a warning from Nato that he needs to increase spending on air and missile defences. Advertisement The Independent front page carries a range of figures which it says show the true cost of Brexit over the five years since leaving the EU. A perfect storm of freezing weather and a growth in winter viruses hitting the NHS features on the front of the Sunday Express. The Sunday Mirror leads on an interview with former Strictly dancer Giovanni Pernice on how he feared his career was over after a bullying row. And the Daily Star on Sunday heralds The Age of the Budgie Smugglers. The New York Times leads with a story on how US president-elect Donald Trump has tried to change the narrative around the January 6th riots. US president-elect Donald Trump appeared with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni at his Mar-a-Lago club on Saturday. Ms Meloni follows Argentina president Javier Milei, who became the first world leader to meet with Mr Trump at Mar-a-Lago after his election victory in November. Advertisement Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and prime minister Viktor Orban of Hungary have also travelled to Florida to meet the president-elect. Italys prime minister Giorgia Meloni (Antti Aimo-Koivisto/Lehtikuva via AP) Mr Trump appeared at a screening of a documentary detailing challenges some conservative lawyers report facing in the legal system. Mr Trump told the crowd of Ms Meloni: This is very exciting. Im here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy. Shes really taken Europe by storm, and everyone else, and were just having dinner tonight. Advertisement The president-elect watched a screening of the documentary with Ms Meloni and his pick for the incoming administrations secretary of state, Florida senator Marco Rubio, as well as Florida representative Mike Waltz, Mr Trumps choice for national security advisor and his nomination to head the Treasury Department, Scott Bessent. This image released in December of Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist who was detained on December 19th while reporting in Iran (Chora Media via AP) Ms Melonis visit comes after Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was detained by Iranian police while reporting in Tehran late last month. World Washington Post cartoonist quits after sketch of B... Read More Ms Salas case has heightened tensions between Italy and Iran, which is demanding Italian authorities release an Iranian businessman who was arrested recently in Milan on a US warrant in connection with a drone attack in Jordan last year that killed three American troops. US president Joe Biden is set to travel to Rome to meet with Ms Meloni, as well as Pope Francis, from Thursday. Advertisement The White House says the meeting with Ms Meloni will highlight the strength of the US-Italy relationship and feature Mr Biden thanking the prime minister for her strong leadership of the G7 over the past year. Hundreds of South Koreans have rallied overnight near the residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, calling for his arrest. The rally, despite ice-cold conditions, comes as authorities prepare to renew their efforts to detain him over his short-lived martial law decree. Advertisement Dozens of anti-corruption agency investigators and police attempted to execute a detainment warrant against Mr Yoon on Friday, but retreated from his residence in Seoul after a tense standoff with the presidential security service that lasted more than five hours. The one-week warrant for his detention is valid until Monday. Protesters attend a rally demanding the arrest of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol near his presidential residence (Ahn Young-joon/AP) There were no immediate indications that anti-corruption authorities were ready to send investigators back to the residence on Sunday afternoon. Staff from the presidential security service were seen installing barbed wire near the gate and along the hills leading up to Mr Yoons residence over the weekend, possibly in preparation for another detention attempt. Advertisement Mr Yoons lawyers had submitted an objection to the warrants against the president on Thursday, but the Seoul Western District Court dismissed the challenge on Sunday. Park Chan-dae, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, called for the agency to move quickly to detain Mr Yoon, saying it was deeply disappointing to see the agency hesitating and letting time slip away. A Seoul court last Tuesday issued a warrant to detain Mr Yoon and a separate warrant to search his residence after the embattled president repeatedly defied authorities by refusing to appear for questioning and obstructing searches of his office. But enforcing them is complicated, so long as Mr Yoon remains in his official residence. Advertisement Investigators from the countrys anti-corruption agency are weighing charges of rebellion after the conservative president, apparently frustrated that his policies were blocked by a legislature dominated by the liberal opposition, declared martial law on December 3 and dispatched troops to surround the National Assembly. The Assembly overturned the declaration within hours in a unanimous vote and impeached Mr Yoon on December 14, accusing him of rebellion, while South Korean anti-corruption authorities and public prosecutors opened separate investigations into the events. If the anti-corruption agency manages to detain Mr Yoon, it will likely ask a court for permission to make a formal arrest. Otherwise, Mr Yoon will be released after 48 hours. Advertisement President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential residence on December 14 (South Korean Presidential Office/Yonhap via AP) The Corruption Investigation for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military investigators, says detaining Mr Yoon would be virtually impossible as long as he is protected by the presidential security service. The agency has urged the countrys acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, to instruct the service to comply with their execution of the detainment warrant, but Choi has yet to publicly comment on the issue. The chiefs and deputy chiefs of the presidential security service defied summonses on Saturday from police, who planned to question them over the suspected obstruction of official duty following Fridays events. Hundreds of anti-Yoon protesters rallied for hours near the gates of the presidential residence from Saturday evening to Sunday, voicing frustration over the failed detention attempt and demanding stronger efforts to bring Mr Yoon into custody. Advertisement Separated by police barricades and buses, pro-Yoon protesters were gathering in nearby streets, denouncing his impeachment and vowing to block any efforts to detain him. With barely a day left before the execution deadline for Yoon Seok Yeols detainment warrant, the presidential security service continues to hide a criminal and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials cannot be more relaxed, Kim Eun-jeong, an activist, said on a stage during the anti-Yoon rally. Angry citizens have already spent two freezing nights demanding his immediate detainment. Are their voices not being heard? Mr Yoons lawyers have challenged the detention and search warrants against the president, saying they cannot be enforced at his residence due to a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge which would be Mr Yoon. Seok Dong-hyeon, centre, a lawyer and spokesperson for South Koreas impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol (Ahn Young-joon/AP) They also argue the anti-corruption office lacks the legal authority to investigate rebellion charges and that police officers dont have the legal authority to assist in detaining Mr Yoon. While the presidential security act mandates protection for Mr Yoon, it does not authorize the presidential security service to block court-ordered detainments. The services attempts to block the execution of the warrant may amount to an obstruction of official duty, according to Park Sung-bae, an attorney specializing in criminal law. While the president mostly has immunity from prosecution while in office, the protection does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason. The agency said its outnumbered investigators had several scuffles with presidential security forces that threatened their safety and expressed serious regret that Mr Yoon was not complying with the legal process. After getting around a military unit guarding the residences grounds, the agencys investigators and police were able to approach within 200 metres of Mr Yoons residential building but were stopped by a barricade comprising around 10 vehicles and approximately 200 members of the presidential security forces and troops. The agency said it wasnt able to visually confirm whether Mr Yoon was inside the residence. The Defence Ministry says the troops at Mr Yoons official residence are under the control of the presidential security service. Kim Seon-ho, the acting defence minister, conveyed his concern to the presidential security service, saying that deploying military personnel to block the execution of the detention warrant would be inappropriate and requesting that the troops arent placed in a position where they might confront police, according to the ministry. Mr Yoons defence minister, police chief and several top military commanders have already been arrested over their roles in the period of martial law. Mr Yoons presidential powers have been suspended since the National Assembly voted to impeach him on December 14. Mr Yoons fate now lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Mr Yoon from office or reinstate him. Advertisement Eating outJust open Melbournes Greek wave builds with this sunny new taverna (plus three more to try) At Astoria Bar Ke Grill, owner Nik Pouloupatis is drawing on his mums home cooking for a menu of Greeces greatest hits plus ouzo mojitos and mastiha sours. Daniela Frangos January 6, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share As featured in the February 2025 hit list. See all stories . Nik Pouloupatis has clocked time at some of the biggest names in Melbourne dining, including Cutler and Co, Attica, and an eight-year stint at Grossi Florentino. But for his next turn, the front-of-house veteran has returned to the home-style food of his Hellenic heritage. His new neighbourhood taverna, Astoria Bar Ke Grill, takes over the 129-year-old South Yarra terrace occupied since 2016 by bar-restaurant Shadowboxer, which Pouloupatis purchased in October before bringing it into its Aegean era just before Christmas. 1 / 8 Sunny vibes at Astoria. Kit Edwards 2 / 8 Diners enjoy moussaka, yuvesti, crudo kingfish and snapper at Astoria Bar Ke Grill. Kit Edwards 3 / 8 South Yarras new neighbourhood taverna, Astoria Bar Ke Grill. Kit Edwards 4 / 8 Yuvesti (front) and moussaka are on the menu. Kit Edwards 5 / 8 Snacks include prawn saganaki and eggplant dip. Kit Edwards 6 / 8 The dining room at Astoria Bar Ke Grill. Kit Edwards 7 / 8 Snapper with asparagus and mussels avgolemono. Kit Edwards 8 / 8 Orange filo pastry cake with cardamom and pistachio honey ice-cream. Kit Edwards Previous Slide Next Slide Ive always wanted to do something like this, he says. Im very proud of my heritage, but I also wanted to present it in a more refined way not so much the beach tavern style, which is kind of the majority of whats around. He points to recent openings such as Tzaki and Kafeneion as leading the way for a new style of Greek dining in Melbourne that goes beyond dips and fried calamari. Theres also rooftop bar Olympia and the temporary Taverna shaking things up. Advertisement South Yarras new neighbourhood taverna, Astoria Bar Ke Grill. Kit Edwards Many moons ago I cooked at a Greek restaurant on Chapel Street and youd always hear: Its not as good as my mums, says Pouloupatis, who attributes the recent Greek wave to a yearning for yia yias cooking. I feel like that generation is sadly leaving us and a lot of us are feeling a bit nostalgic about the food. At Astoria, youll still find the requisite dips, calamari, saganaki and spanakopita (which is painstakingly folded into crisp, flaky triangles). But youll also find cheffier versions of Pouloupatiss mums recipes. Youvetsi, a slow-cooked dish of tomato and kritharaki with lamb shoulder, and moussaka (back) are on the menu. Kit Edwards The zucchini fritters known as kolokithokeftedes include potato and panko crumbs, so its crunchy on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside. Youvetsi, a slow-cooked dish of tomato and kritharaki (orzo), might come with fall-apart lamb shoulder one week and meltingly tender osso buco the next. Advertisement The drinks list draws from Greece, with xinomavro (a nebbiolo-like red wine) and agiorgitiko (a red from the Peloponnese region, where Pouloupatiss parents are from) plus ouzo mojitos and sours made with mastiha, a piney liqueur made from resin perfect for sipping on the two-tiered terrace in summer. Shadowboxer regulars will still recognise the whitewashed fitout, and the couch has been subbed out for church pews Pouloupatis picked up in Bendigo. Open Wed-Thu 4pm-late, Fri-Sun noon-late 302 Toorak Road, South Yarra, astoriabarkegrill.com.au Three more Greek spots to check out this summer: Advertisement Elenis Kitchen & Bar, Yarraville After the venue was partially destroyed by fire in June, this longstanding Yarraville restaurant has reopened with an updated front bar and new dishes like lobster blini and six-hour-braised baby goat. Around since the 1960s and now run by the fourth generation of the Amanatidis family, this taverna still peddles time-honoured favourites like moussaka (made with a 100-year-old family recipe) and regional plates like bougiourdi (a three-cheese fondue from Thessaloniki) and stuffed squid from Lefkada. eleniskitchen.com.au Tzaki in Yarraville. Eddie Jim Tzaki, Yarraville Right around the corner from Elenis, this buzzy new spot has been a hit since it opened in spring. Modelled after modern Athenian bars, the pint-sized, all-day venue changes its dishes weekly (and sometimes daily) but menu stayers include the not-to-be-missed chickpeas a la Diporto (inspired by the Athens institution of the same name), which are gently cooked overnight and finished generously with olive oil and lemon, and a salty-sweet burnt feta cheesecake. tzaki.com.au Advertisement Olympia, Oakleigh When this breezy rooftop bar opened in a former carpark in autumn, it was a breath of fresh air for Melbournes Hellenic heartland. But its time you got yourself back there: the olive grove, whitewashed walls and azure shutters feel just right in summer, as do the seasonal spritzes and crowd-favourite cocktail Karpouzaki (with gin, ouzo and watermelon juice), best enjoyed while snacking on saganaki croquettes and prawn and lobster rolls. olympia.wine 14 / 20 Review Yarraville just became a whole lot cooler with this delicious slice of modern Greek dining A Liberal state MP has thrown his support behind residents protesting against plans to build a three-storey social housing block for seniors in Sydneys south and claiming it threatens to devalue their homes and disrupt the ambience of their peaceful, family oriented neighbourhood. Oatley MP Mark Coure, who was minister for seniors in the Perrottet government, sent Housing Minister Rose Jackson a petition and letter from Riverwood residents who expressed their strong opposition to the proposed 29-unit high-density senior housing development. An artists impression of the 29-unit housing block that Homes NSW is proposing to build for seniors in Riverwood in Sydneys south. Credit: Homes NSW As the NSW waiting list for social housing passes 62,590, Coures intervention on behalf of riled neighbours has put him on a collision course with Jackson, who said the project is a well-designed, well-located three-storey building for older people at risk of homelessness. The fact we have to push through objections from local Liberal MPs to deliver such a project is so frustrating, she said. Australia has another batch of little Islas, Charlottes, Amelias, Olivers, Noahs and Leos, according to birth name data generated by the nations biggest state. Western Australia is the first state to release its name data for 2024, and it shows new parents are sticking with enduring names, as Oliver, Noah and Leo top the charts again. Isla and Charlotte were the most popular girls names, while Oliver and Noah took the prize for the boys. Credit: Getty The trends are expected to be much the same across other states, with Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia all featuring WAs most popular names in their 2023 top 10 lists. Oliver held the top spot for boys for the third year in a row, according to WAs Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, but it shared that position with Noah, which was also chosen as the name for 195 babies. Whats happened to Chinas airlines? Before the pandemic there were nine mainland China-based carriers flying into Australia, more than the number of European and North American carriers combined, carrying an average of 300,000 passengers a month into and out of Australia. While most of those airlines have returned, the drop in the number of Chinese tourists arriving on our shores has affected the number of flights operated by those carriers. According to statistics from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics, as of September 2024, no Chinese carrier is among the top 10 airlines by number of passengers carried into and out of Australia. China Southern has a good reputation. While Chinese airlines still offer some of the cheapest fares between Australia and Europe, finding them isnt always easy. Some of the airlines websites are difficult to navigate (Tianjin Air doesnt have an English-language site) and youll also see some weird pricing structures or routes missing. For example, Sichuan Air quotes flights from Sydney to Rome in June at more than $6000, but look at the two legs separately and the fares are about $2000. Juneyao Air recently launched flights from Melbourne to Shanghai but there are none listed on its website (however, third-party travel sites, like Flight Centres Aunt Betty, has them). However you can find flights to London for about $1300 in June, which is cheaper than most other carriers given this is a peak period. Service delivery has not traditionally been a strong point for the Chinese carriers, but a couple of standouts have emerged. China Southern and Hainan Airlines both get outstanding reviews on airline review website Skytrax. On Skytraxs list of the Worlds Top 100 Airlines in 2024, Hainan Airlines comes in at number 12, with China Southern in 31st place. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This article is part of our Behind the Headlines series, where Age reporters reveal unforgettable moments in their careers. See all 13 stories . Sometimes, in this job, its easier to take a strangers hand and let them cry on your shoulder than it is to make sense of a senseless tragedy. This is something I discovered a few years ago when I covered my first mass shooting as North America correspondent for this masthead. Sadly, it would not be my last. It was a Saturday afternoon in May 2022 when news emerged that an 18-year-old gunman had opened fire at a popular supermarket in a black neighbourhood in Buffalo, New York. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visiting the scene of the Buffalo mass shooting in May 2022. Credit: AP Inspired by New Zealands Christchurch massacre, Payton Gendron arrived at the Tops Friendly store about 2.30pm that day armed with an AR-15 assault rifle and a sole purpose: to kill black people and livestream the attack on the internet. In a manifesto posted before his rampage, Gendron invoked the idea that white Americans were at risk of being replaced by people of colour, an ideology known as great replacement theory, regularly pushed by Fox TV host Tucker Carlson. He specifically name-checked the Christchurch murderer an Australian far-right extremist who livestreamed his racism-fuelled massacre at two New Zealand mosques in 2019 as the person who had done the most to radicalise him. Advertisement This fact alone made the Buffalo mass shooting, the 128th to take place in the US that year, particularly newsworthy for our readers. After filing an analysis and briefing my editor, I packed my travel bag and boarded a flight from Washington to upstate New York. Covering grief after a mass shooting can be challenging for reporters, who must balance the need for public information with extreme sensitivity to those affected. Each job involves the delicate task of telling the victims stories quickly and accurately, while respecting the raw emotions of families and communities that are heartbroken and shattered by the loss of innocent lives. Sometimes people are willing to talk about what they saw, who they knew, or how they felt about the fact another US mass shooting had taken place, years after the Sandy Hook massacre when many of the nations politicians promised genuine gun reform. But other times, theyre still in shock and too devastated to speak, or view you as an intruder in their anguish and who could blame them? By the time I arrived on the scene in Buffalo, the pain was palpable. Advertisement Yellow police tape cordoned off the site where 10 black people had been slain. Bouquets and candles lined the streets in honour of the victims: the father who had gone to the grocery store to buy a birthday cake for his three-year-old son; the retired police officer who worked as a security guard at the supermarket to keep his community safe; the devoted parishioner who sang in the church choir and cared for her grandkids. Loading Grieving residents of the tight-knit neighbourhood milled the streets, struggling to understand how someone could be so consumed with racial hate that he travelled hours from his hometown near the Pennsylvania border to murder strangers simply based on the colour of their skin. Among those residents was Cecilia Williams, who I found placing flowers at a makeshift memorial in honour of the victims. After introducing myself and asking if shed care to talk, Williams placed her hand in mine and broke down in tears. Nothing as tragic as this has ever happened here before, she told me, overcome with emotion. I live right down the street and I thought there was a bomb or something going off: boom, boom, boom. It was terrible. Advertisement But this was a terrorist act he planned to come here so how are you going to shut down people like that? They want a white America and its so sad that we cant all just get along. All this hate. For what? Ive spent a lot of time in my career dealing with trauma, cognisant of the fact that repeated exposure can also take an emotional toll on journalists, often in the form of burnout or secondary trauma. Scenes of devastation in Buffalo after the 2022 shooting. Credit: AP As reporters in The Ages investigative unit, my colleagues Chris Vedelago, Debbie Cuthbertson and I spent months talking to survivors of clergy sex abuse to expose a network of paedophile rings in the Catholic Church: priests and religious brothers who colluded with each other to abuse young boys. Sometimes, theyd even share their victims. By the end of the project, which involved trawling through thousands of graphic documents detailing heinous acts committed against innocent children, I found myself struggling to sleep, having occasional nightmares as a result of what I was reading, hearing and feeling on an almost daily basis. The same types of night terrors occurred after I left Buffalo, the devastation of victims families plus the awful livestream of Paytons rampage which he filmed through a camera-mounted helmet and streamed briefly to Twitch playing in my mind. This was compounded less than two weeks later when an even deadlier shooting took place in Texas, in which another 18-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15 rifle killed 19 students and two teachers at the Robb Elementary School in the small, Hispanic town of Uvalde. Advertisement The shocking attack was the worst in the states history, and I still often think about the parents who had to identify the bodies of their dead children, or survivors such as 11-year-old Miah Cerrillo, who covered herself with her dead friends blood and lay still to evade the shooter. Three days after that shocking event, I found myself covering a National Rifle Association conference with Donald Trump as the guest speaker, in which the former president once again vowed to protect the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Dora Mendoza, grandmother of victim Amerie Jo Garza, wipes her tears at a memorial site for victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting at Uvalde, Texas. Credit: AP But thats the thing about mass shootings: they are a uniquely American problem, with a uniquely American lack of solutions. As an Australian living in such a gun-embracing country, this is something I will never understand. Dozens of countries around the world have imposed gun restrictions to save lives, including ours, which initiated a gun buyback scheme after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre and now has a strict licensing and registration system to own a firearm. The US, by comparison, is the only country where guns outnumber its citizens, with the latest figures suggesting there are 394 million firearms in America about 120 guns per 100 people. The NRA held its annual convention in Houston, Texas days after the Uvalde massacre. Credit: Bloomberg Advertisement He holed up alone in his home, keeping visitors away and limiting contact with neighbours. A neighbour recalled that Jabbar had grown his beard long and had then cut it short again. Loading Several residents said they had never seen him at prayers at the nearest mosque, and the spokesperson for the one farther away also said he did not remember him attending. Wed never seen him here worshipping in our lives, and Ive been in this community since 2008, one local resident, Taha Mohamed, said as he attended a prayer service last week. Jabbar did not discuss his growing hardline religious beliefs with those around him, his neighbours said, even as he occasionally posted audio recordings espousing a conservative interpretation of Islam. At Jabbars house, there were signs of a dual life. On his patio, the man who had worked for years in real estate and information technology had left behind several real estate yard signs. Inside, a laptop sat on a workstation with two monitors, and a bookshelf contained both the Quran and a book about Christianity. Investigators wrote in documents of finding more ominous items that Jabbar had left behind, including supplies that could be used for an explosive device: acetone, bottles of sulphuric acid and bags labelled as potassium nitrate. A black flag with white lettering lies on the ground of the ute Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar (inset) was driving. Credit: AP The military grounded him At the three-bedroom home in Beaumont, Texas, where Jabbar grew up, family members gathered this past week and looked through photos of his life that showed him smiling in his Little League gear and in a flowing red graduation gown and cap. Jabbar had what seemed to be a relatively ordinary upbringing, said Abdur Rahim Jabbar IV, a 24-year-old half brother. He loved school and got good grades. Jabbars father grew up as Christian but later turned to Islam, changing his last name from Young to Jabbar and also giving some of his children Arabic names. Still, many members of the family, who are all African American, continued attending a local Baptist church. A relative of Jabbars, who did not want her name published for fear of being drawn into the case, said that even Jabbar and some of his brothers who, like their father, converted to Islam had lived largely secular lives. I dont think I ever heard the word Allah said, she said. Jabbars mother, who remained a Christian, later moved with Shamsud-Din and the couples other children to the Houston area after Jabbars third divorce. At the University of Houston, Jabbar had taken in the college experience. He enjoyed college parties and alcohol so much, his half brother said, that it derailed his academics and eventually cost him a scholarship. Loading By 2007, he had joined the US Army, eventually working in human resources and information technology, rising to the rank of staff sergeant, being deployed to Afghanistan and earning a Global War on Terrorism service medal. The army featured him in a 2013 post on Facebook. There, Jabbars mother replied with a comment, expressing her pride. Jabbar told family members that he was grateful for his time in the military. It set him straight, his half brother said. It gave him some discipline. It grounded him. After eight years of service, Jabbar attended Georgia State University. People who knew him saw no signs of religious extremism, though at least one friend described a growing interest in his Muslim faith. He then turned to a white-collar professional career and returned to Texas. A sign of the end times Jabbars personal troubles at first appeared in more worldly forms. There were divorces, business troubles and disputes over finances. With the marital separations came alimony and child support for his two daughters, now 20 and 15, and his young son. In 2021, court records from his third divorce show that he was ordered to pay $US1350 a month to his third wife. He was working in real estate with his relatives to earn extra income, in part because of debts: the house involved in his divorce case was facing foreclosure, he reported in 2022 and $US27,000 was owed in back payments on the mortgage. By the time that divorce was finalised in 2022, he had the job at Deloitte but he appeared to be paying over a quarter of his monthly salary in such support. His third divorce appeared to be a bitter one in which his ex-wife asked the court to order Jabbar not to make threatening phone calls or harm either her or their son. It was not clear if he had ever harmed them in the past. His ex-wife declined requests for comment. Over the past year, Jabbar appeared to some in his family to have begun acting erratically. A previous ex-wife and her husband moved to limit his contact with their children as his behaviour grew more unpredictable, seemingly influenced by his religious views, the husband said. Jabbars closer family also saw signs that he was beginning to unravel, in part as a result of financial stress and divorce, but also of larger things in the world. After the war in the Middle East began in the northern autumn of 2023, Jabbar seemed uneasy with the carnage he saw on the news and social media, said his half brother, Abdur Jabbar. He didnt like it; he said it was genocide on both sides, inhumane, he said. It was senseless. In the past year, Shamsud-Din Jabbar began growing a beard, which some family members shrugged off as an attempt to change his look and adopt the look of a traditional Muslim man. But he also began expressing disgust over what he saw as inappropriate behaviour. Surveillance footage shows Shamsud-Din Jabbar an hour before the attack. Some in his family saw signs he was beginning to unravel. Credit: AP He didnt approve of drinking or partying, his half brother said. He said it was not in accordance with what God commanded us to do. He said it wasnt fruitful. He said it didnt bring anything positive. Recordings about Islamic teachings were posted to an account on the audio website SoundCloud that appears to belong to Shamsud-Din Jabbar; the voice was verified by his half brother. In one of them, he said music had the power to lure people into the things that God had made forbidden to us, such as alcohol, marijuana, vulgarity and crime. The recording goes on to suggest a connection between the release of Get Rich or Die Tryin, a rap album by 50 Cent, and a series of murders in his neighbourhood. He said he worried that Muslims listening to such music were being drawn into evil. And the voice of Satan spreading among Prophet Muhammads followers peace be upon him is a sign of the end times, he said in the message about a year ago, in early 2024. The believers and the disbelievers His recordings reflected a growing conservatism in his beliefs. But investigators were still poring over his digital life to determine when he had made the jump to extremism and why, in the videos he recorded and posted to Facebook just before the attack, he had pledged himself to ISIS. Nasser Weddady, an expert on Islamic extremism, said the views contained in the SoundCloud recordings showed a puritan bent but were not associated with a violent interpretation of the faith on their own. The same SoundCloud account also included 16 other recordings that the user had liked, several of which expressed views about Islam that have sometimes been used by extremist groups as justification for killing non-Muslims. The bigger question, Weddady said, is, how did he go from blaming Muslims for straying from the straight path, to killing non-Muslims? Loading Abdur Jabbar said that when he had spoken to his half brother two weeks ago, Shamsud-Din Jabbar did not mention any plans to go to New Orleans. At his Deloitte job, he set an out-of-office reply saying that he was taking some personal time off. Please expect a delay in response during this time, the message said. If the matter is time sensitive, please call or text me. Thanks kindly. Neighbours said Jabbars lease outside Houston was coming to an end and that he had told them before he departed on New Years Eve that he was moving to New Orleans. After renting the ute on a peer-to-peer rental app, Jabbar headed for New Orleans, recording video messages along the way. In the first video, he referred to animosity with his family but he said he had decided not to follow through on a plan to harm them. Investigators said this was apparently because of a concern that news coverage of an attack that involved his family would not focus on the war between the believers and the disbelievers. New Orleans police and federal agents investigate the New Years Day attack. Credit: AP He started posting his videos at 1.29am and continued until 3.02am. His attack began just minutes later. A US official who reviewed some of the footage filmed by Jabbar said that he pledges bayat to the Islamic State, an Arabic term referring to the oath of loyalty that ISIS followers are expected to pronounce as a way to signal their allegiance to the group. Jabbars brother said he had not seen the videos addressed to the family. Loading Its just hard to believe; its insane, he said. Its unlike him. On Thursday afternoon, Abdur Jabbar pushed a wheelchair carrying his ailing father, who had suffered a stroke in 2022, to the homes garage to meet with three FBI agents. The agents told the family, Abdur Jabbar said, that there were red flags showing that Shamsud-Din Jabbar had been radicalised. They want to know why he did this, Abdur Jabbar said after the FBI questioning. I could not give them an answer. Thats not the brother I know. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Blog Archive: Mar 2025 (70) Feb 2025 (139) Jan 2025 (155) Dec 2024 (144) Nov 2024 (143) Oct 2024 (155) Sep 2024 (149) Aug 2024 (155) Jul 2024 (155) Jun 2024 (150) May 2024 (153) Apr 2024 (149) Mar 2024 (155) Feb 2024 (145) Jan 2024 (155) Dec 2023 (155) Nov 2023 (150) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55) This afternoon Carlow County Council has issued the following statement in relation to this severe weather event. "Carlow County Council attended an online National Co-ordination meeting with the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management and Met Eireann this morning, subsequently Carlow County Councils Severe Weather Assessment Team have met again and the Severe Weather Response Plan has been activated. Further meetings, briefings and updates will continue throughout the period of severe weather". Potato Market under a blanket of snow today The statement pointed out that further significant snowfall is expected this afternoon and evening during the period of Orange Weather Warning. Carlow County Council have established a Severe Weather Event Control Centre to receive, handle and manage calls from the public during this severe weather event. The Severe Weather Event Control Centre will initially be open from 09:00 hrs Sunday 05/01/25 until 20:00 hrs Sunday 05/01/25. The contact number is 059 9170302 and the email address to report to the centre is weatheremergency@carlowcoco.ie Any urgent need to contact Carlow County Council staff during out of office hours must be made through the assistance phone number 059 9170300 or the Severe Weather Event Control Centre phone number 059 9170302 when operational as detailed above. We will update further if there are any changes to these warnings. STATUS YELLOW SNOW ICE WARNING FOR LEINSTER UPDATED 17:00 Sunday 05/01/2025 to 00:00 Monday 06/01/2025 Weather that does not pose a threat to the general population but is potentially dangerous on a localised scale. Be aware about meteorological conditions and check if you are exposed to danger by nature of your activity or your specific location. Do not take any avoidable risks COLD WEATHER ADVISORY FOR IRELAND UPDATED 17:00 Sunday 05/01/2025 to 12:00 Thursday 09/01/2025 Sunday night and much of the coming week will be very cold. Severe frost and icy patches in many areas. Lying snow in some areas will be slow to clear. Care while walking and driving is advised You can report any damage to ESB Networks by contacting our emergency phone number: 1800 372 999/021 238 2410 (24 hours/7 days). ESB power check service can be accessed to report and/or ascertain power outages in your area. Carlow County Council's Homeless Services operates an extended Cold Weather Protocol from November 1st, 2024 to March 31st, 2025. With the assistance of funding provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and in accordance with the Regional Homeless Action Plan, Carlow County Council is operating a cold weather initiative for anyone that is homeless and rough sleeping. This scheme operates throughout the winter period and any person that is rough sleeping may contact Carlow County Council to avail of an overnight bed during the winter period. Anyone that is rough sleeping should make contact with homeless services by email to homeless@carlowcoco.ie or during office hours phone 0599172496 . After office hours phone 059 9170300. If any member of the public sees a person rough sleeping they may report this and a member of the homeless services team will investigate. The homeless team will also actively carry out patrols in the town areas and make contact with homeless people at risk during extreme weather. The public are advised to stay away from areas of high ground where there may be significant accumulations of snowfall and be inaccessible such as Mt. Leinster. The L-3005-23 road from Carrolls Cross to Tomduff at the Nine Stones will be closed from 14:00 hrs Saturday 04/01/25 until the period of severe weather ends. Local access will be available from Tomduff side only. Contact Details: The contact number for Carlow County Council Out of Hours Assistance for Local Authority services of an urgent nature is 059 9170300. A Severe Weather Event Control Centre will be established in response to the severe weather alert on Sunday 05/01/25 from 09:00 hrs to 20:00hrs 059 9170302 and the email address to report to the centre is weatheremergency@carlowcoco.ie. Other emergency contact details include: Fire/An Garda Siochana/National Ambulance Service 999/112, Water and Wastewater (Irish Water) 1800 278 278 ESB 1800 372 999 Gas Networks Ireland 1800 205 050 Transport For Ireland https://www.transportforireland.ie/ Met Eireann Weather Warning: Leinster - Met Eireann - The Irish Meteorological Service https://www.met.ie/leinster-forecast.html Warnings & Advisories - Met Eireann - The Irish Meteorological Service https://www.met.ie/warnings-today.html Weather warnings explanation - Met Eireann - The Irish Meteorological Service https://www.met.ie/weather-warnings Cartoon Brew invited the filmmakers behind each of this years 15 Oscar-shortlisted animated shorts to share their favorite shot from their film and explain why its special to them. The pieces are being published in the order that materials were received. In this piece, were looking at the The Wild-Tempered Clavier from director Anna Samo. Animating on toilet paper, Samo tells the story of an artist struggling to cope with the uncertain and chaotic world around them. How does one keep playing or animating as war rages somewhere. The Wild-Tempered Claviers unique approach draws on Bachs timeless music and the heritage of animation painted directly on 35mm film. Samo recently spoke with Cartoon Brew about the making of the short. Below, she shares her favorite shot from the film and tells us about its significance: This shot comes towards the end of the film and combines many elements which appeared earlier in a way that I hope will make the audience feel the triumph of music and art, despite the presence of violence and destruction. The camera is positioned very close to the machine that moves the toilet paper strip with the painted animation. The shot is packed with fast-paced action, ignited by the emotional explosion in the music. We see a soldier morph into a firing tank, right after that a person trips and almost falls, and then a grand piano bursts into flames and breaks down. Next, we see the pianist, who wasnt able to approach the instrument during the whole film, open the top of an undamaged grand piano and sit down to finally play the instrument. The image of the burning grand piano was on my mind very early in the process of making The Wild-Tempered Clavier. It was one of the few drawings I made in my sketchbook while working on the film. I did not know where exactly it belonged, but it felt important. While doing some research, I realized there were many stories connected to a burning piano. The Scottish artist Douglas Gordon, created a very impressive video installation featuring a grand piano burning in a landscape where the border of the Roman Empire used to be. He titled his work nothing less than The End of Civilization. Many contemporary musicians composed for and performed on pianos set on fire. I also learned about the tradition of Air Forces to hold piano-burning ceremonies to commemorate fallen pilots and there are many curious myths about the origins of this tradition. There is something incredibly dramatic and complex about the image of the burning piano it contains the feeling of destroyed culture, violated life, barbarism, and at the same time this image could be a metaphor for the wild emotions that cannot be kept inside anymore. It was important for me to give the film a hopeful ending. So, it felt right to place the image of the musician who opens the grand piano and sits down to play it right after the image of the burning instrument. I like the idea that music cannot be destroyed, that even if a piano is burned there will be another one that will be played. The grand piano here is like a phoenix bird bursting into flames just to be reborn. It is a very fragile triumph though. And a different thought has crossed my mind recently: Maybe the piano has to be burned, so that the musician has a story to tell through the music. Read the other entries in the series: Cartoon Brew invited the filmmakers behind each of this years 15 Oscar-shortlisted animated shorts to share their favorite shot from their film and explain why its special to them. The pieces are being published in the order that materials were received. In this piece, were looking at the In the Shadow of The Cypress from Iranian filmmakers Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani. Living in a house by the sea with his daughter, a former captain who has post-traumatic stress disorder leads a tough and secluded life, which is pulled out of its isolation by the unexpected arrival of a stranded whale. As his daughter refuses to give up on the animal, the captain will face his own demons in this poignant universal story about resilience. The filmmakers recently spoke with Cartoon Brew about the making of the short. Below, they share their favorite shot from the film and tells us about its significance: When asked to select just a single shot from our film, we found ourselves facing a difficult choice because our priority was the whole film and its overall integrity, not just a specific shot. Needless to say that we had done our best to create a coherent and consistent film, viewing each scene as an important part. Additionally, economic challenges, budget constraints, and the emigration of many skilled Iranian professionals due to sanctions, severely limited our resources. We had only a few part-time animators, which was insufficient for the volume of 2d animation required. To simplify their workload during storyboarding, we decided to increase the number of shots while minimizing their average duration. Many other significant scenes, though valuable in our view, were too short to be presented here. Eventually, after careful discussions, we selected Shot No. 218. This 24-second scene illustrates the fathers violent ejection by a bomb blast. The uniqueness of this shot lies in its distinction from the films other scenes in every aspect. The animation is limited, non-classical, and stylized, with a distinct color palette. In this shot, we observe a lot of improvisation and a more experimental and illustrative approach compared to the rest of the film. The focus was on depicting the explosion dramatically and surreally. To achieve this goal, we had to go beyond the limitations of classical animation. Prior to this shot, the film gradually reveals very little information about the fathers past and the familys history. However, in this pivotal scene, the narrative rhythm and pace reach their climax. The storys puzzle pieces finally connect, disclosing the reality. In this shot, the audience finds out what exactly has happened to this family in the past. At the beginning of the film, the audience, initially shocked by the fathers violent behavior, may even feel resentment and hatred towards him. But in Shot 218, they can step into the fathers shoes and gain some understanding of his inner turmoil. They can comprehend why he later picks up a gun and runs towards the whale; why he bangs his head against the wall; and why he treats his daughter so violently. In addition, this scene clarifies the source of the blue color that envelops the father during moments of emotional and psychological distress. Blue is recognized as a symbol of psychological issues, while other colors were not suitable for this purpose. In the film, blue symbolically represents the fathers internal turmoil. It should be mentioned that one of our animators began but failed to complete Scene 218. Due to severe budget limitations and a shortage of animators, everyone was behind schedule. To be honest, we were desperate and couldnt find anyone to animate this shot. Initially, Hossein tried to accomplish the animation, but he was too busy. So we decided to take a risk and trust Mehdi Torabi, a talented member of our coloring team. Mehdi used the existing incomplete rough animation as a foundation and employed his unique illustration style to finish the scene. Since we wanted to create a distinct and different atmosphere in this shot, we decided to keep the spontaneous and unexpected elements that naturally emerged in Mehdis work. Despite having no prior animating experience, Mehdis work completely exceeded our expectations. Last but not least, for us, this film is, in a way, a homage to the veterans of the Iran-Iraq war, particularly those still suffering from PTSD. They are often censored and deliberately ignored in Iranian media. Shot 218 can be considered the most relevant scene to the core message and purpose of In the Shadow of the Cypress. Read the other entries in the series: Were pleased to invite you to a special screening of Netflix Animation and Aardman Animations new feature Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, followed by a Q&A with directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, hosted by Cartoon Brew editor-in-chief Amid Amidi. A reception with refreshments will follow the event. In this triumphant return for Parks iconic duo, Gromit has grown concerned that Wallace is becoming too dependent on his inventions, a fear that proves justified when Wallace invents a smart gnome that seems to develop a mind of its own. When it emerges that a vengeful figure from the past might be masterminding things, it falls to Gromit to battle sinister forces and save his master or Wallace may never be able to invent again! Packed with all of the witty comedy and action-packed shenanigans that audiences have come to expect from the series, Vengeance Most Fowl currently boasts a 100% positive critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film premieres today on Netflix globally. The bigscreen presentation of Vengeance Most Fowl will begin at 7:00pm on Thursday, January 9, at Netflixs Icon Home Theater in Hollywood (5808 Sunset Blvd). The event is free but requires an RSVP, which you can do by CLICKING HERE or on the image below. Hamilton County's growing Hispanic population is being seen in the Hamilton County Schools, with 10 county schools now having a majority Hispanic population. At the same time, fewer black students as well as white students are in the county schools. Of the school system's 46,038 students, 10,082 are Hispanic. The number of white students is 20,780 and black students are 13,103. Other groups include 537 American Indian, 1,380 Asian and 156 native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. The county schools in 2022 had 13,338 black students and 8,680 Hispanic. There were 21,588 white students. This year's enrollment figures show the school system with 6,390 ELL students. English language learners, or ELLs, are "students who are not yet able to communicate fluently or learn effectively in English." The Howard School, which through its long history has been a predominately black school, now has 981 Hispanic students and just 476 black students. There are 20 white students. Howard has two American Indian students and one Asian. Howard, with 1,480 students at its South Market Street campus, is one of the school system's largest schools. Other schools with large Hispanic populations include: Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy - 189 Hispanic, 154 black and 11 white Clifton Hills Elementary - 502 Hispanic, 129 black, 16 white and one American Indian East Lake Academy of Fine Arts - 404 Hispanc, 130 black, 16 white and two American Indian East Lake Elementary - 508 Hispanic, 98 black and 19 white. The school has one American Indian and one Pacific Islander East Ridge Elementary - 409 Hispanic, 238 black, 209 white, 15 American Indian, 13 Asian and two Pacific Islander East Ridge High School - 478 Hispanic, 231 black, 141 white, 11 American Indian, 13 Asian and three Pacific Islander East Ridge Middle - 303 Hispanic, 171 black, 104 white, five American Indian, 15 Asian and five Pacific Islander East Side Elementary - 409 Hispanic, 102 black, and 12 white Hixson Elementary - 151 Hispanic, 158 white, 92 black, four American Indian, and 12 Asian Spring Creek Elementary - 337 Hispanic, 182 black, 143 white, three American Indian, 14 Asian and two Pacific Islander While Mayor Kelly celebrates unchecked development, our city's building inspection department seems to think they need security to protect employees from desperate business owners. Think about this, the city believes that hard-working citizens who've mortgaged their homes, emptied retirement accounts, and risked everything they've built have been pushed to such desperation that a city department needs protection from its own taxpayers (City Council Meeting Minutes, October 2024). HERE'S HUMAN COST AND WHY: According to the Chamber of Commerce Small Business Survey (2024), a veteran invested his entire military pension to open a restaurant, only to wait 147 days for a simple renovation permit.Every month he payed $4,000 in rent on an empty building while his savings disappeared (Chattanooga Times Free Press Investigation, December 2024). A mother-daughter automotive repair shop waited 186 days to expand, draining $50,000 in savings while their permit sat untouched. They had to consider closing their doors permanently (Better Business Bureau Report, November 2024). Three generations of a family manufacturing business waited 8 months for basic utility approvals, spending $120,000 in rent and lost revenue while waiting. Their equipment sat idle while they kept paying their employees, hoping for approval (Hamilton County Business Development Center Records, 2024). THE DEVELOPER DIFFERENCE: Yet Building Permit Records (July-December 2024) show a major apartment complex received permits in just 30 days. A national retail chain got approvals in three weeks. An out-of-state developer's project sailed through in 45 days. Corporate projects received same-day inspections while local families wait months (Chattanooga Regional Planning Commission Data, 2024). FINANCIAL DEVASTATION: The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Small Business Impact Study (2024) reveals the average small business spends $37,000 waiting for permits. The Hamilton County Economic Analysis shows permit delays cost local businesses $12 million annually. The Tennessee Small Business Development Center reports 41 percent of affected businesses face possible bankruptcy due to these delays. Meanwhile, Kelly's administration fast-tracks developer projects that strain our infrastructure. When a national chain wants to build, they get instant attention. When local families want to build their dreams, they get endless delays. FROM DAY ONE, THIS CHANGES: We'll implement same-day permit review for small businesses. We'll guarantee 48-hour initial responses. Every application will have a single point of contact. Local businesses will receive priority processing. Most importantly, everyone will receive equal treatment. This isn't just about bureaucracy - it's about preserving families' futures. Every day of delay costs our local business owners more of their life savings. Every week of waiting maybe pushing another family business closer to financial ruin. Every month of inaction sends another potential employer looking elsewhere. My administration well fix this. When your permit department feels the need for security to greet you, their system must be broken. When local families risk everything they have to build a business, they deserve support, not obstacles. Citizens should not have to risk being driven to desperation by their own government- just to start there own business. I'm Chris Long. My wife and I have been together for over 30 years, and we've built our life here. We understand what it means to invest everything in a business dream. That's why from day one, as mayor I will create a system that works for everyone, including developers. Chris Long * * * Chris, Sorry to inform you, the problems you describe are an inheritance the Kelly Administration received. I know two different property owners who had the same problems as you listed prior to Mayor Kelly going into office. I hoped there would be better process when he came in but I have not heard of such yet. A funny one, the folks I know setting up a business were told the building needed to be moved to allow for parking. That structure was built in the 1930s. It was only 5 the whole building was to move. It did not move, parking issue had a less complex resolution. Developers always get the best seat at the table. Even at places other than Wallys that is how the network, also known as GOBnet functions in this city and county. Probably the best way to make process simpler for citizens is for the City Council to make a website available so those who use Building Services process to post time and date of query to time and date of service rendered. It could be like the infamous Durham, N.C. web address. Why theres nothing like getting stuck at the Design Resource Center. I hear from the folks who took six months to have a week's worth of back and forth completed the next job they did was through a general contractor and the headaches were gone. Oh well. Prentice Hicks The case in which former state Rep. Robin Smith of Hixson is expected to be the star witness for the government is set to go to trial in Federal Court in Nashville on April 22. Ms. Smith, who resigned and pleaded guilty earlier, is set to testify against former House Speaker Glen Casada and his aide Cade Cothren. The government expects the trial to last between two and three weeks; the defense expects the trial to last four weeks. Authorities said in November 2019 that Cothren set up a firm called Phoenix Consulting that was said to be headed by Matthew Phoenix, which in fact was a fictitious name and the actual operator of the firm was Cothren. The firm was set up to get payments from a program in which legislators could use up to $3,000 each per year for mailings to constituents. Prosecutors said earlier, "The plea agreement contemplates that Defendant will cooperate with the government in this and related cases. It is anticipated that Defendant will testify in United States v. Casada, et al." Ms. Smith, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud, at one time headed the state Republican Party. Her sentencing has been moved back several times and is now set for June 9 at 1 p.m. in Nashville. Prosecutor James Brooks said the fact that a prominent Lookout Mountain was sexually abused as a child should have kept him from offending himself. James Coleman Thompson is set to be sentenced on Friday at 2 p.m. after he earlier pleaded guilty to bringing children to a location in Alabama and Louisiana for sex. Both sides have agreed on a 20-year sentence. That has to be approved by Judge Travis McDonough. Prosecutor Brooks said, "The government has no reason to doubt the defendants own claims to having been sexually abused but offers the following response. If the defendant is in fact a product of the cycle of sexual abuse, he more than anyone, with an abundance of resources, from one of the wealthiest communities in the nation, should have known the consequences of sexual abuse and should have resisted the urge to offend. "Repetition of generational abuse is neither mitigating nor excusable. Indeed, all wrongs are cyclical: poverty to theft; addiction to distribution; and trauma to violence. Unfortunately, culture and custom offer little resistance: children are thoughtlessly groomed to violence; social media grooms to early sexuality; and the relief between the peaks of wealth and valleys of poverty have only increased. "Notwithstanding the cycle of abuse and a complacent culture, the community requires the individual to disrupt the pattern. When he abdicates, it becomes the responsibility of the Courts and the prisons to stand up and address it. The imposition of a 20-year prison sentence is where justice starts in this case. "From here, the defendant must serve the sentence, and the victims can now hopefully begin to heal. The goal of the lengthy prison term is to exact a penalty consistent with the defendants conduct, commensurate with the ongoing suffering of the victims and their families, to specifically deter this defendant from reoffending, and to generally deter all like-minded potential offenders." The prosecutor also said, "To be clear, this sentence is intended to outpace the defendants capacity to reoffend." Thompson is 72 and suffers from a number of health issues, it was stated. Pixabay/Gerd Altmann Most white Christians and Hispanic Protestants supported President-elect Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, according to a new survey. The Public Religion Research Institute released a report analyzing the 2024 presidential election results by religious affiliation, based on responses from 5,772 adults and a subsample of 4,757 voters collected between Nov. 8 and Dec. 2. In the 2024 presidential election, Trump, the Republican nominee, received overwhelming support from white Evangelicals at 85%, while only 14% supported Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump received even stronger support from white Evangelicals who attend church weekly or more often, at 88%. This support was slightly lower among those attending church monthly or a few times a year (81%), as well as among those who seldom or never attend church (74%). Trump also enjoyed the backing of a majority of Hispanic Protestants (64%), white Catholics (59%), and white, non-Evangelical Protestants (57%). Among white Catholics, higher church attendance correlated with higher support for Trump, with 64% of weekly attendees backing him, compared to 58% of those attending monthly or a few times a year, and 56% of those who rarely or never go to Mass. Conversely, among white non-Evangelical Protestants, only 52% of weekly churchgoers supported Trump, while slightly more attended monthly or a few times a year (56%), and those who never or rarely attended church (59%) backed him. Hispanic Catholics were a notable exception, with 55% supporting Harris. Harris received overwhelming support from other religious demographics, including black Protestants, 83% of whom voted for her. Additionally, Harris garnered majority support from the religiously unaffiliated (72%), non-Christian voters of other faiths (67%), and Jewish voters (62%). The survey's results differ slightly from the 2024 presidential election exit polling, based on interviews with 22,914 voters as they left their polling stations. Exit polls showed Trump's support among white Evangelicals at a slightly lower 82%, with a higher share (64%) of support from Latino Protestants. While the Public Religion Research Institute found that Trump lost the Hispanic Catholic vote, exit polling indicated he received 53% from this demographic. Harris support among black Protestants was consistent with both reports, at 83% in the survey and 85% in exit polls. Polling conducted following the 2024 presidential election indicates a significant shift in the voting preferences of Latinos compared to the 2020 election. The Public Religion Research Institute found that Harris captured a majority (53%) of the Latino vote, while exit polling placed her support at 51%, a decline from the 65% captured by President Joe Biden in 2020, according to exit polls. Home News North Carolina pastor details 'slow and painful' healing from Helene 'We're ministering to people who lost everything' The pastor of a rural Baptist church in storm-ravaged western North Carolina told The Christian Post that residents continue to struggle months after Hurricane Helene, but Christians in the area have been given a unique opportunity to minister to their hurting neighbors. "Obviously, healing comes from the Lord, and we're just trusting Him to provide that, but it's slow and painful at this particular juncture," said Todd Royal, who serves as pastor of Fairview Baptist Church. "But we do see the Lord working in a lot of different ways." Founded in 1806, Fairview Baptist Church is the second-oldest church in Buncombe County, which bore the brunt of Hurricane Helene when it tore through western North Carolina last September, wiping entire communities off the map. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Royal noted that approximately 100 homes were lost during the storm in the Fairview community, which is about 10 miles southeast of Asheville. The suburb made international headlines when 11 members of the same family perished in a mudslide, and Royal said portions of the community remain unrecognizably changed. "We're ministering to people who lost everything," said Royal, whose church was among those that stepped up to aid in local relief efforts. He said helping people who lost their homes get set up with winterized campers has been a major priority, and he recounted how a single mother cried when they offered her help. "She had bags of leaves up under the camper to kind of protect the pipes and the camper from the cold, and so she started crying when I told her we would come and provide some underpinning," he said. "She lost everything." "So people are hurting immensely from the devastation and loss," Royal continued. "So in terms of the healing process, it's going to take years for many people. And of course, there's where the church steps up to try to be a source of love and pointing people to the Lord, because in Him we know that they'll find what they need." Royal noted that the reputation of Christianity and the church in the predominantly liberal Asheville area has not been very positive, but said the storm has afforded him and other Christians a special opportunity to minister to their neighbors. "Asheville has been a spiritual mess for years, and we've been praying for revival for the church," Royal said, adding there are about 400 churches in the area. "We've been praying for the church to rise up and be the blessing that we're called to be, to love on Asheville, to try to reach Asheville with the love of the Lord, and this has given us a springboard to be able to do some of those things. And so, that's where the healing the true healing is going to come from." He also noted non-Christian locals who have noticed the work Christians have been doing to help. "The unbelieving eyes are seeing it; they've been impacted by it, and that's where we're grateful," he said. "We see some of the prayers that we've lifted up being answered, and so you can't help but be grateful for that. The darkness and the difficulty, I think, is a backdrop for us, just to be able to show and share the love and the light of the Lord." When asked how he would respond to those who are angry at God for allowing catastrophes such as Helene to happen, Royal said, "I share the Gospel." Royal suggested that anyone who harbors anger toward God fails to understand His character, explaining that even God's judgments are "always redemptive." "You take folks to the cross," he said of those who are suffering. "There have been many times in my life and my ministry where I'd say, 'Lord, there's got to be another way.' But He always shows me the cross." Home News Christian faith leaders hold Prayer for the Nation after NOLA terror attack: Stand against evil Christian leaders are holding a one-hour prayer broadcast Sunday evening in response to the New Year's Day terror attack in New Orleans, in which 15 people were killed and several others were injured. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry will lead the broadcast event, titled Pray for the Nation, alongside Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, an ordained minister and a former Louisiana state representative who also previously served on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Communities must stand against evil and offer prayers for the nation, say the organizers. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The virtual gathering will begin at 6 p.m. Central time, featuring several other Christian leaders Pastor Carter Conlon, Pastor Jack Hibbs, Michele Bachmann, David Goza, Troy Miller and Pastor Art Reyes who will intercede for the victims of the attack and pray for greater security nationwide. Mike Clark, a chaplain with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, is also scheduled to offer a prayer for those who have been affected by the violence. In a statement provided to The Christian Post, Landry described the attack as a tragic reminder of the evil in this world that seeks to steal, kill and destroy. Landry said, We are thankful for the men and women in uniform who protect us; please join us in praying for their safety and their ability to thwart these heinous acts of terror. We also lift up the victims of this attack and their families. Perkins said, America must pray! We need Gods protective hand upon our cities and our nation. Having worked in law enforcement and anti-terrorism, I know the difficulty of confronting an ideology determined to kill and destroy. Perkins cited Psalm 127, which Benjamin Franklin quoted at the Constitutional Convention, Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. He urged Christians to pray that our nation turns to the Lord so He may guard our cities and our country. On X, Perkins wrote, The only way to protect America from the threats we faceif we want to remain freeis by seeking Gods hand of protection upon our nation. Join us Sunday as we pray for those impacted by the terror attack in New Orleans and for the nation to stand together against evil as we turn our hearts toward the Lord. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has said the attacker, identified as Shamsud Din Jabbar, acted alone, describing the incident as an act of terrorism. Fourteen pedestrians were killed and dozens more wounded in the midst of New Years Eve celebrations as Jabbar drove a rented pickup truck into revelers gathered on Bourbon Street and later opened fire on police after exiting the vehicle. Investigators told reporters that Jabbar had posted videos expressing support for ISIS and had an ISIS flag on the truck during the rampage. FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Wray of the Counterterrorism Division said Jabbar originally planned to harm his family and friends, but was concerned the news headlines would not focus on the quote, War between the believers and the disbelievers, as noted by Breitbart. Home News Hamas shows sign of life from kidnapped 19-year-old IDF soldier Liri Albag in latest propaganda video It tore our hearts to pieces, says Albag family, allows publication of images After 456 days in captivity, Hamas released a sign of life from 19-year-old IDF soldier Liri Albag, who was kidnapped by terrorists from her base in Nahal Oz during the invasion and massacre on Oct. 7, 2023. Since then, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad have released several videos and images of the hostages, using them in a campaign of psychological warfare and propaganda to increase domestic pressure on the Israeli government to secure a deal. In the undated, 3:34-minute-long video, Albag, mostly likely reading from a script written by her captors, says she has been a captive in Gaza for 450 days, adding that she and the other hostages have been forgotten. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Im only 19 years old. I have my entire life in front of me, but now my entire life has been put on pause, Albag says. She then turns to the Israeli government, blaming it and the IDF for her situation and demanding they act to bring about her release. The video published today tore our hearts to pieces, Albags family said in a statement. Israeli media usually refrains from publishing pictures and video clips released by Hamas, unless the hostage families specifically approve it. After initially asking not to reproduce the video, the Albag family later agreed to publish stills from the video. This is not the same daughter and sister we know. She is in a bad state her difficult mental state is evident. We saw our heroine Liri survive and beg for her life. She is several tens of kilometers from us and for 456 days we have not been able to bring her home, the family stated. We appeal to the Prime Minister and the decision makers: it's time for you to make the decisions as if your children were there! Liri is alive and must come back alive! It depends only on you! You must not miss the present opportunity to return them. All of them. In another statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum called on Israeli and world leaders to take courageous action and bring Liri and all the hostages home. The sign of life from Liri is the harsh and undeniable proof of the urgency in bringing all the hostages home! Every day in Hamas' hell in Gaza poses an immediate risk of death to the living hostages and endangers the ability to recover the fallen for proper burial, the forum stated. Sixteen days remain until the ultimatum set by President-elect Trump. We must not lose this historic window of opportunity! Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog later called the parents of Liri, Shira and Eli Albag. The president sought to offer them strength and support after receiving the deeply upsetting video, which was also a sign of life after such an extended period, Herzogs office stated. Netanyahu's office said he assured the Albag family that Israel would continue to work relentlessly to bring Liri and all the hostages back home and that the efforts are continuing, including at the present. The prime minister reiterated that whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price. In recent months, the Albag family has sharply criticized the government for not securing a deal to release the hostages. The last sign of life from Liri was published in July but was dated to an earlier period of her captivity. Hamas' release of the video was timed to be released just before the weekly rallies and demonstrations on Saturday evening began across Israel. In Jerusalem, hundreds marched toward Netanyahus residence to demand he agree to a hostage release deal. Many protesters accuse the prime minister of refusing to close a deal to protect the stability of his government coalition. According to Walla News, four protesters were detained near the prime ministers residence. This article was originally published at All Israel News Home News Jimmy Carter's family pays respects to beloved late president: His spirit fills this place Family members of the late former President Jimmy Carter paid their respects at a ceremony held in Atlanta, Georgia, which focused on his charitable organization, the Carter Center. Commencing the six-day state funeral held in tribute to the former president was a motorcade that traveled through Carters hometown of Plains, Georgia, before arriving at a private funeral ceremony held at the Carter Center in Atlanta late Saturday afternoon. A military escort carried Carter's casket into the center. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe During the service, a choir sang the U.S. Navy hymn Eternal Father Strong to Save, a musical rendition of the Lords Prayer, and a choral version of Battle Hymn of the Republic. Carter had served in the Navy for several years before entering politics. Two wreaths were laid by Carter's casket, as family members and staff at the Carter Center gathered together for the ceremony, which lasted approximately 30 minutes. Jason Carter, the late president's grandson, gave remarks before those gathered, visibly repressing sadness as he talked about his beloved grandfather. His spirit fills this place, he said of the Carter Center, directing many of his words to those who work at the facility. And the real reason that his spirit fills this place is because of the people who are standing here. Jason Carter noted, We will spend this week celebrating this incredible life, and a life that I think we can agree is as full and powerful as any life can be. As someone said, it's amazing how much you can cram into a hundred years, Jason Carter continued, eliciting some laughter from the attendees. He added that while family and friends have been planning for Jimmy Carters death for a long time, it was obviously still hard for all of us. Chip Carter, a son of the deceased president, shared anecdotes about his upbringing around his famous father, including how his father helped him study for a Latin test and told him scary stories while camping. He observed that there was a lot of love along the motorcade route to the center as every overpass had people on it adding that it was amazing and gave you goosebumps just to sit in the van. He was an amazing man, Chip Carter said. And he was held up, propped up and soothed by an amazing woman. And the two of them together, changed the world. On Dec. 29, the former president died at the age of 100, having been put on hospice care in early 2023 following a series of hospital stays. The former president was known for his extensive charity work, especially with Habitat for Humanity, and served as a Sunday school teacher for decades at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. Individuals across the political spectrum paid their respects to Carter, with both the Bidens and President-elect Donald Trump releasing statements expressing their condolences. "While I strongly disagreed with him philosophically and politically, I also realized that he truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for, stated Trump. "He was a truly good man and, of course, will be greatly missed. He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect." In addition to the service in Atlanta, Carter's remains will lie in repose at the center before being transported to Washington, D.C., to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol from Jan. 7-8. A service of remembrance will also be held at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington at 10 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday before a final private family service held later that day in Georgia. WASHINGTON, D. C. - Westlake Republican Bernie Moreno was sworn in as Ohios newest U.S. senator shortly after noon on Friday, amid a whirlwind of celebrations with his family members and political supporters. Its quite an honor to become a U.S. senator, I take that honor very seriously he said shortly after Vice President Kamala Harris administered an oath of office that required him to swear to uphold the U.S. Constitution. Several of Morenos Republican U.S. Senate predecessors accompanied him down the aisle for the ceremony: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Cincinnati, and U.S. Sen. J. D. Vance of Cincinnati, who will soon replace Harris as vice-president. Harris also swore in all the other U.S. Senators who were elected in 2024. All U.S. House of Representatives members were also sworn in on Friday. Ohios only new U.S. House of Representatives member is Republican David Taylor of Amelia, who replaced retiring U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup in the 2nd congressional district along the states southern border. Moreno said he started the day with his immediate family, and then held a roundtable in his office where he thanked his political supporters. After he was officially sworn in on the Senate floor, he held a reception. We planned a venue for 80 people, we had 280 people show up, Moreno reported. It was a chaotic mess, but we fit them all in there. He said he also planned to hold events at the Museum of the Bible, and with a mining association, given the importance of the energy industry to Ohio. Moreno was assigned to occupy Desk 51 in the legislative body, which he says was appropriate because his victory in November gave Republicans the 51st seat they needed to win a majority. Its first occupant was the first senator from Ohio, which is really, really cool, said Moreno, a former car-dealership owner who has never before held public office. Ohios first U.S. Senator was Thomas Worthington. He won the job by defeating longtime Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in a tidal election for Republicans where Donald Trump secured the White House, and GOP victories around the country put the party in charge of both houses of Congress. Moreno was born in 1967 in Bogota, Colombia. His dad, Bernardo Moreno Sr., was a physician and high-ranking government official, holding a position similar to a U.S. secretary of health. Moreno has described an aristocratic upbringing in multiple homes complete with farmland and staff. His fathers family home later was converted into the German embassy in Bogota. But when he was 5, his family immigrated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His dad worked as a surgical assistant in a local hospital while working to regain his medical license. His mom became a real-estate agent. Moreno passed the U.S. citizenship test when he turned 18 and worked for Saturn, a now-defunct General Motors subsidiary when he graduated from University of Michigan. After a dozen years working for a Boston-area megadealer, he bought a Mercedes-Benz dealership in North Olmsted in 2005. He spent a little more than a decade accumulating car dealerships that focused on high-end cars like Lotus and Rolls Royce, employing luxury flourishes that brought in celebrity clients like LeBron James. He sold off those dealership by 2020 and jumped into blockchain, pushing to make Cleveland an international leader in blockchain technology. He first ran for the U.S. Senate in 2021, hoping to replace Portman when he retired, but withdrew from that race after losing Trumps endorsement to Vance, who won the seat and is now set to leave the Senate to become Trumps vice president. His bid to unseat Brown two years later took off when Trump endorsed him, helping him to defeat state Sen. Matt Dolan and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose in 2024s Republican primary. Trumps endorsement called Moreno exactly the type of MAGA fighter that we need in the United States Senate, and said hed always stand up to the Fascist nut jobs and the spineless RINOS in order to fight the corrupt Deep State that is destroying our Country. Moreno won 50.1 percent of the vote against Brown. Incoming Senate Republican Leader John Thune of South Dakota announced last month that Moreno will serve on the U.S. Senates Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, its Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee, its Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committee and its Budget committee. Moreno says he asked to serve on all four committees. He said he plans to have a lot of fun pointing out how unqualified the committees top Democrat, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, is to regulate the financial system. He said the Commerce committee is critical to Ohio because of the auto industry, the Budget committee is critical to controlling spending, and the Homeland Security committee will give him a voice in solving the nations immigration problems. Weve got to get immigration solved, said Moreno. Legal immigration is what built this country. We cant have any tolerance for illegal immigration. So, if youre in this country illegally, youre going to be deported. He said his other priorities will include securing the U.S. border, lowering prices for consumers and shrinking the federal government. Its on a spending binge that a drunken teenager would be embarrassed by, Moreno said of the federal government. Sabrina Eaton writes about the federal government and politics in Washington, D.C., for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. LOS ANGELES -- My parents and grandparents were German Jews living in the Fatherland at exactly the wrong time in history. Fortunately, they were pessimists, sensed danger early and got out of Dodge. Many of their friends assured them that the loud guy with the square mustache was a harmless clown. By the time the clown shed the red nose, the oversized shoes and the fright wig, it was too late. I recently saw a meme on Facebook that says, The road to fascism is lined with people telling you to stop overreacting. If your house suddenly blew up, it would be strange if you didnt overreact. Guess what? The house is blowing up. Donald Trump has said he intends to be a dictator, but only for one day and just for revenge. Uh-huh. If you believe hell stop being a dictator on Day Two, Ill give you a good price on this bridge Im selling. Is there a single dictator in history who limited tyranny to the first day of work? Whats Trump going to say? Well, that dictator stuff was kinda fun but now lets go back to the old way. Why isnt Liz Cheney looking for a condo in Fiji? How long will Rachel, Fani and Jack stick around? Why is Mike Pence still here? You dont need a Ph.D. in American History to sense that a dystopian nightmare awaits us once Donald J. Trump has finished reciting the oath of office and removes his hand from a book he has never read -- yet many people seem to be less concerned than they should be. Dictators dont obey laws; they make their own. Metaphorically speaking, Trump has said hell relegate the Constitution to the paper-products section of a supermarket. Russias Vladimir Putin is probably schooling him now on how to achieve absolute power. Trump will learn that dictators can keep legislatures but make them powerless. That he can have elections that seem free, except everybody votes for the only person running -- him. Emboldened by a bogus landslide, he fires unfriendly judges and installs cronies. The U.S. Supreme Court wont stop him. Six of them already have staterooms on the Good Ship Lollipop, and Elon Musk seems to have taken control of the helm, the crew and the lifeboats. MAGA gets two for the price of one. A bargain! Were told by pessimistic commentators that there will be no guardrails and Trump will do exactly what hes threatened to do. The optimists assure us that there are guardrails and hell be stopped from overreaching by the other two branches. I once saw a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle smash through a guardrail as if it were made of balsa wood. Trump has provided us with a spoiler alert by appointing loyalists to his cabinet, most of whom are not qualified to open a jar of pickles. Whoever becomes U.S. attorney general will do his bidding. He promises to purge federal employees who are not acolytes, which will probably include members of the FBI, not to mention the Joint Chiefs. He will then have the Bureau and possibly the military at his disposal. You think presidents cant use the military to combat American citizens? What a quaint law that was. John Blumenthal, a writer and former magazine editor in Los Angeles, co-authored the movie, Blue Streak.Courtesy of John Blumenthal Blue state resistance? Not if Trump creates a new cabinet post: Secretary in Charge of State Governmental Realignment. And what will the Emperor Don use those internment camps for, once the migrants are all deported? The point is, whos going to stop him from doing anything he wants? The Allies? There are no Allies this time. My Democratic activist friends are already gearing up for the midterms, apparently oblivious to Trumps statement that, after hes elected, people wont need to vote anymore. Did nobody take that seriously? Who knows? Maybe there will be an election in 2028: Trump versus Nobody. But then again, Im a pessimist. An award-winning novelist and former magazine editor who co-authored the movie, Blue Streak, John Blumenthal is a regular contributor to The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com, for which this was written. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com "His spirit fills this place," Jason Carter told the assembly that included some of the center's 3,000 employees worldwide. "You continue the vibrant living legacy of what is my grandfather's life work," he added. Finally, he arrived for his last visit to the Carter Presidential Center, which houses his presidential library and The Carter Center where he based his post-White House advocacy for public health, democracy and human rights, setting a new standard for what former presidents can accomplish after they yield power. Carter's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren accompanied their patriarch as his hearse rode first Saturday through his hometown of Plains, which at about 700 residents is not much bigger than when Carter was born there Oct. 1, 1924. The procession stopped at the farm where the future president toiled alongside the Black sharecroppers who worked for his father. The motorcade continued to Atlanta, stopping in front of the Georgia Capitol where Carter served as a state senator and reformist governor. Grandson Jason Carter, who now chairs the center's governing board, said, "It's amazing what you can cram into a hundred years." "He was an amazing man. He was held up and propped up and soothed by an amazing woman," son James Earl "Chip" Carter III, told mourners at The Carter Center late Saturday afternoon, referring to his father and former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died in 2023. "The two of them together changed the world. And it was an amazing thing to watch so close." Those chapters shone throughout the opening stanza of a six-day state funeral intended to blend personalized memorials with the ceremonial pomp afforded to former presidents. The longest-lived U.S. executive, Carter died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100. Jimmy Carter 's extended public farewell began Saturday in Georgia, with the 39th U.S. president's flag-draped casket tracing his long arc from the Depression-era South and family farming business to the pinnacle of American political power and decades as a global humanitarian. With the U.S. Capitol in the distance, flags fly at half-staff at the Washington Monument on the National Mall following the death of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, in Washington, U.S., December 30, 2024. Pallbearers on Saturday came from the Secret Service that protected the Carters for almost a half-century and a military honor guard that included Navy servicemembers for the only U.S. Naval Academy graduate to reach the Oval Office. A military band played "Hail to the Chief" and the hymn "Be Thou My Vision" for the commander in chief who also was a devout Baptist. His longtime personal pastor, the Rev. Tony Lowden, remembered not a president but the frail man who spent the last 22 months in hospice care, "wrapped in a blanket" that included the words of Psalm 23. Chip Carter recalled "the boss" he had to make an appointment to see in the Oval Office, but also the father who spent an entire Christmas break learning Latin and teaching his 8th-grade son who had failed a test. When he took that test again, the younger Carter said, he aced it. "I owed it to my father, who spent that kind of time with me." Jimmy Carter will lie in repose at the Carter Presidential Center from 7 p.m. Saturday through 6 a.m. Tuesday, with the public able to pay respects around the clock. National rites will continue in Washington and conclude Thursday with a funeral at Washington National Cathedral, followed by a return to Plains. There, the former president will be buried next to his wife of 77 years near the home they built before his first state Senate campaign in 1962. The Carters lived nearly all their lives in Plains, with the exception of his Naval service, four years in the Governor's Mansion and four years in the White House. As his hearse rolled through the town, mourners lined the main street, some holding bouquets of flowers and wearing pins bearing images of the former president and his signature smile. "We want to pay our respects," said 12-year-old Will Porter Shelbrock, who was born more than three decades after Carter left the White House in 1981. "He was ahead of his time on what he tried to do and tried to accomplish." Porter Shelbrock came from Gainesville, Florida, with his grandmother, Susan Cone, 66. He said he admires Carter for his humanitarian work building houses and waging peace, and talking about a warming planet before the climate crisis was part of routine political discourse. Willie Browner, 75, described Carter as hailing from a bygone era of American politics. "This man, he thought of more than just himself," said Browner, who grew up in the town of Parrott, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) from Plains. Browner said it meant "a great deal" to have a president come from a small Southern town like his something he worries isn't likely to happen again. Indeed, Carter helped plan his own funeral to emphasize that his remarkable rise to the world stage was because of not despite his deep rural roots. Over the course of a few blocks in Plains, the motorcade passed near where the Carters ran the family peanut warehouse, and the small home where his mother, a nurse, had delivered the future first lady in 1927. The hearse passed the old train depot that served as Carter's 1976 presidential campaign headquarters a barebones effort that depended on public financing, dwarfed by the billion-dollar U.S. presidential campaigns of the 21st century. Analysts are pointing to Hong Kong-traded Air China as the leading turnaround candidate among struggling Chinese airlines. China has been far slower than the U.S. to recover from the shock of the 2020-2023 pandemic as the world's second-largest economy faces its own unique challenges. But among several analysts, ranging from DBS to Citigroup, Beijing-based Air China is the top pick for playing a sustained pickup in Chinese travel at home and abroad. Air China, part of United Airline 's Star Alliance group, "is the only Chinese network carrier serving all six continents across the globe, with a particularly strong presence in the profitable China-to-Europe and China-to-North America routes," DBS analysts Jason Sum and Paul Yong said in a report Thursday. DBS maintained its buy rating, with a price target of 5.60 Hong Kong dollars (72 cents), implying upside of 13% from Air China's close Friday. 753-HK 5Y line Air China 60% below peak While 2024 saw Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rally nearly 18%, Air China saw a more muted, low single-digit increase that left it trading more than 60% below its 2018 all-time high. That gives Air China a "significantly more attractive" valuation, close to its five-year pre-pandemic average, the DBS analysts said. "A stronger-than-expected generation of cash flows will enable the group to deleverage swiftly and repair its battered balance sheet." The upcoming Lunar New Year, which runs from late January to early February, could provide a boost. Chinese booking site Trip.com noted that interest in international travel over the holiday is way up . Ticket demand for travel from mainland China to parts of Europe is up by about 50% from a year ago, while inbound demand has tripled, with travelers coming both from nearby Japan and the distant U.S., Trip.com said in a forecast Tuesday. Expanded visa-free travel Chinese authorities in recent months have expanded visa-free policies for travelers from several countries, including parts of Europe and, notably, Japan. Citi analysts in early December reiterated their buy rating on Air China, calling it their top travel stock pick among Chinese airlines. They expect the government's economic policy will support consumption in the coming year. JPMorgan analysts in late November expressed similar optimism, citing Air China's greater exposure to international travel than rivals, and its roughly 30% stake in Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific . The analysts upgraded Air China to overweight from neutral reversing a downgrade made in early October, according to FactSet. The JPM analysts also raised their price target to HKD5.90 based on expectations for significant improvement in earnings over the next two years. The JPM analysts also expect airlines to benefit from lower fuel costs if President-elect Donald Trump carries through on pledges to further reduce energy prices . U.S. airline stocks have outperformed the S & P 500 since early October, the JPMorgan analysts said. Back in early November, Goldman Sachs analysts had already named Air China a "main beneficiary" of increased business travel and resumption in long-haul flights. Goldman expects domestic air passengers grew by 11% in 2024, exceeding 2019 levels, and will expand by another 6% in 2025. The analysts see international traffic recovering to slightly more than 2019 levels in the year ahead. Still, Air China has a long way to go to catch up to its partner United, which closed at a new record in early December and soared 135% in 2024, its largest ever annual gain. Chicago-based United, which operates more international routes than any U.S. airline, has benefited from lower jet fuel costs and a continued recovery in post-pandemic travel demand. CNBC's Michael Bloom and Sean Conlon contributed to this report Christian Stocker, secretary general of Austria's Peoples Party, addresses the media during the presentation of election campaign posters in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 4, 2024. Austria's ruling conservatives picked Secretary-General Christian Stocker as interim successor to Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Austrian media reported on Sunday, after Nehammer quit as his attempts to form a coalition government without the far right fell apart. There was no immediate comment from the People's Party (OVP), and Nehammer only told reporters after the party's crisis leadership meeting on Sunday that "important and correct decisions" had been taken. The surprise collapse of three- and then two-party talks aimed at cobbling together a centrist coalition that could serve as a bulwark against the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) after the FPO came first in September's parliamentary election leaves President Alexander Van der Bellen with few options. A snap election with support for the eurosceptic, Russia-friendly FPO still growing or an about-face in which Van der Bellen tasks FPO leader Herbert Kickl with forming a government are now the most likely options, with only limited scope for alternatives or playing for time. "It is not an easy situation," Markus Wallner, the governor of Vorarlberg, the westernmost of Austria's nine provinces, told reporters before the OVP leadership meeting at the chancellor's office on Sunday morning. "I believe we must do everything we can now to avoid sliding towards a national crisis." Wallner said he opposed a snap election since that would delay the arrival of a new government by months. OVP governors are part of the leadership. A spokesperson for Van der Bellen said he was due to address the nation at 2:45 p.m. (1345 GMT). Nehammer crossed the road separating their offices earlier to report to Van der Bellen on the OVP leadership meeting. Nehammer insisted during and after the election campaign that his party would not govern with Kickl because he was too much of a conspiracy theorist and posed a security risk while at the same time saying much of Kickl's party was trustworthy. Nehammer's successor will most likely be more open to a coalition with the FPO, which is formally allied with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party. The days always start the same way. "So Jeff," I say, "Time to buy more DuPont ? What do you think of the GE Healthcare here? Any reason to buy more Stanley Black & Decker ? Will Best Buy's dividend yield support its weight while we wait for an AI personal computer worth buying?" Discussions with Jeff Marks, director of portfolio analysis for the CNBC Investing Club, that might as well be from yesterday or the day before that. What to do with the losers? They occupy too much of your brain and if you aren't careful, you might as well let them pay cranial rent. It gets worse. When you are a real second guesser, a person who lets the market wear you down, you say, "OK, enough, let's just go buy some Tesla ." Which is what I said Thursday to David Faber, my co-host of "Squawk on the Street," when the electric vehicle stock was down $25 per share. I told him, not in hubris, but in total exasperation, that people should just go buy it, because it will be right back, tomorrow. It wasn't. It was up more. Up $31. Why? Because it is Tesla stupid, it doesn't need a reason. Tesla is an amalgam: a way to play Trumpian largesse, presuming there is some; a way to play full self-driving cars because the Elon Musk company has better tech than Alphabet 's Waymo by anyone's admission in that industry; or a way to get credits for stuff we haven't even thought about. Anything but actual EPS, earnings per share. Or Palantir. Let's just go buy some Palantir . You know those buyers are going to come back, too. That was spoken in Thursday and the stock must have heard because it was up almost $5 and continuing its journey to $100 per share, the one we all know is going to happen but the one we have no basis in onboarding. Oh sure, let's just trot out the old Rule of 40, the enterprise software addendum that allows us to buy companies with a combined growth rate and operating margin rate north of 40. Palantir had revenue growth rate of 27% and operating margin of 37%. If we stick some on the sheets it would violate everything we do for my Charitable Trust, the portfolio we use for the Club. It would be more like something we did at my old hedge fund where caprice was the doctrine. It's where we bought things just to stop the idiotic ongoing remonstrations, we had for missing the "obvious." For Palantir, a 64 on the Rule of 40, let us buy it as high as we want and feel good about it. Right? Or is there, somehow, more to the process. I can't find anything that makes us want to buy this stock of a software data analytics company at ever higher prices since it reported earnings Nov. 4. Yes, Tesla, run by Musk, the charismatic master of the universe, gets all the love regardless of the tally of cars actually sold. Those sales reports seem pretty atavistic to me. They have relevance only with the low multiple players trapped by them and the unions: Ford and GM . Palantir gets what love is left because our enemies are powerful, and we need a second Pentagon, not the old fashioned stuffy one with lots of brass on people's shoulders, but a brand new one run by "wise" guys who can run rings around the Chinese and save us a lot of money. The best things about these two stocks? They are being bought for what they are not yet. Tesla is being bought because it employs a training brain based on the DOJO supercomputer, the secret weapon of Tesla. By using artificial intelligence chips from Club name Nvidia , the EV giant can create neural networks based on vast amounts of video data. It is being bought because once its AI models are trained, these vehicles can make instant and correct real-time decisions. Then, there is the data engine that instantly refines and gets better and better. Waymo doesn't have that. Waymo has people watching cameras. It is out of date already, or at least the Tesla buyers think so. Palantir, run by Alex Karp, a lesser-known master of the universe, makes so much sense to invest in because we really know nothing about it by design. That means we aren't constrained by what we pay for it. "Confusion is purposeful," I heard Karp say in an interview not that long ago about Palantir. The company is "shrouded," and it is "transformative." It offers hard analysis to supplant what he calls "poetry" or software designed to do nothing well except be sold. I encapsulate Palantir as a commercial software and defense analytics company with a procurement edge that does well because everyone else is idiotic and stupid. It's got a ring of truth to it even as it is wildly politically incorrect. But there is value: Did Palantir's software find Osama Bin Laden? It played a part? Did Planatir's Warp Speed solve Covid-19? You betcha? Does his software help manufacturing get better? Sure. Would Palantir's analytics enable our government to stop last week's tragedy in New Orleans? Of course if we were less politically correct and self-destructive because of liberal ideology. All the stuff that avoids traditional analysis but has become ubiquitous. Hidden in plain sight. Why this dissertation on the obviously brilliant minds of Tesla and Palantir that produce products as a byproduct of their own genius? Precisely because they are neither poetic nor prosaic. That they can't be understood by mortals. They are a heck of lot more investable than Stanley Black & Decker or DuPont or GE Healthcare. Those are bound by the four walls of Wall Street convention. Does anyone really care whether Tesla beats and raises? Obviously not, or the stock would be down on the sales we learned about Friday. That's when Tesla reported its first-ever drop in annual deliveries . Should Palantir's run at $100 be stopped by sellers? Who cares? Karp knows how to hit targets 250 yards away with a pistol while reading Goethe aloud and knowing how to stop October 7 and beat the Russians in Ukraine if only he were really allowed to while at the same time rationalizing the British healthcare system and crushing it while solving complex errors and misinformation that plague our hospitals. He's all of that and more and he's only one of the forces, spawned by the all-knowing venture capitalist Peter Thiel, the ridiculously investible Midas of our age. On the one hand, we have two stocks that are worth owning, but only on ethos not on earnings. On the other hand, we have stocks that are connected to companies that aren't doing as well as they should. But even if they did better, they would still be nothing more than sellers of hard goods, not of obscurity and obfuscation. Why are owning Tesla and Palantir so profitable? Because they are stocks created for this moment, that's why. Tesla is a reason why Nvidia is so important because it actually knows how to use the twin trends of accelerated computing and large language models. Plus, with soon-to-be president again Donald Trump , the interstate highway system becomes the preferred way to leapfrog Waymo, which barely boards enough takers to justify more than a loss-making asterisk in Club name Alphabet's quarter. Palantir? Because in a frightening world where bad guys rule, Palantir is the clever, good genius that isn't worried about whether you think it is moral or not because what does morality have to do with EPS especially when you are right. So, what do you do? I am constrained some would say hidebound by traditional analysis. I would want to run a fund that just had three things: Tesla, Palantir, and bitcoin . All three require nothing more than a belief that if you own them, you are a superior investor with a superior state of mind. It's not alchemy so much as three instruments that know how to go higher because they have shareholders and owners who can recognize value and you can't. You get to be an acolyte of genius because you can't be genius yourself. You aren't as smart as these operators and, in the case of bitcoin, promoters. It's a perfectly circular bit of reasoning: They go up, you moron, because they are supposed to go up. And if you want to lose the sobriquet idiot just buy them, preferably all three. And, what the heck is the matter of being sui generis anyway? We come in and talk and write in terms of convention that can help explain to you why things should go up. The investors in Palantir and Tesla choose these two because how can you not? You buy bitcoin because without bitcoin you aren't an investor. It's all so ridiculously airtight as to defy everything else because everything else is pedestrian. You don't want to be pedestrian because that makes you a pathetic parody of a real investor. So, is my whole rap hubris? Or a poverty of intellectual thinking? Nah, I just want to make money. And, the money can be made by buying Palantir and Tesla and some bitcoin and then trying to justify these moves by saying they are no more moves than the messianic trips to a proverbial Mecca or Mars or the neural networks of Musk or Karp or fellow traveler Michael "always right" Saylor from Microstrategy , which is a mockery of a software company that own tons of bitcoin. Excuse me for branching out from professionalism. If you believe in Palantir and Tesla, you know that professionalism is just another word for amateurism, and these two companies are the keys to show that you aren't in either the professional or amateur ratholes that are simply different wings of the same intellectual prison of the mind. Is the antidote to owning Stanley Black & Decker or DuPont or GE Healthcare positions in Tesla and Palantir. Yes, theoretically. But really, no, because I still need something that says there's value here other than hubris and my own intellectual shortfalls and inadequacies. Oh, the joy of not caring about anything other than the output of two eccentric geniuses right alongside what passed for rigor before they came along. Investing in modern day Einsteins and Edisons with some Oppenheimer thrown in. Forget EPS and the 10-year Treasury yield . The heck with the federal deficit. Just go buy Tesla and Palantir along with bitcoin to complete the mosaic of trust in nothing you can see or feel. Or be imprisoned by what everyone else is worried about. Hmmm. What would happen if we did it? We'd have to be something else. But maybe something else can be defended because it goes up. Investing in the solipsism of Musk and Karp? There are worse things to do. Especially because performance comes in all kinds of mysteries, the shrouded and the obvious, or, perhaps, both. The bottom line, as I said on "Squawk on the Street" on Monday Morning, I don't see any reason to buy Tesla or Palantir except for the fact that I think they are going higher. That's a good hedge reason to buy. But that's not a good portfolio management reason to buy. The Club invests in stocks based on fundamentals, not speculation. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long DD, GEHC, SWK, NVDA, GOOGL. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. The New York Stock Exchange welcomes Dewalt, on May 14, 2024, in celebration of its 100th anniversary. To honor the occasion, the CEO of parent company Stanley Black & Decker rings the opening bell. NYSE Even as Nippon Steel faced skepticism of its doomed $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel from the Biden administration, it was also contending with headwinds from an unlikely source: the CEO of a rival bidder for the firm who repeatedly cast doubt on the deal's prospects to investors. Lourenco Goncalves, CEO of steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs , which made a failed $7 billion bid for U.S. Steel in August 2023, participated in at least nine calls assuring investors that President Joe Biden would scuttle the Nippon Steel merger months before he did so on Friday, according to summaries of investor calls included in a Dec. 17 letter from lawyers for Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) and confirmed to Reuters by two participants in the calls. "I can't force U.S. Steel to sell to me, but I can work my magic to make a deal that I don't agree with not to close," he told investors on a March 13 call hosted by JP Morgan, the letter quoted Goncalves as saying: "It's not closing, and Biden hasn't spoken yet. He will." The next day, Biden announced his opposition to the tie-up. CFIUS, which reviews foreign investments in the U.S. for national security risks, could not reach consensus on whether to greenlight the Nippon Steel transaction and referred the matter to Biden in late December, setting the stage for his Friday block. Goncalves declined to comment and a representative from Cleveland-Cliffs did not respond to a request for comment. Nippon Steel and the Treasury Department, which leads CFIUS, also declined to comment. U.S. Steel said the company will continue to fight for this deal in response to questions for this story. The White House said neither Goncalves nor his comments played a role in Biden's decision to kill the deal. It said on Friday that the proposed purchase presented national security concerns. JP Morgan declined to comment, but a note to clients summarizing its March 2024 industrials conference mentions the event with Goncalves, saying "management reiterated its expectation that the deal will not close." A participant in the call confirmed Goncalves' forecast Biden would soon take aim at the deal. While Goncalves made similar comments about the deal to analysts on three earnings calls this year, his private remarks made throughout 2024 about the deal process show the extent of his effort to cast doubt on Nippon's bid for U.S. Steel. His comments sometimes preceded drops in the U.S. Steel share price, Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel told CFIUS. Cleveland-Cliffs has previously expressed interest in making another bid. Big milestone: Indian metro network now third-largest in the world India has achieved a remarkable milestone by reaching 1,000 kilometres in its metro network, solidifying its position as the world's third-largest metro system. This remarkable achievement follows the announcement of new metro projects and the Namo Bharat initiative for Delhi under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The journey of India's metro network, which began in 2002 with the launch of the modern metro by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Delhi, has now reached this nationwide milestone. The transformation and expansion have been unprecedented under PM Modi's leadership, particularly since 2014. In the past decade, the metro network has seen a threefold increase, with an additional 1,000 kilometres added to its length. The number of states with metro services has grown from five to eleven, while the number of cities benefiting from metro connectivity has surged from five to 23. Daily passenger ridership has also witnessed exponential growth, rising from 28 lakh in 2014 to over one crore, reflecting a 2.5 times increase. Furthermore, the total distance travelled by metro trains has tripled, climbing from 86,000 kilometres to an impressive 2.75 lakh kilometres. Under PM Modi's vision, the Centre remains committed to providing seamless, affordable, and modern urban transport to enhance the ease of travel and the quality of life for millions of citizens. As part of these transformative efforts, PM Modi is set to undertake a ride on the Namo Bharat Train from Sahibabad RRTS Station to New Ashok Nagar RRTS Station on Sunday morning. This ride will mark the inauguration of the 13-kilometer stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor. Built at an estimated cost of Rs 4,600 crore, this corridor will significantly enhance regional connectivity between Delhi and Meerut, providing millions with high-speed and comfortable travel options. In addition to the Namo Bharat corridor, PM Modi will inaugurate a 2.8-kilometer stretch of Delhi Metro Phase-IV between Janakpuri and Krishna Park. With an investment of Rs 1,200 crore, this marks the first operational segment of Delhi Metro Phase-IV. Residents of West Delhi, including areas such as Krishna Park, parts of Vikaspuri, and Janakpuri, are set to benefit greatly from this development. PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the 26.5-kilometer Rithala-Kundli section of Delhi Metro Phase-IV. With an estimated cost of 6,230 crore, this new corridor will connect Rithala in Delhi to Nathupur (Kundli) in Haryana. It aims to boost connectivity across North-West Delhi and Haryana, positively impacting key areas such as Rohini, Bawana, Narela, and Kundli. These initiatives mark another leap forward in India's urban infrastructure development, showcasing the government's resolve to create world-class transport systems that cater to the needs of a rapidly growing urban population. In November, Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The icon of U.S. budget air travel hasn't had a profitable year since 2019, and it's lost more than $2 billion since 2020. How did it get here? The Covid-19 pandemic was devastating to all airlines, but that was just the start of Spirit's financial woes. The airline industry has faced supply chain problems and rising costs, including higher wages for its tens of thousands of employees. In addition, Spirit has faced a Pratt & Whitney engine recall grounding dozens of its jets, weaker-than-expected sales and a failed merger with JetBlue Airways . Travelers' preferences have also changed coming out of the pandemic, with many consumers willing to shell out for more space on board or perks like swanky airport lounges, airline executives say. Ultra-low-cost carriers have faced increased competition from legacy carriers like American , Delta and United , who have introduced basic economy fares and segmented cabins to cater to more price points, from low fares to first-class tickets that can reach the mid-four digits. Faced with mounting losses and looming debt payments, Spirit furloughed hundreds of pilots and offered salaried workers buyouts. It also sold some of its Airbus fleet and cut routes. Ultimately, it filed for bankruptcy protection on Nov. 18. Spirit Airlines says it will continue to operate as normal as it works through bankruptcy, a process it said it expects to exit in the first quarter of 2025. Analysts expect the airline to come out of the process a smaller airline with fewer routes. Watch the video to learn more about what went wrong. The World Bank is set to approve a $20 billion indicative lending package for Pakistan a pioneering 10-year initiative to protect its funded projects from political transitions and focus on six targeted areas, according to a media report. The programme, titled "Pakistan Country Partnership Framework 2025-35", aims to improve social indicators in the most neglected but important areas, The Express Tribune newspaper reported, citing official documents. It will focus on reducing child stunting, combating learning poverty, enhancing climate resilience, decarbonising the environment, expanding fiscal space, and boosting private investment to improve productivity. These areas have broad support across the political spectrum and are expected to remain unaffected by government changes during the 2025-2035 period, which is anticipated to include at least three general elections. This 'Country Partnership Framework' is scheduled to be approved by the World Bank board on January 14, following which the global lender's Vice President for South Asia Martin Raiser is also expected to visit Islamabad. According to the World Bank's assessment, the planning framework "will help shield the programme from the country's volatile polity and frequent swings in priorities and requests that follow government changes." The requests arising from government changes have caused 'fragmentation of the World Bank portfolio and diluted impacts,' it said. A key Pakistani official, who was part of the framework development, said that the World Bank picked Pakistan as the first country where it would introduce the 10-year partnership strategy. "The World Bank's total indicative lending envelope for fiscal year 2025 to 2035 will total around $20 billion," reads a draft of the framework. Out of the $20 billion, the World Bank's concessional arm, the International Development Association (IDA), will lend $14 billion and the remaining $6 billion is projected to be provided through the relatively expensive window - the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). "However, these indicative loans will depend upon the evolution of the IDA funding over the years, Pakistan's standing and performance, including with respect to the Sustainable Development Finance Policy and its debt vulnerability indicators," reads the document. In addition to the $20 billion loans to the government of Pakistan, the new framework also aims to support another $20 billion private lending by the World Bank's two other arms - the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). This brings the total package to $40 billion but the official loans will be equal to $20 billion, according to the newspaper. The new lending will focus on six areas that "currently enjoy strong support across the Pakistani political spectrum", according to the documents. However, it will phase out lending from 10 less-impactful sectors, such as transport, power transmission, telecoms, tertiary healthcare and higher education. The World Bank's concessional and expensive lending will be meant for "larger projects on average, more frequent scale-ups and expansions, and less pilots and one-off operations", according to the planning document. The Washington-based Bank's new strategy marks a shift from "short-term macro-fiscal adjustment programmes and often small investments scattered in a wide array of sectors, to more selective, stable and larger investments in areas that are critical for sustained development and growth". The documents stated that the World Bank would still be supporting reforms to spur growth and investment and build more fiscal space. The implementation of the 10-year framework will be supported by two-year rolling business plans that both sides will agree upon, according to the paper. Student Mariana Platosh, 14, second from right, embraces therapy dog Zay as her classmates Scarlett Simmons, 14, right, and Bianca Rosenthal, 14, watch last month at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco. Therapy dogs were on campus to help students deal with stress a new trend in therapy dog world. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Christine Carriere, 17, holds therapy dog Luna at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory during a lunch break last month in San Francisco. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Students pet dogs Brixton, left, and Luna last month at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Students at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory gather around therapy dog Brixton last month in San Francisco. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle The handsome male with strawberry blond hair sauntered down the high school hallway, sunglasses perched on his nose, oblivious to the stares, gasps and wide smiles from the teenage girls who ran over to say hello. The fawning girls couldnt keep their hands off him. As his sunglasses fell to the floor, Brixton gave in to the adoration, flopped on his back and submitted to belly rubs. Hes so sweet, said Caitlin Daly, a senior at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Franciscos Cathedral Hill neighborhood. This is the best part of my day. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Brixton, an 11-year-old golden retriever, is a regular at the San Francisco private school, one of three dogs that visit a couple of times a month as part of San Francisco SPCA animal therapy program. This visit came during the week before finals, offering students a furry reprieve from the stress and anxiety that often comes with big exams and adolescence in general. The presence of dogs and other pets in schools is a growing trend across the country, one that started with the lizards and gerbils caged in classrooms in decades past and now includes frequent visits from therapy-certified dogs like Brixton as well as specifically trained facility dogs assigned to work at school sites and owned by a staff member. Some act as avid listeners as young students read stories out loud, while others work with special needs students or those who have been exposed to trauma, including school shootings. And then there are those like Brixton, who make regular visits to offer a bit of doggie Zen time. Students from Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory gather around pet therapy dog Brixton during a lunch break last month in San Francisco. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle The dogs bring joy and relaxation, said Sacred Heart Cathedral health educator Julia Rinaldi, who helped bring the program to the school. Its just a pause in their day. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Research shows that the presence of pets at schools boosts self-esteem, provides emotional support, increases attendance, reduces stress and improves behavior, all of which help kids learn, experts say. The trends were seeing across the country, there are a lot more dogs, said Melinda Thomas, executive director of the nonprofit Pet Care Trust, which runs Dogs in the Classroom and Pets in the Classrooms programs, helping train and place puppies to become school facility dogs. The Maryland-based organization also provides grants to help cover costs. Pets are just non-judgmental, she said. Pets offer an emotionally safe place to learn. The Menlo Park City School District decided to bring in facility dogs right before the pandemic and then raised enough money to put one in each of the five K-8 schools when students returned to school. Chris Arrington, a mental health therapist in the district, has Duke, a 2-year-old goldendoodle, who shows up to work in his vest and is available for cuddles in classrooms or to act as a calming presence when Arrington is working with individual students. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theyll sit there and pet him while we talk about things, Arrington said, adding the dogs bring comfort to what isnt always a comfortable environment. Dogs arent magic, but they are magical. The district passed specific policies to bring in the dogs and there are frequent training and guidelines for handler, animal and student behavior, as well as ways to deal with pet allergies and other issues. Duke is trained to work in the school setting, but he doesnt play when he goes to work, Arrington said. Dogs Zay, Brixton and Luna pose for students last month at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco. Therapy dogs were on campus at lunch to help students deal with stress. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Hes a very different dog with his vest than without his vest, he added. Hes here to do a job. When he goes home hes a silly dog. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In other districts, including Madera Unified, located north of Fresno, school resource officers are assigned therapy dogs trained by state prison inmates to bring to campuses. The idea is to make law enforcement officials more approachable. A therapy dog with the officer tells students that its an emotionally safe place, Thomas said. They know (the officers) have compassion, empathy for another living creature, she added. The San Francisco SPCA launched the animal assisted therapy program in 1981, sending pets into hospitals, assisted living centers and other locations, said the programs volunteer engagement coordinator, Tina Mitchell. Today, there are about 170 handler/pet teams that do 200 visits every month including 191 dogs, seven cats and two bunnies with school sites now on the list, Mitchell said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The nonprofit evaluates pets brought in by owners interested in the volunteer program and then does a series of training sessions to ensure they are the right fit for therapy visits. That means they dont just tolerate attention, but really thrive interacting with people, Mitchell said. Its really just about their temperament and personality. Those who make it through exposure to people in various settings and the gantlet of belly rubs are certified as therapy animals, which is different from service or emotional support animals. Back at Sacred Heart Cathedral high school, Brixton was joined by pint-sized Luna, an Italian greyhound, and the very fluffy Zay, a Berger Blanc Suisse. Student Sloane Rilliet, 18, holds therapy dog Luna at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory during a lunch break last month in San Francisco. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Sam Meraw, a dog walker on the side and the schools student ambassador, acknowledged stress is a big part of being in high school. Its really great we have them, they said. Whenever students see them, they light up, even if its temporary. Linda Gordan, Brixtons owner, said he has been a therapy dog since he was 8 months old, often sensing when someone needs him and diverting walks into tattoo parlors, stores or remote corners at the airport, where an individual has taken refuge. Its like a GPS, like a heat-seeking missile, Gordan said. He just knows that person needs him. He has his own Instagram account: @brixtonatlarge, which shows off his large collection of sunglasses. At the high school, decked out in Christmas bling, he and his two canine buddies spent much of the lunch period in the main hallway, getting snuggles before heading to a classroom where religion teacher Brother Victor Kenneth was overseeing a study session. As several students took a break from their work to greet the dogs, Kenneth watched teens drop to the floor and coddle the pups. Oh! Youre so cute, one cooed into Brixtons face. The students love the dogs, Kenneth said. The teenagers transform, their phones and cool personas forgotten, he said. One of the most disturbing trends in politics today is what happens when we ask for something that the ruling class does not want to give us. Too often our politicians, rather than accepting what ordinary people want and setting about providing them with it, try to move the goalposts or rig the system. We saw it after the 2016 Brexit referendum, of course, when a large chunk of this country's elite, bolstered by unelected think-tanks and Left-leaning academics, worked overtime to try to frustrate the result: to de-legitimise Brexit, change its meaning, frame it as 'far Right', or force us back to the ballot box to make the 'correct' decision in a second vote. We've seen it, too, over uncontrolled immigration. For much of the past 20 years, British people have asked their hapless leaders to reduce the numbers, only to see them implement mass migration on steroids. And now, though few have yet noticed it, there is an even more sinister development: a scheme that would not only treat voters with contempt, but undermine our democracy itself. What am I talking about? I'm talking about a plan by Sir Keir Starmer's cronies to hijack our entire electoral system so that it permanently delivers Labour majorities and shuts out the voice of the forgotten millions who are fed up with watching the country they love being ruined by those in Westminster. The plan laid out in detail in a new report by the Labour-aligned Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), once said to be Tony Blair's favourite think-tank and packed with Labour activists is truly shocking. Its central message? If people don't agree with us then let's rig the political system in order to keep Labour in power for the foreseeable future. Sir Keir Starmer's cronies plan to hijack our entire electoral system so that it delivers Labour majorities and shuts out the voice of the forgotten millions who are fed up with watching the country they love being ruined by those in Westminster, writes Matthew Goodwin So what do they want to do in the months to come, exactly? Well, for a start, the radical anti-democratic Leftists who fill think-tanks such as the IPPR, most of whom have never had a proper job in their lives, want to 'make voting easier', by abolishing the requirement for voters to show identification. This would effectively axe the 2021 Conservative government reforms to eliminate the kind of voter fraud that had turned some parts of our political system into a banana republic, such as in Tower Hamlets where voter fraud among minority communities, facing minimal checks, had become endemic. One can't help but wonder whether the fact that voters from minority backgrounds have historically been overwhelmingly more likely than others to vote Labour has figured in their judgment. Perhaps Labour activists are comfortable with the kind of widespread fraud and clan-based voting that we've seen in minority run areas, so long as it delivers Labour-led councils and Members of Parliament? Nor does it stop there. Astonishingly, the report also suggests giving around 5 million foreign nationals the right to vote in Britain! Sorry, but do we live in a national democracy or an international democracy? The authors, an assortment of bleeding-heart liberals bemoaning the inability of these 5 million foreigners to decide our elections, would evidently like to see immigrants and, who knows, perhaps one day even asylum seekers and illegal migrants, given the vote. After all, some politicians are already arguing illegal migrants should be allowed to work, thereby legitimising those who have broken our laws by inviting them into the labour market. Extending the vote to people who arrived in our country two minutes ago would tilt the deck firmly in favour of the Labour Party, much like Left-wing activists sought to tilt the deck in any potential second Brexit referendum by calling for millions of EU nationals to be allowed to vote. Sir Keir's 2024 election manifesto called for 16 and 17-year-olds to be given the vote. Deputy party leader Angela Rayner has previously slammed the Tory voter ID reforms, which she said were having a 'chilling effect on democracy' In the IPPR report, his allies suggest going one further, with a wheeze that would have young people automatically added to the electoral register on their 16th birthday. Why? Because, once again, most young people tend to lean more Left than Right, and automatically adding another 700,000 or so to the electoral register each year would rig the system in Labour's favour. As usual, and as is now standard on the Left, the report is filled with endless wailing and worrying about the supposed threat from 'populism' a euphemism for 'things that a large majority of people in this country want'. Rather than acknowledge that a desire for stronger borders, an end to the woke madness in our schools and universities, and a National Health Service that actually puts our own citizens first, is all entirely legitimate and understandable, the Left now reframes these things as 'populism' to suggest they are in some way problematic, threatening, or dangerous. But what do the authors of the report think is behind the dreaded wave of so-called 'populism' that is taking hold? It is, they claim, the consequence of lower voting rates among poorer voters, which has led to disillusionment with the political system and, in turn, to support for dreaded populist ideas. Yet rather than solving apathy among voters by appealing directly to them, the authors propose instead to extend the franchise to those who they think are more likely to support Labour. Since coming to power in the so-called 'Loveless Landslide', in which it won a huge number of parliamentary seats with a relatively low share of the vote, Labour has been working overtime to shut down opposition and dissent. In only six months, our Government has moved to dump a law that would protect free speech in universities, has said it plans to make it easier for police to record those ghastly Orwellian 'non-crime hate incidents', which will further muzzle free speech, and has filled the corridors of power with nearly 30 unelected quangos, task forces, and 'advisory councils', all of which are transferring more and more power away from ordinary people and putting it in the hands of elites. What does all of this add up to? A Labour government that is more comfortable rigging the rules of the system than giving the people it is supposed to represent a fair chance to express their view in their own national democracy. As for the likelihood of Labour successfully carrying out this latest democratic swindle, leader of the Commons Lucy Powell has said an Elections Bill could come in the next parliamentary session and would look at 'other issues to make sure that all elections in this country are fair, are robust, [and] are free'. Deputy party leader Angela Rayner has previously slammed the Tory voter ID reforms, which she said were having a 'chilling effect on democracy', while Sir Keir said he was thinking of reviewing them last June. In light of the IPPR report and with Labour MPs having served on the board of the think-tank, conducted its research and written its reports we should be deeply worried about the lengths that our Government will go to preserve its own interests, and to ignore ours. Matt Goodwin is a political commentator and author of the substack mattgoodwin.org Britain has witnessed the mass grooming of thousands of the most vulnerable white working-class girls children by gangs of men, many of Pakistani heritage. This was rape on an industrial scale. And shockingly, it was a scandal made possible by the collusion and cover-ups of officials, the police and politicians who were more concerned about community relations than about victims and their families. The fact that perpetrators of this sexual violence appeared to have deliberately picked victims because they were white and not from their own of the community or religious background must not be ignored. Previous inquiries have failed to examine this. Its for society and the state to address the issue, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. The testimonies of the victims are hard to read. Girls being forced into barbaric sexual acts. Raped by multiple men at the same time or one after the other. Punished by grotesque sexual violence when they resisted. Children were identified as targets because of their backgrounds and experienced years of systematic abuse from adult men whose communities in some cases even helped protect them. Thousands of girls lives have been damaged or destroyed. Worse still, this was perpetrated not in one rotten borough by a few rotten individuals, but across the nation. It is just as disturbing to read accounts of collusion between officials and police people entrusted with protecting the public to keep the scandal under wraps, and in some cases even to allow the abuse to continue. Thousands of girls lives have been damaged or destroyed. Worse still, this was perpetrated not in one rotten borough by a few rotten individuals, writes Kemi Badenoch (pictured) Members of the Huddersfield Grooming gang who were jailed for 200 years in 2018 for serious sexual offences against teenage girls in three trials at Leeds Crown Court Children were identified as targets because of their backgrounds and experienced years of systematic abuse from adult men (Stock image) From court evidence we read a shocking example of social workers attending a 'Nikah', an Islamic wedding ceremony, between an abuser and his victim. We hear of a father arrested for trying to retrieve his daughter from rape dens. Of councils and a police chief collaborating to keep the extent of the child rape scandal out of the headlines for fear of inflaming community relations or being called racist. And of academics and charity workers drafting obfuscatory reports to conceal the true scale of the problem. This can never be allowed to happen again. A number of heroes fought a lonely battle against not only a conspiracy of silence but active hostility that victims faced from officialdom. Police officers like Maggie Oliver, who fearlessly and persistently drew attention to the immense failings in Rochdale. Journalists like Andrew Norfolk and Charlie Peters who helped give victims a voice. Politicians such as Alex Stafford who stood with campaigners, and Suella Braverman who took action in Government. And, of course, the victims themselves, whose immense courage made justice possible. Some action was taken under the previous Conservative government, but not enough. Faces of 18 men found guilty of the 'abhorrent' rape and abuse of girls as young as 12 in Calderdale West Yorkshire There were local inquiries and, at the national level, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). Failing councils were taken over, like Rotherham in 2015. Grooming gang members were prosecuted. The Grooming Gang TaskForce, launched in April 2023, made over 500 arrests in its first year. But we still need to know the extent to which institutions like the police, prosecutors, local government and social services are compromised by wrong-headed political correctness, and even self-interest. Only then can we have any hope of upholding our laws and culture, and preventing this scale of abuse ever again. That is why I have called for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal. It must have the powers needed to go further than local inquiries have done. And it must be given a remit beyond the the IICSA to examine in-depth the failings among our communities, police and prosecutors, academia and charities, local and national government that enabled these systematic and barbaric attacks to take place. When I called for the Prime Minister to launch a full inquiry this week, some sought to criticise previous Tory governments. Well, the Conservative Party is under new leadership and we are doing things differently. Maggie Oliver (pictured) was a police officer who turned whistleblower to raise the alarm on the Rochdale grooming gangs As a minister, I saw up close how our institutions have become paralysed from doing what is right for fear of getting something wrong. I took on the 'difficult' issues, even when counselled against doing so by other ministers, MPs and the civil service. From overturning convictions for postmasters during the Horizon scandal to standing up for young children pressured by extreme gender ideology into life-changing surgeries, I was not afraid to speak up when others cowered. And I'm not now. I have seen up close the culture of fear and obfuscation inside Whitehall around tackling so-called 'difficult' issues. And it isnt just our government bodies. The institutions supposed to safeguard these children obsessed about 'inflaming community tensions' or over being seen as 'targeting' a particular ethnic group. We have failed to get to the bottom of how national-scale child sexual abuse happens, for fear of causing offence. This harms everyone, including members of whatever group is supposedly being protected from offence. The inquiry I want to see should start by considering the likely racial or religious motivation of these crimes. Kemi Badenoch (pictured) called on the Government to reintroduce measures Conservatives put forward last year to increase the jail time faced by grooming gang members, including life sentences It should identify all of the institutions and bodies that failed. It should also identify those individuals who facilitated or ignored these crimes so they can be removed from their roles. No other inquiry has done this properly or joined the dots across the country. It should also not become yet another interminably long boondoggle that benefits lawyers, but report quickly and have clear and narrow terms of reference. It is vital that those who have committed such heinous crimes face the most severe penalties. The Government must reintroduce measures Conservatives put forward last year to increase the jail time faced by grooming gang members, including life sentences. Any foreign nationals involved in the abuse must be deported no ifs, no buts. We must show no lenience to those who rape and exploit children, nor can we tolerate those who protect predators. I will always stand with the victims. It's time for the Government to follow our lead and do the same. When you think of bacteria, you probably imagine a fuzzy Petri dish or a well-used toilet seat. But scientists have revealed that bacteria is probably growing right underneath our noses in an item we carry around and drink from all day long - the reusable water bottle. A study by US filtration company WaterFilterGuru.com found that an average reusable water bottle has 20.8million colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria on it. The worst offenders were bottles with spout-top and screw-top lids containing 30million CFUs each. Researchers found two types of bacteria present on the reusable water bottles they tested: gram-negative rods and bacillus. If swallowed, gram-negative bacteria can cause infections while certain types of bacillus can lead to serious gastrointestinal issues. In comparison to other germ-filled spots in the home, the average reusable water bottle has five times the bacteria of a computer mouse and 14 times the bacteria of a pet bowl that has been slobbered over by your beloved dog. Most astonishingly, a reusable water bottle has 40,000 times the bacteria of a toilet seat, according to the study. The average reusable water bottle has 20.8million colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria on it (stock image) The longer the water bottle is left at room temperature, the more bacteria will grow. Thankfully, cleaning your water bottle is relatively straightforward and experts recommend washing it once per day. Dr Primrose Freestone, an associate professor in clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester, suggested in BBC's Science Focus that you should wash your bottle with hot water over 60C - as most pathogens are killed at this temperature. 'Add washing-up liquid, swirl it around and leave for ten minutes,' she said. 'Then rinse it with hot water and allow it to dry overnight is best, as thorough drying will also help to protect against the growth of microbes.' For bottles that are heavily contaminated with microbes, you should add a half vinegar/half water mixture and allow it to soak for several days before rinsing it with hot water and allowing it to dry. Dr Freestone added: 'To avoid getting ill from your water bottle, you should ideally clean it with detergent after each use. Researchers found gram-negative rods (pictured) on the reusable water bottles they tested. If swallowed, this type of bacteria can cause infections (stock image) 'It is also important to clean any lids or attachments such as straws as these can also harbour microbes'. More than 60 per cent of Americans follow Dr Freestone's advice and clean their water bottles once or more per day, according to the study by WaterFilterGuru.com, But others were less diligent. One-quarter of respondents only wash their bottles a few times a week, while over 10 per cent clean them a few times a month. Members of Gen Z cleaned their bottles the least, with 16 per cent washing theirs out only a few times per month. Once a water bottle is filled, scientists also suggest that you should place it in the refrigerator to limit microbial numbers. The type of liquid you pour into the bottle also has an effect on what grows inside of it. Drinks containing sugar may nourish you - but they will also nourish the microbes in your bottle so it is best to avoid protein shakes, fruit juice and energy drinks. Ideally you should wash your water bottle with detergent every day (stock image) Interestingly, carbonated drinks such as soda tend to be antimicrobial as the carbon dioxide inhibits the growth of pathogens such as E.coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. But whether your bottle is filled with water, protein shakes or fizzy drinks, it is best to clean it regularly to avoid the build up of bacteria on its inside walls. If you do not do this, you will likely notice an odd taste or texture the next time you drink from your bottle due to the waste products released by a growing army of microbes. So the next time you are feeling slightly ill, check in with your water bottle cleaning habits as the bacteria and mould growing right under your nose might be the culprit. San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie picks up trash in the Outer Richmond neighborhood near Ocean Beach on Saturday as part of a weekend of service ahead of his inauguration Wednesday. The cleanups continued Sunday around Lower Nob Hill and the Tenderloin and in the Mission District. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie fist-bumps volunteer Marjorie Biller during the Ocean Beach cleanup in the Outer Richmond neighborhood. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Volunteers gather supplies during Saturdays Ocean Beach cleanup in the Outer Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie speaks with District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar during the Ingleside cleanup Saturday. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie and Ocean Beach Cafe owner Joshua James search for trash to pick up during the cleanup in the Outer Richmond neighborhood Saturday. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie greets Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, during the Ingleside cleanup Saturday. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Becca Prowda, wife of San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie, chats with a volunteer during the Ocean Beach cleanup in the Outer Richmond neighborhood Saturday. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Banneker Agbai, 8, wears a disco-themed safety vest as he and mother Natasha participate in the Ocean Beach cleanup in the Outer Richmond neighborhood Saturday. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie and a team of volunteers scoured San Francisco neighborhoods this past weekend as part of a cleanup campaign in the days before his inauguration. The public was invited to the neighborhood cleanups, which began Saturday morning at Ocean Beach before moving to the Ingleside, Fillmore and Bayview later in the day. Trash bags and garbage grabbers were supplied to the volunteers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In addition to Lurie and his wife, Becca Prowda, the morning cleanups each drew more than 100 sign-ups Saturday, volunteer coordinators said. The Ocean Beach cleanup attracted Mike Dunleavy Jr., general manager of the Golden State Warriors, as well as volunteers in high-visibility vests festooned with disco ball decor. San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie and Ocean Beach Cafe owner Joshua James picked up trash together during a cleanup event in the Outer Richmond neighborhood on Saturday. :video_camera:: @stephenlamphoto pic.twitter.com/M0eeVquQHX San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) January 4, 2025 The crew ran out of trash grabbers at the Ingleside cleanup, which also attracted Supervisors Myrna Melgar and Ahsha Safai, incoming Supervisor Chyanne Chen and city health director Dr. Grant Colfax. Im going to do my part, but it cant be done alone, Lurie told the Ingleside crowd. And you being with me today shows me that you are ready to stand alongside me in making sure that we tell the world that nobody outside is gonna define us any longer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie addresses volunteers outside the Ocean Beach Cafe during Saturdays cleanup. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Lurie, who will be inaugurated Wednesday, emphasized public service in his successful campaign to unseat Mayor London Breed in November. The founder of the nonprofit Tipping Point Community has pledged to make 2025 a year of service, accountability and meaningful change for San Francisco. This year marks a new chapter for our city, he said on his Facebook page. While the challenges we face are immense, our opportunities and advantages are far greater, especially when we work together. Volunteers collect trash around Ocean Beach during the Outer Richmond cleanup Saturday. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle The cleanup campaign was hosted by Refuse Refuse, a community project seeking volunteers to remove trash from San Francisco neighborhoods, and the Civic Joy Fund, which strives to revitalize the city through cultural events and night markets. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The weekend of service continued Sunday with two-hour cleanups around Lower Nob Hill and the Tenderloin and in the Mission District. Volunteers can register online and meet at 10 a.m. at Another Cafe, 1191 Pine St., for the Tenderloin cleanup and 11 a.m. at Mannys, 3092 16th St., for the Mission cleanup. Chronicle photographer Stephen Lam contributed to this report. A list of predictions Brits made in 1999 about the future is being shared online - with some being spot on, and others hilariously wrong. On December 31, 1999, The Daily Telegraph quizzed a group of Brits on what they thought would happen in the next 100 years. While some of their answers were outlandish, others are eerily accurate to what life is like today, including predicting Elon Musk's Space X and even a nod to the Covid-19 pandemic. Optimistically, most Brits hoped for a cure for cancer by 2,100 while others thought most people will be richer than their parents and England will win the Ashes. However, only eight per cent correctly predicted Camilla Parker-Bowles would become Queen. The story was shared on Reddit this weekend, with hundreds of Brits sharing their thoughts. Brits were also wrong about Scotland becoming independent and cloning becoming commonplace. However, Brits in 1999 were clued in about climate change, with 81 per cent predicting that global warming will lead to massive climate change by 2100. King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave to the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the coronation ceremony on May 6, 2023 Indeed, over the past few days, the UK has been battered by stormy weather and heavy rain, with flights cancelled and hundreds of homes evacuated. A few days ago, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) announced that 2024 is set to be the warmest year on record, capping a decade of unprecedented heat fueled by human activities. A strong majority of respondents from 1999 also believed that Scotland would be independent by 2100. Although this is not the case, there was a referendum in 2014 which was narrowly won by the 'no' vote - with 55 per cent of Scots wishing to remain a part of the UK, and 45 per cent voting to leave. With the loss of Alex Salmond - a passionate supporter of the referendum - and the Scottish National Party rocked by an embezzlement scandal resulting in the haemorrhaging of seats at the last General Election, we will have to wait to see what is next for the nation's bid for independence. Continuing with the theme of politics, 72 per cent of respondents in 1999 thought that Britain would become part of a federal Europe. However, the British public chose to distance themselves from the European Union after the hotly contested Brexit vote of 2016. Just over 52 per cent of Brits voted to leave the EU, while 48 per cent voted to remain. Covid-19 is thought to have killed at least 235,000 Brits since the pandemic began, with further fatalities caused by the disruption to the NHS Percentage of Brits in 1999 who believed these things 'will happen' by 2100 Source: Daily Telegraph, December 31, 1999 There will be a cure for cancer - 85 per cent Global warming will lead to massive climate change - 81 per cent Most people will be richer than their parents - 81 per cent Scotland will become independent - 79 per cent Britain will become part of a federal Europe - 72 per cent Somewhere in the world there will be a nuclear war - 62 per cent Heavy traffic and the cost of driving will deter most people from using their cars - 60 per cent People will take holidays in space - 56 per cent Most people will live to be more than 100 - 51 per cent There will be another world war - 47 per cent England will win the Ashes - 44 per cent Everyone in the world will be able to read and write - 42 per cent Women will be able to give birth at 70 - 41 per cent A majority of world leaders will be women - 39 per cent We will make contact with life on other planets - 38 per cent The cloning of humans will be commonplace - 35 per cent There will be a great plague, killing billions of people worldwide - 35 per cent World hunger will be ended - 23 per cent Camilla Parker Bowled will be Queen - 8 per cent Advertisement Back in 1999, nearly two-thirds of the British people polled by the newspaper believed that nuclear war would break out 'somewhere in the world'. While this has not yet happened, talk of nuclear war recently ramped up after outgoing US president Joe Biden approved Ukraine to fire American-made missiles deep into Russia. When he takes office in January, President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a raft of national security challenges, including major wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. And by his side will be Elon Musk as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The Tesla CEO also founded SpaceX - a rocket company based in America who sent four private astronauts into space last year and has plans to colonise Mars. So when Brits in 1999 predicted that people would be taking holidays in space, they weren't far off. Speaking of his vision to build a self-sustaining city on the red planet in the next 20 years, the SpaceX boss said: 'We are going to Mars. You might as well be on the fun trip.' When Musk is there, perhaps he will check off a further prediction on the list from 1999 - 'we will make contact with life on other planets'. Another theory from 1999 stated that we would see more female leaders than male leaders across the world. Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform Party and vice-chairman of Leave Means Leave, celebrates outside a campaign bus in Westminster on December 24, 2020 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is embraced by U.S. President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, September 21, 2023 While Kamala Harris winning the recent Presidential Election would have certainly improved the ratio, this has not yet come true. Recently, however, we have seen more women come into power, includuing Claudia Sheinbaum became Mexico's first female president in October 2024. The likes of Angela Merkel who was made Germany's first female chancellor in 2005 and held the position until 2021. Around 44 per cent of Brits polled in 1999 were hopeful that England would win the Ashes. At the time, Australia had held the Ashes consecutively since 1989 - and they would go on to win two further tests in 2001 and 2002. But the respondents' dream was finally realised in 2005 with a 2-1 series win for England who finally succeeded in their biennial attempt to lift the urn. Eerily, another prediction from 1999 came close to coming true in 2020. Around 35 per cent of respondents theorised that there would be a 'great plague' in the next 100 years that would claim the lives of billions worldwide. While the death toll is not quite this high, Covid-19 is thought to have killed at least 235,000 Brits since the pandemic began, with further fatalities caused by the disruption to the NHS and regular screening for health issues like cancer. But there is one forecast on the list that has categorically come true. The England team celebrate after regaining the Ashes during day five of the Ashes Test match between England and Australia at the Brit Oval on September 12, 2005 Pro-independence supporters gather to pay their respects to former first minister Alex Salmond at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on November 30, 2024 Eight per cent of Brits in 1999 thought that Camilla Parker Bowles would become Queen - and she did in May 2023, alongside her husband King Charles. Although Charles and Camilla were romantically involved well before the turn of the millennium, they were still working hard to introduce their relationship to the public. Before Diana tragically died in 1997, the 'people's princess' declared in a now-famous interview with Martin Bashir: 'Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.' Much like the public, Queen Elizabeth did not approve of the previously-adulterous relationship, declining her invitation to a private 50th birthday party for Charles in 1998 because Camilla would be there, according to Town and Country. In an effort to move on from being vilified by the public, Charles started making appearances with Camilla and even invited her on family holidays with Prince William and Harry. Eventually, she moved into Clarence House with the future king and the pair announced their engagement in February 2005. They were married at Windsor Guildhall two months later in April 2005. When Queen Elizabeth passed away at her beloved Balmoral Castle in September 2022, Charles immediately succeeded her. He was crowned King Charles III in May 2023 with Camilla as queen consort. The sinister crimes of a man who murdered seven people in South Carolina is being explored in a new Channel 4 documentary. On the surface, Todd Kohlepp, now 53, was a successful American businessman - he built a career in real estate, won awards for his contributions in the area, and was described as a 'good boss'. However, those who knew Kohlhepp more deeply were frequently left disturbed by his behaviour - he would watch pornographic videos at work, make macabre jokes and openly discuss his conviction for sex offences. Despite such unsettling incidents, few could have predicted the depravity that would play out, as Kohlepp carried out seven sadistic killings over 13 years before he was eventually caught and given a life sentence in 2016. Now, Channel 4 are exploring his horrendous crimes in a new documentary, The Amazon Review Killer: Chilling Confession. The title alludes to one of the most surreal aspects of the murderer's crimes - he would leave chilling Amazon reviews about the weapons he used to kill his victims, which years later, would help lead police officers to his door. Both episodes of the two-parter, directed by rising star Billy Arthur, 22, will air on Monday January 6th at 10pm. Kohlepp, who was born in Florida but raised in Georgia and South Carolina, only saw his crimes come to light when when investigators rescued a woman, Kala Brown, who had been chained up in a 30-foot-long storage container on his property in August 2016. South Carolina real estate agent Todd Kohlhepp's killing spree - in which he murdered seven people over 13 years - is the subject of a new Channel 4 documentary The Amazon Review Killer: Chilling Confession, which airs on January 6th The 53-year-old's horrendous crimes were finally uncovered when police were led to Kala Brown, who Kohlhepp had kept chained up in a metal container for two months, using the young woman as a sex slave. Right: Kala before she was captured by Kohlhepp. Her boyfriend Charles David Carver, 32, was shot dead by the killer The chilling Amazon reviews left by serial killer Todd Kohlhepp after he purchased weapons with which to harm his victims The series examines the first red flags; including that Kohlhepp suffered with mental health problems as early as age nine; in 1980 he was referred to the Behaviour Evaluation Centre at the Georgia Mental Health Institute following problems at school. Six years later in 1986, Kohlhepp, aged just 15, kidnapped and sexually assaulted a girl. A sentencing report, obtained by WFXG, claimed Kohlhepp lured the girl outside by telling her an ex-boyfriend wanted to talk to her. He then pointed a 'small blue steel handgun at her head' and 'told her to walk down the alley towards his house.' Once they got into Kohlhepp's bedroom, according to the documents, he duct taped her mouth, tied her hands together, and 'removed her clothes, then his clothes and forced the victim to have sexual intercourse with him.' Kohlhepp pleaded guilty to kidnapping in the case and was added to the sex offender registry in Arizona. He remained behind bars from 1987 to 2001. The documentary explores how, two years after his release, Kohlhepp murdered four people in Chesnee, South Carolina according to a confession he gave investigators. Scott Ponder, his mother Beverly Guy, service manager Brian Lucas, and mechanic Chris Sherbert were found fatally shot at the Superbike Motorsports shop on November 6, 2003. However, the killer went undetected and continued to thrive in his professional life. In 2004, Kohlhepp transferred to the University of South Carolina-Upstate and ranked near the top of his class the next year, said college spokeswoman Tammy Whaley. Facing sentencing in 2017, Kohlhepp pictured in court. He admitted killing seven people over nearly 13 years while running a successful real estate business Respectable mask: Some who worked for Kohlhepp said the real estate agent was a 'good boss' 32-year-old Charles David Carter, pictured, was the boyfriend of Kala Brown, was murdered before Kohlhepp took her hostage for two months The metal container where the serial killer's last known crime was discovered; the freight container was housed on land owned by Kohlhepp One of the killer's earlier crimes took place in 2003, when he killed four people in the Superbike motorcycle shop, including owner Scott Ponder, 30, right, and his mother, Beverly Guy, 52, left Victims: Johnny Joe Coxie, pictured right, was 29 in December 2015 when he was killed by Kohlhepp. The murderer kept 26-year-old Meagan Leigh McCraw-Coxie, left, alive for six days before shooting her in the back of the head on Christmas Day He finished his business degree in 2007, then distinguished himself in real estate. A 2008 news article said he was Weichert Realtors' top-selling rookie agent for a region spanning parts of both Carolinas. Next, he went into business for himself, registering Todd Kohlhepp & Associates in 2009. The firm's website listed over a dozen agents, but also an unusual sales pitch. Describing the team that developed the firm's marketing, it said 'we threatened not to feed them if it didn't work. It's amazing the motivation you can get after day three!' Still, Kohlhepp developed a hard-working reputation. 'Todd did his job well and we never had any issues or saw any flags in the years we worked with him,' Velocity Design Group owner Danielle Cuddie said in an email. An agent at Kohlhepp's firm, Cherry Laurens, said they met a decade ago and were study partners at USC-Upstate. She said the accusations surprised her. Kohlhepp's sex-offender status was common knowledge, though Kohlhepp claimed the charges were trumped up after a joyride with another teenager upset her father, acquaintances said. But authorities described something far worse: Kohlhepp was 15 when he tied up a 14-year-old at gunpoint and raped her in Arizona in 1986. Court documents say he pleaded guilty to kidnapping and was sentenced in adult court. Kohlhepp had psychological problems from a young age, according to records obtained by WHNS-TV in South Carolina. An Arizona judge wrote in 1987 that he was bright but 'emotionally dangerous' and preoccupied with sex. A 1987 presentencing report says a neighbour described Kohlhepp as a 'devil on a chain.' He had moved in with his father in Arizona around age 12 after growing up in South Carolina and Georgia. His parents divorced when he was an infant. In the same month that Kohlhepp acquired the farmland in May 2014, an Amazon user named 'me' with a wish list linked to 'Todd Kohlhepp' began to leave reviews. On a review of a knife posted on 13 September 2014, he said: 'havnet (sic) stabbed anyone yet...... yet.... but I am keeping the dream alive and when I do, it will be with a quality tool like this...' Chris Sherbert, left, was a mechanic at the shop where Kohlhepp killed four people in 2003. Right: Service manager Brian Lucas was the fourth victim Clues: Police discovered the Amazon reviews, including on a chain saw and padlock, while investigating the depraved crimes The 2003 photofit that police issued after four people were shot dead by the serial killer in 2003 For a shovel, the user wrote a review, suggesting: 'keep in car for when you have to hide the bodies and you left the full size shovel at home.... does not come with a midget, which would have been nice.' One of the disturbing reviews spoke about chasing neighbors with a chainsaw. In one review about a padlock, the Amazon user wrote: 'solid locks.. have 5 on a shipping container.. wont stop them.. but sure will slow them down til they are too old to care. (sic)' The Amazon user posted 140 reviews in all with the majority between May and September 2014, Greenville Online reported. Kohlhepp was arrested after Kala Brown - who had been missing for two months - was found 'chained like a dog' inside a shipping container on his rural land. Police are said to have rescued her after hearing a banging sound when they arrived at Kohlhepp's property with a search warrant. The body of her boyfriend Charlie Carver, 32, was also found at the property. His cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators unearthed a second body, but did not initially announce the identity. Detectives then expanded their search perimeter beyond Kohlhepp's 100-acre farmland in Woodruff and looked at other properties linked to him. Experts meticulously dug into the ground to recover the second body while preserving as much evidence as possible, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said. Kohlhepp was charged with four counts of murder in the shooting deaths and the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office said that he has confessed to the killings. The exterior of Todd Kohlhepp's home in Moore, South Carolina; bodies were found on land owned by the killer A view of the land owned by Kohlhepp, in Woodruff; Kala Brown who had been missing for two months, was found alive chained inside a shipping container in 2016 Kohlhepp was eligible for the death penalty, but a plea deal means that's not an option for Kohlhepp, who was arrested at the age of 45 Scott Ponder, his mother Beverly Guy, service manager Brian Lucas, and mechanic Chris Sherbert were found fatally shot at the Superbike Motorsports in Chesnee, South Carolina, on November 6, 2003. The case stunned the community and baffled police for more than a decade. Rumors swirled that the slaying was committed by a Mexican drug gang or the victims were part of a love triangle, crushing the victims' loved ones. In 2016, Kohlhepp pleaded guilty Friday to seven counts of murder for the killings that took place over well over a decade. 'I just want him to go away,' said Lorraine Lucas, whose son's killing, along with three others, was unsolved for 13 years before deputies found a woman chained in a storage container on Kohlhepp's property in Spartanburg County. Officers went to the property because the woman's cellphone gave a signal in August 2015. As they freed her, she told deputies Kohlhepp killed her boyfriend, 32-year-old Charles David Carter, after they came to his land two months before to help him clean, Solicitor Barry Barnette said. Kohlhepp raped the woman while holding her against her will, and told her he had also killed a husband and wife in December 2015, burying their bodies on his land. Johnny Joe Coxie, 29, was killed immediately, and Kohlhepp kept 26-year-old Meagan Leigh McCraw-Coxie alive for six days before shooting her in the back of the head on Christmas, Barnette said. The woman who had been chained up also said Kohlhepp admitted to her that he had killed four people in the Superbike motorcycle shop in November 2003, the prosecutor said. Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright speaks to the media on November 5th, 2016 near the property where Kala Brown was found in Woodruff The serial killer was vocal online including commenting on his own murders The owner, Scott Ponder, 30; Beverly Guy, 52; Brian Lucas, 30; and Chris Sherbert, 26 were killed because Kohlhepp thought they were making fun of him. Guy was Ponder's mother and worked as a bookkeeper. Lucas was a service manager, and Sherbert was a mechanic at the shop. Kohlhepp showed up on a list of customers for the shop, but was never a serious suspect in the case. Instead, investigators focused on a bogus love triangle involving Ponder's wife and Lucas and other leads that went nowhere as possible motives. In 2017, Kohlhepp admitted killing seven people over nearly 13 years while running a successful real estate business. More than 50 family members and friends of the seven victims filled the courtroom. About a dozen of them spoke, standing just feet from Kohlhepp. He didn't look at them, and many ignored him as well. Johnny Coxie's mother said his seven-year-old son held out hope that his father was alive for months after he disappeared. Cindy Coxie said the worst day of her life came when she had to tell the boy that his father was dead. 'He hates you with his little heart,' she told Kohlhepp. Kohlhepp's lawyer, Shane Goranson, said his client hopes the plea agreement started to bring the victims' families peace. The woman chained in the container didn't come to court. Her lawyer said she didn't want to see Kohlhepp. But she supported the plea deal because the death of another human being would give her no satisfaction or justice. 'As (the victim) said in one of her first meetings with the solicitor - he's the killer, not me,' attorney Alex Stalvey said. Kohlhepp was eligible for the death penalty, but the plea deal took that off the table. No one has been executed in South Carolina in more than six years because the state lacks the drugs needed for lethal injections. 'The reality of the situation is this state doesn't have a functioning death penalty,' Barnette said. The new Channel 4 series' director, Billy Arthur, said of the serial killer: 'Todd Kohlhepp lived out his twisted impulses in plain sight, and the Amazon reviews he left are a horrifying example of how someone can hide behind the mask of normalcy - until the mask cracks. 'It was a privilege to bring this shocking story to light in a way that honours the victims and highlights the resilience of those who survived.' The serial killer remains incarcerated at the Broad River Correctional Institution in South Carolina. Both parts of The Amazon Review Killer: Chilling Confession air on Monday January 6th at 10pm, and will also be available on Channel 4s streaming service The crimes of Todd Kohlhepp and how they unfolded 1980: Kohlhepp was referred to the Behaviour Evaluation Center at the Georgia Mental Health Institute, aged around nine years old following problems at school, according to a court document, via Independent Mail. 1986: Aged 15, Kohlhepp kidnapped and sexually assaulted a girl. August 2001: Kohlhepp was released from prison after serving the 15-year sentence. While in jail, he graduated from Central Arizona College with a bachelor's degree in computer science. November 2003: Kohlhepp killed four workers at Superbike Motorsports motorcycle store in Chesnee in 2003 after the manager made him angry. The victims were the owner, Scott Ponder, 30; Beverly Guy, 52; Brian Lucas, 30; and Chris Sherbert, 26. Guy was Ponder's mother and worked as a bookkeeper. Lucas was a service manager, and Sherbert was a mechanic at the shop. 2006: He was awarded his South Carolina real estate license and started building a firm. December 2015: Husband-and-wife Meagan and Johnny Coxie were reported missing in December 2015, after Mrs Coxie called her mother to bail her out of jail so she could work a job. That was the last time either of them were heard from. The couple were gunned down and buried on Kohlhepp's farmland, close to the metal container where he is accused of keeping Brown captive for two months. Meagan was shot once in the head and her husband suffered several bullet wounds to the torso. The bodies of 29-year-old Johnny Joe Coxie and 26-year-old Meagan Leigh McCraw-Coxie were found on Kohlhepp's 95-acre tract of land after his arrest in November 2016. The couple had been hired to do work on Kohlhepp's property. November 2016: Kohlhepp's reign of terror came to an end on November 3, 2016, when police searching his Woodruff property heard a woman's screams coming from a shipping container. Kala Brown later told police that she came out to the property two months prior with her boyfriend, Charlie David Carver, for a cleaning job. Kohlhepp shot Carver dead and then chained her up in the storage container where he continued to rape her on a near daily basis. After finding Brown and arresting Kohlhepp, investigators searched the property and found Carver's body in a shallow grave, along with the remains of two other people. Those remains were later identified as Johnny and Meagan Coxie. Advertisement Charles and Camilla attended the first Sunday service of 2025 in Sandringham The King and Queen faced the worst of the Norfolk weather this morning, as they headed to the Sunday church service at Sandringham. Both Charles, 76, and Camilla, 77, were armed with umbrellas as they made the short journey across the royal estate to St Mary Magdalene Church. Sporting the beige woolen overcoat that he's famously owned for decades, the monarch kept warm and dry as he braved the Arctic temperatures that are currently sweeping across the UK. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla donned an elegant chocolate brown dress coat with long brown boots and a fur-brimmed hat for the Sunday morning church visit - the couple's first of 2025. She also sheltered from the icy rain with an umbrella she's frequently seen using, a transparent, silver handled dome brolly thought to be from Selfridges. In spite of the leaden skies above, the monarch and Queen Camilla looked in good spirits as they were greeted by members of the church's clergy including the rector Revd Canon Dr Paul Williams. However, the royal couple did appear to make a swift entrance into the service in a bid to outwit the freezing temperatures. Brollies at the ready: The King, 76, and Queen, 77, pictured stepping out on the Sandringham Estate in North Norfolk this morning Even the royals aren't safe from the Arctic weather that's cloaking the UK on Sunday, with the Queen - dressed for the freeze - making a hasty retreat into church Camilla carried her favoured transparent umbrella, thought to be from Selfridges, as she headed to the service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham The couple are currently residing on the Sandringham estate after spending Christmas at the Norfolk royal residence, as is tradition for the royals. The family attended a Christmas Day service at the same church, where they were greeted by crowds of well-wishers. Alongside the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales were also in attendance at Sandringham over the holidays. The Princess of Wales was seen walking around with her husband Prince William and their children, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte. Other members of the family, including Zara Tindall, Lady Louise and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, also spent the holiday season in North Norfolk. A New Year hand shake: The King is greeted by Revd Canon Dr Paul Williams as he arrives for the Sunday morning service The respite in Sandringham is likely much needed this year, with Queen Camilla recovering from a bout of pneumonia that saw her pare down public duties in the run up to the festive season. And the King's battle with an undisclosed form of cancer, also continues. It was revealed that Charles will continue to need treatment in 2025. A Buckingham Palace source has said the 76-year-old's health is still being 'managed' but is 'moving in a positive direction'. His Majesty intends to return to a full programme of public duties in 2025. This will include 'exciting' UK and international visits in the first half of the year, an insider said. 'His treatment has been moving in a positive direction, as a managed condition the treatment cycle will continue into the new year', the Palace source said. Before Christmas, Charles made a wry joke about his health condition when he was asked how he was doing at an event in east London. He went to a community event at Waltham Forest Town Hall in Walthamstow alongside his wife, Queen Camilla. The King and Queen share a joke as they exit their royal cars ahead of the traditional Sunday sermon The couple are currently residing at Sandringham as is tradition for the Monarch during the festive and New Year period The royals gathered at the estate for Christmas, with the Prince and Princess of Wales attending the service with their three children Princess Charlotte and Prince George standing alongside their father, Prince William, on Christmas Day Harvinder Rattan, a Sikh faith representative, said: 'Your Majesty, good morning, how are you?' The King, 76, replied, jokingly: 'I'm still alive.' Charles has increased his engagements recently, including a visit to Apple's London HQ and a meeting with CEO Tim Cook. 'You could almost forget at the start of the year this was a man that faced the shock of being diagnosed with cancer', a source said to Sky News. Charles has been carrying on with his duties despite facing a personally challenging year in which both he and the Princess of Wales were diagnosed with cancer. News of Charles' cancer, undisclosed in its form, came in February, after it was discovered while he was treated in hospital for an enlarged prostate in January. He cancelled all face-to-face public duties but returned in April and has since travelled to France for D-Day commemorations, hosted incoming state visits for the Emperor of Japan and the Emir of Qatar, and undertaken a hectic tour to Australia and Samoa with the Queen, despite still undergoing outpatient cancer treatment. January is looking up. Why? The return of the hit BBC series The Traitors obviously. And we're not only looking forward to the backstabbing, plot-twisting, thrill-a-minute race to a cash prize. No, it's presenter Claudia Winkleman's outfits that provide much of the show's appeal, too. Her looks, masterminded by her long-time stylist Sinead McKeefry, very much lean into the countrycore aesthetic befitting the show's Scottish castle setting 'Ronnie Corbett meets Princess Anne meets that phase when Madonna suddenly found the countryside through Guy Ritchie', as Winkleman has described it. But don't let that eccentricity put you off Winkleman's looks are as much relatable and recreational as they are aspirational. No wonder retailers are reporting of droves of shoppers asking for 'the Traitors look'. Read on for our guide on how to incorporate just enough of Claudia's gothic glam into your January wardrobe castle-owner's budget not required! Claudia Winkleman in her Luxury Family Affair cape and red leather fingerless gloves Joules's waterproof Bibury cape (64, joules.com) Cape-able So far we've seen Claudia in two capes this series one a black wool design by Luxury Family Affair (730), the other a bespoke tweed creation by the same London fashion house. Hear the word cape and think they're the sartorial reserve of Tudor kings and fairytale villains? Think again. Claudia shows us that the cape, in the inherent drama it exhibits due to its lack of lines and clean silhouette (sleeves = superfluous), has modern appeal. It adds swishy elegance to even then simplest of jeans and boots. Monsoon's Cecily cape (80, monsoon.co.uk) boasts military buttons that are all kinds of Claudia, while Joules' Bibury cape (64, joules.com) is waterproof. Its relaxed fit means there's plenty of room for multiple layers, too. Need for tweed Claudia circles the contestants in a statement tweed blazer costing 875 by Bella Freud ... or you could opt for a vintage version for a fraction of the price It's no surprise that the gentry's camouflage tweed features heavily in Claudia's Traitors wardrobe. Warm, moisture-resistant and largely self-cleaning, it's perfect for Scotland's rugged landscape. The tweed jacket Claudia wears this series is 875 and by British designer Bella Freud. But the 'haute country' look needn't cost head to vintage site Vinntry, dedicated to country fashion, for real-deal tweed jackets that don't cost the earth (vinntry.com). Crucially, don't forget this: the cool factor of Claudia's wardrobe lies in the addition of incongruous elements to could-be-stuffy items like the tweed jacket. Namely, Claudia achieves this via punk fingerless gloves. If her 24.99 red leather Amazon ones are too bank robber for you, try Rosie Sugden (rosiesugden.com) for more wearable cashmere versions. New gothic The presenter's black velvet tux jacket by Saint Laurent breaks the bank at 2,500 Anna James The Label's version, however, comes in at under 200 In The Traitors, gothic is less Wednesday Adams, more grown-up glamour. Think opulent velvet tailoring and Dracula-style frilly white shirts. Claudia's black velvet jacket is Saint Laurent and comes with the corresponding 2,500 price tag. The appeal of Claudia's style comes courtesy of high-low juxtapositions, however, and the Saint Laurent jacket is therefore paired with a much more affordable shirt by Sister Jane. The exact shirt is now sold out, but luckily another London brand House of Disgrace has available a similar design (159, houseofdisgrace.co.uk). Poke its frilled cuffs out of the sleeves of Anna James's black jacket (197.50, annajamesthelabel.com) its satin lapels are all kinds of Tom Ford. Oh, and Claudia's 439 black velvet Sandro jumpsuit from last Thursday's episode? You can rent it for as little as 6.07/day via By Rotation (byrotation.com). Heritage knits Japanese designer Kapital gives Claudia's Fair Isle knit edge with a skeleton's bones in the design Raid the Campbell's sale for a more versatile offering that's easier on the bank balance, too Remember Claudia's smiley-face jumper from the last series, the one that went viral and sold out everywhere? Her Fair Isle jumper this season comes courtesy of the same brand, Japanese designers Kapital (455). In true Claudia style, a punk twist is added to traditional Fair Isle through the addition of a skeleton motif on the jumper's back and sleeves. Her jeans (145) are by Holland Cooper, and her boots are her trusty Dr Martens (161). For more purse-friendly but still keep-forever Fair Isle, traditional Scottish outfitters Campbell's (campbellsofbeauly.com) are your best bet - you can currently snap up a tank top in the sale for 115 and they make the King's tweeds, no less! Many of the physical changes women experience during the transition into menopause can come as a shock to the system. The hot flushes, the vaginal dryness, the sleep problems - none of them are pleasant but at least none are fatal. But there are potentially deadly symptoms associated with perimenopause - which typically starts in women aged 40 to 44 and ends when they have gone 12 months without a period - that are rarely spoken about. Brain fog, bursts of rage, anxiety and - most concerning of all - clinical depression can all be caused by fluctuating hormones associated with the end of a woman's reproductive years. These symptoms can impact any woman - but they are typically experienced by those who have never suffered from mental health conditions in the past. Perimenopause expert Dr Ginni Mansberg told FEMAIL that women can wake up, burst into tears and feel like staying inside forever - all because of the spiking hormones experienced during the transitional life stage. When they go to their GP to find a cure for the sudden decline in their mental health, they are pumped full of antidepressants which 'don't work'. 'They are still just as depressed or anxious. In fact, perimenopause is the time a woman is most likely to die by suicide,' Dr Mansberg said. Dr Ginni Mansberg reveals the deadly side-effect of perimenopause The anxiety and depression can be debilitating, leading women to quit their careers, withdraw from friends and family, and develop something similar to agoraphobia within a matter of weeks. 'A lot of these women have had a terrible time with the pill, which is another thing some doctors try. But the women know that going on the pill would be a disaster,' she said. Dr Mansberg said researchers are looking into perimenopausal mental health conditions to see if they are linked to genes that cause premenstrual dysphoria, a severe form of PMS characterised by more intense mood swings. She said these women are likely more sensitive to the hormonal fluctuations of perimenopause, which causes the more severe feelings of anxiety and depression. 'Antidepressants don't work - but 76 per cent of women do feel better when they are treated for perimenopause,' she said. 'If you understand what's going on, then the prognosis is excellent. But you need treatment or it will continue to be awful.' One of the main treatments for perimenopause symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This is medication that replaces the female hormones estrogen and progesterone, which decrease during menopause. HRT takes the form of pills, patches, gels, creams and more. Women are most likely to take their own lives during perimenopause Some women fear treatment, but Dr Mansberg said there is no way around it for the those who have severe symptoms. 'Get treatment so you can get past it and get back to being you,' she said. One in three women suffer from anxiety or depression when they go through perimenopause. 'These women are burst into tears in the middle of the supermarket. They say they don't feel like themselves anymore. They are a bit overwhelmed by anything and they feel paranoid. They are losing their s**t at everyone,' she said. Dr Mansberg said it breaks her heart to see so many women suffering so profoundly with their mental health during perimenopause despite treatments being readily available. Women are more than twice as likely to develop bipolar disorder in the years leading up to the menopause, study reveals By Shaun Wooller, Health Editor Women are more than twice as likely to develop bipolar disorder in the years leading up to the menopause, a recent study found. Researchers examined data on 128,294 women in the four years around their final period. Analysis revealed there was a 112 per cent increase in bipolar during perimenopause, while the onset of major depressive disorder increased by 30 per cent. Perimenopause happens when a woman has symptoms of menopause, such as anxiety, mood swings and brain fog, but still has a period. Study leader Professor Arianna Di Florio, of Cardiff University, said: 'During perimenopause approximately 80 per cent of people develop symptoms, but the impact on the onset of severe mental illness was unknown. Women are more than twice as likely to develop bipolar disorder in the years leading up to the menopause , a recent study found (stock image) 'In my clinic, I found that some women, previously living lives without any experience of severe mental health issues, developed severe mental illness around the time of the menopause. What is Bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects your moods, which can swing from 1 extreme to another. It used to be known as manic depression. People with bipolar disorder have episodes of: Depression feeling very low and lethargic Mania feeling very high and overactive Symptoms of bipolar disorder depend on which mood you're experiencing. Unlike simple mood swings, each extreme episode of bipolar disorder can last for several weeks (or even longer). Advertisement 'I feel a duty towards the women I work with. 'I wanted to provide them and other women with the answers to why this terrible thing happened to them.' Professor Di Florio said the findings could help provide additional support for women who have 'previously been left in the dark'. 'Research like this is vital, as women experience these profound changes in their lives and bodies and are currently let down by the lack of detailed understanding of these changes,' she added. 'We have been able to expand our knowledge of the mental health changes associated with perimenopause, which can help provide explanations, diagnoses and support for women who have previously been left in the dark about what is happening to them.' The study, published in the journal Nature Mental Health, was conducted in collaboration with the charity Bipolar UK and the UK Biobank. Clare Dolman, an ambassador for Bipolar UK and patient and public involvement lead on the project, said the findings could be 'life-saving'. She added: 'This study is extremely important as it demonstrates for the first time in a very large sample that the menopausal transition has a measurable impact on women's mental health. Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects your moods, which can swing from one extreme to another (stock image) 'For me, this confirms what we have observed and heard from women with bipolar themselves; that hormonal change is a very important factor in mood disorders and one that deserves to be researched thoroughly. 'As a woman with bipolar myself who has gone through menopause, I am looking forward to the research community recognising the importance of this funding. 'The studies will allow us to predict an individual woman's risk of becoming unexpectedly ill at this time of life. That knowledge could be life-saving.' The study focused on first-onset experiences of psychiatric disorders during perimenopause and did not investigate links with the recurrence of pre-existing psychiatric disorders. Bipolar UK said further research focusing on people with a previous history of mental illness is needed. Artificial intelligence could be adopted by the NHS to spot ovarian cancer after new research suggested the software was more effective than doctors at catching the hard-to-find deadly disease. The technology, known also as AI, can correctly spot tiny tumours, called lesions, on ultrasound images of the ovaries, nearly nine out of ten times, according to Swedish researchers. Ovarian cancer specialists, on the other hand, were found to only spot the lesions in eight out of ten cases. Experts say the findings are significant because ovarian cancer is considered one of the most difficult to diagnose form of tumours. This is because the symptoms which include bloating, frequent urination, vaginal discharge and constipation are often mistaken for signs of less severe illnesses. There is also currently no effective way to screen women for the disease. This means that, by the time it is spotted, the cancer has often spread around the body. Research suggests as many as four in five cases are found only after the cancer has spread into other parts of the body. Some 7,500 women in the UK are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year and it kills around 4,000 over the same time period. Artificial intelligence could be adopted by the NHS to spot ovarian cancer after new research suggested the software was more effective than doctors at catching the hard-to-find deadly disease (Stock image) The technology, known also as AI, can correctly spot tiny tumours on ultrasound images of the ovaries, nearly nine out of ten times (Stock image) Research has already shown that artifical intelligence can speed up diagnosis of patients with skin and lung cancer. Last year, the NHS announced a first-of-its-kind breast screening trial which will use AI to look for signs of cancer on mammograms, in an effort to improve the accuracy and speed of diagnosis. The latest study, published by scientists at the Stockholm South General Hospital, uploaded more than 17,000 ultrasound images of ovaries to a self-learning AI computer programme also known as a neural network model. These images included some of patients with cancerous lesions and others with growths which were non cancerous known as benign lesions. After analysing all the images, the AI was able to correctly identify the signs of ovarian cancer in the vast majority of cases. The researchers concluded that, due to its speed and accuracy, using the AI in hospitals could speed up the number of referrals doctors can see on a daily basis by around 60 per cent, and cut misdiagnoses by nearly a fifth. 'Ovarian tumours are common and are often detected by chance,' said Professor Elisabeth Epstein, senior obstetrics and gynecology consultant at Stockholm South General Hospital. 'This suggests that neural network models can offer valuable support in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, especially in difficult-to-diagnose cases and in settings where there's a shortage of ultrasound experts.' A celebrity-backed 'designer' baby cot trend could risk infants breaking limbs and even suffocating, a top midwife has warned. The new social media fad involves parents decorating their newborns' cots with an array of pillows, plush toys and blankets. Bumpers lengths of padded fabric designed to wrap around the side of a crib to stop babies' feet from getting stuck in the bars are another popular addition. Videos advertising baby cot accessories on TikTok have been viewed millions of times. And the trend has some high-profile advocates, including social media influencer Khloe Kardashian the sister of Kim Kardashian who has more than 300million followers. In 2018, Khloe shared pictures on Instagram of her four-month-old daughter True's crib, which contained a Hermes blanket, a large teddy bear and a collection of pillows. But midwife Clare Byam-Cook, who regularly provides new mothers with health advice on TV and radio, fears that parents following the trend may unwittingly be putting their babies in danger. 'There shouldn't be anything in the cot aside from a blanket anything else is unnecessary and could pose a danger to the baby,' she says. 'Anything that's loose could trap the baby and pose a suffocation risk, as well as anything that has strings that could come undone and be within their reach. The Lullaby Trust, a charity providing advice on safer sleep for babies, says parents should keep cots completely clear other than a lightweight bedsheet, and that unnecessary items increase the risk of accidents and death 'Parents no doubt mean well but it's not a risk worth taking if it puts your child in danger.' The warning comes after a west London coroner last week issued an urgent statement about the dangers of trendy baby slings, after the death of an infant. Six-week-old Jimmy Alderman was being breastfed in a 'hands-free' baby carrier by his mother as she walked around their home when he slipped too far down the sling and suffocated. Coroner Lydia Brown criticised the lack of safety information for parents around baby slings and called for better industry standards. Experts say similar warnings should be issued to stop parents from filling cots with potentially dangerous items. The Lullaby Trust, a charity providing advice on safer sleep for babies, says parents should keep cots completely clear other than a lightweight bedsheet, and that unnecessary items increase the risk of accidents and death. Research suggests a crowded cot can also increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome also known as cot death which kills nearly 200 babies in the UK every year. But this hasn't stopped a growing number of parents cramming cots with designer products. Videos of cribs decorated with pillows and toys have become hugely popular on TikTok, often being shared tens of thousands of times A TikTok post showing a crib decorated with a pink canopy and matching pillows and throws One TikTok from a company selling accessories, viewed more than 122,000 times, shows a cot with a baby mobile dangling so low the strings could brush the baby's face. The risk particularly with mobiles bought online is that pieces could come loose, explains Ms Byam-Cook. 'It's the same with any baby toys. If you're buying them on the internet you have no guarantee that bits won't come off that the baby could choke on,' she says. In another video, viewed almost 40,000 times, a US babycare influencer shows her two-month-old baby in a small cot filled with pillows, bumpers and a baby mobile dangling just within its grasp. 'Mommies, if you were planning to buy a crib, make sure you buy this hanging toy as well,' she says. 'It's been a great help to me. They love to watch it at this age.' And in a third, similar video viewed more than 70,000 times, another influencer equips a cot with bumpers, a pillow and duvet. Experts say one of the most common mistakes parents make is putting pillows in a cot. 'You definitely shouldn't have pillows in the crib as it's a suffocation risk,' says Ms Byam-Cook. 'Babies don't need pillows, nor do toddlers. You're just adding to the risk that they roll over on to their face and are unable to turn themselves back over.' The same goes for bumpers. Parents often worry their baby will get a leg or arm stuck between the bars of their cot, but if they do, they can either free themselves or cry out, alerting parents to sort things out. Bumpers, though sold as a way to prevent this, can actually worsen the problem, as they make it more difficult for an infant to free themselves when wedged between the bars and fabric. 'There's also the risk that the baby will slip down between the bumper and the mattress and suffocate, as well as the potential that they get their head tangled up in any loose cords holding it in place and strangle themselves,' says Ms Byam-Cook. She adds that the same applies for heavy blankets even when placed on the railings of the cot. 'Even just a muslin shouldn't be left draped on the side of the baby's bed in case the baby gets tangled up and suffocates.' However, parents should still ensure their baby is warm enough when they put them down for bed. Ms Byam-Cook explains: 'On the other hand, some parents are so afraid of using blankets and duvets for fear of the baby suffocating that they are being put to sleep without enough layers on. 'A bulkier sleeping suit may be the solution, or just making sure any blanket used is very tightly tucked under the baby so they can't slip under. It can be a minefield but if you err on the side of caution, your baby should be fine.' 'My father-in-law drove down from Stoke-on-Trent to Hitchin to see the grandkids for Sunday lunch and when he arrived his EV (Audi e-Tron) was on 20 per cent. He hooked up to our home charger (we have an Ioniq 5 so we have a wallbox charger) and charged up to 80. I don't want to be stingy but he does this every time - and he comes down at least once a month. Should I start asking him to pay for his charging? I wouldn't mind so much if it was an overnight charge with off-peak rates and cost less than a tenner, but he charges in the middle of the day so it's about 20. He wouldn't ask me to pay for his petrol... I don't want to cause a family argument - what should I do? Is there a precedent? Dan C. Should you ask a friend or family to pay to use your EV charger? We ask experts for their take and give you an etiquette guide so you aren't tiptoeing round the subject like an awkward Brit This is Money's EV expert Freda Lewis-Stempel answers: Dan you're asking a question an awful lot of people are probably thinking. And if they aren't already, with the rise of EVs means they soon will be. Do you offer to let visiting friends and family charge on your home charger? And do you ask them to pay when they're adding to your electricity bill? Or if you're the visitor, do you ask to charge? Do you offer to pay? And how do you work out how much it costs? And as you've pointed out, no-one would ask you to pay for fuel so if you compare it like that it seems a bit bonkers to pay for someone's charge. But then it's typically much less expensive, and depending on where you live there might not be public chargers nearby. This is unchartered territory for people and there's no official line - so what's the correct etiquette? As plenty of EV owners are tiptoeing around the subject in a typical British way, we asked some EV experts on what's the fairest and politest way to handle the situation. AA President Edmund King says 'most people tell the AA that they wouldnt charge close family and close friends if they werent taken advantage' AA President Edmund King expects this question to 'become more commonplace': 'Most people tell the AA that they wouldnt charge close family and close friends if they werent taken advantage of i.e. every week coming over for a free charge.' King also points out that you can rent a charger via platforms like Co Charger or Just park or charging brands like Evois 'allow you to allocate a pin number to a neighbour so they can come at leisure to charge and you have a record of what it cost' and are a good solution for 'a neighbour waiting to get to a charge point or a builder'. Evois shows you how much range has been added to the car, how long the session was and how much it cost. Quentin Wilson, Faircharge UK says: 'Etiquette for friends charging at your home is to not ask them to pay. EV owners tend to be have a helpful community spirit. 'But if its a stranger, who perhaps needs a charge in an emergency or youre sharing your home charge point, you normally ask for them to pay, or at least contribute.' Michelle Breffitt, co-founder of Women Drive Electric says: No way would I ask a friend of family member to pay for charging their car if they are visiting us ant home especially if its overnight on my cheap EV energy tariff. 'The simplicity and convenience of charging when you have stopped is hugely appealing to drivers and means we get to spend more time with loved ones too. If you use a friend or family member's home charger and they don't ask you to pay then it's a nice token to give them a small thank you - a box of chocolates or a bottle for instance What to do if a visitor wants to use your EV home charger? A rough etiquette guide A bit like when EV charging became commonplace at services or dedicated hubs, a charging etiquette had to be established. There's not set rule, but more a code of conduct reasonable EV community members follow. Taking stock of the different viewpoints we've decide on a few pointers to help tackle these conversations. Always let a guest use your home charger Whether or not you ask your guest to pay, always let them use your home charger. It's just good manners and every EV driver knows what a difference it makes having an easy, reliable charging option on hand. As the host it's on you to make your guest feel welcome and to have an easy stay, and these days this includes EV charging. Plus it will be cheaper for them too even if you decide to ask them to pay or they offer. If a visitor is coming to stay overnight If a friend or family member needs to charge up and they're staying overnight then offer to let them charge but schedule it during off-peak hours so it costs a lot less. Especially if they're only topping up it will likely only cost you less than a tenner so it seems good natured to not ask for the guest to pay. If they're coming down multiple times a month then you can re-evaluate. If the visitor is only coming for the day If you're happy to cover the costs then it's a very nice gesture to offer to cover it but as it's likely to cost around 20 or so, it seems fair to ask for at least a contribution. Again this depends on how often they visit and we'd highly recommend checking what percentage they're on because if they only need 10 per cent top up it's a bit stingy to ask for that. How long is the visitor staying? Of course if your visitor is staying for several nights, a week or even more and they're driving around, using up battery and needing to charge multiple times then it is entirely fair to ask for them to pay for charging. Multiple charges add up, and you certainly wouldn't pay for multiple tanks of fuel so don't feel bad about this. Per mile drivers like John and Rosa who charge the majority of the time at home will only pay 7p/miles, while Kris who charges in public pays 18p/mile If you're the visitor - should you offer to pay to use your host's EV home charger? A rough etiquette guide It's absolutely fine to ask your host to use their charger. While we might have just told the host not to ask for payment, but as the guest you should always offer. Again it's a matter of manners. It's highly likely your host will wave away your offer, but if you're going to hook up your car for some juice (especially during peak hours) then you've got to take the initiative on the payment front. A happy medium - offer a different contribution other than payment If you use a friend or family member's home charger and they don't ask you to pay then it's a nice token to give them a small thank you - a box of chocolates or a bottle for instance. What if my neighbour asks to use my EV charger? Or can I ask my neighbour to use their charger? Generally this situation is only going to come around if the someone's charger isn't working, or all the local public chargers are taken and it's a time pressured situation, or someone's guest is already using their charger. In these cases it's fine to ask your neighbour to use their charger and the correct thing to let your neighbour charge. After all that's what neighbours are for - to help each other out. But definitely pay your neighbour. And if it's anything but a small overnight cheap charge then it's entirely fair to ask them to pay! Chances are that if your children have recently left home, you have ideas about how to spend money freed up as household bills shrink and perhaps you're planning a road trip or cruise. But many empty nesters are finding adult children move back into the family home. In fact, 4.9million adults now live with parents, according to the 2021 Census. It's hardly surprising, given house prices are at a record high so the deposit banks require for a mortgage feels increasingly out of reach. Average private rents rose by 9.1 per cent in the 12 months to November to hit a record high of 1,319, according to the Office for National Statistics. Plus, rental costs are soaring, making it difficult for many to save. Sometimes the only option to get your children a set of keys to their own property is for the Bank of Mum and Dad to help with a house deposit. An incredible 36 billion was gifted by loved ones for housing deposits in the past five years, according to new research from financial services firm SunLife. Generous gifters: Parents and grandparents in Yorkshire and Humber, the West Midlands and South West gave the largest sums towards house deposits It surveyed more than 2,000 over-50s as part of its Life Well Spent report, which looks at major spending decisions, gifting and dream purchases. One in five over-50s who have gifted money to family have done so to help with a house deposit. This is equivalent to 1.2 million people; most are parents (91 per cent) while grandparents make up 8 per cent. With the average amount given by those over 50 in the UK is some 29,033, the new data reveals stark regional differences. The most generous over 50s in the UK live in Yorkshire and the Humber where deep pockets hand over an average 58,875 to family for a house deposit, according to SunLife. This region is closely followed by the West Midlands, where an average 55,716 is gifted, and the south west. Buyers in Northern Ireland were gifted a huge 43,667 sum to help with their deposit. However, the families in London gave just 21,333, which may not be surprising given it has the highest house prices in the UK so funds are tied up in property. That may also explain the behaviour in over 50s in the South East where house prices are also high and the average given is 29,844. In the North East deposit gifts plummet to just 3,501 while families in the East Midlands gift 11,000. Gifting as you approach retirement needs careful planning so here is our guide to avoiding the pitfalls and seeing your children settled. Gift a cash deposit to get on housing ladder Your child will not have to pay income tax on any lump sum you give them, but be aware the gift could trigger an inheritance tax bill later down the line Generous parents with large cash savings or money tied up in shares may wish to simply gift their child or grandchild the money to kick-start their journey to homeownership. Most lenders allow gifted deposits but always check banks' rules. Family friends or distant relatives such as cousins may not be allowed to gift a deposit, with lenders instead favouring close relatives such as parents, grandparents or siblings. Any money you give a child or grandchild must be a true gift with no expectation of repayment. In fact, the recipient will need to give their conveyancer a so-called 'gifted deposit letter' declaring the donor does not expect the money to be paid back. The letter typically includes your details and your child's, your relationship, the gift amount, where the money has come from, confirmation you have no stake in the property and proof you are financially stable. Your child will not have to pay income tax, but be aware the gift could trigger an inheritance tax (IHT) bill later down the line. A cash gift of any amount can be passed on free of IHT if the donor lives for another seven years, but should they die within seven years it counts towards your tax-free allowance of 325,000 (500,000 if leaving your home to direct descendants). It means a gift could reduce the amount of your estate that can be passed on without incurring a 40 per cent bill. Jordan Gillies, of wealth manager Saltus, explains you can use your 3,000 annual tax-free allowance to lessen the bill for your estate. Plus, you can carry over last year's allowance if you didn't use it to pass on as much as 12,000 tax-free as a couple. This can only be done for one year. Consider splitting the deposit over two tax years if you are concerned about IHT and gift another 6,000 as a couple come April. This means 18,000 could be passed on tax-free in the next few months alone. Gillies says life expectancy is important to consider when making substantial gifts. 'If one person in the couple is younger or in better health, it makes sense for that person to make the gift,' he says. Dip into pension or sell share investments You could think about withdrawing money from your pension to gift a house deposit if you are confident you have more than enough for retirement, says Charlene Young, of stockbroker AJ Bell If your wealth is tied up in shares and you sell some to gift a deposit, you could also incur a capital gains tax (CGT) bill. CGT is payable on the profit after an asset such as a second home or shares has increased in value and then sold. Investors have a tax-free allowance of 3,000 for assets outside of a trust. Gains over this are taxed at 18 per cent for basic rate taxpayers and 24 per cent for higher and additional rate earners. The rates were increased in the Chancellor's October's Budget. If you hold investments in an Individual Savings Account (Isa) you won't have to pay CGT when you sell your shares. You could also think about withdrawing money from your pension to gift a house deposit if you are confident you have more than enough for retirement, says Charlene Young, of stockbroker AJ Bell. 'With the proposals to bring pensions into your estate for IHT purposes from April 2027 people might be thinking about spending their pension or changing the order in which they spend savings.' If you've already taken out your 25 per cent tax-free lump sum then you'll pay income tax and a withdrawal might tip you into a higher tax bracket. If your child or grandchild is buying with a partner, it is worth them considering a deed of trust a legal document which shows how the proceeds should be shared if the property is sold in the event of a split. According to estate agent Haart, the deed can cost between 100 and 1,000, to be drawn up via a conveyancing solicitor. A mum and dad loan affects affordability If giving away thousands of pounds isn't feasible, you could lend the money to your child although this could limit their choice of mortgage deals. Also lenders view loans from family members in the same way as any other loan. It could affect mortgage affordability calculations as repayments to you will be taken into consideration. Lilly Toop, of law firm Shakespeare Martineau, says draw up a loan agreement when lending to your children. You can use a template or ask your solicitor to help. 'While this may seem uncomfortable when lending to a family member, it helps to ensure everyone is aware of the terms, to clarify repayment terms and provide legal protection for all parties.' Brokers say the agreement should set out the repayment plan plus what happens if someone dies or your child defaults on repayments. Ms Toop says if parents expect to have an interest in the new home they must tell the mortgage provider as this could incur additional costs. 'The interest must be registered on the legal title, making it clear the parents would be entitled to money when the house is sold. The funds received from the sale will be liable for CGT on any gain over the annual exemption.' Release equity from your own property Shaun Moore, of wealth manager Quilter, says to only consider equity release if you have no other way of generating cash Property-rich parents who want to help their child buy their own house could consider releasing equity from their home. A lifetime mortgage allows you to release a tax-free lump sum from your home. The amount taken out is not repaid, along with the interest, until the property is sold but you can make repayments if you want to. Katy Eatenton, of Lifetime Wealth Management, says: 'This approach not only eases the financial burden for the next generation but also allows parents to witness the benefits of children receiving their inheritance early.' She warns there are potential issues with equity release such as large amounts of interest building up, especially if you release equity as early as allowed at age 55. There are typically early repayment charges and the fee to release equity can be as much as 3,000. Shaun Moore, of wealth manager Quilter, says to only consider equity release if you have no other way of generating cash. Consult your financial adviser before taking any steps. Start early save in a JISA - from birth Instead of scrambling to stump up tens of thousands of pounds in one lump sum, you could save a little every year, beginning when your child is born. Sylvia Morris, the Mail's savings guru, says a junior Isa (Jisa) is a good bet. There's no tax payable on capital gains or interest in these wrappers. Sylvia points out a stocks and shares Jisa tend to offer better returns compared to a cash Jisa. Your capital is at risk as the savings are invested in stocks. If you funnel 1,000 every year from a child's birth into a stocks and shares Jisa, the pot will be worth 29,539 by the time they are 18, according to calculations by AJ Bell. Compound interest does lots of the heavy lifting. If this was converted to a stocks and shares Isa and left to grow, it would be worth 41,564 by the time they are 25, even if no more is invested. This assumes annual growth of 5 per cent after fees. For the more risk averse, a cash Jisa could be a good choice. Sylvia's top pick is from Coventry Building Society, which pays 4.50 per cent. You can deposit up to 9,000 a year in Junior Isas. Savings accounts are more accessible, but interest is not always tax-free, unlike in a Jisa. Grandparents making regular gifts each year to build a housing deposit could use the gifts out of the normal expenditure rule if they are concerned about IHT, Gillies explains. You can make regular gifts without attracting inheritance tax - so long as payments do not affect your standard of living and are made out of income, and not existing capital. This could be savings interest or pension annuities. Gillies warns you need to clearly prove the gifts meet this criteria. A letter to the beneficiary setting out how much and how often you intend to gift is a good measure to have in place. Or don't pay a penny - prompt them to save If you prefer not to give away your hard-earned cash, nudge your children to build their own deposit. They can set up a Lifetime Isa (Lisa) to pay up to 4,000 and get a 25 per cent boost from the Government. This can only be used for buying a home worth 450,000 or under, or can be cashed in at 60 for retirement. Encourage them to set aside money for a deposit as soon as payday arrives each month and prompt them to build their credit score to qualify for the best mortgage deals. But a financial gift is likely to boost your spirits, too, as some four in five of those who have helped a loved one buy their own home say it increased their overall happiness, according to Mark Screeton, chief executive at SunLife. Gifting a deposit may hurt your bank balance but helping your children with such an important life step may give you great satisfaction. Fast fashion retailer Asos, upmarket tonic water maker Fever-Tree, budget airline Jet2 and pizza franchise Domino's might sound like an unrelated handful of household names but they have one thing in common. They all started their lives as listed firms on London's junior AIM stock market, which turns 30 this year. The Alternative Investment Market was launched in June 1995 to give small and medium size growth companies access to capital. Since then, it has admitted more than 4,000 firms, raising more than 135 billion in total. According to the latest statistics, AIM-listed companies contributed 68 billion to the British economy and supported 770,000 jobs in 2023. Over the past four years the direct economic contribution made by AIM firms has grown by 6.6 per cent, according to analysis by accountant Grant Thornton. But as AIM enters its 30th year, it is facing an existential threat. High flyiers: Jet2, Domino's Pizza and Asos are success stories Experts have warned that the market is shrinking with one in three AIM-listed companies vulnerable to a takeover. Loungers, the owner of casual dining chain Cosy Club, in November agreed to be bought by an American private equity firm for 338 million. And just last week, retailer Quiz said it was going private, saying AIM 'is not likely to provide significant additional or more cost effective options for funding' than can be achieved privately. That came after a string of high profile exits in the preceding years. Online estate agent Purplebricks delisted in 2023 after shareholders voted to sell the firm for just 1 after a string of profit warnings. Upmarket confectionery chain Hotel Chocolat left the market when it was sold to Mars for 534 million last year. A home for 'flash in the pan' firms? Over the past 30 years, AIM has also gained something of a 'Wild West' reputation. Collapses can be sudden and unexpected, while the exchange's reputation has been muddied by accounting scandals at Healthcare Locums and Patisserie Valerie. As a result of the 'light touch' regulation, some say it is a home for speculative, flash-in-the pan, high risk companies. And in a further blow to the exchange, Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in the Budget that all AIM-listed shares would be subject to 50 per cent Inheritance Tax from April 2026. Currently there is 100 per cent tax relief on shares held for two years at the time of the owner's death, with a few exceptions. Susannah Streeter at investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown said: 'This small change might have big repercussions when it comes to creating a nurturing environment for entrepreneurial businesses.' Caroline Simmons, chief investment officer at wealth manager Quilter Cheviot, added: 'Depressed valuations are likely to mean overseas buyers will be circling AIM-quoted firms in 2025. This could drive investors towards less transparent and potentially riskier unlisted portfolios.' AIM's top performers But there have been success stories on the growth market with firms moving to the main market and becoming household names after cutting their teeth on AIM. Dan Coatsworth, an investment analyst at investment platform AJ Bell, said: 'AIM has been a good place to support small and mid-cap companies as they grow bigger. Plenty of companies have been able to tap investors for money on a regular basis to support their growth plans and many have gone on to do great things.' Asos started its life as a PLC on AIM before moving to the main market in 2022. Domino's Pizza UK delisted from Aim in 2008 when it joined the main market. Other well-known names still on AIM include Vimto maker Nichols and fashion retailer Boohoo. Only ten companies that joined the exchange when it opened are still trading on Aim. Of those, the best performer by far is Jet2. An investor who bought 1,000 of Jet2 shares on the first day of trading in 1995 and held on to them would be sitting on 73,000 today. Coatsworth said: 'Starting life as a business transporting flowers, it morphed into a broader cargo business by air and road, but the turning point was the 2003 launch of a scheduled passenger airline. 'It is now a serious competitor for easyJet and Ryanair. It's also made investors a mint.' In a quiet year for UK listings, there were ten initial public offerings on AIM including restructuring specialist Rosebank Industries, game developer Winking Studios and salt substitute Microsalt. Half of the new admissions were from US companies and the average price performance so far is up 44.4 per cent, according to London Stock Exchange Group data. In AIM's 30th year, City experts called on the Government to recognise its importance to the UK economy. Simmons said: 'The success of AIM is crucial for the UK, as it often serves as an entry point for companies to list domestically. 'Without adequate support, firms may seek private funding and opt to list on international markets, weakening the UK's market position. 'At the very least, we would urge the Government to commit to maintaining the tax position on AIM for at least a decade to provide stability and bolster its attractiveness.' A correctional officer in Madera County was arrested on suspicion of distributing child pornography. Rafe Swan/Getty Images Madera County authorities arrested a correctional sergeant for allegedly possessing and distributing child pornography, the county sheriffs office said. Ralph Contreras Jr., 39, a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation sergeant, was arrested Thursday at a home on the 11000 block of Muirfield Road in Chowchilla, according to the sheriffs office. Authorities seized his electronic devices. Contreras Jr. was identified as a suspect after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children detected that child sexual abuse materials were being distributed in Madera County, the sheriffs office said. Sheriffs detectives executed the search warrant along with the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a statement, Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue thanked detectives for investigating the case thoroughly regardless of the suspects professional status. He added: This operation highlights the critical partnership across law enforcement agencies to combat child exploitation, pursue justice for victims, and vehemently protect the safety of children. Any potential victims or anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to contact the sheriffs departments detectives at 559-675-7770 or send an emailed tip to MCSOTip@maderacounty.com. Two of Britain's biggest local government pension funds are exploring mergers with other town hall retirement schemes in a race to meet a government deadline about their future. In her Mansion House speech, Rachel Reeves unveiled plans to create pension 'mega-funds' to invest billions of pounds in UK firms and infrastructure to boost growth. They include moves to unite the sprawling local government pension scheme (LGPS), which has 355 billion spread across 86 councils. These funds which invest in shares, bonds, property and other assets pay the pensions of six million workers. The LGPS has eight 'pools' but the Chancellor wants them to consolidate so they have the economies of scale to invest like public sector funds in Canada and Australia. Crucially, she has insisted all pools be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Joining forces: Local government pension schemes invest in shares, bonds, property and other assets to pay the pensions of six million workers Two of the biggest pools Access, formed of 11 councils in south-east England, and Northern LGPS, which covers Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Merseyside do not have FCA authorisation. Both want to set up their own authorised structures but have also approached the other regulated pools about merging. The Government's consultation closes next week. It has been a few months since the great Pret reckoning of 2024 - when the billion-pound coffee chain, born out of a humble Hampstead shop inspired by the traiteurs of France, binned the arguable steal of the century. For four years, Pret a Manger had been enticing people back after lockdown with what is now known as Club Pret, a lucrative coffee subscription that gave latte lovers (practically) limitless coffee for 1 a day. It was a savvy marketing move hailed by its own bosses as 'too good to be true' - and eventually, it was. In July this year, Pret announced the end of the plan that had given caffeine fiends five coffees a day for 30 a month. City slickers and Gen Z-ers alike went into a tailspin as the change loomed in September - at which point the subscription dropped to 5 a month and offered half-price coffees instead. Since then, Pret a Manger has said little of the 'new' Club Pret, or even why it chose to drop the old plan. But openly available data suggests the company made the decision amid stagnant trading this year - while experts warn it has risked its reputation by scrapping an offer that had become an almost ubiquitous part of Pret's brand. Our interactive graphic below shows how trade levelled off in Yorkshire and suburban London as well as the capital's train stations, while dropping in the West End, London's financial districts and in smaller UK towns. However, the post-Covid travel boom is keeping's Pret's airport and train station shops healthy, and there are signs Pret's radical decision to cut the price of filter coffee to 99p has boosted trade in some parts of the UK. By looking at the market, and publicly available financial and performance data, MailOnline has attempted to build a comprehensive picture of how Club Pret fell from grace as Britain's best coffee deal - and what comes next. Pret a Manger invoked the wrath of thousands of coffee lovers when it scrapped its free coffee subscription plan earlier this year It launched the plan in 2020 for 20 a month - later nudging the price up to 25 and later 30 Your browser does not support iframes. Pret had been beloved by city slickers and hipsters alike before Covid - but found itself fighting for its life (pictured: a pandemic-era) Emerging bleary eyed from the misery of lockdown, Pret a Manger was in trouble in the summer of 2020, its Canary Wharf go-getters working from home and coffee catch-ups taking place on Zoom. Covid had burned the company like a just-made cup of filter coffee - particularly in London, home to more than half of Pret's 400-plus stores. Sales had taken a 74 per cent dent; 30 shops closed for good; employee numbers were slashed by 3,000 as the firm undertook a devastating restructure operation. What was a beleaguered sandwich shop chain to do but try to completely upset the industry - by turning the daily coffee run into a Netflix plan? It was called Your Pret Subscription and the offer was simple: five barista-made drinks - coffees, teas or smoothies - each day, for 20 a month. No ifs, no buts - just a 30-minute gap between orders to stop people using their five coffees all at once for friends. It was the closest thing could to an intravenous drip for caffeine fiends itching for their fix - and when it launched in September 2020, its effect was immediate and transformative. Gavin Foley, founder of age-inclusive jobs board Flexi-Jobs.co.uk, told MailOnline he 'lived off of the subscription' as he worked between London and his home in Southampton. 'Going into London, I'd get a coffee, get in, get a coffee, one at lunch, two on the way home,' he told us from, naturally, a branch of Pret. Mr Foley discovered the subscription in early 2021 from colleagues at the M&S store he managed on the coast, which had a Pret next door. His monthly spend dropped from several hundred pounds a month to 20. 'If you really break it down, I was probably getting 400 of drinks a month, and I was getting food as well,' he recalled. 'I did think about what would happen if they ever stopped it, because it must have cost quite a bit of money.' By the end of that year, over 150,000 people were Pret subscribers, according to Pret CEO Pano Christou - the son of a taxi driver who clawed his way up from the shop floor after getting his start in McDonalds. That gave Pret a guaranteed 3million a month before those thousands of espresso-chasers even considered buying a sandwich to go with their cortado. And the subscriber revenue saved 'many jobs', Pret's Briony Raven told industry magazine MCA in 2020. Your browser does not support iframes. Pret subscriber Gavin Foley joined the plan in early 2021 - and snipped his coffee spending from hundreds of pounds a month to just 20 The Pret subscription proved lucrative - with 150,000 people signing up in the first few months, giving the firm 3million a month of guaranteed income Customers could choose from any of the 'barista-made' drinks, from classic lattes (above) to iced juices The Pret Index, a measure of transactions compared to typical pre-pandemic spending, shows the explosion in trade: March 2021 spending was just 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels; by November it was 13 per cent more. The subscription burgeoned: 34.7 million redemptions were made in 2021, then 54.4 million in 2022, a 75 per cent explosion in use, even after the price was hiked to 25. Revenues shot up towards the heady heights of pre-pandemic spending. At the end of the 2022 financial year, Pret's global operation announced a return to profit for the first time in four years - shifting from a 168m loss in 2021 to 50.6m in the black. It also opened new shops outside of London, targeting small towns across the UK as it eyed up global expansion. Pret's first Indian cafes opened in the spring of 2023. Seemingly bolstered by the subscription's success in Britain, Pret expanded the deal to include 10 per cent off food, and rebranded it Club Pret. Pre-Covid, it had 410 stores. At the end of 2022, it had another 429, including franchises. Club Pret's introduction came with a price hike to 30 - still a reasonable 1 a day, that Pret reckoned, with food on top, would cover staff, energy and other overheads associated with running hundreds of coffee shops across the UK. The company was, in effect, unstoppable. 'Pret knew they were guaranteed the footfall, and it was a footfall driver,' retail expert Catherine Shuttleworth told MailOnline. 'They were facing some big challenges after Covid, there's no questions about it, and I think they knew it would be eye-catching, headline-grabbing, and good value.' But trouble lurked in the wings: redemptions tailed off in 2023 - rising only eight per cent from 2022 after almost doubling the year before. There were rumblings of people sharing screenshots of QR codes used to redeem free coffees with their friends. It then emerged shortly after Pret began discounting food for subscribers that it had been quietly hiking sandwich prices for years, offsetting the markdown. Between August 2020 and September 2023, the firm had jacked the price of its ham and greve baguette from 2.95 to 4.75 (a 38 per cent hike) while the cost of a humble egg mayo sandwich rose 72 per cent to 3.25. At train stations, where prices are even higher, non-subscribers wanting to sit in with a 'posh cheddar and pickle baguette' had to pay 7.15 for the sandwich alone in September last year - before they had even considered a drink. Your browser does not support iframes. Prices at Pret came under scrutiny as it emerged baguettes at train station shops cost as much as 7.15 to eat in after a discount was introduced for subscribers Similarly, bottles of orange juice were being sold for almost 3 at this train station shop Your browser does not support iframes. 'Your favourite coffees, now endless,' boasts a Pret subscription advert outside a shop in Kent in September 2020 The company pointed to increasing food costs as it tried to defend the hikes, but eventually reduced some prices and doubled the discount for subscribers to 20 per cent, prompting a small uptick in trade. But it also turned elsewhere to protect its rising revenues, cracking down on Netflix-style account sharing by banning the use of Apple Wallet passes and screenshots of QR codes to redeem coffee. Its annual statements hailed Pret as a 'truly global, multi-channel brand', and the firm told MailOnline UK business grew 18 per cent in 2023. But the Pret Index - data surrendered to the Office for National Statistics as a measure of post-Covid recovery - suggests 2024 has seen trade suffer as it dawned on bosses the coffee offer was too expensive to keep. And with two Club Pret coffees being redeemed every second on average across Britain, exhausted staff couldn't keep up. 'It has put the members of staff under almost unbelievable pressure,' one former Pret employee told the Telegraph. 'They suddenly threw thousands of extra people at the staff without the right equipment to cope with the demand.' Eventually the penny dropped at Pret HQ, and in July, subscribers woke up to a message telling them the free coffee dream was dead. Catherine Shuttleworth adds: 'It was about making you go into Pret. It's not about the coffee. It's the fact you'll buy a pastry or a sandwich or a bottle of water. 'When you buy a coffee, it's not really about the coffee, is it? 'What you're paying for when you pay 3.70 or whatever for your latte is for staff overheads, for energy costs, for everything that enables them to make you that cup of coffee in the first place. 'I couldn't say for sure whether it was going to be short term or long term. 'What they probably didn't anticipate was that those have significantly increased ahead of their budgets. They couldn't afford to do it anymore.' Managing director Claire Clough said: 'It was an innovative way to reconnect with our loyal customers and introduce Pret to tens of thousands of new ones... with an offer that almost seemed "too good to be true". 'Four years and over a quarter of a billion coffees later, we have decided that it's time to rethink how it works.' Goodbye 30 a month for five free coffees - hello 5 a month for five coffees a day at half-price. So long to the food discount too. Pret MD Clare Clough's message to Pret subscribers as the free coffee deal came to an end Experts have questioned whether the Pret subscription was intended to be a permanent measure - or just a way of winning back trade after Covid Pret chief executive Pano Christou with the Prince of Wales during a visit to a store in September 2023 Cue instant reaction online: TikTok packed with Gen Z-ers pouting into their matcha lattes and staging mock funeral processions as they walked out of stores; X posts showed screenshots of cancelled subscriptions. 'Committing to a subscription scheme is quite a big deal - so when (Pret) takes it away, you would be rightly annoyed, to be honest,' Catherine Shuttleworth says. Jobs board boss Gavin Foley knew the day would eventually come. 'Being someone who used it quite a lot I was well aware of how financially unviable it was - I was disappointed when it changed,' he admits. The new offer initially sounds comparable to the existing one - until it is pointed out that having one 4 latte a day at half price will outstrip the cost of the old subscription in two weeks. And that's before you consider the price of the subscription doubling to 10 a month in March with no additional perks. The food discount has gone too. Pret tried to soften the blow by cutting the price of a croissant to 1.99, and halving the cost of a filter coffee to just 99p. It brought with it a short term boom, as recorded by the Pret Index - but average trading remains below pre-pandemic levels. MailOnline understands some shops have seen subscriber counts fall by more than half since the free coffee plan was scrapped. Pret says it does not recognise this, and points to the fact sales of its new products are up 22 per cent. Linda Ellett, UK Head of Consumer, Retail and Leisure for KPMG, told MailOnline any change to a subscription plan like Pret's comes with inherent risk. She said: 'Any business making changes to their loyalty offering, especially suddenly, need to have thoroughly done their research about their customers, their locality and competitors as well as getting the tone and transparency of their communications right.' There are big hints the company is now looking beyond the UK for better news. Its most recent annual statement celebrates the fact that 1 in every four is spent at shops outside the UK - in France, India, the US, Italy, another 17 countries in all. TikTok users staged mock funeral processions for their Pret subscriptions after the plan came to an end in September Others aired their grievances online after the 30 plan was dropped in favour of a 5 half-price coffee subscription Pret a Manger continues to offer a free coffee subscription in other markets, including the US (pictured, a Pret in New York) Still want to sip a subscription latte with Pret? You can - if you move to France and shell out 25 'Growth was driven by Prets continued expansion into new markets,' a statement issued in September read. Catherine Shuttleworth added: 'There is huge risk in making a significant change. I think you will always see a short term impact. They'll be hoping to ride it out in the longer term.' But that hope comes with what she warned of 'potential risk' from rivals - and that some may decide they don't want to give Pret 5 or 10 a month to pay what they could pay at Greggs or McDonalds with no extra subscription. She continued: 'This is a hyper-competitive market - so if I was one of Pret's competitors, they've opened up a potential weakness, haven't they?' For Pret-lovers like Gavin Foley, there's little choice but to keep on subscribing. His old Pret in Southampton has closed, but he keeps the 5/month plan for the days he commutes into the capital. 'My coffee spending has gone back up but at the same time it's still lower because it's half price, especially in London where they're everywhere,' he says. 'I'd rather get coffee for half price at Pret than go to Starbucks and pay 6. I'm still getting my money's worth.' A Pret a Manger spokesperson said: 'We decided to change our Club Pret subscription to offer a better Pret experience for all our customers, not just those who already subscribe. 'Since making the changes in September, weve seen a 22 per cent rise in new product sales, increased demand for our lower-priced filter coffee, and positive feedback from customers about the whole Pret experience.' Pret had provided transaction data to the ONS at least once a month throughout 2024 but it will no longer hand over transaction data because of the 'cessation of our data sharing agreement'. An ONS spokesperson simply said: 'The agreement came to an end.' Club Pret in it's old form isn't quite dead. You just have to go elsewhere in the world to find it. It continues to offer five drinks a day, no questions asked in the US, where a subscription costs $40 (32) a month, and in France, where it is just 25 (20). Club Pret probably makes more business sense in countries with smaller operations. There there are just 52 Prets across France and 66 in the US, with most concentrated in Paris and New York, meaning fewer overheads. One US TikTok user, posting a video of herself with an oversized cup of Pret-branded coffee, wrote: 'Will someone explain how the Pret coffee subscription is profitable? I paid $44 w/tax and I've gotten $42 worth of coffee in just one week.' Pret insists it is still 'proudly British-based and British-built' - but its British customers, it seems, could not be trusted with a subscription any longer. Can the rest? We have all been there - commuting home after a long day at work and feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders, before stifling the urge to buy something to lift your spirits. But in the current economic climate, many cannot afford to break the bank with a new jumper or computer game so instead turn to something small and less expensive for the desired pick-me-up. This is all a part of a phenomenon known as 'little treat culture', a trend driven by Gen Zers, which is starting to become a part of everyday for youngsters in Britain. Since Britain was plunged into the cost-of-living crisis, retailers have seen soaring demand for 'feel-good' items. These 'little treats' can range from an iced coffee to scented candles, with almost one in five Brits (18 per cent) splurging on these products up to three times a week. Youngsters have been showing off their little pick-me-ups on TikTok as many indulge in pampering products, artisan chocolates and specialty teas. Growing demand for these simple, yet sometimes pricey, pleasures has led brands to alter business strategies and offer travel-sized or limited edition alternatives. One business seeing the benefit of 'little treat culture' is The Little Dessert Shop, a London-based firm that specialises in artisanal waffles, pancakes and other handcrafted baked goods. 'little treat culture', a trend driven by Gen Zers, has led to a soaring demand for 'feel-good' items across Britain These 'little treats' can range from an iced coffee to scented candles and the growing demand for them has led brands to alter business strategies Almost one in five Brits (18 per cent) spend money on these products up to three times a week The brand's head of marketing, Josh Allen, said the trend had been a 'major driver' for them, with 'bite-sized' product sales grow by over 20 per cent year-on-year. Other best-sellers include their signature American brownies at 6.95 and strawberry and chocolate pots which cost 3.50. 'Our new menu has been refined to focus on these smaller, trending treats, perfectly aligning with the growing demand for instant indulgence and little treat culture,' Mr Allen told MailOnline. The origins of 'little treat culture' can be traced back to the 'lipstick effect' theory - a phrase coined back in the economic downturn of the 1990s when consumers shifted from larger, more expensive purchases to affordable indulgences. It has now turned into a full-fledged trend in its own right, with 'little treat culture' and 'small treat culture' racking up 11.8 million and 9.8 million posts respectively on TikTok. Youngsters have been filming themselves enjoying a sweet bakery treat or new make-up product, with some influencers claiming their 'toxic trait' was their need for a 'little treat every time they leave the house'. The phrase was initially popularised by American influencers, but the finding of joy in small purchases has become increasingly common across the pond. A study from fashion retailer Next revealed that on average Brits' treat themselves at least once a week, while one in five (18 per cent) treat themselves up to three times a week, spending 5 on average. Youngsters have been showing off their little pick-me-ups on TikTok as many indulge in pampering products, artisan chocolates and specialty teas The phrase was initially popularised by American influencers, but the finding of joy in small purchases has become increasingly common across the pond Youngsters have been filming themselves enjoying a sweet bakery treat or new make-up product, with some influencers claiming their 'toxic trait' was their need for a 'little treat every time they leave the house Charlotte Broadbent, UK general manager at global wholesale retail platform Faire, said: Independent retailers are seeing a big surge in demand for small, feel-good items, often placed near checkouts. 'Consumers are finding joy in these smaller purchases, and retailers are leaning into this trend by curating collections of enticing, affordable and accessible products that offer a quick hit of happiness without breaking the bank.' Luxury candles, pampering products and mindfulness journals, artisan chocolates and specialty teas are some of the most popular products Gen Zs are splurging on. Researchers found the most common 'treat trigger' factors were listed as to 'cheer ourselves up', 'just because' and to celebrate achieving a goal. Richard Chapple, chief executive of premium ready-to-drink cocktail brand NIO Cocktails, said: 'The realisation of not being able to achieve bigger financial goals, such as owning a house, could negatively impact a person's drive in life. 'Therefore, by instilling smaller goals into our daily lives, it means that aiming for shorter term rewards will help to motivate and improve wellbeing.' A study from fashion retailer Next revealed that on average Brits' treat themselves at least once a week Brands are jumping on the 'getting a little treat bandwagon' and have altered their marketing and social content to relate to young people's need for little purchases Researchers found the most common 'treat trigger' factors were listed as to 'cheer ourselves up', 'just because' and to celebrate achieving a goal Luxury candles, pampering products and mindfulness journals, artisan chocolates and specialty teas are some of the most popular products Gen Zs are splurging on Brands are jumping on the 'getting a little treat bandwagon' and have altered their marketing and social content to relate to young people's need for little purchases. 'Gen Z prefer seeing people and things that reflect their own experiences, rather than a polished, perfect advert,' said Karan Gupta, chief executive and co-founder of Odore. 'We've seen a noticeable shift away from branded material towards more authentic user generated content that consumers find more relatable. 'Hopping on the bandwagon of viral pop culture sayings like 'getting a little treat' is not only an affordable way for brands to get at the forefront of target younger markets, but also increases engagement with them.' She might have the voice of an angel, but more than 60 per cent of Gen Z think Adele is fit to be Queen, according to research. The Someone Like You hitmaker joins Stormzy, Sir David Attenborough and Dame Judi Dench on the list of public figures young Brits would like to see rule Britain. It comes as a study of 2,206 adults by SEGA Europe Limited suggests shifting tides in the attitudes of younger generations toward the British monarchy. Data suggests that a third (36 per cent) of youngsters support a more democratic approach, where the next King or Queen is an elected figurehead. Among the most popular choices are broadcasting legend Sir David Attenborough (22 per cent), actress extraordinaire Dame Judi Dench (16 per cent) and Adele (60 per cent). King Charles pictured in full regalia during his Coronation in May 2023 The most popular choices for next King are Sir David Attenborough (left), Dame Judi Dench (centre) and Stormzy (right) The Someone Like You hitmaker (pictured during her residency in Las Vegas in November 22) topped the list of public figures young Brits would like to see as Queen Grime superstar Stormzy and former England captain David Beckham also made the list, with 48 per cent and 55 per cent respectively. Research found that while 63 per cent of 18 to 21-year-olds still see value in having a monarchy, only 23 per cent think it should follow the British line of succession. More than two-thirds (64 per cent) of Gen Z say Charles' youngest son, the Montecito-based Duke of Sussex, should be King ahead of Prince William. But the study found that Gen Z's vision of the monarchy isn't entirely about doing away with tradition. Almost half (49 per cent) of respondents said the British Royal family was the most prestigious royal institution in the world. Two out of five admitted they are not knowledgeable about the history of the Royal Family, with more than half wanting more lessons about it in schools. And 42 per cent of the reality-TV loving youngsters said they would want to watch a Keeping Up the Kardashians style show about the everyday lives of the Windsors. More than two-thirds (64 per cent) of Gen Z say Charles' youngest son, the Montecito-based Duke of Sussex, should be King Over half (55 per cent) of Gen Z say former England captain David Beckham should be King Reality-TV loving youngsters said they would want to watch a Keeping Up the Kardashians style show about the everyday lives of the Windsors The new study comes after a YouGov poll last year found nearly 40 per cent of Generation Z were in favour of abolishing the monarchy. Some 38 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds wanted to replace the Crown with an elected head of state, while around a third of Gen Z back the Royal Family. About a third of Gen Z backed the Royal Family, while another 30 per cent said they did not know. The survey for the April 2023 episode of BBC's Panorama also revealed that King Charles enjoys wide support across all age groups in Britain, with 58 per cent in favour and 26 per cent against. And among the oldest group of those 65 and over, 78 per cent backed the monarchy while just 15 per cent wanted it abolished. he study revealed that Gen-Z places a premium on empathy, kindness and humility - characteristics they believe are key to a successful monarch. While King Charles is seen by three out of five Britons as possessing the traits of a good ruler, The Duke of Sussex's openness, compassion and perceived relatability makes him an option that young adults believe could resonate with their values. A homeless man has described the 'gut-wrenching' moment he found out his life-changing inheritance had been stolen by a charity worker who had promised to look after it. Paul Atherton, 56, entrusted 23,249, which was left to him by his late mother, to Nichola Dame Hartwell, the director of 'Mr and Miss Black and Beautiful' - a community focused non-profit social enterprise. Despite vowing to look after the amount in a 'dormant' account, Hartwell, 45, of Lambeth, instead used the money for day-to-day expenses until the balance was reduced to just 6. The social justice entrepreneur spent years fighting the case, claiming that she always intended to repay Mr Atherton. But in May she was convicted of two counts of theft and sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. Speaking for the first time after the betrayal Mr Atherton told MailOnline of Hartwell's 'inconceivable' act of cruelty. He said: 'It is gut-wrenching, it's inconceivable. This was a woman who helped bathe me while I was homeless in a wheelchair. I had helped bail her out in various situations. We were good friends. 'It was only when her bank statements came through in police investigations that I found out she had been spending the money.' Paul Atherton, pictured, had a life-changing amount of inheritance money stolen by a charity worker Mr Atherton entrusted 23,249 to Nichola Dame Hartwell, the director of 'Mr and Miss Black and Beautiful' - a community focused non-profit social enterprise Hartwell (pictured), stole her lodger's 23,000 inheritance that had been left to him by his mother Mr Atherton told how he has been homeless since 2009 after financial problems saw him lose his home. 'I was living in friend's cars, I was sofa hopping,' he added. 'I lived in my own car for two years before the police mistakenly took that away and crushed it. I also have quite regularly been sleeping on the chairs in Gatwick Airport.' He was diagnosed with chronic fatigue illness at the age of 20 which has made him unable to hold a job for longer than two years. 'When I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue illness I was put in hospital at first, then put into a homeless hospital. I was then ejected from a homeless hostel because my benefits weren't being paid. 'I was in a wheelchair for 18 months at one point. That was when I first met Nichola. We became very good friends for five years before the issue with the inheritance came up.' Following the death of his mother, Mr Atherton did not have or want a bank account to put his inheritance into so he arranged for it to be transferred to Hartwell's 'dormant account' without any written contract or agreement. 'She told me she had this account she hadn't used in years and I could leave it in there,' he said. 'The money was meant to go towards my son when he was 18. It was the only thing I could pass on to him. So, when he was nearing that age, I asked Nichola to transfer over the money. 'At first she told me that she had loaned it to someone and she was being extremely cagey. I thought she had been bullied into sending the money to someone in her family. 'I then said that I'm going to have to report this to the police because I'm concerned about your welfare. If somebody has taken this money from you they have no right to. 'I just could not understand it, especially when she claimed all the money had gone when there was still some money left in the account. 'She had spent time with my kid since he was six or seven and she knew that money was for him, she was depriving money from a child. Despite vowing to look Mr Atherton's inheritance in a 'dormant' account, Hartwell instead used the money for day-to-day expenses until the balance was reduced to just 6 Hartwell was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and must complete 120 hours community service work The charity worker is the director of 'Mr and Miss Black and Beautiful', a 'community focused non-profit social enterprise' aimed at assisting the career prospects of the young and underprivileged 'And to make matters worse, nobody seems to know what's going on now. There's been utter incompetence during the court trials with how long this has taken to get a verdict. 'In court she was talking about IVF treatment, that costs money. Where does that money come from?' Discussing his living circumstances today, Mr Atherton explained: 'I currently live day to day wherever I can find a bed, I still often sleep in Gatwick Airport. 'I also regularly go three to four days a week without food every week. I don't know when I'm going to get the money back 'It has caused an unbelievable amount of turmoil in my life and my son's life who's mental health has deteriorated as a result. This money would have helped appease that considerably. 'The money which was left to me was meant to go all towards my son. It was the only thing I was able to actually give him since I was homeless and couldn't pass on a house.' Speaking at an Inner London Crown Court trial earlier this year, recorder Leo Seelig told a tearful Hartwell, who was sent to prison in the nineties for similar offences, that she 'breached' Mr Atherton's trust. 'He trusted you to safeguard his inheritance and you stole it,' he said. 'It must have been painful for him that you used that money as your own.' Hartwell was officially convicted of two counts of theft between July 19, 2015 and March 11, 2019 and was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months. She must also complete 120 hours community service work, plus fifteen days of a rehabilitation activity. Speaking for the first time after the betrayal, Mr Atherton has said Athwell's act of cruelty is 'inconceivable' Today Mr Atherton says he sleeps wherever he can find a bed and he often stays at Gatwick Airport overnight Hartwell, a Social & Policy graduate from South Bank university, was described as having a 'long term' friendship with Mr Atherton, who had stayed at her address on different occasions when he was homeless. She told the court: 'It was not malicious or calculated. It was for living costs, for food and items for my accuser, I remain innocent in this instance. 'I felt I had borrowed the monies and I was always going to pay it back.' Hartwell continues to maintain her innocence and is appealing the conviction at the High Court, insisting Mr Atherton was impossible to find to repay the money. She told the court a prison sentence would destroy her plans for motherhood and interrupt her private fertility medical treatment as well as the care she provides to her 94 year-old grandmother. 'The money stolen was of substantial value to Mr Atherton and there was financial harm as a result of the loss of that money and emotional distress to him and, no doubt, his son,' said Recorder Seelig. 'You continue to deny these offences, but I must do justice to the jury's decision,' he told Hartwell. 'You agreed to hold this money in one of your bank accounts on his behalf. 'At some point you decided you could treat the money as your own. If you did borrow it with the intention to repay you have not done so.' None of the money has been repaid by Hartwell, who will now be subject to a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation in an attempt to identify any of her assets. Ms Hartwell did not respond to a request to comment. For generations of Star Trek fans, it was the nimble fingers of Montgomery Scott that ensured Captain Kirk and his comrades were beamed up just in the nick of time. So, modern day Trekkies may be surprised to learn that James Doohan, who played Kirk's dour chief engineer in the original series, went to great lengths to hide the fact that he was actually missing a digit. The star had to have his middle finger amputated after being hit by 'friendly fire' during during the D-Day Normandy landings in June 1944. Desperate to hide this fact, he performed his duties on the Star Ship Enterprise with his hand concealed or was 'hand doubled' by a fellow actor. For other appearances, he wore a flesh-coloured glove with a fake digit to reassure fans the star ship was in safe hands. Eagle-eyed Trekkies have spotted Doohan's missing finger in less composed shots, including the 1967 'Cats Paw' episode and 1967's 'The Trouble with Tribbles'. James Doohan as Scotty in the original Star Trek series. Modern Trekkies may be surprised to learn that the actor lost his right middle finger while serving as a soldier during D-Day in 1944. Above: Doohan's missing finger visible in 1969 episode The Lights of Zetar, alongside Jan Shutan as minor character Lt. Mira Romaine The star had to have his middle finger amputated after being hit by 'friendly fire' during during the D-Day Normandy landings in June 1944. Above: Doohan in his military uniform during the war Doohan's role in D-Day, as a promising young officer whose life was nearly cut tragically short, his recounted by historian Professor Peter Caddick-Adams's in his ground-breaking account of the Allied invasion of France in June 1944. Steel and Sand tells how, like many famous faces in Star Trek, including Bill Shatner's Captain Kirk, Doohan hailed from Canada. After enlisting in the Royal Canadian Artillery in 1939, the future star so impressed his commanders he was promoted to lieutenant by 1940, and sent to Britain to train for Operation Overlord. On June 6, 1944, he found himself in the thick of things, storming ashore on Juno Beach. After surviving the hellish landing, Doohan took out two snipers and led his men through a field of anti-tank mines, but ironically, it was not the enemy who would cause him a life-changing injury. Professor Caddick-Adams said: 'It was a baptism of fire. After a breathless and nerve wracking D Day, at around midnight, the Command Post officer of the 22nd Battery had been too slow with the password when challenged by a highly strung sentry armed with a Bren Gun. 'Of the six bullets that hit Doohan, one struck a cigarette case rather than entering his chest, but four rounds passed into a leg and one severed a finger. 'Evacuated to England, Doohan's war, for which he had trained since 1940, had lasted precisely twenty-four hours. Doohan's middle finger on his right hand clearly missing in this scene alongside William Shatner's Captain Kirk and Leonard Nimoy's Spok in 1967 episode The Trouble with Tribbles Other times, the actor wore a flesh-coloured glove that kept most people watching him onscreen from noticing that one of the fingers inside was secretly missing 'He was just one example of the multitude of casualties from 'friendly fire', an affliction which continues to dog modern warfare.' Doohan made it to the nearest first aid post, where they bandaged up his bloody hand, before sending him to a hospital back in England. The finger was amputated at the middle knuckle, but the stump had limited movement, so Doohan on medical advice opted to have it taken off altogether. Professor Caddick Adams added: 'After the war he could not pursue a whole range of jobs and became an actor. 'He has to act with either one hand behind his back or nonchalantly in a pocket. 'Doohan would later find fame as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Captain Kirk's dour engineering officer, highly protective of his vessel's engines, aboard the star ship Enterprise. 'In the alternate 1960s universe of television's Star Trek, the careful eye will detect that Scotty's right hand missing the finger was invariably concealed on screen.' Often this was achieved by Doohan simply hiding his right hand, which was sometimes as easy as keeping parts of his hand out of frame while filming. e was secretly missing. Eddie Paskey, who played minor character Lieutenant Leslie, also stood in for Doohan for some episodes requiring closeups of Scotty's hands. Above: A scene showing Peskey's hand instead of Doohan's James Doohan died aged 85 in 2005. He starred as Montgomery Scott in the television and film series Other times, the actor wore a flesh-coloured glove that kept most people watching him onscreen from noticing that one of the fingers inside was secretly missing. Eddie Paskey, who played minor character Lieutenant Leslie, also stood in for Doohan for some episodes requiring closeups of Scotty's hands. He was the hand-double in 'Wolf in the Fold' and 'That Which Survives'. Also in 'The Lights of Zetar' from season 3 Doohan is captured in a clinch with a female actress clearly showing the missing digit. Although desperate to hide his injury, Doohan, who died in 2005, later admitted things could have been much worse. The round to his chest was stopped by a cigarette case in his breast pocket a gift from his brother and the only time, he later joked, that being a smoker had improved his health. On the amputation, he mused it was either that 'or spend my life looking as though I was flipping someone an obscene gesture.' With its vibrant nightclubs and 24-hour-a-day bagel offerings, Brick Lane is viewed as one of London's most thriving tourist hotspots. But sadly the Labour-run East End Spitalfields district is fast becoming known for something else. Despite being frequented by thousands of visitors on a daily basis, even historic buildings are unsafe from the mindless vandalism blighting London's graffiti capital. Pictures reveal how almost every blank surface has been coated, as well as signs containing important information that have also not been spared. Previously known as Whitechapel Lane, Brick Lane derives its current name from the brick and tile manufacturing that began in the 15th century, using local brick earth deposits. Yet a surprisingly small amount of brick was actually visible when MailOnline went to take a look. The first encounter in the area came on immediately exiting Whitechapel Station. A sign which read: 'Love Whitechapel? Keep it clean!' had been ironically written over with black spray paint. One of the iconic Beigel shops has text written underneath is which reads 'Jazz'. It comes as even historical landmarks have not escaped the vandalism Shops with graffiti on them in Whitechapel. Stepping out of Whitechapel Station, graffiti is immediately visible in surrounding areas A sign marking where the hospital is has graffiti scrawled over it. The council says on its website it 'will remove offensive graffiti and flyposting within one working day of being notified' Historical displays are unsafe from the scrawlings that blight Whitechapel - a Tower Hamlets East End district which some residents say is 'cursed' And turning right before walking a few yards there was a mural, that appeared to have been designed by children, which said: 'Diversity makes a better society.' The artwork - clearly intended as a thought-out ode to the 'community spirit' had been no less ironically vandalised by graffiti artists who could not care less. Close by, next to rusted railings, a wall went into the history of the area but had now become illegible in parts. The council says it 'will remove offensive graffiti and flyposting within one working day of being notified'. But just to the right of the historical wall there was another children's mural where lewd images had been spray-painted. Among the residents of Whitechapel to express their distaste at the graffiti are 'Cockney Sikh' Suresh Singh who was born and grew up in Brick Lane. Mr Singh has spoken of how growing up 'there was no graffiti'. This comes as even the road's iconic and historic beigel shops have not escaped the sickness. Despite being frequented by thousands of visitors on a daily basis its buildings are unsafe from the sinister scrawlings that blight London's graffiti capital A Pret a Manger in Brick Lane covered in graffiti. Many shops - both modern and historical - have suffered a similar fate Speaking of his experience, Mr Singh said: 'It was considered dirty. I hate graffiti. I'm an architect - I love to see the brick, the patterns of the brick. 'There are so many different patterns and people are putting graffiti on it. When people go, when you rip the soul out, the community goes. 'My father said this land (Whitechapel) is cursed. Because it brewed beer and made people's lives a misery.' In September last year Brick Lane was covered in more rubbish than usual as business owners went on strike for higher pay - attracting rodents and making the area even more unsightly. Shocking photos show the extent of the rubbish as it appears alongside the long-standing graffiti, with each accentuating the other. In one photo a man walks solemnly past as not a single plain brick is visible. Shocking photos show the extent of the rubbish on a street off Brick Lane as it appears alongside the long-standing graffiti A man walks solemnly past as not a single plain brick is visible Mr Singh said: 'When people go, when you rip the soul out, the community goes. My father said this land is cursed. Because it brewed beer and made people's lives a misery Residents to speak out on graffiti include 'Cockney Sikh' Suresh Singh who was born and currently resides in Brick Lane The 'Cockney Sikh' Suresh Singh pictured in London's east end. A visitor to Whitechapel might be forgiven for thinking that the council regularly commissions graffiti as part of its civic budget - such is the extent of the 'artwork' Behind rusted steel railings is spray paint so bold and unregulated you'd be forgiven for thinking the council had commissioned it Some of the most anarchic areas in the capital are also some of the most unknown but there are others that manage to hide their law-breaking and squalor in plain site Police insist they will 'respond to allegations of criminal damage and, where possible, take positive action' - but that removal of graffiti on a local authority venue is the council's responsibility and on private property it is the property owner's responsibility. A Tower Hamlets spokesman said: 'Council funded police teams and council enforcement officers patrol Whitechapel daily, engaging with local businesses and giving practical advice on safeguarding against crime. Regular patrols also provide visible community reassurance, which alone can be an effective deterrent against crime.' The authority did not provide a specific response on the issue of graffiti. It comes after sad photos last year showed the historic Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which began operating in 1570 and closed its doors in 2017, had been desecrated. As well as Big Ben - the main bell in what is formally known as the Elizabeth Tower in Westminster - the foundry made the bells in St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. It also produced the original Liberty Bell, which is an icon of American independence and made new bells for the late Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympics. A group who had been hoping to re-open it called the scene a 'painful' site. This comes as folklore dictates you can only be a true Cockney if you were born within earshot of the bells. The 450-year-old London workshop that cast Big Ben has been covered with graffiti after plans to turn it into a hotel came to nothing. Pictures show how Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which closed its doors in 2017, has been vandalised in recent weeks Turn right and walk a few yards and there is vandalised a mural, which appears to be designed by children, that says: 'Diversity makes a better society' A cafe that has had graffiti sprayed over its walls. Mile End Road outside the station is among the areas with the most graffiti A former ministerial adviser has warned the Government could face attacks from foreign hackers using rogue 'spoof' website addresses that look like the real thing - after his former colleagues said it would be too expensive to take the dodgy domains offline. Leon Emirali, a former aide to Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay, purchased some of the most convincing-looking web addresses that, to the untrained eye, could be mistaken for real UK Government websites. Among the sites he purchased were 'cabinetoffice.uk', which is missing the '.gov' used for the real Cabinet Office website cabinetoffice.gov.uk, and 'No10gov.uk', which is only one full stop away from the real thing, No10.gov.uk. Mr Emirali, who now runs a tech consultancy, says the web addresses could be used to commit 'spear-phishing' attacks that aim to dupe MPs, Government aides and even ministers into clicking malicious links or handing over sensitive information. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre has warned of Russian hacking group Star Blizzard and Iran-backed cyber-attackers carrying out spear-phishing attacks using the imitation tactic, known as 'domain spoofing', in recent years. But when Mr Emirali raised the issue with the Cabinet Office, he was told they wouldn't tackle the problem because it would cost too much to buy each and every deceptive web address, which are available for about 10 apiece. The tech expert told MailOnline he was 'deeply concerned' the fake web addresses could fall into 'nefarious hands' if something wasn't done - and that even Sir Keir Starmer could potentially be duped into clicking on a malicious link. 'Leaving these domains on the open market potentially leaves MPs, ministers, civil servants and, even the Prime Minister, exposed to becoming victims of a cyber attack,' he said. Tech entrepreneur Leon Emirali says he bought up five web addresses that could pass for real Government domains and offered to hand them over free of charge He wrote to Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and cybersecurity minister Pat McFadden (pictured) to make him aware of the security threat He is concerned that foreign hackers from Russia could use the fake domains in an attempt to dupe civil servants or even MPs and ministers with dangerous links He added that, even if domains like those weren't seized by foreign hackers, they could be used by scammers to send out waves of phishing emails. This already happens: criminals try to pose as the HMRC, or the DWP, in order to steal financial details, and for a time imitated the NHS during the pandemic. But the Cabinet Office, responding to a letter from the former aide, said it would not go down the route of buying up lookalike web addresses because it would be too expensive. 'Spoof' Government web addresses shut down last year Data from Nominet, the internet registrar for .UK domains, shows it blocked 5,911 web domains in the year to October 2023. Among the domains it blocked were fake banking web addresses and some impersonating government websites: hmrc-self-assessment-gov.co.uk hmrc-govs.uk fraud-gov.uk nhsgov.uk finance-gov.uk dvlagov.uk Another 1,193 domains were suspended following requests from law enforcement agencies, including the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, and 2,230 were blocked after being linked to scams. Advertisement 'CDDO (the government's Central Digital and Data Office) are well aware of this risk... When looking at options to mitigate this risk, the Government found that the number of 'lookalike' domains is simply too large to measure,' it said. 'It is currently impossible to survey all of the possible domains, and it would be extremely poor value for taxpayers for the Government to buy all the major combinations, let alone all possible 'convincing' domains.' But Mr Emirali was stunned to find out the Government is doing little to stop these fake web addresses from being snapped up. 'Phishing attacks can also be devastating on businesses and individuals, and we should all be worried that scammers and criminals could so easily create email addresses that closely resemble official government emails,' he continued. 'It is good practice for organisations to buy up domain names that are similar to their official websites and email addresses. I am stunned the government has not taken these steps.' The ex-adviser began investigating fake web addresses - 'domains', as they are formally known - after receiving a number of scam emails that came from addresses closely resembling those from real Government websites. After buying five of the most deceptive domains at his own expense, he wrote to Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the minister in charge of cyber security, to outline his concerns. He also offered to transfer the web addresses to the Government free of charge. In a letter to the Cabinet Office, seen by MailOnline, Mr Emirali wrote: 'I would urge the UK Government to conduct a full review into other similar domains that are readily available. '(The Government should) either purchase these domains to stop them being bought by others, or work with Nominet to block any domain for purchase that could be misassociated with UK Government departments.' Leon Emirali with former prime minister Theresa May. He says even her successor, Sir Keir Starmer, could be vulnerable to a cyber-attack staged with spoofed web addresses An example of a fraudulent HMRC email, posing as a tax refund claim form. Hackers who buy up dodgy domains could send emails like this from real-looking email addresses, making them even more convincing Records show that no10gov.uk, the most convincing of Mr Emirali's fake domains, has now been permanently blocked off MailOnline found that some convincing-looking web addresses for the Cabinet Office and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology can still be snapped up - for just a penny Nominet is the company responsible for all website domains ending .uk, and has the power to block any addresses suspected of being used in criminal activities. It effectively acts as an 'address book' for .uk websites - and tearing out any entries effectively leaves a scam website without an identifier, cast off and useless. The government said in its letter to Mr Emirali it could not 'entirely prevent fraudsters creating and sending phishing emails all the time', but added: 'Please rest assured that the Government takes this risk very seriously. 'It can, and does, take actions against those who create, use and host domains of this nature for malicious purposes.' It is not against the law, or any rules on domain registration, to register a web address that looks similar to that used by the government - but that can change if it is used in order to, for example, pose as the government or attempt to commit fraud. MailOnline looked up some of the potential web addresses on offer and found a number of them, which looked extremely similar to real Government URLs, on sale for just 12.99 a year - sometimes with a 99p introductory offer. Nominet records show that, since Mr Emirali got in touch with the government, four of the domains he purchased have been marked 'client renew prohibited' - meaning he cannot renew them after a year, as is standard when buying web addresses. But the fifth and most convincing address, no10gov.uk, is listed as 'server renew prohibited' - meaning Nominet has banned it from ever being purchased again. Nick Wenban-Smith, general counsel for Nominet, told MailOnline that it had automatically detected the domain and flagged it as potentially being used for fraud. But the others, which did not mention 'gov' in their address, were not caught straight away. Mr Wenban-Smith said: 'We take reports like this seriously, as .UK has a strong safety track record, with comparatively low levels of phishing activity observed to global averages. 'We operate a first come, first served registration policy, and have several checks and safeguards in place that aim to prevent phishing and take swift action against any illegal activity. 'All new domain registrations are algorithmically checked for potential risks, including phishing, and one of the domains Mr Emirali registered containing 'gov' was successfully caught and suspended as part of this process.' He added: 'We operate proactive checks of our own and work closely with law enforcement bodies. Any misuse of .UK domains reported to Nominet is reviewed quickly and suspended if appropriate.' It's of small comfort to Mr Emirali, who says there are still huge numbers of convincing looking URLs out there for criminals and hackers to buy. He added: 'The government must take urgent and immediate action to identify any other readily available domain names that are similar to those used by the government and could be utilised by cyber attackers. 'Failure to act and a consequential phishing attack could see huge consequences for our national security.' A government spokesperson said: 'We rapidly identify and take down thousands of government-branded phishing scams online every year, working with the National Cyber Security Centre, law enforcement, and search engine providers to do so. 'We monitor for new spoof sites around the clock and have a dedicated page on GOV.UK for people to report websites or emails which impersonate the government.' EXCLUSIVE A Sydney beautician who plunged from an 11th storey unit has broken her silence about her traumatic ordeal, and revealed how her tormented past led to the terrifying fall. Irish national Imelda O'Brien, 30, who owned an eyelash salon in Bondi Junction, was rushed to hospital with a broken back, ribs and leg after the 2am plunge last January. But now she has revealed how she lay paralysed and unconscious in the dark for half an hour after she landed on on a fifth floor deck - but managed to raise the alarm. In an interview on 'Ireland's biggest podcast' The Bear, Ms O'Brien denied speculation she had been drinking heavily beforehand and insisted she was now sober. She also revealed details of her tragedy-stricken family, which saw her teenage sister die when she fell from a cruise ship, followed by her heartbroken father's own death. 'When I fell, I blacked out on the way down and then about half an hour later, I think, I woke up,' she said. 'At that time, I was paralysed. I remember getting to the hospital and I was like, can I walk?' Sydney beautician Imelda O'Brien had been with friends prior to plunging off her balcony Imelda O'Brien (pictured) was saved by a deck on the fifth floor when it broke her fall as she fell from her 11th floor Bondi balcony, but she still suffered a broken leg, ribs, and back Ms O'Brien says that her childhood trauma came back She added: 'I landed on someone else's balcony and then I obviously had to shout for help. 'And a woman came out of the balcony and she rang the police, and then she rang the ambulance. 'I broke my lower back, I broke my leg, there's a big, massive scar there. And then I tore the ligaments, tore the tendons, and I broke my ribs.' Ms O'Brien's tragedy-plagued life began with her sister's death 18 years ago, which in turn led to the suicide of their heartbroken father Paul seven years later. 'We went on a holiday in 2005 to America. We went with four different families. And then we were taking a cruise ship to the Caribbean,' she explained. 'It was about three days into the holiday, my sister fell overboard off a balcony.' Ms O'Brien was 12 and her older sister Lynsey was 15 at the time. 'There was a bartender that was serving my parents, and he was off his shift. And then he asked my sister if she wanted to come to the nightclub,' she said. 'It's over 21 in America. So he took two of them into the nightclub, which was the other family's daughter, Carla. And she was 17, and Lynsey was 15. 'And then he served about 16 cocktails for my sister.' Ms O'Brien moved back to Ireland in June Ms O'Brien recently shared details of her tragedy-struck life after her sister Lynsey's death triggered the suicide of their heartbroken father Paul (pictured with Lynsey) seven years later Mr O'Brien self-published a book about cruise ship safety. She revealed her father hadn't noticed his daughter was missing until the barman brought her back, barely conscious after all the cocktails she had drunk. 'He was just furious about her being drinking,' said Ms O'Brien. 'She couldn't even stand. So then we went up to the room, and my dad put her to bed.' Moments later Ms O'Brien saw her sister on the balcony of their room. 'I could see her swaying too much,' she said. 'So then I had to run out, grab her, but I couldn't pull her back over, because obviously I was in 12, and she was 15. 'And then I had to let her go.' It took the cruise ship two-and-a-half hours to turn around and launch the search and rescue. Lynsey's body was never recovered and Ms O'Brien says the barman disembarked the ship in Mexico and was never questioned or charged. The death devastated her family and tortured her father. Mr O'Brien launched a campaign about cruise ship safety standards in the wake of the tragedy and self-published a book about it, 'Lynsey's Law: Coffin Cruise Ships and Obama'. He never truly recovered from her death, and endured a 'living nightmare' until he took his own life in 2013, after a gruesome series of earlier attempts, witnessed by Ms O'Brien. 'When you are younger, as a child you block a lot of things out,' Ms O'Brien added. 'People don't realise trauma comes out later in life. 'I had four overdoses when I was 16, 17, 18 and 20. 'For years I used to walk out on counsellors if I didn't like them, and then I moved to Australia.' Ms O'Brien headed Down Under in 2019, desperate for fresh start and initially found happiness from her thriving business and healthy lifestyle. But she admits she was still tormented by her past. 'I just hit rock bottom and, and then I ended up throwing myself off an 11 storey balcony,' she said. Ms O'Brien spent five months in hospital after the accident and having almost fully recovered from her injuries returned to Ireland in June. 'I was in hospital,' she admitted. 'I was upstairs first, and then they put me into a mental institution afterwards. 'I just wasn't happy - you know when you're just not happy in a place. 'I should have went home earlier, but then I felt like home wasn't the place either. But then now that I'm being back now, I feel like it is.' For confidential crisis support please contact Lifeline 13 11 14 Blaine and Janis Carmena took a gamble on an early retirement - cashing in their savings and buying a rotting 78ft yacht they found under a tarp along Alaska's remote coast. The vessel - the Tangaroa - has since sucked more than half a million dollars and many hours on repairs. But the upbeat couple told DailyMail.com they wouldn't change a thing. Now, it's a home for the duo, their daughter, Izzy, 17, and Mexican rescue dog Maggie in the waters off Victoria, in British Colombia, Canada. This summer, they'll wave goodbye to Vancouver Island for an epic 10-year voyage to Siberia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and then back up through the Arctic and into Northern Europe. For their fans on social media, the Carmenas show how an ordinary Canadian-American couple can take a big swing and, with hard work and dedication, enjoy a dream retirement at sea. 'Life's too short. You can't just sit on the couch and watch TV,' says Janis, a 53-year-old from Ontario. 'You've got to head out there, see the world and meet people. You'd be surprised by actually how much kindness there is in the world.' Janis and Blaine Carmena took a big swing on an early retirement and cashed in their savings to buy a 78ft fixer-upper yacht for their new home When they visited the vessel in Wrangell, Alaska, it was under a tarp, rotting, moldy, and covered in barnacles Janis met Blaine, 48, from Louisiana, when they were in their early 20s, sailing across the South Pacific as yacht crew members. They got married in 2002 and switched to dry land in British Colombia to start a family. Janis worked as a cop and Blaine as a mechanic as they raised Josh, now 21, and Izzy. Once their kids had grown up, the Carmenas hatched plans to get back out on the waves. They found a 78ft powered 1969 yacht for sale in Wrangell, Alaska, that looked good and was selling for a reasonable $350,000. But when they visited the vessel on the dank windswept coast in late 2019, it was under a tarp, rotting, moldy, and covered in barnacles hardly like its online images. Still, eying an opportunity, they knocked the seller down to $140,000, and were sailing back to Canada early the following year. After restoring the heating and plumbing, they moved onto the vessel in August 2020. They've since spent weekends and many other hours in between restoring it to its former glory. The YouTube channel 'Onboard Tangaroa: The Neverending Sea Trial' shows them stripping the aluminum hull, pulling up its teak deck, and installing a diesel heater, lithium batteries and a generator. 'In terms of sheer labor, removing the paint was pretty brutal,' said Blaine. They've already spent more than $200,000 on repairs and materials and that sum could easily double once work is complete. Before they pull up anchor this summer, they aim to fix the engines, charge batteries and replace cracked windows. Blaine says that stripping the paint from the massive aluminum hull was 'pretty brutal' work The mechanic has also installed a diesel heater, lithium batteries and a generator Once the repairs are complete, they could well have poured almost $1 million into the Tangaroa The Tangaroa repairs are still not finished, but it's looking better than it has done in years The Carmenas are gearing up for an epic decade-long voyage to Siberia and beyond this summer After setting sail, there's plenty more work to do, refurbishing the interior. Still, says Janis, the total costs are less than the vessel's roughly $1.8 million value. Buying a newly-built yacht and sailing it to Victoria would cost more still. The Tangaroa is also a better deal than the typical $1.2 million price of a three-bed home in Victoria, she adds. Blaine says they cut their costs massively by doing the work themselves. Anyone interested in following in their wake could try something less ambitious, he says. A smaller vessel suited to calmer waters and easier sailing through the Caribbean Sea would be cheaper and easier, he adds. 'It's a wonderful lifestyle and I wouldn't tell people to shy away from it,' he told DailyMail.com. 'You just have to do your research, and make sure you get a boat suited to your skills that you're able to maintain.' The Carmenas are part of a growing trend of young people, professionals, and retirees opting to ditch their homes and live on the water. For some, the lifestyle is too offbeat, and the quarters below deck too claustrophobic. Others worry about connotations with transients ducking society and living on shabby, battered vessels. Data are hard to come by, but estimates suggest the US live-aboard population has swelled in recent years. Some put it at around 100,000 people. Many of them, like the Carmenas, also want to travel in their homes. The couple has little interest in popping champagne corks in the balmy Caribbean or Mediterranean seas. They seek choppier, chillier waters that will put their aluminum hull to the test. On July 7, they'll head up the coastline to Alaska to visit the indigenous Haida Gwaii archipelago and World War II sites on the Aleutian Islands. They document their adventures, kayaking up remote creeks, navigating rapids and laying crab traps The couple met when they were in their 20s, sailing across the South Pacific as yacht crew members The couple moved to dry land to raise their children, Josh and Izzy, but were itching to get back to sea After swinging by Russia and circumnavigating Japan, Janis wants to visit Yap, a Micronesian island ringed by reefs where natives use huge ornate limestone discs as money. Out at sea, she says the boat is big enough for all aboard to get some space from each other. They also have their own distinct roles in case of any disagreements. 'We do bicker sometimes,' says Janis. 'If it's anything to do with the interior, I win. If it's to do with mechanics, navigation, or running of the boat, he wins.' They post about their adventures - from kayaking up remote creeks to navigating rapids and laying crab traps - on their other channel 'Exploring the World Onboard Tangaroa.' The advertising revenue won't make them millionaires, but covers the cost of diesel, says Janis. The ship-fluencers seek to 'motivate and educate' people to 'follow their dreams,' she says. Some subscribers are too ill or broke to travel and 'live vicariously' through the Carmenas' toil and triumphs, she adds. 'It's also our legacy for our kids to watch when we're not here anymore,' she says. Along the railroad tracks in a mostly residential area of East Oakland is a sprawling graveyard of abandoned cars, many stolen, stripped and dumped. The city cant manage to stop it or clean it up. Maggie Angst/The Chronicle Along the railroad tracks in a mostly residential area of East Oakland is a sprawling graveyard of abandoned cars dozens of rusted metal frames flipped, burned and stripped bare of valuable parts. The assortment of Ford and GMC pickup trucks, Chevrolet Tahoes, cargo vans and sedans is clustered on property owned mainly by the Union Pacific Railroad near Kerwin Avenue, wedged between the Nimitz Freeway and International Boulevard south of the Coliseum. Its a part of Oakland that has been plagued for years by illegal dumping. A video of the blight was posted on social media in December and brought renewed attention to the situation. Some commenters said the scene looked like it came from a zombie apocalypse film. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As a new interim mayor prepares to take over the city following former Mayor Sheng Thaos recall by voters, illegal dumping and public safety will continue to be top priorities for Oakland residents. Oakland officials say illegal dumping throughout the city is such a big problem that they dont have the resources available to fight it. Alameda County has created a task force to address the situation, and the California Highway Patrol has a special unit that deals with abandoned vehicles. But the problem persists. A stretch of land alongside railroad tracks in East Oakland has become an illegal junkyard for abandoned vehicles. Authorities are struggling to clean up the area and prevent further dumping. Maggie Angst/The Chronicle Treva Reid, the outgoing City Council member for District 7, where the site is located, told the Chronicle that multiple jurisdictions are working on a plan to address illegal dumping in the area. Council Member-elect Ken Houston, who will replace Reid this month, did not respond to a request for comment. What makes the site along the train tracks especially problematic is that it is owned by multiple entities Union Pacific, Caltrans, and Alameda County. A spokesperson for Union Pacific told the Chronicle that the area was last cleared in November and that another cleanup effort was scheduled for next week. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Oakland police are all too familiar with the dumping ground. The department said officers have towed vehicles, installed barriers and made arrests. But the police union said the department is unable to fully clear the area because towing abandoned vehicles in Oakland is the responsibility of the citys transportation department. In 2022, the city said it would install surveillance cameras in hotspots throughout Oakland to catch illegal dumpers who discard vehicles and other debris. From April 1, 2023, to Mar. 31, 2024, the most recent data available, the citys cameras captured 457 incidents, but only 59 citations were issued. The city said it was unable to issue more citations in the car dumping cases because 23% of the vehicles did not have license plates, while 41% of all dumping incidents had ineligible license plate information. Improved, recently installed license plate readers are expected to help with the problem, according to a 2024 city report. In March 2023, Oakland brought on a team of 13 people under the citys transportation department to take over vehicle clearance from the police department, including technicians who tow cars, plus a supervisor and two office support staff. But according to Oakland Police Department Sgt. Tim Dolan, productivity has actually decreased since the transfer due to the teams high workload and training requirements. Its mind-boggling, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 2023, abandoned vehicles were one of the top complaints filed by Oakland residents, especially those in East Oakland. Its an ongoing issue, says Sgt. Tim Dolan of the Oakland Police Department. But its just gotten out of control over the last few years. Maggie Angst/The Chronicle The city typically handles around 20,000 service requests per year relating to abandoned cars and tows about 2,500 of those vehicles. No information was available about what happens in the other 17,500 cases, but some of them are resolved before the city takes action. Officials nevertheless see signs of improvement. According to the most recent available data, Oakland got about 5,000 requests for service in the first quarter of this fiscal year, from July to September and towed about 1,200 vehicles. Thats roughly twice the historic clearance rate, which officials attribute to authorization from the City Council for the new towing unit to work overtime and up to seven days a week. Yet the number of stolen vehicles in Oakland has nearly doubled in the past two years, the city has reported without providing a specific number. In 2023, abandoned vehicles were one of the top complaints filed by city residents, especially those in East Oakland. Its an ongoing issue, the OPDs Dolan said. But its just gotten out of control over the last few years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A February 2024 city report said that hiring for the new unit tasked with clearing abandoned vehicles has been slow. The city is also struggling with a huge budget deficit and demands that outweigh available resources. A ransomware attack on Oakland last year further delayed cleanup efforts by crippling the citys service request platform for nearly four months, which the new unit relies on to respond to reports of abandoned autos. One problem in clearing an East Oakland site of abandoned automobiles is that the land belongs to three owners Union Pacific, Caltrans, and Alameda County and vehicle clearance is handled by multiple agencies, including the transportation department, the Oakland Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Maggie Angst/The Chronicle Some residents near the Kerwin Avenue junkyard said they have taken matters into their own hands. A homeowner at the end of Bernhardt Drive, which dead-ends into the north side of the tracks, erected a chain link fence this summer to stop people from speeding down the street and driving stolen cars into the area, according to a neighbor. The site of the dumping is mostly owned by Union Pacific, but Caltrans has jurisdiction on the strip of land under I-880 and the county has control over a section of the area that lies in the San Leandro Creek Watershed. Union Pacific spokesperson Meg Siffring said in an email that the company was working on a plan with city and county officials to remove the stolen and dumped vehicles. Siffring added that the railroad company had placed barricades along Kerwin Street the closest road crossing the tracks to prevent people from driving additional vehicles onto Union Pacific property. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Oakland police said in an email that the department has visited the Kerwin Avenue area on several occasions with Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol and the Alameda County Auto Theft Task Force to tow vehicles, install barriers and make arrests. The department said it did not have information readily available on how many arrests it has made and how many times it has responded to the area in the past year. Hardworking Brits living in Greater London's Ulez hotspots have said they are disgusted that Sadiq Khan has been given a knighthood. Labour cheerleaders' prayers were answered this week when Khan received the gong for his 'political and public service'. Khan - now known as Sir Sadiq - is the longest-serving Mayor of London in history. Of course, there have only been three. Even so, and despite a series of failures from not stemming a wave of knife crime to seeing London's nightlife decimated, he has cemented himself in the capital's politics. After receiving his knighthood, Sir Sadiq said he was 'truly humbled'. He added it was 'the honour of my life to serve the city I love'. But outside of central London, in the suburbs that fall within his controversial Ulez expansion, locals say they are outraged that he has been rewarded for his actions. Richard Trenholme, 76, lives in Worcester Park in the Ulez borderlands. He said: 'Don't get me started on Sadiq Khan. I can't describe the words I feel for that man. He's a total disaster. 'The honours list is completely degraded anyway, it used to be people who had done absolutely heroic things, but they just sling these knighthoods around to all and sundry now. Locals living on the border of the Ulez area have slammed Mayor of London Sadiq Khan's knighthood. Pictured: Driving instructor Steve Wyatt, 69 Mother-of-four Katie Hollis, 36, (pictured) lost 10,000 after her dead-end street was slapped with a ULEZ camera Your browser does not support iframes. 'But, symbolically, what has he ever done? Same as Starmer, what's he ever done for a knighthood?' He added: 'I can't speak for everyone - there are a lot of people who think like I do. 'I understand the thing about air pollution, but it's just a money making scam - the same as the 20 mile per hour limits. '20mph up and down side streets I understand, but on the main road? 'I live just up the road, right on the border line, on the other side of the road there is no Ulez at all - the air is still flowing so what is the difference? 'They've taken it as far out as Bromley - right out in the sticks - and there's Ulez. 'I've got a motorcaravan and I can't take it off the drive - it costs me 12.50 to drive to the end of the road.' In the Ulez borderlands of Worcester Park and Surbiton, locals told MailOnline their once peaceful lives have been shattered since the unwelcome expansion of the Ulez zone from August 2023. Robert Massey, 78, (pictured with his wife Jackie, 77) got rid of his car in the wake of the Ulez restrictions being placed onto his street Sir Sadiq Khan (pictured) said he was 'truly humbled' to receive a knighthood in the New Year Honours list Many cameras have been sprayed with pant or had their wires snipped in a protest against them A secret army is vandalising and stealing Sadiq Khan's Ulez cameras. Two of the 'Blade Runners' previously showed MailOnline some of the cameras they had taken down The covert group has been attacking ANPR cameras that catch out drivers using high-polluting cars across the capital Others have snipped the cameras' wires so it can't work, as Londoners joined together in the fight against Ulez People have also taken to putting bags over the controversial cameras in an effort to stop them working The secretive group works whenever it can to remove the cameras from the streets of London One of the Blade Runners showed off his haul of Ulez cameras, triumphantly stepping on one of the controversial car snappers Some were forced to sell their cars for a huge loss, others have been left stranded by a lack of public transport and huge costs if they do venture into the Ulez zone. Meanwhile, a secret activist army known as the 'Blade Runners' has been vandalising and stealing Sadiq Khan's hated Ulez cameras for more than a year. The concept of Ulez is to improve air quality, which in turn makes people healthier. The Mayor has been clear that the decision to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone London-wide was not an easy one, but necessary to tackle toxic air pollution and the climate crisis. Data shows ULEZ expansion is working better than predicted, with London's air quality continuing to improve at a faster rate than the rest of England and pollutant emissions in 2023 reducing dramatically compared to a scenario without the London-wide expansion. Yet in the outer areas of the capital, many people say their lives have been made far worse. One of the secretive Blade Runners, who met with MailOnline, previously vowed: 'We are going to take down every single one no matter what'. Dressed in a balaclava to protect his identity, the father in his mid-forties revealed he had stolen 34 Ulez cameras himself but his group and others like them have taken down hundreds. They have faced resistance from 'masked heavies' with face tattoos and wearing skeleton balaclavas who were hired to protect the cameras. Homeowners in suburban London said the gang would often dress in black and hang around schools and homes while recording passersby on body cameras. Transport for London claimed the guards are held to 'high standards of professionalism' and that they were necessary to protect Ulez cameras from the Blade Runners. When the measures fist came into place, Mr Trenholme noticed a number of 'Blade Runners' attacking the cameras. The retiree said: 'I came down here on one Sunday afternoon on my way out, and there was a guy standing here and he had a gorilla head on. Sadiq Khan has hired a goon squad of thugs with face tattoos wearing skeleton balaclavas to protect his hated Ulez cameras on mobile vans (pictured) Homeowners in suburban London said the gang of 'masked heavies' would often dress in black and hang around schools and homes while recording passersby on body cameras Some of Sadiq Khan's hired security guards have face tattoos and wear clothes with skulls on them 'And I thought, what is going on? And then suddenly, he walked across to the camera with two other people with him and I realised that they were about to do the camera. 'That was a fun side of it - seeing the guy with the gorilla head on. 'I have a feeling the heat might have gone out of it on the vandalising front now. 'There used to be bags put over them.' Meanwhile, mother-of-four Katie Hollis, 36, lost 10,000 after her dead-end street was slapped with a Ulez camera. When it came to Sadiq Khan's knighthood, she said: 'I try not to think about that too much because it just winds me up. 'I live on a dead-end cul-de-sac and there is one on my road and I had to get a whole new car and I lost about 10,000 because the car was not Ulez compliant. 'The main thing was because it's a dead end there's no way I can get out of it, I can't go a different way through and I can't avoid it.' 'I think it's stupid and where they have placed the cameras is unfair. She added: 'Mine is just a little residential road, it's so unfair because I didn't know about it when I moved in and now I can't get out of it. 'A couple of my neighbours got new cars as well - it's great for the car industry, losing 10 grand on a car - I had only bought it about eight months before but I didn't know about the Ulez stuff. 'It's really, really annoying. 'I had a 2013 model Range Rover, but now I have the 2017 model - I bought it for 15 grand and then traded it in for five grand so I was literally throwing it away. 'I have four kids so I have to have a certain size car - it wasn't for trendy reasons it's because it's a seven seater. 'I think if you already live there and you didn't know about it when you moved in - I don't agree with it by any means but if you do have to do it, put it on main roads not the little residential roads. 'It would be great if they got rid of it all together, but I don't see that happening.' Robert Massey, 78, got rid of his car in the wake of the Ulez restrictions being placed onto his street. He said: 'We sold the car. It had to go. It was diesel so we just couldn't keep it.' His wife Jackie, 77, added: 'We only got it four years ago, but it would have been 12.50 every time we left the drive. 'My son-in-law and daughter live just up the road and they've had to sell their cars too. 'It's silly because Ulez is on one side of the road here and not on the other. 'It's just annoying really that someone like Sadiq Khan has the say over how everyone else lives.' Driving instructor Steve Wyatt, 69, who lives on one of the Ulez border roads, said: 'In this area, because we are on the boundaries I don't think they care about us too much. While some say the the scheme has been a success in central London, in the outer areas of the capital, many people say their lives have been made far worse Ulez is in force on every day of the year except for Christmas Day and operates in all London boroughs If a car is not compliant, the driver must pay 12.50 a day to go within the zone 'The roads never get swept, the council doesn't seem to come out here a lot, so you really up against it. 'Even the bus route here, the Super Loop buses, you get none and then three at once. 'I have nothing against the Mayor of London, but he's the Mayor of London it should be the whole city not just the inner parts. 'And if you're going to bring in something like Ulez , police it properly don't just pay lip service to it.' Steve, who is also a retired police officer, added: 'They started putting the Ulez cameras at the junction with the Morden Road. 'Within the first week someone had some and sprayed loads of foam down into it, so the authorities had to come along and take the post our and put another one in. 'Then continually, up until about a month ago, people would open the box and cut the wires in the box. 'They've put a reinforced one now - but we never know if it's working or not.' He added: 'Where we are, because we're on the border we get all the people coming in - the scrappies, the illegal workers, and what they do is either take their number plate off and put it in the front window but cover it a bit.' In nearby Surbiton, Derek Oosthuizen, 66, said he lost a significant amount of money thanks to the measures and said it would be 'disgraceful' if Sadiq Khan was knighted. He told MailOnline: 'I think they are a money raising scheme. 'I had sell a car that was perfectly good and it cost me a lot more money to replace it with a different car - roughly about 6,000. 'The measures would have cost my sister, a teacher, an extra 500 a month to run her car. 'It makes no sense.There was a lot of vandalism in the beginning. There's a lot less now. 'But I always thought, good on them.' Even so, not everyone in the area is against the measures. David Hill, 64, (pictured) said: 'I think the vandalism is a tedious part of the culture war. I think, frankly, it's a bit pathetic' Richard Bennett, 28, (pictured) is also in favour of the measures. He said: 'I think anything that brings down emissions is a good thing' David Hill, 64, said: 'I think it's a good idea because, in my family we are all asthmatics, so if it contributes to the environment getting better then I'm for it. 'On the other hand, I appreciate there are some people with older cars but my understanding is they received a scrappage [fee] for those cars, so all in all I'm in favour of Ulez. 'I drive an electric car but we're getting rid of that shortly when the lease is up and we're going to get a cheaper petrol car, but one that's not that old. 'I think the vandalism is a tedious part of the culture war. I think, frankly, it's a bit pathetic.' Richard Bennett, 28, is also in favour of the measures. He said: 'I think anything that brings down emissions is a good thing. 'I drive a petrol car and so does my girlfriend but they are within the rules. 'Cleaner air is a human right so anything that helps bring that closer is good in my eyes.' A spokeswoman for the Mayor of London said: 'Millions of Londoners are now breathing cleaner air thanks to the ULEZ, which has proven to be even more effective than expected. 'In outer London, air pollution is now over a fifth lower, helping to save lives and protect the health of Londoners. 'The vast majority of people driving in London over 96 per cent now have a ULEZ compliant vehicle so don't have to pay any charge. 'And for Londoners with the most polluting vehicles, the Mayor introduced the biggest ever scrappage scheme to support the switch to cleaner vehicles. 'Sadiq has also improved public transport in outer London with the new Superloop bus service, built more new council homes than any time since the 1970s, and delivered free school meals in every state primary school in London saving families up to 1000 per child over two years. 'The Mayor is determined to continue building a fairer, safer and greener London for everyone.' Locals in Blackpool fear London based buy-to-let landlords looking to double their money could 'finish off the town.' The number of homes bought in the sea-side town by Londoners has doubled over the last five years, according to the latest figures from estate agents Hamptons. London based buyers have been chasing gross yields of around 10.1 per cent in Blackpool, compared to 5.7 per cent in London. Investors in the capital have been battered by stamp duty over recent years, where the average landlord pays around 46,633 per year, compared to just 6,816 in Blackpool. However locals in the town famous for its tower, lights and funfair now fear that London based speculators will only add to their problems. Earlier this year the Office for National Statistics revealed Blackpool had the worst life-expectancy for men in the UK. The ONS figures have revealed that men born in Blackpool will now live until just after their 73rd birthday on average. And a recent report by Blackpool council revealed that the local authority was the most deprived in England and that the town was blighted by a raft of problems, many of which were related to the demise of the traditional tourism economy. A building with boarded-up commercial units and hoardings around the sides listed for sale in Blackpool Pictures show boarded up businesses in Blackpool's town centre A picture of a roller coaster at Pleasure Beach. And a recent report by Blackpool council revealed that the local authority was the most deprived in England, blighted by multiple problems including the decline of the traditional tourism industry The ONS figures have revealed that men born in Blackpool will now live until just after their 73rd birthday on average The report stated that many of Blackpool's traditional guest houses had been turned into homes of multiple occupation (HMOS.) Blackpool has the lowest life expectancy of any seaside town in England, spurred on by an obesity crisis. According to data, 35.6 per cent of the town is obese, with men in the town scheduled to live until they just 73, six years less than the average in the rest of England. The Lancashire town which boomed in the post-war years, is now the UK's most deprived local authority . It has the highest proportion of alcohol related deaths and the highest rate of serious mental health issues in England. And that is combined with four times the average number of drug deaths and nearly double the rate of smoking deaths. The report also reveals that the women living in the town also have a poor life expectancy at 79.5 years, compared to 83.2 years for the rest of England. Daniel Pagett, 39, a plasterer by trade, spent Christmas day on the streets. He said:'I was in social housing and just could not afford the rent anymore and I ended up on the street. That is what happens when you can't keep up with the rent. 'I have had nothing to eat for the last three days and I just had a few cans on Christmas Day. 'The last thing Blackpool needs is London money pushing prices further north. Things are bad enough here as it is. I just need to get a council flat and then I can go back to work. But I need the flat first. Sleeping in public toilets is not nice.' Rosemary, from Fleetwood, said: 'We moved from down south to the Blackpool area a few years ago. We noticed the difference in the cost of living straightaway. London firms are buying up property in Blackpool and raising the rents, chasing gross yields of around 10.1% in Blackpool, compared to 5.7% in the capital Daniel Pagett (pictured) spent Christmas Day on the streets after being made homeless when his rent was hiked 'At the time my husband was reliant on the NHS and we noticed the level of care in Blackpool area was better than down south. 'It's all fine for London based landlords to snap up cheaper homes in Blackpool, but they need to invest to create quality housing stock that is also affordable. 'Too many young people are priced out and cannot get on the property ladder.' William Mcilroy, 59, originally from Scotland, has lived in Blackpool since the early 1980s. He said: 'To me the town is just in a nose dive and has been for the last thirty years or so. 'There has been an obsession with a tourism economy which died some time ago. 'The council just seem to have been obsessed with hotels and carparks, but the crowds no longer come here. Local man Tony said that he owned one house in the town, which he rents out to a local family Tarun Mehan, who manages a fast-food restaurant in the town, said his London-based landlord was 'fine with me' Locals in Blackpool fear London based buy-to-let landlords looking to double their money could 'finish off the town.' 'London money will just push up prices for locals, and lead to even more problems in the town. The Legoland venture was typical in that you had a massive company offering to invest millions in the town. 'But the deal fell through. What we need is proper sustained investment. I just fear things are in terminal decline now and that London money could the final straw. It could finish off the town.' Local man Tony said that he owned one house in the town. He said: 'I rent out one property to a local family on a long term basis. 'I told them to treat the house as their own, and they do. If they get behind with the rent, it's not a problem. 'They always catch up and repay the balance. Basically I am ok with them and they are ok with me.' Tarun Mehan, who manages a fast-food restaurant in the town, said: 'Actually my landlord is London based and he is fine with me. 'The rent is ok and we really get on. There are no problems.' Stephen Bagdonas, of Blackpool's Kenricks Commercial, said to The Telegraph,'It's supply and demand. That's why yields are getting higher and higher. The Government has been going after landlords. 'If you're getting hit by a stick you get out of the way.' Louisa Sedgwick from buy-to-let lender Paragon, pointed out that yields were only one indicator of a property's potential. She said: 'Yields don't reflect capital appreciation, the improvement in rental income if the landlord upgrades the property or the impact of leverage for landlords who purchased a property using a mortgage rather than cash.' A chilling discovery in a New Jersey forest has left police racing to identify the human remains and their only clues are two distinctive tattoos. The body was discovered stuffed inside a refrigerator on December 22, in Dennis Township, Cape May County, within New Jersey's Belleplain State Forest just days before Christmas. Authorities believe the remains belong to a Caucasian or Hispanic woman, approximately 5'1' tall. No further information is provided about the description of the victim - besides a pair of unique tattoos on the woman's body. Two days after the chilling discovery, New Jersey State Police revealed photos of the designs: a koi fish tattoo located on the upper right shoulder blade area, and an intricate rose design extending from her left ribs to her chest and hip. Police also recovered what they described as a 'distinctive' yoga mat and necklace at the scene. Photos of these items, alongside the tattoos, have been shared widely on social media in hopes of generating leads. And now locals have taken it upon themselves to try and piece the clues together - including tracking down local tattoo artists who may remember the inked work, and finding online stores that sell the same jewelry found on the dead body. A chilling discovery in a New Jersey forest has left police racing to identify human remains their only clues are two distinctive tattoos as they turn to the public for help The body was discovered stuffed inside a refrigerator on December 22, in Dennis Township, Cape May County, within New Jersey's Belleplain State Forest just days before Christmas The New Jersey State Police took to Facebook to appeal for information. Their post read: 'State Police Seeking Public's Assistance in Identifying Human Remains. On December 22, 2024, unidentified human remains were discovered in Belleplain State Forest.' 'The remains are believed to belong to a Caucasian or Hispanic female, approximately 5'1' tall. The individual had two tattoos (pictured): a koi fish tattoo on the upper right portion of her back (shoulder blade area) and a rose tattoo on her left ribs, extending from her chest to her hip.' 'Additionally, a distinctive yoga mat and necklace (both pictured) were recovered at the scene.' The post has sparked a wave of comments from internet sleuths - many sharing their own clues and speculation in an effort to help with the investigation. Authorities have closely monitored the input as they turn to the public for help. 'I do know that everything on Facebook and all the comments that have been made those all have been watched,' a spokesperson for the investigation told DailyMail.com. 'We've been taking action on everything we have seen that is providing any kind of good investigative leads like tattoo parlors.' Two days after the chilling discovery, New Jersey State Police revealed photos of the tattoos: a koi fish tattoo located on the upper right shoulder blade area and an intricate rose design extending from her left ribs to her chest and hip Police also recovered what they described as a 'distinctive' yoga mat and necklace (pictured) at the scene No further information is provided about the description of the victim - besides a pair of distinctive tattoos on the woman's body and this decorative yoga mat (pictured) 'We've been taking all the calls from tip lines. We are just trying to see if anybody does know or can identify who she is and get a name, or know any associate of her.' The Facebook post has drawn hundreds of responses from concerned citizens. Among the comments were many helpful insights and suggestions aimed at aiding the investigation. One user warned against ruling out potential connections too quickly. 'Don't rule someone out just because of tattoos. If they were trafficked for a time they could have gotten the tattoos during the time they were missing but still alive.' Another pointed investigators toward tattoo artists:'Police should check with every tattoo shop around their area; most of the tattoo artists take pictures of their work after they finish the job. That may help their investigation.' Others speculated about possible connections to local unsolved cases. 'There was a girl who went missing in Atlantic County where her car was found in the woods with no plate attached,' one commenter wrote. The post has sparked a wave of comments from internet sleuths - many sharing their own clues and speculation in an effort to help with the investigation Authorities have closely monitored the input as they turn to the public for help, a spokesperson told DailyMail.com 'Please continue to share and be on the lookout for these women,' one user wrote. 'Three have gone missing from her area in a period of six months.' Local residents have also suggested practical investigative steps. 'Would be helpful to come up with a list of yoga studios in the surrounding area (Cape May County, Cumberland County),' one commenter advised. Another identified a potentially significant detail about the necklace found with the remains: 'The necklace is a Gemini charm. There's a few girls on Etsy that make them.' The New Jersey State Police and the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office are asking anyone with information to contact their Troop 'A' Woodbine Station at (609) 861-5698 or the Prosecutor's Office at (609) 465-1135 ext. 3480. Anonymous tips are welcome. The cost of housing in Greater Boston has become such an urgent issue for policymakers as it's become cheaper to buy real estate rather than rent it. Despite the significant financial burden faced by prospective homebuyers in this market, with the median single-family home price exceeding $865,000, recent data indicates that renters are experiencing a particularly acute housing crisis. According to new figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, covering the years 2019 through 2023, renters are far more likely to be 'cost-burdened'spending 30 percent or more of their income on housingthan homeowners in Greater Boston. The data, part of the American Community Survey, reveals that renters spent a higher percentage of their income on housing than homeowners in 172 out of 182 communities with populations over 1,000 households. On average, 45.6 percent of renters in the region were cost-burdened, compared to just 26.7 percent of homeowners. In Boston, the statistics were slightly closer to the regional average: 46 percent of renters and 2 percent of homeowners faced cost burdens. However, the situation is more dire for many, as 24 percent of renters in Boston spent over half their income on housing, compared to 14 percent of homeowners. These figures underscore the toll the housing crisis is taking on residents, especially as rising housing costs force many to reassess their ability to live in the region. The housing crisis in Greater Boston is disproportionately impacting renters, with soaring costs making it increasingly unaffordable to live in the region New Census data from 2019 to 2023 shows that 45.6% of renters are 'cost-burdened' (spending 30% or more of their income on housing), compared to just 26.7% of homeowners While homeownership provides some stability, with lower monthly housing costs for many homeowners compared to renters, this option remains out of reach for many. Consequently, many are moving out of Massachusetts in search of more affordable living, with around 35,000 residents leaving Greater Boston in 2023, according to Boston Indicators. The disparity between renters and homeowners is stark in certain towns. In 58 of the 182 towns in the Census area, over half of renters were cost-burdened, while homeowners in only one town, Nahant, experienced a similar burden. Some towns show even more extreme differences: in Strafford, N.H., 80 percent of renters were cost-burdened, compared to less than 20 percent of homeowners. In Lynnfield, about 59 percent of renters spent over 30 percent of their income on housing, while only 19 percent of homeowners did. Similarly, in Hingham, 56 percent of renters were cost-burdened, compared to 19 percent of homeowners. The sharp rise in rents from 2019 to 2023an increase of around 16 percent for a one-bedroom apartment, from $1,545 to $1,794, according to Apartment Listhas further strained renters. Meanwhile, wages have failed to keep pace with these rising housing costs, deepening the affordability crisis. The latest data paints a sobering picture of how housing costs continue to reshape life in Greater Boston, putting increasing pressure on renters and contributing to a growing exodus from the area. As the housing market remains out of reach for many, the need for policy solutions to address this crisis has never been more urgent. Housing prices show no signs of cooling off in the coming year, with national home prices projected to rise by 3.7 percent in 2025, matching the steady rate of growth seen since 2012, according to a forecast by Realtor.com. On average, 45.6 percent of renters in the Boston region were cost-burdened, compared to just 26.7 percent of homeowners The real estate site predicts even sharper increases in 16 major metropolitan areas, with Florida leading the way as five cities in the Sunshine State are expected to experience double-digit price growth. The Southwest region, encompassing states like Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada, is forecasted to see the highest surges. Phoenix tops the list with an anticipated 13.2 percent increase, followed by Colorado Springs and Tucson, with projected growth rates of 12.7 percent and 12.4 percent, respectively. Lee Metoyer was dying. Now 72 years old, the beloved housekeeper had been such an integral part of the Krilich family, they could hardly imagine a world without her in it. Shed arrived on the doorstep of their sprawling Barrington, Illinois, home nearly three decades earlier - her life before that day shrouded in secrecy. The Krilich children - Sandra, her four older sisters and baby brother - had always been discouraged from asking questions about her past, lest they scare her off or cause offense. But, of course, they'd pieced snippets of the puzzle together over the years. They knew, for instance, that shed come to them after a terrible tragedy - her son, Pierre, and husband had both been killed in a devastating car wreck. Lee had still been grieving and had spent a long time in hospital recovering from the loss. She kept her treasured photographs of them by her bed until the day she died. Then there was the fact that she wore a full set of dentures, having lost her teeth in some unnamed accident, was a little hunched over and walked with a shuffle. What had caused these injuries? They never asked. And, in time, as they grew to love her, the answer simply ceased to matter. Lee with all six of the family children (left to right): Barbara, Roseann, Sandra, Robert, Debbie and Robin Lee had hinted, once or twice, that she had a story to tell; one day shed write her memoir, she would say, and no one would believe it Lee had even hinted, once or twice, that she had a story to tell; one day shed write her memoir, she would say, and no one would believe it. Yet she never put pen to paper. And now, as she lay dying, she grasped Sandras hand and begged her to tell the story for her. Except Sandra hadn't a clue where to start. It took another 23 years before she was able to honor Lees final wish and uncover her disturbing past and astonishing resilience. I had no idea how I was going to write the story of a woman whod sidestepped every personal question Id ever asked her, writes Sandra in The Housekeepers Secret. Whenever Id asked about her childhood, her family, her love life, her educational experiences, or anything else personal, shed offered only a wisp of an answer, like, Oh, that was a long time ago, then ended the conversation with, Finish your homework. Id always thought it strange she revealed so little, but I assumed the deaths of her husband and child had been so painful shed simply wanted to leave her past in the past. The truth was so much worse. The man in the photo that Lee called her husband - Sandra was never able to identify him Lee treasured this photograph of a baby she claimed had died in a car smash and was called Pierre. Sandra now believes the boy was either Tony or Joey Lee (in white, sitting) became an integral part of the Krilich family and was like a second mother to the six children Sandras search led her from a slave plantation in Louisiana to the haunted tunnels beneath a long closed psychiatric hospital, where she swore she could still hear the tormented screams of former patients subjected to horrific abuse. It also led her to Lee's biological family - her siblings and five children - who had long assumed that she had died. Lee had been born Leaner Mae Metoyer, the youngest of five, in Louisiana, before moving to Chicago with her parents. One December night in 1940, while walking home from work through Grant Park, she was beaten and gang raped. The attack was so brutal, even her own parents couldnt recognize her. Most of her teeth had been punched out, writes Sandra. Her hands, feet, ankles and hips were broken in multiple places.' She continues: The snow they found her in was drenched with blood... Doctors said she only survived because shed been lying frozen in the snow all night, which slowed the bleeding. The revelation finally made sense of Lees false teeth, the odd way she stood, and the deformities of her hands and feet,' she writes. Around two months after the beating, Lee's physical scars were starting to heal, but emotionally she was in terrible shape. She was still unable to walk or speak, and would wake up at night screaming. It was around this time that her doctors also discovered she was pregnant as a result of the rape. Her parents - who were both fighting cancer at the time and unable to care for their deeply traumatized daughter - made the difficult decision to send her to Manteno State Hospital, a place now known to have not only used horrific physical punishment on patients, but sexual abuse was also rife. It was there that her first child, Pierre, was born. Lee and Barbara always wondered why their beloved housekeeper had dentures and walked with a shuffle Lee, Sandra, their father Robert Sr and Debbie at Sandra's wedding in 1991 The Housekeeper's Secret: A Memoir by Sandra Schnakenburg is published by She Writes Press. The names of Lee's children have been changed to protect their privacy The then-19-year-old, still barely able to form a coherent sentence, was forbidden from keeping the child in the asylum. So Pierre was sent to live with Lee's older brother and his new wife as they waited for her to recover. But still her condition showed no sign of improving. Her trauma was exacerbated by the death of her mother, and in an attempt to see results, doctors subjected her to three months of inhumane electroshock therapy. She was granted home visits, but these proved difficult for everyone as she refused to move from a chair, even to use the toilet - she just sat in her own mess, staring at Pierre. Then, during one visit home, she was raped again - this time by a distant relative - resulting in a second pregnancy. Another family member took the baby girl, Angel, in. Over a period of 13 years at Manteno, Lee had two more children - Tony and Serenity - to a married man who held a senior position at the hospital. She believed he loved her, but he undoubtedly abused a desperately vulnerable young woman in his care. Both children were sent to foster homes, and the man's name never appeared on their birth certificates. It seemed every step of this story was like another punch in the gut, writes Sandra. I felt rage. Sick, burning rage. I wanted to destroy this guy and burn down the hospital. A fifth child, Joey, was born to an unknown father, and none of the family knew what had happened to him. Even just one of the horrors would be enough to break some people permanently, says Sandra. But Lee was a pillar of strength to our family. She was all positive. She was the kindest, wisest, most capable person Ive ever known. Lee with Debbie at her wedding - 'she was the best thing that ever happened to our family' Lee dancing with Joey, the first family grandson, at Debbie's wedding Lee was 'an extraordinary blessing she was deeply loved to the end' A confused Sandra questioned: Was this the story she wanted me to write? It was dark, sad, and so full of loss, I didn't think I could bring myself to share it with the world. And even if I could, I needed to find the meaning, to understand the hows and whys. That meaning became clear after she managed to track down Lees first son Pierre - the man Id always thought had died tragically in childhood. In a nerve-wracking first phone call, Pierre hesitated to ask the biggest question on his mind, about the mother who had been missing for most of his life. She had a good life with your family, is that right? he eventually asked. She was the best thing that ever happened to our family, Sandra reassured him, an extraordinary blessing she was deeply loved to the end. Understandably nervous about this stranger, he none the less agreed to meet her. Finally, 23 years after making that promise to a woman she considered her second mother, Sandra walked up the path to Pierres home. She was carrying a very precious gift with her; one that would bring closure to this remarkable story of surviving - and thriving - against all the odds. I carried the urn holding Lees ashes in a sturdy bag,' she writes, 'intensely aware that each step was taking her closer to being reunited with her family. The Housekeeper's Secret: A Memoir by Sandra Schnakenburg is published by She Writes Press. The names of Lee's children have been changed to protect their privacy. A disturbing crime stat has plagued an upscale community on the California coastline home to multimillionaires and their enormous mansions. The idyllic city of Laguna Beach has seen more drunk drivers per capita than any other similar-sized metro in California for the past 20 years. Now, in an effort to tackle the crisis, police are sending stern warning letters to bars and restaurants where intoxicated patrons had their last drink before being arrested, The Los Angeles Times reported. The controversial move has divided the wealthy community. 'People joke that we're the DUI arrest capital of California,' local business owner Heidi Miller told the LA Times. 'But for me, it's not such a bad thing. It means our police department is on top of things.' Shocking statistics have revealed that there have been more than 269 DUI arrests in Laguna Beach in 2021 alone. Additionally, there have been 55 alcohol-related crashes in just 2022 alone. The exclusive zip code has a perfect storm of factors contributing to the high crime stats. The idyllic community of Laguna Beach has seen more drunk drivers per capita than any other similar-sized city in California - for the past 20 years Pictured: The suspect in an allege DUI that happened in late December Shocking statistics have revealed over 269 DUI arrests in Laguna Beach in 2021 alone For one, the city is positioned between two party towns and the more than 130 drinking establishments that call Laguna Beach home. The famous ocean views drawing in tourists have also created what officials are calling 'ground zero' for drunk driving. A staggering 6.5 million visitors annually to a town of just 22,000 residents with tourists flocking to art galleries and upscale boutiques. Mayor Alex Rounaghi defended the controversial new notification system. 'The data shows us this is a problem that we need to address and I think this is a really very innovative, collaborative and data-driven way of doing that,' said Mayor Alex Rounaghi told the LA Times. 'Any time that we can save a life and prevent future deaths, it's important for us to do that.' But not everyone is convinced. Ivan Spiers, owner of upscale hotspots Mozambique and Skyloft, has fired back. Laguna Beach Police Chief Jeff Calvert insisted that the new initiative is not about punishment Mayor Alex Rounaghi defended the controversial new notification system The exclusive zip code has a perfect storm of factors pushing the problem. The famous ocean views drawing in tourists has also created what officials are calling 'ground zero' for drunk driving Police officers at the scene of DUI incident in Laguna Beach 'It's bureaucracy and a waste of money and time,' he told the outlet. He argues that in packed bars, it's nearly impossible to monitor who's actually drinking the rounds being bought. The crackdown comes as California grapples with a surge in drunk driving fatalities, which skyrocketed from 966 in 2019 to a horrifying 1,370 in 2021 - including a chilling incident in nearby Huntington Beach. Last month, officers responded to a crash in North Laguna and arrested a driver for a DUI. In October, an Orange County fire cadet was struck by a DUI driver in nearby Laguna Niguel. In one of the most horrific DUIs that Laguna Beach has seen, a 29-year-old woman slammed into the car full of teenagers while driving at more than three times the legal limit - killing all three. The three Las Vegas teens were on spring break in 2018 when their Toyota was struck by Bani Duarte, 29, who had a blood alcohol level of 0.28 percent - more than triple the legal limit in 2018. Duarte was sentenced to at least 51 years behind bars in 2020. Bani Duarte, 29, slammed into the car of teens while driving at more than three times the legal limit in 2018. She is seen being brought into court in Santa Ana on Feb. 27, 2020, for sentencing All three teens were killed when the driver Duarte rear-ended their car when they were stopped at a red light on the highway in 2018 The California woman broke down in tears as she faced the devastated families of Brooke Hawley, Dylan Mack and Albert 'AJ' Rossi at her sentencing hearing. 'I understand you hate me, wish I was dead,' Duarte told the victims' families. 'You want me to suffer. I just want to say that I'm truly sorry and maybe one day you will forgive me.' What Im saying is coming from my heart, she continued. Duarte was found guilty in October 2020 of three counts of second-degree murder and one count of driving under the influence causing injury. Between January and late December of 2024, Laguna Beach police sent 75 warning letters to establishments both within the city and in neighboring Orange County. Laguna Beach is positioned between two party towns and has more than 130 drinking establishments The letters don't name names but include damning details: the drunk driver's blood alcohol content, plus the exact time and location of their arrest. This comes as Laguna Beach restaurants are also calling rideshares for patrons who appear to be drunk. Police Chief Jeff Calvert insisted that it's not about punishment. 'Often, businesses are unaware of DUI arrests resulting from over-serving alcoholic beverages,' Calvert said in a statement obtained by the LA Times. 'This initiative aims to educate business owners and make our roadways safer. By collaborating with the businesses, we can prevent impaired driving and the devastating outcomes it so often causes. 'It's not intended to be punitive because the business owners don't know what they don't know,' he explained to the LA Times. 'It's an opportunity for them to look at whether there's a pattern with certain bartenders overserving or do some additional education with not only their bartenders, but their security staff.' The wealthy beach town isn't the first to try radical solutions. In 2010, neighboring Huntington Beach considered publicly shaming DUI offenders by posting their names on Facebook. Pictured: The aftermath of a DUI crash after an alleged drunk driver slammed into the Laguna Beach boardwalk in March 2021 There have been 55 alcohol-related crashes in just 2022 alone Meanwhile, the problem shows no signs of slowing. Orange County logged more than 11,100 DUI arrests in 2019 alone, according to DMV data. Miller has witnessed multiple alcohol-fueled crashes including one where a driver plowed into the iconic Main Beach boardwalk. For that reason, she welcomes the strict enforcement. 'We're watching out for - not only our residents - but the people that are passing through our town,' Miller said. The death of a 30-year-old woman whose condition deteriorated within hours of hospital staff declaring her medically fit for discharge has been referred to the coroner. Maegan OMahoney, a mother of two young children from the Ravenscliffe area of Bradford, died at 4am on Monday 16 December, barely 48 hours after she was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary feeling faint and nauseous. Ambulance crew called to OMahoney's home on Friday 13 December expressed concern that her blood sugar levels were 'dangerously low', said the family. Yet at 5.30 am the day after her admission to hospital, her father was allegedly contacted by staff at the hospital, who said O'Mahoney had been cleared to go home but was in an agitated state and refused to leave. It was unlike her, said Sammy Jayne Terry, O'Mahoney's stepsister, who described her as 'quite a shy girl' who did not like to draw attention to herself. Terry said the family remain deeply concerned by the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, which has devastated the family. O'Mahoney's partner, Brandon Tetley, has been forced to quit his job in order to care for the couple's children, six-year-old Charlie and Rosie, aged four. 'It's really difficult for them,' said Terry. 'Brandon has had to change his entire life, give up work. Charlie is autistic, which adds to everything, and his life is going to change completely. 'The kids are very young, so they don't really understand; in a way, it's better that they don't understand this sadness, I suppose. But they have to try and understand that mummy is not coming back, and that's very difficult.' Maegan O'Mahoney, left, with her daughter Rosie and partner Brandon Tetley, who is pictured with the couple's son, Charlie. O'Mahoney's sudden death has been referred to the coroner O'Mahoney, 30, was declared medically fit to be discharged from Bradford Royal Infirmary the day after her admission, according to her family More than 7,000 has been donated to an online fundraising campaign for the family - 'We are so grateful, it's been very heartwarming,' said Terry - but while that will go some way to covering funeral costs, she remains fearful about the challenges that lie ahead for her stepsister's children. No less pressing are the unanswered questions surrounding O'Mahoney's death. 'We just dont know what happened,' said Terry, who is herself a nurse. 'She was a young 30-year-old. The hospital didn't know what was happening with her. Were still waiting to hear from the coroner about what about their findings are. 'We don't know whether the hospital missed something. The fact that they were trying to send her home on the Saturday morning is a major concern to us, and very confusing.' The situation was further complicated by the fact that O'Mahoney's father, Pat, who received the early-morning call asking him to collect his daughter from hospital, lives in West Sussex, some 250 miles from Bradford. Efforts to contact OMahoney by phone proved fruitless, said the family, with staff claiming she was asleep after being admitted to the high dependency unit later on Saturday morning, where she received glucose intravenously. 'I got through to the BRI, who told me: "She is just sleeping, she will ring you later," Tetley, OMahoney's partner, told local press. 'So I thought, "No worries." 'Her dad then rang me the next day and said, "Someone needs to be by her side," and he was panicked. 'I went down to the hospital as quickly as I could. I was just in shock when I saw her.' Maegan OMahoney, left, is seen with her stepsister Sammy Jayne Terry, right. Also pictured are Pat O'Mahoney, Maegan's father (back row, second right) and Christine Graveson As Pat O'Mahoney and his partner Christine Graveson began the long drive north from West Sussex, Terry made a string of phone calls to the hospital in a desperate attempt to establish what was happening. Meanwhile, O'Mahoney was admitted to intensive care. 'It seems that they did bloods and they were fine, so they wanted to send her home,' said Terry. 'So it's almost like, what could have caused this to happen, where at one moment they felt her bloods were fine and she could go home, and then it was about 24 hours later when they rang and said the bloods were all over the place, you need to get over here.' Terry was eventually informed by intensive care staff that O'Mahoney's organs were failing and she was being placed in a medically induced coma. Tetley was told by a doctor that OMahoney was unlikely to awaken. 'It has not fully hit me yet,' he said. 'I still have dreams where she is still alive. I have just been focused on the two children, I have got these two to look after now.' 'It is very touching,' he said of the money raised. 'I have never asked for anything. Everyone has been quite generous. [But] we want to know what happened to her. 'Maegan had just turned 30 years old; she should have had her whole life ahead of her,' her stepsister Sammy Jayne wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to help the family 'For the full time [O'Mahoney] was in there, they said they did not know what was wrong with her, which is worrying.' In the aftermath of the tragedy, Tetley explained OMahoney's absence to the couple's children as best he could, said Terry. 'Maegan had just turned 30 years old; she should have had her whole life ahead of her,' she wrote on GoFundMe. 'Brandon had to tell their children that mummy wasnt coming back, and now, Charlie, six, and Rosie, four, will have to learn to live on without her. 'Brandon told them that mummy is helping Santa in the north pole this year, and that she turns the sky pink for them. 'Maegan adored her children and had fears of ever having to leave them. But they are not alone, they have a loving father, grandparents, and many others who will love and support them.' Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust extended condolences to the family and confirmed the death would be referred to the coroner. 'Maegan was a patient with us for a short period of time,' said a spokesperson. 'As with any unexplained death, we have referred her death to the coroner, and [OMahoney's] family has been informed of this.' The women in a married Florida police deputy's life kept dying. Forty years later, he's the prime suspect in their murders - but an unfortunate turn of events means he will never be held accountable for the crimes he is accused of. The series of grisly deaths began in 1979, when Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Deputy John Greer reported that his wife, Jackie Greer, had shot herself in their Port Charlotte home. Greer was off-duty at the time, and investigators were suspicious about his potential involvement. But they never found any evidence to prove it. Her death was ruled a suicide. Seventy-one days later, on November 5, 25-year-old Adele Marie Easterly was discovered with two gunshot wounds at the farm store where she worked in the coastal south-west Florida city of Punta Gorda. Deputy Greer, who was then 32, radioed in at 1.40am, saying he found the assistant store manager with gunshot wounds to her head and back. The shots were inflicted by a 12-gauge shotgun of the same type Greer carried, and he was once again viewed with some suspicion by his colleagues. But they were unaware of the secret affair he'd been having with Easterly. Detectives interviewed numerous people in Easterly's life, and several were considered potential suspects. The investigation eventually ground to a halt after detectives were unable to glean enough evidence to pin the crime on any of the suspects. It was filed away as a cold case - until this year. Adele Marie Easterly, 25, was discovered with two gunshot wounds at the farm store where she worked in the coastal south-west Florida city of Punta Gorda on November 5, 1979 Pictured: A view of Punta Gorda, the south-west Florida city where Easterly was killed in 1979 On September 29, 1980, yet another woman in Greer's orbit was found dead. The woman, named as Lynn Austin by police, was discovered in her Ford Mustang parked in a wooded area of Port Charlotte. Her husband had reported her missing nine days before. Her cause of death was never disclosed because her body had decomposed, but empty pill jars found strewn around her car and a suicide note led detectives to believe she had overdosed. Austin's husband told officials that Greer had been following his wife around and turning up at their house while on duty and attempting to seduce her. Today's cold case team believes that this prompted an investigation into Greer, ultimately resulting in his resignation the following month in October 1980. Six years later, in October 1986, the sheriff's office reopened the probe into Easterly's murder. They spoke with her friend, who gave disturbing information about Greer's influence in her life. The friend said Easterly had revealed to them that she had been dating a Charlotte County deputy, who would visit her during his night shifts and bring his personal 12-gauge gun to the Farm Store to 'protect' her. Easterly didn't know that Greer was married, and when she realized, she tried to break up with him. She told her friend that Greer reacted by saying he had admitted their affair to his wife and asked for a divorce. Greer then told his mistress Easterly that after asking his wife for a divorce, she became suicidal - and tried to grab the cop's service revolver and shoot herself. The excuse Greer gave his mistress for his wife's untimely death was that the married couple grappled over the gun, but when he tried to wrench it back, it went off - killing her. As a result of the friend's admission, in November 1986 detectives sent a crime scene investigator with blood splatter expertise to re-examine the scene of Greer's wife's death. Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Deputy John Greer (pictured in 2020) has been deemed responsible for the deaths of his wife Jackie Greer and his mistress Adele Easterly, more than 40 years after they were found with gunshot wounds to the head 71 days apart in 1979 Pictured: A view of Punta Gorda, the south-west Florida city where Easterly was killed in 1979 They scoured the scene but still could not determine whether her death was a genuine suicide - but they did confirm that the death could not have unfolded in the manner Greer described. Greer had told a different version of events to deputies than the story he told Easterly, via her friend. He claimed that he was sleeping on the night of his wife's death and awoke to the sound of a loud 'pop'. He leaped from the bed and found his wife in the closet with a gunshot wound. But chemicals used to detect blood found there was no blood inside the closet other than in the door jam, which proved that the door was open at the time of the shooting. Fast forward to the 21st century and the creation of the current Cold Case Unit in 2009. The newly-formed team placed Greer's cases on their radar, and began probing with new and improved strategies and technologies. They shared a lengthy release about Easterly's murder on the Charlotte County Sheriff's unsolved cases website. The release revealed that there was now a 'male suspect' who they believed had been living in Kentucky or Tennessee for 'many years'. 'Although the now elderly male (age late 60's early 70's) suspect's identity is known to law enforcement, their identity is being held for investigative purposes,' the release read. 'Cold Case detectives believe that this elderly male suspect has intimate knowledge of law enforcement practices and has tailored their criminal activities to avoid being exposed to identification, apprehension, and criminal prosecution.' Greer had placed himself back on their radar by allegedly continuing his violent rampage against women beyond Florida. The former deputy had been 'openly sharing' his 'knowledge and involvement in the Adele Easterly murder with others' including during 'threatening' vocal and domestic violence incidents against other women, the release revealed. The post paid off when a former Sheriff's Office Explorer came forward and said she had been sexually assaulted several times by Greer. Revealing the horrific details, the survivor said Greer had told her to 'ask them dead bitches like Adele Easterly what happens when they say no to me.' The Explorer, whose identity is protected as a sexual assault victim, said she had been working in dispatch the night Easterly was found dead in the Farm Store. She saw Greer drive into the sheriff's office complex that night and use the sheriff's door instead of the usual entrance for deputies on the opposite side of the building. The Explorer said he looked disheveled and left with what appeared to be a long gun. Greer typically wore black gloves, and she noted that one glove was off and he had what appeared to be blood on his bare hand. When Greer saw her, he motioned for her to get back into dispatch, before driving from the sheriff's side of the building back to the deputy side. Cold case detectives interviewed several more people who were working that night, and their recollections supported that of the Explorer. Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Deputy John Greer (pictured in his youth) has been deemed responsible for the deaths of his wife Jackie Greer and his mistress Adele Easterly, more than 40 years after they were found with gunshot wounds to the head 71 days apart in 1979 They eventually accrued enough information to develop a probable cause to arrest Greer, and attempted to interview him at his home in Kingsport, Tennessee. But the victims never got justice. In a final sick twist in the tale of John Greer, detectives found him at a care home suffering from severe health issues, and unable to give proper answers to their questions. Though he did admit to shooting Easterly and his wife, Cold Case detectives could not confirm whether he shot Jackie intentionally or if it was an accident as he previously claimed. Detectives admitted that Greer would never be well enough to stand trial, and he passed away at the care home on March 2, 2024 at the age of 77. They found that since leaving Charlotte County Sheriff's Office in disgrace, Greer had worked at several other police and sheriff's office across the west coast of Florida. He was also a pilot and had held a variety of positions in and around Kingsport, Tennessee. But Greer's grisly specter continues to haunt his successors in the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, who are still digging into his past to determine whether he was responsible for any other atrocities in Florida and beyond. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell blasted Greer for the 'scar he has left' on the office's reputation, and the 'people he hurt through his vile actions' while pledging to continue pursuing 'the truth'. 'I have always said that we will not hide from our past, no matter how dark,' Prummell said. 'This case shows that we will always seek the truth, even when we may not like what we find. 'I want to be clear that this individual does not represent the overwhelmingly great men and women who have worked for this agency over our century-plus of existence. 'I am angry at the scar he has left on our reputation, but I am even more upset about the people he hurt through his vile actions. My heart goes out to the victims and their loved ones.' Over 20 miles of pristine beaches and glamorous resorts make the Egyptian coastline a prime holiday destination for sunseeking tourists from around the globe. But the country's Red Sea resorts and their nearby seasides offer more than just sun, sea, and relaxation, with vicious sharks causing deadly chaos in its waters. Holidaymakers, including young tourists, and most recently an EU diplomat, have fallen victim to the jaws of the lurking predators in fatal incidents which has left many questioning how safe a trip to the sunny Egyptian coast really is. Last year a Russian tourist was circled and savagely dragged underwater by a bloodthirsty tiger shark as he screamed 'Papa! Help me!'. Two families were left distraught last week when an Italian EU diplomat was mauled to death in front of his wife as his friend fought off the beast in an unsuccessful effort to save him. But the tragic incidents stretch back over a decade, as in one bloody accident, a woman had a chunk of her buttock torn from her body when a shark launched its violent attack in popular Sharm El Sheikh. Yet, the Red Sea remains a major tourist destination whose marine life make it popular with divers and Marsa Alam is an Egyptian coastal town known for its coral reefs and beaches. But deadly shark attacks are a near-yearly occurrence in the Red Sea, where marine experts warn unregulated construction, overfishing, and irresponsible tourism practices contribute to changing the ecosystem and shark behaviour. Holidaymakers, including young tourists, and most recently an EU diplomat, have fallen victim to the jaws of the lurking predators in fatal incidents which has left many questioning how safe a trip to the sunny Egyptian coast really is Your browser does not support iframes. Russian mauled to death by 'meat grinder' tiger shark In June 2023, holidaymakers in one Red Sea resort in Hurghada, Egypt, were violently disturbed by the blood-curdling screams of a 23-year-old shouting 'Papa! Help me'. Russian tourist Vladimir Popov, 23, was viciously dragged under the water and killed by a tiger shark as his horrified father watched the water turn red with blood. Footage captured of the horror incident shows the young man desperately trying to swim towards the shore, but he appears to be attacked by the shark while still in deeper waters. His body is seen spinning in the water, and his legs raise above the surface - as terrified onlookers scream and shout for the man to swim. 'Swim away, swim away! Quick! A shark!' people can be heard shouting. The splashing in the water stops, and the man's head returns to the surface. He appears in the video to be moving around in the water again, but only slowly. He can be heard screaming 'Papa', pleading for help, as some of the water turns red. Russian tourist Vladimir Popov, 23, was circled and viciously dragged under the water and killed by a tiger shark The victim Vladimir Popov (pictured) had moved to the resort with his father several months before the attack As he does so, the shark's body can be seen clearly at the surface. The long black shape circles around the man, and its fin and tail are seen protruding from the water. The woman filming the horrific attack can he heard repeating 'oh my god' as the nightmare unfolds before her eyes. As she films, the shark turns around for another attack and swims at the man again, clamping its jaws around him, pulling him under the water. The man's head appears above the water one last time, and the shark's body is seen writhing in the ocean as it appears to eat the man's body and drag it further down. One witness said: 'The shark's eating his remains now. There she is, eating his remains.' Another said: 'Right in front of my eyes, the shark ate the guy, the girl managed to escape. He took the blow from the shark. It's a terrible thing, the remains of this man are lying there.' The victim's father Yury Popov told the 112 media outlet: 'We went to the beach to relax. 'My son was attacked by a shark, it all happened in seconds. The shark was later caught and clubbed to death on the beach (pictured) 'What kind of help can you give? This meat grinder happened in 20 seconds, he was just dragged under the water. 'This is an absolutely ridiculous coincidence, because it is a safe beach. There are ships and yachts around. It's never happened there. They usually attack on wild beaches. It's just some kind of evil fate.' Gavin Naylor, Director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, said that the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba attract sharks due to them being very deep and generally steep-sided. He said tiger sharks like the one who killed Mr Popov frequent warm waters and have been in the Red Sea for thousands of years. Pensioner killed after shark rips off her arm and leg In July 2022, a 68-year-old woman died after desperately trying to swim back to shore after a shark 'bit off her arm and leg' at a tourist hotspot in Egypt. The Austrian pensioner, Elisabeth Sauer, died of 'painful shock' - most likely a heart attack - after the attack at Sahl Hasheesh bay in the Red Sea. Horror footage showed her clamouring toward safety with the aid of a flipper as the waters around her turned scarlet red. Terrified onlookers made desperate attempts to distract the animal, but no one jumped in to help her. After miraculously making her way back to land, doctors gave her CPR at the scene but she succumbed to her gory injuries minutes later in an ambulance. Authorities closed the surrounding beaches for three days following the fatal incident. The woman was reportedly married to an Egyptian man and lived in the country. Footage captured witnesses on a nearby jetty record the woman's survival attempt and comment on her predicament. Elisabeth Sauer, 68, was mauled to death by a tiger shark in July 2022 while swimming in the sea off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt The waters around her turned scarlet red as she used a flipper to make her way back to shore She died of 'painful shock' after reportedly losing and arm and a leg The Austrian tourist clamoured toward safety as the waters around her turned scarlet red. She used a flipper to make her way back to shore A group of Russian tourists are heard saying: 'Where are the rescuers? 'F***, she's covered in blood. Holy s***. 'Where's the rescue team? 'For f****'s sake. 'Life guards? Where are the life guards? She's going to f***ing die!' Shark attacks in Egypt were thought to be rare - but the Red Sea has more than 44 species of the fish, some of which can be deadly. Bloodthirsty white tip shark tears chunk from woman's buttocks In December 2010, a female tourist was left seriously injured after an underwater predator sank its huge jaws into her flesh before 'wagging her around'. Olga Martsinko, 48, had been enjoying her holiday, floating on her back in the warm waters of the Red Sea in front of several sunbathers on a packed sandy beach. The next moment, her nightmare began. Olga's outstretched left hand touched something solid with a rough skin as it dived underneath her. 'At first I thought it was a dolphin, but then I felt a sharp pain as it came up, sank its teeth into my arm and began to wag me around,' she recounted from a hospital bed in Cairo. 'It tried to pull me down with it into the sea, and I saw the huge jaws of a shark and a sharp fin beside me. The shark let me go for a second and I swam away. But it came back for more, biting me again and again from behind. 'If I had not had my flippers on, it would have taken off both my legs.' Olga Martsinko was left brutally mauled by a white tip shark in 2010 after it tore off a chunk of her bottom Olga also lost her hand and arm in the Red Sea attack As it was, by the time Olga made it to the jetty, to be hauled to safety by other holidaymakers, she was terribly injured. The white tip shark chasing her through the water had taken a chunk of the top of her left thigh and buttock. Her hand and arm were missing, and her blood had turned the sea red. Olga had become another victim of the extraordinary spate of shark attacks at one of the world's favourite resorts, Egypt's Sharm El Sheikh, where 1,000 kinds of exotic fish swim through 150 types of spectacular corals. EU diplomat battered by tiger shark at luxury Egyptian resort In December, Gianluca Di Gioia, 48, from Rome, had been snorkeling at a beach located in front of the glamorous Red Sea Sataya Resort on the coast of Marsa Alam with his friend. The tourist, who worked at the European External Action Service, the diplomatic service of the European Union, was in the sea alongside his pal Giuseppe Fappani, 69, as they celebrated Di Gioia's recent birthday. But the trip took a horrific turn when the pair were approached by a tiger shark in the Egyptian waters, while they swam just 50metres from the beach in an area where the resort's jetty allows tourists to access beyond the coral reef. Fappani reportedly swam towards Di Gioia in a desperate bid to scare away the shark before he was bitten on the arms and legs. In a stunning moment, Fappani reportedly managed to push the beast away for a brief moment before it furiously made its return. EU official Gianluca Di Gioia is the victim of a shark attack in Marsa Alam on the Red Sea Di Gioia was in the sea alongside his friend Giuseppe Fappani, 69, pictured left. His wife, pictured right, recalled the brutal attack to Italian media The tragic incident took place at a beach in front of the Sataya Resort - one of the most glamorous on the coast of Marsa Alam, on the Red Sea But only Fappani would make it back to the beachfront as Di Gioia was snapped up by the jaws of the predator as his wife remained helpless from the pier. The Italian tourist's injuries to his arms and legs were so severe, it was not known whether he would survive the attack. The pair were then rushed to a hospital in Port Ghalib where Di Gioia tragically passed away, and Fappani was later discharged. The attack - according to The Quasir Prosecutor's Office - occurred 'in deep waters outside the bathing area', that is, beyond the coral reef, which should prevent or at least make it more difficult for sharks to access the area near the beach. 'Such incidents usually occur in spring or summer,' said one of the local authorities following the case, emphasising the rarity of a shark attack this season. Woman loses an arm after mistaking a shark for a tuna fish A tourist in Egypt lost an arm in a horrific shark attack after allegedly mistaking the predator for a tuna fish in September 2023. The female tourist, reportedly from Alexandria, had to have her left arm amputated after she was bitten while swimming with a friend. She was rescued from the sea unconscious and was taken to hospital. Her condition was later described as 'stable'. Reports said swimmers on Laguna Beach in Dahab initially mistook a shark for a tuna. Video showed the dramatic moment of her rescue as she was rushed to an ambulance. The woman was filmed being carried away from the beach and was later taken to hospital The woman was taken away from the beach at the popular Red Sea resort in Egypt A two-hour search of the area (pictured) did not find the search, even after reported sightings Beachgoers fled from the sea after the attack at the Dahab resort, about 36 miles north of Sharm el-Sheikh. A two-hour search with harpoons failed to locate the shark despite sightings, according to reports. The beach in south Sinai was closed by the authorities in the wake of the attack. British holidaymaker watched shark tear swimmer apart In April 2012, Ellen Barnes told how the sea turned red with blood as a killer shark tore a swimmer to death in front of her. Barnes struggled to get back to the beach as the beast thrashed around in the water with its victim, a 70-year-old German woman, in its mouth at Sharm El Sheik, Egypt. 'I was being thrown around in the blood. The shark was thrashing and tearing at this poor woman and I could barely keep my head above the water it was so choppy,' she told The Standard at the time. 'The swimmer was screaming: Help me! Help me!' in English. It was just spine-chilling. I just threw myself on to the beach.' Sharm el-Sheikh resort (pictured) at the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula is one of Egypt's major tourist destinations Barnes, a mother of two from Horsham, West Sussex, said: 'They were useless and petrified. They waited five minutes until the attack was over and just watched until the corpse drifted into shore.' The elderly tourist's right arm was torn off and her thigh savaged while she was snorkeling. Her mutilated body later washed up on the shore. Following the tragedy, doctors said the pensioner died from a 'catastrophic' loss of blood, and the incident came just days after four other divers were badly injured in a spate of similar attacks. How rare are shark attacks in the Red Sea? In the past decade, there have been four confirmed fatalities due to shark attacks in the Red Sea, according to data compiled by the independent Shark Research Institute. The last to occur happened in December 2024, in Marsa Alam and involved a 48-year-old Italian EU diplomat. Egypt's tourist hotspots, including Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh, boast some of the country's most renowned beach destinations and attract tourists as well as divers with its offshore coral reefs. However, these spots also seem to attract aggressive sharks, like the two unprovoked fatal attacks in Egypt in 2022. A 12-year-old boy lost an arm and an Egyptian tour guide had a leg amputated after a rare Oceanic Whitetip shark (pictured) attack off Egypt's Red Sea in 2020 Both took place in Hurghada, when an Austrian and a Romanian tourist were killed within days of each other. In June 2021, a 37-year-old Jordanian man was bit in the leg by a shark and survived. In December 2020, a German woman, 42, was savaged by a shark while diving in near Marsa Alam. In October 2020 a 12-year-old Ukrainian boy on holiday in Egypt and his tour guide lost limbs after an attack by an oceanic whitetip shark. The fearsome Oceanic Whitetip shark The Oceanic Whitetip sharks are known for their aggressive nature. They tend to dominate feeding frenzies and are known to target shipwreck or air crash survivors. The Oceanic Whitetip are thought to have been responsible for many of the deaths of sailors who abandoned the sinking USS Indianapolis which was torpedoed on 30 July 1945. That event was the greatest single loss of life at sea in the history of the US Navy. Oceanic Whitetip numbers have declined over recent years due to fishing and the shark fin trade. Advertisement In August 2018, a 41-year-old Czech tourist died after being attacked 12 miles north of the town of Marsa Alam. In 2010, five shark attacks took place at Sharm el Sheikh in the same number of days, seriously injuring three Russians and one Ukrainian and killing a German woman. Florida Museum data shows sixteen non-fatal and fatal shark attacks have been recorded in the Red Sea since 1975. There have been seven fatal attacks since 2004, and eight non-fatal attacks along the coast since 1974, according to the data. The majority of attacks were by oceanic whitetip sharks, which can grow up to 11 feet long and live for 25 years. Gavin Naylor, Director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, said that the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba attract sharks due to them being very deep and generally steep-sided. He explained: 'This brings pelagic animals (sharks) that typically live off -shore (like Oceanic white-tip and silky sharks) closer in to the shore than they would otherwise be. 'There is also a lot of tourism in these areas- which means a lot of people in the water. 'Additionally the behaviour of many of these species in the region, for reasons that are not currently clear, seem more habituated than is the case for the same species in other parts of the world.' Habituation happens once animals learn that there is food in the area and can be seen in dive tourism operations which employ chum to bring sharks closer in as well as in places where food waste is dumbed close to shore, Mr Naylor added. The mother of Gone Girl kidnapper Matthew Muller is defiantly standing by her son - even as he faces fresh charges. Joyce Zarback told the DailyMail.com, Were doing fine. I love my son. I think hes incredible. The 79-year-old retired English teacher gave her implausibly tone-deaf comment after notorious rapist Muller, 47, was hit with two more shocking felony charges on December 30. He is scheduled to be arraigned at the Hall of Justice in Santa Clara, California, on Monday, January 6. The Ivy-League educated and decorated former marine is currently serving 40 years behind bars at a Tuscon, Arizona federal prison for rape and false imprisonment after the nightmare kidnapping of Denise Huskins, now 39, in March 2015 - which detectives initially insisted was a hoax. Police were forced into an embarrassing about-face when it emerged Muller had indeed kidnapped Huskins from the home she shared with boyfriend Aaron Quinn in Vallejo, California, 30 miles northeast of San Francisco. Muller broke into the residence where he drugged and tied up the couple. He kidnapped Huskins, brought her to his familys cabin in South Lake Tahoe and sexually assaulted her. Quinn told police his girlfriend was being held for an $8,500 ransom. They in turn accused him of murdering her and using the kidnapping story as a cover-up. Police were forced into an embarrassing about-face when it emerged Matthew Muller (pictured) had kidnapped Denise Huskins from the home she shared with boyfriend Aaron Quinn in Vallejo, California, 30 miles northeast of San Francisco Muller broke into the residence where he drugged and tied up the couple (pictured) Notorious rapist Muller, 47, was hit with two more shocking felony charges on December 30 Two days later, Muller drove his victim to Huntington Beach 420 miles south of Vallejo where she managed to escape and made her way to family members. Observers noted the events had similar plot traits to director David Finchers 2014 blockbuster psychological drama Gone Girl, starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, based on the Gillian Flynn novel. The harrowing ordeal of Huskins and Quinn was turned into an engrossing Netflix documentary, American Nightmare, which debuted on the streaming service in January last year. Meanwhile, prosecutors with Santa Clara County District Attorneys Office have said Muller is also responsible for two more crimes both strikingly similar to the infamous 2015 home invasion. The first, an assault and attempted rape of a woman in her 30s during a burglary, occurred in September 2009. It is alleged that Muller, a Harvard Law School graduate, broke into the victims home in Mountain View, northern California, 37 miles south of San Francisco. According to prosecutors, she awoke to find a masked intruder who thrust her head down into her bed. The man told her he was committing an identity theft robbery. The assailant handcuffed the woman and also bound her ankles with some sort of Velcro restraint. Two days later, Muller drove his victim to Huntington Beach 420 miles south of Vallejo where she managed to escape and made her way to family members Huskins and Quinn, both physical therapists, have since married Today, the couple live in a charming California coastal town with their two young daughters Leaving his terrified victim bound, he made several phone calls over the course of her two-hour ordeal. At one point, Muller carried her downstairs, then took her upstairs again to her bedroom. He forced the woman to drink Nyquil and used her own cell phone to text her employer which said she was calling in sick and would not be at work. Muller, said authorities, threatened to rape the woman but she persuaded him against it. He then left the residence - but not before suggesting she get herself a dog for company. The following month, it is also alleged in the latest court filing, Muller targeted a home in Palo Alto, seven miles north of Mountain View. According to a police report of the incident, he broke into the property - again wearing a mask - with a sleeping woman inside. He tried to disguise his voice by speaking in a low growl and at the same time restrained her ankles and arms with fabric fasteners. He put plugs in her ears and covered her eyes with surgical tape. Again, he forced the woman to drink Nyquil and threatened to rape her - but relented when she told him about a previous sexual assault she had suffered. Muller gave the victim crime prevention advice, then fled, according to prosecutors, and warned her not to call the police. Muller kidnapped Huskins, brought her to his familys cabin in South Lake Tahoe and sexually assaulted her The harrowing ordeal of Huskins and Quinn was turned into an engrossing Netflix documentary, American Nightmare, which debuted on the streaming service in January last year Pictured: A new investigation was opened by the Santa Clara County District Attorney after Mullers DNA was found to be on straps used to bind one of the victims. He was charged with two felony counts of committing a sexual assault during a home invasion for both of the 2009 crimes. The details of this persons violent crime spree seem scripted for Hollywood, but they are tragically real, DA Jeff Rosen said. Our goal is to make sure this defendant is held accountable and will never hurt or terrorize anyone ever again. Our hope is that this nightmare is over. Muller apparently maintained his unquenched lust to terrify women when he targeted Huskins six years later. He pleaded guilty to kidnapping in the Gone Girl case in 2016 and to the sexual assault of Denise Huskins in 2022. Yesterday, DailyMail.com revealed that the couple have been assisting authorities as prosecutors push forward with the latest charges. We continue to work with law enforcement to see this case is fully investigated, Huskins told DailyMail.com. Huskins and Quinn, both physical therapists, married and today live in a charming California coastal town with their two young daughters. They sued the Vallejo Police Department for defamation and reached a $2.5 million settlement. The couple sued the Vallejo Police Department for defamation and reached a $2.5 million settlement DailyMail.com revealed that the couple have been assisting authorities as prosecutors push forward with the latest charges We continue to work with law enforcement to see this case is fully investigated, Huskins told DailyMail.com They said on American Nightmare that in addition to the trauma they went through, they feared losing their jobs due to the false allegations by police that they had fabricated the kidnapping. You go through something like that, and every moment, every ounce of energy is about How do I live to see another second? That is all you can think about," Huskins told ABC News. The last thing that you're thinking about is, If I do survive, I need to make sure that I'm believable." Muller left the Marines in 1999 after tours in Japan and the Middle East. He attended community college in California then studied at Harvard Law School from 2003, graduating with a Juris Doctor in 2006. In 2009 he moved back to the Golden State and began working for immigration law firms in San Francisco. His law license was suspended in 2013 for non-payment of dues. In 2017, he was disbarred in California for failing to do correct work for clients and finally barred from working in federal immigration courts in 2017 after he pled guilty in the Huskins case. Zarbacks latest comment to DailyMail.com about Muller strikes a different tone than a 2017 interview with the Sacramento Bee when she said, I feel horrible that it is my son who is the person who started this. She told the outlet that he didnt date when he was at high school because he was overweight and was bullied. His parents divorced in 1995 when he was a high school senior. Instead of college, Muller joined the Marines and played trumpet in the Corps band. In the same interview, Zarback described her son as strong-willed. She and her husband wanted Muller to attend college but he had made up his mind. Superior Court Judge Hector Ramon ordered Muller to return to court on January 17 to enter a plea. He faces life behind bars if convicted of the latest charges. C Casa, a Mexican restaurant in Napa that the federal government had accused of child labor violations, announced that it has closed permanently. Jason Henry/Special to the Chronicle 2013 A beloved Mexican restaurant in Napa that was recently accused of violating child labor laws has permanently closed its doors. The owner of C Casa, the anchor space in the Oxbow Public Market, announced the closure on the restaurants website. It is unclear whether the restaurants locations in Emeryville and San Ramon have also closed. Owner Catherine Bergen did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. For the past 15 years, youve been part of our journey sharing meals, laughter, and memories, the announcement reads. Were deeply thankful for your support, loyalty, and love for what we created together. Advertisement Article continues below this ad C Casa stressed healthful ingredients in its tacos, salads, quesadillas and rotisserie meats, and it prided itself on its vegan and vegetarian offerings. Gabe Carlin, Oxbow property manager, said in a statement Sunday that C Casa had been a fixture at the public market since 2010. We were very sorry to learn Saturday that due to a variety of economic factors, including the pandemic and slower visitor traffic in the Napa Valley, the business has decided to close, Carlin said. We do not have any other details about the restaurants next steps at this time. C Casa, the anchor space in the Oxbow Public Market in Napa, stressed healthful ingredients in its tacos, salads, quesadillas and rotisserie meats. John Storey/Special to the Chronicle 2011 The U.S. Department of Labor had fined the restaurant $45,000 late last year, saying it violated child labor laws and failed to provide an employee who was a new mother the time and space to pump breast milk during her work shift. The restaurant allowed children as young as 14 to work outside of permitted hours on school days and operate hazardous equipment, federal officials said in December. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bergen, in a statement, said the restaurant had taken steps to address issues flagged by investigators, saying the departments news release was a one-sided telling of the incident. She said she apologized to the worker, who was a new mother, and provided a private, lockable room for lactation. Bergen also said the restaurant immediately revised the duties and schedules of the young employees after being informed of the federal violations. EXCLUSIVE A woman who tried to murder 7-Eleven customers with a 2kg axe while high on drugs and depressed and angry after gender surgery is about to walk from jail. Evie Amati will be freed on parole on Monday morning after serving eight years for the random axe attacks on strangers at a servo in Sydney's inner-west in 2017. Amati was seen on CCTV casually walking into the Enmore service station carrying the axe and hiding an 18cm knife in her back pocket at 2.20am on January 6. After doing a loop of the shop, she chatted with Ben Rimmer at the checkout before she suddenly slammed the axe down on his skull, almost slicing his head in two. He later told Daily Mail Australia only a momentary 'bad vibe' from Amati caused him to slightly turn his head at the last minute, or the savage blow would have been fatal. Amati then cut down Sharon Hacker with another axe blow to her head. As Ms Hacker lay helpless on the ground, Amati savagely swung the axe at her again which would have killed her if she hadn't narrowly missed her target. Stepping over Ms Hacker, Amati left the petrol station and moved out onto Stanmore Road where she aimed her axe at a third victim, Shane Redwood. On January 7, 2017, after leaving her Tinder date, Amati went home to her flat, collected the axe and knife and walked into the 450m to the Enmore 7-Eleven at 2.19am Having axed Ben Rimmer in the face, Evie Amati brings the 2kg weapon down on Sharon Hacker's skull, attempting to murder both 7-Eleven customers After the brutal attacks Amati faked unconsciousness and refused to answer questions in a police interview about 13 hours after the attack repeatedly saying over and over, 'I respectfully exercise my right to silence Ben Rimmer will spend the rest of his life with four titanium plates in his face, including an orbital plate which moves and which he can feel every time he touches it Amati, 24 at the time, blamed post-gender reassignment surgery complications, depression, a failed Tinder date, and a cocktail of drugs for her attacks. However it was later revealed she'd bought the lethal weapon two months earlier and had practised her swing with it on an old couch. An hour before the attacks, Amati had posted on social media: 'One day I am going to kill a lot of people.' Having binged on MDA, antidepressants, transgender hormones, cannabis and vodka, Amati was fired up by resentment after storming out of a failed Tinder date with a woman. She changed her Facebook status to '...Humans are only able to destroy, to hate, so that is what I shall do.' She then listened to the dark song Flatline by US metal band Periphery and messaged to an acquaintance: 'Most people deserve to die, I hate people'. Amati was convicted of wounding with intent to murder, causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder and attempting to wound with intent to murder in NSW District Court in 2018. Since being in jail, Amati had begun the process of 'de-transitioning' from female back to male in consultation with Justice Health according to a 2019 affidavit filed in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal (CCA) Evie Amati (pictured) will be freed on parole on Monday morning In 2016, Amati, her girlfriend, parents and sister flew to Thailand for her to have gender reassignment surgery Before transitioning to a woman, Evie was Karl Amati, a unionist who drummed in a pub band, Everything I Have is Broken Prosecutors successfully appealed Amati's original minimum sentence, almost doubling it to eight years, with the maximum of 14 years expiring in 2031. While it is not known if Amati, now 32, will emerge from jail as a trans woman or de-transitioned male, she has spent her custody in female correctional centres. Her axe attack on Mr Rimmer fractured his nasal bone, eye socket and cheek bones, requiring hours of reconstructive surgery and the insertion of plates and screws. He will spend the rest of his life with four titanium plates in his face, including an orbital plate which moves and which he can feel every time he touches it. The senior project co-ordinator was attacked as he tried to buy an early morning pie after having beers with his mates. His wife was three months pregnant at the time. The CCA appeal noted that had the cut been 'a millimetre or two above it would have resulted in potentially life-threatening ... massive bleed to the brain, loss of vision'. Amati brought the axe down forcefully with two hands onto the head of Ms Hacker who, although somewhat shielded by her dreadlock hairstyle, had the bone at the base of her skull broken into multiple parts. She wore a cervical collar for months and suffered shooting pain down her arm and hand, chest pain and sleeping issues. Ms Hacker lost 25kg, suffers continuing nerve pain and her daughter became agoraphobic and terrified of going out after dark. After Amati's axe attack Sharon Hacker lost 25kg, suffers continuing nerve pain and her daughter became agoraphobic and fearful of going out after dark High on drugs and angry at romantic rejection, Amati changed her Facebook status to: 'Humans are only able to destroy, to hate, so that is what I shall do' and walked to the 7-Eleven Amati, who had moved to Sydney from Perth before committing the offences, will have to apply to serve her parole back in Western Australia on strict conditions of not drinking alcohol or taking illicit drugs. The child of WA trade union bosses, Amati was considered an arrogant and lazy union staffer with a huge sense of entitlement whose connections scored her a job at the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) in Sydney. She was born a male called Karl Amati in 1992 to parents to Michael Amati and Melanie Booth, formerly WA organiser of the CSIRO Staff Association division of the CPSU, and consultant with federal ministers on issues such as disability services. Michael was an industrial advocate of the WA State School Teachers Union, and a WA WorkCover agent. On graduating from Perth's Shenton College, a progressive coeducational school just 5km from her home, Karl Amati achieved a score of 99.4 and was awarded a WA Government Certificate of Excellence. Amati was in WA's top one per cent of high school graduates, and the following year would head east to Sydney, obtaining the job as a member service centre organiser with the CPSU, based at Haymarket near Sydney's Chinatown. Born Karl Amati, she had dreams of being female from age five, but could not handle the post operative necessities of gender reassignment Ben Rimmer remembers bleeding on the ground and screaming in panic at the 7-Eleven proprietor to lock the doors of the shop, for fear of Amati returning to finish them off Since being in jail, Amati had begun the process of 'de-transitioning' from female back to male in consultation with Justice Health according to a 2019 affidavit A fellow union staffer told the Mail that despite Amati's glowing references presented during her trial, her workmates remember her as 'arrogant and lazy', her lack of sympathy with those who didn't share her outlook and her frequent sick days. District Court documents say Amati recounted 'vivid dreams' of being female since the age of five or six. After moving to Sydney aged 17, she began studying US foreign policy at university. In 2016, Amati, her girlfriend, parents and sister flew to Thailand for her to have gender reassignment surgery. However, by mid-2016 she separated from her girlfriend and the drummer's pub band Everything I Have Is Broken split up. On January 7, 2017, after leaving her Tinder date, Amati went home to her flat, collected the axe and knife and walked into the 450m to the Enmore 7-Eleven at 2.19am. After trying to kill the three victims, Amati walked up the road and into the front yard of a property, propped the axe up against the wall and lay on the ground. Two months before the attacks Evie Amati bought the 2kg axe and practised swinging it on an old couch at her Enmore flat 450m from the 7-Eleven The child of WA trade union bosses, Amati was considered by staffers at her work to bean arrogant and lazy union staffer with a huge sense of entitlement who often took sickies When police and paramedics found her there, she feigned unconsciousness. Taken to St Vincent's Hospital, she ripped the cannula out of her arm and smirked when officers asked her name. 'I don't have a name,' she said, licking her lips. 'F*** me, f*** me, f*** me.' In a recorded police interview about 13 hours after the attack, Amati looked composed and refused to answer questions, repeating over and over: 'I respectfully exercise my right to silence.' At trial, Amati's lawyer Charles Waterstreet claimed she was not responsible for the attacks due to mental illness exacerbated by the alcohol, female hormones, antidepressants, cannabis and the MDA tablet she took that night, plus romantic rejection. The jury found her guilty, but there was general outrage at the short sentence Amati received - four-and-a-half years - before it was successfully appealed. Ben Rimmer who turned his head right before Amati split his head with her axe said it was 'pure luck' he was alive and Amati felt no remorse just self pity she was in jail While it is not known whether Amati will emerge from jail as a trans woman or de-transitioned male, the now 32-year-old has spent all her time in custody in female correctional centres Mr Rimmer said of Amati before the appeal: 'She went there to kill. It's only pure luck that I'm alive and she's not remorseful. She's intelligent calculating.' Mr Rimmer remembers bleeding on the ground and screaming in panic at the 7-Eleven proprietor to lock the doors of the shop, for fear of Amati returning to finish them off. He began vomiting blood because the wounds and fractures in his face inflicted by Amati included a gaping hole in his nose, which sent blood pouring down his throat and risked him drowning in it. At trial he felt Amati was more sorry for herself being in prison on attempted murder charges than remorseful about trying to kill people. 'We haven't heard the last of her,' he said. NSW Community Corrections recommended release on parole, on the grounds that Amati 'has completed their program pathway in custody. '[She has] participated in educational and vocational programs, and engaged with professional interventions to address mental health issues, substance abuse and offending behaviour. 'Amati is assessed at a medium/low risk of reoffending.' Her parole conditions include not contacting, communicating with, watching, stalking, harassing or intimidating the victims, or entering the Sydney suburbs of Annandale, Petersham, Newtown, Sydenham, and the Sydney CBD. Donald J. Trump will be sworn-in as president for the second time in hours after his sentencing in the hush money case. Kamala Harris certified the 78-year-old's win in Congress last week, four years after the Capitol Riot and clearing the way for him to take the keys to the White House again. On January 20, 2025 at noon, he will cement a spectacular political comeback after his historic election win that was two years, two months and five days in the making. The massive MAGA celebration has already hosted a slew of parties, distinguished guests including the country's biggest tech titans and musical acts including the Village People and Snoop Dogg. His victory and return to office follows a unprecedented campaign where he survived two assassination attempts and saw his first opponent drop out over concerns of his age and mental acuity. Thousands will gather in the nation's capital to watch him take the oath of office as President Joe Biden, 82, leaves the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue after four years. Carrie Underwood is set to perform 'America The Beautiful' before the garbage truck that went viral during Trump's campaign makes an appearance in the parade. The historic day will be draw to a close with glitzy inaugural balls, where the 47th president will dance with the incoming First Lady Melania Trump. DailyMail.com answers some of the key questions on the day Trump will return as the commander-in-chief. What time is the inauguration? Donald Trump will be sworn in at the Capitol Rotunda at noon after having tea with President Joe Biden at the White House. He will then move to the Capitol One Arena where he will hold his parade. Is the presidential inauguration a federal holiday? Inauguration Day is a federal holiday - but this year it lands on the same day as another federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the annual celebration of the civil rights icon. Federal workers won't get an extra day off despite it being a double holiday. Your browser does not support iframes. President Donald Trump (left) takes the oath of office on January 20, 2017 alongside first lady Melania Trump (center) and son Barron (right). He'll retake the oath of office on Monday, January 20, 2024, which is also Martin Luther King Jr. Day President Barack Obama (right) and first lady Michelle Obama (left) hosted Melania and Donald Trump (center) to the White House on inauguration morning after the Trump attended a church service across the street at the historic yellow St. John's Episcopal church What happens the morning of inauguration? Eight years ago when Trump was sworn-in, he and first lady Melania Trump started their day at church - at the historic yellow St. John's Episcopal just outside the White House. They were then greeted on the White House's North Portico by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. From there they headed to the U.S. Capitol ahead of the noon swearing-in. It's tradition for the departing president to leave a letter for the incoming president on the Resolute Desk. Despite Trump breaking tradition by being one of four presidents to skip a successor's inauguration - the others were John Adams, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Johnson - he did leave a 'shockingly gracious' letter behind for the Democrat, according to Biden biographer Chris Whipple. Four years ago the Trumps departed from the White House's South Lawn ahead of Biden's swearing-in ceremony and the outgoing president made remarks at Joint Base Andrews before heading to Mar-a-Lago. Typically the former president and first lady fly off in a Marine One-type helicopter from the east side of the U.S. Capitol after the swearing-in occurs. Can you get tickets to Trump's inauguration? The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies - the bipartisan group charged with organizing the swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural luncheon - makes tickets to the inauguration available to the public. Trump supporters must request their tickets through their member of Congress. Already, congressional offices are predicting the demand will outstrip the supply. It's likely more people will come to Trump's inauguration than they did in 2017 (left). Trump made a big deal about his inaugural crowd size, forcing press secretary Sean Spicer to say he had bigger numbers than President Barack Obama in 2009 (right) How many people are expected to attend Trump's 2025 inauguration? Eight years ago, Trump made a big deal about his inaugural crowd size, despite it being visibly smaller than that of President Barack Obama when the Democrat was sworn-in in 2009. Obama was the country's first black and biracial president in history. Trump memorably had his new press secretary, Sean Spicer, chastise the press one day after the swearing-in for pointing out Trump's smaller crowd. Spicer claimed 'this was the largest audience to ever witness the inauguration - period - both in person and around the globe.' The crowd was expceted to be larger than eight years ago, before the event was moved inside because of frigid temperatures in the forecast. This time around the Republican won the popular vote - the first GOP nominee to do so in 20 years. First lady Melania Trump (left) dances with President Donald Trump (right) at A Salute To Our Armed Services Inaugural Ball on January 20, 2017 - one of three official balls planned for inauguration night that the president and first lady attended President Donald Trump (left) and first lady Melania Trump (right) appear at the Freedom Ball at the Washington Convention Center. The convention center's large size has allowed for thousands to attend inaugural balls in past years Who will attend Trump's presidential inauguration balls? There are a number of balls already being planned around Washington over inauguration weekend but the president and first lady generally only attend the official balls Monday night. Eight years ago, the Trumps stopped by the Liberty and Freedom Balls at the Washington Convention Center before heading to the ornate National Building Museum for A Salute To Our Armed Services Inaugural Ball, which was dedicated to the troops. It's unclear what Trump's team have planned yet for the balls. In the past, different balls have had varying degrees of exclusivity. Top donors and supporters have generally been invited to the smaller, more lavish affairs, while at the same time, the Washington Convention Center's huge size has allowed thousands to attend balls in the past. Beyonce famously sang Etta James' 'At Last' at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball in 2009. During the 2013 inauguration, for example, thousands of Obama supporters were invited to attend 'The Inaugural Ball' at the convention center - but the space wasn't decorated, Cheez-Its and pretzels were served, and there was a cash bar. Still the crowd heard from Alicia Keys, Katy Perry, the band Fun and saw the Obamas dance to 'Let's Stay Together' sung by Jennifer Hudson, among other acts. Mainstream musical acts have generally stayed clear of the MAGA movement besides mainstays like Kid Rock and country musicians. No inaugural balls took place in 2021 for President Joe Biden's swearing-in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead the Bidens and Vice President Kamala Harris and her family participated in the traditional inaugural parade from the Capitol to the White House and press secretary Jen Psaki held her first press briefing. Who will perform? Country songstress Carrie Underwood has been tapped to perform 'America the Beautiful' during Trump's official swearing-in ceremony. Tenor Christopher Macchio will perform the national anthem. Macchio also performed at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July and during Trump's second Butler, Pennsylvania rally in October, marking his return to the locale where he was nearly killed in July. The Village People - the creators of Trump rally staples 'YMCA' and 'Macho Man' - will perform at a Sunday night event put on by young conservative group Turning Point USA. When Congress certifies the results of the 2024 election on Monday, Kamala Harris will join a small and rather miserable club: Vice presidents who have had to oversee the formal confirmation of their own defeat Under the Constitution, the vice president is the head of the Senate, entrusted with the process of declaring the result of a White House election. That comes on January 6. And it means Harris, who lost all seven key battleground states to a candidate she called a fascist, must face the final humiliation of declaring Donald Trump the victor. She will follow in the footsteps of Al Gore, vice president to Bill Clinton, who had to certify his defeat to Republican George W. Bush in 2001 after weeks of legal wrangling about hanging chads and small margins in Florida. Before him, Richard Nixon (then vice president to Dwight D. Eisenhower) had to sign off on the results of his loss to John F. Kennedy after the 1960 election. But there is a dodge. Just don't turn up. In 1969, Democratic Vice President Hubert Humphrey recused himself and skipped certification. Instead it fell to the Senate president pro tempore (usually the majority party's most senior member) to announce that Humphrey had lost to Nixon's second run. On Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris will preside over a joint session of Congress that will formally certify her defeat in the 2024 election Donald Trump will be sworn in for his second term as president on January 2020 On Friday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that she expected Harris to attend the joint session of Congress. 'I believe that is her plan,' she said. Trump supporters have expressed glee at the idea of Harris having to formally declare her Republican opponent as the winner. 'Kamala has to certify the results of the election Monday.' conservative comedian Tim Young posted on X. 'Its going to be must-see TV.' Someone going by the handle of MAGA Michelle wrote: 'The best part about this is that Kamala has to certify her own election ass kicking, bringing back all the embarrassment she must have felt.' Marc Short, who was chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, said: 'Nobody gets excited about certifying their own loss, but I think it's integral to all democracies that there is a peaceful transfer of power.' He said Harris was not alone in having to perform the role. 'It has happened to lots of vice presidents,' he said. Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6, 2021, as he presided over a joint session of Congress before lawmakers were evacuated as a mob attacked the Capitol. The session reconvened later that night, to declare Joe Biden the victor of the 2020 election Certification is usually a formality, a final round of vote tallying and the last step in the process of electing a new administration 'Only once in 250 years of our republic was there an assertion than that person had unilateral authority to change the results.' The process is usually a formality, a final round of vote tallying and the last step in the process of electing a new administration. The events of Jan. 6, 2021, changed all that. Trump refused to accept defeat and had piled pressure on Pence to override the results and declare his boss the winner. Pence refused and the result was an angry mob ransacking the Capitol and forcing members of Congress to flee. The vice president reconvened the session in the early hours of the morning, and affirmed the election results a little after 3:30am. That experience led Congress to update the Electoral Count Act to clarify that the vice president does not have the power to adjudicate disputes over electors and is there instead to announce the result.= Donald Trump's attempts to bring Greenland, the Panama Canal and even Canada under American rule are part of his plans for a new US empire, experts say. The president-elect has stated his intentions for aggressive foreign policy upon returning to the White House which include tariffs on both Canada and Mexico. Those aren't his only plans for our neighbors to the north, as Trump has repeatedly made posts on social media suggesting Canada become America's '51st state.' He's also reignited his desire for the United States to purchase Greenland and even take back control of the Panama Canal once in office. 'World leaders are flocking to the table because President Trump is already delivering on his promise to Make America Strong Again. When he officially takes office, foreign nations will think twice before ripping off our country, America will be respected again, and the whole world will be safer,' Trump spokesperson Anna Kelly told Newsweek in a statement. Professor Sean Adams, an expert on American history at the University of Florida, said that Trump's plans harken back to the ideas of Democrats from 200 years ago, especially Andrew Jackson, a known favorite president of Trump. 'The plan to acquire Greenland does offer a bit of a throwback to the 19th century when many American politicians - particularly Democrats - were quite aggressive about territorial expansion,' he said. He adds that this policy was known as 'spread-eagleism' and an ideology meant to expanding the US style of governance across the world, as the US bought parts of Mexico, Alaska and attempted to annex now known as the Dominican Republic, in addition to Greenland and Iceland. 'The idea was [that] the Republican government was America's gift to the world, and it needed to be extended as much as possible. The economic opportunities that came along with expansion was a nice bonus as well.' Donald Trump 's attempts to bring Greenland, the Panama Canal and even Canada under American rule are part of his plans for a new US empire, experts say The president-elect has stated his intentions for aggressive foreign policy upon returning to the White House which include tariffs on both Canada and Mexico, as well as Trump repeatedly posting on social media suggesting Canada become America's '51st state.' Adams calls the Jackson-inspired imperialism 'a dramatic departure' from the current establishment. Daniel Immerwahr, a professor at Northwestern and an expert in American imperialism, says that while Trump's plans are a break from the current mold, it may not resemble colonialism of the past. 'It would not be a stretch to see the United States's hundreds of military bases outside of its borders as a type of empire...But Trump is clearly more comfortable with an older form of power projection that harks back to the bloody days of Teddy Roosevelt,' he said. In late November, Trump announced plans to slap a 25 percent tariff on Mexican and Canadian goods as long as the countries allowed immigrants to flow over the U.S. border. He also said he'd impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods over the Chinese government's refusal to make good on a promise to use the death penalty on drug dealers. These actions, Trump said, would take place on the first day of his administration. He said the Mexican and Canadian tariffs would apply to 'ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders.' 'This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!' Trump has also reignited his desire for the United States to purchase Greenland He's even suggesting the US take back control to purchase the Panama Canal once in office The president-elect also suggested that Mexico and Canada had 'the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem' - indicating he wanted the neighbors to do more to patrol their borders so migrants couldn't sneak into the United States. The president-elect has in recent days suggested a territorial expansion into Canada, Greenland and Panama, and has mocked prime minister Justin Trudeau by calling him 'governor.' On Christmas, Trump escalated his campaigns against the governments of both Panama and Canada. 'Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in repair money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about anything,"' Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. 'Also, to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens Taxes are far too high, but if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World. 'Likewise, to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and, who want the U.S. to be there, and we will!' Trump recently posted that 'Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State' and offered an image of himself superimposed on a mountaintop surveying surrounding territory next to a Canadian flag. Trudeau has suggested that Trump was joking about annexing his country, but the pair met recently at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club in Florida to discuss Trumps tariff threats. Trump expressed interest in buying Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, during his first presidential term. On Christmas , Trump escalated his campaigns against the governments of both Panama and Canada Trump recently posted that 'Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State' and offered an image of himself superimposed on a mountaintop surveying surrounding territory next to a Canadian flag He was publicly rebuffed by Danish authorities - who reiterated the island was 'open for business, not for sale' - before any conversations could take place. The Danish Prime Ministers Office said in its own statement that the government is 'looking forward to welcoming the new American ambassador. And the Government is looking forward to working with the new administration.' 'In a complex security political situation as the one we currently experience, transatlantic cooperation is crucial,' the statement said. It noted that it had no comment on Greenland except for it not being for sale, but open for cooperation.' Trump again having designs on Greenland comes after the president-elect suggested over the weekend that the US could retake control of the Panama Canal if something isnt done to ease rising shipping costs required for using the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Panama President Jose Raul Mulino responded in a video that 'every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to,' but Trump fired back on his social media site, 'Well see about that!' A Liberal MP has slammed the Australia Day debate claiming most Aussies have had a 'gutful' of being told what to do by woke activists. Andrew Wallace, who represents Fisher in South East Queensland, said he is frequently stopped on the streets by regular Australians fed-up with the debate. 'The word woke was never really in mainstream vocabulary until recently,' he told host Danica De Giorgio. 'I now have people stopping me in the street, people I have never met before, people asking me 'where is all this going? when is all this woke nonsense going to stop? 'I think people have had an absolute gutful and I'm not talking about members of the LNP or people involved with politics, just everyday average Australians that have had enough. 'They want government to get out of their lives, they're over being told whats right and wrong, how they should think, where they should buy, what they should do.' Mr Wallace said Australia Day was 'special' and should be treated as such. 'Australians are a friendly, peace-loving people who are, and should be, very, very proud of this great country,' he said. Queensland Liberal MP Andrew Wallace says ordinary Australians have had a 'gutful' of the Australia Day debate 'Its a very special day where we recognise Australia and we should be very proud of where we have come over the past 240 years. 'We're the 12th largest economy in the world and we're a very small population - 27 million people. 'We box well above our weight in so many areas, in sport, in the economy, in industry. 'We're a great country and we should be very, very proud of what we have managed to build.' Meanwhile supermarket giant Woolworths is re-embracing Australia Day and stocking up on special holiday items ahead of January 26 after being blasted for ditching the national celebration last year. The retailer revealed all its Woolworths and Big W stores will be offering a special 'Perfect for Australia Day' section this month. Although the offerings will be primarily focused on food, customers will also have the chance to pick up an Australian-made Australian or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag while doing their shop. Mr Wallace said Australia Day was 'special' and Australians had many reason to celebrate their country on that day The about face comes after the retailer was slammed last January when it shocked customers and announced it would not be stocking Australia Day merchandise. A Woolworths spokesman told Daily Mail Australia last year's decision had been driven by 'a decline in demand in our stores' but that the company's outlets will be 'celebrating Australia Day as a team, and with our customers' this time around. 'We listened and recognised that many customers and teams wanted us to do more to help them celebrate the day,' he said. 'In our [Woolworths] supermarkets, we will do this through the lens of great Australian food that is perfect for the day, while BIG W will also showcase products perfect for family and friends coming together over the Australia Day long weekend. 'Customers can expect to see 'Perfect for Australia Day' sections in our Supermarkets and BIG W in the lead up to the day. 'Our store team members are also welcome to celebrate the day in-store. 'We respect everyone's choices in how they choose to spend the day.' A New York teenager who had been missing for almost a month has been found safe aboard a large boat docked on Long Island. Emmarae Gervasi, 14, was located on Friday afternoon by her own father aboard a large boat just off Main Street in Islip near a local fish market after he received an anonymous call giving clues as to her whereabouts. Gervasi, from East Patchogue in Suffolk County, had been missing since December 9th. The marina where she was found is located 13 miles west of Patchogue. 'I did find her myself before police got there. It was the end of 26 days of hell seeing her alive in my arms. It was a gift from God. I can't describe the feeling I had when I grabbed her,' said Frank Gervasi, Emmarae's father said to News 12. Emmarae is now recovering in hospital and the case remains an active investigation. Her family had been worried sick after her sudden vanishing when she disappeared white retrieving some items from a Jeep outside her home on Tyrrell Street. She was then seen getting into a dark-colored vehicle without any coat or shoes. Security cameras captured her knocking on doors at a Bohemia motel the next day, but then she disappeared once again. Throughout the past few weeks Gervasi said he had been following up on some leads and working closely with the the Suffolk County Police Department. Emmarae Gervasi, 14, vanished without a trace on December 9 from her home in East Patchogue on Long Island. She was found on Friday in a boat in Islip, Long Island In a video posted to Facebook on Saturday morning Frank Gervasi, Emmarae's father gave thanks to all those who helped in the search for his girl Emmarae had been missing since December 9 and disappeared without wearing a coat or shoes Friends and family alongside community members formed search parties to look for Gervasi. A search was also conducted in upstate New York using police cadaver dogs and helicopters but thankfully no body was found. Gervasi himself pleaded on social media for news and looked into leads into his a daughter's appearance himself, driving around on Long Island. In a video posted to Facebook on Saturday morning, Gervasi gave thanks to all those who helped in the search for his girl. 'She is home. She is in a facility and getting the help she needs and is safe,' he said sounding relieved. 'I'd like to thank the community for all the support you gave us. Posting all the videos, pushing all the content, Handing out flyers, donating your time to look for my missing girl. It is those things that are going to help bring other kids home,' Gervasi said before explaining how he found her. 'I got an anonymous tip yesterday, and I want to thank that person for coming forward and giving me information about my daughter. The phone call that I received was that she was on a boat in Islip. I followed it up on my own and I went down there to check,' he explained. 'I bust into the boat and recovered my daughter. She has been saved and is alive. I believe it was persistency that helped bring her home,' Gervasi said. Speaking with News 12 on Saturday, Gervasi told how he believes Emmarae went off with someone she knew but then became afraid to come back home 'because of the consequences'. He also believes that she was picked up by a random man who took her trailer park before being transferred to the boat where she was held. Emmarae's mother Melissa Dervay said a weight was 'lifted off my body' when the intense search ended. 'The moment I heard her voice and knew she was OK, I felt a weight lifted off my body,' Dervay told Greater Long Island. 'I've been so tense for the past four weeks, quietly fighting a battle. Now, I'm elated. I feel light, and I just want to scream, 'She's OK. She's been found.'' Emmarae with her father Frank Gervasi and her stepmother Alyson Dad, Frank, believes Emmarae was picked up by a random man who took her trailer park before being transferred to the boat where she was held - and subsequently found Emmarae is seen being held by her father, Frank, in a photo from when she was younger Since his daughter vanished Gervasi got strange phone calls. One of the calls came early one morning from an unknown number. The voice on the other end of the phone sounded like his missing daughter. 'She said 'I love you' and I said 'Emma?',' he explained - but the line quickly went dead and he was unable to trace the number. Gervasi even put up a $10,000 reward for anyone who could help him bring his daughter home. The Gabby Petito Foundation, run by the parents of Petito whose daughter Gabby went missing on a cross country trip with her boyfriend, who then killed her and himself, also put up a posting to help the family. Labour was last night accused of plotting a shameless bid to 'rig' the next election by sweeping away laws to prevent voter fraud and allowing millions of foreign nationals to vote. Speculation is mounting in Westminster that ministers are drawing up radical reforms that will dramatically overhaul the way elections are held and potentially 'lock in' a Labour Party majority. The Government is already planning to extend the right to vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, with legislation expected later this year. Now the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), a Left-wing think-tank closely aligned with Labour, has called for the 'removal or relaxation' of rules that force people to show photographic identification before voting. Introduced in 2022, the rules were designed to protect postal and proxy voting from fraud and crack down on vote intimidation. The IPPR, however, warns turn-out is falling among non-graduates and renters and says lessening the photo ID requirements, or axing them, would 'reduce inequality at UK general elections'. Its report adds: 'Letting current trends in political inequality play out would be an obvious act of self-harm for this Government.' The IPPR also suggests that 5 million foreign nationals be allowed to vote a massive extension of the franchise likely to overwhelmingly benefit Labour. Labour was last night accused of plotting a shameless bid to 'rig' the next election by sweeping away laws to prevent voter fraud and allowing millions of foreign nationals to vote Commons Leader Lucy Powell (pictured) has already made clear the Government is looking at introducing reforms beyond just lowering the voting age The report says: 'Around five million permanent taxpaying residents of the UK do not have the right to vote in its elections. 'This is because citizens of countries other than the UK, Ireland and Commonwealth nations cannot register to vote, regardless of how long they have been resident in the UK. 'There is clear need for a wider political conversation about the notion of citizenship and voting rights in the UK.' The IPPR also says the Government could explore automatically registering voters 'shortly before their 16th birthdays' a move that would add 700,000 young people to the electoral register each year. The report last night sparked outrage from Tory MPs, who believe Labour is cynically preparing to 'gerrymander' elections. Nigel Huddleston, co-chairman of the Conservative Party, said: 'This is nothing more than a shameless attempt by Labour to rig elections in its favour and turn a blind eye to electoral fraud. 'It is no surprise that Labour has resorted to dirty tricks to improve its chances of electoral success and try to distract people away from its failures. 'In six short months in power it has trashed the economy, whacked up taxes and cut the winter fuel payment for 10 million vulnerable pensioners.' Nigel Huddleston, co-chairman of the Conservative Party (pictured) accused Labour of 'a shameless attempt...to rig elections in its favour' Former defence minister Sir Alec Shelbrooke added: 'It's patently clear that Labour is gearing up to roll back sensible ID voting reforms introduced by the Conservatives and introduce other changes to gerrymander the result of future elections in its favour. 'As Labour and Sir Keir Starmer's poll ratings collapse, this Government will get even keener on trying to rig election rules. 'But any changes won't be about fairness they'll be about ministers trying to save their own skins.' Commons Leader Lucy Powell has already made clear the Government is looking at introducing reforms beyond just lowering the voting age. Labour was approached for comment. A culture of 'fear and obfuscation' in Whitehall let grooming gangs go unpunished, Kemi Badenoch says today. The Tory leader attacks what she sees as the civil service's reluctance to tackle 'difficult' issues. Writing in today's Mail on Sunday, she says: 'We have failed to get to the bottom of how national-scale child sexual abuse happens, for fear of causing offence.' She adds: 'And it isn't just our government bodies. 'It's also the safeguarding institutions who are obsessed about 'inflaming community tensions' or being seen as 'targeting' an ethnic group.' Mrs Badenoch is also calling for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal after Home Office minister Jess Phillips rejected a request for one by Oldham Council. She says an inquiry should 'consider the likely racial or religious motivation of these crimes'. Kemi Badenoch (pictured) has attacked what she sees as the civil service's reluctance to tackle 'difficult' issues Badenoch said that an inquiry should 'consider the likely racial or religious motivation of these crimes'. Pictured: Keir Starmer 'It should identify the bodies that failed as well as the individuals who facilitated or ignored these crimes so they can be removed from their roles,' she adds. In an exclusive interview in today's YOU magazine, Ms Badenoch also says her reputation for being confrontational is all down to others mistaking her confidence for arrogance. The Tory leader confesses that the 'red mist descends' if she is confronted with dishonesty. But she also admits she may have to change. 'I treat people the way that I would treat myself,' she says. 'But now I'm realising I can't do that because I'm not like everybody else. I have thicker skin, so I have to learn to mellow myself for people who don't have the hide of a rhino.' It's been the time-honoured start to every Commons day for centuries a few minutes of private prayer and contemplation for MPs ahead of stormy political debates. But now the daily Christian worship is under threat from the new generation of Labour MPs for being 'archaic' and out-moded. The Mail on Sunday has been told some of Keir Starmer's newly- elected army of youthful politicians is pushing for the prayers to be ditched as part of wider Commons modernisation plans. The calls have triggered a generational war of words between younger politicians and parliamentarians with decades of experience. Veteran Conservative MP John Hayes hit out at the 'arrogance' of the 'new kids in town', accusing them of a 'lack of respect' for Parliament's Christian traditions. Sir John, first elected in 1997, said: 'Whether you believe in the divine or not, it's important to recognise our country is rooted in the Christian traditions. Prayers are a reminder of that.' But last night, one Labour MP elected just six months ago hit back by reminding Sir John that the party's general election landslide represented a generational shift in the make-up of the Commons and backed the right of new MPs to modernise the institution. He said: 'I don't think getting rid of daily prayers is top of people's priorities, but new MPs come with new ideas. It's a different demographic to the past.' Veteran Conservative MP John Hayes (pictured) hit out at the 'arrogance' of the 'new kids in town' for wanting to abolish prayers in Parliament Former Tory Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured), a Catholic, said the prayers are a 'reminder of our history and status as a Christian nation' In a practice dating back to 1558, MPs begin each day with private prayers which the public and the Press are not allowed to witness. The same happens in the Lords, but attendance for both MPs and peers is voluntary. Parliament's website says the prayers 'follow the Christian tradition' and there is 'no multi-faith element'. During the sessions, MPs and peers turn to the wall to pray a tradition thought to derive from the difficulty they would have had in the past of kneeling while wearing a sword. It is now understood a Commons modernisation committee, set up after Labour's win, has been asked by some of Sir Keir's new MPs to scrap the daily worship. A source said: 'They want to scrap them. They find it archaic and definitely see it as old practice.' However, it is thought unlikely that the committee, chaired by Commons Leader Lucy Powell, will take the idea on. Sir John, chairman of the Tories' common sense group, last night rebuked novice MPs for 'hostility' to the 'Christian traditions'. He said MPs praying together was 'a time of quiet reflection', adding: 'There's a certain sort of arrogance associated with people who arrive somewhere and want to change everything before they really understand it. Starting the day with private prayers is a parliamentary tradition dating back to 1558 'But there are also some people who either because of ignorance or hostility don't understand the point about the need for a period of contemplative time or the Christian tradition on which our country's system of ethics and laws are founded.' Former Tory Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Catholic, said the prayers are a 'reminder of our history and status as a Christian nation', adding: 'This is not the time to abandon God, whose help is most particularly needed when we have such an awful government.' In September, some Lib Dem MPs were accused of 'fiddling with their phones' during prayers. The party dismissed the claims, saying 'the Lib Dems are home to many practising Christian MPs, not least our party leader [Ed Davey].' An Aussie has sparked backlash after filming himself confronting a parking inspector and calling him a foul-mouthed name. Calum Fentie posted the footage to TikTok showing him approaching the inspector, who was working for the Northern Beaches Council, in Sydney, on Friday. The video, which has since been removed from the social media platform and shared elsewhere, showed Mr Fentie ask the inspector what he was doing. The inspector explained he was writing a ticket for a ute that wasn't owned by Mr Fentie as the vehicle did not have a parking permit or a ticket. 'Did you just wake up one day and was like, "I'm going to become the world's biggest f**kwit?" Mr Fentie asked. The confused inspector said it was 'none of your business' before he walked away to continue his job. The footage was shared on social media platform X where Aussies were quick to call out Mr Fentie. One described Mr Fentie as an 'A grade peanut' while praising the inspector for handling himself 'beautifully'. The question at the end. pic.twitter.com/weGCkqfm5P YNWA 2.0 (@JP__75) January 3, 2025 The video, which has since been removed from the social media platform and shared elsewhere, showed Mr Fentie ask the inspector what was doing 'Guys just doing his job, camera guys a f***ing nob just bullying people,' a second wrote. 'Parking inspectors have the highest rates of abuse out of any workplace,' a third wrote. 'Leave the poor bloke alone, hes gotta make ends meet some way.' 'If the ticket and fine is not lawful you (or) they can contest it, but abusing the person for doing their job, trying to bait them whilst a camera is in their face is entitled a**hole behaviour,' a fourth said. A fifth noted Mr Fentie was 'a bit rough' on the parking inspector despite the general opinion of those who take on the role. 'Some parking inspectors like the power trip but Im sure most just needed a job and would happily throw it in for something better given the opportunity,' they wrote. 'What an absolute w***er. You park illegally you get a ticket, pretty simple,' a sixth said. Mr Fentie returned fire, saying he 'wasn't expecting' the negativity and claimed the footage was 'just a joke'. Aussies have lashed out at Sydney man, Callum Fentie (pictured), after he approached a parking inspector and called him a 'f***wit' in a video posted to social media In a video posted to TikTok on Saturday, he described those directing 'hate' towards him as 'pro-vax people ... that are just pro-government'. 'If he was so worried about getting called a f***wit, you know what he would have done? He would have not got a job as a parking inspector,' Mr Fentie said. 'If I got a job as a parking Inspector, I would 100 per cent expect people to come up to me and call me that, but like I said before it was literally all just for a bit of a laugh. 'I just thought it'd be funny to call him a f***wit because it's funny, and he is.' He then launched into a tirade against the government, saying Aussies pay for registration, insurance, parking and get fined if you don't. 'You guys should be complaining that we're getting fined for parking,' he said. Mr Fentie said the 'haters' had inspired him to seek out more parking inspectors and make a series of similar videos. 'Just for you, I'm gonna go out and find more parking inspectors to call f***wits, just so you can write more hateful comments,' he said. A Northern Beaches Council spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that ''verbal abuse is a daily occurrence' for their parking inspectors. 'No one should face harassment, intimidation, or abuse while doing their job,' the spokesperson said. 'These dedicated professionals work hard to ensure that parking regulations are followed, contributing to the safety and accessibility of our streets and public spaces.' 'Disrespectful behaviour is not tolerated, and appropriate measures, will be taken against those who engage in abusive conduct.' Zeb Smathers, shows a ballot to his 4-year-old son, Stone Smathers, while voting on Nov. 5 in Canton, N.C. George Walker IV/Associated Press For the new year, you might have resolved to give up booze or bonbons. Maybe you should join me in giving up elections instead. Or, at the very least, in giving up the habit of investing money, time and hope that elections might improve our communities and our world. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Because democracy and elections, often used as synonyms, are two very different things. That was the central lesson of 2024, the biggest election year in history. More than half of humanity, 4 billion of us, lived in the more than 70 countries that held elections in 2024. Hopes were high that 2024 would be a year of greater democracy and positive change. Instead, the Year of Elections boosted autocracies, inspired violence, hamstrung governments, frustrated publics, and ultimately damaged democracy. Our obsession with elections is killing democracy, wrote Josh Lerner, co-executive director of the global democracy hub People Powered, in Boston Review. We pour billions of dollars into elections, but most people dont believe that elections are delivering actual democracy government by and for the people and theyre right. In many countries, 2024 elections were merely tools of oppression. Freedom House, a Washington D.C., non-profit, found 22 contests in which incumbents attempted to jail or disqualify opponents. In at least 16 elections, Freedom House found, voters had no real choices at the ballot box because of electoral manipulation. And violence was a major factor in 26 of the 62 elections that Freedom House monitored; election workers faced violent attacks in 12 contests. Assassination campaigns targeted candidates for local office in Mexico and in South Africa. Indias elections occasioned a wave of ethnic violence. France saw more than 50 documented assaults against candidates and activists, by both the far left and the far right. A South Korean opposition leader was stabbed, and Donald Trump was the target of two assassination attempts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In Iran, mullahs criminalized any criticism of its elections. In Russia, the Kremlin threatened students who did not vote in the unfair presidential election. In Venezuela, Nicolas Maduros regime stole the election outright. Election losers have long protested results, but 2024 saw the rise of the sore winner. In Georgia, the ruling party sought to use its parliamentary victory to make the opposition unconstitutional. Trump continued threatening political opponents with prison even after his victory. In Mexico, the ruling party used its re-election victory to end the independence of the judiciary. To be fair, some democratic optimists claimed to see good news in 2024 elections. Incumbent parties and politicians lost power or legislative seats throughout the world, notably in India, South Africa and Japan. There were peaceful transfers of power in Senegal and Botswana. But too often power shifts produced strife rather than optimism. South Koreas attempted presidential coup in December was the culmination of heightened political warring with an opposition party that won Congress in April elections. This ugly year ought to teach us all a hard lesson: Elections, once seen as the epitome of democracy, are actually poisonous to democracy. Elections are fundamentally disempowering, says Leonora Camner, executive director of the global nonprofit Democracy Without Elections. Theyre about dividing people with slogans and stoking fears. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Camner suggests that the logical response is to refocus on building democratic processes that empower people to govern themselves. But there are few signs of a shift. Why? Because powerful people and interests control elections. Their money determines who gets to be a candidate and which parties win. In the United States, the post-election conversation has been infuriating. The Democratic Party, which had claimed to be committed to democracy, now offers little opposition, all but surrendering to the anti-constitutional, anti-democratic plans of an authoritarian new administration. Leading liberals, who should be embracing democratic reforms, are instead obsessing about keeping donors on board for the 2026 midterm elections. What should we do beyond elections? In a must-read post-election piece, Matt Leighninger, democratic innovation director for the (U.S.) National Civic League, suggested 10 changes to empower people to make more government decisions themselves. Congress could even help by enacting the bipartisan Building Civic Bridges Act, to boost democratic infrastructure. Advertisement Article continues below this ad About Opinion Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies The limited, frustrating and expensive version of democracy we have today, where parties tout voting as the main way for Americans to participate in governance, doesnt make people feel like they have a voice, or that they matter, Leighninger wrote. Barclays Bank is facing a furious backlash after it emerged it was paying customers to pretend to be blind or deaf to test staff over their approach to disabilities, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Disability charities accused Barclays of being 'totally inappropriate' over its 'insult' to disabled people after the firm hired research company Ipsos to find people to carry out more than 1,600 'vulnerable customer visits' all over the UK. These tasks pay 'mystery shoppers' 45 in return for visiting a branch either with real or acted-out disability issues, such as mobility problems, hearing or visual impairments, before filling in questionnaires evaluating how Barclays' workers react. The Barclays-branded instruction sheet says anyone signing up must have a current account with the bank but can then 'fabricate a back-story' about how they became blind or deaf if necessary. It reads: 'You would ideally have a REAL visual impairment. However, you can fabricate this if needed. 'Please note that for those using a fabricated back-story you must provide your feedback from the point-of-view of a customer with a real vulnerability.' On the job advertisement for the scenario for how its staff treat blind or visually impaired mystery shoppers, the instructions from Barclays read: 'You will speak to a member of staff to say your eyesight is becoming increasingly problematic and you are struggling to read statements and letters. 'Although you wear glasses your eyesight is becoming increasingly blurry and / or spotty and the situation is not going to improve, so you are wondering how Barclays can help with your day-to-day banking.' Barclays Bank is facing a furious backlash after it emerged it was paying customers to pretend to be blind or deaf to test staff over their approach to disabilities (Stock iamge) Disability charities accused Barclays of being 'totally inappropriate' over its 'insult' to disabled people. Pictured: CS Venkatakrishnan, chief executive officer of Barclays Andrew Hodgson (pictured), of the National Federation of the Blind UK (NFBUK), said the 'move is an insult to all blind, deafblind and partially sighted people' The job advert for the deaf customer role, which pays 45 for a single branch visit, reads: 'To undertake this enquiry, you will ideally need to have a REAL 'hard of hearing impairment'... however, you can fabricate this if needed. 'Speak to a member of staff to say your hearing is becoming increasingly problematic and you are struggling to hear when speaking to an adviser.' Ipsos told the Mail on Sunday, when asked for more details about how to 'fabricate' a disability, that some scenarios 'take an awful lot of acting, so it has to be something you're comfortable to do. If you're not comfortable with doing it, we wouldn't ask you to do it.' But Andrew Hodgson, of the National Federation of the Blind UK (NFBUK), said: 'This is totally inappropriate. Barclays' move is an insult to all blind, deafblind and partially sighted people. 'Why can't they recruit blind people for research, so they truly get to understand the challenges and problems we are facing accessing financial services? 'Nobody [else] can have genuine insight into our access needs, without the lived experience of being blind, deafblind or partially sighted.' Mr Hodgson, who is blind and uses a white cane, added: 'NFBUK is more than willing to cooperate and discuss with any banks our concerns to ensure financial services are accessible to us and that we can access them independently. We hope the bank gets in contact with us we are ready to talk.' Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay Steve Darling, who is registered blind and has a guide dog, also rebuked Barclays. Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay Steve Darling, who is registered blind and has a guide dog, also rebuked Barclays He said: 'There's more than enough people out there with genuine disabilities who'd be happy to step up.' A Barclays spokesman said: 'We are committed to providing all our customers with the best level of service. 'We seek direct feedback from customers, colleagues, charity partners and undertake mystery shopper exercises using a specialist company to identify areas for improvement. 'While we set out to find mystery shoppers with experience of impairments, we can do better and will look to do so immediately.' A wealthy businessman will be forced to pay his wife an extra $10million in a divorce settlement after she discovered his secret account. The Sydney couple had been locked in the legal battle as his wife staked a claim for $174million out of the couple's combined wealth of $565million. The ruling found the couple were only in a relationship for a relatively short period of time under 10 years, had no children and the husband brought in most of the wealth. The court heard the wife sold an apartment for $260,000 before the relationship developed and that money was used as a deposit on another property. Justice Richard Schonell slammed both parties in his published ruling saying they been at times untruthful'. The husband, who cannot be legally named, had claimed his assets were worth only $50million, but employing an old nickname proved his undoing when his ex wife found it had been used for multiple online accounts. Although business accounts were under the name of the husband's brother the court ruled he was a 'straw man' and not the real controller of the money. The business was found to have assets worth $480million. A wealthy businessman will be forced to pay his wife an extra $10million in a divorce settlement after she discovered his secret account Because the husband has business and property assets spread around the globe the wife has been pursuing him with actions in overseas courts. The property portfolio is valued at tens of millions of dollars, including blue chip Sydney properties and a $20million trophy home overseas. As well as the separating couple, the husband's brother also gave evidence during the trial with Justice Schonell unimpressed by all of them. 'They each have a clear motivation to give self-serving evidence and the findings and admissions reveal they have been at times untruthful,' he wrote in the judgement. Justice Schonell found the wife's evidence was 'implausible and at times fanciful' and that 'the husband has sought to obscure the true extent of his wealth'. The judge awarded the wife an extra $10million - bringing her total share to almost $20million. An Ohio man is fighting to keep a street he accidentally bought for $5,000 over claims the city is trying to take it from him. Jason Fauntleroy won a vacant lot in Trenton four years ago for around $5,000 at a Butler County Sheriff's Office auction. Remarkably, he walked away from the auction with the ownership of the entire street as well as his plot - with the street also boasting five other homes. According to WCPO, the city started to reclaim the land that he bought through eminent domain. Fauntleroy told the outlet he has been having a 'nightmare' with the city of Trenton over the land. He has claimed he isn't being offered what he deserves for it, with only the lot of land he originally intended to purchase - rather than the full street. Jason Fauntleroy won a vacant lot in Trenton four years ago for around $5,000 at a Butler County Sheriff's Office auction Remarkably, he walked away from the auction with the ownership of the entire street as well as his plot Fauntleroy told the outlet: 'They shut me out. They blocked my calls. Its hard to even get through anybody.' Trenton City Manager Marcos Nichols said they did so as a result of Fauntleroy's behavior and conversations over the street. Nichols told the outlet that it was also not entirely clear just how he has ended up owning the full street. He said: 'Im not sure how that occurs other than it was a private drive that was created through a homeowners association. 'The homeowners association was responsible for maintaining that property and upkeeping it.' Nichols said the goal was to convert the private drive into a public roadway so the city are then responsible for maintaining it. The map above details in blue exactly what land Fauntleroy owns, which is essentially a large driveway He has claimed he isn't being offered what he deserves for it, with only the lot of land he originally intended to purchase, seen here When asked by the outlet why only the lot was appraised and not the street, Nichols said: 'I cannot speak to the appraised value.' Fauntleroy added: 'Treat people fair, do honest work. Dont just take advantage of someone because they dont have the means of getting an attorney.' According to Ohio State law owners whose properties are taken by eminent domain are due 'just compensation'. That is determined to be the fair market value of the piece of property. Bali Nine drug smuggler Matthew Norman has been seen with his Indonesian wife Anita in Australia for the first time since he was released from jail. Norman and Anita appeared in high spirits as they attended church with friends at Torquay, in Victoria, on Sunday morning. The Bali Nine member wore a loose fitting black shirt with grey pants while his partner opted for a vibrant look with a yellow top and summer skirt. Questions had been raised about whether Norman would be forced to live apart from his wife and stepdaughter, 15, following his release from an Indonesian jail cell. Anita and her daughter can travel to Australia through normal visa application processes, but it remains unclear if they will be allowed to permanently stay in the country. Norman arrived in Melbourne just before Christmas and is believed to be living in a waterfront mansion in Torquay, a popular tourist town known for its surf beaches. The $4million two-storey home has four-bedrooms and is just a stone's throw from Cosy Corner, a beach popular with families because of its calm swells. The property is owned by Christian couple Ann and Alan Wilkins who offered it to Norman after forming a close relationship while he was in prison. Convicted Bali Nine drug smuggler Matthew Norman has been seen with his Indonesian wife Anita for the first time since he was released from jail. The couple is pictured Norman married his Indonesian girlfriend Anita (pictured) at the Kerobokan jail in 2014 Norman was sentenced to death in 2006 after he was caught trying to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin out of Bali. The sentence was reduced to life in prison in 2008 Norman was sentenced to death in 2006 after he was caught trying to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin out of Bali. The sentence was reduced to life in prison in 2008. He married his Indonesian girlfriend Anita - who he met while in prison - at the Kerobokan jail in 2014. She has travelled to Australia with her daughter Stella, 15. Just 18-years-old at the time of his arrest, Norman is the youngest member of the Bali Nine, three of whom are dead - two executed and one who died from cancer. He left school aged 16 because he wanted to work and make money rather than finish his HSC and later said he had been 'reckless, callous, wanted to cut corners in life'. Just a naive teenager when he was first locked up in Kerobokan jail, Norman learnt his incarceration had a serious effect on his family back home. One of his sisters became anorexic, another was harassed because of her brother's crime, and his parents got hate mail. He was one of just two of the original Bali Nine who remained in Kerobokan until his release, where he designed t-shirts, bags and posters and applied for sentence reductions. He admitted that every day was 'just a struggle to keep doing good things' amid the 'chaos' of prison. Norman, along with Scott Rush, Michael Czugaj, Martin Stephens and Si Yi Chen were all released from prison in Indonesia last month, after being jailed almost 20 years ago. Bali Nine member Matthew Norman is pictured left and his wife Anita is pictured right The couple, who married in Kerobokan prison in 2014, is pictured with family and friends on Sunday Matthew Norman (left) looked happy and relieved after spending almost 20 years in jail for drug smuggling Norman (pictured) was one of just two of the original Bali Nine who remained in Kerobokan until his release, where he designed t-shirts, bags and posters They were transferred home to Australia after the federal government struck a deal with Indonesia in a top secret mission following weeks of negotiations. The development came after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese requested the transfer at a meeting with new Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto at the APEC Summit in November. Mr Subianto agreed to let the prisoners free on humanitarian grounds. Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, another of the Bali Nine drug mules who had collectively attempted to smuggle 8.7kg of heroin, died from stomach cancer behind bars in 2018. Chan and Sukumaran were executed in 2015, while Renae Lawrence was released after serving 13 years. On December 30, Rush learned his fate in relation to a string of crimes committed 20 years ago. Supported by his parents Lee and Christine, Rush appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court last Monday to face historical charges which happened before his 2005 arrest at Bali Airport. The now 39-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of fraud, receiving tainted property and entering premises, all committed when he was 19, the Courier-Mail reported. Rush pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft from homes across Brisbane, where he stole cash, a hearing aid, a Nintendo GameBoy, Nokia mobile phones and jewellery in March 2005. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a Toyota sedan that month, to twice defrauding Cash Converters in late 2004, and to receiving stolen property and failing to appear in court in April 2005. The court heard that Rush committed most of the crimes while he was subject to suspended sentences ranging from one month to two months' jail, issued in January 2005. He was a drug addict at the time, which months later led to him being arrested in Bali and spending almost two decades in jail, the court heard. His solicitor Terry Fisher asked the court if Rush could be convicted but not sentenced, noting the two decades he had spent in jail already. The police prosecutor Matthew Bach agreed with the submission and Magistrate Patricia Kirkman-Scroope convicted Rush for 13 offences, but did not further punish him. Nato will demand Sir Keir Starmer rapidly increases Britain's spending on air defence to protect against potential ballistic missile strikes, it has been reported. The request, which is expected to be made by the end of the year, is understood to stem from frustration that the UK is not contributing enough to Europe's defence systems against such attacks. The revelation comes as military chiefs chillingly warned last night that Britain could soon be vulnerable to ballistic missile strikes from anywhere in the world. An investigation by The Times newspaper, revealed there are increasing concerns about the holes in Britain's missile defences. More than a dozen serving military personnel and defence experts have exposed that Britain and its military assets overseas are potentially at risk from long-range missiles being developed by China, Russia and Iran. One senior military source warned that if a weapon was fired from from a ship, submarine or aircraft, the UK could be attacked from any direction. 'In 15 years' time, a ballistic missile will be able to hit Britain from anywhere in the world,' they said. 'But it's a very expensive problem to fix.' Another said that the UK is now in 'peril' due to the country's 'very thin air defences'. A grab taken from footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry on March 1, 2024 purporting to show the test firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile Prime Minister Keir Starmer holds a press conference, following his first cabinet meeting at Downing Street on July 6 HMS Diamond, a Type 45 destroyer, currently on operations in the Mediterranean sea, tests its defence systems They explained the lack of investment in this area was because 'nobody thought we needed it' but developments in Ukraine and Israel now 'suggest otherwise'. Moreover, fanatical militant groups such as the Houthis, an Iranian-backed militia in Yemen, have now also got their hands on long-range weapons. While the missiles possessed by this group are not capable of striking the UK, Britain's military bases in Cyprus Akrotiri and Dhekelia are within reach. Other countries such as the US and Israel have spent billions of pounds developing their own defensive shield in response to the increased threat from ballistic missiles. Germany also signed a 3.2 billion deal with Israel last year to purchase a defence system called Arrow 3, which is designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside the Earth's atmosphere. While the UK has signed up to a European programme to develop new long-range weapons, its defence systems remain inferior to its allies. Britain's main form of air defence are the Royal Navy's six Type 45 destroyers, touted as the world's best air defence warship, and the British Army's advanced Sky Sabre missile system. Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip in January Pictured: A battery of Israel's Iron Dome air defence system deployed near Jerusalem on April 15, 2024 Houthis-made mock missiles and drones are displayed at a square in Sana'a, Yemen, on December 21 Type 45s have an anti-air missile defence system that can destroy incoming threats 70 miles away. The vessels were previously described by Sir Nick Carter, the former chief of the defence staff as arguably 'the only capability the UK has to deal with strikes similar to those unleashed on Ukraine by Russia. The Type 45s recently helped repel drone and missile attacks launched by Houthi militants on merchant vessels in the Gulf and Red Sea. However, insiders within the Ministry of Defence fear that Royal Navy warships could be sunk by more advanced weapons. It comes as a former Tory defence minister previously warned that Britain is woefully unprepared for a major drone assault and needs its own Israel-style 'Iron Dome' to protect itself. Tobias Ellwood feared the UK had no adequate way to shield itself from a full-scale invasion of explosive kamikaze drones - like those seen bombing Ukraine and Israel. His comments followed mysterious sightings of unmanned aerial vehicles - UAVs - brazenly circling military bases in the UK and US, which prompted alarm. Mr Ellwood - a former chairman of the Commons defence committee - warned Britain needed to 'wake up' and 'recognise our critical national infrastructure is so exposed'. 'Why don't we have an Iron Dome capability? Because these are just passive drones flying over a runway causing disruption,' he told LBC's Tom Swarbrick last month. A boy rides a donkey near one of the batteries of Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system Tobias Ellwood, a former defence minister, warned Britain needed its own Iron Dome to stop future drone incursions (he is pictured on LBC) 'Imagine as I say if something far more powerful, more kinetic such as one of those Iranian drones were to be launched from the English Channel. 'What protection do we have there? We don't. And that I'm afraid is the very dark world that we're now entering.' Last month a senior military chief also warned the UK had 'never been more at risk of an attack from Russia'. Writing for Mail+, General Sir Richard Shirreff said Britain could be overrun by Russia in a week and that the nation must desperately start preparing for war. The former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe feared the UK would be vulnerable to a barrage of hypersonic missiles, capable of ripping through the sky at 11 times the speed of sound, which could obliterate London. 'You might regard it as scaremongering,' he wrote. 'But with Ukraine and Russia about to see an enforced ceasefire imposed by President Donald Trump as he returns to the White House next month a ceasefire that favours only the Kremlin Britain and Western Europe have never been more at risk of an attack from Russia. 'We have to prepare, if we are not to suffer a swift and catastrophic defeat... and a war lost before it is barely begun.' Former British Army Captain Mr Ellwood said Britain should increase defence spending to three per cent of GDP - just over 68billion. Labour is currently committed to spending 2.5 per cent of national income on the military. Meanwhile, despot Vladimir Putin is pumping 6.3 per cent of GDP on the Kremlin's military - roughly 114billion. Steven Spielbergs iconic masterpiece Jaws was rightly hailed as one of the scariest films ever made when it was released in cinemas 50 years ago. The blockbusting film about a man-eating Great White Shark stalking the shores of a summer resort town in America struck fear into the hearts of millions. Now it can be revealed that Britains film censors at the time made the incredible decision to allow children as young as five to see the movie after psychiatrists advised that the sight of the marine predator in action was likely to prove far more disturbing to adults than to most children. Details of the advice have been disclosed for the first time as the film prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its release later this year. Files in the archive of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) show its examiners did initially worry about how children would react to the film. In its opening sequence alone, a woman is killed by the shark as she skinny dips after a beach party, to the accompaniment of the films spine-tingling score. But censors still awarded Jaws the family-friendly A (advisory) certificate after experts bizarrely advised that children, who had always been fascinated by monsters, dinosaurs and wild animals in the sea were closer to violence in their own natures which we all learn to suppress as we grow older and consequently better able to cope than their parents. At the time of its 1975 release, Jaws A certificate meant anyone five or over could see it, although parents were advised it contained scenes that some aged under 14 might find uncomfortable. The BBFC even organised a precautionary special test screening for children and asked the films distributor to display additional content guidance in cinema foyers. Despite this, many parents complained about the films irresponsible certificate. Britains film censors at the time made the incredible decision to allow children as young as five to see Jawa - on the basis that it would disturb them less than adults Roy Schneider as police chief Martin Brody. The classic film prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its release later this year At the time of its 1975 release, Jaws A certificate meant anyone five or over could see it, although parents were advised that some children under 14 may find some scenes uncomfortable One wrote: We have just returned from seeing Jaws. The effect is shattering. The screams of us all and particularly those of little children are ringing in my ears. I am in my 40s and am wondering whether I will sleep well tonight. The board defended the rating by citing the evidence of the medical experts who even included a professor of child psychiatry from Great Ormond Street Hospital. In its response to parents, it wrote: The film was discussed with a number of most distinguished consultants in child psychiatry, as well as directors of London child guidance clinics. It was the unanimous feeling of those consulted that the film was likely to prove far more disturbing to adults than to most children. Jaws, based on the book by Peter Benchley and starring Roy Many parents complained about the film's irresponsible certificate at the time The BBFC ran a test screening of the film for children, which later raised eyebrows among its own staff Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw, went on to become 1975s biggest box-office hit. The BBFCs decision to have a test screening for children later raised eyebrows among its own staff. In 1987, an examiner referenced the screening and asked: Is this strictly ethical? A spokesman for the BBFC, which reclassified the film 12A in 2012, meaning viewers under 12 should be accompanied by an adult, said: At the time of the original classification, A cautioned parents that the film may be unsuitable for young children. During this time, the rating effectively functioned in the same way as the current PG, which was later introduced in the early 1980s. A Harley Street doctor with an unblemished 50-year record of patient care has told how his reputation is in tatters after one of his employees falsely accused him of sexual assault. Dr John Keet, 80, was publicly marched out of his consulting rooms, frisked and locked in a cell after he was accused of inappropriately touching the woman. The grandfather-of-six faced a three-year nightmare before he was unanimously cleared last month at Southwark Crown Court in London. He had to take out a six-figure loan to meet his legal costs. Devout Catholic Dr Keet, who also works in the NHS, said: 'It is unfair my name will be linked on the internet with base accusations, though I will apply to have this erased. 'Meanwhile, an accuser can carry on with complete, lifelong anony-mity targeting the low hanging fruit of professionals who are especially vulnerable because they practise from a position of trust.' He said the woman made her claims in a 999 call ten days after she left, demanding a severance fee for 14 days ad hoc work in 2021. Dr Keet, a specialist in care for the elderly, said: 'Police swooped in the middle of my practice, among colleagues and patients. 'I was dragged off by three or four officers, thrown in a cell and interviewed for hours. It was traumatic.' Dr John Keet (pictured) was publicly marched out of his consulting rooms, frisked and locked in a cell after he was accused of inappropriately touching the woman The grandfather-of-six faced a three-year nightmare before he was unanimously cleared last month at Southwark Crown Court in London He had hired the younger woman to assist his two office stalwarts, his PA, 85, and 71-year old secretary. He said he came into contact with her twice, accidentally touching heads as they rose while working at a desk, then steadying her after she climbed on a table to open a window. The jury accepted his account of these incidents. The other six allegations which made up the eight charges of sexual assault he faced were, he says, 'phantom' claims. He was only charged almost a year after his arrest in January 2022. 'Thankfully when this finally got to court justice prevailed but the impact's been significant,' he said. 'The allegations were on the internet for my patients to read. I had to report myself to my medical regulatory body and I withdrew from reading and serving in church to avoid embarrassing parishioners.' Born in a Japanese prisoner-of- war camp in Shanghai, where his parents were interned, he has lived in London since the 1970s and travels widely treating NHS patients. He said: 'I became a doctor and work in the NHS because I have always felt I was living a borrowed life after being born a PoW. 'I wanted to do good in the world and that still drives me. I'm an honourable gentleman and glad that ultimately a jury believed me.' Filmmaker Jeff Baena died by suicide inside the Los Angeles home he shared with his actress wife Aubrey Plaza. In an update after his death on Friday, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said the 47-year-old died by hanging at their Los Feliz property. His body was discovered by an assistant in the home they purchased in 2022 and officers responded to the home at 10:25 am, the Los Angeles Fire Department told DailyMail.com. 'Death was determined for an approximately 47-year old male, no transport,' they said in a statement. 'We responded to the 2100 block of Fern Dale Place for a death investigation. Officers responded for a male decedent,' the Los Angeles Police Department added. The Life After Beth director was pronounced dead at the scene. Baena's family told Deadline that they are devastated by the news and are asking for privacy at this time. The pair were last seen together on a hike this past summer, six months before his tragic suicide. On July 5 they were seen enjoying a stroll in Los Angeles' Griffith Park. In an update after his death on Friday, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said the 47-year-old died by hanging in their Los Feliz property In an update after his death on Friday, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said the 47-year-old, seen here with his wife, died by hanging in their Los Feliz property The pair were last seen together on a hike this past summer, six months before his tragic suicide Dressed in casual hiking gear, the couple appeared relaxed in one another's company as they visited the park, a favorite among locals. Baena got into film after he graduated from New York University with a film degree and moved to LA to launch his career. He worked low-level jobs for big directors, including Robert Zemeckis and David O. Russell as he found his footing in the industry. He worked as a production assistant for Zemeckis and as an assistant editor for Russell. He is best known for directing Life After Beth, his directorial debut, which Plaza starred in, and The Little Hours. Baena also co-wrote I Heart Huckabees, which was nominated for a 2004 Gotham Award for Best Feature. He also wrote Life After Beth, which premiered at Sundance in 2014. His film Joshy also premiered at the famous festival and was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize. The Miami native also worked on Horse Girl and Spin Me Round. For his television works, he directed and executive produced Showtime series Cinema Toast. He co-directed the product with his wife. He also had previously spoken candidly about mental health ahead of the release of his 2020 film Horse Girl. On a Reddit Ask Me Anything forum he was asked if the film's lead Sarah, played by Alison Brie, being released from the mental hospital and if the scene was based on personal experiences. Baena got into film after he graduated from New York University with a film degree and moved to LA to launch his career In her final post with Baena shared in May 2021, the award-winning actress praised her 'darling husband' Baena openly admitted to watching his stepmom suffering from bipolar disorder saying: 'Unfortunately, people get released all the time when they still need treatment,' he wrote in February 2020. 'The 72-hour mandatory hold only applies to patients who are a danger to themselves, so they must be released after that appraisal period. 'My first stepmom had manic depression and was in and out of facilities in Miami due to the Baker Act (5150 in California). 'While I would not consider "Horse Girl" to be an activist film, the themes of how we as a society and individuals treat persons with mental illness was a major focus and impetus for making this.' Baena and Brie cowrote the film together about the latter's family history with mental illness, specifically the actress' grandmother, who suffered from schizophrenia. 'That was the original impetus for writing a story like this,' Brie, who is married to actor Dave Franco, wrote on the forum. The director and husband of Aubrey Plaza also said his family history with mental illness had influenced the film's plot as well. He secretly married The White Lotus star in 2020 almost a decade after they met, keeping their relationship largely out of the limelight. Plaza has not publicly commented on the death of her husband. The actress's final Instagram post with her husband revealed how 'proud' she was of him. He secretly married The White Lotus star in 2020 almost a decade after they met, keeping their relationship largely out of the limelight In her final post with Baena shared in May 2021, the award-winning actress praised her 'darling husband'. 'So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that take us to Italia to cause some more trouble,' she captioned the post. The heartbreaking last post together featured the star couple lovingly gazing into each other's eyes and was accompanied with screenshots of a Deadline article detailing their 'new assignment' - the 2022 film Spin Me Round. Baena is survived by his wife, his mother Barbra Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, his stepmother Michele Baena, his brother Brad Baena, and his step siblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman. Aubrey enjoyed a New York Knicks Game just two days before his tragic death. The actress was seated in the front row at Manhattan's Madison Square Garden on New Year's Day to watch the home team play the Utah Jazz. In a photo shared on the Knicks' Instagram, Plaza was pictured in a pair of jeans, a black corduroy jacket and an orange billed cap over her straight, brunette locks. 'Starting off the new year with our courtside friends,' the organization wrote next to a carousel of high profile fans, including Tracee Ellis Ross, Judd Apatow, Leslie Mann and their daughter, Maude, and Keenan Michael Key. It comes as Aubrey was scheduled to present at the 2025 Golden Globes ahead of the tragic death. Aubrey enjoyed a New York Knicks Game just two days before his tragic death It comes as Aubrey was scheduled to present at the 2025 Golden Globes ahead of the tragic death Earlier this week, the actress was announced among the stars, including Andrew Garfield, Demi Moore, Gal Gadot and Nicolas Cage, scheduled to take the stage during Sunday's show at the award show's 82nd annual ceremony. It is highly unlikely that the Parks and Recreation star will still present or attend the Golden Globes, which will take place just two days after her husband's passing. DailyMail.com has reached out to her representatives, but has not heard back. Plaza has not publicly commented on the death of her husband. Last year, the performer earned her first Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a television limited series/motion picture for her performance as Harper Spiller in White Lotus. Aubrey shared rare insight on marriage to Jeff during a recent Howard Stern interview. She spoke about being married to a writer-director while making an appearance on The Howard Stern Show about three months ago. On the radio show in September 2024, she spoke about maintaining friendships and a relationship in her line of work. When Stern suggested that being married to a filmmaker rather than an actor was 'better for [her],' the Parks and Recreation alum agreed. She also spoke about how she is 'happy' overall, in spite of Stern pushing back. When Stern insinuated that her job was 'not bringing you the happiness that you thought it would bring,' she said with a laugh: 'It's lonely at the top.' 'I don't know how much of this is a put on, but it sounds like you're not that happy,' he told her. 'I really don't know. I can't tell you what's real or not. That's my problem.' When Stern asked if she has friends that she 'doubts whether they're really your friends,' she replied: 'No, I'm a pretty selective friend. 'Like, a lot of my friends are friends that I've had since I was, you know, in high school or whatever. I mean, I have new friends too but I'm not, like, going out there trying to make friends. To that, he then asked her what she was 'doubting is real' and she responded that it was her 'feelings.' The White Lotus star elaborated and explained how being an actor means she is good at 'manipulating her feelings,' a trait that Stern suggested is 'dangerous.' He spoke about confusing feelings and asked her about feeling competitive when dating someone else in the same career. She said she 'never really, like, really really dated an actor, like, been with an actor for a long time or anything like that.' Back in 2021, she also spoke fondly of him while talking about being both work and life partners with him. While making an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, she also spoke about their spontaneous nuptials during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'It's so great, it's so complicated,' she told the talk show host and fellow actor. 'It's, like, extreme highs and extreme, you know, complications. It's a really hard thing to navigate, but we've been together for 11 years. We just muscle our way through it.' She also spoke about how they got married in the tie-dye pajamas he made for them during the pandemic in their backyard. That same year, she also told People that the Covid-19 pandemic strengthened their relationship. 'We were quarantined for months and months like everybody else,' she gushed. 'And we did enjoy it. I think it was, obviously other than all of the catastrophic things happening in the world, just on a personal level, relationship level, was kind of nice to just be forced to be in one place for that long.' Plaza recalled that they tied the knot spontaneously in front of an 'altar of their love objects.' Plaza taped the interview with Stern in September 2024, just months before her husband was found dead Beliefs make a huge difference to the societies which hold them. Whatever you think about faith, it is obvious that the Christian and Muslim worlds are deeply different from each other in law, custom and social fabric. In Asia, the divides between Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam are just as striking. And where religion was suppressed or persecuted, as it was in the Soviet Empire, the society that had previously existed was swept away by new rules and priorities which hurt many. This United Kingdom has been Christian for well over a thousand years. This has not just formed our ideas of right and wrong although it has. It has decided the shapes of our families. It has fashioned the language we speak, through its scriptures and prayers. It has helped to define our landscape, our music, our literature and our architecture. Perhaps most of all, it has moulded our laws and government. The idea that God is above all human authority led to the belief that law stands above political power and so helped create the great binding contracts which assure our freedom, from the Magna Carta to modern ideas of human rights, which embody largely Christian principles. In the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey, Christian scriptures are displayed on the walls and above the main street entrance. A statue of Christ stands high above the door of the Royal Courts of Justice. As for the Houses of Parliament, they are filled with Christian imagery, including murals in the Central Lobby of the patron saints of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. In a tradition dating back to the 16th-century, each Commons sitting starts with private prayers read by the Speaker's Chaplain Starting the day with private prayers is a parliamentary tradition dating back to 1558 The quarter-hour chimes of Big Ben are based on the air from Handels Messiah, I know that My Redeemer Liveth itself a quotation from the Bible. And anyone who doubts the Christian roots of our constitution could hardly have missed their importance in the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III. The King himself also referred directly to the Christian Gospels in his recent Christmas broadcast. Whether you like this aspect of our country or not, nobody can deny that it is there, and that it would make a huge difference if we were to abandon it. This is not just a matter of taste or preference. It is a major political, social and moral issue. But now we learn that some new Labour MPs wish to dispense with the prayers which, each day, begin the sessions of the House of Commons. They say the prayers are archaic. By this we can guess that they mean they do not like them. People in general do rather like old things, as the enormous number of visitors to museums and National Trust properties demonstrates likewise, the popularity of our most ancient towns with tourists. Why would these MPs care enough to get rid of this small tribute to history and faith? The prayers are anything but compulsory. No MP has to attend them. The requirement for MPs to take religious oaths was dropped long ago. But the Commons prayers connect the Parliament of today with a great procession emerging from this countrys remote past: a procession towards liberty under the law, freedom of speech and thought, and limited government. Perhaps above all, they remind todays politicians that they too will one day be buried under thick layers of history, and that they are bound and limited by traditions which are often wiser than they first appear. Leave these prayers alone. Very probably, as these new MPs learn the well-worn ways of Westminster, some of them will come to respect and value what they now wish to remove. Anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq was under pressure to quit last night after it emerged she had lied about receiving a London flat as a gift. The Mail on Sunday has repeatedly asked Ms Siddiq if she was given the two-bedroom apartment, now worth 700,000, previously owned by a property developer connected to her Bangladeshi dictator aunt. She has denied it was a gift, instead insisting that her parents had bought it for her. She also threatened the MoS with legal action. Now, however, Labour sources have confirmed that the King's Cross flat was indeed given to her by the developer as an 'act of gratitude'. Ms Siddiq, 42, whose role is to stamp out corruption in Britain's financial sector, is under investigation in her native Bangladesh, where she and four family members are accused of embezzling 3.9 billion from a nuclear power plant. Last night, Tory MPs demanded she stands down as Treasury minister unless she explains herself. Bob Blackman, the Tory MP for Harrow East, said: 'Ms Siddiq needs to clarify the position in relation to her property dealings and explain what was stated originally and why. If she does not, her position as a minister is untenable.' Matt Vickers MP, Shadow Home Office minister, added: 'Allegations of this nature against any member of government are unacceptable, but are even more questionable when the minister is Starmer's anti-corruption minister.' Anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq (pictured) was under pressure to quit last night after it emerged she had lied about receiving a London flat as a gift Ms Siddiq previously denied the flat (pictured) was a gift and insisted it was bought for her by her parents And Ben Obese-Jecty, the Tory MP for Huntingdon, said: 'This new information about Tulip Siddiq is troubling. 'Now that it has been shown the flat was gifted to her and not purchased by her as previously claimed, Tulip Siddiq has further questions to answer.' Labour sources last night told the MoS that in 2022, when we first made enquiries, Ms Siddiq was told by her family that the flat was bought from a house sale. But apparently the family's recollections changed last week. A Labour insider yesterday told the Financial Times: 'Following financial support provided by Tulip's parents to an acquaintance during a challenging time in his life, he subsequently transferred a property he owned into Tulip's ownership as an act of gratitude for her parents' support.' Immediately after the FT published its story, Labour sources contacted the MoS to reiterate they did not 'deliberately mislead' us three years ago. Ms Siddiq declined to comment, but a source close to her said: 'Tulip's previous understanding of how she gained ownership of the property has changed. 'As soon as she realised the error she ensured the journalist who enquired previously was informed.' Land Registry records showed Ms Siddiq became the sole owner of the third-floor flat in November 2004, when she would have just finished her MA at King's College, London, and had no known income. The property had no mortgage and no price on it, suggesting it was not bought but transferred to her. Land Registry records showed Ms Siddiq became the sole owner of the third-floor flat in November 2004, when she had just finished a masters degree at King's College London We established that the previous owner of the flat was Abdul Motalif, now 70, a fellow Bangladeshi, who bought the property in 2001 for 195,000. In April 2022, when we asked Ms Siddiq if the property was given to her as a gift, we were told by the Labour party in an email: 'When Tulip's parents separated over 20 years ago, they sold their family home and bought the King's Cross flat with the proceeds. Any suggestion this money came from any other source is entirely wrong and defamatory.' We further delved into Ms Siddiq's family background, and found no evidence of them selling a house around 2002 or earlier. In July, we sent further questions to Ms Siddiq and the Labour party, but she threatened us with legal action. An email from her Parliamentary account said: 'The allegations you have set out are inaccurate and highly damaging. Tulip will not hesitate to take legal action if they are included in any article you plan to publish.' She added: 'As previously stated, Tulip Siddiq's parents sold their family home and used the proceeds to buy the flat.' Ms Siddiq's claims prevented us from publishing our story. Mr Motalif is connected to the Awami League, the repressive Bangladeshi political party that was led by Ms Siddiq's aunt, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, ousted in August. He could not be contacted for comment. Ms Siddiq's aunt is former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed, who was ousted last August Ms Siddiq has been renting this property out since at least 2013, when she first declared the rent while a Labour councillor in Camden, North London. Parliamentary records show she receives over 10,000 in rent from the property, whose lease was renewed by Ms Siddiq in 2018 for 95,000. Last July, Ms Siddiq became the first MP in the new Parliament to be investigated by Parliamentary Standards after the MoS revealed she did not declare rental income from a second property for 14 months. Parliamentary rules state rental income has to be declared within 28 days. She was cleared by the Standards Commissioner, who accepted the rule-breaking was 'inadvertent'. Abortion rights activists protest in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2024. The demonstration marks the second anniversary of the courts Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization ruling, which reversed federal protections for access to abortions. Aashish Kiphayet/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images 2024 When I first began working on a law to prevent domestic violence in Russia seven years ago, I was hopeful. I had spent decades listening to women who had suffered unimaginable violence, reading their letters, and meeting with survivors. Their stories were gut-wrenching women beaten to within an inch of their lives, children traumatized by what they had witnessed, and families destroyed by cycles of abuse. Yet, despite the horror, I believed we could bring about change. My hope is that America can learn from our struggle. Public opinion was on our side polls showed over 70% of Russians supported the law. Cases like that of Margarita Gracheva, whose husband cut off her hands, and the Khachaturyan sisters, who killed their abusive father, had galvanized public outrage. NGOs, activists, and colleagues joined me in drafting the legislation. It felt like we were momentarily on the brink of something meaningful. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Then, the backlash began. Traditionalists, ultraconservatives, and Orthodox fundamentalists launched a campaign against our bill. They framed it as an attack on traditional family values, portraying any attempt to protect women from violence as a Western plot to undermine Russian culture. I was accused of being a foreign agent, called a traitor, and threatened relentlessly. At first, I thought this was just about preserving outdated gender roles. But as the opposition grew fiercer, I realized something deeper was at play. The resistance to our bill wasnt just ideological it was strategic. Russias leaders were already preparing for war, and violence was being reframed as a national virtue. Men were no longer just fathers, husbands, or partners they were soldiers, protectors and enforcers. Women, in turn, were reduced to their true purpose: bearing future soldiers for the state. The idea of protecting women from violence didnt just conflict with this narrative it directly threatened it. By the time Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, publicly urged President Vladimir Putin to block our bill, I knew we had lost. Any law that rejected violence would have sent the wrong message to a society being conditioned to accept war as inevitable. The party of war had triumphed over the party of peace. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What happened in Russia isnt just a tragedy its a warning. I see troubling parallels in the United States, where traditional family values are gaining traction alongside state-sanctioned violence through mass deportations, aggressive policing and restrictions on reproductive rights. The attack on womens rights in Russia began long before the domestic violence bill failed. My bill to combat sexual harassment was ignored, followed by the abandonment of a proposed law on gender equality. Today, the assault continues with restrictions on reproductive rights, and I fear that a complete abortion ban may soon follow. Women are framed as vessels for the states demographic goals, their rights secondary to their role as mothers. The rollback of abortion rights in the U.S. is following the same script. Its not just about restricting access to health care its about reinforcing a patriarchal vision of the family where womens bodies are controlled and their choices are limited. Religion also plays a role. In Russia, the Orthodox Church became a key player in shaping state ideology, providing moral justification for policies that oppressed women and marginalized communities. In the U.S., religious rhetoric is increasingly influencing laws on abortion, marriage and education, blurring the line between church and state. The result, in both countries, is the normalization of violence. In Russia, we fought for years to pass a law defining and preventing domestic violence. But the governments refusal to acknowledge the issue sent a clear message: Violence was acceptable as long as it served the states goals. In the U.S., attempts to weaken protections for victims of domestic and sexual violence echo this pattern. When a government fails to take violence seriously, it legitimizes abusers and perpetuates harm. Militarization is another dangerous parallel. In Russia, the state glorified men as soldiers, justifying domestic violence while preparing society to accept the violence of war. The U.S. isnt immune to this dynamic. The prioritization of defense spending over social programs and the glorification of military service reflect a similar logic: that violence is not only necessary but honorable. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The intertwining of family values and state violence is no accident. By promoting patriarchal control within families, governments normalize violence on a societal level. When violence is justified at home, its only a tiny leap to explain it on the battlefield or political arena. About Opinion Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies Russias descent into authoritarianism shows how easily a government can weaponize family values to justify violence. It begins with small steps limiting reproductive rights, cutting shelter funding or promoting religious dogma in schools. But these actions create a culture where violence becomes normalized, both in families and in society at large. In the U.S., reproductive rights have been slashed, Congress has reduced funding to the Victims of Crime Acts Crime Victims Fund by 40%, and Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma are pushing Christianity into public schools. Police investigating claims that Princess Diana's brother was sexually abused by a matron while at boarding school have spoken to a second alleged victim, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Northamptonshire Police last night confirmed its criminal probe into Earl Spencer's allegations that he was molested, aged just 11, at Maidwell Hall preparatory school in the 1970s has widened, with another former pupil claiming to have also been abused. In his powerful memoir, A Very Private School an extract of which was published by The Mail on Sunday last March Earl Spencer, 60, told how an assistant matron, aged 19 or 20 at the time, whom he branded a 'voracious paedophile', groomed him and other young boys. The Earl wrote how the matron, whom he did not name, had first 'kissed me on the lips' before she 'promoted me to the second rank of her reverse harem: those she intimately touched'. A 67-year-old woman from Stafford was arrested in June last year. There have been no further arrests or charges. A police spokesman said: 'Officers are investigating reports made by two people in relation to alleged offences.' Earl Spencer attended Maidwell between the ages of eight and 13. Police investigating claims that Earl Spencer (pictured) was sexually abused at school have spoken to a second alleged victim Nottinghamshire Police confirmed that the criminal probe into the Earl's allegations he was molested at the Maidwell Hall preparatory school in the 1970s has widened He said the alleged abuse and the emotional confusion it caused led to him self-harming and wanting 'full sex from a too-early age', with him losing his virginity aged 12 to a prostitute in Italy. He wrote: 'I've frequently witnessed deep pain, still flickering in the eyes of my Maidwell contemporaries.' Northamptonshire Police has encouraged 'anyone who has suffered abuse' to contact them and stressed that people reporting sexual abuse have the legal right to lifelong anonymity. A Washington Post cartoonist has quit after an editor at the paper refused to run a sketch of paper owner Jeff Bezos bowing to Donald Trump. Ann Telnaes said Friday she drew a cartoon showing a group of media executives - and Mickey Mouse, representing Disney - bowing before Trump while offering him bags of money, including Post owner and Amazon founder Bezos. She said she wrote that the cartoon was intended to criticize 'billionaire tech and media chief executives who have been doing their best to curry favor with incoming President-elect Trump.' Several executives, Bezos among them, have been spotted at Trumps Florida club Mar-a-Lago. Bezos has also donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural and agreed to stream it on Amazon Prime, while also saying he was optimistic about the second Trump term. Telnaes accused them of having lucrative government contracts and working to eliminate regulations. She said that she's never before had a cartoon rejected because of its inherent messaging and that such a move is dangerous for a free press. 'As an editorial cartoonist, my job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable,' Telnaes wrote on her Substack. 'For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job. So I have decided to leave the Post.' A Washington Post cartoonist has quit after an editor at the paper refused to run a sketch of paper owner Jeff Bezos bowing to Donald Trump Ann Telnaes said Friday she drew a cartoon showing a group of media executives bowing before Trump while offering him bags of money, including Post owner and Amazon founder Bezos She was skeptical that anyone would care much about her departure but hoped to raise awareness. 'I doubt my decision will cause much of a stir and that it will be dismissed because I'm just a cartoonist,' she continued. 'But I will not stop holding truth to power through my cartooning, because as they say `Democracy dies in darkness.' The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists issued a statement Saturday accusing the Post of 'political cowardice' and asking other cartoonists to post Telnaes' sketch with the hashtag #StandWithAnn in a show of solidarity. 'Tyranny ends at pen point,' the association said. 'It thrives in the dark, and the Washington Post simply closed its eyes and gave in like a punch-drunk boxer.' The Post's communications director, Liza Pluto, provided The Associated Press on Saturday with a statement from David Shipley, the newspaper's editorial page editor. Shipley said in the statement that he disagrees with Telnaes' 'interpretation of events.' He said he decided to nix the cartoon because the paper had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and was set to publish another. The Post's communications director, Liza Pluto, provided The Associated Press on Saturday with a statement from David Shipley, the newspaper's editorial page editor. Shipley said in the statement that he disagrees with Telnaes' 'interpretation of events' Billionaire Jeff Bezos was spotted strolling into Mar-a-Lago in mid-December to enjoy a dinner with President-elect Donald Trump 'Not every editorial judgement is a reflection of a malign force. ... The only bias was against repetition,' Shipley said. While the Amazon founder was often seen as antagonistic toward Trump during his first go around in the White House, Bezos in December expressed some excitement about the Trump agenda in the coming years. Bezos also promised to 'save' The Washington Post, which he owns, following fierce backlash and a precipitous drop in readership after his bombshell October decision to prohibit the paper from endorsing a presidential candidate. Amazon will be donating $1 million to the 78-year-old president-elect's inauguration and making another in-kind contribution by streaming the inauguration on Amazon Prime. Bezos is one of several billionaire tech company and business leaders that are shelling out big donations to the Trump inauguration ahead of the Republican taking over the White House on January 20. Just before Christmas, Bezos was spotted strolling into Mar-a-Lago Wednesday evening to enjoy a dinner with President-elect Donald Trump. The Amazon founder arrived at the Florida mansion with his fiancee Lauren Sanchez for their first meal with Trump after his recent election win. Jeff Bezos said last month he is 'optimistic' about President-elect Donald Trump's second term and says he'll 'help him' achieve their shared goals The Amazon founder was often seen as antagonistic toward Trump during his first go around in the White House. However, Bezos expressed some excitement about potential regulatory cutbacks in the coming years Footage shared on social platform X shows the couple holding hands and walking alongside Trump as they greet other guests. The tech mogul wore a navy blue suit and white shirt, while his partner Sanchez put on a leggy display in a little black dress and stiletto heels. Bezos is one of the latest tech giants who has rubbed shoulders with Trump ahead of his presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025. Its a stark change from the first term of Trump, where Bezos was been more of a thorn in the president's side. When Trump first ran for president, he began to threaten that Amazon and Jeff Bezos would pay a price for any anti-Trump bias. 'If I become president oh, do they have problems. They're going to have such problems,' he warned. Trump was particularly aggrieved at Bezos's ownership of the iconic Washington Post. He would rage at what he called the 'Amazon Washington Post,' claiming spuriously that it had avoided 'internet taxes.' During his time in office Trump became 'obsessed' with retribution against Bezos for the Post's negative coverage of him. 'Every hour, we're getting calls from reporters from the Washington Post asking ridiculous questions,' he ranted in once instance. 'And I will tell you: This is owned as a toy by Jeff Bezos, who controls Amazon. Amazon is getting away with murder, taxwise. He's using the Washington Post for power.' During the Trump administration, Amazon sued the government after alleging it had blocked a $10 billion cloud-computing-services contract with the Pentagon over the then-president's ire about coverage in the Post. The Biden administration later pursued a contract with both Amazon and Microsoft. Throughout the Trump presidency, Bezos resolutely supported the staff's coverage and he has not interfered with reporting on his own business interests or personal life. Shops selling illegal vapes are being eyed by a state government that's looking to financially disrupt the booming underground market and add to the impact of a federal crackdown. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls revealed the government is looking at more extreme measures to interrupt supply chains by imposing greater fines on retailers. Currently Queensland Health officers can issue a $3,200 fine for individual retailers and $10,000 for corporations. 'At the rate that they're selling these vapes and illicit tobacco, that is just a drop in the ocean, that is like a flea bite to some of these operators,' Mr Nicholls said. 'We currently have 350 to 400 stores under surveillance ... by the time we get to court, where the bigger penalties are ... they have already recouped the funds.' However, Mr Nicholls did not provide any details about the increase in fines or when to expect the legislative reform. 'I think we want to make sure that they're right, and we want to make sure that we're not just sort of having multiple bites at the cherry on that one,' he told reporters. 'The aim is to take away the financial incentive and make it more expensive to carry out the business than the profits generated by doing it.' Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls revealed the government is looking at more extreme measures to interrupt supply chains by imposing greater fines on retailers. Stock image In October 2024 the federal government made sweeping changes to the sale of vapes, making it illegal to purchase them from anywhere other than pharmacies. Small retailers and corner stores, which have traditionally sold cigarettes, lost a significant market when pharmacies became the only place to sell nicotine-containing vapes. But Mr Nicholls said the laws have not gone far enough to provide a 'deterrent'. 'A closure for 72 hours means someone just gets a long weekend,' he said. 'What we want to be able to do is hit them in the hip pocket, so if they've got a long weekend, they're not using it to go to Hampton Island.' Selling nicotine vapes had been already been illegal since 2021 under laws introduced by the previous Coalition government, but many retailers brazenly continued to sell them illegally. In an attempt to fix the flaws in the previous legislation and crackdown on the supply of vapes at convenience stores, Health Minister Mark Butler introduced a nationwide ban on the importation of disposable vapes from January 1 last year. In 2023, Aussie men were urged to ditch their vapes after research found a link between smoking electronic cigarettes and erectile dysfunction. Currently Queensland Health officers can issue a $3,200 fine for individual retailers and $10,000 for corporations. Stock image of vapes Vapes were previously marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes but evidence in recent years suggest the electronic devices cause similar damage to the body. Experts warn vapes can damage a user's DNA, cause respiratory issues, promote tumours, increase the risk of lung cancer and heart disease and is even linked erectile dysfunction. A study, published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine analysed data of e-cigarette use in about 13,000 men over the age of 18. It found healthy men aged 20 to 65 years old who vaped were more than twice as likely to report experiencing erectile dysfunction than men who did not vape. 'ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery systems) were linked to erectile dysfunction 'independent of age, cardiovascular disease and other risk factors,' the study wrote. Australia's leading urologist Doctor Chris Love told Daily Mail Australia the study's results were 'concerning'. He said it is vital to educate doctors and the public on the long-term impacts of vaping on men's sexual health. 'It's worthwhile bringing to people's attention again because a lot of vapes do have nicotine in them and that's the cause of the problem,' Dr Love said. 'There are lots of things young men do early in life that may impact them and lifestyle factors are important in developing conditions later on. 'Vaping fits into that group of things that we think should not be done if you want to keep yourself healthy into the future.' Bill Maher is once again teeing off the 'woke' left and has named his biggest issue with the Democrat Party. The long-time HBO talk show host, standup comic and podcaster traditionally drew the ire of conservatives but now seems to attract hate and outrage from liberals just as often. This weekend, he revealed the main reason he goes after woke liberals more often now: 'You give me more material. I'm a comedian. I'm going to go where the gold is.' He then said that this ties in to what he has grown to hate about left-wing Democrats of late. 'They can't stand to have to endure a moment of hearing something they don't already agree with. Not that the right doesn't do it, too, but the left does it worse,' he said. He called progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 'a little out there' and Ilhan Omar 'not my favorite.' Maher did express his admiration for Seth Moulton, who was recently lambasted by the party for questioning why they supported transgender people in youth sports. 'Everything with these people has to be an opportunity for virtue signaling,' he said of those who referred to Moulton as everything from a transphobe to a Nazi collaborator. Bill Maher is once again teeing off the 'woke' left and has named his biggest issue with the Democrat Party This weekend, he revealed the main reason he goes after woke liberals more often now: 'You give me more material. I'm a comedian. I'm going to go where the gold is' Maher adds that some Democrats have cut off their friendship with him over having conservatives like Ann Coulter, Bill Barr and Ted Cruz on the show. 'Just think about what this is, that's people who hate me for who I won't hate. People who hate me for who I won't hate,' he said. He then continued a point he'd made on his podcast of late: that liberals disown people who disagree with them out of a desire to seem like nice people. 'It's in their psychological profile, they just have this need for virtue signaling, and to have their friends-and I guess everybody on social media-think of them as the good people. 'We're the good people. We know who's good. And it's us,' he told the Wall Street Journal. Maher also criticized the younger generation, who said they have 'no perspective' because they go to woke colleges, which he calls 'a***** factories.' 'They've been indoctrinated into this idea that they live in the worst country in the world at the worst time in history, when actually they live in, with all our flaws, still probably the best, with definitely indisputably the best time in history,' he said. He even has some optimism for Trump's second term, saying he's hired 'people I like' to try and reform Washington. 'Its like a Marvel movie. This gang is coming to shake things up. As a viewer, I am interested to see what this is. Its not like America doesnt need shaking up. We are a sclerotic, constipated country, and it just keeps slowly getting worse,' he said. Maher called progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 'a little out there' and Ilhan Omar 'not my favorite' Maher did express his admiration for Seth Moulton, who was recently lambasted by the party for questioning why they supported transgender people in youth sports Maher, who has had Elon Musk on the show, says he loves 'some of the things' Musk has said he'll do as part of the Department of Government Efficiency. 'What [America] needs is a colonic. Would Trump be the man I chose first to administer it? No, but Id like to see what he and Elon Musk are going to do.' However, he poured cold water on the idea that he would ever change parties. 'Many Republicans say, 'Maybe we could get Bill Maher.' No, you can't. What you can get is Bill Maher being honest about the left. I'm not going to join your team that doesn't believe in democracy,' he said. He did acknowledge, however, that this election was decided by people who don't like Trump, 'but they just feel that the crazy on the left is somehow worse. I don't agree with them, but I get it. I don't hate them for voting for him.' But he has a simple message for Kamala Harris: 'You lost a crazy contest to an actual crazy person. Congratulations.' Just days before the election, Maher called Trump a 'mad king' and gestured at voting for Kamala Harris despite not supporting all of her policies, Newsweek reported. Yet he also mocked the Democratic Party over social issues and pushed for platform reform, telling the party to 'stop screaming at people to get with the program and instead make a program worth getting with.' Maher, who has had Elon Musk on the show, says he loves 'some of the things' Musk has said he'll do as part of the Department of Government Efficiency Maher has a simple message for Kamala Harris: 'You lost a crazy contest to an actual crazy person. Congratulations' Maher was under fire from Democrats in May of this year after they claimed the comedian's rhetoric toward them had flipped - but he said it was really the left who had changed. During a sit-down interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria, Maher defended his position on the issues he sees with the Democratic Party as well as his heavily criticized opposition to the nationwide college pro-Palestinian protests. He admitted that the left and the right had transformed, but that the Republican Party is 'even worse' than the Democrats. 'I mean, the right doesn't believe in democracy anymore. I mean, they've thrown their lot in with a sociopath named Donald Trump, who only thinks elections count when we win,' Maher said in reference to the former president's unfounded claims of fraud during the 2020 election. 'But it's not like the left hasn't changed also,' he continued. 'So I'm going to call it out whenever I see it.' Maher then listed the issues he saw with gender, race, free speech, communism, border patrol and police abolition efforts, The Hill reported. 'No, it's not that I've gotten old, it's that your ideas are stupid,' he said. He also went on to explain that the younger generation believes that their new ideas are better, but 'new' is not always synonymous with 'better'. The controversial first-in-the-nation congestion toll has officially taken effect in New York City. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced in November drivers entering areas of Manhattan below 60th Street, or south of Central Park, would pay a daytime toll of $9 come January. But the countdown to the changes has sparked outrage amongst New Yorkers. 'Over 20k+ in taxes paid this year in NYC. Tolls if you drive anywhere, including the new congestion pricing toll to drive into the city we already live in, public transit and streets are NOT safe, potholes everywhere...' a resident wrote on X. 'Where does all our money we pay in taxes go as a nyc resident? We need answers. Real ones, not some cheesy politically correct one either.' Drivers heading into some of New York's busiest neighborhoods will now have to pay $9 during peak hours on weekdays - 5am to 9pm - and 9am to 9pm on weekends. Additionally, there will be a $2.25 charge for off-peak hours. During peak hours, large trucks can expect to pay $21.60, a reduced fee of $14.40 for smaller trucks and $4.50 for motorcycles. The controversial first-in-the-nation congestion toll officially took effect in New York City at midnight on Sunday Those who have an EZPass and enter the toll zone through the Lincoln, Queens-Midtown, Hugh L. Carey or Holland tunnels during peak hours will be charged a $3 credit fee. The only exceptions go for certain emergency vehicles, school buses, people with disabilities who can't take public transportation and those who transport with them - all of which are exempt. Low-income drivers who pay the toll 10 times in a month will be able to apply for a 50 percent discount on trips they take the remainder of the month. The goal of 'congestion pricing' is to reduce gridlock and pollution while simultaneously raising revenue for public transit. The MTA claimed that the tolls are necessary to raise $15 billion for mass transit upgrades - extending the Second Avenue subway, signal improvements and the purchase of hundreds of new electric buses, The New York Post reported. But the rollout comes after 10 people were murdered in the subway system last year while more incidents continue to happen in the New Year. The goal of 'congestion pricing' is to reduce gridlock and pollution while simultaneously raising revenue for public transit - specifically $15 billion Opponents such as Susan Lee urged the MTA to modernize the transportation systems first - making it safer for residents before the toll took effect. Republican lawmakers have called on Trump, a native New Yorker who has vowed to kill the scheme if elected, to intervene now to terminate it. But Hochul and the state-run MTA raced against the clock to impose the congestion toll before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20th. Trump has joined the 51 percent of New Yorkers opposed to the tax, calling it the 'most regressive tax known to womankind'. 'This cash grab will only hurt commuters' wallets and our local economy, and I'm already hearing from tons of people who say they'll never go to Manhattan again, which will certainly have an impact on restaurants, the theater and small businesses,' Nicole Malliotakis, representative of Staten Island/Brooklyn, said. Areas neighboring New York City have argued that a charge would hurt their businesses and impair their residents' ability to commute into Manhattan. A camera captured the last moment drivers narrowly missed the $9 fee Working-class commuters, including teachers, cops, firefighters and other first responders, have fiercely apposed the toll as they will have to unfairly bear the financial cost of added tolls to get to work. The $9 fee would also devastate areas such as Chinatown, Little Italy and the Lower East Side by driving up delivery costs - making travel too expensive for customers to pay. Some elected New York City borough officials as well as a powerful trade group representing haulers fought the project. Taxi drivers' associations also opposed the plan. Their members -- both pre-booked ride-hail drivers and drivers of the city's iconic yellow cabs -- will not pay the fee themselves, but affected customers will be hit by a surcharge. A judge denied an 11th-hour effort Friday by neighboring New Jersey state officials to block the scheme on grounds of its environmental impact on adjoining areas. And despite the fact that there are at least 10 pending lawsuits opposing congestion tolling, experts have said it will be difficult to halt once it's up and running. Some 700,000 vehicles enter the area every day, and gridlock means cars can travel just seven miles per hour on average, and even slower in some areas, officials say. Similar driver-tolling schemes have been operated for years in other megacities including London and Stockholm, but US cities will be watching closely to see what impact the New York scheme has on both traffic and revenues. The desperate search continues for a young woman last seen getting into a dark 4WD two days ago, prompting a frantic plea from her family. Mallory Munn, 22, was reported missing on Saturday after she failed to return home from Wanneroo Shopping Centre in Perth's north on Friday night. She has made no contact with her family or used her bankcard since. Police and family have concerns for Ms Munn's welfare as she has an intellectual disability. She was captured on CCTV getting inside a dark coloured Toyota Landcruiser at the shopping centre about 9pm on Friday night. Ms Munn has red hair cut into a bob and was last seen wearing a black shirt, black pants and carrying a white purse and pink backpack. Mallory Munn (pictured) was last seen on Friday at Wanneroo Shopping Centre, north Perth The 22-year-old was spotted by CCTV cameras getting inside a dark coloured Toyota Landcruiser (pictured) at the shopping centre Ms Munn's mother on Sunday shared a plea for her daughter to safely return home, along with the most recent photo taken on Thursday 'Last photo of her taken on Thursday and she had just had her nails done,' she posted on Facebook. 'Mallory please come home. 'Everyone is worried for you and looking for you!' Anyone with information about Mallory's whereabouts is urged call Crime Stoppers. A major motorway was closed for 12 hours after the body of a man was found in the road. The tragic discovery was made yesterday morning after Greater Manchester Police were called following reports of a man on the M61 southbound at junction 6, close to Middlebrook in Bolton. Emergency services rushed to the scene where the man was sadly found dead. There are believed to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Now, the force's Serious Collision Investigation Unit and Bolton CID (Criminal Investigation Department) having launched a joint investigation into the incident. According to National Highway, the highway was closed for most of yesterday during the investigation before it reopened at around 7pm. Police are also appealing for any witnesses with information to come forward. Motorists who were driving nearby and might have dashcam footage have also been asked to contact the police. In a statement Greater Manchester Police said: 'At approximately 4:30am this morning (Saturday 4 January), police were called to reports of a concern for welfare of a man on the M61. The tragic discovery was made yesterday morning after Greater Manchester Police were called following reports of a man on the M61 (file image) According to National Highway, the highway was closed for a short while yesterday while police carried out their investigation before it reopened at around 7pm (file image) 'Emergency services attended and sadly a deceased male was found on the M61 southbound at junction 6 (Middlebrook). There are believed to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. 'The Serious Collision Investigation Unit and Bolton CID are currently undertaking a joint investigation. 'Officers are now appealing for any witnesses who may have been present in the area at the time to make a report to police. 'This includes appealing to anyone who may have relevant dashcam footage. 'You can make a report by calling 0161 856 5757 quoting incident number 438 of 4/1/25.' This is the horrifying moment a Palestinian influencer shot a firework into a child's bedroom before he was arrested while trying to leave the country. Footage shows Attalah Younes, 24, on New Year's Eve as he lit the firework and fired it at an apartment building in the Berlin suburb of Neukoelln. The firework crashed through the closed window on the third floor and exploded inside, with the room seemingly catching fire. No one was injured as a result of the exploded firework and only the carpet and some furniture in the room was damaged, German tabloid Bild reports. The video of Younes caused outrage in Germany after more than 10 million watching the tourist from Nablus, West Bank, playing around with the fireworks. Younes, who only speak Arabic, claims he was the victim of racist attacks after the video went viral. He was arrested at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport on Saturday, ahead of his 5.55pm flight to Jordan. Berlin Police said in a statement on Saturday: 'A man suspected of serious arson on New Year's Eve was arrested today by [federal police] while attempting to leave the country at Berlin airport following search operations by our [State Criminal Police].' Footage shows Attalah Younes, 24, on New Year's Eve as he lit the firework and fired it at an apartment building in the Berlin suburb of Neukoelln The firework crashed through the closed window on the third floor and exploded inside, with the room seemingly catching fire If Younes is convicted, he could face a prison sentence. Just before his arrest, Younes had told a Bild reporter at the airport that he 'just wanted to celebrate' and that he 'didn't know [the firework] was so dangerous'. Shortly after, armed police officers showed up and arrested him and his travel companion. A judge will decide today whether he will be kept in custody. This comes after the influencer published an apology video on his Instagram account, where he sat next to the owner of the apartment he shot at. He told the homeowner that he didn't know where the firework would fly and that he didn't mean for it to hit the apartment. But Younes later appeared defiant when talking to local outlet Zeit, saying: 'What do the police want from me? Do they think I'm a refugee?' Pictured above is the bedroom that was on fire after the firework exploded He also told the newspaper that he was a tourist and visiting Germany for the first time. Younes said he had been the victim of racist abuse after social media users told him to leave the country after his stunt. The Palestinian influencer shared his Germany trip with his 300,000 Instagram followers. The video of him firing the firework on New Year's Eve has since been deleted. Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to scrap Labour's proposed new definition of Islamophobia - with warnings people's free speech could be curbed, in the wake of widespread grooming gang scandals. Pressure has been mounting on the Prime Minister after his government blocked calls for a public inquiry into rape and sexual abuse by gangs in Oldham. The world's wealthiest man Elon Musk, owner of social media platform X, has been waging online war against Sir Keir on the issue- accusing him of being 'complicit' in 'the worst mass crime in the history of Britain'. And Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has joined calls for a new inquiry into the handling of grooming gangs who have been exposed across the country, in cases where the abusers were predominantly Asian men. Now campaigners fear a mooted new government definition of Islamophobia could undermine efforts to crack down on such crimes - after police and authorities faced accusations of being reluctant to investigate gangs for fear of appearing racist. Officials at Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner's Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government are reportedly pondering whether to introduce a formal definition of Islamophobia. The Labour Party has already adopted internally a version which was drafted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims. Critics have highlighted how one element appears to suggest that using the term 'sex groomer' in relation to anyone of Muslim background could be deemed Islamophobic - and new concerns have been raised by Tell MAMA campaign group founder Fiyaz Mughal and Conservative frontbencher Robert Jenrick. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure over authorities' handling of cases involving grooming gangs - and now over a potential new definition of Islamophobia Shadow Justice Secretary and former Conservative leadership candidate Robert Jenrick has called for ministers to scrap what he called 'a deeply flawed definition of Islamophobia' Labour has also been accused of threatening to 'curtail free speech' by Fiyaz Mughal, founder of the organisation Tell MAMA which monitors anti-Muslim hate There are fears that a proposed new official definition could 'curtail free speech', the Sunday Telegraph reported. Mr Mughal, whose Tell MAMA organisation monitors anti-Muslim hate, said: 'Any definition needs to have a number of caveats attached which protect the right of individuals to question religion, to question certain behaviours attached to cultural elements and the right to have free speech defended in relation to blasphemy. 'Bad behaviour wherever it is, in whichever religious group, needs to be called out. This does not mean that all Muslim or all Pakistani men are bad. 'But when there is a concentration of issues within a certain group, we must hold the line in defence of our core values. There is a real danger that if they get the definition wrong, it will become the Achilles heel of Labour.' Worries have also been raised by Shadow Justice Secretary Mr Jenrick, who finished runner-up to Ms Badenoch in last year's Conservative leadership election. He said: 'The Government should drop its plans for such a deeply flawed definition of Islamophobia. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said a full national inquiry into organised grooming gangs is 'long overdue' Elon Musk has repeatedly attacked Sir Keir Starmer on social media in recent days 'Throughout the grooming gang scandal the false label of Islamophobia was used to silence people. 'It appears the Government has learnt nothing and is determined to press ahead with a definition that will have a chilling effect on freedom of speech.' The definition proposed by the APPG on British Muslims in 2019, when the group was chaired by former Conservative MP Anna Soubry and Labour's now-Health Secretary Wes Streeting, states: 'Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.' Their report published in November 2018 states: 'Let us be clear, the aim of establishing a working definition of Islamophobia has neither been motivated by, nor is intended to curtail, free speech or criticism of Islam as a religion.' But other sceptics include Stephen Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, who said: 'Conflating criticism of a religion with hatred towards Muslims distorts legitimate dialogue and undermines the vital principle of free expression. 'Adopting a contentious definition of Islamophobia is more likely to escalate tensions than to address prejudice against religious minorities.' Ann Cryer, a Labour MP who raised concerns about grooming gangs, warned that councils were 'petrified of being called racist and so reverted to the default of political correctness'. A Government spokesman has said of discussions about the APPG definition of Islamophobia: 'We are committed to tackling hatred in all its forms, including Islamophobia, which has absolutely no place in our society. Your browser does not support iframes. Elon Musk hit out after Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips (pictured) refused Oldham Council's request to launch a Home Office-led public inquiry into child sex exploitation there 'We will take into account a range of views and outline any updates on the governments position in relation to this in due course.' The current row over grooming gangs erupted last week after it emerged Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips rejected a request by Oldham Council for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation. She suggested it would be best for the local council to investigate the issue instead. Mr Musk, 53, has said Ms Phillips 'deserves to be in prison', while Ms Badenoch said a full national inquiry into organised grooming gangs is 'long overdue'. And later Mr Musk accused Sir Keir, who was director of public prosecutions (DPP) between 2008 and 2013, of having allowed criminals to get away with abuse. Last January a report found young girls were 'left at the mercy' of paedophile grooming gangs for years in Rochdale because of failings by senior police and council bosses. The damning 173-page review covers 2004 to 2013 and sets out multiple failed investigations by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and apparent local authority indifference to the plight of hundreds of youngsters, mainly white girls from poor backgrounds, all identified as potential victims of abuse in Rochdale by Asian men. Successive police operations were launched, but these were insufficiently resourced to match the scale of the widespread organised exploitation within the area. The report follows reports by the same authors on grooming in Manchester and Oldham, which found authorities had again failed children, leaving them in the clutches of paedophiles. Sir Keir Starmer -pictured in London in September 2009 - was Director of Public Prosecutions between 2008 and 2013 The Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, which published its final report in 2022, described the sexual abuse of children as an 'epidemic that leaves tens of thousands of victims in its poisonous wake'. As DPP, Sir Keir gave the green light to the first grooming prosecution in Rochdale in 2013 - having acknowledged in 2012 that the perpetrators had escaped justice for years. He suggested that 'an issue of ethnicity' coupled with a 'lack of understanding' of the victims had contributed to a failure to prosecute previous cases, which included dropping a major case in the town in 2009, during his tenure as DPP. A Home Office study published in 2020 that found child sexual abuse gangs are most commonly made up of white men. A young family lost their seemingly healthy newborn daughter just days before Christmas after she began displaying a worrying symptom Marisha Smith, 19, and Riley Raynor, 21, welcomed baby girl Nova on December 18 following a planned C-section at Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service, in rural South Australia. Nova's heartbroken grandmother, Danni Smith, recalled how Nova was born 'healthy and pink and beautiful' with an apgar score of 9.9 out of 10. 'That night they went to go to sleep and the nurses came into to do their check and later Marish looked down and saw the baby's lips were blue,' Ms Smith told the Adelaide Advertiser. 'She panicked and ran out and said, 'there's something wrong with my daughter' and there would have been a team of 15 midwives and paediatricians working on her for over an hour.' Nova's pulse was lost three times before she was pronounced dead at 2.45am the next morning. Ms Smith said the young parents, who have another daughter - Malayah, were 'beside themselves' with grief. 'They were expecting to bring home baby Nova from the hospital, they had the whole house set up. For all this to happen the week before Christmas, we had to put on a brave face for the other children,' she said. Marisha Smith, 19, and Riley Raynor, 21, welcomed their daughter Nova on December 18 (pictured, Mr Raynor with Nova and the couple's older daughter, Malayah) Nova (pictured) appeared to be healthy at birth but died hours after her mother noticed her lips turning blue Nova's 'little heart and brain' were sent for abnormality checks as doctors try to determine her cause of death. Both Ms Smith's daughter and her partner have been left 'heartbroken and shattered' by the loss. Mr Raynow, who works in a crayfish processing factory is unable to return to work. 'They were given a beautiful bear with angel wings and Nova's prints on it by family friends and he's been sleeping with it every night, he's absolutely heartbroken, as is mum,' Ms Smith said. She has created a GoFundMe to help the couple cover funeral costs and alleviate some of the financial pressure they face amid their grief. 'During this incredibly challenging time, the parents find themselves struggling to cope emotionally,' Ms Smith wrote on the page. 'The sudden nature of Nova's passing has left us all unprepared, and the costs associated with the funeral have added to our burden. 'The parents, are currently overwhelmed by grief and not ready to return to work, making it an extremely difficult time.' Nova's 'little heart and brain' were sent for abnormality checks as doctors attempt to find her cause of death (pictured are Nova's mother Marisha, father Riley, and big sister Malayah) More than 50 donors have already raised almost $4,000 for the young family, including an anonymous donation of $1,500. 'We are deeply grateful for your kindness, compassion, and generosity during this heartbreaking time,' Ms Smith wrote. 'Your support will help us create a lasting tribute to Nova and provide us with the comfort of knowing that our community stands with us in our sorrow. 'Thank you for being a source of strength and hope.' Joseph Bell spent decades in prison for taking part in a fatal robbery and gained his freedom with the help of state lawmakers, then-Gov. Jerry Brown, then-S.F. District Attorney Chesa Boudin, and his own work in rehabilitating himself and others, which he has continued since his release. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Joseph Bell is a free man now, but he still recalls with pain the 22 years he spent in state prison while sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for a San Francisco robbery in which his fellow robber killed the victim. Youre scheduled to die in prison. It leaves you hopeless, said Bell, now 56. Sometimes I wished I had the death penalty. Life without parole is like a slow death. Even when his sentence was commuted to make him eligible for parole, Bell was denied release at first because of his record. I did a lot of reckless stuff when I first got into prison, until I had something to live for, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That was his recognition that he could try to improve the lives and future prospects of his fellow inmates. He started work on rehabilitation programs after more than a decade in prison and has continued since his release in 2020, after more than two decades behind bars, as a case manager for a nonprofit in Hayward helping other former prisoners return to society. He also works with the advocacy group Human Rights Watch and as part of a coalition seeking to abolish life-without-parole sentences. Bell might still be serving such a sentence himself, but an unusual group of officials came to his aid: state lawmakers, Gov. Jerry Brown and then-San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Bell was 26 when he and Marcus Blueford, then 32, broke into a mans home in San Franciscos Fillmore District for a robbery early one morning in July 1995. When the resident, Raul Dulanas, 34, surprised them by returning home from his job at a Dominos Pizza restaurant, he was smothered and choked to death. Bell said all three men knew one another, and that it was Blueford who fought with Dulanas and killed him, as Blueford later admitted during legal proceedings. I wasnt in my right mind. I didnt try to save him, Bell said. According to court filings, the jury foreperson in their trial told the judge after the verdict that the robbers had not intended to kill anyone and should not have to spend the rest of their lives in prison. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But both men were convicted of first-degree felony murder taking part in a crime, such as a robbery, that proved to be fatal. Such crimes could be punished by death under California law, but Bell and Blueford were sentenced to life without parole after then-District Attorney Terence Hallinan, like all of San Franciscos chief prosecutors since 1995, refused to seek the death penalty. Blueford is still in prison. Bells prospects for release arose in 2018 when the Legislature, stepping back from the states hard-line sentencing policies after court orders to reduce overcrowding in Californias prisons, narrowly passed SB1437 by then-Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley. It allows felony murder charges only for those who either committed or planned the killing or took part in the crime and acted with reckless indifference to human life. Others can be sentenced only for the crimes they actually committed. Bells lawyer, Mark Vermeulen, said it wasnt clear whether the law would apply to Bell, who took part in the robbery and was accused by prosecutors of playing a role in the killing. But as Vermeulen prepared to argue the issue in court, Brown, who had signed SB1437 into law, commuted Bells murder sentence to 25 years to life in December 2018, making him eligible for parole. Mr. Bell committed a serious and violent crime, but it is clear that he has distinguished himself by his concerted efforts toward rehabilitation in prison, including creating a program to deter at-risk youth from entering prison, the governor said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Skinner, who left office in November because of term limits after eight years in the Assembly and eight in the state Senate, told the Chronicle she is impressed with how many folks Ive met or learned about who were released and are working with community organizations providing rehabilitation and support for formerly incarcerated people. Joseph Bell displays a certificate he earned from his employer, the Felton Institute, in Oakland on Dec. 18, 2024. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Bell started that work while he was still in prison. He said he organized Education, Diversion and Goals to Endeavor, or EDGE, in 2008 to put youths in contact with educators, prison staff and carefully screened prisoners to encourage them to make life-altering changes in their thinking. The program included a tour of state prison yards. He also took college courses and received a two-year associate of arts degree. I didnt start maturing until I was 40, he said. I just started getting older and doing a lot of self-care, self-work, taking cognitive behavior classes. Thats also an argument against life-without-parole sentences, especially for those in their teens and 20s, Bell said, because a lot of peoples brains mature. We do reckless things when were young. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That rationale was the basis of a California law in 2014 that required the state parole board to give great weight to the age and mental development of a prisoner who committed a serious crime at age 25 or under, and to grant release unless they clearly pose a danger to the public. But the boards records for the past decade indicate the law has had little effect on parole approval rates, which are similar to those for older offenders. Bell was not covered by the law because he was 26 at the time of his crime. He was denied parole at his first hearing in 2019 his chief violation, he said, was possession of a cellphone five years earlier, and he also took part in strikes by inmates who refused to work at their prison jobs after being denied access to showers. But Vermeulen, his lawyer, said Boudin decided in 2020 that Bell should not be serving a murder sentence, and proposed to reduce his conviction to manslaughter. Superior Court Judge Brendan Conroy agreed and resentenced Bell to 12 years and four months in prison, less than half the term he had already served. He was released in May 2020. I take responsibility for my part. I have gratitude for the breaks I got, Bell said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said Boudin, who was recalled from office by San Francisco voters in 2022, later invited him to speak to students at UC Berkeley, where Boudin founded and directs the schools Criminal Law & Justice Center. Vermeulen said Bell would not have been made eligible for release under Boudins successor, Brooke Jenkins, and Jenkins, when asked about the issue, appeared to agree in a statement. I am proud to run the District Attorneys Office differently than Chesa Boudin, she said. Unlike his administration, we do not casually seek to have felony-murder convictions vacated in service to a failed ideology. The Legislature also considered a proposal by civil-rights groups that would have allowed prisoners who had been sentenced to life without parole, and served at least 25 years in prison, to ask a judge to make them eligible for parole. This video is no longer available This video is no longer available Elon Musk's attack on Sir Keir Starmer over a lack of action to tackle grooming gangs is 'ridiculous and ill-informed' a senior Labour minister said today. Wes Streeting took aim at the X owner and senior Donald Trump adviser over his social media barrage against the Prime Minister over sex crimes carried out by British Asian men. Musk, the world's richest man, also suggested the safeguarding minister 'deserves to be in prison' for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham. However Mr Streeting led a fightback by Labour over an issue that has seen the Conservatives and Reform line up alongside Mr Musk to demand a fresh investigation. The health Secretary told Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that ministers would back a local probe in Oldham, but there was no need for a new national inquiry, as there has already been one. 'The other thing I would say about the Prime Minister and jess Phillips is that these are two politicians who have one thing in particular in common: before they came into politics they had an actual record of banging up rapists, paedophiles and sex offenders. 'So they don't need lectures from anyone else, particularly the Conservatives, about their record. They have got a very strong one actually.' Asked specifically about Mr Musk's intervention from the United States, he added: 'It is a ridiculous thing to say, it is ill-informed, it is not fair on either of their records. Wes Streeting took aim at the X owner and senior Donald Trump adviser over his social media barrage against the Prime Minister over sex crimes carried out by British Asian men. Musk, the world's richest man, also suggested the Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips (below) 'deserves to be in prison' for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham. Mr Streeting said: 'The other thing I would say about the Prime Minister and jess Phillips is that these are two politicians who have one thing in particular in common: before they came into politics they had an actual record of banging up rapists, paedophiles and sex offenders.' 'Im not interested in what hes got to say about this. Im interested in what were doing as a Government.' Later, speaking to the BBC he labelled Mr Musk's attack 'a disgraceful smear'. Meanwhile Reform leader Nigel Farage refused to criticise Mr Musk for calling Ms Phillips a rape genocide apologist' and a 'wicked witch' and accusing the PM of being 'complicit in the rape of Britain'. He told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that Mr Musk 'may well' give his party money, and claimed his support make it 'look cool'. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has also defended Jess Phillips as a 'fearless and formidable' advocate for sexual abuse victims after Mr Musk criticised the safeguarding minister. Mr Musk also attacked Sir Keir Starmer, saying the Prime Minister failed to bring 'rape gangs' to justice when he was director of public prosecutions. Ms Cooper said Ms Phillips had 'campaigned tirelessly' on behalf of those that had been failed by institutions. 'Jess Phillips has dedicated her career to tackling sexual violence and abuse and to being a voice for victims and survivors of the most terrible crimes, including child sexual abuse,' she said. 'From setting up the first ever child sexual exploitation service in the Black Country and supporting survivors in Telford, Jess has been a fearless and formidable advocate for victims and survivors. 'She has worked with whistleblowers and campaigned tirelessly for justice for those badly let down by endemic institutional failure.' As a Home Office minister, Ms Phillips has put the experience of grooming and trafficking victims 'at the heart' of the department's work on modern slavery and launched a national scheme so police and staff work together to spot when hotels are used as a site of child sexual exploitation, Ms Cooper said. Ms Cooper said the Birmingham Yardley MP would keep working on implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, which published its final report in 2022. Reform leader Nigel Farage refused to criticise Mr Musk. He told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that Mr Musk 'may well' give his party money, and claimed his support make it 'look cool'. Led by Professor Alexis Jay, the inquiry looked into abuse by organised groups following multiple convictions of sexual offences against children across the UK between 2010-2014, including in Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Rochdale and Bristol. Last year, Ms Phillips described X, formerly Twitter, as a 'place of misery' and said she planned to use the site less. Its owner Mr Musk, a key member of US President-elect Donald Trump's inner circle, shared and reacted to a series of tweets relating to grooming in the UK earlier this week. The Tesla boss described the Prime Minister as 'two-tier Keir', claiming there was 'no justice for severe, violent crimes but prison for social media posts' in the UK. He also said Sir Keir failed to bring 'rape gangs' to justice when he was director of public prosecutions (DPP) between 2008 and 2013. Senior Tories including Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch have since sought to put pressure on the Government over grooming gangs. In 2022, the then-Conservative government also refused a request for a public inquiry into events in Oldham. Mrs Badenoch repeated her call for an inquiry in the Mail on Sunday, saying 'some action was taken under the previous Tory government, but not enough'. 'We still need to know the extent to which institutions such as the police, local government and social services are compromised by political correctness, and even self interest,' she wrote. 'Only then can we have any hope of preventing this scale of abuse from happening again. 'We have failed to get to the bottom of how national-scale child sexual abuse happens, for fear of causing offence.' Reform UK said on Saturday it would launch a national inquiry into grooming gangs if elected. Chairman Zia Yusuf told supporters at a conference in Chelmsford, Essex, that his party would launch an independent inquiry that would 'leave no stone unturned'. Party leader Nigel Farage said a 'full, open, national inquiry' was needed, so that everyone in the country 'knows the truth' and understands that 'mass open-door immigration without assimilation is a complete cultural disaster for our country'. Whistleblower Maggie Oliver, a former detective who resigned from Greater Manchester Police in 2012, said Sir Keir is 'perhaps as guilty as anyone' over the failure to bring about change but added that she believed those who 'pop up when this hits the headlines' would not do so either. Ms Oliver said on X that inquiries into what happened have led 'absolutely nowhere' and 'wasted' millions of pounds, adding that those leading them 'have always wanted to cover up the truth'. She went on: 'I firmly believe we need totally independent people who will ensure it's not just another attempt to delay and hide the truth. Radical change and overhaul of all our public bodies.' 'Bring in criminal accountability for all our senior police and public officials who have turned a blind eye.' She said she felt the Conservatives and Labour were equally to blame and that Sir Keir as former DPP is 'perhaps as guilty as anyone I know in where we find ourselves today'. 'We all know what's going on but I don't trust a single one of those who to date have been entrusted with keeping our children safe and prosecuting serial rapists. They've failed. Repeatedly. Knowingly. Criminally.' A light plane was seen flying low over homes shortly after take-off before it plunged into the sea, killing two experienced pilots on board. Emergency services responded to multiple triple-0 reports about plane crashing into the water 1.5km south of Nambucca Heads on the NSW mid north coast just after 4pm on Saturday. Midcoast Microlights chief flying instructor Mark White, 67, was killed alongside his passenger, colleague Simon Peutrill, 69. It's the second fatal light plane crash within a week to devastate the Coffs Harbour region. Half an hour earlier, Mr White took off from Coffs Harbour bound for South West Rocks before tragedy struck midway through the flight. Drone footage, obtained exclusively by Daily Mail Australia, showed two jet ski riders searching the wreckage of the plane on Saturday afternoon, while a larger rescue boat waited further offshore. The aircraft's tail fin and rudder were seen poking from the water. Witnesses recalled the plane seeing the plane flying very low above their homes moments before it crashed into the sea. Midcoast Microlights chief flying instructor Mark White, 67, and his colleague were killed when their aircraft crashed into the ocean off the NSW mid north coast on Saturday The wreckage was recovered from the water on Sunday '[I] heard the plane actually go over home, which was very low,' Todd O'Neill told Nine News. 'I knew that's not right considering we don't get much plane action around here. 'The engine was very low revving it sounded as though it was struggling for power.' One of the bodies was recovered from the wreckage on Saturday. Due to the difficult surf conditions, the second body and plane wreckage weren't recovered until the next day. Mr White was a chief flight instructor/trainer at Coffs Harbour-based flying school Midcoast Microlights. Only the aircraft's tail fin and rudder can be seen poking from the water (pictured) 'He has many years experience in teaching pilots and instructors, having trained many Australian and overseas students,' its website states. 'He also uses the Foxbat aircraft to teach students the skills of flying 3-axis aircraft.' It's understood Mr Peutrill had been with Midcoast Microlights as a senior flying instructor since 2022. NSW Police and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau have launched separate investigations into the crash. The latest tragedy comes Coffs Harbour businessman Jim Auld was killed in a separate light plane crash last Sunday. Auld, 67, was flying the plane with son Robert, 32, on board when it took off from McIntyres Airfield in Palmers Island near Yamba in northern NSW shortly. The aircraft crashed just minutes after taking off from the private airstrip. His son survived but was seriously injured. A loyal dog stayed beside body of his partially sighted owner for days after he died in 'suspicious' circumstances over the Christmas holidays. William Mcnicholl, 63, was found dead by police just before 6.30pm on New Year's Day at his flat in Ipswich, Suffolk. Friends became concerned after being unable to contact him and alerted the emergency services. 'Dog daddy' Mr Mcnicholl - who was known as Billy - lost most of his sight after an accident many years ago, and used a mobility scooter to get around. Suffolk Police said his death is 'currently unexplained' and is being treated as suspicious. The 63-year-old lived alone in his rented ground floor flat with his Staffordshire bull terrier, Leo. Police confirmed that a dog had been found in the flat, and was now 'safe and well' and being looked after. Mr Mcnicholl's pet was a replacement for his 11-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, also called Leo, who died several years ago. A sticker was visible on his front window, stating: 'A home is not a home without a Staffy'. William Mcnicholl, 63, was found dead by police just before 6.30pm on New Year's Day at his flat in Ipswich, Suffolk, with his loyal pet Leo by his side Police at the scene after William Mcnicholl died at his flat in Ipswich, Suffolk Suffolk Police said: 'The man's death is currently unexplained. Enquiries are at an early stage, but at this time it is being treated as suspicious. 'A Home Office post-mortem examination is expected to take place in due course. 'A police scene is in place at the premises on Hawthorn Drive, near to the junction with Marigold Avenue whilst enquiries continue.' Detectives have not revealed when Mr Mcnicholl is believed to have died, but are appealing for information from anyone who may have seen 'suspicious activity around the address' between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day. Members of his family have been informed of his death and have launched a GoGundMe appeal to help pay his funeral costs and give him 'the dignity in his send off that he did not get in his passing'. His family said: 'We are all shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of one of Ipswich's most kind, funny, complex and unique characters. 'From his electrifying punk roots in the 80s to his dog daddy days of recent, I'm sure we all have lots of memories of him particularly how much he loved his beloved companion Leo Junior woof. 'We appreciate times are tough, especially this time of year but if you can afford to contribute anything it would be so much appreciated by his friends and family. 'Let's give Billy a send off that Leo would be proud of. Many thanks.' 'Dog daddy' Mr Mcnicholl - who was known as Billy - lost most of his sight after an accident many years ago, and used a mobility scooter to get around Suffolk Police said: 'The man's death is currently unexplained. Enquiries are at an early stage, but at this time it is being treated as suspicious' The area around Mr Mcnicholl's home has been cordoned off while white-suited forensic officers have been seen going in and out of his flat. Wheelie bins for residents of the surrounding flats were also taped off by police to allow officers to search them for possible evidence. A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said Mr Mcnicholl had lived in his one bedroom flat for around two years. She added: 'He was friendly enough and used to talk to people. He never interfered with anyone. I hope the police get to the bottom of what happened. 'Billy was devoted to his Staffy and loved it to bits. A little while ago, it ran away around the back, and he chased after it to get it back.' Another resident said: 'It is just shocking news. I never realised anything had happened until I got back from work and saw all the police here.' Social media users have also paid tribute to Mr Mcnicholl with one posting 'Rest in paradise, Billy Mcnicholl. Peace now.' Another friend said on Facebook: 'R.I.P Billy Mcnicholl. We had a lot of good times and a lot of memories I'll hold onto and cherish. Absolutely gutted to hear this news.' Ipswich borough councillor Peter Gardiner said: 'The news is very disturbing as we all like to think these things don't happen. Members of his family have been informed of his death and have launched a GoGundMe appeal to help pay his funeral costs 'But unfortunately they do from time to time, and I think we have to place our faith in the investigation to find the cause of this. 'If this is a reassurance to the community it appears to be an isolated case and no immediate threat to the public. 'My concern and sympathies would be to the immediate neighbours to where this person was found as presumably this person was known to them.' Anyone with information is asked to contact Suffolk Police, quoting reference 37/162/25, via Major Incident Public Reporting Portal https://mipp.police.uk/operation/363719P01-PO1 Alternatively, telephone 101 or contact independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org The Met Office has issued a fresh warning as snowstorms batter Britain, with rare amber alerts active in some areas. The Arctic blast has brought heavy snow, freezing rain, and ice that has shut roads, halted travel and caused power outages across the UK this weekend. Amber alerts are in place from 6pm last night to midday today, stretching from Nottingham up to Newcastle-upon-Tyne for snow and ice. This means there is a good chance of power cuts, some drivers being stranded and rural communities could be cut off, with pavements likely to be 'impassable'. There are also Yellow warnings for rain, snow and ice across most of the UK, with some lasting until late tomorrow afternoon. The forecaster issued a fresh Yellow warning for heavy rainfall in the South of England, with flooding likely on some roads. Snow and sleet has spread across northern England and into southern Scotland today. Further south, freezing rain has pummelled parts of north Wales and central England, before turning drier and milder in the far south. Last night, even London managed to see some flurries but it had thawed by the time Brits woke up this morning. YORKSHIRE: A vehicle is driven in snow in Hopperton this morning in freezing weather LONDON: People seen waiting at a bus stop for one of the last buses of the evening at Hampstead Heath last night BASINGSTOKE: Snow falling next to a snowman in Basingstoke, Hampshire BRADFORD: A dog plays in the snow in Bradford today after Brits woke up to cold weather Amber alerts are in place from 6pm last night to midday today, stretching from Nottingham up to Newcastle-upon-Tyne for snow and ice GATESHEAD: People sledging in the snow at the Angel of the North in Tyne and Wear However, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds Bradford airports have been forced to shut their runways this morning due to snowy weather conditions. Birmingham Airport confirmed it has now reopened its runway after snow clearing, but passengers are advised to check with their airlines for updates. Passengers on London North Eastern Railway (LNER) have been urged to defer their rail journeys tomorrow on the East Coast main line. The company said in a statement: 'Due to heavy snow, train services running across the whole London North Eastern Railway network may be cancelled or delayed. 'LNER tickets for travel on Sunday 5 January will be valid for use on Monday 6 January. 'If you are unable to defer your journey, you can use your ticket on the following train companies at no extra cost: TransPennine Express between Manchester, Leeds and York/Newcastle. Northern on any reasonable route. Great Northern and Thameslink between London Kings Cross, Stevenage and Peterborough. 'Please be aware that other operators' services are also likely to be busy. We're working with Network Rail to get our services moving again as quickly as possible.' The Met Office said Bingley, West Yorkshire, has seen 12cm of snow until 7am this morning, with Shap in Cumbria and Capel Curig, Gwynedd, both seeing 10cm. The forecaster has updated severe weather warnings covering areas of the Midlands, Wales and much of northern England today. BLACKPOOL: A person walks with dogs near the water tower at Bispham YORKSHIRE: Vehicles on the A1 near to junction 47 in the snow this morning NEWCASTLE: Motorists struggle to navigate the difficult driving conditions this morning LIVERPOOL: A worker clears snow from the platform at Hunt's Cross station MANCHESTER: Snow has caused disruption and runways to close at airports this morning MANCHESTER: Snow is seen surrounding aircraft at Manchester Airport in the early hours Much of the UK is affected by the warnings, including Birmingham, Newcastle and parts of Cardiff. Manchester Airport was forced to shut its runways this morning due to heavy overnight snowfall. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the airport confirmed: 'Our runways are temporarily closed due to heavy snow, as our teams work hard to clear them as quickly as possible. 'The safety of our passengers is our top priority, and we appreciate your patience during this time. Please check with your airline for the latest flight information and allow extra travel time today.' It announced shortly before 10am that it has reopened but warned of delays as staff work to 'de-ice' aircraft. The heavy overnight snow caused widespread disruption across the UK as the cold start to the new year continues. National Highways warned that up to 25cm of snow could affect roads in northern England. Snow closed the A628 Woodhead Pass which connects Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire through the Peak District overnight in both directions between the A616 at Flouch and the A57 at Hollingworth. The A66 in County Durham and Cumbria was closed between the M6 and A1M because of the conditions, while two of four lanes on the M1 northbound between J30 Worksop and J31 Sheffield in South Yorkshire were shut after a collision involving a HGV. National Rail said the line between Leeds and Halifax via Dewbury was closed in both directions, with disruption on northern routes expected into Monday. Avanti West Coast trains running to and from Liverpool Lime Street were cancelled due to depot issues with disruption expected until midday. One lane of the northbound A3 in Hampshire was closed on Sunday morning due to flooding following overnight snow, National Highways said. The Environment Agency issued three flood warnings for Sunday morning on the River Taw and the River Torridge in Devon, and on the River Brue in Somerset. The National Grid said it had been working to restore power after outages across the Midlands, south-west England and South Wales on Saturday. The company's live map shows power cuts across the region on Sunday morning, including in Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff. BLACKPOOL: A blanket of snow covers Blackpool in Lancashire today LIVERPOOL: A person pushes a bicycle along a snow covered street at Hunt's Cross LIVERPOOL: A tractor clears snow at Liverpool John Lennon Airport GATESHEAD: Snow surrounds the Angel of the North in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear Two amber weather warnings from the Met Office have been put in place in England and Wales, with 3cm to 7cm of snowfall predicted for much of the affected area, mixing with rain at times in lower-lying areas. The Met Office said Bingley, West Yorkshire, had seen 12cm of snow up to 7am on Sunday, with Shap in Cumbria and Capel Curig, Gwynedd, both seeing 10cm. One amber warning for snow and freezing rain, which covers much of Wales and the Midlands as far north as Manchester, is in place until midday on Sunday. Higher ground in Wales and the southern Pennines could see 15cm to 30cm of snow, the forecaster said, with milder air leading to a rapid thaw in the south of the warning area through Sunday. The second amber warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, is in place until midnight on Sunday. National Highways also warned rain may initially fall on frozen ground and lead to ice, with areas of high ground, including the Cotswolds and Peak District, most at risk. A yellow warning for snow and ice covers most of the remaining parts of England and Wales until midnight, while a similar warning covers large parts of Northern Ireland from 6pm on Sunday. The north of Scotland is covered by a yellow warning for ice until 10am on Sunday, with another for snow and ice in the east of central Scotland until 6am on Monday. MANCHESTER: People wheel their suitcases through snow at Manchester Airport this morning BRADFORD: A person walks their dog along a snow-covered road this morning NEWPORT: A sleepy hamlet looked like a postcard last night as the snow fell LEEDS: Revellers grin as they try to shelter from the snowfall A new yellow rain warning for southern England from Cornwall across to Kent was issued and put in place on Sunday morning and will last until 9am on Monday. There is also a yellow warning for rain covering much of Wales and the West Midlands on Sunday from 6am to 9pm. UK Health Security Agency cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures. Amber alerts were issued on Thursday and will run until Wednesday, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said. Councils across London and southern England have activated emergency measures including additional accommodation to help rough sleepers stay safe during the cold snap. The Met Office forecast the sleet and snow will continue to push north on Sunday and be heaviest in northern England and into southern Scotland. After experiencing freezing rain for a time, the south will turn milder. Frost and icy patches will continue through the early part of the week, but Monday and Tuesday will become drier with sunny spells and scattered wintry showers. Wednesday will be cloudier with hazy sunshine. Wintry showers are possible in the south early on Thursday before Friday becomes more settled ahead of a cloud and rain in the west before largely settled conditions from next weekend. A single dinghy carrying 61 migrants has become the first small boat this year to be caught trying to cross the Channel. People smugglers crammed the migrants into a tiny boat and sent the vessel on its way despite yesterday's freezing conditions. They were reportedly taking advantage of a narrow window in the weather to make the treacherous crossing. The boat was intercepted as they were making the crossing before it was brought into the Port of Dover in Kent on board a Border Force catamaran and taken through the immigration processing centre at the Western Docks. The migrants are the first to make the voyage since December 29 when four people died after their dinghy got into difficulty off the French coast at Sangatte near Calais. Three were confirmed dead that day but a fourth body was found off the beach at Sangatte the next day. A total of 36,816 in 695 boats made the crossing in 2024 - the second highest annual number since records began seven years ago. A record 45,755 were brought ashore in 2022. 23,303 in 424 boats have now been picked up in the Dover Straits since Labour came into power in July last year. The first migrants of 2025 have been intercepted by officials trying to cross the Channel Images yesterday showed dozens of migrants being picked up at sea by Border Force and arriving in Dover aboard a patrol vessel Newly-released figures showed nearly 37,000 migrants arrived on small boats last year Migrants are often being handed poor quality lifejackets, including ones that do not work in deep water or are designed for children. One group was seen holding rubber rings. Another factor that is believed to be driving the rise in deaths is the use of riskier crossing routes, with smugglers leaving from a wider area of the French coast to try and avoid patrols. The Refugee Council said on Friday that ministers seem to have 'accepted that enforcement action against the smuggling gangs has made the journeys more dangerous'. The charity said the Government, jointly with the French, should publish quarterly data on the numbers who have died, including their age, sex and nationality. It also urged ministers to produce a plan for reducing lives lost, and to set out a plan for reviewing and expanding safe and legal routes to the UK. CEO Enver Solomon said: 'The record number of deaths in the Channel this year should serve as a stark reminder that the current approach is not working. 'Smuggling gangs are profiting from men, women and children forced into life-threatening conditions, and enforcement measures alone are not enough to address this. 'More safe and legal routes are needed to provide a lifeline for those fleeing war and persecution... Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Border Force officials picked up the migrants at sea as they attempted to cross the Channel 'The Government needs to take a different approach if it is to ensure everything possible is done so that 2025 does not see a repeat of last year's devastating loss.' This week the Home Office unveiled new plans to hand travel and social media bans to suspected people smugglers in a bid to dismantle organised immigration crime networks. Ministers will accelerate the process for placing restrictions on those being investigated through the use of 'interim' Serious Crime Prevention Orders (SCPOs). Suspects could be banned from travelling, prevented from accessing their phone or money and barred from associating with certain individuals. The Home Office said the approach, which will form part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, will help to crack down on people smugglers at an early stage. Interim orders could also be used to tackle a range of other organised-crime offences, including drug trafficking, fraud and prostitution, which are already covered by SCPOs. SCPOs are court orders that can prevent, restrict or disrupt a person's involvement in serious crime. Securing a full SCPO can be a lengthy process, but the new interim version will enable action while the maximum order is considered. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured) previously said: 'Dangerous criminal people-smugglers are profiting from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. 'They can not be allowed to get away with it' The National Crime Agency police and other law-enforcement agencies will be able to apply to the High Court to impose immediate restrictions. Interim orders can be issued without a conviction and breaching one could lead to up to five years in prison. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper previously said: 'Dangerous criminal people-smugglers are profiting from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. 'They can not be allowed to get away with it. Stronger international collaboration has already led to important arrests and action against dangerous gangs over the last few months. 'We will give law enforcement stronger powers they need to pursue and stop more of these vile gang networks. 'Border security is one of the foundations of this Government's Plan for Change, including making people better off, delivering safer streets and strengthening our NHS, and we will do everything in our power to deliver for working people.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. 'The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.' The Government has spent 27million on interpreters for non-English speaking benefit claimants since 2019, it has emerged. The Department for Work and Pensions has boosted spending on interpretation services in the last five years. The highest yearly spend was in 2022, when the department spent 8million - up from 1.7 million in 2019. Nearly a million calls to the DWP Universal Credit helpline needed an interpreter last year. Interpretation contractors are employed from job centres and through video and phone calls. It comes after newly-released figures showed nearly 37,000 people arrived in the UK last year. The cost of interpretation is at record levels and cost the taxpayer 4million in 2023, The Telegraph reported. Interpretation contractors are employed from job centres. File image of a job centre in London The Department for Work and Pensions has boosted spending on interpretation services Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall speaking to the media A DWP spokesman said: 'We support millions of people through Universal Credit payments every year, with only two per cent of hundreds of millions of calls to the department requiring an interpreter in 2024 and clear rules on who qualifies for support.' It comes after data revealed 36,816 people crossed the Channel in small boats in 2024, a jump of 25 per cent from the 29,437 who arrived in 2023, according to provisional figures from the Home Office. The crossings continue even as the number of reported deaths has risen sixfold as callous smugglers adopt even riskier tactics to maximise profits. At least 77 people perished on the perilous sea route in 2024 compared to 12 in 2023, according to French officials - making it the worst year on record as overall crossings rose by a quarter. Campaigners have urged the UK Government to publish data on migrant deaths as it currently does not confirm any figures. Evidence points to migrants crossing on increasingly dangerous boats with little or no safety equipment. An average of 53 people arrived in each dinghy last year compared to 49 in 2023 and 41 in 2022. The first migrants of 2025 have been intercepted by officials trying to cross the Channel Sturdier, rigid-hulled vessels with proper engines have almost entirely been phased out by gangs in favour of bigger, flimsier craft described by one senior police official as 'little more than a paddling pool'. Migrants are often being handed poor quality lifejackets, including ones that do not work in deep water or are designed for children. One group was seen holding rubber rings. Another factor that is believed to be driving the rise in deaths is the use of riskier crossing routes, with smugglers leaving from a wider area of the French coast to try and avoid patrols. The Refugee Council said that ministers seem to have 'accepted that enforcement action against the smuggling gangs has made the journeys more dangerous'. The charity said the Government, jointly with the French, should publish quarterly data on the numbers who have died, including their age, sex and nationality. It also urged ministers to produce a plan for reducing lives lost, and to set out a plan for reviewing and expanding safe and legal routes to the UK. A Home Office spokesman said: 'Every life lost at sea is a tragedy, which is why our efforts are focused on saving lives, as well as protecting our borders. 'The people smuggling gangs only care about profit and we are seeing their behaviour adapt, with more people crammed into flimsy and dangerous boats. Newly-released figures showed nearly 37,000 migrants arrived on small boats last year It comes after The Mail on Sunday revealed that English-speaking patients are being pushed to the back of the queue in waiting rooms at NHS hospitals in favour of patients who need an interpreter. Imperial College Healthcare, an NHS Trust with five hospitals across north-west London, prioritises patients who have been assigned an interpreter. The trust's aim is to avoid additional charges from the interpreting service. It is unclear whether NHS trusts nationwide take this approach, but it sparked a row, with Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick claiming the approach lets down British NHS patients. The former immigration minister told The Mail on Sunday: 'Brits are already waiting too long for treatment. The last thing they should be subjected to is the indignity of being pushed to the back of the queue. 'This is yet more evidence of the pressure mass migration places on our public services and the difficulties integrating such unprecedented numbers. 'Non-English speakers shouldn't be given a queue pass.' Imperial's policy dictates that if there is a delay in a clinic and they have pre-booked an interpreter for a patient, nurses will see that patient as close as possible to the original appointment time so that the trust does not incur additional costs from the interpreting service for the waiting time. The result is that English speakers can find their queue position is deliberately overlooked. Images emerging on Saturday morning showed dozens of migrants being picked up at sea by Border Force and arriving in Dover aboard a patrol vessel The maternity service at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in west London operates the policy in their antenatal clinics. Some waiting areas operate a formal numbered ticketing system, but even this is overridden by the trust's interpreter policy. One patient told the MoS: 'It's a clinic, so you go in expecting to wait a while, but when someone behind me in the queue was let into see the doctor before me I asked the receptionist why and was told that the people with interpreters are prioritised because they can't wait for more than an hour.' Television doctor Sarah Jarvis said: 'I do understand the rationale in terms of reducing costs to the NHS. I would much prefer vulnerable patients to be prioritised. 'This is not prioritising on the basis of clinical need, which is what doctors believe in.' An NHS doctor, Catja Schmitgen, previously told the Mail that translation-related delays have become 'a major issue', especially in urban areas. She said consultations with non-English speakers took twice as long because information had to be spelt out or relayed through translators and as a result there was less time for other patients. A spokesman for the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said: 'We are committed to responding to the specific needs raised by any of our patients and every patient has the right to a professional interpreter.' A pensioner has won a seven-year battle against the development of a solar farm next to her village home after spending 100,000 of her own money to take the council to court in a bitter legal battle. Chala Fiske took her local council all the way to the Court of Appeal to prevent the eco-project from going ahead and came out of a David vs Goliath battle with a 'landmark' victory. At one stage, the retired mathematician's husband feared she would go bankrupt as she waged war on the council over its plans to transform the land into a solar farm in the historic settlement of East Wellow, Hampshire. 'I'm retired, I'm an OAP, I don't like being bullied,' the 78-year-old said as she celebrated her victory without her late husband who died earlier this year before a verdict was reached. Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) first approved plans for the 46 megawatt solar farm - which could power up to 14,000 homes - in 2017 which included more than 80,000 ground-mounted solar panels and an electricity substation. The village of 3,000 people - where Florence Nightingale is buried - dates back to the Domesday Book and houses regularly sell for more than 800,000. Mrs Fiske, who is originally from Thailand, has lived next to the fields since 1982 and objected to the solar farm from the start because she believes the farmland would be better used producing food. 'The problem I had with it is this country can't provide its own food,' she said. 'We've got about 40 per cent food security and if we have the war, and we're close to a war, we just won't be able to do anything. Chala Fiske took her local council all the way to the Court of Appeal to prevent the project going ahead and came out of a David v Goliath battle with a 'landmark' victory. The field where the development was marked for is pictured 'We know we can't even fight a war, so food security on an island is very very important, it really is.' The UK government's website states that the country is 'highly dependent on imports to meet consumer demand for fruits, vegetables and seafood', while domestic production of food available in the UK is said to be 'around 60%'. Mrs Fiske added: 'I'm not against the solar farm so much, I'm against it because it's on good land.' Mrs Fiske successfully challenged the council in the High Court in 2023, when a judge ruled that proposed amendments to Woodington Solar Farm weren't compatible with planning conditions which had been put in place in 2017. The council lost their appeal against this judgement on December 10 2024. Hailing the 'landmark judgement', Mrs Fiske said her seven-year battle has cost her 100,000, meaning she's spent the money she gained at the turn of the century when she was made redundant. She said: 'TVBC must've spent the same. In fact they had two barristers, I only had one. 'I'm probably the first person who has ever done it against them, so they're trying to make me an example of don't do it but I'm the wrong person to do that to I'm afraid.' Mrs Fiske said her seven-year battle has cost her 100,000. Pictured: A Hive Energy sign on a gate in the area Mrs Fiske, whose husband Anthony Fiske, 78, died in April of this year, said: 'My husband didn't even want me to do it because he thought I would go bankrupt.' She said she felt that residents' ignorance about planning processes were 'being used', and though she 'isn't a lawyer', she informed herself by reading the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. In the future, she would like the development that's already been made on the solar farm to be undone, including the restoration of a footpath which was partly removed in the area to make way for heavy goods vehicles. Mrs Fiske's lawyer, Sara Hanrahan of firm Blake Morgan, said: 'The ruling is important for planning law. 'We are immensely pleased to have secured this outcome for our client who has fought long and hard to secure this landmark ruling.' Local Conservative councillor Nick Adams-King, said that TVBC is currently considering its options. 'It has been seven, eight years since (the application) was originally lodged,' he said. 'I think times have changed and our need for energy infrastructure and our need for energy security has changed in the intervening eight years. 'So, although it is large, I think it is something that is going ahead and is a positive thing from that perspective. Albeit I would rather it wasn't built in the location it's been built.' A Test Valley Borough Council spokesperson said: 'The Council is currently considering the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the case of Test Valley Council vs Fiske, which relates to the construction of a solar farm at Woodington, East Wellow, before deciding what next steps need to be taken.' Russia said Sunday that Ukraine had launched a 'counterattack' in the western border region of Kursk, where Kyiv's forces began a shock ground offensive last August. It was not immediately clear how much Ukraine had advanced in the region, but pro-Kremlin military bloggers reported earlier that a powerful new offensive was underway. 'At about 9am Moscow time (6am UK time), in order to halt the advance of Russian troops in the Kursk direction, the enemy launched a counterattack,' the Russian defence ministry said. Columns of armoured vehicles were seen on footage advancing beyond territory already controlled by Volodymyr Zelensky's army. Ukraine used two tanks, a dozen armoured vehicles and a demolition unit in the new offensive, which was headed towards the village of Berdin, the Russian ministry said. It added: 'The operation to destroy the Ukrainian army formations continues.' Pro-Kremlin military bloggers reported earlier that Kyiv was mounting a new offensive in the area, and that its troops were pressing towards the region's Bolshesoldatsky district. Ukrainian officials offered limited information about the offensive. Ukraine stages a surprise military advance inside Russia's Kursk region Columns of armoured vehicles were seen on footage advancing beyond territory already controlled by Volodymyr Zelensky's army Russia said Sunday that Ukraine had launched a 'counterattack' in the western border region of Kursk, where Kyiv's forces began a shock ground offensive last August (file image of a Russian soldier firing towards a Ukrainian position in the Kursk region) 'Russia is getting what it deserves,' Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said. Kyiv seized dozens of villages in the Kursk region shortly after its offensive began last year, but its advances stalled after Moscow rushed reinforcements to the area, including thousands of North Korean troops. A day before Ukraine's surprise attack, Zelensky had claimed: 'Over the past two days, near Makhnovka [a village in Sudzhansky District of Kursk region], Russian forces lost a battalion composed of North Korean infantry and Russian paratroopers.' In the new push, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the Russian army in several directions in the Kursk region, said Kyiv's Centre for Combating Disinformation (CCD), part of the National Security Council of Ukraine. Russian pro-war 'Z-channels' began a scaremongering campaign that the Ukrainian aim was to capture Kursk nuclear power plant, a key strategic site. However, this seems unlikely since it is 37 miles from current Ukrainian positions. Russian war channels said the Ukrainians assembled six brigades for the attack and were advancing with armoured groups in the direction of the village of Bolshoe Soldatskoe and the neighboring farm of Berdyn. Infantry had been concealed in forested areas ahead of the advance. They reportedly attacked Russian positions in the villages of Pushkarnoe, Leonidovo, and Nikolskoye. A day before Ukraine's surprise attack, Zelensky (pictured) had claimed: 'Over the past two days, near Makhnovka [a village in Sudzhansky District of Kursk region], Russian forces lost a battalion composed of North Korean infantry and Russian paratroopers' Some reports say Ukraine undertook mine clearance work before pushing forwards. One Russian outlet scoffed at a 'last resort counteroffensive', seeking to secure some territorial gains inside Russia to compensate for losses in Donbas, ahead of Donald Trump's arrival in the White House, and pressure from the US for a ceasefire and peace talks. In a sign of pressure for Russia in Kursk region, Putin's troubleshooting deputy defence minister General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov arrived in the region. Russian War Gonzo channel said: 'The [Ukrainian] advance units are moving under the cover of electronic warfare installations, which complicates their destruction using attack drones, after which the main forces are pulled up in armoured fighting vehicles. 'Attempts are being made to strike not only at the forward positions of our troops, but also at the rear areas of the Kursk region using long-range missiles and drones.' Russian aviation was active over the skies of Kursk region and a Ukrainian tank was seen being hit by a Russian Lancet kamikaze drone close to the border. The advance came after a recent visit by Ukrainian commander in chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi to Kursk region inside occupied Russia ahead of today's advance by his troops. In a sign of pressure for Russia in Kursk region, Putin's (pictured) troubleshooting deputy defence minister General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov arrived in the region 'Thanks to your steadfastness and courage, the enemy's losses in the Kursk region amounted to more than 38,000 personnel and more than 1,000 pieces of equipment,' he said as he awarded honours to troops. 'Thank you for your courage, heroism and military feat. We will continue to destroy the occupiers. And it doesn't matter what passports they have: Russian or North Korean. The fight continues.' Russian pro-Kremlin news outlet Readovka said its troops allegedly had entered Ukraine's Sumy region south of Nikolayevo-Daryino, attempting to encircle Ukrainian troops from the south. Large forces of Russians are attacking Malaya Loknya from the west, it claimed. But Ukrainian reports said this column had been destroyed. Donald Trump Jr. spawned some outrage over the weekend after posting a series of photos with two of his kids. The president-elect's eldest son published the pictures to Instagram, where he has more than 7.9million followers. 'Games night and indoor smores!' the 47-year-old executive vice president of the Trump Organization captioned the set, days after debuting new girlfriend Bettina Anderson in Mar-a-Lago for a New Year's Eve celebration. The 38-year-old was nowhere to be seen in the photos published Saturday, with them instead showing Trump Jr with his two youngest, Spencer, 12, and 10-year-old Chloe. Neither was Trump Jr.'s 55-year-old former fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle, whom he began dating in 2018 and got engaged to in 2020. Despite being somewhat benign, the posts quickly inspired pushback from onlookers, perturbed not by the presence of junk food, but a single cannister of Zyn. Zyn is a brand of nicotine pouch that is placed between the gums and lip, which has grown in popularity among conservatives. The container was seen on the table where the family were snacking and playing board games. The kids - who come from Trump Jr's relationship with his ex-wife Vanessa Trump - did not appear to partake. They were seen enjoying smores and throwing axes with their dad, as onlookers found issue with the tobacco product. Scroll down for video: Donald Trump Jr. spawned some outrage over the weekend after posting a series of photos with two of his kids, Spencer, 12, and 10-year-old Chloe Onlookers found issue with a single cannister of Zyn on the table near his youngest, days after he debuted his new girlfriend at his dad's New Year's celebration in Mar-a-Lago 'Not the [Z]yn next to the child!' wrote one top commenter, as Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host, preps for her new role as ambassador to Greece. 'You probably shouldn't let you daughter [Z]yn at that age,' added another, in apparent jest. 'It's the [Z]yn for me,' sniped someone else, capping the comment with a laughing emoji. 'S'mores and [Z]nns,' proclaimed another, airing emojis that indicated they too found the situation humorous. Others pointed out the product's proximity to the children while not taking issue, as the cannister was closed and the children did not even acknowledge its presence. 'The joy and happiness in [this] family,' wrote one such onlooker, as others begged him the poster get back together with Guilfoyle. 'And I see the Zyn. Spittin while huntin,' the person joked. The post and subsequent response comes after Zyn surfaced as an unlikely symbol for conservative masculinity over the past year, thanks in part to promotions from figures ranging from Tucker Carslon and the founders of the Full Send podcast. Some of the criticisms were made in jest, while others were more serious - as the tobacco product is not intended for minors The trio also appeared to engage in some ax-throwing, though it was the Zyn that set onlookers off The product made headlines in November when Fox News' Tucker Carlson ditched it to launch his on competitor, after finding issue with Democratic donations made by employees at Philip Morris The Fox News host is seen with a pack of the pouches during preparations for the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee The product made headlines in November when Carlson decided to ditch it to launch a competitor, called ALP, due to discontent with alleged Democratic political donations made by employees of prominent tobacco firm Philip Morris. It also comes weeks after reports suggested Trump Jr and his then-fiancee had been arguing publicly at various events, all after buying a $9.7million home in Admirals Cove, 20 miles north of Mar-a-Lago, over the summer. The couple's relationship has since soured, with insiders last month telling the Daily News that he has been involved with Anderson, a model from a well-heeled family in Palm Beach, for at least six months. As such reports emerged, Trump Jr. was forced to issue a statement, breaking his silence on the split to say the two are handling it amicably. 'Kimberly and I will never stop caring for each other and will always keep a special bond,' the then 46-year-old said, before celebrating his birthday with Anderson last week while ringing in the New Year. Trump Jr's birthday was on December 31. He told Page Six: 'I could not be more proud of her and the important role shell continue to play [as US ambassador to Greece]', after his dad weeks ago gave her the nod to take the position. Trump Jr added of the former California attorney, 'Shes been an undefeated prosecutor, national TV news star, a leader of the MAGA movement and close advisor to the president. It also comes weeks after reports suggested Trump Jr and his then-fiancee had been arguing publicly at various events, all after buying a $9.7million home 20 miles north of Mar-a-Lago over the summer On New Year's Eve, Trump's debuted his new girlfriend, Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson Anderson, 38, stunned in a fierce red dress at the Trump family Christmas at Mar-a-Lago. She was not seen in her beau's snaps Saturday 'The people of Greece are getting an absolute star and now the whole world will see it more than ever,' he finished. Guilfoyle, who also led fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign, was previously married to Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California. The two split after staying together for five years, from 2001 to 2006. Guilfoyle would then wed businessman Eric Villency, before their divorce in 2009. Trump Jr, meanwhile, was married to his ex-wife between 2005 and 2018, and fathered five children. They are Kai, 17, Donald, 15, Tristan, 13, and Spencer and Chloe. As for his newfound relationship with Anderson, it was solidified last week in Mar-a-Lago, three months after DailyMail.com revealed the pair were canoodling at another Palm Beach restaurant, locking lips in front of incredulous diners. A former Colorado county Chief of Schools was found dead in Maryland just weeks after he was fired amid a disturbing probe into him for possession of child pornography. Jefferson County (JeffCo) Chief of Schools David Weiss was terminated on December 19 after the sheriff's office launched its investigation. Initially, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and school officials refused to reveal the subject of the investigation. Almost two weeks after he was fired, the Maryland Washington County Sheriff's Office informed their Colorado partners of his death. The Washington County Sheriff's Office said Weiss died by suicide while he was visiting family for the holidays. A spokesperson told 9 News Weiss was found dead around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, and an autopsy is being done to determine his cause and manner of death officially. After his death, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office confirmed they were investigating Weiss for child pornography. 'The JCSO is conducting an investigation of Weiss involving the possession of child sexual assault material,' sheriff's office spokesperson Karlyn Tilley told The Denver Gazette. Former Jefferson County Chief of Schools David Weiss (pictured) was found dead just weeks after a child pornography investigation was launched into him 'That investigation will continue. Until it is completed, no further information will be released.' Weiss had been in the chief of schools position since 2022 and worked in public education for 20 years, according to his LinkedIn. Outraged parents were disgusted to learn the subject of the investigation, given his lengthy tenure working with children. 'You never think that that's going to happen in your school district, especially with somebody that's so elevated in a position,' parent Crystal Marine told KDVR. 'It's disturbing, and it's shocking. And I'm just frankly, I'm disgusted.' 'This person had a great deal of influence on past investigations that have to do with grooming and sexual abuse in our schools,' parent Lindsay Datko said. 'And we are going to be demanding that those investigations are looked at again because this person, David Weiss, chief of schools, add influence and power over the decisions made in those cases.' Parents fearing the investigation will get swept under the rug now that Weiss has died are demanding answers from the school district. 'We're concerned now, because there has been a death, that we won't receive the answers that we need and the details that must come out so that we have a full understanding of what really took place here from somebody who was in the highest position of public trust,' Datko said. Weiss had been in the chief of schools position since 2022 and worked in public education for 20 years 'I sent emails to the board in the district begging them to give the community and their employees first and foremost, some information that would help them feel at ease, to help them feel that they are in charge, that they understand this is going to shake up this school community, the entire community, and that they are on top of it, that they will take it seriously and they refuse to answer.' 'The silence is deafening and that this is an opportunity for the district to really lean into that guidance and leadership that they are capable of, but they're backing down from it, it's alarming,' Marine said. Superintendent Tracy Dorland and Board President Mary Parker released a statement on Thursday ensuring safety is their top priority. 'The safety of all children, especially our Jeffco students, is our top priority, and we will continue to fully support the JCSO in their ongoing investigation,' they said. The officials do not believe the school's internet network was used by Weiss for possessing materials. '[We have] a zero-tolerance policy for any employee behavior that threatens the health and safety of our students, and we use and regularly update cybersecurity software and firewalls that prevent staff and students from accessing inappropriate or harmful material on Jeffco networks and devices.' A person was hospitalized in critical condition and a suspect was arrested after a shooting in San Franciscos South of Market neighborhood. ER Productions Limited/Getty Images San Francisco police said they arrested a man following a shooting that critically injured another man in the citys South of Market neighborhood Saturday evening. At 6:32 p.m., authorities responded to a report of a shooting at 525 Fifth St., near Bryant Street, according to the San Francisco Police Department. At the scene, officers found a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds and transported him to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. While investigators were on the scene, a man approached them and officers developed probable cause to arrest him, police said. Police identified him as Taylor Reed, 29. Police did not say whether Reed was booked into jail and said any charges against him are still pending. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The address where the shooting occurred appears to belong to a homelessness service center operated by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco. An update on the victims condition was not immediately available Saturday night. Anyone with information related the incident is asked to contact SFPD at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411. A serial female fantasist who was jailed for lying about being raped by an Asian grooming gang has been released early from prison. Eleanor Williams made up increasingly serious accusations of rape and sex trafficking to police over a three-year period and went viral after posting photographs of her bruised face. Her actions sparked civil unrest in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, and nearly drove innocent men to suicide after she shared gruesome photos of injuries on Facebook which she claimed were the result of abuse. The 24-year-old posted the images in 2020 and accused a number of men of rape, going back to 2017. She then went further, telling police she was groomed and trafficked by an Asian gang. A 'Justice for Ellie' campaign was even created and garnered over 100,00 Facebook members - with protestors taking to the streets under the belief that the police weren't properly handling the case. However the allegations had been false and her injuries were self-inflicted. Following the web of lies she created, Williams was found guilty on eight counts of perverting the course of justice and jailed for eight and half years in 2023. Eleanor Williams (pictured) made up increasingly serious accusations of rape and sex trafficking to police over a three-year period and went viral after posting photographs of her bruised face Williams with injuries to her face which she claimed was done by an Asian grooming gang but were in fact self-inflicted Today it emerged Williams has been unexpectedly released ahead of the half way point in her sentence, prompting condemnation from some Barrow residents Preston Crown Court previously heard that three men had tried to take their own lives after being falsely accused of raping her and one spent 73 days in jail. Today it emerged Williams has been unexpectedly released ahead of the half way point in her sentence, prompting condemnation from some Barrow residents. One, posting on a local newspaper website, condemned her early release. They said: 'This is absolutely disgusting! She's barely served any of her eight year sentence! How is this justice for what she did to those poor men.' Sentenced in early 2023, Preston Crown Court heard Williams was originally scheduled to be released from custody in February at the halfway point of her sentence. It came after she served an extensive period of time on remand having been charged with eight counts of perverting the course of justice. She pleaded guilty to a ninth count prior to her ten-week trial, admitting that she fabricated evidence while at Styal prison in Cheshire. Williams was found guilty of perverting the course of justice over multiple false claims of rape and grooming - where prosecutors laid out what they described as her extensive 'web of lies'. Williams at a Tesco in Barrow buying a hammer that she later used to beat her own face Footage shows how Williams acted as if she had been drugged when police officers visited her at home in July 2019 The Ministry of Justice confirmed that Williams, who previously lived at Teasdale Road on Walney, had been released. A HM Prison and Probation Service spokesperson said: 'Any individuals released on licence are subject to probation supervision, strict licence conditions and face a return to prison if they break them.' Offenders released on licence are subject to strict conditions including restrictions on their movements and contact with others. Licence conditions can include restrictions on where offenders can travel, who they can contact, wearing a tag, to abide by a curfew, restrictions on phone and internet use, and living at a particular address. She can also be recalled for exhibiting behaviour suggesting she poses an increased risk to the public. At her sentencing hearing the court made her the subject of a five-year serious crime prevention order 'to protect the public', which was due to take effect from February 17. Williams's lies were undone by more than 50 hours of footage, including street CCTV, tapes of video interviews and police bodycams. Footage shows how Williams acted as if she had been drugged when police officers visited her at home in July 2019. Williams was spotted on CCTV in Preston, seemingly well, just hours before her display of intoxication. Her lies were undone by more than 50 hours of footage, including street CCTV, tapes of video interviews and police bodycams Seemingly unable to stand upright and making jerky movements with her head and arms, Williams was seen lounging on a chair and unable to respond to officers while covered in injuries including bruises and a cut to her lip which was dripping blood. She was taken to hospital where she continued to act intoxicated, before telling police she had been drugged and raped by a man in Preston before he forced her to have sex with two Asian men. She also alleged that after returning to her hometown she was picked up by two other Asian men who also attacked her. But these allegations were the latest in a series of claims which began in 2017 when she was just 16. In a police interview in 2017 Williams accused her first victim of rape. But after he denied all knowledge of the alleged incident, she withdrew her involvement from the police investigation. More than a year later, she again went to police and claimed to have been raped by a man, with images showing her with bruising to her cheek that she claims was caused by the attack. Aged 18 at the time, she told police: 'He had a knife and was waving it around [He] pulled me into the bathroom by my hair, stripped me naked and was hitting me with the shower head.' The man she had accused spent ten weeks in prison before finally being released. But just weeks later, she contacted police again and claimed she was a victim of an Asian grooming gang that was trafficking her across the northwest of England for sex. Williams was seen travelling back to her hometown with no signs of intoxication or injuries - but later claimed she had been violently attacked by multiple men On another occasion, Williams was seen on CCTV footage walking back to her hometown with no signs of intoxication or injuries despite having claimed she was violently attacked by multiple men. Footage from inside a Tesco in Barrow showed Williams buying a hammer which would later be used to self-inflict injuries to her face and body. Williams' actions also had a profound impact on the British Asian community living in the Cumbrian town with many residents reporting threats and their local businesses were damaged. If you are affected by the issues in this article, call the Samaritans for free, confidential support on 116 123 from a UK phone. A landlord of a Saracens Head pub which is under threat by a convicted terrorist over its 'racist' sign and name has defended his establishment as a 'piece of history'. Khalid Baqa, who was previously jailed for distributing jihadist propaganda, has launched legal action or demands to several pubs across the UK called the Saracens Head. The first landlord to reveal he had been sued by Baqa was Robbie Hayes, who owns the Saracens Head Inn in Amersham. But it later emerged that Baqa had also sent letters demanding changes to Simon Belsey, 49, landlord of Grade-I listed Saracens Head in Hereford and Peter Dillingham, 59, who owns a pub with the name in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire. Mr Dillingham has also vowed to stand firm, describing Baqa as 'a charlatan - just a chancer'. The landlord of the 17th-century pub recognised the complaints from those reported by other landlords from emails he had received in October. He says the pub has had its name since 1612 - and its sign actually shows a helmeted warrior with a sword. 'He obviously hadn't seen our sign,' he said. 'I think he is just a charlatan, just a chancer.' Pub landlord Peter Dillingham, who owns the Saracens Head in Kings Langley, has vowed to stand firm, describing Baqa as 'a charlatan - just a chancer' Terrorist Khalid Baqa (pictured), who was jailed for four years for preparing jihadist propaganda, has sparked outrage by threatening Saracens Head pubs with legal action Mr Dillingham has described the name as 'a piece of history' with 'no racial intent'. Pictured: The Saracens Head pub in Kings Langley Mr Dillingham says he does not expect the Amersham Saracens Head lawsuit - which describes the pubs signs as 'deeply offensive' - to succeed. But he is concerned that it would open the floodgates for all other Saracens Head pubs to be sued. Mr Dillingham has described the name as 'a piece of history' with 'no racial intent' and questioned whether Baqa has genuinely seen many of the pubs he has threatened. He said the complaint included a line stating 'I have discovered that this is not the only pub that has emanated controversy on your part', seemingly referring to The Black Boy in Bricket Wood of which Mr Dillingham is also landlord. Baqa said the name is what he finds most offensive - due to its association with the crusades. He claimed it is linked to the use of Muslim soldiers' heads as trophies and 'has always offended me for many years' as he thinks many pubs are 'proud of the crusades'. If the word 'head' was removed from the name 'there would be no issue whatsoever', he said. He added: 'If I am successful in any of my lawsuits, then all money awarded to me would be donated towards orphans in Gaza and Syria. The Saracen's Head in Kings Langley shows a man brandishing a sword and a shield Inside one corner of the pub is a fireplace with half a dozen carved faces depicting the pub's symbol Simon Belsey, 49, who runs The Saracen's Head next to the River Wye in Hereford, (pictured) has also received two letters from the 60-year-old threatening legal action Robbie Hayes (pictured), landlord of the Saracens Head in Amersham, has vowed to fight the lawsuit, calling it a 'complete joke' 'I hope these pubs will realise that this is not the 15th or 16th century but 2025 and the UK is a vibrant, multi-cultural society.' Baqa was jailed in 2018 for dissemination of terrorist publications on the tube. He admitted to five counts of dissemination of terrorist publications. There are around 30 pubs across the UK that use a variation of the name Saracens Head. In his initial lawsuit, Baqa described the 'depiction of a bearded Arab/Turk' on the pub's sign as racist and suggests the depiction 'incites violence'. The term Saracen was previously used to refer to Muslims and is believed to date back to the Crusades. The addition of the word 'head' in pub names reflects the previous custom for referring to pubs by the illustration on their sign. Pub signs often show only a head and shoulders portrait, hence 'The Saracens Head'. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike last year while inside the militant group's war operations room, according to new details disclosed by a senior official. A series of Israeli air strikes flattened several buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 27, killing Nasrallah. The Lebanese Health Ministry said six people died. According to news reports, Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for 32 years, and other senior officials were meeting underground. The assassination of Nasrallah turned months of low-level strikes between Israel and the militants into all-out war that battered much of southern and eastern Lebanon for two months until a US-brokered ceasefire took effect on November 27. 'His Eminence (Hassan Nasrallah) used to lead the battle and war from this location,' top Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa told a news conference on Sunday near the site where Nasrallah was killed. He added: 'His Eminence (Hassan Nasrallah) used to lead the battle and war from this location.' He said Nasrallah died in the war operations room. He did not offer other details. Lebanese media had reported that Safa was a target of Israeli air strikes in central Beirut before the ceasefire but appeared unscathed. Israel killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah (pictured in 2015) in strikes on Beirut at the end of September Nasrallah died in a brutal assault that saw Israeli F-15I fighter jets drop dozens of munitions on the Hezbollah HQ in Beirut on September 27 During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to move its fighters, weapons and infrastructure away from southern Lebanon north of the Litani River, while Israeli troops that invaded southern Lebanon need to withdraw all within 60 days. Lebanese army soldiers are to deploy in large numbers and alongside United Nations peacekeepers be the sole armed presence in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah's current leader, Naim Kassem, said in a televised address on Saturday that its fighters could strike Israel if its troops do not leave the south by the end of the month. Safa said Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who negotiated the ceasefire deal with Washington, told Hezbollah the government will meet with US envoy Amos Hochstein soon. Mr Hochstein had led the shuttle diplomacy efforts to reach the fragile truce. This comes after a Saudi Arabian news channel claimed that Israel killed Nasrallah after the Hezbollah leader was smeared with a chemical agent that allowed spies to track his movements. Nasrallah reportedly shook hands with an Israeli agent who passed on the unknown substance. The agent would have been an Iranian visiting Beirut where Nasrallah was killed in an air strike on September 27, news outlet Al Hadath claimed. The site of an impact crater following Israel's assault on Hezbollah HQ in Dahiyeh, Beirut A view of damage occurring in the surrounding buildings following Israeli warplanes targeted the Dahiyeh area in Beirut Security sources suggested the substance could have been identified by a sensor or camera aboard a low-flying drone. An Israeli statement on his killing noted the operation had been 'directed by' the country's Intelligence Directorate. Israeli 'micro-drones' maintain constant coverage of the Lebanese capital and are small enough to be invisible to the naked eye when flying over buildings. Alternatively, Nasrallah or one of his close associates, may have been sprayed with an invisible chemical marking agent. If a chemical wasn't used, another explanation would be that a source provided information on his whereabouts. A source told French press that Nasrallah's arrival at Hezbollah HQ was leaked to the IDF by an Iranian mole, suggesting the Lebanese militant chief was compromised by his own backers. Nasrallah's body was recovered intact from beneath the remains of the building. In total more than 20 Hezbollah members were killed by the Israeli Air Force. Maklon Lube, 43, started growing cocoa, sago and nutmeg on the remote Indonesian island of Halmahera in his youth. But more recently, a group of mysterious men in overalls cut down his trees and blocked his access to his land. Nor was Mr Lube the only one to have his land seized others suffered the same brutal treatment. Soon afterwards, five coal-fired power plants rose up from the dense jungle surrounding Maklon's coastal village of Gemaf, spewing smoke over the ramshackle houses below. When Maklon complained, members of the country's notorious paramilitary police force showed up at his door. The Weda Bay Industrial Park, a new 5,000-hectare nickel smelting mega-complex on the island of Halmahera, spews out smoke over the ramshackle houses below in a village in Lelilef This was the Indonesian police mobile brigade unit or 'Brimob' said to be responsible for some of the country's most heinous human rights abuses, including rape, kidnappings and torture. Locals have noticed a sinister rise in its presence since they have been forced to endure the development of a new 5,000-hectare nickel smelting mega-complex on the island. The burgeoning nickel industry on Halmaherahas swallowed up vast swathes of forest and farmland that has been the lifeblood of the indigenous people for millennia The nickel smelting complex was completed at breakneck speed, but farmers claim this was achieved through unfair land grabs, with little or no compensation paid to villagers This is the reality of the Indonesian nickel rush, in which villagers claim their land has been illegally seized by mining companies, but protests are brutally suppressed by police, with claims of torture and at least one unlawful killing. The burgeoning industry has swallowed up vast swathes of forest and farmland that has been the lifeblood of the indigenous people for millennia. In fact, the growth of the nickel industry on Halmahera is so drastic that Survival International, a human rights group, has warned it could see one of the last surviving hunter-gatherer peoples of Indonesia wiped out. And what is fuelling the rapid rise of this carbon-chugging land-grab? The answer is rich Westerners and their insatiable demand for electric cars, for whose batteries nickel is a key component. The car companies Tesla, Ford, BMW, Stellantis and Volkswagen all have agreements with the nickel companies in Indonesia. And the UK, with its ambitious net-zero and EV targets, is one of the market's main drivers. Meanwhile, the ultimate winners you will not be surprised to hear are the Chinese, who have invested massively in the industry and brought over thousands of migrant workers to toil away inside the factories they own. Yet since these are located thousands of miles away, this is all happily out of sight and mind for those such as our own energy and climate change minister Ed Miliband who hail EVs as a major solution to the world's climate crisis. So the Daily Mail ventured to the far flung villages of Halmahera to uncover the dirty secret behind the green car revolution. Halmahera is the largest of the Spice Islands of North Maluku province, which attracted European colonial interest as far back as the 16th century due to the abundance of cloves, nutmeg and other coveted spices on its verdant shores. Today, it is the epicentre of Indonesia's nickel boom. The country is the world's largest producer of the critical mineral used in EV batteries, supplying 48 per cent of global demand. Massive nickel mining and industrial park complexes are being built across its sprawling archipelago, including the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park in Lelilef, Halmahera, just 3km to the west of Maklon's home in Gemaf. The mountainous area to its north is rich in nickel deposits. This has almost entirely been taken over by mining, with more than 60 concessions covering almost 150,000 hectares, roughly 60 per cent of the entire district of central Halmahera. Here, a web of mining companies from Indonesia, Australia, France and China, chop down trees and extract vast quantities of nickel to be processed back at the industrial park. Before all this, Lelilef was home to around 1,440 people, most of them indigenous Sawai fishermen and farmers. Now it is boomtown, with scores of Chinese workers churning up the muddy roads on motorbikes as they head to the mines. Lelief, once home to fishermen and farmers, is now a boomtown, with scores of Chinese workers Squalid accommodation blocks have sprung up on every street corner to house the growing population. But there is little left for Sawai fishermen like Wite Takuli, whose way of life has been destroyed. For as long as Maklon has grown his crops, Wite, 68, has fished the blue waters of the Halmahera Sea, enjoying an abundant supply of skipjack tuna and groupers. Nowadays, his stock is desperately depleted and the water has turned a dirty, reddish-brown colour. Wite's daily catch has shrunk from 30kg to 5kg, barely enough to feed his own family. He accuses the nickel industry of 'stealing' his livelihood. Indeed, there is plenty of evidence to show mining is wreaking devastating environmental damage on Halmahera, including its fishing stock. Mining requires the disposal of waste rock, which pollutes water with heavy metals and toxins if mismanaged. And it is. The Weda Bay Nickel company, which has a 45,000-hectare mining concession in central Halmahera, was been found guilty of at least 25 counts of environmental mismanagement by the Indonesian Environment Ministry in 2021. Fish caught in the coastal waters around Lelilef and other neighbouring villages have damaged tissues and cells, most likely due to heavy metal pollution, according to a local university study. A young girl in Gemaf waits for her fisherman father to return home. Fish caught in the coastal waters have damaged tissues and cells, most likely due to heavy metal pollution, according to a local university study Meanwhile, other locals such as Marlene Durhan, 48, a mother-of-five, in Lelilef, are finding it hard to breathe, and they blame the dust from the nickel mines. She has a 'goiter', a lump or swelling at the front of the neck which she believes has been exacerbated, if not caused, by the pollution. 'I felt like I was dying,' she says, adding that her two granddaughters, aged three and six, are also suffering. They are not the only ones. Cases of acute respiratory tract infections skyrocketed by 2,300 per cent, from 434 to 10,579, between 2020 and 2023 among eight indigenous Sawai villages around the south coast of Halmahera, according to data from local health centres. French-firm Eramet, which has a 39 per cent share in Weda Bay Nickel and oversees its mining operations, told the Mail it is 'committed to implementing industry best practices'. It says it has taken 'corrective actions' after the findings of environmental mismanagement. But the situation is approaching an extinction-level event for the roughly 3,500 indigenous Hongana Manyawa people who live and depend on the island's rainforest interior. Around 500 of them are 'uncontacted', living in voluntary isolation. Rampant deforestation means they are now in danger of starving to death. The Mail did not attempt to reach the uncontacted Hongana Manyawa out of respect for their way of life, but we did meet a community elder, Ngigoro. He returns to the forest to visit his family two to three times a month. Hongana Manyawa community elder, Ngigoro, claims mining company workers are committing abuses on tribal land, including the destruction of shelters and the theft of foraged food The web of firms involved in mining in Halmahera makes it hard to identify which companies might be responsible for the land grab and abuses of the locals 'It is terrible,' he says, speaking at his home near the village of Buli Serani, east Halmahera. 'They are struggling to get food. It is hard for them to hunt. 'They have had to move to higher ground because the river where they were is contaminated. The mining company was just 100 metres from where they lived.' Ngigoro claims mining company workers are committing abuses on Hongana Manyawa land, including the destruction of shelters and the theft of foraged food. He believes they are doing this to scare them off their land, leaving it free for excavation. The web of firms involved in mining in Halmahera makes it hard to identify which companies might be responsible. But Weda Bay Nickel operates the largest nickel mine in uncontacted Hongana Manyawa territory, according to extensive research by Survival International. Survival also cites leaked reports that suggest Weda Bay-commissioned researchers proposed forcibly contacting and resettling the Hongana Manyawa an action that the charity claims would increase the 'already high risk of genocide'. The severity of this should not be underestimated. Like all uncontacted people, the Hongana Manyawa are acutely vulnerable to common diseases, such as flu and measles, to which they have no immunity. Eramet says it has listened to concerns raised by Survival regarding the tribe and has taken 'additional precautionary measures'. The company adds that its own research has found no evidence of Hongana Manyawa living in voluntary isolation in its concession and that it has no resettlement plans. Back on Maklon Lube's farm, he says his land was seized in 2018 when construction started at Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park. The complex was completed at breakneck speed, with nickel smelting starting in April 2020. But farmers claim this was achieved through unfair land grabs, with little or no compensation paid to villagers. Many say they were left with no option but to sell their land because they had already lost access to it, as the surrounding area had already been taken over by a mining company. The natural beauty of the Bokimuru river in Sagea, Halmahera The Bokimuru river becomes polluted after heavy rains. Mining requires the disposal of waste rock, which poisons water with heavy metals and toxins if mismanaged Maklon did his best to hold out, filing a lawsuit against the industrial park, claiming it had failed to compensate him for 30 of his 38 hectares of land. This was when he started receiving visits from the Brimob and the military. 'They came many times,' he says. 'The police and army as well. Every time my wife and I went to our land, they always came. They told me not to come to my land because the mining company has paid [for it]. It happened for two years.' Maklon says he lost his case because he did not have a formal land certificate. Like many Sawai, his traditional landholding has not been recognised by the state. Mahmud Ali, 54, a farmer in the next village of Sagea, says he too was harassed by police, the military and the Brimob, after he refused to sell his land. Other villagers say police often turn up alongside mining representatives, fuelling a view shared by Maklon that law enforcement effectively 'works for the mining companies'. There is no evidence to suggest firms have issued direct orders to police. But the arrival of the Brimob is no coincidence. In 2021, the industrial park helped fund the construction of its new headquarters in Lelilef. Separately, an Indonesian National Army outpost was established in the nearby town of Weda the previous year. Many are afraid to speak out for fear of reprisals, given the long history of police brutality. The Mail was told of at least two instances in which peaceful protestors were dispersed with tear gas, with one reported shooting of an uncontacted Hongana Manyawa elder by the Brimob in the village of Sibenpopo in 2023. Ngigoro recalls one instance in 2015, backed up by local media reports, in which two Hongana Monyawa men were jailed over a killing they argued took place far away from where they lived and therefore could not have committed. The men, Bokumu and Nuhu, were beaten upon arrest and later tortured. Nuhu died from the injuries he sustained. Ngigoro claims they were set up by the Weda Bay Nickel company which provided photos of the men to police, so they could gain access to their land. Eramet, the French firm that owns 39 percent of Weda Bay Nickel, says the company has never used the police nor the army for land acquisition. A spokesperson for Halmahera police told The Mail that it 'always prioritises humane methods in solving problems faced by the community', and that it 'strives to take a neutral position between society and companies'. The Brimob did not respond to a request for comment. When locals protested peacefully they were dispersed with tear gas, with one reported shooting by the Brimob, the Indonesian police mobile brigade unit, said to be responsible for some of the country's most heinous human rights abuses Some may argue that the suffering in Halmahera is a drop in the ocean compared to the global devastation that will be wrought if the world fails to wean itself off gas-guzzling cars. But Indonesian nickel is making a bad situation worse, not better. At least 5,331 hectares of tropical forests have been cut to make way for mining concessions on Halmahera, according to analysis by Climate Rights International and the University of California, Berkeley. The five coal-fired power plants at Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park will ultimately become 12 and, once fully operational, use more coal than Spain or Brazil in a single year. And it's only just begun. Global nickel demand is expected to increase by 61 per cent by 2040 to meet the growing demand for EV batteries. Krista Shennum, a Climate Rights International researcher, describes it as 'perverse' that, while the purpose of the EV transition is to reduce the carbon emissions of the motor industry, the nickel industry in Halmahera has a 'massive carbon footprint' that is 'directly contributing to the climate crisis'. And then there is the plight of the miners themselves. Although there is no evidence of human rights abuses at the park in Halmahera, there is at a nickel plant on Sulawesi island. A report by China Labour Watch alleged instances of forced labour, violence and dangerous conditions leading to deaths of workers at the Indonesian Morowali Industrial Plant. The facility is run by the Tsinghshan Group, one of three Chinese companies behind the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park. Neither the industrial park nor Tsingshan Group responded to requests for comment. But Huayou Cobalt Co, one of the other Chinese partners at Weda Bay Industrial Park, told Climate Rights International that it is 'committed to maintaining sustainable and socially responsible operations' at its factories. It added that land acquisition is carried out after legal consultations and negotiations within the community. Is all this what Ed Miliband had in mind when he said he wanted to spearhead an electric car 'revolution'? Labour's reluctance to temper EV targets set by the previous Tory government has already been blamed for the closure of a Vauxhall plant in Luton, but ministers may not have expected to be cited in the destruction of the indigenous peoples of Halmahera. Survival International highlights a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the UK and Indonesian governments to establish a strategic partnership on critical minerals, including nickel. Details have not been made public, but Survivals senior researcher Sophie Grig told The Mail that the deal is 'likely to bring deadly nickel to British shores' unless 'urgent steps are taken' to ensure it does not come from the Hongana Manyawa territory. A Foreign Office spokesperson said the MOU is 'not a trade agreement' but is designed 'to support the development and promotion of best practices in critical minerals mining and processing'. It is worth stressing that none of this means electric cars cannot be sustainable. Climate Rights International points out that nickel smelting can be powered by renewable energy, while collective action from global leaders can improve the 'appalling labour and environmental practices' that blights the industry. All car manufacturers who have agreements with Indonesian nickel say they have sustainability and human rights policies in place to ensure ethical supply chains. But Supriyadi Sudirman, a 31-year-old activist from Sagea, has an uncompromising message for his young British counterparts, who spend their time gluing themselves to goalposts in the name of saving the planet. 'You know nothing of where EVs come from, of where nickel comes from,' he says. 'It comes from the blood of the Halmaheran people. What you think is your future is our destruction. 'None of this is for us.' This is electric cars' and Ed Miliband's inconvenient truth. A preteen suffered second-degree burns after three boys poured scalding hot water on his face as he slept, his family has revealed. The incident left the 12-year-old in an Augusta, Georgia, burn unit, and his mother, Tiffany West, irate beyond belief. Her child will likely bear scars from the burns forever, according to expert accounts. She told local outlets how the incident happened - describing how her son had been sleeping over at a neighbors apartment in Tifton as three of his supposed friends played video games. West said the trio, boys ranging in age from 12 to 15, then planned the prank, believing it would be funny to douse their friend with blistering water. A hospitalization and surgery soon followed, she said - adding that her son was now recovering at home. By the family's request, DailyMail.com will not name the youngster, who still bears physical and mental scars from the ordeal he will likely contend with for the rest of his life. She and other relatives are now seeking justice, after the boys were arrested and freed to their families as they await a criminal hearing next month. It remains unclear what charges they have been hit with, as their identities remain under wraps due to their age. Their victim, meanwhile, has been left 'numb' by the incident, his aunt Nachelle Austile said. Scroll down for video: A preteen suffered second-degree burns after three boys poured scalding hot water on his face as he slept, his family has revealed The incident left the 12-year-old - seen here with his sisters - in an Augusta, Georgia, burn unit, and his mother irate beyond belief. He will likely bear scars from the burns for the rest of his life, according to expert accounts 'Hes numb about it,' she told WALB-10 this week, when asked about whether the boy was 'mad or sad' over the ordeal. She said he still wasnt showing any emotion. She added how she and the rest of the family are now experiencing hard times, with many having stopped working to oversee the preteen's recovery. Doctors said that will take at least 12 days, she said. In the meantime, medical bills continue to mount, she said - adding that her nephew now may need counseling to mentally recover from his ordeal, and to 'be able to trust people again.' 'You got to be in shock to know your friends are capable of doing this to you,' she said, speaking to the outlet over the phone on New Year's Day. 'Like somebody you trusted, its just horrible,' she went on, as photos and video filmed during the boy's hospital stay show his badly burned face. 'He never thought something like this would happen to him,' Austile continued. 'My brother and Tiffany have been out of work since this happened with all the traveling.' The day the incident occurred, meanwhile, remains unclear, but statements from the boy's mother indicate it happened mere days ago. They also revealed how she reacted to the incident, with her recalling the moment she learned of the frightening prank-gone-wrong. 'Hes numb about it,' one relative told WALB-10 this week, when asked about whether the boy was 'mad or sad' over the ordeal. He is currently recovering at home after undergoing successful surgery, they said The day the incident occurred, meanwhile, remains unclear, but statements from the boy's mother, Tiffany West (seen with the victim here indicate it happened mere days ago. They also revealed how she reacted to the incident, with her recalling the moment she learned of the frightening prank-gone-wrong. Pictured, the apartment complex where the victim had been staying when he was doused 'I mean, I really cant describe it now,' she told the station, also over the phone, asking that her son - who has two school-aged sisters - not be named. 'In that moment I was just mad, hurt, in shock. Everything, I was seeing red. I was just trying to hurry up and get him some help.' She broke her social media silence Friday, thanking onlookers for their support and words of encouragement. She added that after being 'transported to the burn center in Augusta and undergoing surgery, her son 'is recovering at home.' As he continues to heal, Austile said her sister-in-law will be the one most tasked with 'tak[ing]care of him while he is recovering. 'She needs to be here for him,' she declared. Aside from the unseen scars, physical ones wrought by the burns could remain for life, second-degree burn statistics tabulated by Medical News Today state. In the meantime, West has hailed her son as a 'warrior and strong,' as donations have started to come in to help the family through the unexpected crisis. As he continues to heal, the boy's aunt, Na'Chelle Austille, said her sister-in-law will be the one most tasked with 'tak[ing]care of [the victim] while he is recovering None of the boys reportedly being charged for the attack are being named, West - seen here with her three kids - said. She said they have a court date slated for next month, as she continues to care for the victim (left). She asked he not be named as well 'All of your donations are very APPRECIATED & its all for my son!' she wrote on Facebook Friday, after a fake GoFundMe was started days after the incident. 'Every donation, gift, encouraging words & prayer put a SMILE on my son face!' she went on. None of the boys that she said were being charged were named. She said they have a court date slated for next month. DailyMail.com has reached out to West for more information. The brother of a Belfast man believed dead after going missing in Spain has made a plea for any information after a Northern Ireland rescue team travelled to Alicante to search with dogs and a drone. John George, also known as John Hardy, had been holidaying in Alicante and was last in touch with his family on December 14. The 37-year-old was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight home to Northern Ireland. His family believe the father-of-two is dead. His brother, Darren, is in Alicante helping in the search with their parents, Billy and Sharon, and sisters, Courtney and Caitlin, along with up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland. Members from K9 Search And Rescue NI, a volunteer canine search team, joined the wide-scale operation to find Mr George and officers from the PSNI are liaising with the family and authorities in Spain. Darren George said: 'A lot of people are over showing us their support. We also can see the support from back home, which is fantastic, and that's what's giving us the energy and the strength to actually go forward. 'But the searches can be very frustrating as we're getting no answers at the end of them. It's very frustrating and we are being left very angry. 'Someone knows where John is. They need to give it up, and they need to give the location, whether it's done anonymously. John George (left), also known as John Hardy, had been holidaying in Alicante and was last in touch with his family on December 14. His family believe the father-of-two is dead. His brother, Darren (right), is in Alicante helping in the search John Hardy was first reported missing after he failed to board his flight home on December 18 'This isn't going to stop and certainly we're not going to go away until we get John's body. We get John's body, we're on the next flight out of here. Somebody has answers and we will not leave Spain without John's body.' He added: 'John was happy-go-lucky guy. John would have rang you at any time of the day or night. So when we didn't get the phone call from John within two days, we knew something was wrong. 'He was a very good boxer when he was younger, and was an all-Ireland champion. He's a normal, average guy. 'Don't get me wrong, John had his troubles: John was a drug addict, it took over John's life.' Darren George said his two young nephews are asking for their father. 'John would never have missed Christmas with his boys,' he added. 'My parents are completely broken people. My dad's had a heart attack and my mum's has had two strokes. They're just two broken-hearted parents looking for their son. It's absolutely hateful. We are a normal family. It's torture.' Mr George spoke to his father by phone on December 14. His family said he sounded 'distressed', and he was urged by his father to travel home immediately. Darren George also spoke of his anger at what he said is 'people taking pleasure' in his family's suffering after malicious comments were posted online about his brother. The 37-year-old was at a friend's home in Alicante along Spain's Costa del Sol before later leaving to meet up with other friends in nearby Benidorm (pictured) Siblings Darren, Courtney, Caitlyn and John George (right) are pictured above He also rejected claims his family are under death threats from paramilitaries in Northern Ireland. Members of the K9 team travelled back to Northern Ireland on Sunday following a five-day search in the Alicante region. Seven search technicians and their Labrador retriever Rocko had taken part in the operation. Team member Gabriel Walker said they were joined by a Portuguese-based search and rescue team, including their dog Lobo. Mr Walker said there was a huge amount of planning and preparation ahead of their search. 'The search area was a mixture of rural and urban areas, and that included the likes of scrubland, forestry, gorges and water,' Mr Walker said. 'Those were all searched by our search technicians on foot, as well as the two dogs and the drone. That was searching in the heat, from dusk till dawn during those four days. 'Missing person searches are bread and butter, so we utilised the exact same approach and skills that we would use to the missing person searches that we attend locally, but this was in a brand new climate that was new to all of us. 'That did come with its own own challenges. The heat was definitely one. We're not used to working in that type of heat and it did put a lot of strain on us, particularly on the dogs. 'It is a different type of terrain, but we just defaulted to our training, and it served us really well.' Darren George said his two young nephews are asking for their father (right). 'John would never have missed Christmas with his boys,' he added John's family have shared how they have been 'ripped to pieces' following his disappearance He added: 'The fact that we were able to bring a professional, specialist search capability to add to the search for John brings an extra reassurance to the family and that everything's being done to find John.' 'The family and friends were out on the ground searching shoulder to shoulder with us at times. 'To have such a strong support from the Northern Irish community who flew out out to Alicante was really amazing. 'We were totally bowled over by the support that we and John's family are receiving.' A spokesman for the PSNI said: 'Following a report to the Police Service of Northern Ireland on Wednesday December 18 that a 37-year-old man from Belfast, holidaying in Spain, was missing, the Police Service of Northern Ireland have been liaising closely with the missing man's family and other law enforcement agencies. 'Dedicated family liaison officers have been appointed to provide support to the family at this time. 'While the investigation must be progressed by Spanish police, the PSNI have made an offer of assistance to police in Spain and will assist with any local enquiries as requested by them. 'We would ask anyone who believes they may have information which could assist the Spanish investigation team with their investigation to contact us on 101.' The President of Slovakia reportedly disappeared for two weeks after meeting with Vladimir Putin but has now resurfaced two weeks later in a luxury Vietnamese hotel. No one had heard from Robert Fico since his trip to Moscow on December 22, and his office failed to respond to questions about the leaders whereabouts. The prime minister had only communicated with his country through videos on social media, although it was not clear which country he was in at the time. Many of the uploaded clips contained a view of only drawn curtains and closed windows which led viewers to struggle to work out where exactly he was. Now, two weeks later, he has resurfaced after being discovered at the glamorous Capella Hanoi hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam. There was mounting speculation among MPs that he was spending the holiday season in Dubai, but some also predicted on social media that he was in Vietnam, according to Dennik, a Slovak daily newspaper. It also claimed the prime minister was staying in the Grand Opera Madama Butterfly suite within the accommodation which offers a rooftop jacuzzi, outdoor bar, alfresco terrace, and a dining room for 10 guests. The room in which Fico appears in a video reportedly costs over 4,900 a night. No one had heard from Robert Fico (left) since his trip to Moscow on December 22, and his office failed to respond to questions about the leaders whereabouts The Slovakian prime minister has resurfaced after being discovered at the glamorous Capella Hanoi hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam There was mounting speculation among MPs that he was spending the holiday season in Dubai, but some also predicted on social media that he was in Vietnam The room in which Fico appears in a video reportedly costs over 4,900 a night Dennik, a Slovak daily newspaper claimed the prime minister was staying in the Grand Opera Madama Butterfly suite within the accommodation which offers a rooftop jacuzzi According to The Slovak Spectator, despite inquiries from Slovak media to the hotel and the Slovak government, the prime minister's exact activities in the country remain unclear as no official visit has been announced. Concerns were raised after he was last seen holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid a spat between Bratislava and Kyiv over the cessation of Russian gas transits through Ukraine. But despite his 'disappearance' crowds gathered in the Slovakian capital on Friday in protest of Fico's policies, in particular, his meeting with Putin. The demonstration was organised by the Peace for Ukraine activist group which argues that Slovakia is part of the EU and that Fico's Moscow trip undermined the country's position in the bloc. Around 4,000 protesters held banners reading 'We are Europe' and 'Traitor' and chanted slogans including 'We will not be silent,' 'We will not give up Slovakia,' and 'Down with Fico,' the Polish Press Agency reported. It comes after Fico released a video statement on January 3 in which he threatened to halt support for Ukrainian refugees, accusing Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky of 'sabotaging' Russian gas supplies, and claimed this was causing Slovakia an annual financial loss of almost 415million. Hundreds of people take part in a protest on Freedom Square in Bratislava, Slovakia, on December 23, 2024, after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico visited Moscow on December 22 to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin People hold a banner, as demonstrators attend an anti-government protest, after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine Around 4,000 protesters held banners reading 'We are Europe' and 'Traitor' and chanted slogans including 'We will not be silent' Fico also said his Smer party would also consider cutting electricity supplies to Ukraine and demand the renewal of gas transits or compensation for the financial loss he says Slovakia has taken due to the halting of Russian gas into its territory. Gas exports via Soviet-era pipelines running through Ukraine were halted on Wednesday after Kyiv refused to renew a pre-war transit deal with Russia's state energy giant Gazprom. The deal between Kyiv and Moscow had been in place for decades up until its expiration. However, Zelenskyy, vowed not to renew it, arguing that he would not allow countries to 'earn additional billions on our blood.' As the deal neared its expiration, Slovakia, which relies heavily on Russian gas, tried to persuade Ukraine to change course, arguing that a failure to renew the energy deal would not hurt Moscow but instead lead to increased prices in Slovakia and higher costs for the EU. A survivor of the New Orleans terrorist attack catapulted from his wheelchair that was left mangled at the scene has spoken out from his hospital room. Jeremi Sensky, 51, who was paralyzed before the attack, was returning to his hotel after ringing in the New Year with friends and family when the tragedy occurred. The father was struck by the white Ford F-150 EV brandishing an ISIS flag rented by Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, as he plowed through the unsuspecting crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 revelers. Sensky remembered hearing a 'massive noise' before he was ejected from his mobility aid and landed face-down near the truck's tires. The impact left him bloodied and bruised, with two broken legs. 'I'm assuming I got hit by the truck, but honestly, nobody's ever told me that, so I don't know,' Sensky told NBC News. 'But my wheelchair was completely bashed and the pieces were all over the place, so something hit me.' His daughter, Heaven Sensky Kirsch, confirmed to DailyMail.com that the badly damaged wheelchair photographed beside the terrorist's truck belongs to her father. The haunting photograph showed that its seating had been pushed back awkwardly, with the arm and leg rests also visibly distorted. Sensky suffered a black eye, a gash in his head, road rash all over his body, swollen arms and hands and both of his legs were shattered His daughter, Heaven Sensky Kirsch, confirmed to DailyMail.com that the badly damaged wheelchair photographed beside the powerful truck belongs to her father Sensky recalled the chaotic scene and started crying out for help when he couldn't locate his cell phone. 'I just heard screaming and I heard gunfire,' he said. 'No one would come, and so I pushed myself on my back, and I saw people, and they were taking pictures from the balcony, and I was screaming out for help, and people were just looking at me.' 'I kept asking for someone to help me and get me out of there, and it took a while. I realized that it was a bad scene.' Kirsch told WKMG she and her mother were waiting for Sensky back at the hotel and became concerned when they hadn't heard from him. As soon as they turned on the news and learned of the attack, they headed to the nearest trauma unit. 'He was struck by the truck and ejected from his wheelchair. He has a black eye, a gash in his head, road rash all over his body, swollen arms and hands, and both of his legs were shatteredone of which had a bone sticking out that he watched them saw off,' said Kirsch. The doting daughter said her father, who has had quadriplegia since a car accident left him paralyzed from the neck down in 1999, was celebrating with friends when the tragedy occurred. 'He doesn't even drink. He was out there enjoying life and enjoying the music,' she said. Sensky remembered hearing a 'massive noise' before he was ejected from his mobility aid and landed face-down near the truck's tires Jeremi Sensky, 51, who was paralyzed before the attack, was catapulted from his wheelchair during the New Orleans terrorist attack The father, who has had quadriplegia since a car accident left him paralyzed from the neck down in 1999, was celebrating with friends when the tragedy occurred The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with medical expenses and the United Cajun Navy gifted Sensky (pictured with is daughter (center) and wife (right) with a new wheelchair She told WDSU that the family is finding solace in the thought that Sensky's nearly hefty wheelchair could have slowed down the truck. 'I am telling myself that my dad's heavy wheelchair slowed down that heavy truck for a lot of people,' Kirsch said. 'His head was five feet from the wheel. Had he not been hit, he would have been shot because he can't get out of the chair.' The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with medical expenses and the United Cajun Navy gifted Sensky with a new wheelchair. 'He is so lucky to be alive, and we are so grateful as many families here did not get the news we did. My dad is a fighter and loves to live life,' the fundraiser said. 'My dad has a remarkable thirst for life and a tremendously positive attitude. 'We are so reluctant to accept financial support as we know there are many more folks in worse condition, and we have already been blessed with the support of friends and family. However, the road ahead is unpredictable.' This is the terrifying moment a gang of hooded youths raided an Apple store in a brazen daytime heist on Sunday afternoon. Shocking footage shows at least eight robbers, all dressed in black, targeting the tech giant's store in the Brent Cross shopping centre in north London. A sea of shoppers, including parents with young children, could be seen dramatically fleeing the Apple store as the mob ripped out expensive devices around them. It took just 24 seconds for all members of the gang to race into the shop and leave with the stolen goods. The Met Police says it has since arrested six youths between the ages of 14 and 18 on suspicion of robbery. It comes amid mounting pressure on police forces and the Government to tackle Britain's shoplifting epidemic. The financial hit to businesses is huge, with the Met Police recording more than 15million in stolen goods and money, according to the latest data from last year. The footage begins with the Apple security guard trying to block one thug from entering. But while he is occupied with the young man, a large group of hooded thieves race through the door, shoving people out of the way and sending customers scurrying to the back of the store. The gang of youths can be seen entering the Apple store as a security guard blocks one from coming in As the thugs raced into the store (left), shoppers, including families, could be seen fleeing (right) Shocked shoppers watched on as the gang of youths fled the shop with devices just 20 seconds later Other customers, including a father who picks up his child, are seen quickly evacuating as the thieves descend on desks full of Apple's latest products on display. Just seconds after entering, the stream of black-clad thugs are seen mounting their escape with phones in their hands. Two members of staff, including a security guard in hi-vis, can be seen trying to trip up some of the thieves as they sprint out. In the process of escaping, the yobs dropped at least one phone on the floor of the shopping centre. The footage had been widely shared on social media, with users condemning the thugs as 'savages'. The Apple store is among around 120 shops at the Brent Cross shopping centre, which opened in 1976 and has around 15 million visitors a year. A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Six teenage boys have been arrested following a theft from a shop in Barnet after police arrived quickly at the scene. 'Police were called at around 14:35hrs on Sunday, 5 January to reports that a group had entered a shop in Brent Cross Shopping Centre before stealing a large number of mobile phones. 'Officers attended and quickly made arrests a short time after the incident was reported to police. The teenagers, all aged between 14-18, were all arrested on suspicion of robbery and taken to custody, where they remain for questioning. 'Enquiries continue.' Matt Gaetz made waves Friday as he welcomed former rep George Santos to his new show - spawning some negative social media comments about similarities between the two. The pair of disgraced politicians used the primetime slot to swap beauty secrets, after Gaetz raised eyebrows - no pun intended - a day before with his startling, decidedly different appearance during the show's premiere. Discourse immediately arose over what he framed as unflattering makeup, and what others insisted was evidence of plastic surgery. Three plastic surgeons who spoke to DailyMail.com after the appearance said they thought Gaetz, 42, showed signs of Botox use, months after 'Daily Show' correspondent Desi Lydic surfaced to claim the same. The speculation paved the way for some timely insight from Santos, who himself drew fire in 2023 after a House investigation showed he spent campaign funds on things like cosmetics, clothes, OnlyFans subscriptions, and - what else? - Botox. He was expelled from Congress later that year - a fate that could possibly have awaited the representative for Florida's 1st congressional district as well if he hadn't resigned. The observation that Gaetz may have followed suit in the cosmetic sense was rife on social media after episode one, and would even be echoed by a playful Santos, 36, during day two. The disgraced New York rep told his he was 'concerned' when he saw image of Gaetz on the controversial right-wing One America News Network (OAN), with some arched eyebrows and a waxy face that saw some comparing him to a cartoon villain. Matt Gaetz made waves Friday as he welcomed former rep George Santos to his new show - spawning some negative social media comments about similarities between the two The pair of disgraced politicians used the primetime slot to swap beauty secrets, after Gaetz raised eyebrows - no pun intended - a day before with his startling, decidedly different appearance during the show's premiere (seen here) 'I thought you had botched Botox or something,' Santos said, hours after asking a federal judge to delay sentencing in his federal fraud case. He added how he had been 'concerned'. 'What was going on with my makeup?' Gaetz asked at another point, seemingly eager to hear from someone known for their former drag persona 'Kitara'. 'Help me, give me advice.' Santos, seemingly relishing the chance to offer some cosmetic secrets, quickly obliged. 'Let me tell you something, highlighter is not for you,' he said, before onlookers took to X to lampoon the pair for their political and aesthetic similarities. 'Stop highlighting the center of your face. It makes your eyes very small, and it gives you the glow - not the glow you think it gives you,' Santos continued, after pleading guilty to federal fraud, campaign finance and embezzlement charges in the summer. Gaetz - who had tapped to take the position of Donald Trump's attorney general before it emerged he was the subject of since-concluded House Ethics Committee probe that found he repeatedly paid for sex while in Congress - offered an answer. 'But I have deep-set eyes, George How do I fix the deep-set eyes?' he asked, after some commenters compared him to a Who from Whoville, a la Dr. Seuss's famed Christmas tale. Discourse immediately arose over what he framed as unflattering makeup, and what others insisted was evidence of plastic surgery, The speculation paved the way for some timely insight from Santos, who himself drew fire in 2023 after spending campaign funds on Botox Santos, a lover of fashion and all things designer, responded by telling his fellow conservative he needed to go out an buy some 'double-wear foundation from Estee Lauder' if he wants to avoid more misconceptions over his mug. 'Look at the flawlessness in my skin. No highlighter needed!' he proclaimed at another point. 'Youre a Florida man. Im in Florida right now. When youre tan and youre a Florida man, you dont need that level of highlighter' Santos, a serial scammer whose seemingly never-ending scandals saw him voted out of office, presented the words as 'honest advice.' Onlookers online - again - were not so kind, poking fun at the pair relentlessly in what amounted to a bipartisan beatdown. 'Is he also teaching Matt how to cross dress?' sniped one person, in a tweet that's since been viewed about 8,000 times. 'The MAGA flex is ridiculous. Both these guys should be in prison,' added another, as someone else joked. 'It's interesting they didn't give each other crime tips.' 'Both should be in jail,' a third person said - an assertion echoed by several others. Onlookers online - again - were not so kind, poking fun at the pair relentlessly in what amounted to a bipartisan beatdown of the disgraced conservatives 'OAN spends about $36.50 per episode so they probably can't afford a makeup artist. I get it,' slammed someone else, amid other insults depicting the two as 'clowns' and the on-air display as 'rock bottom.' Gaetz - as the conversation had suggested - has never owned up to undergoing plastic or cosmetic surgery, despite a recent, relatively different appearance. Among those to pick up on it was Daily Show correspondent Lydic, who used her platform in November to satirically state the rep underwent his alleged plastic surgeries 'to trick 16-year-old girls into getting dinner with him'. 'Hey guys, its Desi, your resident beauty analyst, back again to talk about the plastic surgery trends in Republican congressmen. Today were going to be covering Matt Gaetz,' Lydic began the video, which was 80 seconds long. 'Now, I want to remind you guys, theres no moral judgement on my page. People get plastic surgery for different reasons. Sometimes its medical, and sometimes its so you can trick 16-year-old girls into getting dinner with you. 'Again, no judgement, all love. 'So Matt showed up on the House floor looking absolutely incredible last week, like in this picture,' Lydic went on, showing a side-by-side of a years-old picture on the left and present day Gaetz on the right. 'But if you look at his other picture from a few years back, it looks like hes had significant Botox and maybe some filler. Back in November, 'Daily Show' correspondent Desi Lydic recorded a video honing in on the congressman's seemingly different appearance, joking how he underwent his alleged plastic surgeries 'to trick 16-year-old girls into getting dinner with him' Gaetz - pictured above in his official image for Congress (left) and during his appearance for his new show Friday night - has not confirmed any cosmetic surgeries 'Again, the reasons for this could vary. It could be a health thing - or it could be because he got tired of high school girls accurately guessing his age on dating apps,' she disclaimed, before lampooning the failed politician for his appearance further. 'Now, it looks like he had a nose job because the bridge is slimmer and smoother. The surgeon here did a really good job, because Matt still looks like himself but more of a predator, if thats possible. 'Id also guess that hes had an upper bleph combined with a brow lift, which makes his face look way more symmetrical and way more likely to defund Planned Parenthood. 'I want to remind you guys that these are just my personal opinions, I am not his injector or plastic surgeon or even a junior varsity athlete he tried to take on a date. 'And again, this is Matts body, so its his choice what he does with it - something he doesnt believe in when it comes to pregnant people,' Lydic concluded, before offering one last shot at the former congressman. 'Follow me for more beauty, Botox, skincare and plastic surgery education unless youre Matt Gaetz, in which case stop following me, its creeping me out. I am way too old for you.' On Friday, Dr Christopher Costa, a plastic surgeon in Las Vegas, agreed, telling DailyMail.com: 'What it does look like to me is that he has been almost over-treated with neurotoxins, things like Botox. 'With your standard neurotoxin treatment, your goal is to soften the lines but still have facial expression and still be able to move the face. Speaking to Santos, he chalked it up to some bad makeup, paving the way for some advice Hours earlier, Santos, after pleading guilty over the summer, asked a federal judge to delay sentencing in his federal fraud case. Currently, it's slated for next month 'In his case, it looks almost like he has been double-dosed, like these patients that come in and say, "I want you to freeze my face,"' he concluded. Dr Michael Persky, a plastic surgeon in California, and Dr Paul Rosenberg, who is based in New Jersey, both ageed. 'He has had Botox... and, quite honestly, injected not in the most professional way, because he manifests what we call the 'Spock appearance'. 'So when he raises his eyebrows to look animated... everything is frozen except the center of the brow, which causes his brows to go up artificially.' Gaetz - who has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct - has not indicated that he has undergone such surgeries. His new show, The Matt Gaetz Show, airs weeknights on primetime. This is the adorable moment a dog that was rescued from a shack in the Thai jungle saw snow for the first time. Rusty, who had been chained up all his life, was met by an unexpected blanket of white when he went outside at his new home in England this morning. He was clearly a little taken aback at first and can be seen sniffing the snow before gingerly taking his first steps. But Rusty's trepidation quickly turned to delight as he bounded out the door to play with his friend. He can be seen in the heart-warming clip leaping around in the snow and wagging his tail playfully. The footage of Rusty was filmed by his new owner but shared on social media by Niall Harbison - an animal rescuer who works out in Thailand. He wrote on X: 'In July we rescued Rusty from a short chain under a shack in the jungle in Thailand. 'We found him a home in England. Today he saw snow for the first time in his life and it was just brilliant.' This is the adorable moment a dog that was rescued from a shack in the Thai jungle saw snow for the first time Rusty was clearly a little taken aback at first and can be seen sniffing the snow before gingerly taking his first steps Rusty pictured in Thailand before he was brought to England to his new home 'Imagine being chained up your whole life. You find the dream family and then this surprise.' Niall described Rusty as 'one of the gentlest souls we've ever had' and a 'big softie'. The animal rescuer lives out in Thailand and has dedicated his life to helping street dogs in the country find new homes. He is a recovering alcoholic and previously told MailOnline that he vowed to change his life after being admitted to intensive care following a drinking binge sparked by depression and anxiety. Niall now spends thousands of dollars every month on keeping his dog sanctuary, Happy Doggo running. He also uses crowdfunding via his social media platforms, with donations helping to pay for the veterinary care of the dogs that come his way. Niall's Instagram account has gone from just 800 followers two years ago to 1.2million today - with fans keen to see content on how he's transforming the lives of the dogs he's coming into contact with. According to Happy Doggo's website, Niall began the venture in back 2021 whilst out on runs around Koh Samui, Thailand, to overcome his substance abuse. He started bringing food to many of the malnourished dogs he saw en route, and started sharing videos of the animals online. Rusty, who had been chained up all his life, was met by an unexpected blanket of white when he went outside at his new home in England this morning Niall Harbison lives out in Thailand and has dedicated his life to helping street dogs in the country find new homes Rusty can be seen in the heart-warming clip leaping around in the snow and wagging his tail The site adds: 'Niall's videos started to attract the attention of people all over the world who wanted to help. 'He began feeding and vaccinating as many dogs as he could, but he quickly realised that sterilisation was the only way to fix the problem long-term.' While he has gained more than a million Instagram followers, and helped many animals, he has huge plans. 'Niall secured a piece of land and set about making a sanctuary for dogs to recuperate, taking in only the most sick and vulnerable dogs,' says the charity website. 'He named it after Tina, the golden retriever he rescued in Thailand who inspired a movement. 'It will be located adjacent to Happy Doggo Land. With approximately 3,117 square feet of medical facilities, it will host two operating theatres, diagnostic facilities such as x-rays, as well as an in-house lab, a pharmacy, an intensive care unit, and overnight capacity for approximately 15 dogs.' To donate to Niall's street dog rescue, visit Happy Doggo. The FBI is investigating terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar's visit to Canada as they revealed new details into his planning of the New Orleans attack. Investigators said they are now probing leads across the country and abroad of Jabbar's movements leading up to the attack that killed 14 people and injured dozens. Special agent in charge of the New Orleans Field Office Lyonel Myrthil told a press conference on Sunday: 'We have tracked that Jabbar traveled to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 until July 3 of 2023. 'A few days later, he flew to Ontario, Canada on July 10 and returned to the U.S. on July 13, 2023. 'Our agents are getting answers as to where he went, who he met with and how those trysts may or may not tie into his actions here in our city.' Jabbar also made two trips to New Orleans prior to the heinous attack, one in October and a month later in November. During that time, Jabbar used Meta glasses on his face to record a video as he rode through the French Quarter on a bicycle, Myrthil said. The video showed the terrorist riding down the bustling streets where he would later plow down pedestrians with a rented white Ford F-150 EV brandishing an ISIS flag. 'Jabbar wore a pair of Meta glasses when he conducted the attack on Bourbon Street, but he did not activate the glasses to live stream his actions,' said Myrthil. Investigators said they are probing leads across the country and abroad of Jabbar's movements leading up to the attack The video showed the terrorist riding down the bustling streets where he would later kill 14 people and injure dozens Surveillance footage captured him stopping at gun stores and shop where he purchased one of the ice chests used to hold the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) he planted. Other new footage captured Jabbar wearing a brown coat planting the coolers containing the IEDs on the busy NOLA streets. Jabbar proclaimed his support for the Islamic State militant group in online videos posted hours before he struck. He reserved the vehicle used in the attack more than six weeks earlier, on November 14, according to law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press. Jabbar had suspected bomb-making materials at his Houston home, which contained a workbench in the garage and hazardous materials believed to have been used to make explosive devices, officials familiar with a search conducted there said. Authorities found crude bombs in the neighborhood of the attack in an apparent attempt to cause more carnage. Two improvised explosive devices left in coolers several blocks apart were rendered safe at the scene. Other devices were determined to be nonfunctional. Jabbar purchased a cooler in Vidor, Texas, hours before the attack and gun oil from a store in Sulphur, Louisiana, investigators said. Jabbar wore Meta glasses but did not turn them on to live stream when he plowed through Bourbon Street In the haunting new clip, the terrorist is seen taking a video selfie in a mirror with his Meta glasses. His T-shirt reads: 'It all starts with VMware vSphere' In another video released by the FBI, the terrorist is seen outside his Airbnb just minutes before he launched the attack Other footage captured Jabbar wearing a brown coat planting the coolers containing the IEDs on the busy NOLA streets Two improvised explosive devices left in coolers several blocks apart were rendered safe at the scene Investigators searching Jabbar's rental truck found a transmitter intended to trigger the two bombs, the FBI said in a statement Friday, adding that there were bomb-making materials at the New Orleans home he rented. Jabbar also tried to burn down the house by setting a small fire in a hallway with accelerants but the flames burned out before firefighters arrived. Jabbar exited the crashed truck wearing a ballistic vest and helmet and fired at police, wounding at least two officers before he was fatally shot by police. New Orleans police have declined to say how many shots were fired by Jabbar and the officers or whether any bystanders may have been hit, citing the active investigation. The coroner's office said all the victims died from blunt force injuries while Jabbar, was fatally shot in a firefight with police. The youngest victim was 18 years old and the oldest 63. Most victims were in their 20s. They came from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey and the United Kingdom. British Challenger 2 tanks are being used by Ukrainian forces in their surprise counterattack in Russia's Kursk region, pro-Putin Russian sources have claimed. Russia said on Sunday that Ukraine had launched a 'counterattack' in the western border region of Kursk, where Kyiv's forces began a shock ground offensive last August. It was not immediately clear how much Ukraine had advanced in the region, but pro-Kremlin military bloggers reported earlier that a powerful new offensive was underway. Pro-Putin Telegram channel Rybar claimed that Russia's 155th Guards Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet used a 'regular FPV (first-person view) drone' to destroy a Challenger 2 tank deployed as part of this offensive. Video footage shared on the channel showed grainy footage of a drone flying into a tank that appears to be hidden in a treeline. MailOnline was unable to verify whether the tank was in fact a Challenger 2, 14 of which were donated by the UK in January 2023 in a move that prompted the US and Germany to follow suit with their own tanks. Footage shared to other pro-Putin Telegram channels today claimed to show German tanks getting destroyed by FPV drones. MailOnline has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment. Video footage shared on the channel showed grainy footage of a drone flying into a tank that appears to be hidden in a treeline Ukraine stages a surprise military advance inside Russia's Kursk region Columns of armoured vehicles were seen on footage advancing beyond territory already controlled by Volodymyr Zelensky's army Russia said Sunday that Ukraine had launched a 'counterattack' in the western border region of Kursk, where Kyiv's forces began a shock ground offensive last August (file image of a Russian soldier firing towards a Ukrainian position in the Kursk region) Columns of armoured vehicles were seen on footage advancing beyond territory already controlled by Volodymyr Zelensky's army. Ukraine used two tanks, a dozen armoured vehicles and a demolition unit in the new offensive, which was headed towards the village of Berdin, the Russian ministry said. It added: 'The operation to destroy the Ukrainian army formations continues.' Pro-Kremlin military bloggers reported earlier that Kyiv was mounting a new offensive in the area, and that its troops were pressing towards the region's Bolshesoldatsky district. Ukrainian officials offered limited information about the offensive. 'Russia is getting what it deserves,' Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said. Kyiv seized dozens of villages in the Kursk region shortly after its offensive began last year, but its advances stalled after Moscow rushed reinforcements to the area, including thousands of North Korean troops. A day before Ukraine's surprise attack, Zelensky had claimed: 'Over the past two days, near Makhnovka [a village in Sudzhansky District of Kursk region], Russian forces lost a battalion composed of North Korean infantry and Russian paratroopers.' In the new push, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the Russian army in several directions in the Kursk region, said Kyiv's Centre for Combating Disinformation (CCD), part of the National Security Council of Ukraine. Russian pro-war 'Z-channels' began a scaremongering campaign that the Ukrainian aim was to capture Kursk nuclear power plant, a key strategic site. However, this seems unlikely since it is 37 miles from current Ukrainian positions. Russian war channels said the Ukrainians assembled six brigades for the attack and were advancing with armoured groups in the direction of the village of Bolshoe Soldatskoe and the neighboring farm of Berdyn. Infantry had been concealed in forested areas ahead of the advance. They reportedly attacked Russian positions in the villages of Pushkarnoe, Leonidovo, and Nikolskoye. A day before Ukraine's surprise attack, Zelensky (pictured) had claimed: 'Over the past two days, near Makhnovka [a village in Sudzhansky District of Kursk region], Russian forces lost a battalion composed of North Korean infantry and Russian paratroopers' Some reports say Ukraine undertook mine clearance work before pushing forwards. One Russian outlet scoffed at a 'last resort counteroffensive', seeking to secure some territorial gains inside Russia to compensate for losses in Donbas, ahead of Donald Trump's arrival in the White House, and pressure from the US for a ceasefire and peace talks. In a sign of pressure for Russia in Kursk region, Putin's troubleshooting deputy defence minister General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov arrived in the region. Russian War Gonzo channel said: 'The [Ukrainian] advance units are moving under the cover of electronic warfare installations, which complicates their destruction using attack drones, after which the main forces are pulled up in armoured fighting vehicles. 'Attempts are being made to strike not only at the forward positions of our troops, but also at the rear areas of the Kursk region using long-range missiles and drones.' Russian aviation was active over the skies of Kursk region and a Ukrainian tank was seen being hit by a Russian Lancet kamikaze drone close to the border. The advance came after a recent visit by Ukrainian commander in chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi to Kursk region inside occupied Russia ahead of today's advance by his troops. In a sign of pressure for Russia in Kursk region, Putin's (pictured) troubleshooting deputy defence minister General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov arrived in the region 'Thanks to your steadfastness and courage, the enemy's losses in the Kursk region amounted to more than 38,000 personnel and more than 1,000 pieces of equipment,' he said as he awarded honours to troops. 'Thank you for your courage, heroism and military feat. We will continue to destroy the occupiers. And it doesn't matter what passports they have: Russian or North Korean. The fight continues.' Russian pro-Kremlin news outlet Readovka said its troops allegedly had entered Ukraine's Sumy region south of Nikolayevo-Daryino, attempting to encircle Ukrainian troops from the south. Large forces of Russians are attacking Malaya Loknya from the west, it claimed. But Ukrainian reports said this column had been destroyed. Germany's foreign minister has pushed back against claims of a 'handshake scandal' after Syria's de facto leader refused to shake her hand because she is a woman. Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, a former jihadist, chose not to shake hands with Annalena Baerbock at a meeting in Damascus. He did, however, gesture towards Jean-Noel Barrot, France's male foreign minister. German newspaper Bild branded the event a 'handshake scandal' after video footage emerged of the apparent snub. In the Muslim world, conservative men and women are not allowed to touch each other unless they are either family or husband and wife. The incident came, however, amid calls for Syria to be transformed into a freer, more tolerant society. Despite his militant past, al-Jolani, 42, has claimed to be a moderate force seeking power for the good of all Syrians, not just its radical Islamists. Ms Baerbock, nevertheless, dismissed criticism of al-Jolani, saying she did not expect an 'ordinary handshake' from the rebel leader who toppled former president Bashar al-Assad. Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, a former jihadist, chose not to shake hands with Annalena Baerbock at a meeting in Damascus Abu Mohammed al-Golani, centre, meets with German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, left, and French foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, right, in Damascus on Friday German newspaper Bild branded the event a 'handshake scandal' after video footage emerged of the apparent snub She said on Friday: 'As I travelled here, it was clear to me that there would obviously be no ordinary handshakes. 'It was also clearthat not only I but also the French foreign minister did not share this view. And accordingly, the French foreign minister did not extend his hands.' Al-Jolani is leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel faction, formerly known as the Nusra Front and designated a terrorist group by much of the world. He also fought for al Qaeda in Iraq, where he spent five years in a US prison but returned to Syria in 2011 when the Arab Spring uprising began. Al-Jolani was sent by the leader of the Islamic State group in Iraq at the time - Abu Omar al-Baghdadi - to build up al Qaeda's presence in the country. The US designated al-Jolani a terrorist in 2013, saying al Qaeda in Iraq had tasked him with overthrowing Assad's rule and establishing Islamic sharia law in Syria. Al-Jolani gave his first media interview in 2013, his face wrapped in a dark scarf and showing only his back to the camera. Speaking to Al Jazeera, he called for Syria to be run according to sharia law. Jolani, now using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, gave a speech as the crowd chanted "Allahu akbar (God is greatest) Bashar al-Assad (L) with his wife Asma al-Assad arrive at New Delhi International airport, India, 17 June 2008 Abu Mohammed al-Jolani (C), hugs supporters before his address at the capital's landmark Umayyad Mosque Some eight years later, he sat down for an interview with the US Public Broadcasting Service's FRONTLINE programme, facing the camera and wearing a shirt and jacket. Al-Jolani said the terrorist designation was unfair and that he opposed the killing of innocent people. He detailed how the Nusra Front had expanded from the six men who accompanied him from Iraq to 5,000 within a year. But he said that his group had never presented a threat to the West. 'I repeat - our involvement with al Qaeda has ended, and even when we were with al Qaeda we were against carrying out operations outside of Syria.' As his rebels took back control of Syria last year, the HTS administration issued a series of statements seeking to reassure minorities. In a message to residents of a Christian town south of Aleppo for instance, al-Jolani said they would be protected and their property safeguarded. He urged them to remain in their homes and to reject the Syrian government's 'psychological warfare'. Scotland is bracing itself for the coldest week of the winter with heavy snow and ice set to cause travel chaos for commuters as they return to work after the festive break. A yellow warning covering much of the central belt and southern Scotland has been extended until midday Monday as the country faces a two-pronged attack from different weather systems simultaneously battering the country. Strong winds, drifting snow and ice are all expected to make for difficult driving conditions, with temperatures predicted to plunge to as low as minus 17C Tuesday night. It came as conditions swept much of the north of England yesterday, leaving major airports paralysed and roads at a standstill - as forecasters predicted a further battering of snow for the South this week. Hours of blizzards saw much of northern England, the Midlands and Wales wake up to a carpet of white up to six-and-a-half inches deep as temperatures dropped to -11C. The Met Office is warning that rural communities in Scotland could be cut off, with the risk of power cuts and the potential for travel disruption with air and rail cancellations. It comes as schools get set to welcome pupils back into the classroom and many adults return to work after the two-week Christmas break. Loch Glaschgarnoch, near Garve, Wester Ross, recorded the second coldest temperature of the winter so far when the mercury plummeted to minus 11.1C overnight yesterday, just shy of the 11.2C previously recorded at Tyndrum, Perthshire, last month. Traffic drives through falling snow in Edinburgh as wintry conditions close in on the city The 15th century Smailholm Tower near Kelso in Roxburghshire in a bleak snow covered landscape But forecasters are warning more weather alerts could be issued later in the week as the wintry conditions show no signs of abating, with Orkney and Shetland set for some of the strongest gusts reaching up to 60mph. Meteorologist Johnathan Vautrey said parts of Scotland could be treated to sunny spells between snow showers. But he warned that as skies clear in more sheltered areas, where the white stuff has accumulated following persistent snowfall, temperatures could drop to as low as minus 15C and minus 17C by tomorrow night. He said: This is because snow is a big reflector of heat and doesnt allow it to be stored in the ground during the day so temperatures by night really plummet. And he said: With strong winds, drifting snow and blizzarding conditions, particularly in northern areas, there is the potential for travel disruption. Following a widespread amber warning for heavy snow on Saturday night, Bingley in West Yorkshire recorded a depth of 17cm (6in). Emma Norton used skis to get about the village of Carrbridge with baby Thomas Shap in Cumbria and Capel Curig in Gwynedd, north Wales, were both blanketed in 10cm (4in) of snow, the forecaster said. Amid the punishing conditions, Brecon Mountain Rescue team were called out to save campers near Cwm Lwch, in South Wales. Birmingham Airport suspended operations for several hours on Saturday night while staff cleared snow. Runways at Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon airports were then shut for part of the morning yesterday, leading to cancellations and delays. Leeds Bradford Airport was unable to resume flights until the early afternoon, with all the affected airports warning of disruption throughout the day. Snow also closed routes across the Pennines including the A66 and A628 Woodhead Pass. An aerial view of snow covered village of Leadhills in Lanarkshire The Strathspey Steam Railway was still running despite the recent snow and cold weather which stopped Scotrail running some of its services There are two warnings for snow and ice in place for Scotland until 11am and midday Monday which cover vast swathes of the country including the Highlands and Islands, Dumfries and Galloway, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus and Perthshire. A third warning for snow covers much of the central belt and the Borders. As much as eight inches of snow was predicted to fall overnight in southern Scotland, but forecasters are warning that as precipitation clears erratically eastwards [this morning], ice is likely to form on untreated surfaces. Aberdeenshire, Moray, and parts of Angus, Perthshire and Strathspey were also expected to see more than four inches of snow fall on higher ground. Mr Vautrey said the reason for the widespread snowfall was because the country was facing a two-pronged attack thanks to the weather system that saw parts of England placed under a rare danger to life amber warning sweeping into Scotland and a northerly wind pushing in from the Arctic. It comes as England and Wales was plunged into chaos at the weekend as heavy snow and freezing rain caused widespread travel disruption and power outages. Several major airports were also closed, while Brecon Mountain Rescue team were called out to save campers near Cwm Lwch, in South Wales. In an effort to cope with the early January cold snap, Scotlands fleet of named and unnamed gritters and ploughs has been out in force across the country. The alert for snow, which covers much of central Scotland, states: There is a small chance that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected. It also highlights the chance that some rural communities could become cut off and said there is a chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel. The AA, meanwhile, advises motorists to ensure their cars are clear of snow and ice before heading off. Its website states: Its not illegal to drive with snow on your car, but the law does stipulate that all the windows on your car need to be clear so that you can see through all of them.....If you get into an accident with snow on your windows, this could be viewed as dangerous driving. Motorists were also urged to plan ahead and make sure they have essentials, including warm clothing, food, water, a torch, ice-scraper and in-car phone charger, in the event of any delays, with day-time temperatures likely to remain below freezing for much of the week. Met Office deputy chief forecaster Mike Silverstone, said: The low pressure that brought the snow and heavy rain in the south will move out to the east by Monday. 'This will allow a cold northerly flow to become established again for much of next week. 'This will bring further sleet, snow and hail showers to northern Scotland in particular, but possibly to some other areas, especially near western coasts, with a fair amount of dry and bright weather elsewhere. Temperatures will remain below average, with widespread frost and the threat of ice at times. Some areas, especially in the north, may struggle to get above freezing for several days. E-scooter collisions have trebled in three years, prompting urgent calls for law changes. Deaths and serious injuries linked to the powerful motorised machines have also reached worryingly high levels, a Mail investigation has found. Safety campaigners, including the family of the first pedestrian killed in an e-scooter collision, are calling for legal safeguards on their use, and want police to enforce the rules banning them from pavements. In total, 29 people died between 2020 and 2023 in 4,515 e-scooter collisions, which also caused 4,807 injuries, 1,402 of them serious. AA president Edmund King said: These figures show a worrying trend that needs to be nipped in the bud by legislation and better police enforcement. He said legislation was needed urgently to regulate top speeds, brakes and size of wheels and to prevent the importation of dangerous batteries which can cause fires. Across the UK in 2020, there were 460 collisions involving the vehicles, with 484 people injured and one death. Since then, incidents have increased dramatically and peaked in 2022 when there were 1,411 collisions, with 1502 injuries and 12 deaths. In total, 29 people died between 2020 and 2023 in 4,515 e-scooter collisions, which also caused 4,807 injuries (file image) Labour ministers are facing demands for a change in the law to crackdown on dangerous e-scooters amid soaring deaths and serious injuries Linda Davis, 71, known to her family and friends as Lou, was struck down on a pavement by an e-scooter in June 2022 Recent casualties have included Have I Got News For You host Ian Hislop, 64, who suffered a head injury when he was hit by an e-bike on December 11. Privately owned electric scooters which can reach speeds of 90mph with modifications are sold widely without identity checks but are supposed to be used only on private land, and are illegal on public roads and footpaths. The scooters are available to hire in some towns and cities for people aged 16 and over with a provisional driving licence, under a trial scheme with speeds limited to 15.5mph, but there is concern about false identity documents being used to hire them. The Government is consulting on whether to allow the use of e-scooters nationwide, but safety campaigners, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and victims families are urging ministers to get tougher on regulating the machines. These could include speed limiters and training requirements for riders, and a crackdown on hired vehicles being left strewn across pavements. Rebecca Williams, 45, daughter of Linda Davis the first pedestrian to be killed in a collision with an e-scooter in the UK said of the rising death toll: Im not shocked by it at all. Grandmother Mrs Davis, 71, was killed in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, in June 2022 by a 14-year-old boy who was on his phone while riding an e-scooter. Her daughter added: Everyone on a e-scooter should do compulsory basic training like on a motorbike, should have insurance, pay tax and have a registration plate so they are traceable if they are involved in an accident. Have I Got News For You host Ian Hislop, 64, suffered a head injury when he was hit by an e-bike on December 11 AA President Edmund King said: These figures show a worrying trend that needs to be nipped in the bud by legislation and better police enforcement The Government is consulting on whether to allow the use of e-scooters nationwide (file image) I cant get on a motorbike and just head off I had to do training to ride one at 16 years of age. The youngster who caused the death of retired cleaner Mrs Davis was prosecuted for causing death while riding without a licence or insurance. Her husband of 52 years, Garry Davis, 75 who called his wife the centre of my world has criticised ministers for failing to regulate the sale of e-scooters. Speaking last year after the boy was given a community sentence by Nottingham Youth Court due to his age and lack of previous convictions, he said: The Governments at fault. They set them up (the scooter rental schemes) and everyone thinks they can ride them. The law stinks. If you or I were driving on the pavement in an uninsured car or an uninsured motorbike, youd have been locked up. Of the 29 fatalities on e-scooters between 2020 and 2023, all but Mrs Davis have been riders. In the same period, 525 pedestrians have been injured, according to the Department for Transport. Major urban areas have the highest rates, with London having the largest number of collisions. The Metropolitan Police dealt with 586 incidents between 2020 and last autumn. Merseyside dealt with 76 collisions, including one fatal crash, in the same period. Saul Cookson, 15, was killed when his electric bike crashed into an ambulance in Salford. His inquest is due to start in Bolton on Monday A government spokesman said: We recognise the concerns around e-bikes and e-scooters, particularly for vulnerable groups, and we are closely following the e-scooter trials.' (file image) The Royal National Institute for the Blind said e-scooters had become a daily hazard for blind or partially-sighted people, with a survey finding nearly a quarter of respondents had been in a collision with one. Some 47 per cent said e-scooters and hire bikes stop them from getting out and about. RNIB policy officer Erik Matthies said: Its worrying that so many blind and partially sighted people are colliding with or falling over e-scooters and dockless bikes. 'Theyre often ridden on pavements or left strewn in public places which pose a serious threat to walking safely and can force people to step into the road to get by them, which then puts blind and partially sighted people at risk from other vehicles. Nicholas Lyes, of road safety campaign group IAM RoadSmart, said: The rise in collisions involving e-scooters highlights the need for an urgent review of regulations. He added that plans to legalise the devices must be accompanied by strict standards and regulations. The warnings come as an inquest is due to start in Bolton today into the death of a 15-year-old boy whose e-bike smashed into a moving ambulance moments after he was followed by a marked police car. Saul Cookson suffered fatal injuries in the collision in Salford on June 8, 2023. His funeral coincided with incidents of disorder, including fireworks launched at a police station and vehicles set alight. The tragedy is also being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. A government spokesman said: We recognise the concerns around e-bikes and e-scooters, particularly for vulnerable groups, and we are closely following the e-scooter trials. Private e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads, and trial e-scooters must meet construction standards. A disgraced former SNP MP found guilty of sexually harassing a teenage party worker has waltzed into a job with a charity largely funded by the Scottish Government. The appointment of Patrick Grady as head of policy and communications at Scotlands International Development Alliance (SIDA) caused fresh outrage yesterday. His victim said it sent a troubling message and queried the charitys vetting process. The Scottish Conservatives said the hiring of a former sex pest politician raised questions about the use of taxpayers money. Gradys new job at SIDA, a charity for organisations committed to creating a fairer world, free from poverty, injustice and environmental threats. The post was advertised in October at a salary of up to 43,000 for a four-day week. The jobholder is expected to help the Chief Executive with representing the organisation in the public domain. The charity receives more than half its core income from the Scottish Government. Former SNP MP Patrick Grady wins the Glasgow North seat in the 2019 General Election In the year to 31 March 2024, ministers paid it 246,237 in grants out of a total income of 418,014, according to accounts filed at Companies House last month. Gradys victim told the Sunday Post his action had caused real harm to real people, me included. He said: I have worked tirelessly to rebuild my life after his actions destroyed my mental health and ended my career while he was able to continue his. Im surprised to hear that an organisation... which claims to fight injustice and strive for a fairer world appears to have overlooked the significance of Gradys sexual harassment towards me as a teenager in their vetting process. Employing someone with a documented history of inappropriate behaviour towards teenage colleagues sends a troubling message about how seriously they take safeguarding and accountability. Their decision to employ Patrick Grady calls into question the integrity of their leadership and their commitment to upholding the values they claim to represent. Glasgow Tory MSP Annie Wells said: The brave victim who came forward to report Patrick Gradys behaviour will be shocked and alarmed that he has waltzed back into a top job, so soon afterwards. Given that this organisation is funded by taxpayers money and is public facing in what it does, many will wonder if this disgraced former MP is the most appropriate person for such a role. Grady, 44, was MP for Glasgow North from 2015 until last years general election. He chose not to stand again after failing to make the SNPs approved candidate list. The partys chief whip at Westminster from 2017 to 2021, he stepped aside from the powerful position after a sexual harassment complaint against him. Grady with former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon at the SECC in Glasgow on election night in December 2019 In 2022, parliaments standards watchdog found he made an unwanted sexual advance to a 19-year-old SNP staffer while under the influence of alcohol in a pub in 2016. Grady, who was later put in charge of SNP discipline at Westminster, was found to have touched and stroked the young mans neck, hair and back. He suspended his membership of the SNP and sat as an independent MP for six months. He was also suspended from the Commons for two days as a punishment. He told MPs he was profoundly sorry and had the SNP whip restored in December 2022. The Metropolitan Police investigated a complaint against him but took no action. Gradys profile on SIDAs website refers to his political career, but omits his misconduct and wrongly claims he was first elected as an MP in 2011. It says: As Head of Policy and Communications, Patrick works with members and external stakeholders, acting on opportunities for influence, and leading influencing and communications with key audiences. He is also responsible for SIDAs communications strategy with a focus on encouraging greater interaction with members and raising awareness of global citizenship with the wider public. SIDAs website also includes a safeguarding support package for aid organisations to protect those in the sector from harm, including all forms of exploitation, abuse and harassment. The Scottish Government said: Scotlands International Development Alliance is an independent organisation and we have no role in their staffing appointments. SIDA and the chair of its trustees were asked for comment. Scots foods such as Scottish wild salmon and Ayrshire new potatoes have been given protected status in Japan in a bid to stop counterfeiters. The products will now be safeguarded against imitation in the Far East thanks to a deal struck between the UK and Japanese governments. Other Scottish delicacies to be granted Geographical Indications (GIs) in the country include Orkney Beef and Orkney Lamb and Shetland Lamb. Securing GIs for foods prevents counterfeit products being placed on the Japanese market, ensuring UK businesses can export with confidence and consumers receive authentic, high-quality products. Japans population of 124 million people has a strong appetite for international food and drink. The countrys status as the worlds fourth largest economy in 2023 highlights the strength of its consumer market and the commercial opportunities for premium British products in Japan. The protections will safeguard food and drink products with a distinct local identity, supporting jobs and tourism in mainly rural areas and boosting local growth, as part of the governments Plan for Change. Ayrshire potatoes have been given protected status under the new deal Daniel Zeichner, the UK governments Minister for Food Security, said: Im thrilled to see theres a taste for authentic British food and drink in Japan. 'We are committed to growing trade opportunities for British producers around the world as part of our Plan for Change, boosting growth and benefitting businesses across the country. The UK is home to a feast of flavours from every corner of the British Isles. 'With the new agreement between the UK and Japan, consumers will now be able to chew over their choices with confidence, knowing theyre getting the quality and reputation that British food is known for - its the perfect recipe for success. A total of 39 food and drink products from across the UK have been given protection as part of the deal. They also include Single Malt Welsh Whisky and Beacon Fell Traditional Lancashire Cheese. Scottish salmon will also be protected under the new deal amid increasing exports to Japan The UK protects the Geographical Indications of several Japanese food and drink products, including Hokkaido wine and Hiba beef. Trade Policy Minister Douglas Alexander said: Iconic UK products such as Ayrshire New Potatoes and Carmarthen Ham will now benefit from protected status in Japan. From Sussex to Armagh we are securing protections for unique British food and drink products, ensuring Japanese consumers can rest assured that they are receiving authentic, high-quality British produce. This will give British producers confidence when exporting to Japan, helping them sell more, grow their business and ultimately drive economic growth. Other Scottish products including Arbroath smokies and Stornoway black pudding were given protected status in Japan in a separate deal struck last year. Scotch Whisky was given protection in Brazil, South Americas largest economy, in August, tackling counterfeits and giving distillers the confidence to up their exports to the country. The UKs annual GI exports are estimated to be worth over 6billion and account for 25 per cent of UK food and drink exports value. A paedophile who kept a diary where he listed children he wanted to rape 'some day very soon' has been jailed. Pervert Gerrard Charnley declared in the twisted journal he was 'proud to be a paedophile' as he wrote in 'horrific' detail his depraved desires. The 52-year-old wrote in his 'My Paedophile Diary' the names of children he wanted to rape alongside the dates he wanted to carry out the attacks. He also downloaded 'paedophile manuals' entitled 'The Paedophile's Handbook' and 'How to Practice Child Love' which 'contained advice and guidance about abusing children'. In one disturbing entry dated in June 2019, Charnley wrote: 'I want to rape [girl's name] some day very soon. I'm proud to say this as a paedophile.' The secret memoir was unearthed by officers when they raided his home in Coronation Drive, Widnes, on February 27 last year where they seized a total of 12 electronic devices. Charnley had collected so many child abuse pictures and videos that the police were unable to count just how many files he had downloaded. He this week appeared at Liverpool crown court where he was jailed for 14 months and was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. Pervert Gerrard Charnley, 52, of Coronation Drive, Widnes, declared in the twisted journal he was 'proud to be a paedophile' as he wrote in 'horrific' detail his depraved desires Charnley was also told to sign the sex offenders' register for the next decade. He nodded when he was told he would be going to prison and told the judge as he left the dock: 'I'm guilty. I'm sorry, ok.' Sarah Holt, prosecuting, one document found on his devices was entitled 'My Paedophile Diary', which 'contained references to specific dates and what the defendant wanted to do to particular children'. This diary also contained a list of Charnley's favourite websites for viewing indecent images of children and a list headed 'preteen s**gs I'd love to rape'. Other Word documents and PDF files he had created included 'Paedo Thoughts 2019'. He was meanwhile found to have used his laptop to access the dark web, with his browser containing bookmarks for sites labelled 'paedo links', 'naughty kids' and 'little girls'. The history of the VLC Media Player app on his Samsung Galaxy tablet also showed that Charnley had watched videos with titles which were 'indicative of material containing containing child abuse'. He was further shown to have accessed Reddit pages concerning 'schoolgirl skirts' and 'schoolgirl s**ts'. Charnley was also found to have collected a total of 15,081 pictures and 2,308 videos graded as being in category A, those showing the most serious forms of abuse. These included images of babies being raped. He further downloaded 17,383 category B images and 169,968 category C images, as well as nine computer generated prohibited images of children and nine extreme pornographic images. More than 230,000 additional images were not categorised by the police due to the sheer volume of material present on his devices. Under interview, Charnley claimed that he 'remembered downloading documents such as a paedophile manual, but thought he had deleted it without reading it'. He however confessed to having a sexual attraction to children which had 'progressed through the years', but which he stated was a 'fantasy in his head' which he 'would never act out on'. Myles Wilson, defending, told the court that his client had contacted Stop It Now, a charity which works to prevent child sexual abuse, following his arrest and suffers from 'poor physical and mental health'. He added: 'He gives help to his elderly father, who has mobility issues and rarely leaves the house. The defendant does his father's shopping. He appeared at Liverpool crown court (pictured) this week where he was jailed for 14 months. Charnley was also told to sign the sex offenders' register for the next decade 'Clearly he had become obsessed with this type of material, almost a compulsion. He was open with the police in acknowledging that he has issues and that he finds children attractive. 'He does not want to be in this position in the future. He was relieved, he tells me, when he was arrested, because he realised that this chapter of his life was coming to an end.' Charnley admitted possession of indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent images, possession of prohibited images of children, possession of extreme pornographic images and possession of a paedophile manual. Sentencing, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said: 'This court sees, sadly, many cases of this type. But your case, compared to others, is one where the nature of the material recovered and the content of the images depicted is truly shocking. 'There were so many images, something approaching half a million, recovered from your devices. 'I am told that there are 232,000 images which remain uncategorised, such was the sheer scale of the task. It is safe to say that your collection of images was enormous by any standard. 'You appear to have been keeping a diary of the sorts of things you would like to do to children. They are horrific. 'They may well be you playing out your fantasies in writing, but they demonstrate the depraved, perverted nature of your desires and your reason for accessing all of this material. 'This written material demonstrates clearly that yours was not an idle obsession, but one where you were fixated on the abuse of children. It is trite to observe that while you yourself did not generate these images, your accessing of them and collecting of them develops a market for this sort of material. 'I have given very careful consideration to whether or not any sentence other than immediate imprisonment is available for this particular offending. It is often the case that defendants such as you, who have committed this type of offence, will benefit from construction intervention by the Probation Service. 'But there are some offences which fall into a category where the offending can only be described as particularly serious of its type. I am afraid that that is the position so far as you are concerned. 'I am satisfied that only an immediate term of imprisonment is appropriate to deal with offending of the scale and type described in this case where you have quite deliberately, over many years, sought out and collected a huge quantity of appalling material. 'Alongside that you have generated your own material, demonstrating that you have a clear desire to participate in the abuse of these children.' Police investigating a suspicious package just five miles outside of the Capitol in Washington, DC discovered it was non-threatening fireworks. The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed to DailyMail.com that members of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal were called to investigate the item on the 5000 block of Hayes St. NE at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday. That portion of the road was closed off while crews from the bomb squad investigated the package. 'The investigation has concluded and revealed that the package was fireworks. There are currently traffic closures in place but will be lifted shortly,' said an MPD spokesperson. Police are putting up extra security around the U.S Capitol building ahead of Monday's certification of the 2024 Presidential Election in congress. Police are putting up extra security around the U.S Capitol building ahead of Monday's certification of the 2024 Presidential Election in congress Your browser does not support iframes. On January 6, 2021, a mob of rioters stormed the building in an effort to stop the process of affirming the 2020 presidential election results. More than 1,250 have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials in connection to the riot, with more than 650 receiving prison time ranging from a few days to 22 years. About 140 officers were injured on January 6, 2021, making it 'likely the largest single day mass assault of law enforcement' in American history, Matthew Graves, the outgoing U.S. attorney in the nations capital, has said. January 4, 2025: Attack an opponent's food supplies and weaken your foe substantially. Since the 19th Century, use of chemical fertilizers, and the ability to mass produce ammonia and nitrogen based fertilizers, has more than doubled food production. This has also created a potential vulnerability because there are only about 500 ammonia production facilities worldwide. Sabotage or aerial bombing of ammonia plants would have a direct impact on food supplies. Some nations may have secret plans to attack ammonia plants in wartime, but most military planners consider such attacks impractical. A similar mistake was made during World War II, when the committee formed to select and prioritize targets for the allies aerial bombing campaign of Germany ignored one key element. After the war the United States conducted an after-action study of the bombing campaign and discovered that an important target system had been ignored. The German electrical power production was very vulnerable, and damage was difficult to repair, because the massive electricity generators took months to build and Germany had few of these in reserve. For thousands of years, wars have often been decided by contr9l of food supplies. Victory could be won without fighting by rapidly destroying enemy crops and key supporting equipment like flour mills or draft animals to assist with planting and harvesting. If you cripple an opponent's food supply, you deplete the supply of military manpower and food to supply an army on campaign. The most successful armies in history were usually those that paid close attention to food supplies. Two thousand years ago the Roman army was successful in part because its leaders paid close attention to logistics and sustained supplies of food for their troops. This wasnt just a matter of keeping track of food sources and what food the army had available. The Romans went further by building a vast network of well-designed roads. Some of these roads survive to the present. The Roman roads made it easier for Roman soldiers, wearing hobnailed sandals, to quickly march into areas not easily accessible to boats or ships. When agriculture developed 10,000 years ago, travel by water became even more useful. Food surpluses could be exported via rivers, lakes, or seas. Trade goods came in the same way. This was the easiest way to move soldiers around. The Roman combination of roads, sea transport and meticulous records keeping turned out to be vital military advantages. For thousands of years, it was army commanders who developed military strategy. Even nations with large navies let the generals have the final say. There have been a few exceptions, mainly powerful island nations like Great Britain. But for the vast majority of nations, it was generals, not admirals, who had the last say. When air forces appeared a century ago, they were seen as a support service for the army and navy. But air force commanders soon developed other ideas, especially the one that wars could be won from the air. World War II was supposed to be a test of this theory, but the results were inconclusive. At least that's what the careful examination of the effects of strategic bombing revealed. These studies, especially the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey/USSBS, were embarrassing to the air force generals. But the arrival of the atomic bomb in the last weeks of the war seemed to give the air force a power that could not be denied, especially when the nukes were delivered by ballistic missiles against which there was no defense. Nuclear weapons were so powerful and intimidating that they brought an unprecedented period of peace between the major powers. There were still wars, but not really, really big ones. These little wars were non-nuclear, and the air force was generally not ready for them. The USSBS found that when many, seemingly from the air bombed out targets, were examined at ground level the targets were still functional Blame it all on the inability to carry out effective Bomb Damage Assessment, or BDA, from the air. BDA is the business of figuring out what to bomb and what the impact on the enemy is after you bomb. The problem is the ease with which the aerial BDA photos are regularly deceived by the people on the ground. This became an issue during World War II. This was when air forces used large scale aerial bombing for the first time. Right after that conflict, the U.S. did a thorough survey of the impact of strategic bombing on Germany and Japan. It was discovered that the impact was far different from what BDA during the war had indicated. The air force vowed to do better next time. But as experience in Korea (1950-3), Vietnam (1965-72), Kuwait (1991) and Kosovo (1999), Afghanistan (2001-2021) Iraq (2003-7) and several smaller conflicts demonstrated, the enemy on the ground continued to have an edge when it came to deceiving the most energetic BDA efforts. The only proven technique for beating the BDA problem was to have people on the ground, up close, checking up on targets, while the fighting was going on. There's another problem. The army and air force have a different outlook on planning and risk. The air force sees warfare as a much tidier, and predictable, affair than does the army. In this respect, the air force and navy are closely aligned. Both are technical services, who are used to exercising more control over their forces than do army generals. The army sees warfare as more unpredictable and has adapted to that unpredictability. Army generals have always been skeptical of the air force claims, and it's usually the army that has proved to be right. But because air force and navy equipment is so much more expensive, those services get most of the defense budget, and the political clout that goes with it. Strategic bombing is still difficult to carry out effectively, especially due to the lack of accurate BDA. Thats why finding key targets that are few in number and difficult to repair, like power plants and Ammonium production facilities, is so important. A Hamas official has said the terror group is ready to release hostages in the 'first phase' of an exchange deal with Israel. 'Hamas has agreed to release 34 Israeli prisoners from a list presented by Israel as part of the first phase of a prisoner exchange deal,' the official told AFP. An anonymous official told Reuters that the deal is contingent on Israeli's complete withdrawal of troops from Gaza, along with a permanent ceasefire in the brutal war that has devastated the Strip for over a year. He claimed that there is no progress on the Israeli side on this point. According to the Times of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu's office has denied these reports, with a spokesperson from his office telling the newspaper: 'As of now, Hamas has not given a list of hostages.' Senior Hamas officials told Qatari media that the negotiations are in the works for a comprehensive agreement, not a partial one. The sources reportedly said that there has not been any mentions of removing Hamas from power in the Gaza Strip. An Arab negotiator involved in ceasefire talks appeared to back this up, telling Israeli broadcaster I24 that Israeli is willing to be flexible in allowing Hamas to govern the Gaza Strip after the war as long as its disarms itself and mechanisms are in place to prevent itself from rearming in the future. A spokesperson for the Hostages and Families Forum declined to comment. The sensitive diplomatic moves come hours after the terror group released a sickening hostage video of the youngest female Israeli still held in Gaza over 450 days since she was brutally kidnapped. Relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza gather in front of the Ministry of Defense to hold demonstration demanding a ceasefire and a hostage swap agreement in Gaza, on December 28, 2024, in Tel Aviv, Israel Hamas has released a sickening hostage video of Liri Albag who is still held in Gaza over 450 days since she was brutally kidnapped Liri Albag, 19, was seen shaking and crying as she is forced to beg for her government to save her in a sadistic three-and-a-half-minute clip. She breaks down as she tells how some held with her have been 'badly wounded' and said she has 'looked death in the eye'. Making a direct plea to Defence Secretary Israel Katz, she says: 'You know my father. Look him in the eye and tell him that he and my mother don't deserve to hug their daughter. 'Look at them and tell them if you have the courage.' She then addresses her parents, Shira and Eli, and siblings, telling them: 'I love you so much. I miss you infinitely.' While her distraught family asked that the full video is not shared, they agreed to release two still images to increase pressure to reach a deal. In a statement, they said: 'Today's video has torn our hearts to pieces. This is not the daughter and sister we know. She is not well - her severe psychological distress is evident. 'We watched our heroic Liri surviving and pleading for her life. She is just dozens of kilometers away from us, yet for 456 days we have been unable to bring her home. In the video, 19-year-old Albag can be seen breaking down in tears Liri pictured alongside Agam Berger with their hands tied behind their backs as they sit on the ground Pictured alongside other hostages, the group of young Israeli women looked to have been injured by their captors Liri (pictured in blue) was also seen in another Hamas hostage video last year 'We appeal to the Prime Minister, world leaders, and all decision makers: It's time to make decisions as if your own children were there. 'Liri is alive and must return alive. This depends only on you. You must not miss this current opportunity to bring them back. All of them.' In addition to this statement, Liri's parents also released a heartbreaking video appeal this afternoon in which they spoke directly to their daughter. Liri's mother Shira said: 'I want to tell Liri, if she sees this: Liri, we are fighting for you, we aren't giving up on you, and you're coming home alive. 'You're coming back. Yes, it's hard there and yes, you're suffering, but you're coming home alive. 'Mom promises you, Mom and Dad promise you, and we keep our promises - it will happen soon, God willing, it will happen soon. 'Believe in this, we aren't giving up, don't you give up either there, keep fighting and surviving. You're strong and you're capable. We're here fighting for you. I love you so much and miss you terribly and am waiting to hug you'. The 19-year-old's father Eli followed: 'Liri, if you're hearing us, tell the others that all the families are moving heaven and earth and want their children home, and we will fight until all hostages are returned - the living for rehabilitation and the murdered and fallen for proper burial in Israel. Eli Albag, Liri's father, holds up two images, one of his daughter before the war and one of her in Hamas captivity Family members of Liri call for her release during a protest in Tel Aviv today 'Tell the others - stay strong. Just a little longer and soon there will be a deal'. Liri was completing her compulsory national service as an unarmed border observer when she was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz base on October 7. Footage from that day showed her cowering in terror, sitting in pools of blood, as her abductors called her and her comrades 'vile dogs' and 'Sabaya' an ancient Islamic term than can mean female sex slave. She was taken alongside fellow teenage border guards Naama Levy, Daniela Gilboa, Agam Berger and Karina Ariev. Proposals made by a left-wing think tank which would allow Labour to rig the next election by meddling with voting laws were last night described as deeply concerning. Sir Keir Starmers government is being recommended to allow millions of foreign nationals to vote and abolish measures to prevent voter fraud. Ministers are being urged to consider plans to overhaul the way elections are held by scrapping voter ID laws and give five million foreign nationals the right to vote in UK elections. It has led to accusations that the party could try to lock in a Labour majority by removing obstacles designed to tackle voter fraud. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), a Left-wing think-tank closely aligned with Labour, have said in a recent report that there is a clear need for a wider political conversation about the notion of citizenship and voting rights in the UK. It also called for the removal or relaxation of rules introduced in 2022 that force people to show photographic identification before voting. Ministers could also consider automatically registering voters shortly before their 16th birthdays - a move that would add 700,000 young people to the electoral register each year. Plans to expand the right to vote to 16 and 17-year-olds are already underway. Labour was last night urged to reject the proposals, which are seen by critics as a method of expanding eligibility to millions of voters who overwhelmingly back the party, outright. Sir Keir Starmer's government has been urged to look at expanding the voter franchise, as well as abolishing voter ID laws Ministers have been asked to consider plans to overhaul the way elections are held by scrapping voter ID laws and give five million foreign nationals the right to vote in UK elections (file photo) Former Cabinet Minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said last night: Foreign nationals must not be allowed to vote in UK elections. Most will have the option to apply for British citizenship and if they have not taken it up clearly do not want to be full participants in our country so do not deserve the precious right to vote. I would also question whether it is still right to allow Commonwealth citizens to vote, it is an historic anomaly that in an era of excessive migration ought to be reviewed. Tory MP Peter Bedford added: It is deeply concerning that, with the many challenges facing the country, Labour has chosen to pick this as one of the top issues we face. A robust electoral system needs to command confidence from the public. Any plans to extend the franchise to five million foreign nationals would completely undermine this. 'Rather than devising ways to stitch up the next election the Government should be focusing on the real issues affecting our constituents. Be it their rising energy bills, support for the elderly following the cuts to the winter fuel payments, or being able to get a doctors appointment. Nigel Huddleston, co-chairman of the Conservative Party, told the Mail on Sunday that the proposals were nothing more than a shameless attempt by Labour to rig elections in its favour and turn a blind eye to electoral fraud. Rishi Sunak warned before losing last years General Election that Sir Keir would do irreversible damage to Britain if Labour won. He said the Labour Prime Minister would fix the electoral system to give the vote to 16-year-olds, who tend to be Labour-leaning. Esther McVey, the then Minister for Common Sense also warned that Labour would go out of its way to try and change election laws to suit its agenda. Labour was urged to reject the proposals, which could expand eligibility to millions of voters who overwhelmingly back the party (file image) Voter ID was introduced as part of the Elections Act 2022 passed by the former Tory government Writing in the Mail on Sunday last June she said: Sir Keir Starmer is too scared to fight elections fair and square so he must resort to these underhand tactics to rig elections in his favour. She added: At best, the policy is inconsistent. At worst, votes for 16-year-olds is rigging our electoral system. Starmer has been billed as the knight who is afraid to fight. And that is exactly what this is. With this damaging and immoral plan, Starmer is trying to guarantee that Labour stay in power for a generation, with a mandate handed to ram through even more Leftwing policies. Labour were contacted for comment. Jobs will be lost and the benefits bill will spiral under Labours proposed new employment laws, business bosses have warned. Championed by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, the legislation aims to strengthen workers rights through measures such as abolishing zero hours contracts. The Employment Rights Bill, which is currently making its way through the Commons, will also award workers rights from day one, require employers to accommodate flexible working when possible and extend the coverage of statutory sick pay. But 92 per cent of small employers say they are concerned at the impact it will have on them, with many looking to reduce current headcount and recruit fewer staff in future. The poll from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) also found 67 per cent plan to recruit fewer staff, 56 per cent will cancel or scale down plans for expansion and 32 per cent look set to reduce staff headcount due to the measures. One of the main concerns cited in the Bill is changes to unfair dismissal legislation, which would expand the grounds for employees to take their new employer to a tribunal from their first day in the job. The majority say they will avoid hiring those with a poor work history, with just under half of small businesses reluctant to employ anyone out of work or who havent previously had a job before. Tina McKenzie, FSBs Policy Chair, said: Small firms have made it crystal clear that the Bill will not motivate them to hire more whatsoever. Their feedback is emphatic, resounding, and overwhelming. The Employment Rights Bill, championed by Deputy PM Angela Rayner, will award workers rights from day one, require employers to accommodate flexible working among other radical reforms Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said that the bill would not motivate companies to create more jobs Ministers must show they get the risk to jobs and avoid a cavalier, dogmatic or patronising approach to the loud and clear feedback from small businesses. The economy is in no fit state for a war on work. 'If employers fear they will be sued, fewer will hire - with knock-on effects including a rising benefits bill and a lasting drag on living standards across the UK. 'These changes would have a severe negative impact on the real economy. All those who will be locked out of work as a result of this Bill deserve better from the Government. Andrew Griffith, Shadow Business and Trade Secretary said last night: There is no end to Labours economic illiteracy. Their promises to their trade union paymasters will be paid for by working people through fewer jobs and lower wages when businesses simply stop hiring under the weight of Labours taxes and red tape. A poll of small businesses found 67 per cent plan to recruit fewer staff, 56 per cent will cancel or scale down plans for expansion and 32 per cent look set to reduce staff headcount as a result of the measures (file photo) 'There is not shred of entrepreneurial spirit around the Cabinet table which is why Keir Starmers government do not understand the impact their choices are having on businesses and working people. A spokesperson for the Department of Business and Trade said: Our plan to Make Work Pay is a crucial part of the mission to grow the economy, boost workers pay and raise living standards across the country. 'This Government is pro-business and pro-worker and we continue to engage closely with businesses and unions to ensure the Employment Rights Bill works for workers and employers alike. We know the vital importance of small businesses to our economy and have already achieved a great deal in a short period of time, including protecting small businesses from late payments. We are now focused on creating opportunities for businesses to compete and access the finance they need to scale, export and break into new markets. This video is no longer available This video is no longer available Four people will face court after celebrating a gender reveal party that involved a car performing a lengthy burnout along a suburban road. A blue Holden Commodore generated pink smoke as it performed the burnout on Belalie Road at Ingle Farm, north Adelaide, at 1.15pm on Sunday. South Australia Police allege a group had gathered to watch the car as it left a 210m long set of tyre marks across two lanes. The Commodore was traced to a nearby residential address and was discovered in a garage. Officers inspected and defected the vehicle and allege a group did not respond to questioning. Three people were identified and reported for their alleged involvement - two 20-year-old men and a 38-year-old woman. The alleged driver, 22, later presented himself to police and received a report for the misuse of a motor vehicle. The group will be summoned to appear in court at a later date. Four people will face court after celebrating a gender reveal party that involved a car performing a lengthy burnout along a suburban road Vision of the alleged incident showed thick, pink smoke billowing from the Commodore's tyres The baby was revealed to be a girl. Vision of the incident appeared to show the vehicle doing doughnuts and skidding along the road as plumes of pink smoke rose from the tyres. An onlooker could be seen standing in the smoke, filming the act. In October last year a man was fined $1,120.50 over a burnout gender reveal in Carrum Downs, south-east Melbourne. About 30 partygoers including children watched a driver perform burnouts as blue smoke billowed from his tires. Police warned the party could have been deadly at the time. '(I'm) totally gobsmacked that someone would be so stupid and that people would think that it's a good idea,' Senior Sergeant Hulley told Newscorp. 'If anyone wants to have a gender reveal, have a cake instead.' A 29-year-old Frankston man had his Holden Commodore impounded in relation to the incident. The BBCs director-general had stays totalling nearly a month at a plush central London hotel last year to avoid commuting back to his 4m Oxfordshire home. Licence fee payers have picked up the tab for his repeated stays at the four-star hotel, as well as other overnight accommodation in the capital. In total, Tim Davie spent more than 30 nights staying in hotels in London in the previous financial year, the majority of which were at the same one. Mr Davie, who is paid 525,000 by the BBC, is thought to have spent more than 3,000 on stays at the luxury hotel, which the Mail has chosen not to name, booked through the BBCs central bookings system. Analysis of published documents suggests he spent 26 nights at this hotel throughout the 2023-24 financial year, including some two-night stays. His main office is Broadcasting house, near Oxford Street in Londons West End. He is known to live near Henley-on-Thames, about an hours drive from his office in central London. It has also emerged that the corporations 310,000-a-year chief financial officer, Alan Dickson, who oversees the BBCs expenditure, spent about 65 nights staying in London hotels in the 2023-24 financial year. This included 12 nights in the same hotel which was Mr Davies favourite. Tim Davie (pictured) spent more than 30 nights staying in hotels in London in the previous financial year, the majority of which were at the same one Chief financial officer, Alan Dickson, who oversees the BBCs expenditure, spent about 65 nights staying in London hotels in the 2023-24 financial year Mr Davie, who is paid 525,000 by the BBC, is thought to have spent more than 3,000 on stays at the luxury hotel Mr Dickson is understood to be based in Glasgow, despite the fact that the corporations main base is in London. Former leader of the Conservative Party, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, branded the amount of overnight stays as astonishing for someone who lives in striking distance of London. He said: This is simply intolerable. There ought to a serious inquiry by the BBC internally into the money they haemorrhage through these type of costs. You pay people salaries and you expect them to do things, so as I say if someone lives within striking distance of London you would think there would be little or no argument that they should go back home in the evening and get up early and either come in early by train or by car. He said Mr Davie must set an example, adding: Every company that I know is already tightening their belts. The BBC should be doing the same. Expense levels at that point are just unacceptable. Mr Duncan Smith also called for both a parliamentary committee and the BBC itself to carry out inquiries into this spending. He said: The licence fee payers who already baulk at the cost of the licence wont want to know their licence is paying for bureaucratic costs in the BBC. Analysis of BBC expenses data from the earlier financial year, 2022-23, reveals Mr Davie spent even more time at the hotel he frequented most - more than 30 days, in that period. His overall London hotel stays were also higher. Former Conservative Party leader, Sir Iain Duncan Smith (pictured), branded the amount of overnight stays as astonishing BBC chief Tim Davie is known to live near Henley-on-Thames, about an hours drive from his office in central London Mr Dickson, the BBCs chief financial officer, racked up a bill of 1,600 in just over a month at the hotel where Mr Davie stayed most Mr Dickson, the BBCs chief financial officer, racked up a bill of 1,600 in just over a month at the hotel where Mr Davie stayed most. He spent 12 nights there across March and April 2024. This was made up of four three-night stints at the hotel. Mr Dickson in November 2023 had spent five nights at a Marble Arch hotel, costing 600, followed by a four-night stay in Shepherds Bush later in the month, for an economical 57.50 a night. There was a four-night stint at a hotel in Piccadilly, which cost 460, while in September there were three nights not far from Oxford Street, costing 345. Mr Dickson spent about 65 nights staying in London hotels in the financial year, totalling nearly 8,000. The director-general has regularly claimed the BBC is struggling against a tough financial climate. He recently told a committee of MPs that the BBC was woefully underfunded even though it receives about 3.6bn a year from licence fee income. Among the director-generals other expenses and central bookings was 3,545 return flight to Nairobi in Kenya in April 2024. A source at the corporation claimed it had policies in place to ensure spending was proportionate and appropriate and added that all stays were within BBC expenses policy. They added that the director-general was occasionally required to stay late to attend business-related events and/or start early which made it more economical to stay in London in these circumstances. The source said Mr Dickson was based in Glasgow and his role provided financial leadership across the whole BBC group and that he uses hotels when travelling to London. A BBC spokesman said: Like any media organisation, staff are sometimes required to use hotels and we always keep costs to a minimum. A former senior Scientologist who became one of the Church's fiercest critics has died, his family revealed - following a battle with cancer. Mike Rinder, 69, passed a year-and-a-half removed from his advanced esophageal cancer diagnosis, and shortly after sharing a photo with his wife and two kids over Christmas. In the snap, a smiling Rinder looks a far cry from the man seen next to wife Christie Collbran in photos shot just a few months ago, where the Australian-born defector still had a full head of hair and a healthy complexion. In the photograph taken December 25, he was bald - seemingly losing his hair within just three months as he grappled with his diagnosis. In a heartfelt post showing the family during better days, Collbran paid tribute to the father-of-two, who cohosted the Emmy-winning docuseries Scientology and the Aftermath with Leah Remini. Penning it Sunday, she did not confirm whether it was cancer that took her beloved's life and did disclose his day of death. 'Rest in peace, my sweet, beautiful husband,' the update began, before memorializing one of Scientologist's most high-profile detractors. He had been part of the agency's secretive Sea Org for more than three decades, before realizing he had been brainwashed after seeing seeing - and ruminating on - investigative journalist John Sweeney's film Scientology and Me in 2007. Mike Rinder, 69, passed a year-and-a-half removed from his advanced esophageal cancer diagnosis, and shortly after sharing a photo with his wife and two kids over Christmas. He is seen here with fellow Scientologist-turned-whistleblower Leah Remini in 2018 In the snap, a smiling Rinder looks a far cry from the man seen next to wife Christie Collbran in photos shot just a few months ago, where the Australian-born defector still had a full head of hair and a healthy glow 'Rest in peace, my sweet, beautiful husband,' Collbran wrote, revealing the news to the world. 'I speak for so many when I say the sadness and pain we feel mirror the depth of our unwavering love for you,' she continued. 'Your courage, bravery, and integrity are unmatched and will forever inspire us. You have been the pillar of stability in our lives, filling our days with your strength, wisdom, love, laughter, and devotion. 'The world will remember you.' The post also contained Rinder's last words, which Collbran proudly relayed to the public. 'If you are reading this, I have shuffled off this mortal coil in accordance with the immutable law that there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes," the final message read. 'My blog site will remain as an archive of more than 4,000 posts and 300,000 comments. 'It has been a labor of love and passion which has allowed me to speak my mind and offer my perspective with no outside filters.' Rinder and his wife of 12 years, Christie Collbran, is seen here during a date night in September. She memorialized her beloved in a heartfelt post Sunday Rinder and Remini are seen at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in 2017, after wrapping a docuseries that recalled their and other's experiences in the Church The two went on to start a podcast, which was cancelled in 2018 after two seasons. Ridner was diagnosed with cancer five years later There, one will find Rinder's well-known critiques of the religion, which he became wrapped up in as a child because of his parents. 'My only real regret,' he added, 'is not having achieved what I said I wanted toending the abuses of Scientology... and seeing [my son] Jack into adulthood.' Speaking out to other whistleblowers like Remini and the daughter of current head David Miscavige, he proclaimed: 'If you are in any way fighting to end those abuses please keep the flag flying - never give up.' He went on to reference his departure from the controversial organization, counting himself lucky for 'living two lives in one lifetime. 'The second one,' he framed as 'the most wonderful years anyone could wish for', thanks to being spent 'with all of you and my new family.' Rinder and Collbran, a former member who also fled Sea Org at the time, married in 2013. Then almost 60, he spent almost half of his life as Scientologys international spokesperson and the head of its Office of Special Affairs, while also a member of the Board of Directors of Church of Scientology International. At age 52, he renounced the religion - fleeing two years removed from the exit of perhaps the only defector more prominent than he. Rinder was part of the agency's secretive Sea Org for decades, before defecting in 2007 He was converted after seeing journalist John Sweeney's film Scientology and Me in 2007, and had been one of the religion's fiercest critics Like Jenna Miscavige (pictured), the 40-year-old niece of leader David Miscavige, he worked in Scientology's Sea Org for several decades. Afterwards, both began posting and promoting content critical of the religion Jenna Miscavige, David's 40-year-old niece, fled the Sea Org in 2005, and today, like Rinder had done for the better part of a decade on his blog, posts regular rundowns of her life in - and after surviving - Scientology's most powerful sect. Today, she lives in California with her two children. Like Rinder and his wife, the pair met whiel in the Church, before leaving together in 2005. The Church of Scientology 'did their darndest to make life hell for us' she said in a video posted two months ago, claiming her marriage fell apart due to distrust sowed by the web of spies she claims the organization inserted into her life after she left. The church denied all of her allegations in a statement to DailyMail.com. In 2015 and 2016, Rinder hosted Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath on A&E, alongside the King of Queens star. Over the course of three seasons the the pair delved into their and other former member's experiences in the Church, claiming like Miscavige that they were harassed after publicly speaking out and parting way. Upon the show's conclusion, Remini and Rinder continued their partnership with a podcast Scientology: Fair Game, which launched in 2020. The religion currently counts stars like Tom Cruise and John Travolta as members. Millions of people will continue to wait months for NHS treatment despite a series of radical reforms to be unveiled by Keir Starmer on Monday. The Prime Minister will use a speech on health reform to pledge action on waiting lists which Labour strategists hope will revive his flagging political fortunes. Measures include operating diagnostic centres in the community seven days a week, an improved NHS app to make it easier for patients to manage appointments and investment in new equipment and treatment centres. Sir Keir will hail the reforms as a key plank in Labours bid to transform Britain. But a new target slipped out by Downing Street last night suggests that at least 35 per cent of all patients will continue to face waits of more than 18 weeks next year, down only slightly from the current figure of 42 per cent. The figures underline warnings from Wes Streeting yesterday that delivering Labours pledge to restore the 18-week standard by the time of the next election two years later will be a big, tough challenge. The health secretary said the NHS would collapse like the retail chain Woolworths unless it embraces reforms designed to drag it into the 21st Century. Mondays reforms will focus on speeding up medical tests and routine surgery to cut waiting lists which soared to record levels in the wake of the pandemic. GPs will be funded to work more closely with hospital doctors to help them deal directly with patients conditions rather than referring them to consultants. The Prime Minister and Chancellor visit a catheterisation laboratory at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire. A new target slipped out by Downing Street suggests that millions will still wait for treatment despite planned reforms Mondays reforms will focus on speeding up medical tests and routine surgery to cut waiting lists which soared to record levels in the wake of the pandemic (file image) The NHS app will be upgraded to make it easier for patients to book and rearrange appointments at a time and place of their choosing, helping to cut the number of missed appointments by up to one million a year. So-called non-essential follow up appointments will be reduced, potentially freeing up a further one million slots. Staff at the network of community diagnostic centres will be paid overtime to operate the facilities for at least 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Ministers believe that basing the centres in non-hospital settings will make them easier for many patients to access, while also reducing pressure on hospitals. A further 14 surgical hubs will be opened to focus on routine procedures. Hospitals which cut waiting lists the fastest will be rewarded with additional investment. Speaking ahead of the announcement, Sir Keir said: NHS backlogs have ballooned in recent years, leaving millions of patients languishing on waiting lists, often in pain or fear. Lives on hold. Potential unfulfilled. This elective reform plan will deliver on our promise to end the backlogs. Millions more appointments. Greater choice and convenience for patients. Staff once again able to give the standard of care they desperately want to. Mr Streeting said the changes would free up millions of appointments and make it easier for patients to get help. The NHS should work around patients lives, not the other way around, he said. By opening community diagnostic centres on high streets 12 hours a day, seven days a week, patients will now be able to arrange their tests and scans for when they go to do their weekend shopping, rather than being forced to take time out of work. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Health sources said the changes would reduce the number of people waiting more than 18 weeks by 450,000 by April next year. The proportion of people treated within the target time would rise to 65 per cent from its current level of 35 per cent. But the slow pace of change will then leave ministers just two years to deliver on their pledge of treating 92 per cent within the target time. Last month, it emerged the waiting list for routine hospital treatment had fallen to its lowest level for seven months. Figures published by NHS England in December showed an estimated 7.54 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of October, down from 7.57 million at the end of September and the lowest figure since March 2024. A Louisiana prosecutor specializing in sexual assault cases was found dead in his office in an apparent suicide. Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorney Ian Kersting, 34, was found Saturday around 9 p.m. with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, reported WVUE. New Orleans EMS arrived on scene at the DA's office building at 619 South White St. where Kersting was pronounced dead. 'The Orleans Parish DA's Office family suffered a terrible tragedy Saturday night,' the DA's office said. 'Assistant District Attorney Ian Kersting was a beloved member of our office, and we send our love and deepest condolences to his family. 'It's important that we support each other right now, and we ask the media respect the privacy of the individuals impacted.' Kersting had been assigned to the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative unit which is responsible for prosecuting cases by submitting and testing previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits. The New Orleans District Attorney's office gave Kersting a shoutout for his efforts in a March 22 social media post. Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorney Ian Kersting (pictured), 34, was found Saturday with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound New Orleans EMS arrived on scene at the DA's office building at 619 South White St. where Kersting was pronounced dead The New Orleans District Attorney's office gave Kersting (right) a shoutout for his efforts in a March 22 social media post 'In a recent win for justice, the joint efforts of ADA Michelle Jones (SVU) and Ian Kersting (SAKI), alongside Investigator Ronnie Puigh (SVU), Project Manager Sydney Houlemard (SVU), and Trial Assistant Daphne Carroll (SVU), led to a significant verdict,' the post said. 'The case involved charges of 1st-degree rape and indecent behavior with a juvenile under the age of 13. 'Following deliberation, the jury delivered its verdict: guilty of attempted 1st-degree rape and guilty as charged for the indecent behavior charge. The successful outcome underscores the dedication and skill of our team in pursuing justice for the most vulnerable members of our community.' Records show Kersting was admitted to the Louisiana State Bar on October 30, 2020. For help and support call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on 988 A planned memorial to the Royal Navys role in ending the slave trade is in limbo after it was rejected by a string of proposed sites. Campaigners raised 70,000 to build a statue commemorating the West Africa Squadron, which rescued 150,000 slaves during the 19th century, following an appeal championed by the Daily Mail. It was initially planned for a site in Portsmouth, the city where the squadron was based - only for the owners to pull out, claiming the finished design showing a white officer, a shackled woman and a freed slave lacked sensitivity. Since then a series of offers to alternative sites - including Portsmouth council and the citys historic dockyard - have also been turned down, leaving the sculpture stuck in the artists workshop. Now the fundraisers are appealing for civic leaders to work together and help them give a fitting tribute to the sailors who sacrificed their lives to help end the vile trans-Atlantic trade. Between 1807 and 1867, the squadron freed more than 150,000 men, women and children destined for servitude in the Americas. Many hundreds of sailors died, yet there is no memorial to their vital and dangerous work. It comes as schools, universities and stately homes have removed the names of slave traders from their sites. An appeal to raise 70,000 for the 13ft bronze statue and Portland Stone plinth was championed by then Portsmouth MP Penny Mordaunt as well as a host of eminent historians. Campaigners raised 70,000 to build a statue commemorating the West Africa Squadron, which rescued 150,000 slaves during the 19th century. Pictured: Maquette of Vincent Gray memorial sculpture Between 1807 and 1867, the squadron freed more than 150,000 men, women and children destined for servitude in the Americas Colin Kemp, who set up the memorial appeal, has said that he wants to celebrate a want to glorious but neglected part of Britains history After donations poured in from Mail readers - topped off by a 25,000 pledge from Tory peer Lord Ashcroft - it has now been completed by acclaimed sculptor Vincent Gray. It features a QR code which can be scanned using a smartphone, enabling access to historical context about Britains role in the slave trade before it was outlawed in 1807. But last year talks between the organisers and Landsec, owners of Gunwharf Quays, broke down after the firms employee diaspora network objected, according to emails seen by the Mail. Instead, the fundraisers approached members of Portsmouth City Council to ask if a site could be found, also contacting Portsmouth Historic Dockyard - home to HMS Victory and the Mary Rose. However dockyard chiefs replied that they were not able to support this project within the site. Meanwhile the local council says that while it has not received an official approach, a number of our popular locations have reached saturation point where we are no longer able to consider new statues. Approaches to English Heritage, Chatham Dockyard and the National Maritime Museum have also been rebuffed. We just want to commemorate a glorious but neglected part of Britains history, Colin Kemp, who set up the memorial appeal, said yesterday. It was initially planned for a site in Portsmouth, the city where the squadron was based - only for the owners to pull out. Pictured: Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth Yet were left with the completed sculpture standing in a studio.Were not asking for money, we just want somewhere fitting for it to be situated. Portsmouth is a proud naval city and the West Africa Squadron is part of its heritage. But local people are being denied the right to commemorate their forebears.. Mr Kemp now wants the opportunity to make his case to councillors in Portsmouth directly with a view to an alternative site being earmarked as part of a new sea defences project. Hannah Prowse, CEO of Portsmouth Historic Quarter, and Matthew Sheldon, CEO of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, said they were ferociously committed to the recognising the service of Royal Navy sailors throughout history. However, we do so through our programmes of exhibitions, publications and events, which enable us to explore the complexities of those stories and to engage audiences by sharing multiple perspectives and wider context, they said in a joint statement. Unfortunately a statue simply isnt able to do this, and through its commemoration of some, it also neglects the story of thousands of others who lost their lives during this time. For this reason, we dont believe that this would support the purpose of the project - to truly engage people with this period of history - and therefore the Dockyard is not a suitable location for it. A man charged over the alleged rape and sexual assault of a female airline crew member in Fiji is expected to face court today - as new claims emerge about the incident. According to local media sources, he is set to appear at Nadi Magistrates Court on Monday and his case could be referred to the nation's High Court due to the seriousness of his alleged offences. The man was charged on Saturday after the alleged rape and sexual assault of a 21-year-old member of Virgin Australia's flight crew on New Year's Day in Nadi, an international gateway to Fiji's most popular tourist destinations. She had gone with colleagues to a nightclub district before one member was allegedly robbed outside the popular Bar One nightclub and the 21-year-old was allegedly sexually assaulted in a separate incident. New allegations have emerged that the man accused of rape had offered the young woman a lift back to her hotel posing as a taxi driver, the Daily Telegraph reported. The woman, who had been separated from her friends, was attempting to make her way home following the nightclub's 1am lockout. Police investigations are ongoing. Bar One issued a statement on Sunday following the incident. A female member of a Virgin Australia flight crew was allegedly sexually assaulted after partying at the Bar One nightspot in Nadi, Fiji 'We would like to address the recent incident involving two crew members from Virgin Airlines,' the club said in a social media post. 'While we acknowledge the seriousness of the situation, we feel it is important to clarify that this incident did not take place within Bar One, nor in the immediate vicinity of our establishment. 'The Virgin Airlines Crew are regular customers at Bar One and we have never experienced any similar incidents in the past, so it is disheartening to see our establishment portrayed in a negative light due to circumstances that (are) not directly related to our bar.' The alleged incident occurred during ongoing debates about Fiji's lockout laws, which require businesses to close at 1am, replacing the earlier 5am closing time. Local politicians are concerned these incidents could hurt Fiji's tourism-reliant economy especially after seven visitors, including four Australians, fell ill after drinking cocktails at a five-star resort in December. But the Australian government's tourism website has not changed its advice for the Pacific nation. It maintains Australians should exercise normal safety precautions and highlights the possibility of crime, noting the highest risk is in urban areas and at night. The Virgin crew members stayed in their hotel near Nadi International Airport after the alleged incidents and the airline sent across support staff. Government travel advice to Fiji has not changed after alleged assaults on Virgin Australia crew The crew members returned to Australia last week. The alleged incidents came just weeks after Fiji attracted negative headlines around the world when seven tourists - including four Australians - were hospitalised after drinking pina coladas at a bar in the ritzy Warwick Resort last month. Four Australian women aged between 18 and 56 ended up in a critical condition in hospital after consuming the drinks at the five-star resort. They suffered nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms with one victim's friend telling Daily Mail Australia that she was 'foaming at the mouth' and having seizures. A toxicology report had cleared the cocktails - and the source of the poisoning remains a mystery. 'I can confirm that no illicit substances or methanol were found in the ingredients or liquor samples,' Fiji's deputy prime minister Viliame Gavoka said. 'All of the affected tourists and the locals have now been discharged from medical care, fully recovered. This is a significant relief.' 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 January 4, 2025: The USN/U.S. Navy is the most powerful in the world and has been that way for eighty years. That primacy is now threatened by the American inability to maintain an adequate number of supply and support ships for the fleet at sea. The is particularly in the Pacific, where the U.S. Fleet prevailed because it built and maintained hundreds of ships to carry supplies, including fuel, to keep ground, and air naval force operational. In the final year of the 1941-45 Pacific War the USN had a thousand warships, 2,000 amphibious ships and over 4,000 cargo and fuel ships travelling between the United States and the combat zone to keep the naval war going. Since 1945 the navy has adapted to a smaller fleet and decline of the American ship building industry. Over the last three decades China has become the largest shipbuilder in the world, turning out more warships and merchant ships than all other nations combined. By 2023 China was producing 51 percent of the worlds merchant ships. South Korea built 28 percent while Japan produced 15 percent. The U.S. was 14th on the list producing one tenth of one percent of merchant ships. While China produces 51 percent of world shipping, it only operates 11 percent of that shipping. A handful of Greek shipping companies control 18 percent of the worlds shipping. This has been the case for decades. Japan controls 11 percent and South Korea four percent. The United States, the largest economy in the world, controls only 2.8 percent. While China is the largest exporter, the U.S. and Germany combined match the volume of Chinese exports. The Chinese economy thrives or dies depending on their ability to keep exporting. China cant afford a naval war because the submarine fleets of the U.S. and its allies make Chinese maritime trade impossible. In a more practical sense the United States worries about supporting minor military operations in the Pacific, as well as supplying the Pacific Fleet in peacetime. The most recent test of this ability involved a 2019 rapid-mobilization test of wartime shipping. The previous such test was conducted in 2003. The 2019 test was a no-notice activation drill that involved 28 of the 61 large transport ships in the reserve sealift fleet. These ships are essential for getting ground combat forces, especially their heavy equipment, to a distant combat zone as quickly as possible. The troops, with their personal gear and weapons, can be flown over but the vehicles and other bulky equipment need ships and need them fast. The 2003 exercise involved 40 ships. This sort of exercise was also called a turbo-activation because the goal is to test the ability of these ships to be ready in days to move ground forces to a distant destination. The activation order was issued on September 16th and the ships had to be ready to depart by the 21st. The six Military Sealift Command\MSC and 22 Ready Reserve Fleet\RRF ships included four Large Medium Speed Roll-on/Roll-off\ LMSRs ships, eight Fast Sealift\FSS ships, two former Maritime Prepositioning\MPS Ships, fifteen Ro/Ro\Roll-on/Roll-off ships, a barge carrier, two crane ships and an aviation logistics support ship. Six commercial operating companies have contracts to manage portions of this fleet, which involved ships based in Chesapeake Bay, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas and California. The mobilization also involved the maritime unions which were under contract to provide crews of about 20 American officers and seamen to man each ship on ten day contracts. Before departing the ships receive some U.S. Navy personnel to handle some of the loading and unloading work and liaison with navy warships. Five of the ships missed the deadline to be at sea by the 21st. These included an FSS that departed a day late. Four others were not fit to depart, including three in Texas that had suffered some damage from a recent hurricane. The ships that did make the deadline contained 306,000 square meters of cargo space for vehicles and other cargo plus four barges, 7,000 cargo containers and one ship that was a mobile repair base for an aviation wing. Assembling the ships on time was one thing; another was how reliable those vessels will be on the long voyages they must undertake. Breakdowns at sea are more common for older ships and the age of many of the 28 assembled ships is a factor. There was also the fact that eleven of the assembled ships are steam-powered, a form of propulsion that is technically obsolete. Steam is still found in 30-40 year old ships and several days of moving about offshore provides an opportunity to see how reliable these older ships and their elderly propulsion systems are. The average age of the 61 ships in the reserve fleet is 44 years and this exercise also provides compelling evidence of the need to upgrade the reserve fleet with new or used modern ships, or be convinced that the elderly reserve fleet ships were not up to the task. This mobilization exercise was one of many things the most visible American military logistics organization, the U.S. Transportation Command or Transcom for short, carries out on a regular basis. The air force component is Air Mobility Command\AMC, the navy contribution is MSC. The army contributes its expertise in handling the last mile of using ground and river/canal transport to get material from ships to the end-user. Since World War II military logistics has evolved from a largely army chore to one that depends much more on air freight. It was during World War II that the United States found it had a talent and capacity for truly massive and unprecedented logistical efforts on a global basis. Most of this was run by the army, which had more ships under its control than the navy. The army ships and coastal craft were mostly for logistics and that fleet of over 110,000 vessels contained very few warships. After World War II the navy got control of the army fleet while the Army Air Force became a separate service and developed a huge fleet of air freighters. The army developed several generations of trucks and innovations like rapidly built temporary pipelines and a global network of transportation contractors. These days the largest component of Transcom is AMC, which contains most of the 180,000 Transcom personnel and nearly as much of the budget. Most of the Transcom personnel are reservists or civilians, and a lot of the actual cargo moving is done by aircraft, ships and trucks hired for the occasion. MSC ships and the army move more tonnage, but if you want something moved anywhere real fast, a very common requirement in wartime, AMC gets it done. AMC does this with a fleet of 1,100 aircraft. Some 40 percent are aerial tankers, the rest are freighters like the C-17 and C-130. In 2011, when there were still a lot of American troops in the Middle East and Afghanistan, AMC carried out 105,000 sorties, 20 percent of them were aerial refueling, with the rest moving personnel and freight. MSC moved 502,000 measurement tons/568,000 cubic meters of cargo as well as 6.6 million tons of fuel. Most of everything moved is via contractors. That means about half the air freight, 64 percent of sea freight and about the same portion of land movement although in the U.S. it's 88 percent. The 98 percent of the 27,000 people in the Defense Logistics Agency are civilians who supervise the movement of all the supplies from manufacturer to consumer. They also handle the logistics planning and administration while Transcom specializes in moving stuff. The United States spends about $1.5 billion a year and uses over 150,000 personnel to move military personnel and material. This does not include additional spending for war related logistics in places like Iraq and Afghanistan that increase that spending by about five times. This level of activity, and length of time the U.S. has been at it, make access to American logistics resources and specialists something much sought after by American allies. While the allies appreciate having American aircraft or ships move goods for them, often its just the excellent and experienced advice from the Americans that is needed. What the army still needs is ships that can quickly and in large quantities land material somewhere that does not have a major port nearby. Thats what amphibious ships like LSVs, LCUs and LCMs are essential for. These ships are essential for getting the goods from ship to shore no matter where the shore is and when port facilities are inadequate. On a day-to-day basis, Transcom relies on commercial shipping and AMC to move cargo and personnel to sustain troops stationed overseas. Military personnel based for a long time in overseas locations make arrangements with local firms to provide a lot of basic supplies like food, fuel and construction. AMC moves personnel in and out on a regular basis as troops are based overseas for fixed periods, which currently are three months to three years. Ships are used to move heavy equipment that is not needed in a hurry. What the reserve fleet is essential for is moving ground forces, like combat brigades and logistic support units, to an overseas location in the event of a major crisis. During the 1991 Gulf War, it took the Army 150 days to move five divisions, mostly by sea, to the Persian Gulf. It actually took 205 days to move all the combat and support units to the Gulf. There is another potential complication. In the past, the United States often got called on by its allies during military crises. The allies did not need much help with weapons or combat but did with logistics. The U.S. has been, for nearly a century, the world leader in moving military personnel and cargo to where it is needed and doing so under the most trying conditions of nature or enemy interference. Unless there is a major naval threat, which requires a major military operation to protect shipping, the U.S. is still the most experienced at quickly organizing a major military logistics effort. The expertise to carry out these rapid mobilizations is easier to maintain than the fleet of ships. The ships get old and eventually have to be replaced, which is expensive. In 2003 and 1990 the U.S. could rely on prepositioned equipment for combat brigades, aircraft and warships. Some of that is still available in Europe, Korea and the Middle East. The fact remains that in any foreign war the U.S. has to move a lot of heavy items a long distance quickly, and no one has found a way to get around that. So these turbo-activation exercises measure how ready the reserve fleet is to actually do the job and how soon new ships are needed. The only other nation with a fleet mobilization system like this is China, which needs dozens of commercial Ro/Ro, ferries and other ships to support an invasion of Taiwan or the movement of more forces to South China Sea islands. The Chinese requirements are much smaller than what the United States faces and the Chinese have a lot of more recently built ships for their reserve fleet. Australia's second-busiest airport has been thrown into chaos after a plane aborted its take-off on a runway and caused flight disruptions. Melbourne Airport was forced to operate with one runway on Monday as crews urgently worked to repair the damaged plane. The Etihad Airways plane was bound for Abu Dhabi with just under 300 people on board when it had to abort its departure on Sunday 'for technical reasons'. Flight EY461 slammed on the emergency brakes while travelling at 300km/h just moments before it was about to take to the air at 6.15pm. A Melbourne Airport spokesman said the Aviation Rescue and Firefighting Service was called and deployed firefighting foam as a precaution. Due to the damage to the aircraft's tyres, the plane remained on the runway the following day, with repairs currently under way. It means Melbourne Airport is only operating with one runway which will be used for all arrivals and departures - on the day many Australians return to work after Christmas. A damaged plane (pictured) that aborted its take-off at Australia's second-busiest airport remains on the runway, causing flight disruptions Almost 300 passengers were on board the plane bound for Abu Dhabi when the flight was forced to abort take-off 'While there have been no cancellations at this stage, there have been disruptions to some flights,' a Melbourne Airport spokesman told AAP. 'Some flights have departed with less fuel and will need to refuel on the way to their final destination.' Daily Mail Australia contacted Etihad for comment. A self-styled novelist and Breaking Bad fan is being extradited to the US after he was charged with trafficking 15million-worth of fentanyl linked to the deaths of two navy submariners. Married father-of-two Paul Nicholls, 46, is accused of peddling the drug 50 times stronger than heroin on the dark web. US submariners Brian Jarrell and Ty Bell died of fentanyl overdoses within days of each other and are said to have been among his customers. Nicholls, a self-published author from Stoke-on-Trent, has written books under the pen name Nico Laeser, some of which feature drug addiction. He also previously painted Walter White, the drug-dealing anti-hero of his favourite TV series Breaking Bad showing off his artwork online. He claims the charges of large-scale deadly drug dealing and money laundering against him are as fictional as the plots of his own novels. However, an application Nicholls made to the European Court of Human Rights to stop his extradition failed last month, and the National Crime Agency is now arranging his removal. According to US police, Nicholls ran a global fentanyl smuggling ring alongside Canadian Thomas Federuik, 62, between at least April 2017 and February 2018. The Briton was living in Canada with his since-estranged wife and children, and supposedly working as an artist and novelist, giving interviews about his books. Prosecutors say his real business was dealing drugs. Married father-of-two Paul Nicholls, 46, is accused of peddling the drug 50 times stronger than heroin on the dark web Nicholls, a self-published author from Stoke-on-Trent, has written books under the pen name Nico Laeser, some of which feature drug addiction. He also previously painted Walter White, the drug-dealing anti-hero of his favourite TV series Breaking Bad showing off his artwork online. The artwork is pictured Fentanyl is a powerful painkiller that is legitimately prescribed by doctors, but its recreational use has been blamed for tens of thousands of overdoses in the US. And prosecutors say the synthetic opioid sold by Nicholls and Federuik caused the deaths of Mr Jarrell, 25 and Mr Bell, 26, who were stationed together at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Camden County, Georgia. Mr Jarrell, a sonar technician, was found dead at his military home in October 2017, after his wife raised the alarm following his disappearance from a family trip to Orlando. His body was found by his housemate Mr Bell, who sailed on the ballistic missile submarine USS Wyoming. Then, in the same property just four days later, Mr Bell himself was found dead. The US navy said both men had died of a fentanyl overdose. Special agent for homeland security investigations Katrina Berger said: This poison ultimately led to the deaths of two service members and destroyed the lives of countless others. According to US prosecutors, both sailors had received a package from a dark web vendor using packaging postmarked from Canada and labelled East Van Eco Tours just prior to their deaths. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or Mounties, were involved in investigations following the officers deaths. By December 2017, an undercover officer had bought pills from a suspect they later identified as Federuik. A surveillance operation in Vancouver then observed Federuik and Nicholls dropping off packages for shipment. Intercepted, these were said to contain drugs and had an East Van Eco Tours label. Left, Brian Jerrell and right, Ty Bell. The US submariners died of fentanyl overdoses within days of each other and are said to have been among Nicholls' customers Prosecutors claim the drugs were brought into Canada from China and Hungary wholesale, before being sold on to more than 300 customers in the US and around the world. In February 2018, the police raided properties linked to Frederuik in Vancouver and uncovered traces of fentanyl, as well as postal receipts containing the details of deliveries. The Mounties said that at least 15million-worth of the drug was involved, enough to cause the deaths of thousands. Nicholls was arrested after allegedly dropping off six drug packages at a post office. After his capture he was sent back to Britain for overstaying his Canadian visa. He was then re-arrested by Britains National Extradition Unit in May 2022 at Manchester airport as he prepared to fly to Thailand. Nicholls is currently being held in Londons Wandsworth prison. He faces charges of conspiracies to import and distribute controlled substances, and money laundering. He could be fined 8million and jailed for life. His blog and interviews display a fascination with vampires and zombies including a painting of himself as a member of the undead. It is unclear how much money he has made from his self-published novels. His lawyer Karen Todner told the Daily Mail: Nicholls denies any involvement in the supply of drugs to the US. Trials underway at 10 sites in the United States and 15 in Australia People suffering from the early onset of Alzheimer's disease are being given access to a revolutionary drug that's being hailed as a potential cure. The drug, Xanamem, works by blocking the production of intracellular cortisol through the inhibition of the 11-HSD1 enzyme in the brain. Taken in a tablet, scientists at Actinogen Medical - the company behind the drug - have described the drug as 'exercise in a pill'. Dementia affected an estimated 55.2million people globally in 2020, 6070 percent of whom had Alzheimer's disease. In tandem with increasing longevity, recent studies suggest the number is anticipated to grow to 139million by 2050, with the greatest increases in low and middle income countries. It has been long reported that chronically elevated cortisol levels in the blood and the brain are associated with cognitive impairment. Actinogen CEO Doctor Steven Gourlay told Daily Mail Australia a trial is underway across Australia and the United States with 220 participants. The trial will evaluate Xanamem's efficacy in Alzheimer's patients with mild to moderate conditions. Participants will take a 10mg daily dose for 36 weeks, with clinical endpoints assessing cognitive and functional outcomes. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan of the human brain The results from a previous trial have already indicated the drug could be 'the Holy Grail' of Alzheimer's treatments. History shows most people only get tested for Alzheimer's when they notice a decline in their short-term memory. 'People start to play puzzles and do things that hopefully keeps their mind fit, but exercise has been proven as the best method of delaying Alzheimer's,' Dr Gourlay said. 'But the Holy Grail for Alzheimer's is if people notice significant early short-term memory loss they can go to a memory clinic or a specialist, get diagnosed and start taking safe and effective easy-to-use therapy that will essentially stop that from progressing completely. 'In other words, the hope is that these patients with early Alzheimer's can potentially live a healthy, stable life. It's like some cancers are now completely treatable and HIV is completely treatable and people die of old age with HIV. 'The hope is Alzheimer's can be like that.' While that world does not currently exist, Dr Gourlay said the new drug is close to proving it can deliver just that. While a drug for Alzheimer's has been marketed for 20 years as a 'memory booster', the effects are not long term and have various side effects. New drugs that see patients undergo intravenous medications every few weeks are known to swell the brain and slow the progression very slightly, Dr Gourlay said. 'In fact when doctors are using these medications they can't tell whether the medication is working because it's such a mild effect,' he said. Actinogen CEO Doctor Steven Gourlay believes his scientists have created the 'Holy Grail' of Alzheimer's treatment Xanamem is a once-a-day pill that has already been safely tested in more than 400 people. 'What we saw in an analysis of patients with progressive, mild Alzheimer's disease is a really big effect to slow progression than anything that's ever been seen before with any other medication,' Dr Gourlay said. That result needs to be confirmed before the pill go can to market, which is why a new trial is now underway. The trial will run for nine months and compare the results with participants that take the active drug and those provided with a sugar pill. 'Half will get the drug and half with get the placebo. The doctors and the patients don't know which one is which and we do lots of assessments to measure their baseline abilities and we measure that every three months roughly over the course of the clinical trial to make sure that we can understand whether or not our drug is significantly slowing progression compared to the placebo group,' Dr Gourlay said. The company has already seen a dramatic slowing of that progression during previous testing of the same patients - albeit in tests over a shorter period and in a smaller number of participants. 'Essentially this drug has a unique mechanism of action, it controls the stress hormone cortisol that is known to be strongly associated with Alzheimer's and with progression and by doing that it really has the distinct possibility of being, if not the Holy Grail, at least a big part of the Holy Grail,' Dr Gourlay said. The awful effect of Alzheimer's on the human brain Scientists hope the pill will further help people already trapped in the nightmare of full blown Alzheimer's. 'We are testing in patients with both mild and moderate Alzheimer's. By the time you get to moderate Alzheimer's you need a fair bit of home support from your family or professional carers or looking at a nursing home,' Dr Gourlay said. 'It's too early to say whether the drug will be as effective in the moderate or the mild, but we are investigating that and the hope is it will work for both.' Dr Gourlay said the brain has the capacity to regenerate. 'We like to think this drug is a cure, meaning patients can go back to normal memory, but I think that's a bit optimistic. I think the Holy Grail here is to stop progression in its tracks and then allow people to spend their elderly years independently at home,' he said. The drug could even prove helpful for people not suffering from the onset of dementia, such as ordinary boozehounds. 'You can get dementia from too much booze, I'm afraid to tell you,' Dr Gourlay said. 'This drug probably does help to prevent brain cell loss to a certain extent, but the simple answer is there are probably better things you could do on the boozehound front than take this drug.' Should the latest trial be successful as expected, Dr Gourlay said the pill could go to market as early as 2027 if approved by regulators as a matter of priority. Once on the market, it is predicted ordinary people would start undergoing genetic testing in anticipation of identifying a gene linked to Alzheimer's with a view to jumping on the pill as soon as possible. 'There's no point testing for Alzheimer's if there's no treatment, but the hope is you will be able to do that and if you are at risk you have screening blood test, like you might screen for bowel cancer, and when that starts to go up you maybe have some brain scans and start the treatment,' Dr Gourlay said. People can join the trial here. Hollywood beauty Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco announced their engagement 68 years ago today. It was a fairy-tale romance, with Grace expressing her desire for 'lots of children' and the Prince describing his fiancee as 'the sweetest girl in the world'. The couple told the world of their happy news from Grace's family home in Philadelphia, as the Prince had crossed the Atlantic to propose to her there at Christmas, following months of long-distance correspondence. Grace's father, Olympic rower Jack Kelly Sr - who had not approved of most of her previous partners - said: 'The Prince is such a wonderful man and we are so happy.' The future princess, meanwhile, gushed: 'I liked everything about Prince Rainier. HIs simplicity completely captivated me. I can't speak any French, so I shall obviously have to start taking lessons.' The first of Grace's two engagement rings was a Cartier eternity band encrusted with rubies and diamonds - a nod to Monaco's national colours. Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly, pictured at her parents' home in Philadelphia after the announcement of the engagement in January 1956 Grace admiring her first engagement ring - a Cartier eternity band encrusted with rubies and diamonds Grace Kelly in High Society, her final film before she became Princess Grace, wearing her second engagement ring - a 10.48-carat emerald-cut diamond - from Prince Rainier The 26-year-old added: 'I just can't believe it. I never thought this would come true.' The Prince, 32, was equally as pleased with his wife-to-be, adding: 'My people will be very happy to accept Grace as their princess.' Grace had reportedly described Rainier as 'charming' when they first met during her trip to the Cannes Film Festival in 1955. She had been invited to do a photoshoot at the Prince's palace to promote her film The Country Girl. They kept in touch in secret before spending two days together in Philadelphia getting to know one another, ahead of his proposal. Looking back on their whirlwind romance, Grace said: 'Everything was perfect. When I was with him, I was happy wherever we were, and I was happy with whatever we were doing. 'If I'd met the Prince two or three years earlier, perhaps I might not have married him - at least not so soon. But we came by at the right time.' She had previously dated her The Country Girl and High Society co-star Bing Crosby and French actor Jean-Pierre Aumont before her engagement to Prince Rainier. Prince Rainier shaking the hand of Grace Kelly's father after the engagement announcement in January 1956, alongside the future princess and her mother The Hollywood actress showing her engagement ring to actors James Stewart and William Holden on the set of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window The newly engaged couple posing for photographs together at Grace's family home in January 1956 Just a few weeks after their engagement, Grace filmed her last movie, High Society, and was asked to wear a fake diamond ring. Grace suggested she could wear her own instead, but it wasn't deemed the right fit for her character, wealthy socialite Tracy Lord - the costumer designer wanted her to have a larger ring. So her fiance provided her with a Cartier 10.48-carat emerald-cut diamond ring. After a short engagement, the couple wed in a quiet civil ceremony in the Palace of Monaco's throne room on April 18, 1956. But the Napoleonic Code of Monaco required that two wedding ceremonies be held - one civil and one religious - so the next day the pair gathered at Saint Nicholas Cathedral for a service overseen by Monaco's bishop, Gilles Barthe, and watched on TV by an estimated 30million people. The Prince and his fiancee pictured sharing a drink together in 1956 Grace's mother and father reading a newspaper carrying a report from Monaco that Prince Rainier and their daughter are set to marry Invitations were sent out to 700 guests including Aristotle Onassis (later Mr Jackie Kennedy), hotel developer Conrad Hilton and film stars David Niven, Cary Grant, Gloria Swanson and Ava Gardner. Grace travelled to Monaco from New York by boat on April 4, along with her family, six bridesmaids, 80 pieces of luggage and a poodle - and was promptly greeted by a crowd of 1,800 photographers and reporters. She was gifted two wedding dresses from MGM - the studio that had seen her through her biggest years as a star - created by their costume designer Helen Rose. Her wedding dress for the religious ceremony featured a high neckline and an intricate lace bodice. It took 36 seamstresses three weeks to make, and was so beautiful that guests gasped out loud when they saw it. Instead of a tiara, she wore a beaded Juliet cap with a veil made up of 90 yards of tulle, which had been crafted to ensure that her face would not be obscured from the cameras. Her 2.5-inch heels were designed to ensure that she wouldn't appear taller than her husband. For the civil ceremony, she wore a two-piece ensemble made of French Alencon lace in an elegant champagne colour, also designed by Helen Rose. After the cathedral service, a lively reception at the Hotel de Paris was attended by the guests and 3,000 Monegasque citizens, who feasted on a six-tiered wedding cake that featured a sugared replica of the Palace and was cut with the Prince's ceremonial sword. Grace Kelly wearing her gown and veil on her wedding day in 1956 A poster advertising film coverage of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly's wedding in 1956 The newlyweds later boarded the Prince's yacht, the Deo Juvante II, for a seven-week Mediterranean honeymoon. Grace soon fell pregnant with their first child, Princess Caroline, and they welcomed two further children, Prince Albert and Princess Stephanie. They were married for 26 years until Grace tragically died following a car crash, aged 52, on September 14, 1982. Prince Rainier was devastated. He never remarried, and immersed himself in his work before his death in 2005, when the couple's eldest son, Prince Albert, succeeded the throne. Back in 2020, Spain's former king was taken to London's High Court after his ex-lover accused him of spying on and harassing her. Juan Carlos, who turns 87 today, denied wrongdoing after Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn claimed he had caused her 'great mental pain'. She had been the ex-monarch's mistress from 2004 to 2009 and wanted 126million in damages after an alleged 'campaign of harassment' by Juan Carlos for access to 56million that he had transferred into her bank account in 2012. . In the end, the case was closed in 2023. The Danish businesswoman was 'deeply disappointed' while the former king welcomed the decision. The judge determined the court 'lacks jurisdiction to try this claim' because it was brought against the defendant outside of his country of domicile. Justice Rowena Collins Rice added that Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn 'has not sufficiently established that the 'harmful event' of which she complains harassment by the defendant happened in England'. Though his latest drama ended, Juan Carlos has found himself caught up in plenty of controversies in the past. Former King Juan Carlos of Spain, who turns 87 today, pictured in Madrid last September The former monarch with his wife, Queen Sofia of Spain, waving from the balcony of the Oriental Palace in Madrid in 2004 Juan Carlos's ex-lover Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein pictured at a fashion event in 2023 Born on January 5, 1938, to Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and Princess Maria de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Juan Carlos began his life in Rome. His family had been exiled to Italy during the Spanish Civil War. He was educated at a school in Madrid before going to military academy, according to Hello!. Juan Carlos then studied Political and International Law, Economics and Public Spending at Complutense University of Madrid. Growing up, Juan Carlos shared his childhood with three siblings - Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz, Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria and Infante Alfonso. His first involvement with a controversy was when he was just 18 years old after the accidental killing of his 14-year-old brother. The shocking incident is said to have happened when Juan Carlos, home for Easter from his military school, was cleaning a revolver he had been given by Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. The shot hit Alfonso in the forehead and the teenager died instantly. After being forced to swear he had not done it on purpose, Juan Carlos was sent back to his austere academy. Don Juan never forgave his son, but he tirelessly tried to restore the Spanish throne on his behalf. The late Princess Diana with Juan Carlos during a visit to Spain back in 1987 Juan Carlos talking to Queen Elizabeth in the Alcazar of Seville The former monarch with his son, King Felipe VI of Spain, in 2018 During his younger years, Juan Carlos became close to Franco, who prepared the future monarch to succeed him and maintain his hard-line regime. The feared dictator nominated Juan Carlos as his successor in 1969 and he swore loyalty to Franco's Movimiento Nacional. However, when Franco died in 1975, Juan Carlos instead ushered in parliamentary democracy. His position was further cemented when, in 1981, he saw off a coup d'etat attempt that saw disgruntled members of the Guardia Civil attempt to seize power. Facing the decision of either fleeing Spain or staying and risking death, Juan Carlos made a public television broadcast while wearing his uniform as the head of the armed forces. Support for the coup melted away, whilst the king's popularity skyrocketed. His married Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark in Athens back in 1962 and the couple had three children together - Infanta Cristina of Spain, Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo and Infante Felipe, who is now King of Spain. However, it has been claimed in the past that the former king has a secret aristocrat daughter called Alejandra. The Spanish book, King Corp, El Imperio nunca contado de Juan Carlos I, written by Jose Maria Olmo and David Fernandez, alleged she was born at the end of the Seventies or start of the Eighties. It claimed she is married with a child and has never staked her claim to the throne despite learning the truth about her real father years ago. Sofia and Juan Carlos before a dinner with Chinese President Hu Jintao and first lady Liu Yongqing in Madrid in 2005 King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia with their three children in 1976 However, Juan Carlos has reportedly denied the claims. The former king is said to have had several illicit lovers and Spanish author Amadeo Martinez Ingles claimed he slept with 62 women in just one six-month stint, and allegedly bedded more than 2,000 female partners between 1976 and 1994. One rumoured mistress, the 18-year-old actress Sandra Mozarowsky, died in mysterious circumstances in 1977 after falling from her balcony. Public money worth more than 500,000 today was also allegedly paid to Spain's 1971 Miss World candidate, Barbara Rey, so she would not spill the beans on their romance. Another lover, the Spanish photographer Queca Campillo, told how, because they had nowhere to meet for their amorous encounters, she would go to the back entrance of the Zarzuela Palace - the royal residence - and meet 'in a van they had'. Meanwhile, the king remained married to Queen Sofia, though it has been reported that the two have not shared a bed since the late 1970s. He also rubbed shoulders with the British Royal Family and while Princess Diana once commented that he could be a 'little too attentive,' she denied suggestions that Juan Carlos ever made a pass at her. In 2012, Juan Carlos's media image took a turn for the worse when he persuaded Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn to join him on a hunting trip to Botswana to celebrate her son's birthday. The former monarch with his ex-lover Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn and Manfred Osterwald in Germany in 2006 Actress Sandra Mozarowsky who died after falling from a balcony in 1977 The king fell after an evening of drinking and she had to surrender the use of her private plane so the injured monarch could be secretly flown back to Spain. An official plane was off the cards because the all-expenses trip had been paid for by a Syrian businessman and kept secret from the government. The subsequent news of the luxury getaway, and the emergence of a photo of Juan Carlos posing with a dead elephant he had killed during an earlier trip, triggered a worldwide media frenzy, with Corinna now firmly in the spotlight. The Spanish people were furious that their king had embarked on a lavish jaunt costing around 35,000 when the country was going through a terrible recession and youth unemployment stood at 50 per cent. Juan Carlos issued a grovelling public apology for his Botswana trip and gave up his 20million yacht, as well as taking a pay cut. But that did not stop the collapse of the decades-long agreement with the Spanish media to ignore his salacious private life, and so Juan Carlos's reputation continued to nosedive. He eventually abdicated on June 18, 2014, and told his subjects: 'I have decided to end my reign and abdicate the crown of Spain. 'A new generation is quite rightly demanding to take the lead role.' Crown Prince Felipe and Princess Letzia on their wedding day with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia in 2004 Juan Carlos and Felipe at the Zarzuela Palace back in Madrid in 2015 On the way out, he also took a swipe at the then Prince Charles, saying: 'We do not want my son to wither waiting like Prince Charles.' Juan Carlos left Spain six years later in August 2020 but he still couldn't avoid controversy for long and details of his financial dealings emerged. Spain's Supreme Court had launched an investigation just two months before his departure into his alleged involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia. The late Saudi King Abdullah allegedly deposited 77million (85million euros) into a Swiss bank account that Juan Carlos was said to have access to. However, the case was ultimately dropped. If one of your New Year's Resolutions was to get back on the dating scene, today is the day to finally bite the bullet. January 5 is 'Dating Sunday' - the first Sunday in January, which is annually recognised as the busiest day for dating apps. On this day, apps including Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble see substantial increases in activity, with users more actively seeking and initiating conversations. 'As we move into the first days of the new year, many people find themselves reflecting on the past year and visioning for the year ahead,' said Moe Ari Brown, Hinge's Love and Connection expert. 'The new year marks a shift from one chapter to the next and offers us the opportunity for a reboot. 'For daters looking for connection, the New Year energy also brings hope, promise for renewal and fresh starts to their dating lives.' While the idea of spending the day looking for love might sound daunting, thankfully Hinge has also revealed the peak times to get online. If you're here in the UK, make sure you're swiping at 9pm, with the most likes and messages sent at this time. If one of your New Year's Resolutions was to get back on the dating scene, today is the day to finally bite the bullet. January 5 is 'Dating Sunday' - the first Sunday in January, which is annually recognised as the busiest day for dating apps (stock image) The peak 'dating hour' on Hinge slightly varies based on where you are in the world. Last year in the UK, the most likes and messages were sent at 9pm, while the most Voice Notes were sent at 10pm. In the US, Canada, Germany, and Sweden the peak time for likes, messages and Voice Notes was 9pm. Over in Australia, the most messages were sent at 8pm and the most Voice Notes were sent at 9pm, while the most likes were sent at 10pm. Hinge users in France and Spain, meanwhile, sent the most likes, messages, and Voice Notes at 10pm. However, in Italy, the most likes and messages were sent at 11pm, while the most Voice Notes were sent at 7pm. If you're planning to make use of Dating Sunday, Logan Ury, Hinge's Director of Relationshp Science has given six top tips to set yourself up for success: 1. Refresh your profile Today, apps including Hinge, Tinder , and Bumble see substantial increases in activity, with users more actively seeking and initiating conversations Best time to get online to bag a date this Dating Sunday US : 9pm : 9pm Canada : 9pm : 9pm UK : 9pm : 9pm Australia : 8pm : 8pm Germany : 9pm : 9pm Sweden : 9pm : 9pm France : 10pm : 10pm Spain : 10pm : 10pm Italy : 11pm Advertisement Ms Ury advises updating your photos as well as your prompts. 'Hinge's personalized profiles feature Prompts that help you showcase your authentic self and make it easier for potential dates to get to know you meaningfully from the beginning,' she explained. 2. Look for reasons to say 'yes' While many singletons fall into the trap of looking for flaws in other users' profiles, Ms Ury says that instead, you should look for reasons to say 'yes'. 'It's tempting to approach dating as an exercise in discovering what's wrong with people or finding a reason to say no,' she said. 'Look for the potential in someone and explore where the connection might lead.' 3. Comment on profiles you're interested in Instead of just opting for a coy like, try leaving a comment on profiles you're interested in. 'Comments lead to more matches than likes or just leaving an emoji!' Ms Ury said. 'People appreciate when you invest effort into getting to know them.' 4. Start the conversation right away Once you match with someone, don't wait around - send a message as soon as possible. 'Your best chance at getting a response is within 24 hours of matching with someone on Hinge,' Ms Ury said. 'Ask them questions and start to discover who they are beyond their profile.' 5. Send a Voice Note Last year, conversations with Voice Notes were 40 per cent more likely to lead to a date, according to Hinge. 'Voice Notes are a great way to connect with a match and show another side of you beyond your profile,' Ms Ury said. 6. Make the most of Dating Hour Finally, Ms Ury suggests making the most of 'Dating Hour' and sending a message when others are most active. 'This is when your messages are most likely to get noticed and responded to,' she added. Advertisement Dreaming of a Portuguese adventure but keen on avoiding tourist hordes? Read on. Here we unveil eight hidden gems far from the madding crowd that will wow, mesmerise and fascinate. Courtesy of travel experts from HomeToGo, Cinders Travels and The Family Cruise Companion, these spots are Portugal at its alluring best. Scroll down and you'll discover a scintillating volcanic island, a village where houses appear to grow out of boulders and a 'picture-perfect' hamlet set on top of startling rugged cliffs. This portfolio of Portuguese temptations also includes a national park with majestic waterfalls, the land's oldest town and a riverside settlement that seems almost 'unreal'. Which place would you most like to visit? PORTO SANTO ISLAND: The experts at holiday platform HomeToGo told MailOnline Travel: 'Porto Santo Island, just off the coast of Madeira, is renowned for its 9km [5.6-mile] stretch of soft, golden, mineral-rich sand and warm turquoise waters. Inland, volcanic peaks create striking scenery around which trails reveal unique rock formations and ancient windmills' PORTO COVO, SOUTHERN ALENTEJO COAST: HomeToGo says that this is a 'picture perfect village', adding: 'Rugged cliffs give way to quiet, sandy beaches and a welcoming atmosphere. Its streets, lined with whitewashed buildings, lead to scenic coves and stunning paths such as the Fisherman's Trail' VILA NOVA DES MILFONTES, ALENTEJO COAST: 'Vila Nova des Milfontes is an uncrowded gem,' says HomeToGo, 'combining river and ocean scenery with uncrowded beaches. The Mira River meets the Atlantic here, offering calm waters ideal for kayaking and swimming' PENADA-GERES NATIONAL PARK, CLOSE TO THE SPANISH BORDER: 'The Penada-Geres National Park showcases Portugal's wild side,' says HomeToGo, 'with landscapes marked by granite mountains, rich forests and ancient villages. Adventurers can visit majestic waterfalls and hope to catch sightings of wild Garrano horses' PONTE DE LIMA, NORTHERN PORTUGAL: Ponte de Lima is a great spot for holidaymakers looking for a historic break. The HomeToGo team reveals: 'Portugal's oldest town, Ponte de Lima is a storybook setting characterised by its Roman and medieval bridge, riverside paths and nearby verdant vineyards. Also known for its lively celebrations and festivals, this destination balances historical intrigue with a vibrant local culture' FOZ D'EGUA, EASTERN PORTUGAL: Foz d'Egua is set amongst 'lush green surroundings', explains Cindy Scott, travel expert at Cinders Travels. She continues: 'It's a quiet village with river pools that look almost unreal. The water is clear and calm, perfect for swimming or you can just sit by the edge and enjoy the sounds of the flowing streams' MONSARAZ, EASTERN PORTUGAL: This village 'feels off the radar', explains Cindy. She says: 'Its a medieval village sitting high on a hill in the Alentejo region, surrounded by wide-open countryside and Alqueva Lake. The castle there takes you right back in time, and the views stretch out forever. Around the lake, there are quiet trails for hiking or biking, and if youre into kayaking or sailing, the water is perfect' With the year almost over, many people will already be planning their next escape. That's especially the case for Luxembourgers. Our World in Data analysis implies people hailing from the landlocked nation sandwiched between France, Germany and Belgium make 4.3 international trips a year, on average. Slovenia, meanwhile, ranks second on the list. Residents in the central European country nicknamed the continent's 'rising star' for its historic cities, dazzling lakes and soaring peaks go abroad 1.4 times a year. Belgians (1.3) follow in third place. These trips abroad could also be counted as business trips as Our World In Data defines them as one instance of travelling abroad and staying overnight. Your browser does not support iframes. It comes after research by the ABTA travel association in October found Brits are going on more holidays than ever. Britons took on average 3.94 holidays during the last 12 months, with Spain remaining the most popular overseas destination. This was up slightly from the previous year and overtaking the peak of 3.91 in 2019 before the Covid pandemic brought travel to a standstill. That data, based on a survey of 2,000 people, jars with separate analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), however. The ONS found that Brits made 71million trips abroad in 2022, effectively putting Britain at just above the one foreign trip a year threshold. Yet this figure increased to 86.2million in 2023. UK residents visited Spain the most in 2023, accounting for 21 per cent of all visits abroad, ONS figures showed. This was followed by France (11 per cent), Italy (6 per cent) and Greece (5 per cent). Our World in Data, which compiled the table, said: 'Tourism has massively increased in recent decades. The famous Adolphe Bridge in Luxembourg City 'Aviation has opened up travel from domestic to international. Before the Covid pandemic, the number of international visits had more than doubled since 2000. 'Tourism can be important for both the travelers and the people in the countries they visit. 'For visitors, traveling can increase their understanding of and appreciation for people in other countries and their cultures. 'And in many countries, many people rely on tourism for their income. In some, it is one of the largest industries.' Three former defence secretaries last night called for legendary SAS commander Paddy Mayne to be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross as the BBC was condemned for depicting him as a drunken Irishman. The second series of SAS Rogue Heroes details the exploits of Lieutenant Colonel Blair Paddy Mayne as he leads the Special Raiding Squadron, a renamed SAS unit, in the bloody invasions of Sicily and Italy in 1943. Military experts have described Mayne, a founder of the SAS, as possibly the UKs greatest-ever front-line soldier. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order four times during the Second World War for a series of extraordinary acts of bravery. But he was denied a Victoria Cross after an unknown Whitehall bureaucrat downgraded a recommendation for him to receive the medal, despite him saving the lives of comrades pinned down in a Nazi ambush in Germany in 1945. Last year, a plaque mysteriously appeared at the foot of a statue of Mayne in his hometown of Newtownards, Northern Ireland, that read: When will this man receive his Victoria Cross? No UK member of the SAS has ever won the VC. For decades the Government refused to review the decision on Maynes medal on the basis it does not make awards retrospectively. Now, almost 80 years since the battle which led to his VC nomination, The Mail On Sunday can reveal that hopes are rising that Mayne could posthumously receive the award. Historian and SAS expert Damien Lewis believes a precedent was set in November when Private Richard Norden, an Australian soldier, posthumously received a VC for rescuing a wounded soldier amid enemy fire in Vietnam in 1968. Lieutenant Colonel Blair Paddy Mayne was described by military experts as possibly the UK's greatest ever frontline soldier A statue of Mayne in Conway Square, Newtonards in Northern Ireland. Hopes are rising that the lieutenant could receive a posthumous Victoria Cross Norden died in a road accident in 1972. Similarly, Mayne survived the war but died in an accident in 1955. It sets a precedent, Lewis said. The heroics are very similar. All the efforts before were to get the original case reconsidered, but a posthumous VC... might give the Ministry of Defence the excuse to say yes. They have always said no because they dont revisit historical cases. This would be assessing a new case. Last night, calls for Mayne to be awarded the VC won the support of three former defence secretaries Tories Ben Wallace and Grant Shapps and Labours John Hutton. Mr Shapps said Maynes extraordinary bravery during the war is beyond dispute, adding: Even at the time, it was considered odd reportedly even by the King that Maynes nomination for the VC was denied. Now, having served as defence secretary, I feel even more strongly that this injustice must be corrected. Sir Ben said: It seems in these woke days, governments are prepared to rewrite history when it suits them. They should do something that actually corrects a genuine wrong. Paddy Mayne deserves the appropriate recognition. Lord Hutton added: I cant see why on earth this hasnt been sorted out. I am quite happy to lend my support to the campaign to get this rectified. Jim Shannon, the Democratic Unionist MP for Newtonards, vowed to table a parliamentary motion in Westminster to pile further pressure on the Government. Jack O'Connell as Paddy Mayne in the second BBC series of SAS Rogue Heroes A now removed plaque in situ on Remembrance Sunday last year calling for Mayne to receive the Victoria Cross But historian Lord Ashcroft warned that it would be impractical to review awards decades on, adding that Mayne may be destined to be the bravest man never to receive the VC. The growing campaign comes amid criticism that SAS Rogue Heroes, written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, is trashing Maynes reputation by portraying him as a volatile thug. The opening episode of the six-part series shows a drunken Mayne, played by Jack OConnell, beating up a squad of military policemen. The second episode shows him desecrating a church by hanging his machine gun on a statue of Christ. A BBC insider said the show, based on a book by journalist Ben Macintyre, conveyed Maynes immense bravery. But his niece, Fiona Ferguson, said the portrayal of her uncle as a drunken Irishman was disrespectful, adding: When you talk, as I have done, to the originals (the first members of the SAS who fought in North Africa) everybody respected him, followed him and doted on him. Mayne was nominated for the VC for blasting through a Nazi ambush in April 1945 near Lorup, Lower Saxony. His nomination was signed off by Field Marshal Montgomery, commander in chief of British forces in Germany, but later downgraded in Whitehall. A letter outlining the decision claimed Maynes bravery was not a single act of heroism as he had another soldier with him. Experts say nowhere in the warrant for the VC is it stipulated that this has to be the case. It stipulates only a signal act of bravery. King George VI asked Winston Churchill to intervene, but it was too late. A former Emmerdale actress has scored a major TV role alongside two huge Hollywood stars, just two years after leaving the soap. Fiona Wade, 45, best known for her 11-year stint as Priya Sharma, left the Dales in 2022 and has since made waves on stage and screen. After earning praise as Jenny in the West End thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story, she's now announced that she has joined the cast of US sitcom Going Dutch. The show features Denis Leary - who appeared in The Thomas Crown Affair and voiced Diego in Ice Age. He will play Army Colonel Patrick Quinn, who's sent to the Netherlands after a disastrous rant. Catherine Tate will also play a starring role, alongside Fiona's supporting character in the Fox production, airing on Hulu and Comedy Club. A former Emmerdale actress has scored a major TV role alongside two huge Hollywood stars, just two years after leaving the soap Fiona Wade, 45, best known for her 11-year stint as Priya Sharma, left the Dales in 2022 and has since made waves on stage and screen Sharing the news on Instagram, Fiona posted photos of herself in full US military gear, expressing her excitement about working with the acclaimed cast. She wrote: 'This was an absolute joy to be a part of.. working with these wonderful humans! 'The brand new sitcom for @foxtv 'Going Dutch' is out now on @comedyclubfox & @hulu.' Fans and former colleagues, including Michelle Hardwick and Natalie Anderson, flooded the comments with praise and support writing: 'Weve been excited for this forever.' 'Yes my beauty!!!' 'Fantastic!! Cant wait to watch!! Well done Fi!!! Many many more exciting things coming your way soon Im sure!!' 'Beyond excited' It comes after Fiona showed off her incredible figure in a white bikini as she posed for sizzling Instagram snaps during a lavish getaway in Goa in India at the end of December. After earning praise as Jenny in the West End thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story, she's now announced that she has joined the cast of US sitcom Going Dutch Denis Leary - who appeared in The Thomas Crown Affair and voiced Diego in Ice Age will play Army Colonel Patrick Quinn and Catherine Tate will also star Sharing the news on Instagram, Fiona posted photos of herself in full US military gear, expressing her excitement about working with the acclaimed cast Beaming down the camera lens alongside her cast members she wrote: 'This was an absolute joy to be a part of.. working with these wonderful humans!' Dressed in a white shirt and green blazer adorned with badges, Mel's costume appeared to take on the name 'Nelson' Fans and former colleagues, including Michelle Hardwick and Natalie Anderson, flooded the comments with praise and support The actress posed topless in a second snap as she wrapped her body in a long white sheet while looking over a balcony. The soap star soaked up the sun on a sun-lounger on the beach wearing a white strapless two-piece which boasted a black edging and tie side bottoms. Keeping cool, Fiona pulled her long dark hair back into a high ponytail and wore a simple pair of stud earrings. Changing into a white triangle bikini and matching wrap skirt, Fiona flashed her gorgeous smile as she walked along the shore as the sunset. Fiona has been enjoying the getaway with her husband Simon Cotton as the pair cosied up for a sweet selfie. She wrote: 'North & South Goa.. Utterly beautiful. Incredible memories. We met so many beautiful people inside and out. I fell in love with India & the impression it's left on me will stay with me always. Feeling recharged and so blessed'. Fiona Wade showed off her incredible figure in a white bikini as she posed for sizzling Instagram snaps during a lavish getaway in Goa in India on Wednesday The former Emmerdale actress, 45, posed topless in a second snap as she wrapped her body in a long white sheet while looking over a balcony Previously Fiona has revealed her marriage to actor husband Simon helped her to walk away from Emmerdale after 11 years. The couple met after he joined the ITV soap briefly in 2017. Fiona admitted her partner was incredibly supportive of her decision to walk away from the soap and 'was always there' if she had a wobble. She told Hello!: 'Simon is a fantastic person to have by my side. I'm sure I drive him crazy, but he is so good at talking me through things. 'I respect his opinion on everything. He didn't falter once in supporting my decision to leave Emmerdale. If I was ever having a wobble, he was always there, reminding me that it was right for me.' Fiona explained how Simon helped push her out of her comfort zone as she looks for future roles away from Emmerdale. Following her exit, she took to social media and wrote: 'It's been the most incredible 11 years playing Priya Sharma so saying goodbye to my Emmerdale family wasn't easy. Fiona looked to be enjoying her time away as she posed for a selfie in the white strapless two-piece The soap star changing into a white triangle bikini and matching wrap skirt as she walked along the shore as the sunset Fiona has been enjoying the getaway with her husband Simon Cotton, who she met on the ITV soap in 2017, as the pair cosied up for a sweet selfie Fiona played Priya Sharma in the ITV soap for 11 years before quitting 'I have loved playing Priya and I am so thankful to @emmerdale & @itv for the incredible opportunities that they have given me over so many years. So many wonderful memories and such a gift of a job. 'Thank you to Reece Dinsdale, Abe Jukes & @gsiougas who were my wonderful directors on my last week, Thank you for your compassion and great direction as always! 'Thank you to the whole Emmerdale team you are all amazing! To my beautiful friends that I take with me, Thank you for being there it meant the world. 'To my wonderful Sharma family @chrisbisson @bhaskerpatel @rebeccasarker @rik_makarem #TrudieGoodwin You know how much I love you.. Thank you for everything! 'And to all the Emmerdale viewers Thank you for all your support over the years. Here's to the next chapter!' Since leaving the soap, Fiona has since starred in spooky thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story touring the UK last year portraying Jenny. January 5, 2025: January 5, 2025: Three years after invading Ukraine, the Russian defense budget has turned into a monster devastating the economy. This crisis has been brewing since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The increased defense spending and the years of economic sanctions have deformed the economy as more is spent on weapons and military needs. This displaces production of civilian goods. High casualties in Ukraine plus the millions of men who left Russia to avoid military service have caused a labor shortage. Military spending also reveals another Russian tradition, corruption in military procurement Corruption is less tolerated and more frequently punished in the civilian economy. Military production does not directly impact civilians and their lives. Now that there is more military spending, corrupt officials are getting rich while the soldiers get shoddy equipment. In the case of winter clothing procured for the soldiers, a lot of that ends up on the black market while the troops go without and the military procurement officials get rich. During the first winter of the war, Russian soldiers overcame these shortages by plundering the Ukrainian economy for cold weather clothing. By the second year of the war that source had dried up and Russian soldiers stayed warm anyway they could, or via winter clothing mailed them by their families. The cause of all this woe is the escalating expense of the war in Ukraine. The defense budget for 2023 was $75.2 billion while 2024s was $115 billion. For 2025 it will be $140 billion followed by $128 billion in 2026 and $126.6 billion in 2027. In 2023 Russia expected its 2024 government revenue to be a record $349 billion, but instead it was $450 billion. Because of the ailing economy there is less to tax and government budgets are constricting. With rising defense spending these is less left for pensions and other social welfare programs as well as maintain and expanding infrastructure, Less money for roads, canals, ports and railways contributed to the collapse of the Russian railroad system, Sanctions halted the supply of ball bearings for rail cars and now thousands of these rail cars are useless. This year may see a collapse of the railroad system, which will cause an economic collapse. The government is frantically seeking a solution to their transportation crises while pretending to Russia and the world that the situation is under control. There are plans to sustain this level of revenue while keeping Russian military spending at record level. This means more purchases of weapons and equipment from Russian suppliers as well as continuing generous death and disability payments to soldiers or their families. The impact of these payments is obvious on poor regions of Russia that have a lot of men in the military. So many local men have been killed or disabled that the families of the dead are now relatively wealthy and spending money on new cars or upgrading their housing and lifestyles in general. This is intentional because the government is desperate to avoid large-scale dissatisfaction with the war effort. The Russian defense budget is now a wartime budget. For the first time since the Soviet Union collapsed, the defense budget will be six percent of GDP and exceed spending for social welfare programs. Russia plans to maintain this higher defense spending until they win the Ukraine war. That is unlikely to happen because the Ukrainian war effort is subsidized by weapons and military equipment supplied by NATO countries. Collectively, NATO nations account for about half the global GDP. Despite the fact that NATO is far wealthier than Russia, the Russians believe the massive NATO support for Ukraine wont last as long as the Russian determination to prevail. Russia notes that NATO has 31 member states. Not all these nations agree on long-term policy or how much should be spent on continuing support for Ukraine. At the same time, NATO members agree that Ukraine should be allowed to join NATO. That can only happen when the war with Russia is over. At the moment the Ukrainian forces are better armed and equipped than the Russian invaders. That is one reason why Russian forces are largely on the defensive and suffering much higher casualties and equipment losses than the Ukrainians. By spending so much on military production and social welfare, Russia expects to maintain popular support for the war effort. The problem is that Russia does not have enough income to sustain a wartime economy. Spending too much on defense was a major reason why the Soviet Union went bankrupt and collapsed in 1991. It was later discovered that the Soviet government had inadequate financial controls and lacked a realistic financial plan. This was revealed to the world, and most Russians, after 1991. Up until 1991 Russia was spending about 15 percent of GDP on defense and not enough on more urgent matters like managing the economy prudently in order to avoid a financial collapse. Russian leaders did not believe national bankruptcy would cause the collapse of the Soviet Union. Misunderstanding or ignoring a problem wont solve that problem or eliminate the consequences. Most of the current Russian leaders consider the collapse of the Soviet Union a great tragedy. The war in Ukraine is seen as a step towards putting back together the empire the Soviet Union presided over. The 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union created 15 independent nations, including Russia and Ukraine. Most of these former Soviet Union subjects believe inept leadership by the Russian-dominated Soviet government was the cause of the problems that lead to the bankruptcy and dissolution of the Soviet Union. While many other nations still consider the Russians clever, those who live in Russia or nations that were once part of the Soviet Union are less admiring. This includes China, which regards Russian leaders as prone to making poor decisions. Publicly, the Chinese profess their admiration of and friendship with Russia. Privately, the Chinese are less admiring of the Russian leadership. China does not discuss this with the Russian government because China wants to maintain good relations with its large nuclear-armed neighbor. China has not forgotten the 1960s rumors about Russia suggesting that the United States cooperate with them in destroying China with a joint nuclear attack. While Russia fears growing Chinese military power, the Chinese fear Russia making another dumb mistake that will not benefit China. The Chinese regard Russias current military budget policies as another example of Russian self-delusion and poor policy decisions which might help Russia but will make neighboring states more wary of what Russia is going to do next. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is considered another example of bad decision making and Russia appears to have learned nothing useful from their defeats inside Ukraine. Russia is already in bad shape economically and militarily and current plans to vastly increase defense spending will make their situation worse. Thats what Russian leaders tend to do. They often find the worst decision and embrace it. 'Catwoman' Jocelyn Wildenstein spent the last months of her life living in a spectacular Parisian hotel suite that cost 13,000-a-week, MailOnline can reveal. The death of the plastic surgery-addicted Swiss socialite at 84 on New Year's Eve sparked huge international interest - but until now details of her final weeks have been a mystery. But MailOnline can reveal that the one-time billionaire had been spending 1,850 a night on a luxurious set of rooms with views of the Eiffel Tower - despite facing arrest in the US for huge unpaid debts. Wildenstein and her toyboy partner Lloyd Klein, 57, were staying at Hotel Balzac Paris, just off the Champs-Elysees, occupying its finest room, the 'Eiffel Tower View Suite', for the final months of her life. Wildenstein and fashion designer Klein are thought to have been living in the marble-clad suite, offering panoramic views of the city of lights since August. It means that throughout the five-month period the cost of the couple's residence alone would have cost around 275,000, matching the huge debt Wildenstein was being demanded to pay by a judge in Miami. 'Catwoman' Jocelyn Wildenstein spent the last months of her life living in a spectacular Parisian hotel suite that cost 13,000-a-week, MailOnline can reveal Wildenstein and her toyboy partner Lloyd Klein, 57, were staying at Hotel Balzac Paris, just off the Champs-Elysees, occupying its finest room, the 'Eiffel Tower View Suite', for the final months of her life It was a final act of extravagance for the larger-than-life socialite whose lavish lifestyle saw her once even file for bankruptcy despite at one point receiving a $2 billion divorce settlement. In the nineties Wildenstein happily admitted to spending $1 million a month before her acrimonious split from her first husband, art dealer husband Alec Wildenstein. She had been introduced to Alec by Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, at one time said to be the world's richest man, and they bonded over big game hunting before eloping to marry in Las Vegas in 1978. They had two children together before their very public divorce two decades later at which she told how he had pulled a gun on her when she found him in bed with a young model and he claimed she had been a high class prostitute before they met. The divorce and Jocelyn's astonishingly contorted features following plastic surgery made the Wildensteins household names around the world. Now MailOnline has learned how she continued living the high life to the very end despite her looming legal and financial problems. At the time of her death earlier this week, the plastic surgery fanatic had ignored multiple court orders relating to her sum allegedly owed to Regal Jewelry and Gift Shop $268,000 for gems she never returned to them - plus a further $75,928 in interest. On October 23 she failed to attend a contempt hearing in Miami, where she was also facing eviction from her beachside apartment. It is unknown if they were planning to return to America. The one-time billionaire had been spending 1,850 a night on a luxurious set of rooms with views of the Eiffel Tower Her logntime partner Lloyd had shared numerous videos of their incredible view in the weeks leading up to her death The lavish suite was furnished with a stunning velvet couch and had a neutral decor It led Judge Migna Sanchez-Llorens to order sheriffs in the Sunshine State to take Wildenstein to custody or lock her up in jail until she could be taken to court. The ongoing money battle, however, did not put a dampener on Wildenstein's expensive lifestyle and she continued to live in extravagance until her death. The couple were known to dine at Laurent, an upmarket restaurant just a short walk from their property where main courses start at 70. They were also seen partying at the Ritz, sipping on drinks at the iconic Hotel Plaza Athenee and attending multiple events at Paris Fashion Week. Just a few days before her death, Wildenstein had been pictured dressed in a glamorous all-black outfit, with her partner since claiming she had been in 'perfect health'. The two had been taking a nap at their residence in preparation for their 'maginificient' New Year's Eve celebrations when the tragedy struck. A few hours before her death, Ms Wildenstein shared a melancholy video from her hotel suite. It was not clear exactly when it was recorded, but it was her last post on Instagram, and potentially her last message to the world. The video was accompanied by a disturbing voiceover by Fanny Ardant, the 75-year-old French actor and director, and included the words: 'When things end, I think everything ends.' Speaking to AFP after her sudden death, Mr Klein said: 'We had spent a good hour together that evening and we were getting ready for the New Year, and we took a little nap just to get in shape before getting dressed. Now MailOnline has learned how she continued living the high life to the very end despite her looming legal and financial problems It was not clear exactly when it was recorded, but it was her last post on Instagram, and potentially her last message to the world (A video of her suite shared before her death) Throughout the five-month period the cost of the couple's residence alone would have cost around 275,000, matching the huge debt Wildenstein was being demanded to pay by a judge in Miami The ongoing money battle, however, did not put a dampener on Wildenstein's expensive lifestyle and she continued to live in extravagance until her death (Lavish suite pictured) 'Because of her phlebitis [inflammation of the veins close to the skin], her legs were very, very swollen, and the blood was blocked, and there was no oxygen to her brain. 'We were taking a nap and when I woke up, I said, 'Jocelyne, we have to get up, we have to get dressed,' but she was cold and she was dead.' Mr Klein added: 'It is extremely sad to lie down with your other half that I have known for 21 years and to wait to celebrate New Year's Eve and to find her cold. Because of the unexpected nature of Wildenstein's death, there will be a full investigation, and it is likely to include an autopsy. A Paris police source told the Mail: 'Such deaths are of course opened up to an enquiry.' The Swiss-born star came from humble origins before she married Alec N. Wildenstein in 1978, who was the son of the French art dealer and horse breeder Daniel Wildenstein. Yet it was only after their split that the socialite received billions from her ex-husband. In 1998, at the height of their spectacular divorce, Wildenstein's billionaire art dealer husband Alec suggested she had been a high-class prostitute before their marriage. The accusation, printed in a bombshell article in Vanity Fair that year, came a year after Jocelyn claimed she found her husband in bed at their New York apartment with stunning Russian model Yelena Jarikova, an incident which resulted in his arrest after he pulled a gun. They had two children together (Pictured) before their very public divorce two decades later at which she told how he had pulled a gun on her when she found him in bed with a young model Wildenstein and fashion designer Klein are thought to have been living in the marble-clad suite, offering panoramic views of the city of lights since August It was a final act of extravagance for the larger-than-life socialite whose lavish lifestyle saw her once even file for bankruptcy despite at one point receiving a $2 billion divorce settlement Like many of the claims swirling around the so-called 'Bride of Wildenstein', the truth about the rumours over her sordid past are impossible to verify or debunk, but they all added to her colourful back story. During the court proceedings, much of the attention was drawn, naturally, to Jocelyn's looks, along with various rumours about her personal life, such as that she'd worked as a prostitute for the famous Paris bordello owner Madame Claude. When asked about the claim by Vanity Fair in 1998, Alec told the magazine that it wasn't Madame Claude but added that there were 'other madames' in Paris back then. When Jocelyn was asked, she replied: 'Really? Well, they have to try to find something against me.' Later, her husband responded: 'She never answered, did she?' Whatever the truth of that, there was no doubt about the extensive tastes Jocelyn had acquired during her marriage. Lavish purchases reportedly included a $350,000 Chanel dress and $10 million in jewellery. She also ran up a ridiculously high cell phone bill of $5,000 a month claiming she feared her landline might be bugged. Jocelyn who grew up in a lower-middle-class family in Switzerland before shuttling off to Paris and Africa met Alec in 1977. During the court proceedings, much of the attention was drawn, naturally, to Jocelyn's looks, along with various rumours about her personal life, such as that she'd worked as a prostitute for the famous Paris bordello owner Madame Claude (Pictured in 1998) The pair eloped the following year, and their spending became a thing of legend: In 1998, she estimated they would spend $1 million a month on average. The pair had two children, Jocelyn continued her plastic surgery odyssey and things were relatively normal for the family, until the late 1990s. As well as a New York apartment, Jocelyn oversaw the family's sprawling Ol Jogi ranch in Kenya, apartments in Paris and Lausanne, a French chateau and a Caribbean retreat.' The pair raised their children, but the marriage broke down in the mid-'90s, and Alec filed for divorce in April 1997. Over the course of the messy divorce proceedings, which dragged on for two years, Jocelyn was awarded an astounding $2.3 billion settlement, with $100 million for 13 years afterward. (The judge even stipulated that she was not allowed to use any portion of that sum to fund further cosmetic surgery.) Three years later, Alec inherited half of his father's sprawling business holdings, an estate that included one of the world's largest private collections of art and was estimated at $10 billion. Of course, some of that went to fund alimony payments to Jocelyn. Jocelyn kept largely out of the public eye following the divorce, though she's been through various legal battles since then, mostly with landlords. She evaded eviction from an apartment at the United Nations Plaza over owed rent through a settlement and was sued in 2015 by American Express over $70,000 in credit card debt. Another 2015 lawsuit involved a $15,000-per-month Beverly Hills bungalow that Wildenstein allegedly trashed and abandoned, leaving $165,00 in unpaid rent and almost $15,000 more in assorted fees. By 2018, she filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, often referred to as 'reorganisation' in which a debtor remains 'in possession' and may continue to operate a business and, with court approval, may borrow money. The details contained in Jocelyn's 69-page form 101 application for voluntary bankruptcy are a far cry from the million-a-month high roller so graphically depicted 20 years earlier. Jocelyn and Lloyd are seen in 2015 at the Jean-Yves Klein: Chimeras Exhibition at Gallery Molly Krom Somehow, it seemed, her fortune had vanished. By now aged 77, she claimed the only money she was receiving was $900 a month in social security payments and her bank balance stood at precisely zero. 'I am not employed and my only income is Social Security,' she declared in an affidavit. 'I often turn to friends and family in order to pay my ongoing expenses.' But on the plus side, she did admit to owning an $11.75m apartment on the 51st floor of the Trump World Tower in Manhattan, plus a 2006 Bentley worth $35,000. Despite decades of massive spending on credit cards, she valued the rest of her 'goods and furnishings' at $100,000, and her 'wardrobe' at only $1,000. Oddly, she added only one other possession to the list her TV, valued at just $100. Her debts were steep, including more than $300,000 owed to various lawyers and law firms. And she owed $4.6 million on her apartment, which was at the time in foreclosure, according to court papers. Her bankruptcy lawyer Douglas Pick had been representing Wildenstein, but he told Money that he and his firm had withdrawn as counsel, saying 'There are many reasons.' She claimed that her money troubles weren't because of overspending but rather to do with problems surrounding the trust she received in her divorce. She claimed in The New York Post that her trust was 'guaranteed' by a Diego Velazquez painting that turned out to be a forgery, as well as a Cezanne artwork that was valued at less than expected. 'I was as surprised as anyone because there's a lot of things involved,' Wildenstein told the newspaper of her bankruptcy filing, adding that she planned to sue her trust to receive her rightful compensation. But the claims didn't necessarily convince her former lawyer Mr Pick. 'I never received any answers to my inquiry as to why a lawsuit was never commenced based on the appraisals of what subsequently was determined to be an alleged forged artwork,' he told Money.com. Hotel Balzac Paris has been contacted for comment. Zachary Ty Bryan's most recent arrest has revealed troubling allegations. More details have come forward following the former Home Improvement star's January 1 arrest for domestic violence. According to TMZ, the alleged victim told police in Myrtle Beach, SC the 43-year-old actor punched her in the face multiple times. She also said the trouble star, with whom she shares a child, put her in a choke hold, cutting off her breathing and making her fear for her life, according to the police report. Bryan was arrested on charges of second-degree domestic violence. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison and/or a fine of $2500 to $5000, according to South Carolina law. More information has been revealed following Zachary Ty Bryan's January 1 arrest for domestic violence in South Carolina. The alleged victim told police in Myrtle Beach the actor punched her in the face multiple times an threatened to kill her The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You) actor was released on $10,000 bond. Bryan, who starred as oldest son Brad Taylor on Home Improvement for eight years, was arrested for domestic violence in Oregon in 2020, in which he was also accused of assault and strangulation, and other serious crimes. In a deal worked out with prosecutors, Bryan pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors and was sentenced to three years of probation, and ordered to attend a violence prevention program. He was arrested again in July 2023 for felony assault in violation of Oregon's Abuse Prevention Act. In order to avoid 19-20 months of jail time, Bryan pleaded guilty to felony assault in the fourth degree. The deal called for 36 months of supervised probation, seven days in jail and a set of conditions, including no contact with the victim. He was also ordered to undergo alcohol and substance abuse treatment, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor, 43, was charged with second-degree domestic violence and released on $10,000 bond. He has been ordered to appear in court on those charges March 28 (Pictured in Los Angeles in April 2009) Bryan is best known as the oldest son, Brad Taylor, on the hit sitcom Home Improvement from 1991-1999 Bryan has a history of domestic abuse charges. He was arrested in Oregon in 2020 and again in 2023 on charges similar to those in South Carolina. He agreed the three years probation following the 2023 arrest. It is unclear how the most recent charges will affect that deal It was unclear how his most recent arrest might affect the actor's probation in Oregon. Bryan posted $65,000 bail after he was arrested in La Quinta, CA in February 2024 for DUI. After his October 2024 arrest for driving under the influence in Custer County, Oklahoma he was released on $25,000 bond. Bryan will next appear in court on the South Carolina domestic violence charges on March 28. Dina Broadhurst reportedly dumped her multimillionaire Winning Appliances boyfriend John Winning Jr last month. However, new claims have emerged suggesting the split was the other way around, with sources saying it was the 'nude artist', 46, who was left heartbroken, reported The Daily Telegraph on Sunday. The couple were together for more than eight months before abruptly ending things the morning Dina attended a friend's wedding on the grounds of Scots College early last month. Daily Mail Australia reported on the breakup at the time, with Dina seemingly having the time of her life as she celebrated the union between Pilates instructor Bernadette Fahey and property developer Jordan Sukkar. It was believed Dina had instigated the breakup, with the pair quietly unfollowing each other Instagram as sources claimed she realised her lifestyle was not compatible with John's. Now, new sources have said otherwise, alleging: '[Dina] doesn't know what went wrong. They were going so strong, then he broke it off.' Dina Broadhurst, 46, (right) reportedly dumped her multimillionaire Winning Appliances boyfriend John Winning Jr (left) on December 1 last year They added the split happened so quickly that a heartbroken Dina didn't even have time to fetch all her belongings. And while she may have been all smiles at her friend's wedding as she caught up with frenemy eyebrow queen Kristin Fisher, the insider said Dina was secretly overheard telling guests how heartbroken she was over the split. Dina and John, the son of appliances mogul John Winning Snr whose family is worth an estimated $700 million, began dating back in March 2024 and went public with their romance in May. They confirmed their romance earlier this year when they attended a rave in California together. She 'soft-launched' him by featuring him in one of her social media posts. At the time, the pair were said to be 'smitten' with each other. However, sources claimed Dina had grown out of her relationship with the fun-loving businessman. John took over as CEO of Winning Appliances in 2011 at the age of 22 and steered the business in a new direction with Appliances Online, which is now Australia's largest online retailer for appliances. The family business was started by his great-grandfather Richard William Winning in 1906 with the trading name R.W. Winning & Co and has become a leading kitchen and laundry appliance specialist. However, new claims have emerged suggesting the split was the other way around, with sources saying it was the 'nude artist' who was left heartbroken The couple were together for more than eight months before abruptly ending things the morning Dina attended a friend's wedding on the grounds of Scots College early last month As well as running Winning Appliances, John is also an experienced sailor who won line honours with his crew on board Andoo Comanche in the 2022 Sydney to Hobart yacht race. The skipper sailed the race alongside his father John Winning Sr, who previously won the Sydney to Hobart line honours back in 1976. In his spare time, John is an adrenaline fiend with a love for skydiving. He is also a DJ and has performed for crowds on lavish yachts, in Ibiza nightclubs and even at Glastonbury. John reportedly lives in an eclectic Surry Hills bachelor pad featuring its own private nightclub, a see-through smoking room and a swimming pool. Dina was previously in a relationship with Max Shepherd, 31, but it emerged in June 2023 they had parted ways after four-and-a-half years together. Following the break-up, the socialite was briefly linked to property investor Tony Benjamin before taking up with John Jr. When the hunt begins for contestants on the BBC's hit show The Traitors, bosses check for anything that might be at odds with its family-friendly image such as having an account on the raunchy website OnlyFans. But sources have been stunned to learn that there are nonetheless some very risque pictures of competitor Livi Deane online. It is understood that efforts were made to get rid of the topless images but they are still there, now prompting much joviality among Ms Deane's co-stars in private chats. One insider said: 'You would wonder what some of the older Traitors viewers might make of the pictures. 'She looks amazing but they are not exactly in keeping with the family-friendly image that the show has. It must be very frustrating [for the BBC] that they can't be removed from the internet.' Bosses ask every contestant for their social media handles, including if they have an OnlyFans account, so they can head off any inappropriate backstories. Livi Deane, who is a lingerie model and has appeared in the Portuguese edition of Vogue, is one of the contestants on the new series of The Traitors Sources have been stunned to learn that there are nonetheless some very risque pictures of competitor Ms Deane online Ms Deane, a 26-year-old beautician from Horsham, West Sussex, isn't on the platform, but the images out there show the BBC's approach is less than foolproof. Ms Deane is a lingerie model and has appeared in the Portuguese edition of Vogue. She has also been the star of a huge advertising campaign for fast-fashion store Primark after they spotted her online. Her success is against the odds. Ms Deane lost her eye to cancer when she was 14 and now wears a prosthetic one but sometimes poses in pictures with her socket empty. Meanwhile, fellow contestant Leanne Quigley an ex-soldier who is pretending to be a beautician has revealed if she scoops the 120,000 prize money she would buy another round of IVF with her partner of seven years, Sophie Jones. The former lance corporal experienced a harrowing birth after carrying their twin boys, Hudson and Harley, who were born three months prematurely and are now aged almost two. Writing on Instagram at the time, she said: 'What should have been the best day of my life was actually the scariest. 'How can my heart be so broken but so full of love simultaneously?' But Ms Quigley, 28, is determined to try again. She said: 'I would love the opportunity to have another baby, hopefully have a bit of a better experience. 'I was very poorly throughout my pregnancy, and then I went into early labour at six months. Ms Deane lost her eye to cancer when she was 14 and now wears a prosthetic one but sometimes poses in pictures with her socket empty 'The boys were only 26 weeks when they were born. Because I was so poorly at the time I feel I missed out on enjoying that newborn stage. 'When they [the twins] did come home from hospital after three months, they came home on oxygen, and it was a struggle to take them out. 'I'm so grateful to have them, and I'm so lucky that they're alive.' She added: 'I'll always have my little boys in the back of my mind'. Angelina Jolie recently revealed that acting became 'harder' after the death of her mother Marcheline Bertrand, who encouraged her to pursue the craft professionally. On Friday, the 49-year-old Maria actress explained to W Magazine how she and her late mother who was just 56 when she passed away in early 2007 from breast cancer 'were a team.' Jolie desired to make Bertrand 'happy' so she tried her hand in acting, though she revealed she does not recall 'making the choice.' 'I did it in the beginning because ... it was my mother's dream,' she told the outlet. She recalled how her mother pursued her own career in the industry, auditioning tirelessly for theater roles in Chicago and film gigs in Los Angeles. 'But by the time my mom was 25, she was divorced with two kids and she decided she would focus her life solely on motherhood,' the Maleficent star said. Angelina Jolie recently revealed that acting became 'harder' after the death of her mother Marcheline Bertrand, who encouraged her to pursue the craft professionally; Bertrand and Jolie seen in 2001 By the time of her death, Bertrand had divorced Jolie's father, actor Jon Voight. The exes also shared a son, 51-year-old former actor James Haven. 'She loved being being a stay-at-home mom, but she really wanted me to be an actress so I don't remember making the choice to be an actress. I remembered it made my mom happy,' she recalled. In 1982, then six-year-old Jolie made her acting debut alongside her father in Lookin' to Get Out. And to her, pursing a career in acting meant she could help her mother pay the bills. At the time, Bertrand was her manager. 'We were a team,' the ex-wife of Brad Pitt said. 'I always wanted to buy her a house and things like that it kind of started that way.' The actress and her mother shared an lasting bond that endured until heartbreak struck. Diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1999 and later breast cancer, Bertrand faced a grueling battle with both illnesses. On January 27, 2007, she tragically passed away at just 56-years-old. Reflecting on her mother's death she said, 'When my mom passed, I think it it was harder for me to be an actress for while. I realized how much it was for her.' A year after her mother's passing, Jolie opened up to Vanity Fair about how her mother's devotion to motherhood became a guiding light in her own journey as a parent. 'When [my mother] passed, I realized that somebody who lives life with that kind of dedication to their family is the most noble,' she shared. 'In her passing, she reminded me what matters. And what's most fun to put yourself aside for these other little people you're raising.' She desired to make her mother 'happy' so she tried her hand in acting, though she revealed she does not recall 'making the choice'; Angelina seen January 2025 Bertrand was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1999 and later breast cancer. On January 27, 2007, she tragically passed away aged 56; Angelina and Marcheline seen in August 1998 By the time of her death, Bertrand had divorced Jolie's father, actor Jon Voight. The exes also shared a son, 51-year-old former actor James Haven; Angelina and James seen in March 2000 Just last month, Jolie delivered a touching tribute to her late mother while accepting the Performer Tribute at the Gotham Awards for her role in Netflix's Maria. Detailing her mothers passion for theater and literature, she explained how it influenced her own creative journey and that of her brother, Haven. 'I grew up with a mother who kept books inside the oven because there were more books in our house than shelves in the apartment we had, 'she said in her speech. 'It was how she solved the problem, while still making sure we were fed. But it was her priority.' Jolie shares share six children with her ex Brad Pitt Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Zahara, 19, Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16. Ambitious young reporters at Channel Nine are reportedly furious at the network for passing them over for a lucrative Today hosting gig over the summer holiday. The breakfast show often tests rising stars' mettle in the hot seat during the six week non-ratings period while regular hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo go on leave. However, this past Christmas and New Year's Eve, some up and comers were left stunned when they were looked over for the fill-in role in favour of Dr Nick Coatsworth, reported The Daily Telegraph on Sunday. Dr Nick made a name for himself as a deputy chief medical officer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acting as an infectious disease expert, he was often seen fronting news cameras to give his expert opinion on vaccines and lockdowns during the outbreak. Now, he has been spotted in the top dog seat on Today alongside journalist Lara Vella and newsreader Maggie Raworth, but some Nine staffers aren't too happy about his addition to the team. Ambitious young reporters at Channel Nine are reportedly furious at the network for passing them over for a lucrative Today hosting gig in favour of Dr Nick Coatsworth. Pictured with fill-in co-host Lara Vella 'Dr Nick is an awkward host and not a favourite with producers behind the scenes,' one insider said. 'He is never going to get a hosting role in the future so people are scratching heads as to why he has been given a coveted position given there is no lack of contenders more than willing and able to jump in.' Another source said: 'Summer is a time to experiment but some would say perhaps Nine does it too much.' They went on to add that it's good practice 'to mentor younger staff and bring forward the leaders of tomorrow', but Dr Nick 'is not that'. Daily Mail Australia have reached out to Nine for comment. Other holiday hosts who took over the lucrative hosting gig from Karl, 50, and Sarah, 39, include Alison Piotrowski and Gavin Morris, as well as former Sunrise host Samantha Armytage and weatherman Dan Anstey. It's not the first time Nine has received backlash for the decision to use Dr Nick as a fill-in host for Karl while the veteran presenter goes on his Christmas break. Some Today stars were reportedly unhappy during the 2023 summer break when Dr Nick first got the gig. Dr Nick made a name for himself on TV as a deputy chief medical officer during the COVID-19 pandemic According to The Australian at the time, 'plenty of noses were out of joint' over the decision to put the medical professional in the hosting seat. Karl's co-host Sarah was replaced for the holiday season by regular Today show reporter Mia Glover during the last Christmas holidays. Dr Nick has made several television appearances over the years as an infectious disease expert. He currently presents the television show Do You Want To Live Forever? with Tracy Grimshaw Dr Nick is married to Dr Rebecca Pearson, a lung transplant physician, with whom he shares three children. Andrew Garfield fans are convinced the actor has a 'crush' on Selena Gomez. The speculation kicked off on Friday night at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, when Garfield, 41, appeared to give Selena Gomez a long, lingering look on the red carpet. The Spider-Man star, 41, also grabbed the Only Murders in the Building actress', 32, hand during the starry event. Footage of Garfield admiring Gomez quickly went viral, with fans taking to social media to weigh in on their 'chemistry. One Gomez fan commiserated with the longing look on Andrew's face, commenting, 'Me too Andrew, me too,' while another wrote, 'It's not too late Selena.' Someone else expressed, 'THIS would be the dream couple!!,' while another fan said, 'Man the way he clasped her hand.' Andrew Garfield fans are convinced the actor has a 'crush' on Selena Gomez The speculation kicked off on Friday night at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, when Garfield, 41, appeared to give Selena Gomez a long, lingering look on the red carpet The Spider-Man star, 41, also grabbed the Only Murders in the Building actress', 32, hand during the starry event 'Can someone cast them in a romcom already? The chemistry is there,' a fan aptly pointed out. Considering the Wizard of Waverly Place alum's recent engagement to music producer Benny Blanco 36, several fans commented that Garfield was a little late to the party with his crush on Selena. But one fan summed it up well. 'Wreck that home Andrew.' Others pointed out that Andrew had plenty of time to make his move during the six years Selena was single before she started dating Blanco. For the festival, Selena looked lovely in an all white, three-piece, well-tailored suit and wore her raven hair pulled back into an elegant updo. Her gorgeous six carat diamond marquise engagement ring from her fiance glimmered from her left ring finger. Andrew, meanwhile, looked dapper in a brown suit and chambray blue shirt. Selena was at the film festival to celebrate her film Emilia Perez which is the recipient of the festival's prestigious Vanguard Award. Along with Gomez, the films costars Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana, and Edgar Ramirez will be presented with the award. Elsewhere on the red carpet, Selena ran into Wicked's Ariana Grande and had what fans called an awkward moment. Selena was at the film festival to celebrate her film Emilia Perez which is the recipient of the festival's prestigious Vanguard Award Andrew, meanwhile, looked dapper in a brown suit and chambray blue shirt Many of their fans were ecstatic to see them hanging out, but others branded the moment as 'forced' and 'awkward.' A nine-second clip showed Selena and Ariana, 31, talking excitedly together, before they wrapped their arms around one another. But immediately after the hug, Ariana turned away from Selena despite the fact that Selena appeared to still be saying something to her. Selena then seemed to give Ariana who wasn't even looking at her anymore a bizarre curtsy. She bent her knees before quickly rising again. After noticing Ariana's back was to her, Selena then began to walk away, but the Wicked actress, who opted for a strapless light blue silk gown, turned back around and tried to grab her hand. The clip was shared by the popular X account PopBase, and many rushed to the replies to share their thoughts. 'Ariana is so annoying for looking back while Selena was saying nice things to her. Who TF does that?' one person asked. 'That looked awkward,' another agreed. 'This is so fake and forced,' someone else added. Elsewhere on the red carpet, Selena ran into Wicked's Ariana Grande and had what fans called an awkward moment A nine-second clip showed Selena and Ariana, 31, talking excitedly together, before they wrapped their arms around one another Other fans were overjoyed to see two of their childhood idols interacting. 'Those of us who grew up with Wizards of Waverly Place and Victorious are shaking right now,' a different user wrote. 'We live for the Selriana interactions,' gushed another. 'Mothers,' someone else simply tweeted. 'Seeing them together makes my heart full,' announced a fan. Selena famously rose to fame as a teenager after she starred as Alex Russo on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place, while Ariana was shot to stardom at age 17 thanks to her role in the Nickelodeon show Victorious. Demi Moore and Mikey Madison posed together as they led the stars at the 2025 Spirit Awards Nominees Brunch in Los Angeles on Saturday. Mikey, 25, looked ethereal in an elegant, all-black ensemble while attending the star-studded gathering at the Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica. The actress who put on a sultry display in lingerie on the cover of W Magazine's latest issue alongside blonde bombshell Pamela Anderson and a shirtless Andrew Garfield was a vision in a black, midi dress with short sleeves and floral-patterned, velvet embroidery. Her stunning garb featured a sexy yet modest boat neckline, and she paired the understated, elegant dress with black pumps. At the event, she was joined by the exquisite Danielle Deadwyler, who turned heads in an eye-catching, orange dress, and the charming Sebastian Stan, who dressed to impress in a sharp, gray suit. On the red carpet, the actress also posed with her Anora director Sean Baker and her co-stars as they all reunited to celebrate the success of their romantic drama film, which premiered in October 2024. Demi Moore (right) and Mikey Madison (left) posed together as they led the stars at the 2025 Spirit Awards Nominees Brunch in Los Angeles on Saturday At the event, they posted for photos alongside Karren Karagulian, Mark Eydelshteyn, Samantha Quan as well as Yura Borisov and Alex Coco. Demi, who earned plaudits last year for her body horror movie The Substance co-starring Margaret Qualley, was the image of showbiz glamour at the fete. She opted for a touch of nautical chic in a navy dress that featured a white collar and a matching set of white trim at the sleeve ends. Her short sleeved ensemble featured raised shoulders and was perfectly fitted to emphasize her enviably willowy figure for the red carpet. Bringing out her luminous complexion with makeup, she wore her dark hair down in silken curtains and brought the look together with a black purse and shoes. While making her way around the event, Demi was spotted mingling with Richard Gadd, the creator and star of the Netflix sensation Baby Reindeer. The About Last Night... actress could also be seen enjoying a chat with Chicago Med actor Brian Tee and his wife Mirelly Taylor. Other stars in attendance at the brunch were Ryan Destiny, Katia Washington and Olivia Washington. Demi, who earned plaudits last year for her body horror movie The Substance co-starring Margaret Qualley, was the image of showbiz glamour at the fete She opted for a touch of nautical chic in a navy dress that featured a white collar and a matching set of white trim at the sleeve ends Her short sleeved ensemble featured raised shoulders and was perfectly fitted to emphasize her enviably willowy figure for the red carpet While making her way around the event, Demi was spotted mingling with Richard Gadd, the creator and star of the Netflix sensation Baby Reindeer The About Last Night... actress could also be seen enjoying a chat with Chicago Med actor Brian Tee and his wife Mirelly Taylor Madison left her long, dark hair down in a silky, straight hairstyle and opted for light, radiant makeup to accentuate her natural beauty. The Better Things alum completed her look with a warm, peachy nude gloss. Deadwyler, 42, put on a chic display in a sleeveless, textured dress with structured, wavy ruffles running down from top to bottom. The Piano Lesson star completed her look with pointed-toe, patent leather stilettos and a chin-length bob with blunt, micro bangs. To go with her vibrant dress, she rocked a monochromatic, peachy-nude makeup look complete with a glossy, pink pout. The Apprentice star Sebastian Stan, 42, was also present at the event, looking dapper in a chic co-ord. The Anora star, 25, looked ethereal in an elegant, all-black ensemble while attending the star-studded gathering at the Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica She was a vision in a black, midi dress with short sleeves and floral-patterned, velvet embroidery She left her long, dark hair down in a silky, straight hairstyle and opted for light, radiant makeup to accentuate her natural beauty. The Better Things alum completed her look with a warm, peachy nude gloss On the red carpet, the actress also posed with the Anora director Sean Baker and her co-stars as they all reunited to celebrate the success of their romantic drama film, which premiered in October 2024. At the event, they posted for photos alongside Karren Karagulian, Mark Eydelshteyn, Samantha Quan as well as Yura Borisov and Alex Coco Deadwyler, 42, put on a chic display in a sleeveless, textured dress with structured, wavy ruffles running down from top to bottom The Piano Lesson star completed her look with pointed-toe, patent leather stilettos and a chin-length bob with blunt, micro bangs To go with her vibrant dress, she rocked a monochromatic, peachy-nude makeup look complete with a glossy, pink pout He sported a dark gray, double-breasted blazer with concealed buttons over a deep red shirt peeking out at the top. Paired with his sharp outerwear, he donned matching, straight-leg trousers and shiny oxford shoes. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, 57, looked radiant in an edgy-chic, cream-colored hoodie dress with cropped sleeves and side slits. The Secrets & Lies star paired her unique dress, which featured hand-drawn art, with dark boots. The Oscar-nominated actress completed her look with a shiny, silver watch, hoop earrings and a bright smile. Ryan Destiny, 29, put on a sultry display in a plunging, cream blouse and an olive green, suede skirt. The Grown-ish star wore a long pendant necklace to highlight the low neckline of her tunic and completed her look with chic, sandal heels. The actress styled her raven black tresses in soft beach waves and rocked a rosy, pink makeup look. The Apprentice star Sebastian Stan, 42, was also present at the event, looking dapper in a chic co-ord. He sported a dark gray, double-breasted blazer with concealed buttons over a deep red shirt peeking out at the top Marianne Jean-Baptiste, 57, looked radiant in an edgy-chic, cream-colored hoodie dress with cropped sleeves and side slits. The Secrets & Lies star paired her unique dress, which featured hand-drawn art, with dark boots Ryan Destiny, 29, put on a sultry display in a plunging, cream blouse and an olive green, suede skirt The Grown-ish star wore a long pendant necklace to highlight the low neckline of her tunic and completed her look with chic, sandal heels. The actress styled her raven black tresses in soft beach waves and rocked a rosy, pink makeup look Denzel Washington's daughters, Katia, 37, and Olivia, 33, were also in attendance at the nominees event. Katia looked stylish in a powder blue blazer paired with matching pants, a white button-down with a dark blue tie. Olivia also showcased her chic style in a black, button-down dress with knee-high boots for the special occasion. Baby Reindeer's Richard Gadd, 35, looked handsome at the beachside event. He donned a navy blue suit with a matching, mock-neck top and shiny, leather dress shoes. At the event, he posed for photos alongside co-star Jessica Gunning who put on an elegant display in an off-shoulder cream blouse paired with high-waisted, brown pants and a black, leather belt. She styled her brunette tresses in soft, silky waves and opted for a rosy pink makeup look, accentuating her flushed cheeks and glossy lips. She accessorized with dainty gold jewelry to match the hardware on her belt. The actress sported classic, gold bands paired with statement earrings. Denzel Washington's daughters, Katia, 37, and Olivia, 33, were also in attendance at the nominees event Katia looked stylish in a powder blue blazer paired with matching pants, a white button-down with a dark blue tie Olivia also showcased her chic style in a black, button-down dress with knee-high boots for the special occasion Baby Reindeer's Richard Gadd, 35, looked handsome at the beachside event. He donned a navy blue suit with a matching, mock-neck top and shiny, leather dress shoes At the event, he posed for photos alongside co-star Jessica Gunning She put on an elegant display in an off-shoulder cream blouse paired with high-waisted, brown pants and a black, leather belt She styled her brunette tresses in soft, silky waves and opted for a rosy pink makeup look, accentuating her flushed cheeks and glossy lips She accessorized with dainty gold jewelry to match the hardware on her belt. The actress sported classic, gold bands paired with statement earrings Their co-star Nava Mau, 32, was also spotted in attendance at the event. She mixed elegance with edge as she modeled a dress with a pleather, strapless bodice and a flowing, pleated skirt. To match the black top of her outfit, she wore pointed-toe heels of the same color with a delicate, brooch detail. She accessorized with a bold, gold choker with dazzling gems and dainty rings to complete her stylish outfit Their co-star Nava Mau, 32, was also spotted in attendance at the event. She mixed elegance with edge as she modeled a dress with a pleather, strapless bodice and a flowing, pleated skirt. To match the black top of her outfit, she wore pointed-toe heels of the same color with a delicate, brooch detail. She accessorized with a bold, gold choker with dazzling gems and dainty rings to complete her stylish outfit. Michael J. Fox fans from across the world came together to sweetly react to the heartwarming moment that Joe Biden awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In response to footage of the moment going viral on X (previously known as Twitter), social media users expressed their joy that the 63-year-old television superstar was recognized for his work advocating for Parkinson's disease research and awareness. 'This is amazing. Congratulations to Michael J. Fox,' one tweeted, alongside a video of the emotional ceremony, in which he received the US' highest civilian honor. A second gushed: 'We really dont deserve Michael J. Fox. What a wonderful human.' 'Bless this man and his entire family,' a third raved as other marveled at how he has spent decades changing the world and making it a better place. A third wrote: 'He certainly deserves it. I admire him so much. Parkinson's is not easy. But he keeps pushing.' Michael J. Fox fans from across the world came together to sweetly react to the heartwarming moment that President Joe Biden awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is presented to individuals who make 'exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States' and beyond, according to the White House. Among the list of recipients that also received the honor on Saturday are Hillary Clinton, the late former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, fashionista and Vogue head Anna Wintour, designer Ralph Lauren, and scientist Jane Goodall, among others. 'President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else,' a press release read. 'These nineteen individuals are great leaders who have made America and the world a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world.' Michael J. Fox is best known for his role in Back to the Future, and throughout his career, he won five Emmy Awards, four Golden Globes, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Grammy. The actor was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the age of 29 and became a leading voice for research on the incurable condition. He started the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, which is based in New York. 'He is a world-renowned advocate for Parkinsons disease research and development,' the White House said. Fox first revealed his Parkinson's diagnosis in 1998 and, two years later, established The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000. In response to footage of the moment going viral on X (previously known as Twitter ), social media users expressed their joy that the 63-year-old television superstar was recognized for his work advocating for Parkinson's disease research and awareness https://x.com/krassenstein/status/1875671575141478908 'This is amazing. Congratulations to Michael J. Fox,' one tweeted, alongside a video of the emotional ceremony, in which he received the US' highest civilian honor A second gushed: 'We really dont deserve Michael J. Fox. What a wonderful human' 'Bless this man and his entire family,' a third raved as other marveled at how he has spent decades changing the world and making it a better place Bono was also among the showbiz luminaries awarded a medal that evening, after an introduction hailing him for changing 'the world through his art and activism' When the introductory remarks mentioned Bono's 'Irish tradition of poetry and protest,' President Biden - who himself has Irish roots - pumped his fist with pride Denzel Washington was also feted that evening, following an introduction that called him 'a defining character of the American story' Among the list of recipients that also received the honor on Saturday are Hillary Clinton, Vogue head Anna Wintour (pictured), designer Ralph Lauren and scientist Jane Goodall among others Magic Johnson, who is 6'9", also got a laugh by bending his knees so that his shoulders would be low enough for Biden to drape the medal's ribbon over them Since then, the foundationfounded alongside his wife of 36 years, Tracy has raised over $2 billion for Parkinson's research. In 2023, the foundation celebrated a major breakthrough: research funded by the organization identified a biomarker that can detect Parkinson's before symptoms appear, a milestone Fox was deeply proud of. 'It was one of the few times I cried about what we were doing. We wanted to find a way to diagnose the disease before the symptoms are there,' he shared with People. 'Because then we could treat it, and you'd never have it. It was a big breakand a great moment,' he admitted. Bono was also among the showbiz luminaries awarded a medal that evening, after an introduction hailing him for changing 'the world through his art and activism.' When the introductory remarks mentioned Bono's 'Irish tradition of poetry and protest,' President Biden - who himself has Irish roots - pumped his fist with pride, earning a laugh from the room. Magic Johnson, who is 6'9", also got a laugh by bending his knees so that his shoulders would be low enough for Biden to drape the medal's ribbon over them. Denzel Washington was also feted that evening, following an introduction that called him 'a defining character of the American story.' Justin Bieber shared a sweet kiss with his wife Hailey Bieber in a selfie uploaded to Instagram on Saturday. The post comes amid fan-driven speculation that the couple are headed for divorce, with Hailey even recently responding to the wild rumors, herself. In the new photo, Justin, 30, posed behind Hailey, 28, while gently planting his lips on her neck as he stared at the camera. Meanwhile, the Rhode skincare founder smiled and glanced lovingly at Justin while they watched the sunset near their Los Angeles home. The selfie racked up countless comments praising the couple who welcomed baby son, Jack Blues, in August for putting their love in display. The couple's sweet selfie comes just days after Justin paid tribute to his wife of six years as he marveled at her incredible postpartum body. Justin Bieber shared a sweet kiss with his wife Hailey Bieber in a selfie uploaded to Instagram on Saturday Justin wrote, 'Um. Goin anywhere with u bb. Happy new year,' above photos of the model wearing a skimpy bikini as her NYE outfit. The couple said 'I do' back in 2018 and have since been inseparable. The iconic duo became first-time parents last year, welcoming their son Jack Blues Bieber in August. Just last week, a source close to the Purpose hitmaker told Page Six that the couple are in no rush to have more children. The five-foot-eight looker and the Canadian sensation who recently ventured to Costa Rica have 'discussed having more kids, but for right now, theyre happy with where things are at.' The insider added that Hailey felt 'incredibly blessed' to be 'celebrating her first Christmas as a mom.' 'When Justin asked Hailey what she wanted for Christmas this year, she really couldnt think of anything because she has everything she could ever want,' they source said. Justin and Hailey are reportedly 'still adjusting to life as parents of a newborn' and feel that 'every day is a learning experience.' 'They couldnt be happier,' they shared. 'Hailey has seen a whole different side to Justin since becoming a father and shes more in love with him than ever.' The couple's sweet selfie comes just days after Justin paid tribute to his wife of six years as he marveled at her incredible postpartum body The couple became first-time parents last year, welcoming their son Jack Blues Bieber in August; Jack and Hailey seen December 2024 Justin and Hailey said 'I do' back in 2018 and have since been inseparable; the couple seen May 2024 Hailey recently revealed that she designed a custom ring adorned with her birthstone, a topaz, and her newborn son Jack's stone, a peridot. She shared a glimpse of the ring via her Instagram Story which sees the teardrop topaz angled to lean against the square-cut peridot gem. The star welcomed Jack in late August though she never confirmed the baby's exact date of birth. And she has managed to stick to her usual beauty routine since becoming a mother. The New York native has so far managed to maintain the same skincare regimes that she carried out before and during her pregnancy because it all fits 'perfectly' into her new life as a mother. She told Glamour UK: 'Honestly, I do feel like my beauty routine is fairly the same as it was my whole pregnancy and even before. 'Right now, my routine in the morning is basically just hydration, a little vitamin C if I remember to do it and SPF, and then it's like I brush up my eyebrows and we're out.' 'That was kind of how I did things before and it fits perfectly into the way that life is now,' the New York native added. Just last week, a source close to the Purpose hitmaker told Page Six that the couple are in no rush to have more children; Justin and Hailey seen August 2023 The five-foot-eight looker and the Canadian sensation have 'discussed having more kids, but for right now, theyre happy with where things are at'; Justin and Hailey seen December 2024 Justin and Hailey are reportedly 'still adjusting to life as parents of a newborn' and feel that 'every day is a learning experience'; Hailey and Justin seen September 2023 But the entrepreneur has urged her fans to think about all parts of their body when it comes to skincare and found that a new 'mom hack' is always making sure that she carries her design of body butter with her amongst the baby's things to stop her own skin from drying out. She said: 'When you think about keeping the skin nourished and healthy as you are getting older, you do think about your neck, your chest, your hands, your body. 'My new mom hack is that I throw the mini Barrier Butter into my little changing bag that I have with me when I go anywhere. And then I have it for my hands. 'When you spray hand sanitizer I'm doing that every three seconds these days you get so dry,' Hailey said. Eddie Redmayne opted for a laid back look as he enjoyed a shopping trip with his wife Hannah Bagshawe in West Hollywood on Saturday. The Good Nurse star, 42, rocked a red jacket over a blue knitted cardigan and yellow t-shirt, paired with light blue jeans and white Reebok Club C trainers. He shielded his eyes with beige sunglasses and carried a shopping bag from The Real Real, with a script tucked into his jacket pocket. Meanwhile, Hannah, also 42, looked effortlessly stylish in a leopard print cardigan layered over a black top and jeans. The pair appeared in high spirits as they walked arm-in-arm during their day outing. Hannah and Eddie met in 2000 at a charity fashion show while attending Eton College, striking up a friendship. Eddie Redmayne opted for a laid back look as he enjoyed a shopping trip with his wife Hannah Bagshawe in West Hollywood on Saturday The Good Nurse star, 42, rocked a red jacket over a blue knitted cardigan and yellow t-shirt, paired with light blue jeans and white Reebok Club C trainers He shielded his eyes with beige sunglasses and carried a shopping bag from The Real Real, with a script tucked into his jacket pocket They later started dating in January 2012 after Eddie invited her to a trip to Florence during a shooting break for Les Miserables. The couple got engaged in June 2014 and went on to tie the knot in December that year at the Babington House. Eddie and Hannah are the proud parents of eight-year-old daughter Iris, eight, and six-year old son Luke. The actor previously opened up about how Hannah manages to keep him grounded while he's working in the whirlwind of Hollywood. He told PEOPLE: 'I think saint might be the word. She is an absolute saint. 'And it's a ride for both of us. It's wonderful doing it with someone you love because you also have a second eye on it all. 'This whole industry is the most joyous, absurd circus. It's great to have someone when you get too immersed in it or drinking the Kool-Aid to say, 'Wait a second?'' In 2023, the actor revealed he had given up wearing his wedding ring. Hannah and Eddie met in 2000 at a charity fashion show while attending Eton College (Pictured in May 2023) The Theory of Everything star no longer wears a band on his left hand after losing the original while shooting his 2015 film The Danish Girl and then misplacing the second ring he bought to replace it. He joked to The Guardian: 'Spotted without his ring!', before adding: 'I am incredibly happily married so I'm afraid there's no scoop there.' Eddie previously opened up about the loss of his original wedding ring onset just months after walking down the aisle - insisting he tried to take care of it by pinning it to his costume every day but he still managed to lose it. He told E! News: 'When you're filming you have to take off these things and I actually lost my wedding ring. 'So this is a new wedding ring that is being worn. I was pinning it to my costume every day and one day it disappeared.' He went on to admit he had trouble telling his wife Hannah what had happened, saying: 'I sort of skirted around it [the issue of the lost ring]. But anyhow, I like the new one.' Aubrey Plaza and her husband Jeff Baena were last seen together on a hike this past summer, six months before his tragic suicide. An assistant found him dead at his home this Friday morning, and when the authorities arrived he was pronounced dead on the scene at the age of 47. In an update after his death, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said the filmmaker died by hanging at his and Plaza's Los Feliz property. Plaza, 40, began dating Baena in 2011 and they married in 2021, keeping their relationship largely out of the public eye. The final time they were seen out together was on July 5, when they were seen enjoying a stroll in Los Angeles' Griffith Park. Dressed in casual hiking gear, the couple appeared relaxed in one another's company as they visited the park, a favorite among locals. Aubrey Plaza and her husband Jeff Baena were last seen together on a hike this summer, six months before his tragic suicide Dressed in casual hiking gear, the couple appeared relaxed in one another's company as they visited the park on July 5, 2024, a favorite among locals His body was discovered by an assistant in the home they purchased in 2022 and officers responded to the home at 10:25 am, the Los Angeles Fire Department told DailyMail.com. 'Death was determined for an approximately 47-year old male, no transport,' they said in a statement. 'We responded to the 2100 block of Fern Dale Place for a death investigation. Officers responded for a male decedent,' the Los Angeles Police Department added. The Life After Beth director was pronounced dead at the scene. Baena's family told Deadline that they are devastated by the news and are asking for privacy at this time. Baena got into film after he graduated from New York University with a film degree and moved to LA to launch his career. He worked low-level jobs for big directors, including Robert Zemeckis and David O. Russell as he found his footing in the industry. He worked as a production assistant for Zemeckis and as an assistant editor for Russell. He is best known for directing Life After Beth, his directorial debut, which Plaza starred in, and The Little Hours. Baena also co-wrote I Heart Huckabees, which was nominated for a 2004 Gotham Award for Best Feature. In an update after his death on Friday, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said the 47-year-old died by hanging in their Los Feliz property Baena was found dead by an assistant on Friday in his LA home around 10:30am. He is seen here alongside his wife Aubrey Plaza He also wrote Life After Beth, which premiered at Sundance in 2014. His film Joshy also premiered at the famous festival and was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize. The Miami native also worked on Horse Girl and Spin Me Round. For his television works, he directed and executive produced Showtime series Cinema Toast. He co-directed the product with his wife. He also had previously spoken candidly about mental health ahead of the release of his 2020 film Horse Girl. On a Reddit Ask Me Anything forum he was asked if the film's lead Sarah, played by Alison Brie, being released from the mental hospital and if the scene was based on personal experiences. Baena got into film after he graduated from New York University with a film degree and moved to LA to launch his career In her final post with Baena shared in May 2021, the award-winning actress praised her 'darling husband' Baena openly admitted to watching his stepmom suffering from bipolar disorder saying: 'Unfortunately, people get released all the time when they still need treatment,' he wrote in February 2020. 'The 72-hour mandatory hold only applies to patients who are a danger to themselves, so they must be released after that appraisal period. 'My first stepmom had manic depression and was in and out of facilities in Miami due to the Baker Act (5150 in California). 'While I would not consider "Horse Girl" to be an activist film, the themes of how we as a society and individuals treat persons with mental illness was a major focus and impetus for making this.' Baena and Brie cowrote the film together about the latter's family history with mental illness, specifically the actress' grandmother, who suffered from schizophrenia. 'That was the original impetus for writing a story like this,' Brie, who is married to actor Dave Franco, wrote on the forum. The director and husband of Aubrey Plaza also said his family history with mental illness had influenced the film's plot as well. He secretly married The White Lotus star in 2020 almost a decade after they met, keeping their relationship largely out of the limelight. Plaza has not publicly commented on the death of her husband. He secretly married The White Lotus star in 2020 almost a decade after they met, keeping their relationship largely out of the limelight The actress's final Instagram post with her husband revealed how 'proud' she was of him. In her final post with Baena shared in May 2021, the award-winning actress praised her 'darling husband'. 'So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that take us to Italia to cause some more trouble,' she captioned the post. The heartbreaking last post together featured the star couple lovingly gazing into each other's eyes and was accompanied with screenshots of a Deadline article detailing their 'new assignment' - the 2022 film Spin Me Round. Baena is survived by his wife, his mother Barbra Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, his stepmother Michele Baena, his brother Brad Baena, and his step siblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman. Gabby Epstein came under fire on Saturday when she shared an Instagram post about the country being 'in shambles' due to a park bench. The Australian model, 30, posted an image to her Stories of a 'happy to chat bench' she found on the Gold Coast which encourages people to sit and talk with strangers. Followers quickly turned on Gabby when she slammed the bench sign, with many flooding her inbox with messages telling her to 'grow the f*** up'. The benches have been installed across Australia as part of a UK-born initiative to fight loneliness in the community. Each one is called a 'happy to chat bench' and have signs which say: 'Sit here if you don't mind someone stopping to say hello.' Gabby snapped a photo of one she discovered in Queensland, saying: 'I would literally throw up on someone if they sat next to me on a bench and started talking.' Gabby Epstein, 30, (pictured) came under fire on Saturday when she shared an Instagram post about the country being 'in shambles' due to a park bench 'This country is in shambles.' Hours after sharing the photo, which Gabby later claimed was 'just a joke', the model shared another picture of her inbox filled with people slamming her bench post. 'How is this country in shambles? Don't sit on the chair then,' one message from an enraged fan said. 'Kids are starving to death and getting their legs blown off and this is your biggest complaint? Grow the f*** up.' Someone else messaged her: 'QLD's take on abortion, celebrating genocide on the 26th, the current economy and the possibility of Peter Dutton being our next PM. 'But nah this bench got the country in shambles.' Others added, 'What's wrong with you?' and, 'Then don't sit there.' Gabby shared screenshots of these messages and hit back at her 3.9 million followers. The Australian model posted an image to her stories of a 'happy to chat bench' she found on the Gold Coast which encourages people to sit and talk with strangers Followers quickly turned on Gabby when she slammed the bench sign, with many flooding her inbox with messages telling her to 'grow the f*** up' Hours after sharing the photo, which Gabby later claimed was 'just a joke', the model shared pictures of her inbox filled with people slamming her bench post 'Out of all the things I have posted, THIS is what ya'll are most upset about? Might I suggest touching some grass?' she said. On another screenshot she wrote: 'Oh, sweet mother of Mary. Am I actually insane or do people not get that this is a joke?' Gabby later told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday that the post she made about the bench was 'just a joke' and she had 'no idea it would spark such a strong reaction'. 'If a simple photo like that can trigger people so much, maybe it's a sign we all need to take a step back and not take things so seriously,' she said. 'Calling the country "in shambles" was just me being tongue-in-cheek, not launching a political crusade.' She added: 'Let's save our energy for more significant issues.' General Hospital star Steve Burton and his girlfriend Michelle Lundstrom will soon be husband and wife. The 54-year-old actor and the 43-year-old beauty took to Instagram to announce that they had gotten engaged on Friday in an intimate proposal. In the post shared on Saturday, Burton included a carousel of snaps showing off the heartwarming moment he dropped to one knee and popped the question. 'Engaged 1/3/25,' the actor penned in the caption, with Peter Cetera's Glory of Love playing in the background. He added the Bible verse Jeremiah 29:11: ''For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'' Burton looked dapper in a bicep-teasing black long sleeve top and dark jeans for the special moment. General Hospital star Steve Burton and his girlfriend Michelle Lundstrom will soon be husband and wife Lundstrom modeled a black leather jacket and distressed, dark jeans as she showed off her diamond engagement ring in one photo. Their post was a hit with their over 500k collective followers, racking up hundreds of comments from supportive fans congratulating the groom and bride-to-be. 'Beautiful congratulations much love, happiness, joy, and blessings to you both. You're a great man well deserved,' one wrote. Another fan chimed in, 'Oh my gosh what wonderful news! ...So much love and joy! Steve and Michelle you are so deserving of each other. I am so happy for Steve after all he has been thru. Yay!' Although their exact dating timeline is unknown, the private pair revealed their relationship to Daily Drama back in May 2024. They went red carpet official just weeks later at the Daytime Emmy Awards. She marks Indiana-born Burton's first relationship since finalizing his divorce from Sheree Gustin December 2023, after 23 years of marriage. Lundstrom who commands $29 on Cameo is a full-blown influencer, frequently sharing recipes and doing paid partnerships for brands like Vermont Smoke & Cure, Meater and Traeger Grills. Lundstrom marks Indiana-born Burton's first relationship since finalizing his divorce from Sheree Gustin December 2023, after 23 years of marriage. He shared a carousel of snaps showing off the heartwarming moment 'Engaged 1/3/25,' the actor penned in the caption, with Peter Cetera's Glory of Love playing in the background; seen June 2024 Although their exact dating timeline is unknown, the private pair revealed their relationship to daily Drama back in May 2024; seen July 2024 Lundstrom marks Indiana-born Burton's first relationship since finalizing his divorce from Sheree Gustin Burton; Sheree and Steve seen May 2019 Back in 2022, the Days of Our Lives star announced via Instagram that he had separated from the 48-year-old Fit Club founder. According to legal documents filed with the Orange County Superior Court, their date of separation is listed as March 1, 2022, citing 'irreconcilable differences.' A judge ordered Steve to pay his ex-wife $10K/month in child support for co-parenting their three children daughter Makena, 21; son Jack, 19 and daughter Brooklyn, 11 according to People. Because no prenuptial agreements were made, the couple agreed to split their personal belongings, but Burton kept their three properties in Tennessee. Skye Wheatley was left tearing her hair out on Sunday as she shared an update on how renovations are going at her lavish Gold Coast mansion. The I'm A Celebrity winner, 30, shared images of the luxury pool currently being built in her backyard, saying the tiling has been a disaster. Sharing several photos, the influencer went on a rant about how 'stressed' she is over the renovation, especially after discoloured tiles were installed by her pool. The vent session began when Skye took to her Instagram Stories to start a Q&A with her followers about the 'crazy' pavement in her backyard. 'There's all this black/brown s*** through our crazy pave. Lachy [her partner] said "it's natural" when I asked about it, but I've never seen this before,' she said. 'Is there any professionals out there that know if this is normal or should we ask tilers to re-tile?' Skye Wheatley, 30, was left tearing her hair out on Sunday as she shared an update on how renovations are going at her lavish Gold Coast mansion. Pictured with partner Lachlan Waugh Alongside the caption, Skye included an image of the stairs leading down to her lavish pool in the making, circling all the discoloured brown areas on the edges of the tiles. She then shared another angle of the area, saying: 'The reno is actually causing so much stress and everyday I wake up so tired and don't even want to get out of bed. 'Like, actually ready to sell at this point. We are way in over our heads with this project. It's fkn massive and so draining.' She added that she was originally willing to look past the discolouration in the tile because she was just 'happy' things were getting done, but is now 'upset' over it. 'I'm that much of a perfectionist but also so busy with my own work that I don't have time to fkn stand there and supervise the trades and overlook every little thing. 'But you really do need to do that in situations like this. That's why there's PROJECT MANAGERS on every job. Our job does not have a project manager and it shows.' Skye went on to say she would likely call the tilers back in to replace the discoloured tiles, as they 'threw away' plenty of 'clean' tiles they could have used instead. It's not the first time the renovation has caused issues for Skye as she stunned fans last July by getting into a screaming match with her partner Lachlan Waugh over it. The I'm A Celebrity winner shared images of the luxury pool currently being built in her backyard, saying the tiling has been a disaster Sharing several photos, the influencer went on a rant about how 'stressed' she is over the renovation, especially after discoloured tiles were installed by her pool The influencer shared a shocking video to Instagram at the time which captured Lachlan taking Skye on a tour of the renovation work of their new home. The footage began with Lachlan showcasing the work, as he pointed out which rooms will have skylights in them to capture the beaming sun. 'I've just ordered the windows and designed the room myself!' a proud Lachlan told Skye, who initially agreed his plans were 'stunning'. However, Skye soon became upset with some of Lachlan's plans and questioned why he had put skylights in some rooms but not others. 'A skylight is pointless in this room because of the beautiful window. We could have used that skylight in the [walk-in wardrobe],' a frustrated Skye began. 'Oh my God, why wouldn't you think of that? There's skylights where they don't need to be and none where they do need to be!' However, Lachlan became frustrated as he told his partner he chose the ideal locations for the skylights, saying none were needed for the wardrobe. 'It's a f***ing room, how many rooms do you go in that are dark? It's fine, what are you actually worried about, that you won't be able to take a photo in there?' he said. The vent session began when Skye took to her Instagram Stories to start a Q&A with her followers about the 'crazy' pavement in her backyard She added that she was originally willing to look past the discolouration in the tile because she was just 'happy' things were getting done, but is now 'upset' over it Fans were divided over the heated argument and quickly took to the comment section to say whether they were on Team Skye or Team Lachlan. 'Skylights in there will fade your clothes faster. It is a mistake putting it in there, don't do it,' a Lachlan supporter wrote. 'Give the woman her skylight,' a Skye fan added and a third person chipped in: 'She's correct.' Skye rose to fame back on Big Brother Australia in 2014 and is now a full-time influencer with 661,000 followers. In 2023, Skye put her $75,000 Mercedes on the market to help finance the renovation work on her luxurious Gold Coast mansion. The former Big Brother star-turned-influencer shared a snap of her white Mercedes to Instagram and asked interested buyers to message her. Nicki Minaj might face criminal charges in the wake of her alleged former manager's lawsuit against her. According to a report from TMZ, the Detroit Police have issued a warrant request to the Wayne County Prosecutors Office, which is now under review to determine if criminal charges will be issued against 42-year-old Minaj for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. A prosecutor will decide if criminal charges will be filed. In the documents obtained by the outlet, Brandon Garrett, who claims to be the rapper's former manager, says he was 'struck' by Nicki born Onika Tanya Maraj while backstage after a concert in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena in April 2024. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Minaj's lawyer Judd Burstein slammed the lawsuit as 'false and frivolous' and said the music artist has not been served with a formal complaint. Burstein also suggested that Garrett was the rapper's 'ex assistant' and not a 'former manager.' Nicki Minaj might face criminal charges in the wake of her former manager's lawsuit against her; pictured in March 2024 According to a report from TMZ, the Detroit Police have issued a warrant request to the Wayne County Prosecutors Office, which is now under review to determine if criminal charges will be issued against 42-year-old Minaj for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress; pictured in 2019 The alleged incident took place when Garrett was called to the Nicki's dressing room about an errand he had been ordered to run. Garrett claims he was supposed to pick up prescriptions for Nicki, but instead he sent another employee, Luke Montgomery, due to being occupied by other tasks at the arena. The lawsuit states that Minaj became 'visibly upset,' per Billboard, and yelled at him: 'Are you f***ing crazy having him pick up my prescription?' It is claimed she also screamed, 'You have lost your f***ing mind and if my husband was here, he would knock out your f***king teeth. You're a dead man walking. You just f***ed up your whole life and you will never be anyone, I'll make sure of it.' During the alleged incident, Garrett says Nicki approached him and 'struck him' on the 'right side of his face, causing his head to swing backwards as his hat flew off his head.' Security for Minaj then approached him, and Garrett alleges the entertainer hit him on his right wrist, causing him to drop the papers he had been holding. The music artist allegedly ordered Garrett to 'get the f*** out' before he went to a bathroom at the venue and locked himself inside. Worried for his safety, Garrett claims he waited inside the restroom for hours, where he made a call to his partner to relay what happened. A prosecutor will decide if criminal charges will be filed against the rap superstar; pictured in May 2024 In a statement to DailyMail.com, Minaj's lawyer Judd Burstein slammed the lawsuit as 'false and frivolous' and said the music artist has not been served with a formal complaint; seen in 2022 He claims in the lawsuit that his 'wrist was throbbing and his face was sore, but he stayed in the restroom because he was terrified and feared for his safety.' Following the alleged incident, Garrett says he was not allowed back on the tour bus to return to Chicago, and was left in Detroit. He flew back to Chicago to return to his hotel room, and stayed there 'for the next couple daysbecause he was fearful and traumatized,' per Billboard's account. Garrett claims he filed a report with Chicago Police and went back to Detroit to file a formal police report there as well. The alleged former employee is suing for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Brandon is also seeking punitive, exemplary and general damages. Nicki's lawyer told DailyMail.com in a statement: 'At this time, no complaint has been served upon Mrs. Petty, and therefore, we are unaware of the specific allegations.' Her Pink Friday 2 World Tour began in March 2024 and ended in October. Timothee Chalamet set social media ablaze after he was asked about his girlfriend Kylie Jenner during the Palm Springs International Film Awards on Friday. The 29-year-old actor who was celebrated for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in the new biopic A Complete Unknown sparked controversy for how he sidestepped a question about his high-profile romance. During an interview with ET at the star-studded bash, the Chairman Award-winner was asked about how he felt having Jenner's support during awards season. Instead, The Dune star brushed off the question about his billionaire lady love, saying: 'It's a great feeling to be in a room with so much love and so many great peers, and people that are fantastic. 'I like seeing the new wave and the new generation here,' he continued. 'I also like seeing everyone who's been holding it down [for] decades plus.' Fans were left divided over if his leaving out of the vixen's name was a subtle snub or if it instead was a calculated boundary-setting. Timothee Chalamet set social media ablaze after he was asked about his girlfriend Kylie Jenner during the Palm Springs International Film Awards on Friday; seen January 2024 'I love how interviews keep trying to ask Kylie and Timothee about each other, looking for tea, and they pay those questions absolute dust,' one fan wrote. 'They said 'STAY out they business!'' Another said the Dune star's avid PR training could be the reason why he steered clear from the Kar-Jenner related question as to not cause a stir. 'PR training come through!' commented another. 'As he should, one question opens the gate to more, that's none of their business tbh.' Another eagle-eyed fan chimed in, 'He was holding back his smile when he mentioned her name. He loves that sh*t.' However, other viewers were confused as to why the New York native kept mum about the Sprinter founder if the public already knew they were in a relationship. 'I would be so upset if my boyfriend refused to acknowledge me or be seen with me,' one said from her own perspective.' Another replied: 'I may not be rich, but at least I date men who aren't ashamed to admit they co exist in the same galaxy as me.' But one user offered a more practical, neutral answer: 'They can't win either way. If they talk about the relationship then ppl will say it's just a PR relationship. If they're private then he's ashamed of her. Obviously whatever dynamics they have has been working so far. 'They've lasted for almost two years. I swear people get so f***ing weird about this relationship.' When he was asked about how he felt having Jenner's support amid awards season, he sidestepped the question and avoided referring to his girlfriend 'It's a great feeling to be in a room with so much love and so many great peers, and people that are fantastic,' Chalamet said; Kylie seen in December 2024 'I like seeing the new wave and the new generation here,' he said. 'I also like seeing everyone who's been holding it down [for] decades plus'; Kylie and Timothee seen September 2023 An insider close to the A-list couple of two years revealed they are continuing to grow closer and that their relationship is 'stronger than ever'; Kylie and Timothee seen November 2023 The four-time Golden Globe Award winner and the mother-of-two were first linked in early 2023 and have kept their romance largely under wraps. They have since been spotted enjoying each other's company at the Golden Globes in January and the US Open in September. Just weeks ago, an insider close to the A-list couple revealed they are continuing to grow closer and that their relationship is 'stronger than ever.' 'Kylie and Timothee are constantly in communication even when they're apart,' the source told the outlet the source. Their relationship is stronger than ever, and they deeply care for one another.' They also revealed that the lovebirds have 'a very close connection and love each other very much.' 'They're enjoying keeping things out of the spotlight as much as possible for the time being, especially since so much of their lives are in the public eye. They like having this aspect of it to themselves for now.' Holly Willoughby has bought a new 8million mansion with no mortgage after leaving the capital with her family following a horrific kidnap and murder plot. The TV presenter, 43, and her husband Dan Baldwin bought the six-bedroom home after moving out of their 3million Edwardian house in London. They picked up and left the city two months after stalker Gavin Plumb was jailed for his kidnap, rape and murder plot. Willoughby also stepped down from presenting This Morning after 14 years on the show due to the terrifying kidnap threat and took time out of the spotlight. According to reports, she was afraid to leave her house after Plumb was charged with the crime, forcing her off-air for months. The couple bought their new home in July and are currently extending the property, along with adding extra security. Land Registry documents mention no charge from lenders. According to The Sun, a source said the move is a 'fresh start' and 'an opportunity to put a nightmare behind them'. Holly Willoughby and her husband Dan Baldwin (pictured in 2016) bought their new home after moving out of their 3million Edwardian house in London They picked up and left the city two months after stalker Gavin Plumb was jailed for his kidnap, rape and murder plot After her stalker Plumb was sentenced, she released an empowering statement, thanking the police and her legal team who brought him to justice. She said: 'As women we should not be made to feel unsafe going about our daily lives and in our own homes. 'I will forever be grateful to the undercover police officer who understood the imminent threat, and to the Metropolitan and Essex police forces for their swift response. 'Thank you to the Crown Prosecution Service, the Rt Hon Mr Justice Murray, Alison Morgan KC, the members of the jury and all involved in this case for ensuring that justice was done and that the defendant will not be able to harm any more women. 'I would also like to commend the bravery of his previous victims for speaking up at the time. Without their bravery this conviction may not have been possible.' Her former This Morning co-presenter Phillip Schofield left the show after admitting to an affair with a younger colleague and lying to his co-star when questioned about the mounting speculation. After she returned to the ITV programme without him, Willoughby was mocked for the statement she made addressing the nation, asking whether viewers were 'okay' following the revelation. Willoughby said 'as women we should not be made to feel unsafe going about our daily lives and in our own homes' after Plumb was found guilty. She is pictured in 2023 The TV presenter, who co-led This Morning for 14 years, beamed as she posed for a photo alongside This Morning regulars Alison Hammond and Rochelle Humes in September She then faced a further setback as Plumb was arrested for an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her, leaving her terrified. She deliberated over whether to present Dancing On Ice with new co-host Stephen Mulhern, finally deciding to return to work in the New Year. The presenter made her TV return in January with Dancing On Ice and has been busy filming Netflix show Bear Hunt with Bear Grylls. She previously renovated her West London home, which planners gave her the go-ahead to extend. But her neighbours were less than pleased with her various planning applications over the years. Willoughby bought her London home - which lies in a leafy conservation area - in 2011 and had a series of setbacks renovating it - as she became entangled in a series of 'ugly' rows with neighbours. Locals complained about noise disruption, the impact on local wildlife and a loss of privacy. An anonymous letter was sent in 2013 accusing her of 'keeping the whole neighbourhood up last night with drunken behaviour'. Her stalker Plumb was jailed for a minimum of 16 years earlier this year. The television presenter's deranged stalker Gavin Plumb, 37, who had plotted to kidnap, rape and murder her, was jailed for a minimum of 16 years in July Plumb had plotted to ambush Willoughby at her London home in the dead of night, using chloroform to knock out the presenter and her husband. In his twisted plan, he would have taken the celebrity, holding her in an isolated 'dungeon' which he described as 'death row'. The judge said a victim impact statement from the TV star, showing the devastating impact of his crime, would not be read out in public but added Plumb's actions had had a 'life-changing impact' on Ms Willoughby 'both privately and professionally'. Throughout his trial, Plumb, whose sick plan was discovered by an undercover US police officer, had repeatedly denied solicitating murder, inciting rape and inciting kidnap. The court heard from his lawyer Sasha Wass KC that he did not have 'the means nor the opportunity' to execute the morbid plan. Instead she described the messages as 'the ramblings of a rather sad individual'. Robert De Niro has revealed he 'tries his best' to be a good father to his seven children but admits that 'family is complex'. The actor, 81, spoke in a new interview over the weekend when he made a rare comment about his private life. Robert shares his youngest kid 19-month old Gia with his professional martial artist girlfriend Tiffany Chen. The Godfather star also has six other other children; Drena, 56, and Raphael, 47 with his ex-wife Diahnne Abbott, Elliot, 25, and Helen, 12, with ex-wife Grace Hightower, and twins Aaron and Julian, 28, with former girlfriend, Toukie Smith. He has now told The Times that if each of his children were asked to describe him that would 'all have a different answer'. Robert added: 'Family is so complex. I try my best (as a father), that's all. I hope they'll be happy.' Robert De Niro has revealed he 'tries his best' to be a good father to his seven children but admits that 'family is complex' (seen with youngest daughter Gia, 19 months) The actor, 81, spoke in a new interview over the weekend when he made a rare comment about his private life He sweetly added of spending time with his daughter Gia: 'I'm an early riser. I've got a 19-month-old baby. I spend my mornings watching [the YouTuber for toddlers] Ms Rachel with her, and I give her her bottle.' Back in February Robert gushed about the newest addition to his family, Gia, and the 'joy' she brings him. 'She's such an adorable baby. So sweet,' he said of his bundle of joy. '[When I] look at her, everything else goes away. So it's a great joy and relief to just be with her in the moment.' His elder children 'all get a big kick out of her,' he explained. 'The grandkids even. She's their aunt [and] they're about to be teenagers!' he added. Raphael is a father of three and Drena's son Leandro De Niro Rodriguez died at age 19 last year. Robert also gushed about just how important family gatherings are to him: 'The fact that they'd all be together,' he said, 'is everything to me.' In May 2023, Robert announced he has recently welcomed a baby with his girlfriend Tiffany. In May 2023, Robert announced he has recently welcomed baby Gia with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen (seen together) When asked about his feelings about becoming a father again, at age 79, the New York native told Page Six that Chen's pregnancy was 'planned.' 'I'm ok with it,' the actor told Extra when asked if he was excited. 'I'm good with it.' When asked if becoming a parent ever gets easier the Taxi Driver quipped, 'Never gets easier.' De Niro confirmed the surprising new addition to his family during an interview with ET Canada, after he was asked what it was like to be a father of six children. That is when he said he did not have six, but rather seven children, then shared that he recently welcomed a new child into his life. 'I just had a baby,' he said. He did not share the name of the baby or the gender at the time of the interview. Tiffany and Robert are thought to have first met in 2015 when they worked on the film The Intern together. The film also starred Anne Hathaway as a workaholic CEO, with Robert working at her company as a senior intern. Tiffany had a small role as a Tai Chi instructor who helps out Robert's character. Robert was spotted with Tiffany in August 2021 as they enjoyed a vacation in the South of France together. When asked about his feelings about becoming a father again, at age 79, the New York native told Page Six that Chen's pregnancy was 'planned' The couple pictured in June 2023 in New York The Godfather star also has six other other children; Drena, 56, (seen) and Raphael, 47 with his ex-wife Diahnne Abbott Seen with son Raphael The pair's romance was evident as they were seen holding hands while strolling through the sunshine and were later seen kissing on a yacht. They were also pictured together in New York in June and attended the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa on July 31, in pictures which appeared on social media but were later deleted. At the time, the Raging Bull actor was locked in a bitter divorce battle with his now ex wife Grace Hightower. In April 2022, a judge ruled that his ex-wife should receive $1 million annually and that the couple will split the proceeds after selling their $20 million home. Strictly Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice has revealed his new job plans after going through a 'dark time' which he feared would end his dance career. The professional dancer, 34, was forced to leave the hit BBC dancing show last year amid a probe into his behaviour, after he was accused of abuse by his former celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington. Giovanni was cleared of ten out of Amanda's 16 allegations when the BBC probe concluded in September but remained absent for the current edition of the series. The BBC's report cleared him of the most serious accusations of physical aggression, but upheld some of verbal bullying and harassment. Reflecting on the year, he told The Mirror in a new interview that he was looking forward to a major career change and had his sights set on waltzing away from the dance floor. He told the publication that he is hoping to forge a career in acting and would also be interested in singing but added that there is one major obstacle to him realising his ambitions. Strictly Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice, 34, has revealed his new plans after going through a 'dark time' which he feared would end his professional career The professional dancer was forced to leave the hit BBC dancing show last year amid a probe into his behaviour, after he was accused of abuse by his former celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington (pictured in July, 2024) the professional dancer revealed he is keen to forge an acting and singing career - but not before he competes on Channel 4's Celebrity Hunted with Kai Widdrington (pictured left) He explained that because English isn't his first language he would have to go back to school. The star said: 'That's something I've always wanted to do, but obviously English is not my first language, so we have to see. 'I need to go to English school first of all to learn English properly. 'And I like to sing too, so maybe some singing lesson to improve my singing.' Giovanni's comments come after he revealed he had to battle through some 'dark times' in the wake of the bombshell bullying claims against him. He confessed: 'I'm not going to lie, there were dark moments in terms of, you know, this is finished, this is the end of my career. That was one of my down moments. 'Sorry for my language but 2024 can f**k off. I've been looking forward to seeing the back of it.' Commenting on Amanda's bombshell claims, he continued: 'Every time she came out with another interview I was always maintaining a calm inside. Trust me, it wasnt easy, there were dark times.' Giovanni's comments come after he revealed he had to battle through some 'dark times' in the wake of the bombshell bullying claims against him Commenting on Amanda's bombshell claims, he continued: 'Every time she came out with another interview I was always maintaining a calm inside. Trust me, it wasnt easy, there were dark times' And the star has proved he is looking forward to pastures new as he took on a new show with his Strictly co-star Kai Widdrington in Channel 4's Celebrity Hunted. The Italian dancer also explained he was excited to be back on British TV and admitted he took the show very seriously. Viewers may be shocked by Giovanni's tactics on the hit Channel 4 show as the star confessed he decided to take the hunt to the hunters and turned up on the doorstep with a pizza - delivering it himself. And the reality show is only the latest in a string of big TV commitments for the star who will also be heading out on a nation-wide tour. Giovanni added he was both excited and saddened to be hitting the road with the Strictly show as he confessed it would be his last and he needed a break but added he was looking forward to being back with his fans and reconnecting with them. And the star will surely be needing a break after his impressive time on Celebrity Hunted. The show sees a group of stars, AKA Fugitives, go on the run across mainland UK for 14 days as they are chased by the Hunters - a handpicked team of police and military personnel. Hunters have access to all of the celeb's personal information and use the 'powers of the state' to locate and capture them, including cyber forensic technology, ANPR, CCTV, helicopters, drones, dogs and call tracing. The reality show sees a group of stars go on the run across the UK for 14 while being chased by the Hunters and this series will also star Danielle Harold (left) and Kimberly Hart-Simpson (right) They even use social media to bribe members of the public or captured contestants with monetary rewards in exchange for information on the celebs whereabouts. Those who successfully evade capture for 14 days must reach a designated 'extraction' point on the final day before winning 100,000 for Stand Up To Cancer. The Strictly pros are among six famous pairings including alongside Loose Women's Denise Welch, 66, and her husband Lincoln Townley, 52, pop star Duncan James, 46, and model Christine McGuinness, 36. Podcasters David 'Sideman' Whitely, 33, and Zeze Millz, 35, soap actresses Danielle Harold, 32, and Kimberly Hart-Simpson, 38, and news anchors Simon McCoy, 63, and Lucrezia Millarini, 48 will also all be taking part. MBABANE - As the Kingdom of Eswatini steps into 2025, the nation is poised for a transformative year, marked by the launch of several significant projects. These initiatives span critical sectors such as infrastructure, water management, energy and finance, underscoring the countrys commitment to economic growth, job creation and improved living standards. Here is an in-depth look at the major projects expected to reshape Eswatinis socio-economic landscape in 2025. Road Infrastructure Improvement Programme Phase I In a landmark move, the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a E2.4 billion (US$140.6 million) loan to Eswatini in December 2024, to kick start the first phase of the Road Infrastructure Improvement Programme. This ambitious project, slated to begin in 2025, aims to enhance road connectivity and mobility at both national and regional levels. The programme will focus on rehabilitating and upgrading key road networks, ensuring seamless transportation of goods and people. Improved road infrastructure is expected to unlock economic opportunities by linking rural areas to urban centres, facilitating trade and improving access to education and healthcare facilities. The road infrastructure investment will enable upgrading of 105.9 km of paved roads. The new road surfaces will be adapted to climate change, enabling all-weather transportation, locally and the wider area. The Siphofaneni-Sithobela-Maloma-Nsoko (MR14) and Maloma-Siphambanweni (MR21) sections will be upgraded and will have a width of 12.3 metres. This includes 2-metre paved shoulders on each side of the road as well as bridges. The effect will be to reduce journey times and vehicle operating costs. The project also includes the construction of an axle-load weighing facility along the MR14 Road. In addition, support will be provided to sectoral reforms of policy and institutional frameworks in the sphere of road safety (current road safety provisions are not consistently implemented), and for the design of an axle-load control programme. In welcoming the project, Moono Mupotola, the Banks Country Manager for Eswatini said: Above all, the project will contribute to poverty reduction by creating well-paid jobs for young people in economically disadvantaged regions such as Lubombo and Shilselweni, Moreover, the project is expected to create approximately 200 direct jobs, providing much-needed employment opportunities for emaSwati. Beyond job creation, it will contribute to fostering inclusive growth and reducing socio-economic disparities. Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Project (MNWAP) Phase I. Water security remains a pressing concern in Eswatini and the Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Project (MNWAP) Phase I is a game-changer in this regard. The project is spearheaded by the Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE), which has continued to lead in transformative agricultural development, drawing international attention for its exemplary project implementation. EWADE Chief Executive Officer, Dr Samson Sithole, is optimistic about the projects potential to transform the lives of over 100 000 emaSwati in the Shiselweni Region.He has a strong conviction that this multi-billion-Emalangeni initiative is opening doors to high-return investments for local and international investors, offering access to a diverse range of sectors, from renewable energy to ecotourism. At its core, MNWAP focuses on agricultural and agro-industrial development aimed at boosting productivity in Eswatinis agriculture sector, explains Dr Sithole. By doing so, it will enhance food and nutritional security and uplift incomes. However, the projects impact goes beyond agriculture. The project involves the ongoing construction of the Mpakeni Dam and main conveyance systems to boost water availability for agricultural, industrial and domestic use. The over E2 billion initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance agricultural productivity by providing reliable irrigation to farmers, which is crucial for ensuring food security and boosting export potential. Additionally, it will address water shortages in communities, significantly improving the quality of life for thousands of households. The MNWAP is also expected to attract investments in agro-industries, creating a ripple effect across the economy. By addressing water scarcity, the project will play a vital role in mitigating the impacts of climate change, which have adversely affected agriculture in recent years. In addition to agricultural development, MNWAP will establish a Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ) for oil and textile production, creating vast industrial opportunities. Dr. Sithole also highlights the infrastructure investments in transportation, energy and urban development, designed to meet the growing populations needs. With Eswatini strategically located between South Africa and Mozambique, Sithole envisions MNWAP evolving into a centre of regional excellence. The project will support agriculture while offering opportunities in education, health and ecotourism. Investors can tap into a market with increasing demand for renewable energy, infrastructure and urban services. Furthermore, a standout feature of MNWAP is its emphasis on renewable energy generation. Eswatini currently imports around 80 per cent of its power from South Africa and Mozambique, but MNWAP aims to contribute to the kingdoms energy independence. Construction of the Central Bank of Eswatini Complex The Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE) has already opened the tender for the much-anticipated smart complex and the invitation is open to the international community. The bank intends to engage the services of an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor (i.e., the contractor to be the lead entity in the team) to undertake the design and construction of a smart complex. The deadline for submission of queries is January 31, 2025. The proposed state-of-the-art CBE complex, to be built at Ezulwini, is projected to cost E1 billion, with the first phase expected to be completed in 36 months. The project scope entails the following: Building 1: Main Headquarters Building: The project involves the construction of a high-rise building with 18 floors, two additional floors dedicated to services at the top and one basement floor. Building 2: Museum, Innovation Hub, and Library: A two-floor building to accommodate a museum, an innovation hub and a library. Building 3: A three-storey parking facility. The CBE Complex is expected to conform to a minimum four-star green building rating, as certified by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). The GBCSAs goal is to move towards net zero carbon new buildings by 2030 and net zero existing buildings by 2050. The GBCSA uses a rating system called Green Star SA to certify buildings as green and the four-star rating simply means the building is constructed following best practices. By definition, a green building is a building that, in its design, construction, or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts and can create positive impacts on our climate and natural environment.They preserve precious natural resources and improve our quality of life. Completion and commissioning of factory shells Eswatini is set to enhance its industrial landscape in 2025 with the commencement of operations in several factory shells, aiming to boost economic growth and employment. Ndzevane Factory Shell. The Ndzevane Factory Shell, now 98 per cent complete, is scheduled for handover to an investor in February 2025. This development is anticipated to create approximately 1 000 jobs, significantly contributing to the local economy. Lubuli Factory Shell Similarly, the Lubuli Factory Shell is expected to be completed by February 2025. Commerce Minister Manqoba Khumalo has appealed to Parliament for support in this initiative, emphasising its potential to stimulate economic activity and job creation in the region. Hlatikhulu Cardboard Factory Shell In response to the destruction during the June 2021 civil unrest, the Hlatikhulu Cardboard Factory Shell is undergoing reconstruction. The project, awarded to Roots Construction at a cost exceeding E56 million, is part of efforts to revitalise industrial capacity and employment opportunities in the area. These developments align with Eswatinis National Development Plan for 2023/24 2027/28, which emphasises industrial growth and job creation. The operationalisation of these factory shells is expected to attract investment, enhance production capabilities, and provide substantial employment opportunities, thereby contributing to the nations economic development. Edwaleni Solar Power Station Although construction began in 2021, the Edwaleni Solar Power Station, a 100MW solar power plant complemented by a large battery energy storage system, is anticipated to become operational in 2025. This project aims to increase Eswatinis energy independence and contribute to the Southern African Power Pool. The overall progress of the project is 92 per cent, against a planned 100 per cent. The foundations for steel monopole structures are yet to be constructed. The contractor has erected 162 out of 171 lattice towers and the Contractor failed to catch up with the activities as per the catch-up plan. The contractor has submitted a completion plan, which runs up to November 11, 2024. All works have been completed at the substation, only the commissioning of equipment is pending, the commissioning engineer failed to mobilise and shall do so in the next quarter. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the project suffered cost overruns of E28 million, specifically to cover for compensation of landowners for right-of-way for the construction of the overhead power line. These projects align with Eswatinis National Development Plan for 2023/24 2027/28, which emphasises investments in infrastructure, energy and water resources to stimulate economic growth and improve living standards.The successful implementation of these initiatives is expected to enhance Eswatinis economic landscape, create employment opportunities and improve access to essential services for its citizens. Jackie 'O' Henderson has reveled that she felt shame and dislike for herself before she publicly revealed her struggles with drugs and alcohol. The radio host, 49, detailed her battle with addiction and secret rehab stint in her biography, The Whole Truth. 'I was numbing so much of myself. I was just coasting in life and there was never any questions of who am I, or what do I stand for... that person was living a very surface life,' she tells the Daily Telegraph. 'I didn't know what loving yourself even really meant was that just telling yourself you're beautiful in the mirror?' she continued. Jackie went on to explain the process of telling her daughter, Kitty, 14, about her addiction battle. 'We have a pretty open dialogue with each other, and there is a lot of trust there but ultimately you just also want to protect them. But I don't want to wrap cotton wool around her either,' she said. Jackie 'O' Henderson (pictured) has reveled that she felt shame and dislike for herself before she publicly revealed her struggles with drugs and alcohol Jackie added that 'other mums' at Kitty's school have supported her and reached out to her. 'She hasn't had any problems in the playground from it. And I just think that part was really lovely, it really was,' Jackie said. The radio star recently revealed the one sign which pointed towards her secret drug and alcohol addiction. Jackie told how she spiralled into a deep addiction following the 2018 breakdown of her marriage to UK photographer Lee Henderson and again during the Covid-19 lockdown. At the height of her addiction, Jackie took around 10-12 Stilnox/Zolpidem sleeping pills and 24 Panadeine Forte a day and wash them down with alcohol - which medics warn is highly dangerous. However, she kept her addiction battle a secret from her loved ones, saying she had long Covid when she took an extended absence from work in November 2022 to check into The Betty Ford Clinic in California. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, she said her friends began noticing her blackout forgetfulness and would often remind her: 'Jackie, we talked about that last night, remember?' This led to her writing her real-time phone conversations down on Post-it Notes to later remind her of what they had spoken about in a bid to conceal her struggles. The radio host, 49, detailed her battle with addiction and secret rehab stint in her biography, The Whole Truth. 'I was numbing so much of myself.. that person was living a very surface life,' she tells the Daily Telegraph Jackie went on to explain the process of telling her daughter, Kitty, 14, (left) about her addiction battle. 'We have a pretty open dialogue with each other, and there is a lot of trust there but ultimately you just also want to protect them,' she said Her personal assistant Brittany Woodford also began to notice empty blister packets of medication and felt conflicted in her duty to Jackie's wellbeing and her role as an employee. 'It was so hard to sit in that to see someone you love suffering,' Brittany, 35, explained. 'There's a line though: she's like my sister, but also my boss.' She said she ultimately decided to start leaving gentle letters around for Jackie to find urging her to seek out help, but her efforts were to no avail at the time. Meanwhile, her best friend Gemma O'Neill, who was the one to eventually persuade Jackie to go to rehab, said her pal started completely isolating herself. 'I thought for a while there that she'd developed agoraphobia,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'Honestly, that's what I was leaning into, because the reality was so far from what I would ever have guessed.' Though unaware of her drug addiction, her mother Julie Last also raised concerns about Jackie's drinking, but said her daughter would get defensive and shout at her. Eventually, Jackie confided in her best friend Gemma about her struggles, which led to them flying out of Australia in secret to go to The Betty Ford Clinic in California. Jackie said Betty Ford told her not to change 'anything' about her usage before arriving as it could be 'dangerous' so she was still taking pills the day she flew out to the US. Known for treating Hollywood stars including Keith Urban, Robert Downey Jr. and Lindsay Lohan, Betty Ford charges anywhere from $45,000 to $90,000 AUD for a month-long stay, depending on the program. The donkey that inspired Eddie Murphy's iconic character in Shrek has died at the age of 30. Perry, a miniature donkey, had been a star attraction at Bol Park in Palo Alto - in northwestern California - for almost 30 years before he was sadly euthanised on Thursday. The beloved barnyard animal had been suffering from laminitis - a painful hoof disease which caused excruciating pain. He also had a disorder in his left hind leg which made it hard for Perry to stand. His handlers tried multiple methods to ease his pain before it became apparent his condition was not improving. Jenny Kiratli, the donkey's handler, told Palo Alto Online that outside of his hometown Perry has an unlikely connection to one of Hollywood's most famous movie franchises - Shrek. One of the animators reportedly lived near Bol Park and was told by his wife to go and observe the donkeys in their enclosure to help bring Eddie Murphy's character to life. Perry (pictured), a miniature donkey, had been a star attraction at Bol Park in Palo Alto - in northwestern California - for almost 30 years before he was sadly euthanised on Thursday Jenny Kiratli, the donkey's handler, told Palo Alto Online that outside of his hometown Perry has an unlikely connection to one of Hollywood's most famous movie franchises - Shrek where he was the inspiration behind the character of Donkey (pictured) Perry moved to Bol Park in 1997 where he lived with two other donkeys, April and Buddy The same man then returned with a group of fellow animators who spent hours with Perry. The Sun reported that Perry's influence on Donkey is clear with Ms Kiralti claiming the pair shared many of the same mannerisms. Despite his apparent key role in creating one of the world's most famous animated characters, Perry reportedly received just $74 for the film - which also won the first ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature . Ms Kiratli described his death as 'the end of the era' and 'the loss of an icon'. She said: In Perry's last weeks, handlers spent many hours at the pasture with him, petting him, cradling him, singing to him, and telling him that he was and always will be loved. 'We are all blessed for having known him and we will never, ever forget him.' Perry moved to Bol Park in 1997 where he lived with two other donkeys, April and Buddy. The animal's status as a local celebrity was cemented after the Mayor of the city, Greer Stone, joined crowds of residents who flocked to the park to mark his 30th birthday in June Despite his apparent key role in creating one of the world's most famous animated characters, Perry reportedly received just $74 for the film Ms Kiratli said Perry was feisty and funny which is part of what made him so endearing to visitors. The animal's status as a local celebrity was cemented after the Mayor of the city, Greer Stone, joined crowds of residents who flocked to the park to mark his 30th birthday in June. Palo Alto also contributed $10,000 last year towards his medical costs. Donkeys typically live for between 25 and 30 years but have been known to live until into their 40s when giving the right care. Lara Worthington has jetted off to Bali with her family after they returned to Australia for the Christmas holidays. The model and her husband, Sam Worthington, and their three sons have been soaking up the sun in the tropical locale. The 37-year-old posted to Instagram this week to detail the laid-back getaway, posing on a tree-lined staircase in a sheer black top. She showed off her lithe figure in the fitted ensemble which included a rust toned mini skirt. Other photos taken show Lara kicking back on the beach with a cocktail while wearing an oversized jersey. 'Solo sip,' she captioned the set of photos, indicating she slipped away from the family to enjoy some down time. Lara Worthington (pictured) has jetted off to Bali with her family after they returned to Australia for the Christmas holidays Lara slipped into a black bikini for a spot of scuba diving at the beach during her trip Further images show Lara slipping into a black bikini for a spot of scuba diving at the beach. 'Water sports,' she captioned that set, which also included images of a boat trip. Last month, Lara visited Darwin with her family and had fun interacting with the local wildlife. In one image, Sam, 48, held up a skull from what appeared to be a crocodile while one of their sons played in the background. In her caption she wrote: 'The new Irwins' referring to the family of Steve 'The Crocodile Hunter' Irwin who are known as for their love of crocodiles and wildlife. It comes after the model drew the ire of some fans after sharing photos of a seemingly innocuous act. Lara posted to Instagram to share two photos taken at Crocosaurus Cove - a herpetarium and aquarium located in Darwin. The heart-stopping images showed Lara, encased in a perspex cage, dubbed the Cage Of Death, below the water's surface. Lara kicked back on the beach with a cocktail 'Solo sip,' she captioned the set of photos The blonde was wearing an oversized jersey Lara wasn't swimming alone, however, as the photos showed a hefty crocodile swimming to the cage to size Lara up as a perspective meal. She seemed unfazed though, gently wafting he arms through the water as she safely watched the prehistoric critters from the safety of the cage, chanelling her inner Steve Irwin. The pulse-raising post was met with a flurry of comments from fans, with many praising Lara's bravery cavorting with the apex predators. 'Wow, I still wouldn't trust that,' one fan opined, while another jumped in with a similar: 'You're brave.. not a hope in hell would I do this!' Not all fans were impressed though, with some taking the time to slam the television personality, as 'taunting' the crocs. 'These amazing prehistoric creatures are kept in captivity in tiny pools to be taunted by humans,' one fan chastised. 'This is so not your vibe.' Another fan agreed with the sentiment, arguing that the animals appeared 'depressed'. '100% agree,' they replied. Last month, Lara visited Darwin with her family and had fun interacting with the local wildlife In one image, Sam, 48, (pictured) held up a skull from what appeared to be a crocodile while one of their sons played in the background 'When I saw these crocs last year, I was so sad, they looked so depressed. The pools are tiny. It's wrong on all levels.' Lara's post comes after husband Sam had an awkward run-in with a reporter on the red carpet of the GQ Men Of the Year Awards. Channel Seven reporter Sally Bowery introduced Lara to viewers of the Sydney event by her maiden name Bingle - and it went down like a lead balloon. 'Her name is Lara Worthington,' the Avatar star clapped back. 'It's only been ten years,' a clearly irritated Sam quickly added. Bowery quickly apologised for he faux pas. 'That was my slip,' she said. Later on in the evening, the Avatar star was crowned GQ's Man of the Year. Following the red carpet Bingle bungle, Sally clapped back at the actor in a column for Seven. It comes after the model drew the ire of some fans after sharing photos of a seemingly innocuous act as she swam with a croc 'I said Lara's maiden name. Not the wrong name. Just a name she had used for a big part of her life. One that was a household name, long before she met her husband,' Sally said. She insisted Lara herself didn't seem 'the least bit bothered' by her slip-up and laughed it off as she shared her confusion about why Sam wanted her referred to by her married name. Sally argued: 'So why then at an event celebrating what it now means to be a modern man didn't her husband? A married woman's identity is far more than her husband's surname.' She then went on to cite Sam's own acceptance speech when he was crowned Man of The Year hours later, in which he spoke about the need to move past outdated notions. '[He told] the crowd that men ''can love others unconditionally and respectfully, without having to live up to some outdated standard or some stereotypical, archaic, and just plain sad idea of what a man should be''. 'I couldn't agree more,' she concluded. Sam and Lara began dating in 2013 and married secretly in 2014 and have since welcomed three sons - Racer, eight, River, four and Rocket, nine. Kate Beckinsale left little to the imagination in a cat suit as she was spotted leaving a star-studded Los Angeles party on Saturday. The actress, 51, looked nothing short of sensational as she stepped out with a friend after enjoying a night out at the Amazon MGM Studios Vanity Fair Party at the Bar Marmont in Los Angeles. The Serendipity star donned a sheer, black lace cat-suit for the evening which she wore over black underwear and a black silk wrap top. Kate added inches to her height with a pair of towering black platform heels and finished off her ensemble with a black ruffled coat and matching clutch. The Van Helsing actress swept her brunette locks in to a sleek ponytail and she added statement silver earrings to her bold look. Kate's outing comes after she hit back at trolls who flooded her social media to comment on her appearance. Kate Beckinsale, 51, left little to the imagination in a black sheer cat suit as she was spotted leaving the Amazon MGM Studios Vanity Fair Party at the Bar Marmont in Los Angeles on Saturday The Serendipity star donned a sheer, black lace cat-suit for the evening which she wore over black underwear and a black silk wrap top The actress was furious as supposed fans shared their thoughts on her weight underneath a recent Instagram post which has since been deleted. 'Its not a criticism, but I think youve lost too much weight lately,' one person commented on the post on Tuesday. And Kate did not hold back, replying to their comments with: 'If its not a criticism, its a passive aggressive, completely unnecessary opinion from someone I dont know who knows nothing about my circumstances.' 'So next time you feel like commenting on someones body, I suggest you keep it to your f***ing self,' she added. Another person suggested: 'Gaining a little fatter [sic] doesnt hurt,' but Kate was having none of it and fumed: 'Not all of us want t**ties like yours.' A third person asked: 'What happened with K.beckinsale?' and the Underworld star's response was rather unexpected. 'Shes dead. So please send donations and flowers to @refugecharity and I rescind happy New Year. Happy New Year to everyone but you,' she replied. Another person posted in Spanish a comment that translates to: 'Shes very thin. Is everything OK at home?' Kate's outing comes after she hit back at trolls who flooded the star's social media to comment on her appearance underneath a now-deleted Instagram post She told one person to keep their 'passive aggressive' opinions to themselves When one person asked what had happened to her, Kate replied and said she was 'dead' 'Everything is absolutely great f**k off,' Kate responded bluntly. This isn't the first time that the star has clapped back at trolls on the internet. In May 2024, she penned a furious post hitting back at 'insidious bullying' online as she spoke about how the the 'vicious' comments on her social media were impacting her amid constant accusations that she has had plastic surgery. In the post she shared two videos - one from 20 years ago and one from a week prior at The King's Trust Gala in NYC - as she commented on her aging. 'Any time I post anything I am accused of having had unrecognizable surgery, using Botox or fillers, or being obsessed with looking younger. I don't actually do any of those things,' she wrote at the time. Victoria Beckham showed off her jaw-dropping figure in a pair of low slung trousers and a corset as she posed for a sizzling new Instagram video on Saturday night. The fashion mogul, 51, proved she's barely aged a day as she brought back her iconic 1997 look as she headed on a night out in Miami. Victoria looked sensational in the square necked cropped corset and straight legged trousers which boasted a satin waistband from her own collection. The mother-of-four flashed her toned midriff in the 1,180 co-ord as she posed for a mirror selfie in her new aesthetic walk-in wardrobe in her and husband David's 60million waterfront home. Styling her brunette tresses in a neat up do, Victoria accessorised with a dazzling chunky silver bangle and wore a pair of small drop earrings. The Spice Girl said: 'I'm just here in Miami going out and loving these trousers from my pre-collection and my corset. Victoria Beckham showed off her jaw-dropping figure in a pair of low slung trousers and a corset as she posed for a sizzling new Instagram video on Saturday night The fashion mogul, 51, proved she's barely aged a day as she brought back her iconic 1997 look as she headed on a night out in Miami 'I love the shape of this corset, I love how tight it is around the waist so super flattering, it's low on the chest. I'm obsessed with it. 'Perfect outfit for going out in Miami'. It comes after Victoria gave an insight into her daily skincare routine as she donned a 290 dressing gown from her own range. She often shares her skincare secrets and make-up tips, and has now revealed her skin goal for 2025. Taking to Instagram earlier this week, she told how her goal for this year is for her skin to look the best that is possibly can and showed the three products from her own range that she swears by. Victoria told the camera: 'How I start my day is how I end my day, every single day. I created the cleansing duo with Melanie Grant a long time ago because I searched for that perfect cleanser. 'A cleanser that took off my make-up, a cleanser that took off unwanted oils, but a cleanser that didn't strip my skin of the oils that I want to keep on my skin.' The designer then explained that she uses The Daily Cleansing Protocol from her skincare line which costs 100. The mother-of-four flashed her toned midriff in the 1,180 co-ord as she posed for a mirror selfie in her new walk-in wardrobe in her and husband David's 60million waterfront home Victoria said: 'I'm just here in Miami going out and loving these trousers from my pre-collection and my corset. I'm obsessed with it. Perfect outfit for going out in Miami' Discussing the product, she said: 'It's quite strong. sometimes I mix it with some water, wash my face, and then take it off. 'Sometimes I leave it on for a little while or two and it can act almost a little bit like a mask. 'But you have to be really, really, really, mindful of how long you keep it on for because it is super, super, strong. 'Just don't leave it on too long and there's nothing like it.' Victoria said that she usually takes four-five pumps and mixes it with water before applying it to her face and rinsing. For the next step of her luxurious routine, she used the Cell Rejuvenating Power Serum with TFC8, which costs a whooping 195. Explaining the serum, she said: 'I use this twice a day, every single day. I use it over my whole face and neck. 'The other thing that I like is to pay attention to the eye area. Both underneath and on top because this is where I feel like I need to hydration.' The beauty then said she lets the product dry on her skin before applying her 140 Cell Rejuvenating Priming Moisturizer with TFC8. She continued: 'Now, I love these products. I'm obsessed with the TFC8, which is in the products, so you will really notice the difference in the fine lines around your eyes. Your skin will feel tight and lifted. But also look at that glow. It comes after Victoria gave an insight into her daily skincare as she donned a 290 dressing gown from her own range Hours after Victoria began the New Year with some 'me time' as she relaxed on her bed and tucked into a new book Sharing the snap, Victoria wrote: 'Happy New Year!! Starting off 2025 with a little me time! So many exciting things to come I cant wait to share with you xx' 'With any excess I always make sure that I apply it to my hands. My skin feels clean and fresh, hydrated, and nourished.' It comes hours after Victoria began the New Year with some 'me time' as she relaxed on her bed and tucked into a new book. The Spice Girl took to Instagram to share with fans how she was kicking off 2025. Victoria was seen lounging on a plush super-king size bed as she donned her dressing gown from her own range, which was personalised with her initials VB. In the snap, the fashion designer was enjoying psychological thriller novel The Wife Upstairs by American author Freida McFadden - where the main character's name is Victoria. Giving a glimpse into home life, Victoria's snap also showed that her and David have framed snaps of their iconic Juergen Teller pregnant photoshoot for Vogue in 1998 hung above their bed. Sharing the snap, Victoria wrote: 'Happy New Year!! Starting off 2025 with a little me time! So many exciting things to come I cant wait to share with you xx.' The book Victoria was reading, The Wife Upstairs, tells the tale of a woman whose life is changed forever after a terrible accident leaves her needing constant care. But she is harbouring a secret and is desperate to tell her carer, if only she could speak. Author Freida found Victoria's post and was delighted to see her reading it, as she commented: Eeeek!! I hope you like it!!!' Jane Seymour put on a leggy display as she was spotted leaving a star-studded bash in LA on Saturday. The actress, 73, stunned in a black mini dress as she enjoyed the Vanity Fair and Amazon MGM Studios 2025 awards party at Chateau Marmont's Bar Marmont. The star looked sensational in a black lace and sequin long-sleeved mini dress to which the red-haired beauty added a a black handbag. The Wedding Crashers actress accentuated her long legs in a pair of black slingback heels and accessorised with a set of silver earrings. Jane beamed as she was spotted leaving the event after partying the night away with stars including Kate Beckinsale and Jennifer Lopez. The actress brought along her boyfriend, musician John Zambetti, 78, for the evening and pair were spotted looking more loved-up than ever as they held hands while strutting in to the celebrity favourite bar. Jane Seymour, 73, put on a leggy display as she was spotted leaving the Vanity Fair and Amazon MGM Studios 2025 awards party at Chateau Marmont's Bar Marmont on Saturday The star looked sensational in a black lace and sequin mini dress to which the red-haired beauty added a a black handbag The actress brought along her boyfriend, musician John Zambetti, 78, for the evening and pair were spotted looking more loved-up than ever as they held hands John looked effortlessly stylist in a navy blue suit with a white shirt and a red cravat and the pair appeared in high spirits as they walked along together. Jane's evening out comes after she confessed to suffering from 'post-traumatic numbness' after a December wildfire forced her to flee her home. The actress was among a host of famous faces who were evacuated after a blaze ripped through her neighbourhood in Malibu, California. And following the terrifying ordeal, Jane has admitted she feels lucky to be alive and is relived her home is still standing after so many burned to the ground. 'I'm very grateful, incredibly relieved. It's interesting, you kind of have a sort of post-traumatic numbness. It's like, "Did that really happen?" And it did, she told UsWeekly. 'Driving around Malibu and looking at all the charred remains is not fun. But really considering what could have happened, we were all very fortunate.' The Wedding Crashers actress accentuated her long legs in a pair of black slingback heels and accessorised with a set of silver earrings as she enjoyed her night out Jane's evening out comes after she confessed to suffering from 'post-traumatic numbness' after a wildfire forced her to flee her home (seen at her house in Malibu in September) Jane previously admitted she only had time to grab a few precious personal items before fleeing her home as the fire crept closer. She told PEOPLE: 'I took some jewellery that had sentimental value, and I grabbed two books that my mother had saved during World War II in a concentration camp. 'I thought if they could survive that, then they needed to survive this fire, so they came with me.' Jane added of the experience: 'It's what we live with in California. I mean, all over the world now. Right? There is no place that doesn't have some natural disaster.' Other stars forced to flee their homes when the wildfire hit last month include pop legend Cher and veteran actor Dick Van Dyke, who had to be rescued by neighbours who found him attempting to crawl to his car to escape the flames. During an appearance on the 'Today' show, Dick, 99, explained: 'It was coming from the hill, you could see it. And oh my God, and we got out of here. I was trying to crawl to the car, I had exhausted myself, I couldn't get up. ' Three neighbours came and carried me out and came back and put out a little fire in the guest house and saved me.' After being evacuated, the actor took to Facebook to assure fans he and his wife Arlene were safe but he revealed his beloved cat Bobo had vanished as they were trying to leave. (L-R) Ashley Zambetti, John Zambetti and Seymour attend the American Ballet Theatre's 11th Annual Holiday Benefit at The Beverly Hilton on December 16 He wrote: 'Arlene and I have safely evacuated with our animals except for Bobo escaped as we were leaving. 'We're praying he'll be ok and that our community in Serra Retreat will survive these terrible fires.' Bobo was later found safe and well and was reunited with his owners when they returned home. In a later post on Facebook, Dick shared a picture of Arlene cuddling Bobo alongside officials from Animal Control. He wrote: 'We found Bobo as soon as we arrived back home this morning. There was so much interest in his disappearance that Animal Control was called in to assist. But, thankfully he was easy to find and not harmed.' Adrian 'Mr Lambo' Portelli has stunned his fans with a shock new look. The billionaire businessman, 35, unveiled his shaved head in a series of photos shared to Instagram on Sunday. In the images, Adrian proudly showed off his closely shaven head as he posed solo and with friends. 'Im digging the new look,' he said in the caption alongside the set of photos. 'Skin diesel,' joked one person in the comments while another said, 'What in the Uncle Fester has gone on here'. One more chimed in: 'Who let the thumbs out', while someone else wrote, 'Adrian Baldelli'. Adrian 'Mr Lambo' Portelli has stunned his fans with a shock new look. Pictured before The billionaire businessman, 35, unveiled his shaved head in a series of photos shared to Instagram on Sunday (pictured) 'New casting crew for TV series Prison Break' said one more with another writing, 'Voldemort's kids'. Adrian earlier kicked off his New Year with a sweat as he stripped down for a heated session in a sauna. He flaunted his toned abs and numerous tattoos as he snapped a selfie for Instagram while giving a thumbs up to the camera. He captioned the image with some life advice for his 447,000 followers as they head into 2025. 'This game is exhausting. Sometimes I wish I could just be content, but if I were, I'd never be in the position I am today,' Adrian wrote. 'So, suck it up and let's get back to work. The only person you should be competing with is yourself from last year.' The remarks from his lavish sauna come after Adrian boasted about his notoriety and lavish lifestyle in a Gangsta's Paradise video. The Block billionaire, who was never far from the headlines in 2024, shared a video montage of his 'controversial' year to Instagram. In the images, Adrian proudly showed off his closely shaven head as he posed solo and with friends 'Skin diesel,' joked one person in the comments while another said, 'What in the Uncle Fester has gone on here' Adrian is pictured before his haircut The post, which was set to the strains of the '90s Coolio hit Gangsta's Paradise, opened with a raft of TV news reports mentioning Adrian. The reports were referencing charges that were laid against him in early December over the conduct of his private membership business LMCT+. The sobering images were then juxtaposed with shots of Adrian, who has an estimated net worth of more than $1billion, enjoying his very lavish lifestyle. In scenes reminiscent of a rap video, Adrian could also be seen popping bottles and hosting lavish parties. His penchant for the finer things in life was also made abundantly clear, with Adrian hopping from a private jet to supercars and luxury yachts. Captioning the boastful post, Adrian hit back at his critics. 'The more you win, the more people wanna take a shot. I say bring it on 2024,' he wrote. It was certainly been a red letter year for Adrian - for better and worse. Back in November, the man dubbed 'Mr Lambo' snapped up all five renovated properties from The Block's 20th season. He dropped a record-breaking $15.3million to secure the Phillip Island properties which his company LMCT+ later raffled off. He announced the lucky winner of the massive giveaway last month after it was marred by technology issues which forced him to postpone the announcement. In December, Adrian also gave away $150,000 worth of Coles vouchers to 1000 Sydneysiders. He also signalled some big moves in 2025, revealing plans to build a new hospital in the Western Sydney city of Penrith. He said the hospital is being built for 'high physical needs patients' because there is a 'shortage' of medical assistance in the area for people in need. Pete Wicks has broken his silence on having a 'very close' relationship with Maura Higgins as he opened up about his private life. The Strictly star, 37, and the former Love Island icon, 34, sparked rumours they had spent Christmas together, after the new couple posted snaps in what seemed like the same pub on December 25. Pete, who found fame on The Only Way Is Essex in 2015, has now discussed being in the public eye and navigating relationships. Speaking to The Times, he said: 'We've known each other for a very, very long time. We're very close. 'But a lot of being in the public eye is that people assume that you have to tell everyone all about your private life and I've never, never done that.' It comes days after Maura dropped a huge clue that she's enjoying a cosy staycation with Pete Wicks at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire on Thursday. Pete Wicks has broken his silence on having a 'very close' relationship with Maura Higgins as he opened up about his private life on Sunday The Strictly star, 37, and the former Love Island icon, 34, sparked rumours they had spent Christmas together, after the new couple posted snaps in what seemed like the same pub on December 25; pictured in May Sharing sweet snaps of her wholesome break away, Maura shared a video sitting by the fire against Nat King Cole's song Let's Fall In Love. She wrote: 'Checked into the Farm.' The I'm A Celeb star checked into the celeb hotspot, where rooms start from 295-a-night, on top of an annual membership of 2,750. Earlier this week, the duo couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces as they headed off to spend their first Christmas season together. After Pete's successful stint on Strictly Come Dancing and Maura's time Down Under for I'm A Celeb, the new reality TV couple have a lot to celebrate. Maura seemed to be on cloud nine as she looked back at her new boyfriend, who put on an equally animated display. At one point, the Strictly star burst into laughter as the happy new couple shared a joke while getting ready to set off. Just hours after touching back down in the UK after her time on I'm A Celeb, Maura and Pete were reunited following weeks of speculation over their romance. Pete, who found fame on The Only Way Is Essex in 2015, has now discussed being in the public eye and navigating relationships He said: 'We've known each other for a very, very long time. We're very close. But a lot of being in the public eye is that people assume that you have to tell everyone all about your private life and I've never, never done that' It comes days after Maura dropped a huge clue that she's enjoying a cosy staycation with Pete Wicks at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire on Thursday Maura headed to the pub and both she and Pete posted pictures of their drinks to their Instagram stories The couple posed for a photo together in a London hotel, cuddling up with a group of friends as they celebrated Maura's homecoming after her month-long trip to Australia. Maura had touched down at London Heathrow airport just hours before, but was obviously keen to catch up with Strictly star Pete was soon as possible. A beaming Maura reposted her pal's mirror selfie on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday night, with the group of friends seen surrounded by jungle themed balloons. During her time in the jungle, Maura seemingly confirmed that she was dating Pete after they were seen kissing just weeks before she flew to Australia. When asked by former Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse if was single, Maura replied: 'I am but I was seeing someone before I came in but I'm not in a relationship.' Reverend Richard Coles - a founding member of '80s synth-pop group The Communards - then asked: 'Was it exclusive? Or if I've put you on the spot, sorry!', to which she replied after a long pause: 'I dunno'. Maura also revealed that the pair had known each other for longer than fans might expect - and said Pete had pursued her relentlessly. 'Yeah, we've known each other since five years, and never once..." she told Oti. 'He would always say, "Oh no, like, we are gonna go on a date somewhere." And I'd be like, "We're actually not." And I was deadly serious, "We're actually not. You're delusional."' Appearing on This Morning following her elimination from the show she shared her excitement at potentially seeing Pete upon her return to the United Kingdom and admitted he had encouraged her decision to enter the jungle. Just hours after touching back down in the UK after her time on I'm A Celeb, Maura and Pete were reunited following weeks of speculation over their romance On the show, Maura revealed that the pair had known each other for longer than fans might expect - and said Pete had pursued her relentlessly She said: 'Honestly, he's been so supportive. I didn't know if he was still in Strictly, I'm so proud of him and he's proud of me and I can't wait to see him.' When asked why she eventually changed her mind, Maura explained: 'He wouldn't give up. And then I was like, "Oh fine". 'I brought my friends with me, and I was like, "see it's a friendship date." And then the next time I went, just me.' Recounting their first date, she admitted no expense was spared, noting: 'We went out for oysters and wine. Yeah, come on. It was super nice.' As for their chemistry, Maura quipped: 'Yeah, a lot of fun. We just dial up 24/7 with each other. We've got the very same humour.' During his time on Strictly Pete showed that he still had Maura on his mind as he reposted Maura's Instagram which was being run by her friends and family while she was Down Under -and urged people to vote for her. He quipped: 'I've been George of the Jungle but now it's time to vote for Maura of the Jungle'. The Mail on Sunday previously revealed that Pete has put a stop to his romantic liaison with his Strictly partner Jowita Przystal - because he is determined to win the heart of Maura. Sources close to Pete say he is telling friends he is completely smitten with the jungle star who he has been casually dating for the past five months. Pete narrowly missed out on a place in the Strictly Come Dancing final after leaving in the semi-finals When he began Strictly and met Jowita, Maura gave up any hope of the relationship continuing. A friend said: Before Maura entered the jungle, Pete wanted to make their relationship exclusive. 'But Maura, aware of Petes reputation and his close bond with Jowita, decided to slow things down. 'She gave him an ultimatum: either commit to her or let it go. So she went off a single woman. 'Since then, Pete has gone all-in, openly expressing his feelings to anyone wholl listen'. Nicole Kidman's daughter Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban stole her mother's spotlight at the very star-studded W Magazine party Chateau Marmont in LA on Saturday. Sunday-Rose, 16, looked effortlessly stylish in a chic blue co-ord and opaque tights as she mingled with Hollywood legends. Baby Girl star Nicole, 57, exuded glamour in a royal blue blouse and oversized blazer, teamed with dainty court heels. The Australian-American actress looked happier than ever to be joined by her lookalike daughter. At the party, Sunday-Rose posed for photos with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo and Netflix icon Joey King. Sunday is the daughter of Nicole and her husband Keith Urban, who wed in 2006. The couple also share Faith, 13. Nicole Kidman's, 57, daughter Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban, 16, stole her mother's spotlight at the very star-studded W Magazine party in Los Angeles on Saturday Sunday-Rose looked effortlessly stylish in a chic blue co-ord and opaque tights as she mignled with Hollywood legends Sunday launched her modelling career, opening the Miu Miu Paris Womenswear Spring-Summer 2025 show during Paris Fashion Week in October 2024. But her runway debut was savaged by harsh social media users who critiqued her walk afterwards. Nicole later weighed in on her daughter's controversial appearance, and she admitted that she had advised against it at first. During a recent chat with Hollywood Reporter, the actress was asked 'what it was like as a mom' to see Sunday walk in her first fashion show. 'But Miuccia just loved her and was like, No, I want her. And Miuccia is so powerful as a woman. So that was a good match.' Nicole added that she had known Miuccia since she was 23 years old, so she trusted her expertise. Sunday strutted on the catwalk in a white sleeveless dress with a ribbon embellishment from the Italian haute couture label, which she paired with grey leg-warmers and black peep-toe heels. People were quick to slam her online, with one person suggesting she take runway lessons, and another complaining that too many nepo babies think they can model. The Australian-American actress looked happier than ever to be joined by her lookalike daughter Baby Girl star Nicole exuded glamour in a royal blue blouse and oversized blazer, teamed with dainty court heels At the party, Sunday-Rose even mingled with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo(L) and Netflix icon Joey King (R) The actress stars in Babygirl, the new erotic thriller film, and the actress recently admitted that she hopes it proves to be a 'liberating story' for women Nicole is also a doting mother to Isabella, 31, and Connor, 29, with ex-husband Tom Cruise. The actress stars in Babygirl, the new erotic thriller film, and the actress recently admitted that she hopes it proves to be a 'liberating story' for women. The acclaimed actress confessed that she found making the movie to be a 'very freeing' experience. She said at the Venice Film Festival: 'This is one woman's story and this is, I hope, a very liberating story. 'It's told by a woman, through her gaze - Halina [Reijn] wrote it and she directed it - and that's to me what made it so unique because suddenly I was going to be in the hands of a woman with this material.' An influencer has died after reportedly choking on her dinner and going into cardiac arrest in front of her horrified family. Carol Acosta, 27, known online as Killadamente, was having a meal at a New York restaurant on Saturday before tragedy struck. The mum-of-two's younger sister Khatyan confirmed her death in an Instagram post shared to her 130,000 followers showing the pair smiling while on an aeroplane. 'I love you sister and I will always love you,' she captioned the heartbreaking tribute. 'I give thanks to God for giving me a sister like you with your big heart. Rest in peace my sister.' She added in a tearful video address, with tears streaming down her face: 'To all the people who are sending me messages of condolences, I want to thank you a lot for being there and for your support. And thank you also for supporting my sister while she was still alive.' Autopsy results have yet to be received by Acosta's family, but it is believed she died from a suspected cardiorespiratory arrest after choking while eating. A cousin of the Dominican-Republic born content creator was quoted overnight as saying: 'I know everyone wants to know what happened, but we still are not too sure and we are awaiting the post-mortem results. Carol Acosta, 27, known online as Killadamente, was having a meal at a New York restaurant on Saturday before tragedy struck Acosta's younger sister Khatyan confirmed her death in an Instagram post shared to her 130,000 followers showing the pair smiling while on an airplane 'All I know is that she was having dinner as normal and she began to choke and have difficulties breathing. She had an attack of some kind, she was taken to hospital, but they couldn't save her.' The social media star's 6.6million followers quickly flooded her recent post's comment sections with heartfelt tributes. One read: 'You don't know the pain that this news has caused all of us who have been here since the beginning.' Another added: 'Tell me it's not true what they're saying out there.' A third commented: 'I can't believe it, I'm still hoping it's fake.' One more said: 'Your departure hurts me, you have taught us to love our bodies just as they are.' Acosta was known for posting body positivity content and sharing motivational messages against body stereotypes. She herself had publicly spoken out about suffering bullying as a child because of her weight. The internet sensation released a song in 2017 titled 'Me Amo y No Me Importa' - which in English translates as 'I love myself and I don't care.' The song started: 'I'm different, and they call me Killadamente. Even if I fall down I suddenly get up again, I'm brave, I'm a bit arrogant. I take care of myself a lot, because I'm the one who stands up for myself.' Acosta was known for posting body positivity content and sharing motivational messages against body stereotypes The internet sensation had over a staggering 6.6million followers on Instagram Following her sudden death, Acosta tragically leaves behind two young daughters, Reina and Legend. In a video post just a day before her death, the influencer said as she posed in a tight-fitting black dress with make-up on: 'I always thought God had his favourites because there are people who eat and don't get fat. 'But looking at me properly, are you telling me, someone who has no extensions and has not gone in for any cosmetic surgery when I'm looking like this!! I'm on that list of favourites and no-one's going to convince me otherwise.' An online family statement said: 'On January 3 our dear Carolar better know as Killadamente passed away. 'The Acosta Gonzalez family shares its pain with everyone who knew her. 'At her young age she managed to help thousands of people through her work but on this occasion we unite and ask for your help in making sure she has the farewell she deserves. 'If it's within your possibilities we would appreciate a contribution however small to help go towards funeral costs and help her family and children overcome this enormous loss.' MBABANE Thousands of libutfo (regiments) celebrated with great joy yesterday as His Majesty the King generously gifted them E33 million. The surprises did not stop there; the King also provided bread and fresh meat for them to take home and share with their families, having arranged for the slaughter of 377 cattle to create food parcels for the libutfo. The days festivities were particularly remarkable as the King arrived early, even before the crowds had fully gathered at the royal residence for the occasion. He entered the arena around noon and immediately joined the thousands of Emabutfo in vibrant song and dance, creating an electric atmosphere. This joyful celebration marked the dispersal of the libutfo, symbolising the conclusion of this years Incwala Ceremony. The Incwala Ceremony is Eswatinis most sacred cultural events, often referred to as the First Fruits Ceremony. It is deeply rooted in eswatini traditions and signifies the renewal of the nations unity, strength, and vitality under the Kings leadership. The dispersal took place at the Ngabezweni Royal Residence, which buzzed with activity from early morning. Many attendees almost missed the Kings participation, as His Majesty arrived earlier than expected. By noon, he was already leading the libutfo in song and dance, adding a special highlight to the days proceedings. In his address, the King urged the nation to work hard and prioritise job creation, emphasising the importance of employment for every adult to improve their families lives. He also highlighted the blessing of abundant rains this year, encouraging the nation to leverage this opportunity to grow more food. For the country to progress economically, we must focus on food security to ensure that everyone has enough to eat, the King stated. He explained that addressing food security challenges would pave the way for broader economic self-sufficiency. The King expressed gratitude to the regiments for their unwavering support of the event from start to finish. He encouraged them to continue observing cultural practices such as Incwala, which he described as a unifying tradition that defines emaSwati identity. This culture is vital to the nation, and it must be preserved and passed on to future generations, he emphasised. The regiments in attendance included uniformed members of the three armed forces and personnel from the Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services (ENFES). Other groups, such as Inyatsi yaMswati and Bokhololo (religious leaders), were also present. Meanwhile, Lutsango and Imbaliwomens and girls regimentswere at the royal residence but did not participate in the singing and dancing in the arena. Enclosure Upon their arrival, the libutfo began forming a circular enclosure, singing traditional songs with great enthusiasm. This traditional dance is known as Kuhlehla. After a few minutes, they rearranged themselves into a C-shaped formation facing the cattle byre, signalling their readiness for the Kings arrival. When His Majesty arrived, accompanied by a large entourage of regiments, the arena erupted with sounds of whistles and vibrant traditional songs. The singing paused briefly when the King addressed the regiments. The King began by inspecting the different regiments, which were grouped along the boundary of the C-shaped yard. Moving in front of each group with a smile and a wave, the King was greeted with loud shouts of Bayethe!! Wena Waphakathi!! from the libutfo. The inspection concluded around 12:20pm, followed by the Umgubho dance, a traditional performance lasting over an hour. During this dance, the regiments sang slowly, displaying their enjoyment and deep knowledge of the songs, even though the lyrics were difficult to comprehend. Female regiments participated by standing near the cattle byre. Agility Later, the regiments performed traditional dances while squatting, showcasing their agility and coordination. Once the performances concluded, the King walked to the podium near the cattle byre to deliver his closing remarks. In the end, the libutfo were pleasantly surprised when the King presented them with bags full of gifts and a calendar to take home. It could not be immediately determined how much each regiment received as their monetary gift. Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore and Zendaya were among the A-listers on Hollywood Reporter's Leading Ladies issue. As the most influential stars in Hollywood, Angelina, 49, Demi, 62, Zendaya, 28, Tilda Swinton, Zoe Saldana, 46, and Mikey Madison, 25, came together for the first time to discuss their lives onscreen and offscreen. In a room full of award-winning actresses, it's no surprise one A-lister was left completely starstruck by a fellow industry star. British actress Tilda, 64, said she was once 'too shy' to go up to Angelina and introduce herself at a Hollywood bash. She said: 'She was there. We had Liza Minnelli over here and we had Sacha Baron Cohen over there and Angie was there. 'And both Pedro [Almodovar] and I were scorched with the glamour of it. We just couldnt believe that we were present.' Angelina Jolie Demi Moore and Zendaya were among the A-listers on Hollywood Reporter's Leading Ladies issue (pictured with Tilda Swinton, Zoe Saldana and Mikey Madison) In a room full of award-winning actresses, it's no surprise one A-lister was left completely starstruck by a fellow industry star (Demi Moore, 62, pictured) As the most influential stars in Hollywood, Tilda, Demi, Mikey, Zoe, Angelina and Zendaya (L-R) came together for the first time to discuss their lives onscreen and offscreen Humble Angelina replied: 'And I was probably because I never go out really alone and not sure anybody wanted to talk to me. And probably I wouldve been so happy had they said hello.' Tilda added: 'Were all shy.' The six stars gathered together on a round table to chat about their experiences in the industry and all said how nice it was to talk to each other. Angelina said: 'A lot of women in the past didnt have this table. They didnt have community in this way.' Tilda added: 'I think we [women] know how to do this. This is what we do. Yes. You know, we sit around tables and we chat and we support each other, and we witness each other.' Angelina's interview comes after finalizing her bitter divorce from Brad Pitt, 61, walking away $80 million richer. The former couple, best known as 'Brangelina', share three biological children - Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16 - as well as their adopted children Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, and Zahara. Since their parents' bitter split, Zahara, Shiloh and Vivienne have all dropped Pitt from their last name. British actress Tilda, 64, (pictured) said she was once 'too shy' to go up to Angelina and introduce herself at a Hollywood bash Humble Angelina, 49, (pictured) replied: 'And I was probably because I never go out really alone and not sure anybody wanted to talk to me. And probably I wouldve been so happy had they said hello' The six stars gathered together on a round table to chat about their experiences in the industry and all said how nice it was to talk to each other (Zoe, 46, pictured) Zoe looked incredible in a strapless black ruffle dress as she posed in the stunning shoot Mikey, 25, showcased her natural beauty in a close up shot Zendaya, 28, flashed her cleavage in a plunging nude dress It has been reported that Maddox and Pax do not talk to their father - while it is believed that Knox and Vivienne still speak with the Fight Club star, though they have not been pictured with him in several years. Their bitter custody battle over their six children ended with Angelina retaining primary physical custody of their brood. Brad was granted visitation rights. The actor had originally sought a 50/50 arrangement relating to their six kids, but an insider told DailyMail.com in March this year that he was no longer contesting the matter. Court documents filed in 2018 showed that Brad has paid Angelina who has a promising new project set for early 2025 at least $9 million in child support. The children have reportedly not had any contact with Brad's wider family either, including his parents - William, 84, and Jane Pitt, 83. 'Brad Pitt's parents have not been able to see their beloved grandchildren for around eight years amid the ongoing divorce and legal battle between Brad and Angelina,' an insider previously told DailyMail.com. Angelina filed for divorce from Brad in September 2016 after just two years of marriage. It came just days after a journey on a private plane in which Angelina claimed Brad was abusive to her and their six children but authorities did not charge him after investigating. Brad and Angelina reached a settlement and signed divorce papers on Monday, December 30, but are still disputing over their $62million Chateau Miraval; Angelina and Brad seen in 2007 The former couple, best known as 'Brangelina', share three biological children - Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16 - as well as their adopted children Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, and Zahara; Angelina seen with their kids in 2019 They were declared legally single in 2019 but have battled over custody and legal issues over their French estate and winery, Chateau Miraval, since the split. Brad has since got into a serious relationship with Ines de Ramon who he has been romantically linked to since 2022. Although they kept their relationship private, in recent months they have made several red carpet appearances together and Brad is said to be 'in love' with the 32-year-old beauty. 'Brad is so grateful that he gets to leave all of this in the past as he starts a new year,' the insider tells DailyMail.com. 'It is true that he wants to take his relationship with Ines to the next level but they are not in any rush to do so. She is thrilled for him and has been super supportive of him through all of this.' She has a two Strictly Come Dancing glitter ball trophies under her belt. But professional dancer Oti Mabuse has a new feather in her cap as she has landed a lucrative fashion deal just weeks after leaving the I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here jungle. The TV judge, 34, has collaborated with supermarket chain Sainsbury's to launch a new line of luxe gym wear. The 'Reaktiv' range, is said to 'channel the feel-good energy of our ambassador Oti Mabuse, making you feel confident and comfortable.' Gushing about her new line, Oti said: 'I am delighted to announce the launch of my very own activewear collection. This is truly a pinch-me moment! 'Movement brings joy, especially when youre confident and comfortable and I wanted to create a range that not only makes you feel amazing but is accessible and affordable and designed with style and quality in mind too. Professional dancer Oti Mabuse has a new feather in her cap as she has landed a lucrative fashion deal just weeks after leaving the I'm A Celebrity ...Get Me Out Of Here jungle The TV judge, 34, has collaborated with supermarket chain Sainsbury's to launch a new line of luxe gym wear 'Whether youre a yoga enthusiast, casual walker, or dedicated gym-goer - feeling great should be for everyone! Prices start at just 10 and pieces are available in sizes XSmall to XXLarge. You can now start to find the collection exclusively online at Tu.co.uk' Fans and famous faces including her sister Motsi and last year's Strictly contestant Dr Punam Krishnan flocked to Oti's comment section to congratulate her on her new venture. They wrote: 'Thank goodness to see a real, beautiful strong woman promoting inclusive clothing that we can all wear and will suit all shapes and sizes amazing Oti thank you!!!!' 'Yes girl! So proud of you! Cant wait to pop in to my local and get some new kit ' 'Ohhhhhhhhh Yesssss Go on Girlllll' 'Inclusive active wear WE LOVE TO SEE IT ' '' The huge collection will see 67 pieces, with sizes ranging from X-small to XX-large, over the course of January. The range will be sold online through Tu and Argos, as well as in select Sainsbury stores. Created in partnership with Tu's supplier Poeticgem, the collection features versatile neutrals paired with vibrant patterns, including Oti's signature leopard print. Key design elements include phone pockets in leggings, reflective shower-resistant jackets, and soft, comfortable fabrics tailored for everyday wear. The 'Reaktiv' range, is said to 'channel the feel-good energy of our ambassador Oti Mabuse, making you feel confident and comfortable' Gushing about her new line, Oti said: 'I am delighted to announce the launch of my very own activewear collection. This is truly a pinch-me moment!' She went onto say that 'movement brings joy, especially when youre confident and comfortable' something that she wanted to create The star also said how she wanted her 67 piece line to be afdordable and for everyone so has created sizes ranging from X-small to XX-large During filming of the the ad, Oti showed off a number of different looks from versatile neutrals paired with vibrant patterns, as well as her signature leopard print. Fans and famous faces including her sister Motsi and last year's Strictly contestant Dr Punam Krishnan flocked to Oti's comment section to congratulate her on her new venture In December, Oti marked the one-year anniversary of bringing her daughter home from the hospital as she shared a heartfelt post recalling her premature birth. The Dancing On Ice judge and her husband Marius Lepure, 41, became parents in November 2023 after their newborn was born prematurely with an infection and spent six weeks in intensive care. Sharing several snaps of her adorable daughter and their extended family, Oti said the tot is now their 'greatest joy'. She wrote: 'One year ago today, we brought our baby girl home from the hospital, and it still feels like a dream. 'After weeks of incredible care from the midwives at UCLH (thank you doesnt even cover it), she was finally readybreathing on her own, eating on her own, and at the right weight. 'I remember that first car ride home, holding my breath the whole way, overwhelmed with gratitude and disbelief. The world suddenly felt brighterChristmas lights twinkling, our family waiting to welcome her, and the darkest days behind us. It comes after Oti marked the one-year anniversary of bringing her daughter home from the hospital on Monday as she shared a heartfelt post recalling her premature birth Oti, 34, and her husband Marius Lepure, 41, became parents in November 2023 after their newborn was born prematurely with an infection and spent six weeks in intensive care Sharing several snaps of her adorable daughter and their extended family, Oti said the tot is now their 'greatest joy' 'From that day, December 23rd, until forever, shes been our greatest joy. Today, shes sassy, hilarious, full of energy, and fills our home with laughter and love. 'This journey has taught us so much about strength, hope, and family. Were so lucky to have her, and well never stop being grateful for this miracle.' Oti was pre-diabetic and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 28 weeks, before also experiencing complications after the birth when she contracted sepsis. Speaking previously on Loose Women, she said: 'When I fell pregnant I got gestational diabetes and we have diabetes in the family but I didn't really know what happens after you give birth. 'Does it go away? Do you have to keep working? Years ago I would see pictures of models who would have a baby and within three weeks they're back and walking the runway. 'I'm in the bathroom, I'm crying, I probably haven't washed in like three days. How am I going to snap back?' 'It's so difficult and my sister and I talk about this all the time. It's really about being healthy.' She revealed: 'My reason for getting back into fitness was that I found out I was pre-diabetic actually.' Shocked, Loose Women panellist Charlene White quipped: 'Really?' to which Oti responded: 'Yeah I am still pre-diabetic and it's about trying to get back to a point where I feel strong, I can handle my food, my sugar levels are right.' Oti gave birth naturally and said she was 'singing Chicago the whole time,' with the problems arising afterwards. She explained: 'Once I gave birth to her it became more traumatic, I had sepsis and I didnt know. I had all these things, I had the diabetes, I had pelvic pain so turning and getting up and walking was very painful. 'Then I found out that I had sepsis. It was one thing over the other. We spent 10 minutes together and she was taken away with my husband and the doctors. 'She was in the incubator and that was the first time we actually saw her. She was covered up and she had all these machines and wires and everything covering her face.... 'This premature world only comes to light when youre going through it.... It was a really, really scary time.' Aubrey Plaza once said that her husband Jeff Baena received 'death threats in his DMs' after they got married. The couple had been together since 2011 and married for three years before his death at age 47 in January 2025. The 40-year-old actress previously spoke about how some of her most devout fans had inappropriate reactions to her tying the knot with Baena in 2020. She shared insight into some appalling and erroneous correspondence her husband received after they decided to get married spontaneously. 'Oh my God. Jeff got death threats in his DMs,' she previously told Cosmopolitan in 2022 when the interviewer noted that her bisexual fans were saddened to learn of the nuptials. 'People project so much stuff onto marriage, but it wasn't some big statement I'm trying to make where I want everybody to react to it,' she added. Aubrey Plaza once said that her husband Jeff Baena received 'death threats in his DMs' after they got married. The couple had been together since 2011 and married for three years before his death at age 47 in January 2025; pictured January 2017 The 40-year-old actress previously spoke about how some of her most devout fans had inappropriate reactions to her tying the knot with Baena in 2020. She shared insight into some appalling and erroneous correspondence her husband received after they decided to get married spontaneously; pictured October 2024 A year earlier, she had opened up about how they had secretly tied the knot to celebrate their 10-year dating anniversary while in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. During a December 2021 appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, she recounted how their out-of-the-ordinary matrimony occurred. 'A lot of things happened during COVID for me. Yes, we got married. Big deal,' she said. 'We got a little bored one night. We got married and I'll tell you how: Onehourmarriage.com. That's real, look it up.' She also recounted how they wore matching tie-dye pajamas that Baena had made for them. 'We were in the lockdown,' she explained. 'Things got a little crazy, especially in my house. 'My husband got really into tie-dying and when I say tie-dying, I mean 50 shirts a day.' After their spontaneous decision to get married, she recalled how they fast made it happen. DailyMail.com confirmed on Saturday that Baena died by suicide at the age of 47. Plaza has not yet publicly addressed the death of her husband; pictured January 2020 'Oh my God. Jeff got death threats in his DMs,' she previously told Cosmopolitan in 2022. 'People project so much stuff onto marriage, but it wasn't some big statement I'm trying to make where I want everybody to react to it,' she added; pictured May 2016 A year earlier, she had opened up about how they had secretly tied the knot to celebrate their 10-year dating anniversary while in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. During a December 2021 appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, she recounted how their out-of-the-ordinary matrimony occurred; pictured July 2014 in New York City She also recounted how they wore matching tie-dye pajamas that Baena had made for them; pictured August 2014 'I created a very quick love altar in our yard,' she recalled. 'Facts of our love, little stones, smoke, fire. Things of that nature. 'Then the man from Alhambra showed up in a Hawaiian shirt with a briefcase. I can't remember a lot of it. It was fuzzy, but I'm pretty sure it's legal.' DailyMail.com confirmed on Saturday that Baena died by suicide at the age of 47. Plaza has not yet publicly addressed the death of her husband. The actress's final Instagram post with her husband revealed how 'proud' she was of him. In her last post with Baena shared in May 2021, the award-winning actress praised her 'darling husband.' 'So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that take us to Italia to cause some more trouble,' she captioned the post. The photo showed the star couple lovingly gazing into each other's eyes and was accompanied with screenshots of a Deadline article detailing their 'new assignment' the 2022 film Spin Me Round. The actress's final Instagram post with her husband revealed how 'proud' she was of him. In her last post with Baena shared in May 2021, the award-winning actress praised her 'darling husband' On Friday morning, Baena was discovered by an assistant in the home the couple purchased in 2022. Law enforcement responded to the call and arrived at the Los Feliz property at 10:25 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department told DailyMail.com; pictured June 2017 On Friday morning, Baena was discovered by an assistant in the home the couple purchased in 2022. Law enforcement responded to the call and arrived at the Los Feliz property at 10:25 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department told DailyMail.com. Baena's family told Deadline that they are devastated by the news and are asking for privacy at this time. Baena and Plaza were last seen together on a hike this past summer, six months before his death. In July 2024, they were seen enjoying a stroll together in Los Angeles' Griffith Park. Baena is survived by his wife, his mother Barbra Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, his stepmother Michele Baena, his brother Brad Baena, and his step siblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman. RuPaul's Drag Race UK judge Michelle Visage joined Perrie Edwards and Ashley Roberts in leading leading tributes to The Vivienne, who won the show's UK series in 2019, following their tragic death aged 32. News of the talented drag artist's passing was announced across social media on Sunday. A cause is yet to be established. Sharing photos of herself alongside the Vivienne, real name James Lee Williams, Michelle penned a heartfelt tribute to 'her angel'. She wrote: 'Heartbreaking I don't know how to say how I feel. My darling @thevivienne we go back to when I started coming over here to the UK. You were always there, always laughing, always giving, always on point'. 'Your laughter, your wit, your talent, your drag. I loved all of it but I loved your friendship most of all. You were a beacon to so many. Seeing you make your West End debut was amazing for me to witness your dream come true right in front of my eyes,' 'I'm the lucky one to have known you and to have laughed together with you so many times. I love you my darling. You will be so missed my lovely. May your light shine fiercely, forever. RIP MY ANGEL fly high'. RuPaul 's Drag Race UK judge Michelle Visage j(L) oined Perrie Edwards and Ashley Roberts in leading leading tributes to The Vivienne (R) following their tragic death aged 32 Sharing photos of herself alongside the Vivienne, real name James Lee Williams, Michelle penned a heartfelt tribute to 'her angel' She wrote: 'Heartbreaking I don't know how to say how I feel. My darling @thevivienne we go back to when I started coming over here to the UK. You were always there, always laughing, always giving, always on point' The news was announced in a statement by The Vivienne's publicist Simon Jones on Instagram, to which Little Mix's Perrie replied with a string of broken heart emojis. Meanwhile Pussycat Doll star Ashley reshared the statement and commented: 'This is devastating news, absolutely horrific, RIP Queen Viv'. She later captioned a snap of herself and The Vivienne in happier times writing: 'The world lost an angel, rest in peace'. Meanwhile The Vivienne's ex husband David Luford shared his own emotional tribute, they were together for seven years before splitting in 2023. In a lengthy statement he wrote: 'My heart literally sank when I got the call. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd ever be writing anything like this about James Lee Williams. 'This man changed my life so much from the day we first met in August 2017 in Gran Canaria!! We literally clicked straight away and we knew we was going to be together for along time!! He made me feel love and shown me what it was really like to love someone. He continued: 'We literally went through and did so much together it was like a whirlwind and I wouldn't have changed the time we spent together for anything In The world!!! I feel like a tit feeling this upset and hurt because we have been fully divorced for just over a year now but we was togteher 6 year and we loved each other so much and you can't take away. 'I'm so happy to say I not only met you but we was together, we was husbands and you was the biggest part of my life [sic] for such a long time. 6 years is such a long time to spend 24/7 with. You will always have a place in my heart. Going to miss you more than people will ever know. Sleep tight angel.' Michelle shared a string of throwback snaps of the pair The news was announced in a statement by The Vivienne's representatives Simon Jones PR on Instagram, to which Little Mix's Perrie replied with a string of broken heart emojis Meanwhile Pussycat Doll star Ashley captioned a snap of herself and The Vivienne in happier times writing: 'The world lost an angel, rest in peace' Rylan wrote: 'Just seen the news that The Vivienne has passed away. Such a talented performer and such a sad loss. Rest in Peace gorgeous x' Meanwhile The Vivienne's ex husband David Ludford shared his own emotional tribute, they were together for seven years before splitting in 2023 In a lengthy statement he wrote: 'My heart literally sank when I got the call. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd ever be writing anything like this about James Lee Williams. David shared snaps of himself and The Vivienne throughout their relationship X Factor and Union J star Jaymi Hensley (L) shared his own tribute and asked late fiance Olly Marmon (C) to welcome their pal into heaven in a heartbreaking post. Oliver, 33, died after plummeting 30ft from the third floor of a three-star Hind Hotel in Wellingborough, Northampton, on August 12, just weeks ahead of his wedding to Jaymi Denise Van Outen was left heartbroken Fellow drag artist and Strictly star Tayce (R) shared a stunning snap of themsleves with The Vivienne and wrote: 'Rest in peace angel' Dancing on Ice's Oti Mabuse, who judged The Vivienne as a contestant during the 2023, shared her own heartfelt tribute RuPaul's Drag Race said in a statement: 'We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of The Vivienne. Her talent, humour, and dedication to the art of drag was an inspiration'. X Factor and Union J star Jaymi Hensley shared his own tribute and asked late fiance Olly Marmon to welcome their pal into heaven in a heartbreaking post. Oliver, 33, died after plummeting 30ft from the third floor of a three-star Hind Hotel in Wellingborough, Northampton, on August 12, just weeks ahead of his wedding to Jaymi. The singer wrote: 'I actually can't believe this! When we took this photo little did we know there would only be three of us left. my darling @ollymarmon please welcome our beautiful James @thevivienne_ into heaven!' ' Look after each other , this is too much for my heart to handle! The scales of better people being up there then here has now well and truly changed'. Meanwhile RuPaul's Drag Race said in a statement: 'We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of The Vivienne. Her talent, humour, and dedication to the art of drag was an inspiration'. 'She will be dearly missed, but her legacy will live on as a beacon of creativity and authenticity she embodied what it means to be a true champion. Our hearts go out to her family and fans during this difficult time'. 'Some news hits you harder than others and stops you in your tracks. I absolutely loved the Viv. A beautiful human being,' Dancing on Ice's Oti Mabuse, who judged The Vivienne as a contestant during the 2023, shared her own heartfelt tribute. She continued: 'Funny, kind, a trailblazer, creative and so warm. You were such an asset to Dancing On Ice, one of the greatest on Drag Race and just a phenomenal entertainer on screen and theatre. Rest in peace'. The Vivienne's 2023 Dancing On Ice co-star Claire Sweeney wrote: 'Devastating news RIP The Vivienne, beautiful inside and out' Fellow DOI star Adele Roberts also paid her respects: 'Absolutely heartbroken. Thinking of The Vivienne's family, friends and loved one. Gone far too soon. Rest in paradise Queen' Fellow Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio thanked The Vivienne for 'sharing their light' with the world Bianca (R) and The Vivienne (L) pictured together Drag Race UK vs The World winner Tia Kofi wrote: 'This is an incredible loss to the British drag community and to the world' The Vivienne (R) is pictured with Tia Kofi (L) at the Wicked premiere in London in November CBB and West End star Marisha Wallace said the tradgedy had left her 'lost for words' The Vivienne's series one co-stars paid tribute to the stay, with Blu Hydrangea writing: 'Truly heartbroken to hear about the loss of a dear friend and sister' Meanwhile Cheryl Hole said: 'I will love you forever Viv' Emmerdale star Lisa Riley shared her tribute to The Vivienne, as she wrote: 'You incredible human..rest in peace never stop shining your beautiful light over us all' Comedian and Strictly star Jayde Adams said The Vivienne's death had left her 'completely undone' Mae Muller who represented UK in 2023's Eurovision also paid her respects Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies said: 'The Vivienne, James Lee Williams (1992-2025). We met a couple of times and chatted online, he was absolutely delightful'. The Vivienne's Dancing On Ice co-star Claire Sweeney wrote: 'Devastating news RIP The Vivienne, beautiful inside and out'. Fellow DOI star Adele Roberts also paid her respects: 'Absolutely heartbroken. Thinking of The Vivienne's family, friends and loved one. Gone far too soon. Rest in paradise Queen'. Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies said: 'The Vivienne, James Lee Williams (1992-2025). We met a couple of times and chatted online, he was absolutely delightful'. 'I was expecting lots of drag queen banter and bitching, but he was far more than that, kinder and more thoughtful and glittering with shrewd observations. And what a talent! On the cusp of graduating to West End stardom. What a world. Night, darling. Confirming the news on Instagram, The Vivienne's publicist Simon Jones wrote: 'It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams - The Vivienne, has passed this weekend. 'James was an incredibly loved, warmhearted and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. Last year they made history as she became the first drag queen to perform on Dancing On Ice, with viewers branding them a 'superstar' The Vivienne won the first series of the UK version of the drag contest headed up by Ru Paul in 2019, before returning for the US All Stars Winners season in 2022 Confirming the news on Instagram, Simon Jones PR wrote: 'It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams - The Vivienne, has passed this weekend 'They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career. We will not be releasing any further details. 'We please ask that James's family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve.' He continued: 'These are words I never ever wanted to write. Viv was a close friend, a client and someone I loved very much. 'From the moment I met them in 2019 I knew we could create magic together and I became their manager. Their talent was immense and the light they brought to every room was astonishing. No one has ever made me laugh as much in my life as Viv did. Their comic genius and quick wit was like no other. 'I'm so proud and lucky that Viv was such a big part of my life everyday for the last five years. It's tragic that their career was only just beginning. In musical theatre Viv had found a space and career they loved, excelled and thrived in. 'I am heartbroken and devastated at this news. RIP my wonderful friend. You left us way too soon.' The Vivienne received the name as they were known for wearing designer Vivienne Westwood and was later one of the ten contestants selected to compete on the first series of Drag Race when it travelled across the pond. Following their win, The Vivienne went on to host an online chat show where celebrities joined her to chat about series' of the show, before they ventured in musical theatre. Recently, the performer hosted a Christmas party show on BBC Radio Wales. Dave Ramsey has said homebuyers will have a great year in 2025 if they can wait to buy property in the later months of the year. According to Ramsey, the best time to get on the property ladder was traditionally August or September as prices tend to fall in late summer and early fall. Fewer buyers are looking for properties at the time, and inventory remains high after a spring selling season. The finance guru said in a blog post that buyers should avoid buying in hot housing markets. The worst time to buy would be the late spring and early summer, due to an influx of prospective buyers all hunting for homes, meaning an increase in competition. Ramsey added: 'Many home buyers, especially those with kiddos, want to buy a home in time to get moved and settled before the school year starts.' According to the National Realtor's Association, the best time to buy a home was around September last year, when home prices had fallen nearly $15,000 since July. The finance guru said in a blog post to his website that buyers should avoid buying in hot housing markets According to Ramsey, the best time to get on the property ladder was traditionally August or September, as prices tend to fall in late summer and early fall Ramsey urges potential buyers to wait to for the even colder months of the year, if price is your main concern. He added: 'If the best time to buy for you means getting the lowest price, be sure to slip on your warm woolen mittens before you go to showings.' As a final note, he also said that the best time to buy is also dependent on being in a financially solid position to do so. That includes have zero debt, an emergency fund for any unexpected costs and that the house repayments won't be higher than 25 percent of your take-home pay. It comes after he issued blunt retirement advice for Americans about the benefits and pitfalls of a 401(K) and IRA retirement plans. He said that both plans are great ways to build wealth for retirement, but it is crucial to understand their differences and how they can work together before investing. A 401(K) workplace plan is sponsored by an employer, he said, and often involves the company matching contributions taken out of workers' paychecks. The money you put in is tax-deferred, which means you will not pay taxes on it until you start taking funds out in retirement. According to the National Realtor's Association, the best time to buy a home was around September last year, when home prices had fallen nearly $15,000 since July The Ramsey Show host is known for his blunt financial advice A Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA), on the other hand, is an account which you can open yourself to save a certain amount of after-tax dollars per year for retirement. 'When you hear the word Roth, your ears should automatically perk up - because a Roth IRA allows your savings to grow tax-free,' said The Ramsey Show host. 'That means once you turn 59 1/2, you can withdraw money from your account without owing a penny in taxes.' With a Roth IRA, you also do not have to make Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), which means you can let more of your money keep growing over a longer period of time, Ramsey said. When it comes to 401(K)s, the main advantages are the higher contribution limit - which is even higher for over 50s at $30,500 for 2024 - and the fact that you invest in the account with pre-tax dollars, which lowers your income tax bill. 'Probably the best thing about a 401(K) plan,' Ramsey said, 'is that your employer can match your investment up to a certain amount. That's a 100 percent return on your investment right off the bat. 'Matching isn't required by the government, so not all employers offer it. If yours does, make the most of it. Don't overlook free money!' Hilton Hotel's rewards program has come under fire. Gary Leff, of View From The Wing, criticized Hilton Honors as 'a low-value program,' explaining that points are typically worth just 0.4 cents each. He also noted that while Hilton hands out large numbers of points to guests, the cost to redeem them - even for mid-tier properties - can be 'stratospheric'. Hilton's competitors often provide better returns on points earned per stay, he said. Leff argues that Hilton gets away with this weak offering by having promotions that 'keep you on the treadmill.' Hilton Honors customers have vented their frustrations on Reddit too, with one saying: 'I feel like its a joke. What am I really getting, a couple of extra points when I stay that are almost worthless.' Even elite members face frustrations. According to Leff, Hilton Honors' top-tier Diamond status doesn't guarantee suite upgrades, even when they're available - a key perk offered by many rival loyalty programs. A travel experts has warned consumers about the downsides of the Hilton Honors program They are also not guaranteed late check-out or even breakfast, just a food and beverage credit that may not be enough to fully cover cost. The one upside to Hilton Honors, Leff argues, is that the points can be redeemed against stays at Small Luxury Hotels, a grouping of individual and boutique luxury hotels all over the world. Most SLH member hotels will accept Hilton's membership points under a partnership between the two groups. Hilton free night certificates can be redeemed at these hotels and all Hilton elite members get their 5th night free on redemptions, according to View From The Wing. Additionally, gold and diamond members receive complimentary breakfast at SLH properties. Points programs are increasingly popular among consumers, whether its airline miles or credit card rewards. Americans can now earn rewards points when they buy a home, as we reported last month. However, the constant drive to achieve more points its actually pushing more individuals into debt. Experts have warned those with credit card balances to prioritize clearing debts - since the cost of high interest fees on card balances far outweigh the value of any rewards. Hilton Hotel's points program has been deemed 'low-value' by one travel expert Trying to earn cash back and airline miles while also paying high interest on credit card debt is like 'running on a backward-moving treadmill,' according to Bankrate, which carried out the survey. Rewards programs, and credit cards linked to them, are wildly popular among Americans. Any changes that take away perks or offer worse value or make it harder to claim status face backlash from customers. Last June, American Airlines backtracked on a controversial decision which would have made it much harder to collect air miles. The airline had planned to limit which tickets purchased through a third parties - such as travel agents or online booking sites - were eligible to earn AAdvantage miles and loyalty points. Such a move would have blocked flyers from earning points when booked with many third-party travel sites, which can be cheaper. In September 2023, Delta Air Lines was also forced to make a U-turn on a controversial decision to clamp down on its reward program and access to airport lounges last year. The carrier sparked a major backlash earlier that when it announced plans to cap the number of entries to its lounges and tighten the qualifying criteria for customers to earn frequent flyer status. CEO Ed Bastian admitted the airline 'went too far' with the proposed changes. But even the watered down changes - which are due to come into effect on February 1 this year - upset frequent fyers. Highlighting the risks posed by divisive narratives such as Mandir-Masjid disputes, Mohan Bhagwat stresses the importance of embracing Indias pluralistic identity Delivering a Sahjeevan Vyakhyanmala series lecture on the topic, Indiathe Vishavguru, the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat expressed his concern over the recent upsurge of Mandir-Masjid disputes and pointed out: After Ram Mandir, some think they can become leaders of Hindus by raking up similar issues in new places. Rejecting the practice, he said, This is not acceptable. Echoing his comment on Gyanvapi Masjid that We look for a Shivling beneath every mosque, implying that we should not, he cautioned: The days of hegemony are gone, and that now People choose their representatives, who run the government. Questioning the language of dominance, he acknowledged the pluralistic nature of Indian society, where tradition allows people to live in harmony while following their respective faiths. Drawing a comparison of India with the world, where similarity is the principle of unity, for India, he said, Diversity is an ornament of unity, and we should respect and accept it. Rejecting hatred, malice, enmity, and suspicion daily under the burden of the past, he ruled out the majority-minority binary and emphasised, Everyone is equal here. To be a Vishavguru, India should be a nation of people who can rise above caste and religious differences. By what he has said, Bhagwat has targeted more than one point while acknowledging the reality of about 200 million Muslims besides the Christians, Sikhs, and others in India, on the one hand, and the geopolitical realities, on the other. If that is so, then the word Hindu needs to be accepted as an Arabic-Persian cognate of the Sanskrit Sindu and Hindustan as a reference to the land of Hindus, i.e., the people living beyond the river Sindu, but not a place of and for the people of a specific religion. The historical chronicles state that the river Sindu was pronounced as Indus by the Greeks and Al-Hind, which later became Hinds or Hindus by the Arabic Iranians. The Greeks called the land of Indus India, while the Arabic-speaking people called the region Hindustan. It was a reference to the geographical region of old Punjab. The land of Hindus i.e. the people of river Sindu, called Hindustan or India in the above sense, is a land of several religious faiths, such as Shaivism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, besides the principles of ancient Vedas and Puranas, and the word Hindu has been a geographic and a cultural identifier to distinguish between the indigenous people and others who came as traders or invaders, like Muslims, Christians, and Jews, etc., at the initial stages of their entry into the region; the distinction, however, did not mean religious opposition. It only acted as an identifying communicative sign: for communication is organised on two axes: the axis of similarities and the axis of differences. The people from the other lands gradually became the people of the land called Hindustan, or India, settling permanently and adding to the diversities on the land of the river Sindhu. Since there is no definite founder and no single holy text to establish a religion called Hinduism, it remains only a set of socio-cultural practices while the people practice a variety of their respective religious worship. The words Hindu and Hindustan have remained signifiers for the geographic-cultural practices until projected as a religious and national identifier in the early twentieth century in opposition to the colonial rule and in reaction to the Khilafat Movement by the Muslims in support of the Turkish Ottoman Sultan during the freedom movement of India. The Indian national identity was codified by a section of people as a Hindu national religious identity and an Islamic national identity, dividing the people on religious lines. The division was perpetrated by the colonial British in more than one way, leading to the partition of India.Since 1947, free India has been a sovereign state nation, though it should have been a state of cultural nations politically united as a federal political state, settling the issue of religious nations forever. Yet India has stood the test of its unity in diversity with some collisions on the sidelines. The internal dynamism of society and state is its continued collision and cohesion in their weaving: the more complex a society or a state is, the higher its level of collision-cohesion dynamics. For the well-being of the land and its population, the political drivers must turn the power to strengthen diversity against the forced homogeneity as a principle of organisation. But with the rising assertion of Hindu religious identity and a Hindu nation-state over Hindu geographic-cultural identity juxtaposing with the recent upsurge in Mandir-Masjid controversies, rightly perceived by Mohan Bhagwat, the danger to the unity and cohesion is more imminent than not. The sooner the ideologues of identities understand it, the better it is for the people living together for centuries. Mohan Bhagwat seems to have realized it, and rightly so, he has underplayed the sloganone nation, one peoplestating, Without Muslims, Hindutava is incomplete: Hindus and Muslims are different but complementary. Hindustan, or India, or Bharat, is a land of diversities, and only by choice of the ideology and practice of inclusion, it can become Vishavguru. To be the Vishavguru is to experience and accommodate more diversity.The Vishav, i.e., the universe, is organized into networks of similarities and differences, yet the precursor of life on earth is the difference that engenders diversity. Mohan Bhagwats nuanced remarks underscore the importance of unity amidst diversity in Indias journey toward becoming a Vishavguru. Acknowledging Indias pluralistic fabric, he emphasised harmony over divisive narratives like Mandir-Masjid disputes and rejected notions of religious hegemony. Bhagwat traced the historical and cultural origins of terms like Hindu and Hindustan, advocating for their geographic and cultural significance rather than a singular religious identity. He urged political and social leaders to strengthen diversity as a foundation for national cohesion. By embracing inclusion and mutual respect, India can truly embody the universal ideals required to be a global guide and leader. (The writer is Professor (Retd), Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Vice-Chairman, Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage, New Delhi; views are personal) The resurgence of communal discord calls for urgent reflection and action. It is time to expose the forces that exploit differences for personal gain The global communal ecosphere is showing change for the worse. The word communal here connotes and covers ethnic, racial, religious and sectarian communities. The last seven decades since 1950 have not seen very many episodes of communal conflict or conflagration in the global society. After the terrible death and destruction wrought by the Second World War (1939-1945) and the horrible communal riots following the partition of India into two independent states, episodes of communal violence have been relatively less compared to that in earlier periods of world history. Of late, the world is riven by acrimony and wars at multiple locations and communally divisive sentiments across global societies appear to be rising again. It seems that during the above period, the sentiments of mutual hatred and antipathy among certain global communities remained suppressed, only to resurface now. It is time to review and relook at the elements that go into building and strengthening communal harmony. With the world in the terrible throes of wars at several locations, it is perhaps time to strengthen communal harmony and amity globally, particularly in our society and not to allow it to be undermined. History has been written largely by the conquerors of countries and the governing elite. We often do not have true accounts of history do not read true history or otherwise are inclined to interpret facts wrongly, driven by our deep-seated prejudices. If we look closely at the picture and analyse it dispassionately, we shall find that it is generally the politicians and rulers who incited communal violence for their own selfish needs or vile vested interests. Often, these acts of incitement are obscured through disinformation campaigns. There are cultural and ideological differences between communities. What to talk of mainstream religions like Hinduism, Islam, Christianity or Buddhism, there are major and minor variants of these religions and sub-ideological sects whose number touches almost three thousand. They all have major or minor ideological differences. Notwithstanding the many differing and dissonant injunctions of their scriptural texts, peace and harmony are basic to the progress and prosperity of citizens in every country, and every society and they are dear to all human individuals. That is why there are constitutions, laws and regulations in every country for proper governance that incorporates the functional upholding of universal peace promoting human values of justice and equality. Hence, we need to expose the machinations of the political elite to strengthen communal harmony in todays world. In the context of the current global scenario, the incidence of violence against Hindus in Pakistan or Bangladesh is more because of mischief and misdeeds of the ruling elite. During the colonial period in India, communal riots were frequently triggered by politicians or the governing elite. In our country with a population of 145 crore, nearly 21 crore are Muslims. They have been a part and parcel of our society for ages. We need to better integrate them, not appease them for petty political gains. The need of the hour is ideological realignment. And we should quickly brace ourselves for it. Let us not allow the demolition or destruction of religious buildings anywhere, but build monuments of universal, secular and humanistic culture to promote communal harmony. Let us build buildings and institutions that bind humans, not separate them. Let us educate global humans on the eternal metaphysical truths that apply to all, everywhere. Let us awaken humanity to the threads of universal knowledge about the Creator, creation and their relationship. Bharat has been the cradle of human civilisation because the divine knowledge emanating from the one Creator was revealed in this land to sages at the dawn of civilization. That core knowledge enshrined in the divine scriptures Vedas and ideology based on that needs resurrection today. Humans can live sensibly and peacefully for ages if they wish to. Only they need to be aligned with universal Dharma. Man-made sects separate; universal Dharma (righteousness) unitesbecause the latter comes from the omniscient Creator of all humans. When we talk of Sanatan as the religion of the inhabitants of Bharat, we refer to the above said broad-based, universal and eternal religion of humanity that transcends caste, creed, ethnicity and sect. Sanatan Dharma is the prescribed code of living handed down to the earliest humans by the Creator. Let us strengthen adherence to that eternal code of living expected from humans by the one master of the Universe whose subjects we all are. Let us focus on the common, positive strands of ideology that exist in various mainstream religions and let us deliberate on the ideological strands that are dissonant with the universal Sanatan Dharma. Let us not mix religion with politics; rather let us give politics a more humanistic complexion. That is what is required today. We Indians are in the process of nation rebuilding after centuries of lying low due to depredation by foreign invaders. Now is the time for fast-track progress and we must beware of nefarious designs of foreign powers to create impediments to our progress. We should try to reform our political and legal institutions to make them truly secular and democratic. Let us make our national fabric strong, placing it above caste, creed, faith or religion. At the same time, we should strive to dissolve our ideological differences in the bright shining light of Sanatan Vedic Dharma which has been the beacon of guiding light of all humanity for eons since the dawn of civilisation. (The author is a management consultant based in New Delhi; views are personal) Not new to stirring a political uproar for his remarks, senior BJP leader and partys candidate from Kalkaji Ramesh Bidhuri has yet again created controversy by stating that he will develop smooth roads of his constituency if he wins like Congress Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhis cheeks. I assure you that just as we made the roads in Okhla and Sangam Vihar, we will make all the roads in Kalkaji like Priyanka Gandhis cheeks, Bidhuri is heard saying in the purported video, which went viral on social media. This comes at a time when the Delhi assembly elections are just a few weeks away with the AAP and Congress calling the statement anti-women and cornering the BJP over the issue. Speaking to The Pioneer, Bidhuri claimed that he made the statement with no intentions to hurt anyones sentiment and both AAP and Congress should reflect on their own behaviour towards women before pointing fingers at anyone. When it comes to Congress, they forgot what statement former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav made on BJP MP Hema Malini. Is she not a woman? He was in their cabinet. Did they ask him to apologise? Moreover, did AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal not insult women by calling Atishi a temporary Chief Minister? Does he not trust that a woman can win the elections on her name? Their MLA Naresh Baliyan has also made similar statements but they did not have any problem with it, he remarked. Reacting to the AAP and Congress making this a poll issue, he said that their situation is best explained through a phrase khisyaanii billii khambaa noche (an embarrassed or ashamed person tends to vent his/her feeling by quarrelling). They have nothing else to do so they are making this an issue. Congress is engulfed in corruption while AAP has no vision for Delhi. What will Atishi say to the public that we will improve the dilapidated state of roads in Kalkaji and Govindpuri in the next five years when they have already ruled for a decade? he questioned. Some people are making statements on social media for political gain with a wrong perception based on a statement given by me in some context. My intention was not to insult anyone. But still if anyone has been hurt then I express my regret, Bidhuri also said in a post on X. However, even Bidhuris party members are trying to distance themselves from the controversial remarks with Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva asking BJP leaders to keep a control on their language. I have not heard the entire statement of Ramesh Bidhuri but I think that all the women, who are in politics, face a lot of difficulties. So, we should not use such statements and keep control on our language, he said. The BJP leader added that he would also tell Congress that when such remarks are made against BJPs MP Hema Malini, they dont stop it. Having said that, respect for women and control over our language is our duty and such statements are not welcomed by us, he stated. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi strongly criticized Bidhuri for his sexist remarks, calling it a reflection of the BJPs anti-women mindset. She also questioned the BJPs ability to ensure womens safety in Delhi, given the attitudes and behavior displayed by its leaders. The Kalkaji MLA further expressed her confidence in the people of Delhi, particularly women, to respond to such actions in the upcoming elections. I believe that not only the people of Kalkaji but also the citizens of Delhi, especially the women, will give a fitting response to the BJP for these comments and this mindset in the upcoming elections, she added. Congress candidate from Kalkaji and Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba lashed out at Bidhuri and accused him of insulting women once again in his usual indecent language. Will the public in Kalkaji have such (a person) who cares neither for the dignity of the House (Parliament) nor respects the women, she said in a post on X. She demanded Bidhuri to tender a public apology for his statement and asked the senior BJP leaders to clear their stand on the issue. The Mahila Congress workers led by Lamba also torched an effigy of Bidhuri over his alleged statement against Gandhi. The statement was made by Bidhuri during campaigning in Kalkaji constituency on Saturday, one of his aides said. Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav said that Gandhi has stood for women empowerment and Bidhuris objectionable statement reflected BJPs anti-women attitude. If BJP respects the women of the country, it should ask Bidhuri to tender a public apology forthwith, he said. The former two time Lok Sabha MP from South Delhi and three time MLA from Tughalaqbad constituency is not new to controversies surrounding his public statements. Earlier last year, Bidhuri invited widespread condemnation over his outburst during a Lok Sabha session, targeting then BSP MP Danish Ali. His behaviour was referred to the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Sunday challenged AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to join an open debate against his party on the issue of development of the national Capital. Stating that the former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is an expert politician when it comes to diverting attention from real issues, Sachdeva asserted, I have said before and repeated again, if Arvind Kejriwal believes his government has undertaken development work, we propose a public debate. He too can present his case. The state BJP chief mentioned, The people of Delhi are witnesses to how the Modi government has gifted major projects to Delhi to combat pollution, including the East-West Corridor, nearly 1,200 electric buses, the expansion of the Dhaula Kuan-Airport road, the Akshardham-Meerut Highway, Delhi-Saharanpur Highway, UBR-2, Ring Road 3, and the Pragati Maidan Tunnel. They also developed landmarks like Badarpur Eco Park, extended Kartavya Path from Rajpath, and created international-level facilities like Bharat Mandapam and YashoBhoomi. He emphasized that even though the Delhi government failed to release funds on time, the Modi government ensured the completion of projects like RRTS and the expansion of Delhi Metro. He remarked that in stark contrast, the Kejriwal government has provided Delhi nothing but deception and corruption from 2013 to 2024. Meanwhile, BJP candidate from the New Delhi Assembly constituency Parvesh Verma wrote a letter to Chief Minister Atishi, urging her to open the former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals extravagant official residence, popularly known as Sheesh Mahal, for public viewing. Verma emphasized that the people of New Delhi, who voted for Arvind Kejriwal three times and sent him to the Vidhan Sabha, have every right to see the lavish residence where their elected representative lived during his tenure. An audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) recently revealed that the cost of renovating Kejriwals residence escalated threefold to Rs 33 crore, with substantial expenditures on luxury items such as carpets and curtains. The public, whose hard-earned money funded these extravagant renovations, deserves the opportunity to witness the opulence firsthand, Verma stated. MBABANE The Eswatini Diocese of the Anglican Church has condemned the actions of the All Saints Cathedral parishioners who have written a letter whereby they have rejected the recent appointment of Reverend Zama Sigudla as Acting Rector. As reported in our sister publication, the Eswatini News, yesterday, the parishioners, through the Parish Church Council (PCC) wrote a letter dated December 29, 2024, to the chairperson of the Safe and Inclusive Church (SAIC) Commission in Cape Town, South Africa. It has also been copied to the Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA) Archbishop Dr Thabo Makgoba. Reverend Zamas appointment was announced by Bishop Dalcy Dlamini in a letter dated December 17, 2024. However, the PCC has said that the appointment of an acting rector, for six months with immediate effect, after 15 months of the parish being run without an incumbent, brought a lot of questions as the PPC is patiently waiting for a consultation with the Bishop of an appointment of the substantive incumbent. Congregations In their letter, the PCC said, while the parishioners have their own reservations about Sigudlas capabilities and competency, they are concerned about his alleged divisive tendencies within the parishs congregations. This is in addition to his arrogance as when we engaged with him, some five months ago, in respect of utilities consumption at the parish residence that he occupies, he shouted at us with the words, Who are you to talk about this matter?, it was alleged in the letter. It was gathered that the parishioners believe that Canon 25 and Regulation 5, clearly stipulates that the bishop can only appoint a rector after consultation with the council, a process which hasnt happened. Through the PCC, they said regardless whether it is on an acting or permanent basis, the bishop does not have a prerogative of independently appointing. As per the contents of their letter, the parishioners strongly believe that the appointment is void and not recognised and that he remains a junior assistant priest. In responses shared to this publication, the Eswatini Diocese, through Diocesan Spokesperson Reverend Sicelo Dlamini, first said the letter is cited to have been copied to the bishop, but was never delivered or sent in any way. Regarding the rejection, the spokesperson said it is not a first of its kind that the Cathedral wardens reject or stall attempts to resolve the Cathedral issues. He said first, in a bid to implement the SAIC recommendations, the bishop recommended retired Bishop Meshack Mabuza for the 6 months interregnum period, but the Cathedral PCC rejected him and failed to recommend a retired senior clergy or bishop from the province. Today, an interim appointment has been made in accordance to Regulation 16 of our Diocesan regulations, again they reject. On the claims that the acting rector is arrogant, the spokesperson said it must be clear that Reverend Zama is the only full-time priest in the Cathedral and is well trained in theology and in Anglican formation. We, together with him, are shocked to learn through public media that he is labelled as arrogant and incompetent. Even then, it would serve well, in our Christian ethics, for the Cathedral wardens to talk to him directly or consult the bishop who is the dean, rather than labelling and portraying him on public media as a bad person. Also, the spokesperson said it is time for the anonymous informers that always feed church information and discuss issues through public media to come out in the open. If they are telling the truth, why do they hide their identity? It is time we resolve these issues, but it will continue to drag if the informers hide themselves. Besabani? the spokesperson asked. Reverend Sicelo said the Bishop, in consultation with the relevant structures, has made a substantive appointment of the Reverend Sigudla, as Acting Rector of the Cathedral Parish. The spokesperson said this is based on Regulation 16, of the Diocesan Regulations. He said the appointment is supported by a letter addressed to the Cathedral wardens by Safe and Inclusive Church, dated January 24, 2024, that the bishop, as the rightful authority, must make the appointment. In view of the case before court, it is fit that the bishop makes an interim arrangement to make sure that the people of God in the Cathedral are taken care of, Reverend Sicelo said. Consultation He said the letter is clear in paragraph three that the consultation process as per Canon 25(1) on the full-time incumbent is yet to proceed. The interim appointment is to ensure that the people of God in the Cathedral are taken of, while the issues of the Cathedral PCC are being attended to. It is not in any way, a violation of Canon 25(1). Even so, the consultation referred thereto, in the Canon under discussion, is not synonymous to a negotiation, Reverend Sicelo explained. Moreover, he said in the Christian Spirit of the letter of interim appointment by the bishop, any concerns would have been directed to the her as the person who wrote the letter, so as to fast-track the resolution of the matter. Reverend Sicelo said it is public knowledge that SAIC concluded the Cathedral matter, and handed over the baton to the bishop to lead the way forward. As a result, he said the path taken by the Cathedral wardens is unfortunate. Reverend Sicelo also addressed an issue regarding a letter dated December 26, 2024, which the PCC wrote, whereby they raised concerns following a decision taken by the bishop to ban Advent Nhlanhla from attending church services, at the All Saints Cathedral. Advent Nhlanhla is the same congregant who had his pastoral licence revoked in August last year. He is the same man who had his fellow congregants throw him a celebratory event for his 22 years of service where he was showered with cash and a special gift in the form of a Toyota Hilux D4D double cab. The bishop announced on December 13, 2024 that Advent Nhlanhla is now banned from attending church services in the Cathedral and should fellowship at the Hlatikhulu and Nhlangano Parish which are nearer to his home. The bishop advised that, should Advent Nhlanhla be around Mbabane for any reason, he may attend to the Ezulwini St Mathias or such other nearer Anglican Church, so long as it is not the Cathedral. This ban, the bishop said, does not extend to his family members, but strictly him In the letter dated December 26, 2024, written by the PCC, the parishioners they said they do not want to be party to implementing any illegal directive or request. Parishioners Also, the parishioners said they do not want to interfere with Advent Nhlanhlas liberty, in particular, his freedom of association and movement. Also, they said they still consider the reverend as a dignified servant of God and will accord him the respect and dignity he deserves, owing to the selfless service he has rendered to them and the entire diocese over the years. In the responses, the Eswatini Diocese said the letter under consideration is self-implicating and that contents and argument therein are based on assumptions and perceptions of the authors. The diocesan spokesperson said the authors were not even present at Diocesan Council, yet they seem to try to teach the world the sentiments presented. Again, it is unfortunate that energy is spent on side issues. The Cathedral must direct concerns to the right structures to resolve the issues. Negative publicity through public media will not disintegrate or undercut the Anglican Church in Eswatini. Instead, it delays and worsens the issue before us, the spokesperson said. He further said: It is not Christian to publish the rejection of Reverend Sigudla, who is the only full-time Priest in the Cathedral, on public media. He is a person with feelings and family members who love him. Should there be any issues between us, let us resolve such without hurting each other on public media. The spokesperson said it is also worth mentioning that the persons pursuing this matter have their term of office lapsed, something that leaves everyone shocked as to why they would stall the appointment that is meant to bring normality within the Cathedral by way of preparing candidates for episcopal duties (confirmations) and further prepare the lay ministers, deacons and assistant priests to be elevated to a step higher in their calling. Haryana Industries and Commerce, Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh on Sunday said that over the next five years, the foundation for Gurugram's prosperous future will be established through improved connectivity and a robust road network. As part of ongoing efforts to develop infrastructure, an elevated road will be constructed from the Gurugram-Jaipur National Highway to Vatika Chowk, along with four flyovers from Vatika Chowk to Ghata, at a cost of Rs 800 crore, he added. Singh said that Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this crucial project, which will be executed by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), is currently being prepared, and work on the ground will begin soon. Addressing the gathering at Vatika City in Gurugram, he said: It is our collective responsibility to make Gurugram a beautiful and clean city. In the next five years, the opinions of the common people will be prioritized in all development projects in Gurugram. Addressing public concerns, the Minister directed the officers to ensure that every government scheme is effectively implemented at the ground level, with citizens receiving the full benefit of each facility. He emphasized that when planning development projects, officials must ensure that all criteria for completing the scheme are met. Development works should be completed within the stipulated time frame so that the public can receive their benefits on time. The priority should ensure that citizens receive the benefits of public welfare schemes and various government services, the Minister added. Regarding the complaint of encroachment on the green belt from Vatika Chowk to Ghata, he announced that RS Bhath has been appointed as the nodal officer to make the city encroachment-free. He added that the deadline of January 31 has been set to clear encroachments from the entire 12-kilometer stretch of road. Singh said that the state government is consistently making important decisions in the public's interest and is committed to ensuring that every individual benefits from them. He directed the officials to prepare proposals for future development projects and submit the same to the government, so that work can commence promptly upon receiving approval. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, hailed former chief minister and governor Kalyan Singh as a distinguished son of Mother India, a dedicated patriot and a devout follower of Bhagwan Ram. Chief Minister Yogi paid floral tributes to Kalyan Singhs portrait on his birth anniversary at a programme held at Mall Avenue here on Sunday. Born on this day in 1932 in a humble farmers family in a small village in Aligarh, Kalyan Singhji grew up witnessing the nations freedom struggle. These formative experiences instilled in him a deep sense of patriotism and a vision for Indias future. As a young boy, he embraced these values through his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), shaping his unwavering dedication to the nation, Yogi said. Kalyan Singhjis remarkable journey took him from farming and teaching to holding pivotal roles such as health minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1977, MLA, MP, twice chief minister of the state, and governor of two states. Throughout his illustrious career, his efficiency, dedication and administrative acumen earned him universal respect and admiration, the chief minister added. Chief Minister Yogi highlighted that in honor of Kalyan Singhs legacy, the state government has named the state-of-the-art Cancer Institute in Lucknow and the medical college in Bulandshahr after the revered leader. The chief minister emphasised that, unlike many who compromise their principles for power, Kalyan Singh stood steadfast in his values and ethics. He recalled his contributions during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and his visionary efforts in the 1990s to redefine Uttar Pradeshs politics and elevate administrative efficiency that continue to inspire the idea of a progressive and reformed Uttar Pradesh. Chief Minister Yogi remarked that while India gained Independence in 1947, the people of Uttar Pradesh felt the essence of freedom when Kalyan Singh assumed office as chief minister and led the state with a transformative vision. He added, Despite facing relentless efforts to destabilise his leadership, Kalyan Singhji made the ultimate sacrifice by relinquishing power for the construction of Shri Ram temple. His unwavering resolve and foresight have become a reality. As the grand temple at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya nears completion, his soul must be at peace, witnessing the fulfillment of his dream. The chief minister highlighted that Kalyan Singh brought to life the philosophy of integral humanism envisioned by Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya, which he imbibed during his formative years in the RSS. His initiatives, including farmer-centric schemes and a pioneering campaign to ensure copying-free examinations for UPs youth, remain exemplary and continue to inspire, Yogi added. Recalling Kalyan Singhs demise on August 21, 2021, the chief minister noted that while he is no longer present in physical form, his ideals and guidance remain a beacon for governance and administration. Whenever we talk about integrity and governance in Uttar Pradesh, the name of Kalyan Singhji is remembered with respect and reverence by every state resident, the chief minister stated. He added, The reforms and campaigns initiated under his leadership have significantly impacted the lives of ordinary citizens, paving the way for good governance and a stronger Uttar Pradesh. The chief minister urged everyone to collectively strive for the vision of a New Uttar Pradesh for which Kalyan Singh dedicated his life. He emphasised that nationalism and good governance are essential for Uttar Pradesh to play a pivotal role in shaping a New India. Chief Minister Yogi also reflected on Kalyan Singhs humble beginnings as a student in a basic education school and later as a teacher. Today, his legacy lives on as his grandson, as the basic education minister, charts a new course for education in the state. This is the result of the dedication and values passed down by our ancestors, he stated. The chief minister reaffirmed that with exemplary efforts, it is possible to realise Kalyan Singhs vision of a secure, prosperous Uttar Pradesh, bringing progress and well-being to its 25 crore citizens. On this occasion, Bharatiya Janata Party state president Chaudhary Bhupendra Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Union Minister BL Verma, Cabinet Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, MP Sakshi Maharaj, Minister of State for Basic Education (Independent Charge) Sandeep Singh were present. Latehar police cracked a gory case of murder. It busted an upcoming outfit titled as Jharkhand Sangharsh Jan Shakti Morcha (JSJSM). The name is too close to the banned naxal outfit Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad JJMP all for the purposes of gaining notoriety as a common man can hardly differentiate between JSJSM and the old terror outfit JJMP., Latehar police gave a serious dent to the sinister design of Pradeep Ganjhu the architect of the villainy. Although the Latehar police busted this JSJSM, its floater Pradeep Ganjhu remains at large. Latehar police arrested 5 of this outfit who are in the age group of 21 to 27. Police recovered the weapon a Tangi used in the crime along with two cell phones and three muzzle loaded guns. This outfit had barbically killed a night guard Bal Govind Sahu at the construction site of a small bridge on the river Ouranga on the night of December 26 at Ulgara all for levy and also to spread name and terror of this outfit. SP Latehar Kumar Gaurav held a press conference in Latehar this evening. A press note was issued later on in this regard. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the appointment of IAS officer Azimul Haque as the CEO of Delhi Waqf Board, and slammed the AAP government for its "callousness" in treating the issue in a "casual" manner without following legal provisions, officials said on Saturday. The post of chief executive officer (CEO) in Delhi Waqf Board was lying vacant since November 28, 2024, the LG said in a statement. "However, the (AAP) government sent a proposal to give additional charge of CEO (to an official) after a lapse of one month. Due to this callousness on the part of the government, the day-to-day functions of the Board such as releasing salaries to imams and other functionaries were held up," the LG said. "Keeping in view the hardships faced by the imams/mutawallis who are poor people suffering due to non-payment of salaries in the absence of a CEO, I am approving the proposal," Saxena said. "However, the proposal should be ratified by the Board before the appointment takes effect. Further, it is advised that in future, the proposal should be sent for my consideration strictly as per the provisions of law," the LG added. Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, a controversial cleric and president of All India Muslim Jamaat, has claimed that 55 bighas of Waqf land are being used for the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj. He claimed that the event is being held on land owned by the Waqf Board. The Maha Mumbh Mela is commencing from January 13. Maulana Razvi Barelvi said that Muslims of Prayagraj had shown a large heart by allowing the Maka Kumbh Mela on Waqf land, and Hindus should reciprocate by allowing Muslims to enter the event. He slammed the call by All India Akhara Parishad to bar non-Hindus from the Kumbh. Barelvi said, Akhara Parishad, Naga sanyasis, swamis and babas have banned the entry of Muslims from Kumbh Mela. On the other hand, a Muslim man named Sartaz from Prayagraj has said that the land where preparations are being made for the Kumbh Mela belongs to the Waqf, and it is owned by local Muslims. But see the large-heartedness of Muslims, they have not raised any objections over the 55 bigha of Waqf land being used for the Kumbh. He added that while Muslims have shown a large heart, Hindu groups are showing narrowness by not allowing Muslims in the Kumbh Mela. However, Hindu leaders have rejected the claims made by the cleric. Hindu Mahasabha president Swami Chakrapani Maharaj said that Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi must be sponsored by Pakistan and people with a terrorist mindset. He said that the cleric was making a malicious attempt to disturb the Maha Kumbh, and his statements should be investigated. I believe that immediate action should be taken against people who spoil the atmosphere in this way. FIR should be registered against them and they should be arrested. If such people are out, they will keep talking such nonsense and spoil the atmosphere of the country, Chakrapani Maharaj said. Maulana Razvi has also written a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging him to stop the proposed conversions of Muslims to Hinduism during the Maha Kumbh which gets underway in Prayagraj on January 13. Maulana Razvi, in his letter, stated that he has come to know of plans for mass conversion during the Maha Kumbh Mela. He argued that this falls foul of the states Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2024. In the letter dated January 3, Barelvi argues that the conversion could lead to tension in the state and the country hence it is necessary that it is prohibited. He has also stated that as the Kumbh is a religious programme, the message it gives should be one of peace and amity, and not one that divides society. The cleric argues, If mass conversions were to happen, it will give radical Muslims and Christian missionaries a leeway to conduct their own conversion programmes in the silent manner that they are doing thus far. The death anniversary of social worker Sudhir Chandra Kunwar was celebrated with religious rituals at Kunwar Bhawan and Kunwar Kothi. Tributes were paid to his statue by garlanding it. After the puja, blankets were distributed among the needy in his native village Bhatt Khijri. On this occasion, Superintendent of Police Haris Bin Zaman said that there is no service greater than human service. In today's time, man should be useful to man. Currently, there is severe cold in the district and people are in need of blankets and warm clothes and in such a situation, distribution of blankets among the needy in Bhattkhijri village by the Kunwar family is a noble deed. Others in society need to take inspiration from such people. The villagers told that Late. Sudhir Chandra Kunwar was a religious person. His humble nature and kind personality will always inspire people. He has done many such works, and the people of the area are taking advantage of them. He always helped in the education of poor children, built temples and made important contributions in the marriage of many destitute girls. He was also the patron of Central Mahavir Mandal and Central Durga Puja. People miss him greatly due to his absence. Hundreds of villagers from Bhatthakhijri, Rampur, Mundo, Irgaon, Bejwali had arrived on this occasion. Among which blankets were distributed among the needy by the people of Kunwar family. On the occasion, Dr. Deepak Prakash Kunwar, Anupam Prakash Kunwar, Manoj Chandra Kunwar, Uday Shankar Kunwar, Gopi Krishna Kunwar, Vivek Chandra Kunwar, Gaurav Kunwar, Anurag Prakash Kunwar, Mrinal Kunwar and a large number of people were present. Today on 4/1/25, a delegation of NSUI met Ranchi University Vice Chancellor Dr. Ajit Kumar Sinha, congratulated him on the New Year and submitted a memorandum. State Vice President Aman Ahmad said that for one post applied for the post of Assistant Professor Need Based under Ranchi University, only 5 candidates will be called for document verification and 3 candidates for interview. Whereas it has always been the practice that all the applied candidates are called for document verification and interview, there are 299 need based seats in total 25 subjects, in which more than 1000 candidates have applied for the total seats. Recently, all the candidates who applied were called for document verification and interview held at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, Ranchi. The National Student union of India demands that this type of new monopoly should not be used in the university and all the applied candidates should be called for document verification and interview so that all the candidates get a chance and the right person can be selected. The Vice Chancellor said that this will be discussed. State Secretary Hussain Ansari, DSPMU President Aryan Kumar, Aryan Singh, and other student leaders were present on the occasion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the latest phase of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor linking Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut. With the inauguration of the Delhi section of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor, Meerut city is now directly connected to Delhi and commuters can reach Meerut South in just 40 minutes. The section connecting Meerut South and Sahibabad is already operational. The newly opened section connects Delhi's New Ashok Nagar station to Uttar Pradesh's Sahibabad, which covers 13 km distance. This also includes a 6 km underground section, where the major hub of Anand Vihar station is also located. Anand Vihar links the Blue and Pink Lines of the Delhi Metro as well as the railway station and the bus terminal. During the inauguration of the Rs 4,600 crore project, Modi travelled on one of the trains from Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar, which covers a distance of 55 km. This is going to further boost trade and tourism between both the cities. Currently, a 42-km stretch of the corridor between Sahibabad and Meerut South, featuring nine stations, is operational. With this inauguration, the operational stretch of the Namo Bharat Corridor expands to 55 km, with a total of 11 stations. The Prime Minister took a ride on the Namo Bharat Train from the Sahibabd Station to the newly opened New Ashok Nagar Station. During his ride on the Namo Bharat train, PM Modi purchased a smart ticket, interacted with passengers, and engaged with schoolchildren who recited poems and presented sketches to him. He also viewed an exhibition detailing the construction of the train network, where he received a model of the train from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). He was also presented with an overview of NCRTCs cutting-edge Asset Management System, which highlights its role in ensuring operational efficiency and infrastructure sustainability. The corridor will connect Sahibabad RRTS station to New Ashok Nagar RRTS station, including two RRTS stations at Anand Vihar and New Ashok Nagar. Demonstrating the ease and accessibility of digital payments integrated into public transport services, the Prime Minister purchased an NCMC (National Common Mobility Card) using the UPI payment system. He then boarded the Namo Bharat train from Sahibabad and de-boarded at the New Ashok Nagar Namo Bharat Station. During the journey, the Prime Minister interacted with various set travelers, showcasing the diverse social impact of the corridor. Women beneficiaries of NCRTCs vocational training program, supported by the JFPR (Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific) grant, shared their inspiring journeys of employment. Engineering students discussed their aspirations and the corridors technological advancements, while school students showcased their creativity through artwork, poetry, and songs inspired by the project. Women trained in self-defense through the JFPR grant narrated how the training boosted their confidence and sense of security. Regular commuters shared their experiences of how the Namo Bharat trains have transformed their daily lives. The Prime Minister also interacted with women train operators and station controllers, commending their pivotal roles in operations. The newly inaugurated section connecting Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar is now operational. With this addition, Namo Bharat trains will arrive in Delhi, reducing travel time between New Ashok Nagar and Meerut South to under 40 minutes and significantly enhancing regional connectivity. Of the newly inaugurated 13 km section, 6 km is underground and includes a prominent station on the corridor, Anand Vihar. This marks the first time that Namo Bharat Trains will operate in an underground section. The other station on this stretch is an elevated station at New Ashok Nagar. Both stations are located in Delhi. Stations that will be operational are New Ashok Nagar, Anand Vihar (the only underground station of the corridor for now), Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, Duhai Depot, Muradnagar, Modinagar South, Modinagar North and Meerut South. To date, Namo Bharat trains have served over 50 lakh commuters, highlighting their popularity and impact. Further construction in other sections i.e. New Ashok Nagar-Sarai Kale Khan and Meerut South-Modipuram are progressing at a rapid pace. Delhi Police has claimed to foil a major criminal conspiracy orchestrated by the Kapil Nandu gang and arrested seven of its members. According to police officials on Sunday, a targeted killing has been prevented with the arrests and they have uncovered a cache of illegal arms and ammunition. "The Crime Branch got to know that gang members were plotting to assassinate a rival in Delhi on the orders of Kapil Nandu, who operates from an undisclosed foreign location," a senior police officer said. He further said that the team got to know that the accused are hiding in a rented flat in Burari. A trap was set, and the team intercepted a suspicious Tata Tiago car. Upon interrogation, the occupants including 24 year old Suraj, 24 year old Jitesh alias Jitu, and 21 year old Anil Rathi admitted their connection to the gang. They revealed the location of the safehouse, prompting an immediate raid. During the operation, three more gang members, including 43 year old Pramod alias Modi, 35 year old Sunil and 33 year old Nitin, were arrested, along with another associate, Deshant Sharma (27), who arrived at the scene during the raid, a senior police officer said. They recovered five semi-automatic pistols, a country-made firearm, ammunition, a knife, and Rs 2 lakh in cash from the hideout. "Nandu gang operates as an international syndicate, with its leader controlling activities remotely. The gang recruits vulnerable youths, often between the ages of 15 and 25, from rural areas in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi," the officer said. According to the police, the gang members are using encrypted communication platforms. "The gang assigns tasks to recruits, ensuring minimal direct contact between operatives. Weapons are sourced through intermediaries, with collection points often disguised in remote locations to maintain anonymity. Recruits conduct reconnaissance of targets before executing violent crimes, such as murder, to establish dominance and weaken rival gangs," he said. Pramod is a life convict and parole jumper while Pramod is the brother of gangster Vicky Sanyashi and was in direct contact with Kapil Nandu, playing a key role in coordinating the plot. Deshant Sharma is a recruiter for the gang, Jitesh, Suraj and Anil Rathi, these recruits had no prior criminal records but were inspired by the gang's activities. Sunil and Nitin both are convicted murderers who were released after serving part of their sentences. The Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) and Punbus employees unions have called for a statewide strike that will halt all government bus services for three days, starting January 6. The strike comes as part of their ongoing protest against the Punjab Governments failure to address long-standing demands concerning the rights of contract workers. The unions, representing thousands of contract employees working under the PRTC and Punbus, have planned protests and a complete shutdown of bus services across the State. On January 7, the workers will march to the Chief Ministers residence in Chandigarh, where a demonstration is scheduled to take place at 10 am. This will further intensify the struggle for permanent employment status and the abolition of the contract-based system, which has long been a bone of contention for the workers. For months, the contract workers from PRTC and Punbus have been demanding job regularization, better working conditions, and a halt to the exploitation of temporary workers. The key demand is the permanent absorption of temporary workers a promise made by the government but not yet fulfilled. The workers have argued that despite repeated assurances from the authorities, their grievances remain largely unaddressed. In a significant move the previous month, workers from Jalandhar Depot 1 and 2 met with Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat and various other legislators to submit a memorandum highlighting their demands. The union leaders, including Vikramjit Singh, Satpal Singh Satta, Jasbir Singh, and Anoop Singh, pressed for immediate action to regularize temporary employees and end the oppressive contract system. Despite the meetings and submission of their demands, no substantial action has been taken, leading to the decision to go on strike. We have been patient for too long, but the delay in regularizing our jobs is unacceptable. The government has repeatedly promised to resolve this issue, yet nothing has changed. If our demands are not met, we will escalate our struggle, said Channan Singh Channa, a senior union leader. Impact on Commuters and State Economy The strike, scheduled for January 6 to 8, will significantly affect public transportation in Punjab. With government buses off the roads, thousands of commuters will face considerable inconvenience. Many will have to rely on private buses or taxis, which are expected to be in high demand. This not only poses a financial burden on travelers but also disrupts daily routines for many who depend on government buses for commuting to work, schools, and other essential activities. The workers strike could also lead to a substantial economic loss for the state, especially as the transport sector plays a crucial role in the movement of goods and services. Additionally, with the planned shutdown of bus stands and the exclusion of private buses from bus terminals, the ripple effect will be felt across various sectors. It is expected that the local businesses and taxi operators will see a temporary surge in demand, but at the same time, the overall productivity of the workforce may decline due to transportation woes. Union's Call for Mass Mobilization The workers unions have expressed that this strike is just the beginning of their larger struggle. Alongside their primary demands, they have also raised issues regarding the introduction of new buses, the closure of kilometer-based schemes, the crackdown on transport mafias, and the reinstatement of workers who were dismissed under controversial circumstances. The unions have warned that if the government continues to ignore their demands, the situation could escalate. If no concrete steps are taken to resolve the issues, we will intensify our protests, possibly even taking our families to the streets, said another union leader Satpal Singh Satta. Additionally, farmer unions have also expressed solidarity with the workers, promising to join the protests, which could further amplify the public pressure on the State Government. Previous Meetings and Govt Response The workers union met with Punjabs senior transport officials earlier in July 2024, where their primary demand for regularizing temporary employees was highlighted. They also requested the removal of contract-based employment and a halt to the privatization of public transport. However, despite these discussions, no significant actions were taken by the authorities. This inaction has now led to the strike, which is expected to disrupt transportation services statewide, as workers across all districts prepare for massive demonstrations. We have tried to address our concerns through official channels, but the Government has not responded positively. We have been ignored time and again, and now, we have no choice but to escalate our protest, added Risham Singh Gill, the state president of the Punjab Roadways, PRTC, and Punbus Contract Workers Union. The next few days will be challenging for commuters in Punjab, with the three-day strike set to disrupt transportation services. The workers unions remain firm in their resolve, and if the Government does not intervene promptly to resolve the issues, the protests are expected to intensify. For the people of Punjab, this could mean a significant inconvenience, with major implications for daily life and the local economy. MBABANE The Municipal Council of Mbabane, together with other stakeholders, is expected to meet progressives tomorrow. The meeting comes after the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM), led by the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) wrote a letter to the municipality to request a permit to march and deliver a petition to the Embassy of Mozambique. The letter, which is dated December 31, 2024 reads: We, the people of Swaziland (Eswatini) under the MDM led by the NNLC hereby inform your office that on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 we shall have a march from the Mbabane Government Bus Stop to the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Mozambique starting at 10am. The letter also states that the purpose of the march is to deliver a petition on the escalation of political violence in the peoples republic. The letter, which was addressed to the Municipal Council of Mbabane, which is currently under the leadership of Gciniwe Fakudze, was signed by NNLC Secretary General Bheka Mabuza. NNLC President, Sibongile Mazibuko, who has claimed that she is the one who submitted the letter to the municipality last Tuesday, raised her disappointment following a statement that was issued by the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). REPS said they have uncovered that certain organisations or individuals want to take advantage of the political situation and disturb peace. According to the statement by REPS, it came to their attention that the organisations or individuals want to take advantage of the situation and use it as a decoy to commit criminal acts. As a result, REPS issued a strong caution to these elements it claimed intend to fulfil egocentric agendas at the expense of the national security. As an organisation entrusted with safeguarding the peace, tranquillity and sovereignty of the country, REPS said they are alive and well prepared to deal with any and all possible eventualities that may be consequent of this situation. The police service said in the spirit of jealous patriotism and cooperation, they urge all emaSwati to heighten their sense of vigilance and alertness in order to promptly report any elements that have a potential to threaten the safety and security landscape. Also, REPS urged members of the public to report all persons who will be coming to their homes seeking for any assistance to the relevant authorities. While the statement did not give a hint on whether the organisations or individuals are in the country and the type of criminal acts they want to commit, Mazibuko reacted strongly to it. Interviewed yesterday, she said what irked her is the fact that after delivering the letter to the municipality, she proceeded to the police station in Mbabane and did same. On a crisp January evening, the citizens were treated to an extraordinary experience as Dr. Sudhakar Varanasi, the visionary behind the 108 emergency services in India, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, shared his awe-inspiring journey. The auditorium was packed with eager listeners, who left not just informed but deeply moved by his words, wisdom, and flute performance. Born into a family of doctors, it seemed natural for Dr. Varanasi to follow in their footsteps. But his heart charted a different course. He pursued engineering at IIT Kharagpur, followed by a PhD in Biology at the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore. His career trajectory then veered into IT services, taking him to the United States, where he became the CEO of several startups. Returning to India as the Senior Vice President of Satyam Industries, Dr. Varanasi faced a defining moment. A close friends tragic death due to the lack of an ambulance spurred him into action. Resolving to prevent such needless losses, he spearheaded the creation of Hyderabad's first ambulance service, a precursor to the life-saving 108 system. Dr. Varanasi's vision for 108 emergency services began humbly, with initial funding from his company. His determination led to government partnerships, transforming the initiative into a nationwide lifeline. Today, the 108 system is funded by most states in India, saving countless lives daily. When corruption surfaced within his company, Dr. Varanasi made the principled decision to resign, long before the organization faced government scrutiny and was blacklisted. His integrity and foresight left an indelible mark on all who knew him. A chance meeting with former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam became another turning point. Inspired by Dr. Kalams vision for uplifting the poor and empowering youth, Dr. Varanasi dedicated himself to mentoring young minds. Through his guidance, he helps aspiring individuals align their passions with a purposeful, productive life. His philosophy is simple yet profound: follow your heart, and success will follow. Dont chase money; chase fulfillment, he advised. In the end, youll find botha satisfied life and financial stability. Dr. Varanasis address ended on an ethereal note as he played "Vaishnava Jana To" on the flute. The haunting melody filled the auditorium, leaving the audience spellbound and reflecting on the power of a life devoted to service and integrity. The Khichdi Distribution Program organized by the Lions Club of Ranchi Global at Sadar Hospital became a shining example of humanity and service. Two young girls from Scotland, Dhriti Yashasvi Parida (4 years) and Manasvi Agamya Parida (7 years), donated their pocket money to support the noble cause, demonstrating that the spirit of service knows no age or boundaries. These young girls, currently on a visit to India, decided to save and contribute their personal funds to feed the needy, making a profound impact. Their mother, Puja Gaddyan, expressed her pride, saying, "We have always taught our daughters that true happiness lies in helping others. Their contribution to this initiative reflects the values they hold dear." Though their father, Rakhel Kumar Parida, could not attend, his encouragement and support played a key role in shaping their spirit of giving. Dr. Bimlesh Ranjan, Deputy Superintendent of Sadar Hospital, attended the event as the chief guest and applauded the girls' inspiring effort, calling it a remarkable example for society. Lions Club Secretary Manoj Kumar Mishra highlighted that this was the 24th successful week of their signature project, which is carried out every Saturday throughout the year. Lions Club Treasurer Santosh Agrawal urged others to take inspiration from the girls, noting, "Even small acts of kindness can create significant change." The program was supported by sponsors, including Manju Gaddyan and Puja Gaddyan, who played a pivotal role in its success. Club members, including Sailesh Agrawal, Rajeev Chaudhary, and Altamash Alam, also contributed to the smooth execution of the program. Dhriti and Manasvis heartfelt act serves as a reminder that even the smallest gestures, driven by a big heart, can bring about meaningful change, leaving a lasting impression on everyone involved. A historic discovery in Sambhal reveals ancient temples, wells, and stepwells, offering valuable insights into the region's cultural heritage, say Biswajeet Banerjee and Sajid Khan What began as a routine inspection by district officials to check noise levels from loudspeakers and illegal electricity connections in the Muslim-dominated Khaggu Sarai area of Sambhal has turned into a historic archaeological discovery. On 14 December, a team led by the District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) stumbled upon a locked structure. Breaking open its doors revealed not just an abandoned Shiva temple but also a wealth of history hidden beneath layers of soil and silt. The discovery of the temple, which had been locked for 46 years, has prompted a flurry of activity, including surveys by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Early reports suggest the temple, and other relics unearthed nearby, may date back several centuries, providing invaluable insights into Sambhal's rich cultural and religious history. Locked Temple, Unlocked History DM Dr. Rajendra Pansiya recalled the unexpected nature of the find. This discovery was purely accidental. We were investigating noise and electricity issues near a mosque, but what we found behind the locked doors was remarkable, he said. The temple, which had been shut since the 1978 communal riots, housed a Shiva idol and a statue of Hanuman. Nearby, a well contained three additional statues that were uncovered during excavation. The riots of 1978, which displaced many from the local Hindu community, had led to the temple being abandoned. Local accounts suggest the temple is over 500 years old, Dr. Pansiya added. To confirm its antiquity, the district administration reached out to the ASI for carbon dating and further investigation. The ASI Steps In Following the DMs request, a four-member ASI team from Meerut and Delhi conducted an extensive eight-hour survey of the site last week. The team examined the temple, the adjacent well, and five other pilgrimage sites, including Bhadrak Ashram, Swargdeep, and Chakrapani. During their survey, they documented their findings through photography and collected evidence for further analysis. In addition to the temple, the ASI team identified 19 wells, including the historically significant Chaturmukh Koop, Moksha Koop, and Dharma Koop. The ASIs investigation aims to establish the historical and cultural significance of these sites. Dr. Pansiya expressed optimism about the findings. Once we have the ASIs report, we will have a clearer picture of the historical importance of these sites. Based on their recommendations, we will prepare a plan for their preservation and development, he said. The Stepwell of Laxman Ganj Adding to the list of discoveries, a 250-foot-deep stepwell, believed to date back to the First War of Independence in 1857, was unearthed in Sambhals Laxman Ganj area last week. Named Rani ki Bawdi, the stepwell came to light after the ruins of an ancient Banke Bihari temple were discovered earlier this month. Kaushal Kishore, the state publicity chief of the Sanatan Sevak Sangh, had written to the DM, pointing out the historical significance of the site. The stepwell and the ruins are remnants of the royal family of Sahaspur. These finds are a testament to our history, Kishore said. The excavation, which involved two bulldozers, also revealed a two-storey structure near the stepwell. Work at the site is ongoing, with authorities halting operations at night due to visibility issues. Encroachments on the site have been identified, and notices will be issued to families occupying the land illegally, Dr. Pansiya said, adding that the administration is committed to restoring and beautifying the area. The discovery of the ancient stepwell, or Bawdi, in Sambhal has brought to light the rich history of the region, linked to the erstwhile royal family of Sahaspur State in Bilari. Official records list the Bawdi as a pond spanning 400 square metres. However, recent excavations have revealed much morea well-preserved three-storey structure featuring intricate architecture and significant historical relevance. The Bawdi was constructed during the reign of the king of Bilari and is believed to be approximately 150 years old, Dr. Pansiya said. The structure includes two marble floors and one brick floor, along with a well and four rooms, all part of an elaborate underground complex. Signs of encroachment on the site have also been identified, and the administration plans to address this issue promptly. The site, once a vital part of the Sahaspur State, served as a rest stop for soldiers and the royal family during their travels. Shipra Gera, a relative of the royal family, recounted the historical importance of the Bawdi. This place was a strategic stopover for soldiers travelling from Sahaspur (Bilari) to villages under the State's control, which now fall in the Badaun district. The royal family also used the underground complex during their journeys to escape the scorching summer heat, she said. The Bawdis corridors were manned by soldiers, and the site served both functional and leisure purposes. The underground chambers provided a cool retreat for the royals, while the stepwell itself ensured a steady water supply for their needs. As restoration and research continue, the Bawdi and its surrounding structures are set to become a beacon of Sambhal's historical legacy, offering locals and visitors alike a chance to reconnect with the region's storied past. A Shared History Unearthed The discoveries in Sambhal are a poignant reminder of the regions layered history, which is often obscured by present-day tensions. The proximity of the temple to the Shahi Jama Masjid, where violence had erupted during a protest against a court-ordered survey, underscores the intertwined histories of communities that have lived together for centuries. Local historian and archaeologist Dr. Arvind Sharma highlighted the significance of the finds. These discoveries provide a window into the past, showcasing Sambhals role as a cultural and religious hub. The preservation of these sites is not just about protecting relics but also about understanding our shared heritage, he said. The district administration, in collaboration with the ASI, is now focused on ensuring that these historical sites are preserved and developed responsibly. Plans include creating tourist-friendly infrastructure while maintaining the integrity of the sites. The discoveries have sparked excitement and curiosity among locals. Weve always heard stories about these places, but seeing them come to light is incredible. It feels like a part of our history has been revived, said Sunil Kumar, a Sambhal resident. As excavation and research continue, the findings in Sambhal are expected to shed more light on the regions past, offering lessons for the present and inspiration for the future. The accidental unearthing of the Shiva temple and subsequent discoveries serve as a reminder of the hidden treasures that lie buried beneath the surface, waiting to be rediscovered and celebrated. Senior BJP leader and party's candidate from Kalkaji, Ramesh Bidhuri, has yet again courted controversy by allegedly saying that after victory in the Delhi Assembly polls next month, he will develop smooth roads in the constituency like Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's "cheeks". No reaction of Bidhuri was available over his remarks and the attack on him by the Congress. "I assure you that just as we made the roads in Okhla and Sangam Vihar, we will make all the roads in Kalkaji like Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks," Bidhuri is heard saying in the purported video, which went viral on social media. Congress candidate from Kalkaji and Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba lashed out at Bidhuri and accused him of "insulting" women once again in his "usual indecent language". "Will the public in Kalkaji have such (a person) who cares neither for the dignity of the House (Parliament) nor respects the women," she said in a post on X. She demanded Bidhuri to tender a public apology for his statement and asked the senior BJP leaders to clear their stand on the issue. The Mahila Congress workers led by Lamba also torched an effigy of Bidhuri over his alleged statement against Gandhi. The statement was made by Bidhuri during campaigning in Kalkaji constituency on Saturday, one of his aides said. The former two time Lok Sabha MP from South Delhi and three time MLA from Tughalaqbad constituency is not new to controversies surrounding his public statements. Earlier last year, Bidhuri invited widespread condemnation over his outburst during a Lok Sabha session, targeting then BSP MP Danish Ali. His behaviour was referred to the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha. The irrelevance and toothlessness of the Minsk Group, which has been flogging a dead horse since its establishment, have already been confirmed by Russia, the co-chair of the group, as well. Recently, in a press briefing, the spokesperson of the Russian MFA, Maria Zakharova, touched upon the issue and pointed out that all structures of the Minsk conference, meaning the Minsk Group and the post of the OSCE representative dealing with the Garabagh resolution, are subject to dissolution. She added that the optimal path for making such a decision would be a joint proposal by Baku and Yerevan to disband these structures. It is worth noting that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had previously expressed a similar idea in an interview with an international media outlet. During the interview, Ilham Aliyev rightfully posed the following question: 'If Armenia has recognized Garbagh as part of Azerbaijan, and the Minsk Group was created to resolve the Garabagh issue, why is it still needed?' Supposedly, even Armenia is in favor of the dissolution of the Minsk Group. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that Armenia's stance on the idea of disbanding the OSCE Minsk Group is constructive. This raises an irony: despite two belligerent sides and one of the three co-chairs being in favor of disbanding the group, yet it continues to exist. Why? To put this into perspective, one should look at the date Groups establishment and the reason for its establishment. Thus, the Minsk Group was established in 1992 to moderate peaceful solutions to the Garabagh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. However, from the day it was set up, the Group proved to be toothless or biased, because it did not take any measures against Armenia to cajole it to withdraw its army from invaded Azerbaijani territories. Over the course of 30 years, the chairmen of the Group traveled to the region dozens of times and exerted fruitless efforts. The absurdity of the issue extended to such a degree that even the members of the Group started to mock their own activities. After the 44-day war, reminiscing about the halcyon days, one of them noted that they used to stay in luxury hotels and dine in the most expensive restaurants in Baku and Yerevan when they visited the region. In other words, he just admitted that it had suited them and they had been reluctant to solve the conflict. Instead, they had taken advantage of the conflict and spent a good time at the cost of the agony of millions of refugees. Their inactivity emboldened Armenia to dare to proclaim 'New Wars, New Territories' and to attack Azerbaijan, which resulted in capitulation. More precisely, on September 27, 2020, in the wake of the Armenian attack, Azerbaijan conducted the Counter Assault Operation, which would later be dubbed in history as the Second Garabagh War, or the 44-day war, and liberated its territories from the Armenian invasion. So, this raises questions: 'If Azerbaijan liberated its territories through the war, sacrificing 2,500 of its sons and spending millions of dollars, why did we need the Minsk Group? To feed them? To entertain them in luxury hotels and restaurants? To top it all off, the Garabagh issue has been solved, and Armenia has recognized Garabagh as an integral part of Azerbaijan. So, why do we need the good-for-nothing Minsk Group? Here is the point: Armenia has not learned a lesson from all the tragedies that happened in the last century. Or, the ineffectiveness of international organizations, including the Minsk Group, in the face of Armenia's Garabagh invasion left a sweet taste in the mouth of Yerevan. They do believe that once again they will be able to grab a territory from Azerbaijan and that is why they do their best to keep the Group alive and avoid signing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. Armenia should not forget that Armenia will not get anything good from warring with Azerbaijan. It should not be forgotten that the Garabagh conflict morphed Armenia into a failed state. Every six Armenians have left the country for 30 years. The country has been isolated from all international projects traversing the region. New wars will not bring new territories. On the contrary it will much more decreasing in the population and much more economic problems. So, as they say, action speaks louder, Armenia should come to make its move and together with Azerbaijan apply to the Minsk Group to dissolve it. Viewers of RTE's hugely popular Tommy Tiernan Show were left heartbroken and moved by one moment during the first episode in the latest series. The novel chat show returned to RTE One on Saturday night with Irvine Welsh, Pete Doherty and Aedin Ni Thiarnaigh with music by Sounds from a Safe Harbour featuring OPIA and Dermot Kennedy. Fans lapped up the interviews on the show, particularly Tommy's honest chat with former Libertines frontman Doherty, but it was the musical performance on the night that tugged at peoples' heartstrings. Saturday night's musical guests were Sounds from a Safe Harbour with OPIA, performing "We Didn't Know We Were Ready" as a tribute to Eoin French, the man behind musical act Talos who died at the age of 37 last year. "Jesus. This is just stunning," one person wrote of the atmospheric and emotional performance from a group of musicians and friends of Eoin, including chart-topping star Dermot Kennedy who joined the chorus. READ NEXT: Family of tragic RTE Ireland's Fittest Family teen give blessing to show scenes in new series "Unbelievable performance. Haunting! Beautiful!," another comment read, while a third viewers said they had "goosebumps watching this," adding, "absolutely stunning tribute to Eoin French." Eoin French died last August after a battle with cancer. He was just 37. The performance on Saturday night was a celebration of his life and talents. ABOVE: The group of musicians and friends of Talos talent Eoin French who performed a tribute to the late singer and songwriter on the Tommy Tiernan Show Schools in some parts of the country could remain closed on Monday after heavy snowfall on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Schools across the country are due to reopen on Monday following the Christmas and New Year break but some students could be celebrating an extra day or two off amid a fresh cold spell and Met Eireann advisory. Met Eireann widespread orange and yellow snow and ice warnings for most of the country end at 5pm on Sunday evening but lying snow could persist for days with Met Eireann suggesting temperatures will struggle to reach above 0 degrees before Thursday. With power out for thousands of people across the southern half of the country in particular and roads and footpaths in precarious condition, schools could well take the decision to close. The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) has indicated that boards of management at schools around the country will consider how roads are gritted in particular when making their decisions to open or not. They insist the safety of pupils, staff and parents are of utmost importance. Schools can take decisions individually as per the Government's Be Winter Ready guidelines which say the "decision to close a school or ELC rests with the settings management authority taking into consideration the full guidance and direction available from the principal response agencies, especially An Garda Siochana. READ NEXT: Thousands without power as Ireland wakes up to blanket of snow amid grim weather update "Any decision to close is taken in the interest of child safety, having assessed the local risks and having consulted, as appropriate, with school transport operators. "Some of the issues that settings take into account include conditions in the setting itself; capacity of the setting to ensure the health and safety of children and students; ability of parents, students, staff and school transport services to safely negotiate; local road conditions to reach the setting; guidance and direction from the principal response agencies." Specifically on weather events, the advice says: "Schools and ELCs should monitor weather forecasts in order to be prepared for any severe weather, which may affect the setting. During periods of severe weather, settings should assess the situation using the above guidance. Settings should be prepared, keep themselves informed and remain vigilant." The advice continues: "It should be borne in mind that there may also be weather events, which may be fast moving with little warning. For example, consider the case of Storm Darwin in February 2014 where Met Eireann had issued a Status Red alert for the Cork and Kerry regions; however, on that occasion the weather moved rapidly across the southern half of the country affecting a number of other counties. "There may also be Status Orange weather warnings that may require action to be taken because of the particular local circumstances, for example, in areas prone to flooding or areas located on the coast. Any assessment taken by the setting for actions necessary should be guided by local knowledge and experience and by way of advice from the principal response agencies." With reference to rare Status Red weather warnings, the circular says: "All weather warnings of Status Red will require some action on behalf of settings. Schools and ELCs need to assess the potential impact of such weather events taking account of past experiences and in light of advice on the current event from the principal response agencies in their area. "A Status Red weather warning for heavy rain may be particularly relevant if the local area is prone to flooding. A Status Red warning related to ice or snow, which may compact, may cause local issues due to the location of the setting and/or the routes taken to reach the setting. "Schools and ELCs should note in particular Status Red weather warnings where strong winds or storm conditions are forecasted. Due to the high degree of unpredictability as to the impact of the weather associated with such a Status Red warning on local conditions, settings should use the following guidance to assist them in making their assessment. "Status Red weather warning for wind related conditions may be given in advance of a setting opening or it may arise during the day while a school or ELC is underway." Meanwhile, Met Eireann has indicated that the weekend snow could sit in the worst-affected counties for days amid freezing temperatures. Night-time temperatures this week could fall as low as -10 degrees with the early hours of Wednesday morning looking like the coldest period. Their commentary on the cold spell says: "An area of low-pressure bringing precipitation will track north-eastwards across the country Saturday afternoon, through Saturday night, clearing into the Irish sea during Sunday afternoon. As the mild moist air meets the cold Arctic air, the rain will turn to sleet and snow in many areas. "The cold weather will continue well into next week as a cold Arctic northerly airflow become established from Sunday night. Lying snow will persist in some areas with frosty and icy conditions countrywide. An Advisory has been issued countrywide for Monday (6th of January) through to Thursday (9th of January)." Deputy Head of Forecasting Liz Coleman says: A lot of people will be returning home from the festive holidays this weekend. We want people to take heed of the warnings and plan in advance as there will be some really tricky driving conditions out there for a near 24 hour period. "This rain sleet and snow will be coupled with blustery east to northeast winds which could lead to some drifting snow for as time as well. "Stay up to date with the forecast and also with your travel provider as there are likely to be travel disruptions too." Liz continues: "The cold Arctic air will return on Sunday evening and stay with us right out into next week. It will be bitterly cold next week with some lying snow, widespread severe frost and ice and scattered wintry showers. There could be further complications with freezing fog at times, so we ask people pay attention to the weather forecasts and be prepared." Met Eireann's full forecast for the week ahead predicts further flurries of snow and sleet too. They say it will be "cold and blustery today [Sunday] with outbreaks of sleet and snow, along with heavy rain in southern coastal areas. Significant accumulations of snow will occur, mainly in parts of Munster and south Leinster leading to hazardous travelling conditions. There is a chance of localised flooding in the south. The northwest will turn drier through the day. Highest temperatures of just 0 to 4 degrees in moderate to fresh northerly winds. "Sleet and snow will clear from the east of the country this evening [Sunday] to leave a very cold and icy night. It will become largely dry but wintry showers will follow into Atlantic coastal counties. Lowest temperatures ranging from -5 to zero degrees with moderate to fresh northwest breezes." Met Eireann's latest forecast says Monday will be "bitterly cold with widespread frost and lying snow. There'll be sunshine and scattered wintry showers of hail, sleet and snow. Some thunder is possible too. Top temperatures generally ranging from zero to +5 degrees but staying below freezing over snow-fields. The forecast continues: "Clear spells and scattered sleet and snow showers on Monday night, the showers most frequent in the west and north. Widespread frost and ice with lowest temperatures of -5 to zero degrees in moderate west to northwest winds. "Another very cold day on Tuesday with sunshine and further scattered few wintry showers in the west and north of the country. Frost and ice will linger in some areas all day with highest temperatures ranging from 0 to +5 degrees in moderate northwest winds. "Bitterly cold on Tuesday night with severe frost as minimum temperatures range from -8 to -3 degrees in light westerly or variable winds. Areas of freezing fog will develop in some areas leading to hazardous travelling conditions. Still a few wintry showers along the north coast. "Very cold on Wednesday with areas of ice and freezing fog lingering in many areas throughout the day. Where the fog does clear there will be spells of sunshine. Maximum afternoon temperatures will generally range from -3 to +3 degrees in mostly light westerly winds. A little less cold in the northwest of the country. Further wintry showers in northern and northwestern coastal fringes later in the day. "Another bitterly cold night on Wednesday night with widespread frost and ice along with areas of freezing fog. Some sleet and snow showers along northern and northwestern coastal areas. Lowest temperatures of -7 to -2 degrees. "Any wintry showers in the north and northwest dying out on Thursday to give a mainly dry chilly day with some sunshine, However frost and freezing dog lingering in southern parts. Max -2 to +5, coldest in the south. "Rain, sleet and snow spreading northeastwards on Thursday night and Friday, followed by a gradual improvement on temperatures over next weekend," the forecast concludes. To all jet setter out there who are planning a get-away to Vietnam anywhere between July 13, 2009 to September 30, 2009 this is your chance to grab an opportunity to check-in one of the most awesome hotel Ive ever stayed. Accorhotels.com is having a Vietnam Hotel Super Sale you can book a room for as low as $45 if you book from now until July 13, 2009 only! Why do you have to stay in a nice hotel when you can spend the money for accommodation for something else right? But with this awesome Vietnam hotel sale you dont have to settle for a cheap transient motel. Aside from Novotel, Accor Hotels also tied up with Accor Grand Mercure and Mercure hotels, which are among the nicest hotels Ive ever been. But honestly I would suggest you try Novotel, any Novotel will do. Their service is superb like this Novotel in Ha Long Bay which is the first 4 star internationally recognized hotel in this popular region in Vietnam which is 3 hours away from Hanoi. It has 214 beachfront hotel 214 where you can have an overlook of the idylic seascape. which is great for business travel or family holidays, the hotel boasts modern interiors and great facilities including WiFi Internet! Facial Care Centre (FCC), a business that specializes in skincare treatments, and the Headshot Clinic (HSC), a digital platform that merges headshots with advocacies, have partnered for their biggest project yet: Earth Faces, a climate change campaign that showcases 100 stories of Filipinos through portraits. It weaves together stories of those who lived through Super Typhoon Yolanda, and those who did their best to help them. The subjects are a mix of advocates, celebrities, media personalities, and survivors shot on location. Earth Faces: taking and giving pictures Known as a company that set the bar high for skincare treatments and services, FCCs Corporate Social Responsibility endeavor this year had the same level of ambition. The lean team of six: NJ Torres, FCCs PR manager; Headshot Clinics photographer, Niccolo Cosme & Dwight Bayona and videographer, Antonio Dimaguila; makeup artist, Kay Arias and writer, Anna Oposa, set out to photograph 22 families in 4 island provinces in 7 days. They printed instant photos with their heavy-duty reliable Cannon printer, put the best family picture in the frame, and whipped up a small exhibit of their BTS photos and headshots. For city dwellers, being made up and photographed may not seem like a big deal. For many of the families they met in Tacloban, Malapascua, Leyte and Coron, it was a milestone. Meeting the families Their first stop was Tacloban, ground zero. They met the Dela Pena family in their new home, a donated tent. Mommy Marlyn shared that the most painful part of the experience was being called robbers. We didnt have anything to eat for two days. We were wearing the same wet clothes for three days. We didnt have a choice, she explained in Waray while wiping away her tears. Her children are back in school and are determined to continue their education. They then spent a day in Malapascua Island, Cebu, where families and dive centers have been working together to clean up the coasts and seas from tra sh and debris. They aim to make it the renowned diving destination it once was. From Cebu, the EarthFaces team headed to Suyac Island in Negros Occidental, known for its century-old mangroves. When Yolanda roared through the island, the mangroves shielded the community from the storm surge, leaving zero casualties. The people are prioritizing the restoration of the beach-forest and its damaged walkways. The survival of the residents and the mangroves shows that when we take care of the environment, it takes care of us. For the fourth and final stop, they made their way to Coron, Palawan. They sat down with Al and Melanie Linsangan, a couple that runs a photography shop and tour operations. As part of rebuilding efforts, theyre helping over 160 families by providing employment opportunities through tourism. The value of a family picture During their interviews, they asked the families what they were most thankful for. Each family answered in Filipino, We are all alive and complete. Whenever we revealed the makeshift exhibit of the families pictures and headshots, everybody lit up. Others started crying. For many of the families, it was their first family photo ever. For some, it replaced those lost or damaged by the typhoon. In any case, the framed family pictures now hang in their new or repaired houses to serve as a reminder that the Earth faces climate change, disasters, and calamities, but it also faces hope, strength, and resilience. You read this here first. Earth Faces will be launched April 24, 2014. Stay gorgeous everyone! CORK, often hailed as the real capital of Ireland, can boast its fair share of notable figures from Irish history. Some of the countys greatest political and revolutionary figures of the 20th century, however, lie not within the county borders, but in Dublins Glasnevin Cemetery. The graves of some of the famed names buried in the cemetery, like Eamon de Valera, Jim Larkin, Luke Kelly, Christy Brown, and Countess Markievicz, can sometimes be difficult for visitors to locate. This is not the case for the grave of Michael Collins (1890-1922), which is easily visible beside the visitor centre and many people come to Glasnevin just to see his. The cemetery, however, is a place where many other famous Cork people are buried. Names like the Fenian from Rosscarbery Jeremiah ODonovan Rossa (1831-1915); John Philpot Curran (1750-1817) the orator and lawyer from Newmarket; and Fr Francis Browne (1880-1960) the Jesuit priest and photographer from Cork who is best known for his photos taken on board RMS Titanic before she sank in 1912. Glasnevin was established in 1832 as non-denominational by Daniel OConnell and today covers 140 acres and is the final resting place for 1.5 million people. Many in the cemetery lie in unmarked plots and their legacies lie undiscovered, waiting to be retold. Others, despite having headstones on their graves, have had their names and narratives fade from public memory. In December of 2015 I applied for the position of tour guide in the cemetery as part of the ongoing Decade of Centenaries (2013-2023) and to my surprise Dublin Cemeteries Trust gave me the opportunity to tell visitors the stories of some of the most significant graves in the cemetery a job I feel privileged to do, and one I continue to do to this day. It has led me over the past four years to collect some of the lesser-told stories from the cemetery and to present them in my debut book So Once Was I. Warren Farrell author with members of the National Collins22 society at Emmet Dalton's Grave in Glasnevin The book is a personal one to me, independent of my role as a tour guide in Glasnevin. It all began as a passion project to keep myself busy during Covid-19 lockdowns. While deciding on who to include in the book, some stories stood out to me with links to Cork. Florence Margaret Scroope was travelling on the mail ship the RMS Leinster on October 10, 1918. More than 500 souls were lost after the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat, fifteen miles from Dun Laoghaire. She was born in Cork on July 12, 1871, to Henry Scroope, an accountant from Tipperary, and Catherine (Kate) Hackett, a native of Cork city. Her mothers father (Bartholomew Hackett) had been mayor and deputy lieutenant of Cork. Florences body was later recovered and brought to the morgue in Dublin where her body lay unidentified until her family recognised a picture of her in the Evening Telegraph. Florence was buried on the morning of October 21, 1918, in the South section. The plot had been purchased by the then Lord Mayor of Dublin to allow for the dignified burial of those not identified as a result of the sinking. Gearoid OSullivan (1891-1948), a key figure in Irelands struggle for independence, was buried with military honours in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin on March 29, 1948. His coffin was draped in the same tricolour that had been used for Collins coffin in 1922. Born in Skibbereen, as a young man he joined the Irish Volunteers and during the Easter Rising, at just 25 years of age (three months younger than Michael Collins), he was handed a folded-up Irish tricolour flag and instructed to go to the roof and raise it. This was one of two flags flown above the GPO during the Rising; the second being the flag of the Irish Republic. He became a particularly close friend to Michael Collins and his story has many parallels with that of the Big Fella. Both were even meant to get married to the Kiernan sisters from Granard in Longford. Gearoid was to marry Maud, the sister of Kitty Kiernan, in a double wedding with Collins in October 1922. Ultimately the wedding went ahead. Kitty Kiernan can be seen in wedding photographs in an all-black mourning dress. Despite the parallels, it is Collins legacy that has assumed legendary status. After the Rising, Gearoid moved through the ranks to significant military and political roles, including adjutant-general of the IRA and lieutenant-general of the National Army. OSullivan also served as a TD and held various legal and governmental positions. His grave is next to Brendan Behans, visited by thousands visit each year. George Coppinger Ashlin (1837-1921) was one of Corks best-known architects and designed a multitude of different churches and religious buildings, including Corks SS Peter and Paul Church, Cobhs impressive cathedral, Clonakiltys Church of the Immaculate Conception and the McCabe memorial in Glasnevin. Ashlin was born on May 28, 1837, at a house called Carrigrenane in Little Island and was the third son of John Musson Ashlin, JP, of Rush Hill, Wandsworth in Surrey, and Dorinda Coppinger. Ashlin worked closely with the famed Pugin family on different projects in Ireland. He is buried in the St Bridgets section of the cemetery. Graveside of A.M Sullivan beside the Mortuary Chapel in Glasnevin. A.M. Sullivan (183084) was born on May 15, 1830, at Bantry, Co Cork, to a house painter Daniel Sullivan and Catherine Baylor. His brother was the famous T.D. Sullivan who later became Lord Mayor of Dublin (1886 88). He worked as a clerk of famine relief works in the Skibbereen district (184557) and what he saw led him to become actively involved with the emerging Young Irelanders movement. He went on to become a prominent nationalist, politician, journalist and the sole proprietor of The Nation newspaper. His grave is next to the steps down to Daniel OConnells Vault and Tower. In the same area of the cemetery where both Collins and Kitty Kiernan are buried you will also find the grave of a Dublin man with connections to Co Cork Emmet Dalton (1898-1978). His story is multifaceted, from decorated soldier in the First World War, to a high-ranking IRA man in the War of Independence, major general in the Irish Free State Army and film pioneer. He is the man who sat beside Collins when he was killed at Beal na Blath on August 22, 1922. Much of the blame for Collins death was later unfairly placed on Daltons lap. At his funeral, he was lowered into a plot metres away from Collins. The National Collins22 Society, set up in 2002 to keep the memory of Collins alive, regularly places flowers on his graveside and in recent times has started incorporating Daltons grave into their weekly rituals in the cemetery. Among the long list of famous names there are stories of many more waiting to be re-told in Glasnevin and the cemetery stands as a testament to the value of every individuals story. This article appeared in the 2024 Holly Bough. A new recruitment campaign to hire therapists to work with children with special needs in schools across the State has been launched by Education Minister Norma Foley. It comes as a number of special schools in Cork gear up to see both speech-and-language and occupational therapists work with their pupils this January. The recruitment campaign will see the therapists join the Educational Therapy Support Service (ETSS) which was established in June and preceded the announcement in August of a pilot scheme for the restoration of therapists to special schools after they had been withdrawn in 2020. The recruitment campaign will see the appointment of 39 occupational and speech and language therapists as well as five behaviour practitioners on a permanent basis to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). Previously, these positions could only be filled on a temporary basis, which made it more difficult to recruit for them. In a statement, the ETSS was described as additional to existing HSE Primary Care and Childrens Disability Network Teams, which will continue to offer children one-to-one appointments with therapists. Ms Foley said she was happy to launch the recruitment campaign. This represents a significant move to the rollout of a national therapy service for schools. It will ensure that schools can access the right educational supports at the right time, she said. As part of this recruitment campaign, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is advertising to fill a number of staff and senior grade occupational therapy and speech and language therapy posts. The positions are being advertised now with a closing date of January 30. Salaries are in line with the HSE consolidated pay scales (October 2024) for therapy grades. According to Cork North Central Sinn Fein TD, Thomas Gould, the recruitment campaign should not be about robbing Peter to pay Paul, and described it as long overdue. Every day these children miss out on therapies means they dont reach their full potential this is what the parents are saying, this is what the schools are saying, and no one knows their children as well as their parents, he said. A commemorative statue of composer and musician Rory Gallagher has been unveiled in Belfast, honouring his life, music, and connection to the city. The life-sized statue of Gallagher is located outside Ulster Hall, a venue at which he played regularly. The statue was crafted by sculptors Anto Brennan, Jessica Checkley of Bronze Art Ireland, and David OBrien of Bronze Art Ireland. It is inspired by a January 1972 Melody Maker magazine cover shot of Gallagher onstage at Ulster Hall. Born in Ballyshannon and raised in Cork, Gallagher moved to Belfast in 1967, a city that would become a cornerstone of his musical journey. It was there that Taste, his first blues-rock trio, played clubs such as Sammy Hustons, The Maritime, and Club Rado. The final Taste concert, featuring John Wilson and Richard McCracken, was staged at Queens University in 1970. At the start of Gallaghers solo career, he formed a new band with drummer Wilgar Campbell and bassist Gerry McAvoy. Handout photo issued by Navigator Blue of the unveiling of a commemorative statue of Irish composer and musician Rory Gallagher at Ulster Hall in Belfast. Photo: Brian Morrison/Navigator Blue/PA Wire Later, he would bring on Lou Martin and Brendan ONeill, Belfast musicians who helped to shape his career. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Gallaghers passing. Renowned for his soulful playing, dynamic performances, and dedication to his craft, Gallagher established himself as a trailblazer in Irish rock music. Over the course of his career, he toured around the world constantly, selling millions of records in the process. Donal Gallagher, Rorys brother and manager, said: Its fitting that the city he loved so much is where his legacy will be celebrated for generations to come. Belfast wasnt just a place he performed, it was a city that shaped his musical journey and welcomed him like one of its own. From the early days when he played here, it became a second home, a source of inspiration, and a springboard to international success. The Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust has been instrumental in the initiative, working in collaboration with Ulster Hall and Belfast City Council, and with sponsorship from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Northern Ireland Executive; ICC Belfast; LQ BID; Girvan Architecture Services; Aiken Promotions, Strange Music; and Pipelife Ireland. Frank Girvan, a member of the Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust, said: It has been many years in the making, and we are incredibly grateful for the support weve received from fans, fellow musicians, and all those who continue to show their commitment to keeping Rorys legacy alive. From fundraising to performances, weve organised numerous initiatives, including the unveiling today in Belfast, to ensure that Rorys contributions to music are never forgotten. We hope more people will join us in these efforts as we continue to celebrate the music and spirit of a man who changed so many lives, he said. Iain Bell, acting chief executive of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Limited, the operators of Ulster Hall, said: Ulster Hall has hosted countless legendary performances, yet Rory Gallaghers connection to this iconic venue is unmatched. This statue is not just about celebrating Rorys career; it also reaffirms Belfasts status as a cultural hub, he said. It highlights the citys vibrant musical heritage and its importance as a destination for music lovers worldwide. Alliance Party councillor Micky Murray, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, said at Saturdays unveiling: Today, we honour the incredible legacy of Rory Gallagher a true musical icon who continues to inspire generations. This statue stands as a testament to his enduring impact, not only on the world of music, but on the cultural fabric of Belfast. It is fitting to have the statue here at the Ulster Hall where some of his most memorable performances took place and, as a Unesco City of Music, Belfast is proud to celebrate Rorys talent, creativity, and the joy he brought to so many through his music. An Italian restaurant in Midleton has become one of the first Cork businesses to announce its closure in 2025, as a local TD says the Government must do more to support small hospitality businesses. Pizzeria San Marco, which serves pasta, cocktails, Italian starters, and desserts as well as pizza, shared on social media on Friday that this will be its last month of service. The owner wrote: Unfortunately after almost 15 years in business Pizzeria San Marco will finally close its doors. For the rest of January we will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 16:00. He added: I wish to thank all of our wonderful customers and staff for their loyalty and custom over the years it was a pleasure serving you all. It follows Midleton restaurants Sage, Toastie, La Trattoria, and Church Lane announcing their closures in the last 12 months, and Farmgates relocation to Waterford. Social Democrats TD for Cork East Liam Quaide told The Echo: Its very sad and concerning to see yet another thriving restaurant close its doors in East Cork. Pizzeria San Marco will be a huge loss to Midleton. We need much stronger supports at Government level for small hospitality businesses, including a reduction in Vat to 9% and more assistance to meet spiralling energy costs. Last January saw a wave of Cork restaurant closures, including Tung Sing and Nash 19. Israel warns Hezbollah to withdraw forces or risk ceasefire collapse Jerusalem, Jan 5 (UNI) Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning to Hezbollah on Sunday, stating that if the armed group does not withdraw all forces north of the Litani River, Israel will break the ceasefire agreement. The terms of the ceasefire mandate Hezbollah to pull its fighters and weapons north of the Litani River by Jan. 26. By the same date, Israel must fully withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line, the United Nations-demarcated border between Lebanon and Israel, while the Lebanese army is to deploy forces to the area. Speaking on Sunday during a visit to Israel's Northern Command, Katz said Israel remains committed to enforcing the agreement. "Israel seeks to uphold the agreement in Lebanon," he stated. When did hip-hop start becoming so safe? Irish trio Kneecap have gone against the grain by invoking the spirit of a genre that was born in adversity. Hip-hop is a music format that historically never gave a damn about what others thought; but all that has changed in recent times. The most commercially successful music genre in the world is too worried about upsetting people these days, and it makes the success of Kneecap even more refreshing. I first met Kneecap in 2018, where I played before them at a small gig in Cork in the Aclai Gym, run by Moglais brother Ainle, where they typically and unselfishly gave up their time for a fundraiser, something which they still do to this day for causes close to their heart. That evening I was impressed with their energy and their lyrics, and while the beats were nothing special yet, they had something that makes all of the best hip-hop act grab your attention. They were young, raw and didnt care. Kneecaps story has been famously told (in a slightly more fictionalised comic way) by their impressive movie of the same name, which is winning over both critics and audiences alike these last few months. Their sold out Cork gig was postponed because of the illness and the sad passing of Moglais and Ainles father, Irish language evangelist and community activist Gearoid O Caireallain, but they will return with not one but two shows in February at Cork City Hall. Kneecaps own contribution to the spread of the Irish language has been very impressive, and they have managed to accelerate their career while also keeping an incendiary edge by advocating for another cause dear to their hearts; that of Irish Republicanism. The Irish language and the fight against colonialism are not always the most fashionable pursuits for rappers, but its impressive the way Kneecap have always stuck to their principles despite disdain and hostility from many. They have won many more people over and they retain their edge and continue to be outspoken about both Irish issues while also fundraising extensively for the people of Gaza. Many Irish artists of all styles have been prominent in their support for Palestine but its notable that many rappers worldwide are silent. Regular readers will be familiar with our own young Palestinian friend, MC Abdul, who is now in the United States trying to develop his career, but sadly, we live in a music climate where even hip-hop artists of a Palestinian heritage such as DJ Khaled remain silent. In 2024 and 2025 hip-hop plays it safe, and the likes of Kneecap are the exception rather than the rule. The genre built by the likes of N.W.A., Krs-One, Public Enemy, Ice T and Tupac is rarely outspoken these days when it comes to politics, and much of the best political rap comes from non mainstream zones both on the margins in the US and elsewhere. Most recently, at the end of a long year of beefing in which Kendrick Lamar obliterated Drake, some of the Canadians fanbase have used Lamars activism as a stick to beat him with. Kendrick, whose music has often been co opted for various causes, such as Alright with Black Lives Matters, sometimes remains quiet outside his music, but he has contributed a lot to his local community. Criticising this is embarrassing and reflects badly on the very worst type of Drake stans, but it also hints at something more worrying. So called hip-hop fans being dismissive of activism while embracing the crass materialism of the commercial rap era shows that some of us are now far removed from the roots of a movement that was created on the streets by small communities of passionate DJs, breakers, MCs and graf writers. These grassroots communities and people still exist in Cork, Belfast, Dublin, Limerick, London, Compton, New York and many other spots where passionate hip-hop fans gather, but they largely exist outside of the mainstream too. This is not necessarily a bad thing, and the public face of hip-hop is a million miles away from what is happening on the ground. Ice Cube and many other political rappers of the gangsta rap era are now more likely to be seen supporting Donald Trump rather than fighting against police brutality. Snoop and Dre are making bank while Pac and Eazy didnt make it past 30. Maybe this is why Snoop continues to play a more diplomatic game. But dig deeper, and there are many others not so afraid of hurting their careers, and speaking up. Kneecap will continue to do so in 2025! James Cox While Simon Harris would have hoped to continue as taoiseach, the foreign affairs portfolio would be far from a consolation prize. While many in Fine Gael will argue that the party did well to secure 38 seats at the general election, given the amount of senior TDs who did not run, their finish behind Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein means they will have to fight for the 'parity' Mr Harris has often mentioned when it comes to government formation. Sources have indicated the rotating taoiseach agreement will continue, meaning Mr Harris will hope to return to the Taoiseach's Office in two and a half years after his busy nine months in the role. If he hopes to succeed Micheal Martin, he will have to keep a high-profile though, and he may well be targeting the role of Minister for Foreign Affairs. He will undoubtedly take a senior ministerial role along with the position of tanaiste, and he may well be considering how Mr Martin has benefitted from the role. After Fianna Fail secured 48 seats in the general election, his position as leader of the party is very secure. However, there was a wobble a couple of years ago, with consistent murmurings of discontent among backbench TDs. Some speculated that Mr Martin could suffer from being abroad so much, with rumours of secret meetings when he was away. However, having such a prominent role on the world stage has served him well, and it may well be tempting to Mr Harris. He has been linked with the departments of enterprise and justice (which he served in temporarily while Helen McEntee was on maternity leave), but his recent comments in an opinion piece in The Irish Times suggest he has his eyes on foreign affairs. Mr Harris said Ireland will have to find a way to build strong links with the United States in the incoming Trump administration. He wrote of an "Irish diplomatic and trade offensive". Mr Harris wrote of an "Irish diplomatic and trade offensive" ahead of US president elect Donald Trump's return to office. Photo: Getty Images Mr Harris wrote: "Ireland is now a top-10 investor in the United States, and we punch way above our weight in those numbers, investing more than China, Canada, India or Australia. Irish companies are opening new business in every one of the 50 states in the US and create tens of thousands of jobs. Around 500 Irish companies alone employ 100,000 people stateside. This is the story we need to tell Mr Trumps new team. "It is also important to remember that Ireland has worked with a Trump administration before, and Mr Trump was in office during the hardest and most dangerous period of Brexit for our country. His administration worked carefully to understand the complexities of Brexit and the US interventions at that time to protect the peace process were important and astute." He went on to mention his proposal at the European Council for an invitation to Mr Trump for a US-EU summit. Mr Harris also said Ireland should make it "our ambition" to host Mr Trump in Ireland during our presidency of the EU in 2026. Foreign affairs is one of the most sought after Cabinet roles, so Fianna Fail may well demand some of the other key portfolios such as health and justice. You can read more about Ireland's vulnerabilities to Mr Trump's proposed tariffs here. Old U.S. Senate Banner Image The U.S. Senate has approved Rashad Hussain to serve as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, in a historic move as the first American Muslim to hold the position welcome by different religious groups. Hussain, a-42-year-old lawyer, was nominated by President Joe Biden in July, and won Senate approval in an 85-5 vote with both the main parites backing on Dec. 16 for the IRF position, TRT World reported. The previous IRF ambassador Sam Brownback praised the decision and its bipartisan majority. "Religious persecution is rampant around the world, and the international community looks to the United States for leadership that can make a difference," he said. Knox Thames, a senior fellow for the Institute for Global Engagement who served as the U.S. State Department's special advisor for religious minorities during both the administrations of Barrack Obama and Donald Trump also praised the "overwhelmingly bipartisan vote." "It's good for the issue that partisan politics stayed out of international human rights advocacy," he told Christianity Today. "And it's good for the persecuted that the Senate confirmed American's top diplomat promoting religious freedom before Christmas." Hussain held various roles in Obama's administration, serving on the National Security Council, as an associate White House counsel, and as special envoy for strategic counterterrorism communications. He was also a special envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and intergovernmental organization representing 57 member states, most of them with a Muslim majority. IMPACT OF BIGOTRY "(A)s a Muslim American, I have seen the impact of bigotry and guilt by association tactics used against minority communities, including the message it sends and dangers it poses to young people," Hussain said during his prepared remarks to the committee. Hussain was born in the state of Wyoming to Indian parents and raised in Texas, and is a Hafiz, or person who has memorized the entire Quran. He pledged to ensure that religious freedom issues would never be sacrificed in diplomatic or economic negotiations with China. "China is one of the worst abusers of religious freedom in the world," Hussain said in response to a question about America's response to the Uyghur genocide. He urged increased US pressure on China to alleviate the suffering of not only the Uyghurs but Tibetan Buddhists, Chinese Christians, and members of the Falun Gong religious movement. The US Commission on International Religous Freedom (USCIRF) thanked the U.S. Congress for prioritizing the appointment of Brownback's successor. "The right to freedom of religion or belief is under sustained threat globally," stated USCIRF chair Nadine Maenza. "With his years of knowledge and experience, Ambassador Hussain is well placed to advance the US government's promotion of international religious freedom." Brent Leatherwood, acting president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said, "We are praying for his success and we are eager to work with him. "Religious freedom is under assault around the globe and his position is vital to confronting those who would undermine this fundamental right." Russia declared a regional state of emergency in Crimea, as workers cleared tons of contaminated sand on either side of the Kerch Strait following an oil spill in the Black Sea. Adrien Brody "cant watch" 'The Pianist'. Adrien Brody starred in the 2002 war drama The 51-year-old star won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the 2002 war drama - but Adrien admits that he can't actually bring himself to watch the movie. The actor - who played a victim of the Holocaust in the film - told W Magazine: "I cant watch 'The Pianist'. "It was traumatic to embody that character." Adrien is still haunted by the process of preparing for the role. He said: "I lost 30-something pounds - Im six feet one, and I weighed 129 pounds. The experience of understanding that deep sense of hunger has never left me. To understand what that opened up inside me is still terribly upsetting." Adrien also revealed that he's followed his dad's advice throughout his acting career. He shared: "At 14, I booked the lead role of a public television movie called 'Home at Last'. My dad took me and, right before that audition, said, 'Just go in there like you already have the job. You're just showing them how you are going to do it.' I thought that was such great advice. Just present what you're capable of doing, and then their loss if they don't want you." Adrien recently insisted that his success has "never been easy". The veteran actor believes he's ultimately benefited and learned from a series of setbacks earlier in his career. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Adrien explained: "You do not listen until you fail or until it really hurts. "For a shift to occur, there has to be enlightenment. Enlightenment comes oftentimes through suffering or hardships. Ive had a very blessed life and career, but its never been easy. The thing to know is there are many chapters." Prince William has been left "shocked and saddened" by the death of his former nanny's stepson. Prince William is saddened by Edward Pettifer's death The Prince of Wales - who has three children with wife Catherine, Princess of Wales - has sent "thoughts and prayers" to the families of the 14 killed during a terror attack in New Orleans in the early hours of New Year's Day (01.01.25), including the loved ones of Edward Pettifer, the 31-year-old stepson of his former carer Tiggy Legge-Bourke. William - who is godfather to Tiggy's son Tom - wrote on social media: Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack. W." Buckingham Palace have confirmed William's father, King Charles, was told about Edward's death through official channels and was "deeply saddened" by the news. The Daily Telegraph newspaper reports it is understood he has been in touch with his family to share personal condolences. Edward was the son of Charles Pettier and his first wife Camilla Wyatt. The former Coldstream Guards officer went on to marry his old friend Tiggy - who was nanny to William and his younger brother Priince Harry from 1993 until 1999 - and they had sons Fred, now 23, and Tom, 22 together. His family said in a statement: The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many. We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you. Tiggy has maintained a close relationship with both William and Harry - who is godfather to Fred - over the years - and now runs a bed and breakfast. The New Orleans tragedy saw 14 people lose their lives when Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar drove a pick-up truck into a crowd in the city's French quarter. He was later killed in a shoot-out with police. The average price of Sri Lankan apparel exports to the world decreased in January-October 2024 compared to the average price of exports in 2023. The average prices had risen in 2023 from those of 2022, when overall exports had seen impressive growth worldwide. The average price of apparel exports from Sri Lanka was noted at $3.02 per unit in the first ten months of the recently concluded year. It was recorded at $3.79 per unit in 2023 and $3.61 per unit in 2022. Additionally, the price of apparel exports in terms of weight was $30.93 per kg in January-October 2024, compared to $33.49 per kg in 2023 and $29.28 per kg in 2022, according to Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro. The average price of Sri Lankan apparel exports declined in the first ten months of 2024 compared to 2023, despite a previous upward trend. Cambodian apparel exports also saw a price decrease. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's export volume increased slightly in 2024, with a diversified product range led by innerwear, contributing significantly to total export values. Sri Lanka exported 910.496 million units of apparel in the first ten months of 2024, along with 36.513 million kg of other apparels during the same period. In 2023, the country had exported 832.513 million units and 38.659 million kg of apparels. Apparel exports were recorded at 1,109.907 million units and 51.317 million kg in 2022, according to TexPro. In terms of value, Sri Lanka exported apparel worth $3,882.178 million in January-October 2024. Earlier, the exports were valued at $4,445.927 million in 2023 and $5,512.597 million in 2022. Sri Lankas apparel export basket is quite diversified, as trade data suggests. The most dominant apparel was innerwear, with exports valued at $1,088.770 million in January-October 2024, which constituted 28.16 per cent of the total. Among the top five products, the exports of trousers and shorts were valued at $781.975 million (20.23 per cent), T-shirts at $394.920 million (10.21 per cent), accessories at $324.160 million (8.38 per cent), and shirts at $246.331 million (6.37 per cent) in the same period. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL) The National Board of Revenue (NBR) recently partially launched the Bangladesh Single Window (BSW), an electronic system that allows traders to submit import, export and transit information to multiple government agencies through a single gateway, bringing seven customs agencies under a single system. Aimed at easing the import and export processes for businesses, the project, which began in 2017, will streamline trade operations by ultimately combining the activities of 19 agencies related to customs under one system, according to an NBR statement. The seven agencies brought under the single window at present are the department of environment, the Directorate General of Drug Administration, the Export Promotion Bureau, the department of explosives, the Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention, the Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority and the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority. The National Board of Revenue recently partially launched the Bangladesh Single Window, an electronic system that allows traders to submit import, export and transit information to multiple government agencies through a single gateway, bringing seven customs agencies under a single system. Twelve more agencies will be integrated into the window on February 28, marking the full launch. The rest 12 agencies will be integrated into the window on February 28, marking the full launch. Importers and exporters can obtain all certificates, licences and permits and submit the necessary information on a single online platform for clearance of goods. The consignment can be redeemed at the earliest through the certificate issued on the basis of the submitted data. Representatives from businesses will no longer be required to visit government offices in person to receive the necessary documents, domestic media outlets reported. The government agencies have started implementing go-live or automation processes. Project director Jewel Ahmed said 119 types of certificates are required from the 19 authorities for businesses. Among these, 46 are available online now, while the rest are in the process of being digitised. The World Bank has financed the project. The 12 other agencies to be included in the system are chief controller of imports and exports, the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association, the department of fisheries, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, plant quarantine wing of the department of agriculture, department of livestock, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) by Jeroen Bouterse In 2023, I wrote what I reckon was a calm, analytical column for this website, about how my country had talked itself into giving the xenophobic, far-right Freedom Party a strong plurality of seats in Parliament. An equally level-headed update seems warranted, as its leader Geert Wilders has since maneuvered his party into leading the Netherlands coalition government, which we have now been able to observe in action for six months. I spent a healthy share of that time, possibly even more than that, yelling at the daily news. Here we see the beauty of the written word, however: the process of creating a text provides an excellent opportunity to take a step back and find a broader, more generous perspective on things. Thanks to the alchemy of prose composition, my temperament and my primary emotional responses do not need to prevent me from giving you, the deserving reader, a balanced and distilled account of the state of politics in the Netherlands, and of the nihilistic bastards that currently dominate it. Indeed, I would hate for this to be just a longer version of the rants I post on unfashionable social media platforms, for the benefit of fewer and fewer friends. Be assured, then, that sublimated ideas and broadly applicable wisdom lie ahead, and not just expressions of rage and frustration. I am almost certain of it. The phenomenon this essay will examine is that of the reluctant enabler. Like a group of youthful arsonists, the political burn-it-all-down faction tends to consist not only of Steve Bannon-level pyromaniacs, but also of impressionable, frightened, or calculating joiners. Usually, they at least pretend to be on board with the whole setting fire to democratic institutions project. Rare is the teenager-slash-politician that actively carries kindling and matches to the target structure, all the while professing loudly that open fires are very dangerous and should be avoided at all times; adding, moreover, that they have never liked their friends, and cannot wait for the fire department to put a stop to this ill-fated enterprise. But thats coalition government for you. Mayors in wartime Our new cabinet is supported by four parties: apart from the Freedom Party, one mainstream conservative party scooching ever further to the right, and two newer parties. Of these two, one focuses on agrarian interests; the other, New Social Contract (NSC), embodies an endearing mix of populism, technocracy, and conservatism, combined with heartfelt respect for proper democratic procedure and the rule of law. This manifests in endless hand-wringing about their own cooperation with the far right. When it dawned on them that they are part of this now, they settled on telling themselves and the country that they are there to hold the line. Heres where we can learn one of the lessons the Dutch example is there to teach: dont do that. There is a certain heroic appeal to being the adult in the room, keeping an eye on the fire hose. Famously, one American official (who later identified himself) wrote in an anonymous New York Times Op-Ed that he and other government officials worked around the clock to keep the toddler-in-chief from causing more than the inevitable amount of damage. We all slept better knowing that. In Dutch, we call this acting as mayor in wartime. The term, which has risen in popularity recently, refers to the dilemmas local leaders and officials faced during the occupation by Nazi Germany. Stepping down and keeping their own hands clean might lead things to unravel faster, but staying came with the obvious risk of crossing your own ethical red lines, and being used for evil. I respect those dilemmas, in the minds of people who have no choice but to face them the director of a government agency working to provide shelter to refugees, for instance. It is hard to muster the same respect for those who brought themselves and their country into the very predicament they are now trying to mitigate. Coalition governments dont happen by accident or by default; they involve lengthy negotiations and the signing of extensive agreements. Patting yourself on the back for restraining a government you put in charge is like congratulating yourself for containing a forest fire you started. Emergency measures What did our four parties agree to, and how and when did NSC decide to hold the line? Once again, you are lucky this is not a rant, but a structured argument from a self-disciplined author. I will refrain from mentioning all the petty, shameful, sadopopulist, fact-free, pathetic non-policies we are being treated to. Instead, I will just pick one telling storyline. Geert Wilders and his Freedom Partys main election promise was to solve a widely felt (but no less imaginary) immigration crisis by closing the border to people seeking asylum. As a result, one section of the coalitions policy program stipulated that the new government would push through emergency legislation drastically restricting asylum procedures, initially bypassing parliament. When Wilders and his immigration minister began taking steps in that direction, this became a major embarrassment for the NSC party, which takes pride in its respect for democratic mores but had now agreed to use a legal tool unprecedented in Dutch politics. Its solution was to play up a particular clause in the agreement: the minister was expected to present good reasons for using emergency legislation. Absent such reasons (of which indeed there were none), NSC signaled it did not feel bound to support it. Obviously, this strained the cooperation with the Freedom party. New negotiations were opened, and a compromise reached. On one hand, there would be no emergency legislation; instead, there would be regular legislation with the word emergency in it. On the other, stricter policies were now expected. Among else, it was agreed parts of Syria should be declared safe for return, so that refugees could be sent back. (Yes, this was before the fall of Assad, and yes, it implied reinstating diplomatic ties with his regime; and yes, all of this petty deal-making at the expense of people who had fled its violence and atrocities did indeed take place in one of the wealthiest countries on the planet. If this were a rant, which it is not, there would have been a digression now about how when Assads regime suddenly collapsed, the Freedom Partys immigration minister promptly halted asylum procedures for Syrian refugees.) The day after, NSCs acting leader explained herself. She implied the failure of emergency legislation had been her intention from the outset the political equivalent of crossing your fingers behind your back when you make a deal. She also said Syrian refugees neednt worry: in the Netherlands, regions are not declared safe or unsafe for political reasons! The cabinet could not decide to declare Syria safe for return, because such decisions are made by non-political government officials. Checkmate, Freedom Party. Crashing into the guardrails Or maybe not. When you empower your far-right partner to take actions you think of as empty gestures, or when you agree to play along knowing you will fail, you should at least consider the possibility that your partner also knows this. There is a reason they agreed to the deal. It may be tempting to agree to dangerous and immoral plans, confident they remain impossible. Indeed, from one perspective, the Netherlands has absorbed a major electoral shock with mostly minor material changes in policy. We will likely see similar two-faced approaches more frequently in Europe, as relatively sensible right-wing or even centrist parties try to placate an electorate moving ever further to the populist right: promise to fly the car off a cliff, but intending merely to crash it into the guardrails. However, even hollow measures can set a precedent for future assaults. Policy announcements that are doomed to fail are not cost-free: threats of deportation cause immediate harm to the people they are directed at. Moreover, even if they are reverted even if they are not acted on at all they linger as a possibility; they remind everyone that, should the nation get into a more sadistic mood, targets have already been identified. What is impossible now may not be impossible next time. Most of all, you cannot take credit for being thwarted. Making plans you know are awful, in the expectation that another institution will prevent you from realizing them effectively saying dont worry; somebody will stop me is profoundly irresponsible. It puts stress on the people and institutions it relies on. In the Netherlands, cases are already mounting of judges striking government measures directed against asylum seekers or undocumented immigrants. If government officials and the (unelected) judiciary have to bear more and more of the responsibilities that should be carried by elected politicians, that hurts the legitimacy of all of them. It wastes institutional power that we may well need later. Some day, the firefighters might not come. The total retail footfall in the UK went down by 2.2 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023. For the three months to December (Golden Quarter), footfall decreased by 2.5 per cent year-over-year (YoY). Total UK footfall decreased by 2.2 per cent YoY in December, up from -4.5 per cent in November, according to BRC-Sensormatic data. High Street footfall decreased by 2.7 per cent in December (YoY), up from -3.7 per cent in November. Retail Park footfall remained unchanged at 0.0 per cent in December (YoY), up from -1.1 per cent in November. Shopping Centre footfall decreased by 3.3 per cent YoY in December, up from -6.1 per cent in November. Footfall decreased year-on-year for all four nations, with Scotland falling by 1.5 per cent, England by 2.1 per cent, Wales by 2.6 per cent, while Northern Ireland experienced the biggest decline at 5.8 per cent. UK retail footfall declined by 2.2 per cent in 2024, marking a second consecutive year of decline. December's drop of 2.2 per cent (YoY) capped a lacklustre Golden Quarter, despite slight improvements from November. High streets and shopping centres suffered most as shoppers favoured retail parks. Experts cited changing habits, outdated business rates, and rising costs as key challenges. A drab December which saw fewer shoppers in all locations, capped a disappointing year for UK retail footfall. This means 2024 is the second year in a row where footfall has been in decline. High streets and shopping centres were hit particularly hard throughout the year as people veered towards retail parks to take advantage of free parking and the variety of larger stores. Even the Golden Quarter, typically the peak of shopping activity, provided little relief, with footfall down over the period. While the Black Friday weekend delivered more promising results, they were overshadowed by a lacklustre festive season, Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), said in a press release. Shopping habits have been changing fast and customers are increasingly looking for more experiential shopping, as well as a variety of cafes, services and things to do. Unfortunately, investment in town centres and high streets is held back by our outdated business rates system, which penalises town and city centres. The Governments proposals to reform business rates may ease the burden for some retailers, but it is vital that, ultimately, no shop ends up paying more in rates than before. With retailers facing 7 billion (~$8.7 billion) in additional costs this year from increased tax and regulations, the changes to the business rates system must be made in way that supports retail investment and growth in the years ahead, added Dickinson. While December saw some flurries of festive footfall around a few key trading days, overall, the picture was filled with much less sparkle as shopper traffic remained subdued in what should have been the highlight of the Golden Quarter. While store visits did build ahead of Christmas, it was never quite enough to reverse the shopper count deficit against last year. As footfall limped towards the festive finish line, December's lacklustre performance compounds a disappointing end to 2024, marking the second consecutive year of declining store traffic. Retailers will now need to look afresh to 2025 and chart a course to adopt innovative strategies to reverse this trend or maximise the sales potential of fewer visitors, finding new ways to make each store visit count, said Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG) 1. Om Shanti Om (2007) 2. Love Aaj Kal (2009) 3. Cocktail (2012) 4. Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (2013) 5. Chennai Express (2013) 6. Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) 7. Piku (2015) 8. Bajirao Mastani (2015) 9. Padmaavat (2018) 10. Chhapaak (2020) 11. Pathaan (2023) 12. Jawan (2023) 13. Kalki 2898 AD (2024) 14. Singham Again (2024) Deepika Padukone has managed to wow us time and again ever since her super-confident debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om (2007). Shes tremendously beautiful no doubt but doesnt just rely on her beauty to coast through performances. She does ample justice to all her roles and makes the audience sit up and take notice of her histrionics as well. We present a list of fourteen of her best films from the beginning of her career till now. We hope thislist adds to your movie-watching pleasure.Director: Farah KhanCast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Shreyas Talpade, Arjun Rampal, Om Shanti Om, directed by Farah Khan, had her essaying a double role. The film was a modern retelling of Bimal Roys Madhumati (1958).70s superstar called Shantipriya who gets killed by her filmmaker husband. A junior artist Om Prakash (Shah Rukh Khan) is in love with her and witnessed the incident. He couldnt save her and he too passed away due to an accident. His soul gets reincarnated into a producers newborn son. Om Kapoor (SRK) is a big star but keeps getting flashes of his past birth. He devises a plan of apprehending the culprit by making a film based on his memories starring him and a lookalike of Shanti, Sandhya (Deepika). But in the climax, Shantis spirit takes over and exacts her own revenge. Deepika was confidence personified in the film and essayed both the roles smoothly.Director: Imtiaz AliCast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Rishi Kapoor, Giselli MonteiroImtiaz Ali weaves two tales of love into one in this romance. Jai Vardhan Singh (Saif Ali Khan) and Meera Pandit (Deepika Padukone) are a modern-day couple living in London. They are happy with each other but do not believe long term relationships. Meera goes to India, while Jai stays in London, hoping to be called to San Francisco, where working at the Golden Gate Inc. is his dream job. Jai meets Veer Singh Panesar (Rishi Kapoor) a Sikh hotelier living in London who inspires Saifs character to get his life on track by narrating his heartwarming love story set in the 1960s. The two tracks run parallel, with Saif playing Rishis younger self as well in the film. Inspired by Veer Singhs story, Jai agrees to have a reunion with Meera. While things dont work out then, later in San Francisco he realises he really wants Meera in his life and makes another attempt at touching base with her and this time, the attempt is successful. Deepika played a regular girl with ambitions of her own who goes through the cycle of breakup and separation to understand what she wants from life. It was a straight-from-the-heart performance alright.Director: Homi AdajaniaCast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Diana Penty, Dimple Kapadiamade a nice film about a man falling in love with two girls at once and then being unable to decide with whom he wants to spend the rest of his life. He copped out in the end and made the hero choose the good girl in the end., a rich girl who likes to live in the extremes. Her life revolves around hookups and booze. Its a 24/7 party and she doesnt apologise for her way of looking at things. She meets Meera (Diana Penty), who has been thrown out by her husband and takes her in. They both meet Gautam Kapoor (Saif Ali Khan) , a rich boyfriend and all three gel instantly, becoming fast friends in the process. He and Veronica become friends with benefits and Meera accepts that relationship. She stays with them and doesnt move out. Circumstances bring Gautam and Meera together and they end up falling in love. When she comes to know of this, Veronica sacrifices her own love for Gautam and helps the lovers start a life together.Director: Ayan MukerjiCast: Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kalki Koechlin, Kunaal Roy KapurThe film starts off with the geeky Naina Talwar (Deepika Padukone) joining her friends Aditi Mehra (Kalki Koechlin), Kabir "Bunny" Thapar (Ranbir Kapoor) and Avinash "Avi" Arora (Aditya Roy Kapoor) on a hiking trip to Manali. Bunny plans to travel the world. Naina develops feelings for him but doesnt reveal them, knowing that he doesnt want to settle down. The friends meet again at Aditis wedding and sparks fly once more. This time, Bunny realises that being with Naina is more important to him than his dream job and he proposes to her and they get engaged, surprising their friends. Everybody agreed that Deepika looked too beautiful to be cast as a geeky introvert unsure of what she wants from life. Like anybody would have been crazy not to fall in love with her. Leaving aside that implausibility, she essayed her character thoroughly well and her chemistry with Ranbir was the best thing about the film.Director: Rohit ShettyCast: Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan40 something Rahul belongs to a family of confectionery shop owners. When his grandfather passed away at 99, his grandmother requested him to submerge the ashes at Rameswaram. He sets out in the Chennai Express from Mumbai, planning to get down at Kayan and join his friends on a road trip to Goa, reasoning that all oceans are one and he would rather have some fun and submerge the ashes in Goa. He gets off at Kalyan but forgets to collect the pot containing the ashes. He runs back to the train and then helps a girl and four others -- in a spoof of sorts -- to DDLJ -- get inside the train. The girl, Meenamma (Deepika Padukone) is running away from her family, the guys are goons sent by her father to collect her and as hes witness to a crime -- one of the goons pushes a TC off the train -- he must ride with them to their native village in. The two become friends during the picturesque journey and later he helps her escape again, falling for her in the process. The film ends with Rahul and Meenamma being accepted as a couple by her family. Deepika brought out the mannerisms of Menamma perfectly through her acting. Her combination scenes with SRK were fantastic indeed in this comedy. She showed that she can hold her own doing comedy as well.Director: Sanjay Leela BhansaliCast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika PadukoneThis is Bhansalis take on the classic Romeo And Juliet story set in Gujarat. The fictional village Ranjhaar has been a den of arms manufacturers and smugglers where two clans, Rajadi and Sanera, have been at loggerheads with each other since time immemorial. Ram (Ranveer Singh), one of the younger chieftains of the Rajadi clan, falls in love with Leela (Deepika Padukone), the daughter of the chief matriarch of the Sanera clan. The star-crossed lovers run away to start a new life. However, things escalate and soon the village is in danger of witnessing an all-out war. To save their respective clans from being decimated, the two lovers decide to kill each other. Their death finally brings peace and unites the two clans. Deepika and Ranveers chemistry literally set the screen on fire. And her dance moves too dazzled the audience.Director: Shoojit SircarCast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irrfan KhanDoes a successful, financially independent modern girl actually need a man? Maybe, if the mood takes her and certainly on her terms.was unusual in the sense that the heroine (Deepika) was saddled with an eccentric and self-absorbed father (Bachchan), who went about telling all and sundry that she wasnt a virgin. Despite it all, she loves her dad. The deal-maker for her is that her man should get along with her father. She meets a taxi operator (Irrfan) and the trio take a road journey together from Delhi to Kolkata, during which she thaws to him. She finally finds someone willing to accept her with all her baggage. The film ends on that hopeful note. Deepika played a modern woman who is happy in her given space and doesnt have time for traditional norms like marriage. She loves her father too much to mind his eccentricities and doesnt consider him a burden. It was another realistic performance from the actor.Director: Sanjay Leela BhansaliCast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka ChopraRanveer Singh essayed the role of the legendary Peshwa Bajirao I,, his second wife and Priyanka Chopra brought to life the character of Kashibai, his first wife. Bajirao was a valiant warrior who extended the might of the Marathas both up North and down South. During one such campaign, he meets Mastani, the Muslim daughter of the king Chhatrasal and is attracted towards her for the valour she shows on the battlefield. She becomes his second wife and rivalry erupts between her and Kashibai. Mastani isnt welcome at the court in Pune and hence Bajirao constructs another palace for her and starts spending more and more of his time there, leading to Kashibai experiencing further heartbreak. When he goes to battle Nasir Jung in the South, Bajiraos mother and his eldest son imprison Mastani and her son Shamsher Bahadur. Hes successful against Nasir Jung but gets badly injured. He wants her released and dies while hallucinating about meeting her. Both Ranveer and Deepika were in their element depicting the titular roles but the surprise packet was Priyanka, who made us sympathise for Kashibai.Director: Sanjay Leela BhansaliCast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoortells of the immortal love between Rajput ruler Maharawal Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapoor) and his second wife Padmavati (Deepika Padukone), who was a Sri Lankan princess. They fell in love when he was recuperating in Sri Lanka after being shipwrecked off the islands coast. He marries her and takes her to Rajasthan, and they are considered the perfect match for each other. Tales of her beauty reaches the ears of Alauddin Khalji (Ranveer Singh), who is besotted by the description and wants to see her. Ratan Singh, of course, denies him this, thinking it to be against Rajput pride. This leads to an invasion of Chittor by Khalji. In order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, Ratan Singh challenges Khalji to single combat. They both prove equal to each other at first but later Ratan Singh looks to have an upper hand. Hes killed by treachery at this point. Padmavati, upon hearing the news, commits suicide by jumping in a burning pyre and other ladies living in the fortress join her as well. Deepika Padukone looked like she had walked off from the pages of history and her last scenes really gave one goosebump.Director: Meghna GulzarCast: Deepika Padukone, Vikrant Masseyis based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal.is legendary and it's a bold move indeed for her to begin her innings as a producer with a film where her face is disfigured almost the entire length. But the film isn't just a gloomy courtroom drama. It also points out that it's important for such girls to stop feeling like a victim. They shouldn't let tragedy rule their entire life. In one scene, Vikrant Massey's character tells Deepika to not look so happy as he's taping an interview. To which she replies that she doesn't want to curb her happiness. Playing her most challenging role so far, Deepika Padukone breathed life into every frame. She wasnt a superstar playing a super glamorous role and made us believe we're watching the travails of a normal girl. One left the theatre teary-eyed but happy.Director: Siddharth AnandCast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, John AbrahamIn Pathaan, a Pakistani general hires a private terror outfit to conduct attacks in India. However, Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan), an Indian secret agent, is on a mission to form a special unit and curb these attacks. Deepika Padukone plays Dr. Rubina Rubai Mohsin, an ISI agent who initially supports the villain, John Abraham's character, Jim, the leader of a terror outfit. She appears as an enemy in the beginning but later joins forces with Shah Rukh Khan to stop Jim's plans.Director: AtleeCast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Ridhi DograJawan is about a man who is eager to rectify the wrongs of the society while keeping a promise made years ago. He comes up against a monstrous outlaw with no fear, who has caused extreme suffering to many. Deepika Padukone plays Aishwarya Rathore, the wife of Vikram Rathore (Shah Rukh Khan) and mother of Azad. Deepika's character is unjustly convicted and imprisoned for murder. The movie shows clips of her character's journey in jail, including her pregnancy, giving birth, and raising her son.Director: Nag AshwinCast: Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika PadukoneThe movie, which is set in the year 2898 AD in a post-apocalyptic world, centres on a small team that is trying to save Kalki, the unborn child of lab subject SUM-80. In the film, Deepika Padukone portrayed Sumathi. She played the role of a pregnant woman bearing Kalki's (Vishnu's tenth avatar) predicted child.Director: Rohit ShettyCast: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer SinghIn 2024, Rohit Shetty wrote and directed the action movie Singham Again. It follows the story of Bajirao Singham (Ajay Devgn) whose special team helps him save his wife (Kareena Kapoor Khan) from an enigmatic foe. In this cop world, Deepika Padukone portrays DCP Shakti Shetty, also referred to as Lady Singham, the first female officer in Shetty's cop-verse. According to some theories, her persona is modelled after Trijata or Vibhishishana, as the movie draws parallels to the epic Ramayana. Daaku Maharaaj, directed by Bobby Kolli and featuring Nandamuri Balakrishna, is poised for a spectacular release during Sankranthi. This emotionally charged action drama has already garnered significant attention with its dynamic trailer, which was revealed at a pre-release event in Dallas, USA. The trailer creates suspense while keeping the plot under wraps. Balakrishna's performance is both measured and authoritative, characterized by succinct yet powerful dialogues, marking a departure from his usual intense and vigorous approach. In addition to the action sequences, the film's emotional resonance, particularly regarding themes of childhood, is expected to be a highlight. Thamans exhilarating background score amplifies the trailer's effect, while the breathtaking visuals, featuring dystopian settings and snow-laden forests, contribute to its overall cinematic allure. Balakrishna's diverse appearances are prominently displayed, and the female leads, Shraddha Srinath and Pragya Jaiswal, seem to play significant roles. Bobby Deols depiction of a merciless animal smuggler introduces a compelling conflict, setting the stage for an exhilarating confrontation with Balakrishnas character.The cast also includes Chandini Chowdary, Shine Tom Chacko, and Urvashi Rautela in key roles. Produced by Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya, Daaku Maharaaj is scheduled for release on January 12, 2025. With its captivating trailer and impressive ensemble cast, the film has already elevated audience expectations. Further updates on this thrilling project will be forthcoming. Nvidia's trajectory towards becoming the world's most valuable company is gaining momentum, with projections suggesting a potential market capitalization of $7 trillion by 2025. This extraordinary growth forecast is primarily driven by the anticipated launch of their revolutionary Blackwell chip, promising a 25-fold increase in AI computing efficiency per unit of energy. Such remarkable expansion would not only position Nvidia ahead of current market leader Apple but would also represent approximately ten percent of the global stock market. The company's current market capitalization stands at 3.434 trillion, with recent trading showing positive momentum as evidenced by a 0.29 percent increase to 140.63. Strategic Growth and Challenges The company's ambitious growth path faces notable challenges, particularly regarding energy consumption in AI computing centers. In response to surging power demands from AI applications, the U.S. is considering implementing a specialized tax on AI data centers in 2025. This development could prompt technology companies, including Nvidia, to accelerate investments in sustainable energy solutions and eco-friendly AI infrastructure development. Meanwhile, investors are closely monitoring Nvidia's upcoming presentation at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, where the company is expected to outline its strategic initiatives in the healthcare sector. Ad Fresh Nvidia information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Read our updated Nvidia analysis... The 60-year-old actor was admitted to the hospital around 5:15 am and was reported to be out of danger, sources at the hospital told CNN News18 read more Actor and Shiv Sena leader Govinda accidentally shot himself in the leg with his licensed revolver. He was rushed to a nearby hospital last year in October. The incident of misfired around 4:45 am when Govinda was checking the revolver before stepping out of his home for an appointment. As per reports, the bullet struck Govindas knee, and he was immediately taken to CRITICare Hospital in Mumbai. A report by NDTV said that the actor was alone at home at the time of the incident. Shilpa Shetty jokingly asked the actor if his wife shot him. Sunita Ahuja now in an interview quipped, Had I shot him, I would have aimed for the chest. Advertisement Sources to CNN News18 said that the incident took place when Govinda was getting ready to leave for airport to catch an early morning flight to Kolkata. The 60-year-old actor was admitted to the hospital around 5:15 am and was reported to be out of danger, sources at the hospital told CNN News18. ANI quoted Govindas manager Shashi Sinha as saying that Govinda was checking and keeping his licensed revolver in its case when he dropped it. The revolver went off and the bullet hit his leg. The doctor has removed the bullet and his condition is fine. He is in the hospital right now, Sinha was quoted as saying by ANI. Govinda, a renowned Bollywood actor, joined Maharashtras ruling party Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), making a comeback in politics after a 14-year hiatus. Govind Arun Ahuja, better known by his stage name Govinda, is famous for his stellar role in comedy blockbusters in Coolie No. 1, Haseena Maan Jaayegi, Saajan Chale Sasural, Raja Babu, Rajaji among others. Chinas hospitals are seeing a surge of patients suffering from a respiratory disease known as human metapneumovirus. But what is HMPV and what precautions can be taken to prevent it? This and more in our weekly roundup of the big stories from around the world read more A medical worker checks the IV drip treatment of a patient lying on a bed in the emergency department of a hospital. Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic, the country is struggling with another respiratory disease. Representational image/Reuters Its the end of the week and its been one of mixed emotions. In the last seven days, we have seen human emotions oscillating from extreme grief to happiness and excitement and then swinging to heartache again. But why? Thats because of the various events that unfolded across the world in the week gone by. It began with extreme heartache as news came of the deaths of 179 people after Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 from Bangkok to Seoul crashed at Muan International Airport in South Korea. Advertisement Then came the news of three tragic incidents in the United States, starting with a man plowing his car into New Year revellers in New Orleans, killing 15 people. For those who want a recap of all that happened in the week gone by, heres our explainer that unloads it all. The wreckage of the Jeju Air aircraft that went off the runway and crashed lies at Muan International Airport, in Muan, South Korea. Reuters 1) Last Sunday morning (December 29), a Jeju Air plane crashed at Muan International Airport while making a landing from Bangkok. Barring two people on board, everyone died, making it one of South Koreas worst aviation disasters. Soon after the crash, some speculated that it was a bird hit that could have caused the plane to skid off the runway and slam into a concrete barrier, causing a massive fire. However, many experts questioned this theory. Why? Heres our explainer that has it all. 2) This week, the death of OpenAI whistleblower, Suchir Balaji, once again made headlines. The Indian-American had been found dead in his San Francisco house on November 26 with investigators saying his death appeared to be a suicide. However, his parents differ with these findings. They said he showed no signs of wanting to take his own life. Moreover, no suicide note was found. Advertisement They point to several so-called clues that indicate foul play at hand. What are they? And whats the truth behind Balajis death? Read here to find out more. 3) Amid fears of bird flu becoming the next pandemic, reports began coming in of Chinas hospitals being inundated with people suffering from a respiratory disease called human metapneumovirus (HMPV). Chinas health authorities reported that the virus is spreading across the northern regions of the country. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention also confirmed that northern China is the worst affected. Some social media reports have even gone as far as describing it as a critical situation. But what exactly is this medical condition? And how does it affect the patient? Advertisement 4) Just as the world was to ring in the New Year, news broke that Yemen President Rashad al-Alimi has given his nod for the death sentence of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who is lodged at the Central prison in Yemens capital Sanaa for allegedly murdering a Yemeni national. For those who dont know, Priya, a 36-year-old, has been in prison in Yemen since 2017 for killing a Yemeni national. As a last resort to save her, her family has offered Yemen blood money. If you are wondering what this practice is, click here to read more. 5) Starting January 1, Pakistan joined the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member. Islamabad will serve a two-year term, with Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistans top diplomat at the UN, saying, Pakistan will play an active and constructive role in addressing key challenges facing the world. Advertisement But while Islamabad celebrated this achievement, some experts in India have voiced their concern, saying this isnt favourable to New Delhi and the reforms it wishes to bring to the world body. Want to know why? We have the answer for you, here. Investigators search the garbage outside of a townhouse in northeastern Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the investigation connected to the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside President-elect Donald Trumps Las Vegas hotel continues. AP 6) The US began the new year on a sombre note. The Western giant saw three consecutive attacks a man driving his pick-up truck into unsuspecting crowds in New Orleans, another man driving a Tesla Cybertruck that then exploded outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas and a shooting at a New York nightclub. Over 16 people died in the attacks and many others were injured. Advertisement But whos behind these tragedies and how did they unfold? 7) Bangladesh, Indias neighbouring country, continued to make headlines in the week gone by. School textbooks are being revised to declare that Ziaur Rahman and not Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the countrys independence on March 26, 1971. Why is this change being made? Read our report to know more. And with this, our weekly wrap is over. If you like how we explain things, heres the tab you should keep bookmarked. PS: When one thinks of the New Year, resolutions often come to mind. But most of us struggle to keep them. Heres why. Damp January has emerged as an alternative to the trend of Dry January in recent years. Here, people decide to cut back on liquor rather than giving up drinking in the New Year entirely. Some say Damp January could be the better route for changing long-term behaviour when it comes to alcohol, but not everyone agrees read more Some people are turning to 'Damp January' as an alternative to 'Dry January.' Representation. Pixabay Youve no doubt heard of Dry January. This is a trend that has emerged in recent years when people give up drinking alcohol for the first month of the New Year in order to improve their health. But have you heard of a Damp January? But what do we know about this trend? What do experts say? Lets take a closer look: What do we know? First, lets briefly examine Dry January. The trend first began around a decade ago, as per Fortune. According to Forbes, the trend has gained popularity in recent years particularly in the United States. Advertisement In January 2024, around a fourth of US adults took part in Dry January, Fortune quoted data from analytics firm CivicScience as showing. This was higher than the number who opted to kick the New Year off in sobriety in 2023. Dry January gained more popularity after the COVID-19 pandemic when people were drinking more and often alone at home. Fortune quoted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as saying that binge drinking is associated with a slew of risks including alcohol-use disorder, alcohol dependence, heart problems, some cancers, memory issues, depression and anxiety, and social problems, like family and job-related issues, according to the But for those who find Dry January isnt their cup of tea, __Damp January has emerged as an alternative. Urban Dictionary defines it as a lesser version of Dry January for those with less willpower or need to celebrate special events or just want a drink. As per VeryWellHealth.com, here, rather than going cold turkey on alcohol, people can instead cut back on their consumption of liquor. As per Fortune, people can decide for themselves how much alcohol they will take in. People can cut down on the number of drinks or even choose those with lower alcohol content. Advertisement Some may choose to drink a glass of wine with dinner but not drink in a social setting. When it comes to Damp January, people decide for themselves how much alcohol they will take in. Pixabay (Representational Image) Others can limit themselves to drinking only on certain days of the week. According to a piece in the Washington Post, many people find success in __Damp January because of its piecemeal approach. The piece argued that people who cut down some find success even if they cant stick to their original goal. On the other hand, if they are unable to cut down their alcohol intake at all, it shows that they might be in need of professional assistance. The newspaper quoted Ian Andersen, a co-founder of Sunnyside, a mindful drinking app, as saying that 25,000 people participated in his companys Damp January challenge in 2023. Advertisement The firm found people overwhelmingly preferred a Damp January to a Dry January 68 per cent to 32 per cent. The company found those that tried Damp January saved money, slept better, ate healthier and felt more focussed and productive. Alice Ferris, a fundraising consultant from Arizona, was among those who tried the programme. She said preferred Damp January because of her job. Theres a lot of food and drink consumption thats involved in my day-to-day life, Ferris said. Plus, I just like it. I consider myself a bit of a foodie, and I enjoy the ritual of drinking. Ferris originally decided to abstain from alcohol three to four days per week. Advertisement When she did drink, she would have one cocktail or a glass of wine. Ferris said her sleep massively improved and she found herself more mindful about her drinking. It helped me become more conscious about when Im picking up the glass, Ferris added. What do experts say? They said Dry January can play its part in helping people improve their health. Dr Timothy Naimi, director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, told The New York Times that people can make health gains simply by drinking less. It can also lead to sleeping better and weight loss. Others argue that Damp January is the more palatable option to Dry January. For most people, the idea of a binary isnt very helpful, Ian Hamilton, an associate professor of addiction at the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York, told the newspaper. Advertisement Damp January might be perhaps a better start to changing your behavior in the long-term, added Matt Field, a professor of psychology at the University of Sheffield. Some say Damp January could be the better route for changing long-term behaviour when it comes to alcohol. AP Identifying favourite beverages that are low or no alcohol can be really helpful in not leaning so hard on alcohol for enjoyment, Katie Witkiewitz, PhD, director of the Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, told VeryWellHealth.com. Participating in Damp January can provide insight into your relationship with alcohol, Ryan Witt, director at Healthy Life Recovery, told Forbes. By abstaining from alcohol, even for just a portion of one month, participants can experience myriad benefits, such as better sleep, improved moods, clearer skin, and weight loss. They also say it also puts a lot less pressure on people than Dry January. Damp January avoids a lot of the social pressure that tends to come with Dry January, a piece in The Telegraph noted. [Dry January] is impractical and doesnt sound enjoyable in this most depressing of months. The weekly limit really depends on how much you are currently drinking and what your goals are, Lauren Manaker told Forbes. Trying Damp January may show you that you can do without that daily glass of wine that you sip on after work or that third cocktail that you typically order when you have a night out on the town. It allows you to not feel deprived, but it also helps you not overindulge. But not everyone agrees. Anne Mahlum, a fitness entrepreneur and founder of Solidcore, told Fortune she realised she was drinking every day and often alone. If youre starting to think about it, and even question if you have a healthy relationship with alcohol, its probably telling you something, Mahlum said. I felt a little guilt. I felt ashamed. I didnt like that I woke up with a little bit of a headache sometimes. I was like, this just isnt in line with who I want to be. But she quickly realised she wasnt cut out for Dry January. Instead, Mahlum decided to give alcohol up in January completely. As a sober person, the Damp January trend is frustrating for me, Gillian Tietz, MS, host of the Sober Powered Podcast in Boston, Massachusetts, told Verywell. I feel that the trend is supporting the stigma of addiction: that it is a choice or a weakness, Tietz added. Some people, like me, cannot control how much they drink no matter what they do. And for someone who is trying to moderate without success, it is easier and more sustainable to just have none. Dr Niall Campbell, of Priory Hospital Roehampton, warned PrioryGroup.com that one of the risks of Damp January is that it could make people massively complacent about their drinking. Priory has seen a 55 per cent increase in enquiries in 2022 related to treatment for alcohol addiction. People have sought to self-medicate with alcohol for the cost of living crisis, stress, work insecurity, depression and anxiety. In January, there are the added pressures of Christmas debt, poor weather and going back to work. Relationships may have seriously fractured over the holidays couples have been cooped up together, or struggling with children and elderly parents. The new year can bring many difficult emotions to the surface. Lots of people who work hybrid are drinking like hell, at home and under the radar. Its difficult to hide your drinking habits when youre at work but at home, and especially if you dont need to drive, people are drinking much more. With inputs from agencies The border pass valid for a stay of up to seven days is being issued to both Myanmarese and Indian citizens visiting each other countries on production of documents verifying that they live within the territorial limit of 10 km on either side of the international border, an official said read more Security has been beefed up along the 510-km long Mizoram-Myanmar border and movement of people living within 10 kilometres on either side of the unfenced international border has been regulated following the directive of the Centre, an official said. The official said that residents of both countries living within 10 km on either side of the border now require border pass to visit each other. The border pass valid for a stay of up to seven days is being issued to both Myanmarese and Indian citizens visiting each other countries on production of documents verifying that they live within the territorial limit of 10 km on either side of the international border, he said on Saturday. Advertisement The initiative was taken by state police, Assam Rifles and health officials at some entry and exit points from December 31 based on the order and new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), he said. Six Mizoram districts - Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip - share a 510 km-long border with Myanmars Chin state. A public notice issued by Champhai district police on Friday also said that residents from both India and Myanmar intending to visit each other countries will now require a border pass, which will be valid for seven days. Any resident intending to enter Myanmar or India through Zokhawthar and Hnahlan crossing points and seeking border pass must produce a document or certificate to prove that he or she lives within the 10-km radius of the borders, it said. The identity proof document can be issued by the local police station officer-in-charge or village chief or village authority (administrator) acknowledged by the government and is valid for one year, while the border pass is valid for 7 days only, the notice said.. The border pass should be returned by the holder at the same crossing point where it was issued within seven days, it said. Advertisement The crossing points will be open from Monday to Saturday between 6 am and 3:30 pm, it said. The border pass will be issued to only one adult, and minors have to be accompanied by parents. The details of a maximum number of three children can be captured in a single border pass belonging to either parent, while additional border pass will be issued to parents, who bring more than three children, the notice said. The initiative of issuance of border pass will be undertaken by state police, Assam Rifles and medical officials, it said. On December 24, the MHA had issued a new protocol restricting and reducing the range of movement of people under the free movement regime (FMR) from the earlier 16 km to the present 10 km. Advertisement Although Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced in February last year that the FMR would be scrapped, an official notification in this regard is yet to be issued, sources said. According to the new guidelines, an individual crossing the border from India to Myanmar and from Myanmar to India will be given a border pass by the Assam Rifles, which guards the Indo-Myanmar border, for stay up to seven days. Individuals will have to report at the designated border crossing points and fill out a form. The Assam Rifles will conduct the document inspection followed by a security and health check by the state police and health department officials, respectively. Advertisement The Assam Rifles will upload all the forms on the Indo-Myanmar Border portal, record biometrics and issue a border pass with a photograph of the applicant and a QR code. The pass will have to be deposited on return at the same crossing point before completion of seven days. The guideline stated that police will do physical checks to verify the visit of Myanmar nationals as per the details provided in the border pass and anyone violating the conditions will face legal action. Mukesh Ambani, the leading industrialist performed Jalabhishek and offered worship material and clothes, as per the information received from Somnath Trust. read more Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Limited, recently visited the Somnath Mahadev Temple in Gujarat and offered prayers there with his son Anant Ambani. As per the information received from Somnath Trust, the leading industrialist performed Jalabhishek and offered worship material and clothes. He also prayed for peace, well-being and prosperity in the country. The Somnath temple located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat is believed to be the first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is an important pilgrimage and tourist spot in Gujarat. Advertisement #WATCH | Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries and his son, Anant Ambani offered prayers at the Somnath Mahadev temple in Gujarat (Source: Somnath Temple Trust) pic.twitter.com/C8AhixoCEC ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2025 According to an inscription written in Sanskrit on one of the towers in the temple campus, one can travel to the south pole unobstructed by following the straight path from the tower in the south direction. Mukesh Ambani recently celebrated 25 years of Reliance Industries iconic Jamnagar refinery. Jamnagar is not only the best oil refinery in the world, it has the biggest gigafactory in the world, the biggest solar energy and fourth is the worlds artificial intelligence infrastructure. Besides, the digital factory will also be in Jamnagar, Mukesh Ambani told the employees. It sets a platform, which will be a platform for growth for the next many decades, for all of you, for your children, Mukesh Ambani added.Reliance is developing AI infrastructure in Jamnagar, a city considered a Jewel of Reliance family. Mukesh Ambani also said Jamnagar is a source of nature and conservation of the Reliance Foundation through its Vantara initiative. Advertisement Vantara programme, an umbrella initiative to focus on the rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad, was launched in February 2024. Spread over 3000 acres within the Green Belt of Reliances Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, Vantara aims to be one of the global contributors to conservation efforts. Reliances Jamnagar refinery, which happens to be the conglomerates first, turned 25 years old last week. Twenty-five years ago, on December 28, 1999, Reliance launched its first refinery at Jamnagar. With inputs from agencies. Immigration is that reality of our times that cannot be wished away by any means. The transcontinental flow of people as well as goods is a daily truth of todays highly interconnected global economy. Every single year, more than 1.2 million people migrate to the United Kingdom alone in search of a better life. Yet immigration not only becomes a nuisance when the new arrivals ignore the local culture and customs, but it also becomes a major threat to the law and order in the host country when they indulge in the most gruesome activities, leading words to fall short and all logical ability to fail in comprehending what just happened. Advertisement Picture this: in the last 25 years, there have been more than ten major cases of grooming gangs systematically exploiting children and young women across various towns in the United Kingdom. This includes the widely covered Rotherham case, where more than 1,400 children were sexually abused between the years 1997 and 2013, as well as other cases, including those in Rochdale, Telford, Oxford, Huddersfield, Newcastle, and Oldham. As per certain estimates, more than 250,000 White girls have been abused to date by the grooming gangs, the majority of whom were barely teenagers. Their ordeal as captured in transcripts is too graphic to share, making one wonder how perverse a human being can become to a vulnerable child. Grooming gangs, as they are widely known, basically refer to an organised syndicate that systematically targets, grooms, and sexually exploits vulnerable people, mainly children and young adults. They start by building a relationship of trust and affection with the victim and later exploit them with highly coordinated sexual abuse involving multiple perpetrators. But the term grooming gang is a misnomer. What these criminals actually indulge in can be easily referred to as rapes but till date, they are referred to as grooming gangs only by the media as well as the law enforcement agencies. This is something that even the famous author JK Rowling has also called out recently, urging people to refer to them as rape gangs instead. Another major issue with the way these cases are reported in the media or handled by law enforcement agencies is the use of the term Asian men or South Asian heritage to describe the perpetrators. This is when almost every single major case has so far involved British males of Pakistani origin as the culprits. Yet, the frame of reference used to describe them continues to be a vague one suggesting that it is males from all of the Asian continent or the Indian subcontinent that are indulging in such behaviour. It not only paints a target on the back of a much larger community without any fault of theirs but also helps the real culprits evade action, leading to more and more such cases. Currently, a heated debate is going on in the country over the absolute failure of the state in protecting the young girls from these sexual predators over the last two decades. There are also questions regarding the propensity of the civil society to safeguard the culprits in the name of diversity, racial justice, and other such ideals. Although the debate gathered momentum after comments from noted public figures such as Elon Musk and JK Rowling. But what has also contributed to a fresh discussion over these crimes is former Home Secretary Suella Bravermans scathing attack on the currently serving Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips for refusing an inquiry into the grooming gangs of Oldham. Advertisement Phillips reportedly comes from a constituency, Birmingham Yardley, where there is a significant population of Pakistani-origin people, which some social media accounts are citing as the reason for this refusal. Meanwhile, Braverman continues to be that one leader who has always clearly outlined the facts of grooming gangs in the public domain. Earlier in 2023, while still serving as the home secretary, Braverman had come under attack for asserting that an overwhelming number of grooming gang members were of Pakistani origin. Her claim was heavily contested, with a large section of the media even branding her a racist. Even the press regulator in the country had termed her claim as incorrect in a ruling. Advertisement But today Braverman is not the only person in the country to make such an assertion. In fact, as disturbing details of the grooming cases are emerging with transcripts of victims versions being shared publicly, a large number of people are siding with Braverman. Many of them have even taken to social media and are writing that if calling a spade a spade makes them a racist or far right then so be it. What has also enraged them is the fact that an influential journalist, Tommy Robinson, who has often spoken against grooming gangs, continues to be in prison for making child abuse allegations against a Syrian refugee, with a campaign to malign him going on currently. Advertisement Robinson is a well-known activist-journalist who has recorded the plight of grooming gang victims in great detail through his documentaries. The rot seems to run so deep that while calling for Robinsons release on social media platform X, Musk also attacked the current UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, as well. In the UK, serious crimes such as rapes require approval of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to charge suspects, and Starmer had served as the head of the CPS between 2008 and 2013. Starmer himself has admitted in the past that the CPS had let down many victims on his watch, with ethnicity being a major issue in prosecuting the perpetrators. In his defence, he had launched certain reforms as well to enable a higher conviction rate, but it seems that it was just not sufficient. Advertisement Anyway, the current debate aside, what is happening in the UK in the form of grooming gangs seems to be the biggest fallout of immigration in the recent decades. Although it has become a fact of life across all modern nation-states, these countries are also supposed to run on the principles of religious, linguistic, and racial equality so that everyone alike can live in a safe and protected environment. Yet sometimes in the name of these very principles, the system ends up actively supporting criminals such as these gangs. This is because in the name of political correctness, the law and order machinery, as well as civil society, ends up providing a cover for deranged elements that, on the other hand, need to be dealt with strictly. For instance, there is a raging debate on the ethnicity of the perpetrators involved in these crimes, with the media as well as certain civil society organisations labelling anyone who calls them of Pakistani origin as Islamophobic, racist, or far right but there is little effort actually spent by the state in recording the data on ethnicity so that precautionary measures can be taken to stop them in advance. The irony being that the grooming gang members target their victims by taking their background into account, where they purposely target young White women and term them of a loose character, but as per the response provided to a Freedom of Information request (the UK equivalent to Indias Right to Information), no data on the background or ethnicity of the perpetrators is recorded by the government authorities. The fact that, despite such cases being so rampant in the country, little authoritative data is available regarding the perpetrators shows that the state has not only failed in its very basic duty to protect children and young girls but also it has also ended up playing the role of an enabler. There may be many reasons for the state to not collect such data, but a major one is the fear that it may breed racial stereotypes, leading to racial targeting or discrimination in the society. This is one of the main reasons cited by lobbies that represent the Pakistani community. But this still does not provide a sufficient basis to not collect ethnicity data because actionable data, if collected in a proper way, can be used to enforce certain measures internally that can protect victims even if it is not made available through a public database. One particular use can be to undertake surveillance of people of this particular ethnicity when they are employed in jobs that have a direct relation with grooming gang cases. This reminds me of the case of one Shabir Ahmed, who was the ringleader of a notorious grooming gang, and yet he was employed as a welfare rights officer by Oldham Council, where he ran the grooming gang from the welfare office itself. There are various social media handles that are sharing the ordeal of a 12-year-old girl who went to seek legal action but was repeatedly raped due to his position. If we observe what is happening in the UK currently, it seems like a classic case of a culture of silence that has emerged around the criminal practice of grooming gangs. Many ordinary people from towns where such gangs are active are shocked at how the local law and order machinery and even the media have not allowed the truth to emerge. But this is not the sign of a civilised society in any manner. Protecting children and young adults from sexual abuse is the responsibility of the state. But if the state is choosing political correctness and appeasement of a certain section to avoid fulfilling this duty, then it is definitely a worrying fact. The only way out from this troubling situation is a backlash by the ordinary people of the country, especially those who are parents of young girls. If a certain community can twist the machinery to get away with a crime as heinous as grooming and sexual abuse, then clearly, the actual civil society also needs to stand up and seek accountability from their lawmakers. The political correctness of the system has put the lives of so many vulnerable people at risk. It is high time that questions are raised against the state, which has apparently taken on the role of an enabler. The author is a New Delhi-based commentator on geopolitics and foreign policy. She holds a PhD from the Department of International Relations, South Asian University. She tweets @TrulyMonica. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. It is official now that China will build a massive hydropower dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River (known as the Brahmaputra in India and Jamuna in Bangladesh) in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. On December 25, 2024, Xinhua, the state-owned media, reported that the Chinese government has approved the construction of a hydropower project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River. Despite Indias calculative response in a media briefing after more than a week (January 3, 2025), can India protect its interests in harnessing the Brahmaputra River? Advertisement The proposed hydropower claims to scale up clean energy to meet carbon neutrality and to minimise the climate change riskshydrological disastersin China. Consequently, a large section of media in India has raised concerns against the Chinese plan to build the dam, expected to be bigger than the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River. The transboundary rivers flowing from China to India are clubbed into two groups: the Brahmaputra River system, which consists of the Siang River and its tributaries, and the Indus River system, which consists of the Indus River and the Sutlej River. As usual, most of the media, in India and abroad, have generated several speculative narratives of the unilateral Chinese intervention in a shared river. The usual promptness of the Ministry of External Affairs of India in diffusing such media-hyped concerns was largely missing. Earlier in such news of dam building in the Brahmaputra as in 2013, 2018, 2020, and 2023, the Brahmaputra anxietyapprehension over Chinese unilateral intervention in the Brahmaputra without prior information to downstream countriessuccessive governments in Delhi have always been consistently conveying their views and concerns to the Chinese counterpart cautiously and diplomatically. The media speculations with comments from experts on the ability of China as an upper riparian country to use water strategically against India by weaponising water or leading to future water wars to uphold leverage as a water hegemon during all kinds of negotiations, especially border talks, remain uncorroborated. It is obvious that due to the strained relations between the countries and the lack of sharing information by both countries, the news of Chinese dam buildings has always created ripples in the media in India and beyond. Brahmaputra anxiety resurfaces time and again Here are some specific questions that need to be answered to get rid of such apprehensions. Does the Indian government share similar apprehensions about Chinese damming water in the Brahmaputra as in the media? Is the Indian government capable and efficient enough to disperse this apprehension among its close allies and provincial governments (Assam and Arunachal Pradesh) in India? What measures are being taken by India to resolve the shared water issues with China in priority while protecting its interests? Advertisement From border incursions or the construction of military infrastructure to dam building and the formation of artificial lakes, India always receives such news from external sources. Successive governments in India, from the Congress-led UPA governments position on Chinese unilateral intervention in the Brahmaputra as media hype to the BJP-led NDA governments stance as closely monitoring the situation and will continue to monitor, the Chinese Brahmaputra conundrum remains untraceable and unresolved. Meanwhile, India stated that it has urged China to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas. It is not clear if the concern has been shared with the Chinese counterpart after the news of the dam building or earlier. However, it is believed that India has been reiterating constantly such concerns of unilateral development interventions in the river to the Chinese side through existing bilateral and diplomatic channels. Advertisement Yet, Chinas posture has been persistent that none of its projects, either completed or ongoing or proposed, would do any harm to India as a lower riparian country. During a press conference on December 27, 2024, China stated that the dam project has no negative impact on the lower reaches. Moreover, China will continue to maintain communication with countries at the lower reaches through existing channels. Has this proposed dam been communicated officially to India and Bangladesh as lower riparian countries? Both India and China have operational arrangements for sharing information on the shared riversthe Brahmaputra and the Sutlej (Langquin Zangbo). Since 2002, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Brahmaputra, renewed every five years, allows the sharing of hydrological information (water level, discharge, and rainfall) during flood season from 1st June to 15th October every year at three locations (Nugesha, Yangcun, and Nuxia in China). During the non-traditional security threat from the Pare-chu artificial lake (Glacier Lake Outburst Flood/GLOF) in Tibet (2004-2005), India and China showed exemplary cooperation with exchanges of site visits and in-depth discussions in Beijing and Lhasa. Therefore, in 2005, an MOU was signed, with a five-year renewal period, concerning the Sutlej (Langquin Zangbo) River for the supply of hydrological information (abnormal rise/fall in water level/discharge in real time) in flood season at Tsada station in China. As per all MoUs, India bears the maintenance costs of these four stations. Interestingly, in 1954 both the countries had almost signed an MoU on the Brahmaputra, but the border war halted the progress. Advertisement On the institutional level, one of the cornerstones of accelerating transboundary cooperation and minimising climate change risks in basins, a consultative joint Expert-Level Mechanism (ELM) between two countries has been meeting annually in alternative countries since 2006. This mechanism allows both countries to interact and discuss means and ways of cooperation on the provision of flood season hydrological data, emergency management, and other related issues regarding shared rivers. Technically, this platform should erase any apprehension that arises from unilateral interventions or misinformation regarding the transboundary rivers. While 14 ELM meetings had been concluded, the last in Delhi in June 2023, both countries still have a tremendous gap in information sharing on the unilateral interventions in international rivers. Advertisement One must be aware that the Chinese government is very famous for its secret, aggressive, and nontransparent gargantuan projects. Dont forget the Three Gorges Dam. Despite an agreement on border issues inked on October 21, 2024, high-level meetings, including the foreign ministers meetings in Rio in November, the information on the proposed hydropower structure was elusive to India. In the words of Indias External Affairs Minister, India has a very complex relationship with China. However, it is agreed that a meeting of the Special Representatives and the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism will take place soon that will consider issues related to transboundary rivers. India and China can resolve these apprehensions and beyond through constructive and transparent engagement. However, it seems its the border issue first and foremost for India, then the water issue in northeast India. Perhaps the Indian establishment considers the North East of India to be water-rich even though China diverts or controls the Brahmaputra water. It is equally illogical and unscientific for India to engage in a dam-building spree in its stretch of the Brahmaputra to counter Chinas motive without proper assessments of the ecological sensitivity of the region. While both countries are not party to two UN Water Conventionsthe 1992 Water Convention and the 1997 Watercourses Conventionits not an obligation to follow universal principles governing shared water. Besides, both agreed to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and SDG-6, which guides transboundary basin cooperation in reducing climate change risks. Its almost certain that China, having the extra edge of being upper riparian, does not need any agreement with India right now, which would curtail its freedom to develop water resources till the famous U-bend near Arunachal Pradesh in India. On the contrary, India, being a middle riparian, must persuade China tactically for a long-term water framework on the Brahmaputra River, beyond just information sharing, at the earliest. The author works as an international advisor on transboundary cooperation and climate change risks with GIZ. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The spill began on December 15, when two ageing Russian tankers were caught in a storm off the Kerch Strait linking Crimea to southern Russia. One sank and the other ran aground, pouring around 2,400 tonnes of a heavy fuel oil called mazut into the surrounding waters. read more In this photo taken from video released by Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, rescuers work to clean up tons of fuel oil that spilled out of two storm-stricken tankers more than two weeks ago in the Kerch Strait, in Russia's southern Krasnodar region. Image- AP Thirty-two dolphins have died since fuel oil spilled out of two storm-stricken tankers three weeks ago in the Kerch Strait, which separates the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russias southern Krasnodar region, an animal rescue group said Sunday. Russias Delfa centre, which rescues and provides rehabilitation for dolphins, said it had recorded 61 dead cetaceans since the incident, 32 of whom most likely died due to the spill. Cetaceans are a type of aquatic mammal that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. Advertisement Judging by the condition of the bodies, most likely the bulk of these cetaceans died in the first 10 days after the disaster, it said. It said most of those killed were Azov dolphins a type of harbour porpoise that look similar to dolphins but are more closely related to belugas and narwhals. Russias Emergencies Ministry said Sunday that over 96,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil had been removed by officials and volunteers along the shoreline of the Krasnodar regions Anapa and Temryuk districts. Russia-appointed officials in Moscow-occupied Crimea announced a regional emergency on Saturday after oil was detected on the shores of Sevastopol, the peninsulas largest city some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Kerch Strait. On Dec. 23, the ministry estimated that up to 200,000 tons in total may have been contaminated with mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the oil spill an ecological disaster. The Kerch Strait is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the inland Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months. Advertisement Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys office, described the oil spill last month as a large-scale environmental disaster and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers. With inputs from agencies. The measures are to include enhancing international aviation hubs in cities including Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xian and Urumqi, while developing comprehensive bonded zones, and integrating these with ports and other transport links read more The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, in Chongqing, China. File image/ Reuters China said on Sunday it would launch 15 measures to bolster the development of its western provinces with the construction of logistical infrastructure such as ports and aviation hubs. The General Administration of Customs said the measures would enhance the integration of rail, air, river and sea links in Chinas west, state media reported. The measures are to include enhancing international aviation hubs in cities including Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xian and Urumqi, while developing comprehensive bonded zones, and integrating these with ports and other transport links. Advertisement A number of ports would also be built and expanded. China has long sought to bolster the economic heft of its western regions, which have markedly lagged coastal provinces. But ethnic tensions in such places a Xinjiang and hard-line security measures Beijing says are needed to safeguard national unity and border stability, have drawn criticism from some Western nations. Chinas western regions comprise around two-thirds of the countrys land area and include regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet. Chinas Politburo last year called for a new urbanisation of western China to revitalise rural areas, expand poverty alleviation efforts and strengthen energy resources. Efforts have also been made to increase linkages to Europe and South Asia through trade corridors including rail freight routes. Referring to research proposals by Chinese scientists and their US collaborators, and the emergence of the same kind of virus near their lab at Wuhan a year later, scientist Richard Ebright says there is now smoking gun evidence for the laboratory-origin of Covid-19 pandemic in an interview with Firstposts Madhur Sharma read more Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers University, is seen giving testimony in this photo at a hearing of US Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs on Covid-19 origin. (Photo: Screengrab from Senate Homeland Committee's video) From the onset, one feature of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease, stood out. The virus had a furin cleavage site (FCS) that allowed it to infect humans. In the family of coronaviruses to which SARS-CoV-2 belongs, the SARS-CoV-2 is only one of more than 800 viruses with FCS. In nature, such an occurrence is extremely rare. There is, however, now smoking gun evidence that such a feature was developed in a laboratory, says Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers University. Advertisement Tracing research proposals by Chinese scientists and their US collaborators and highlighting the fact that exactly the same kind of virus emerged a year later next door to their lab in Chinas Wuhan, Ebright explains the case for the lab-origin of the Covid-19 pandemic in an interview with Firstposts Madhur Sharma. Ebright, the Board of Governors Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers and Laboratory Director at the Waksman Institute of Microbiology, also discusses the gain of function research, the risky research in which scientists give characteristics to pathogens that they do not naturally have, and says such work has no practical civilian usage. Edited excerpts: Five years after the Covid-19 outbreak, we know that Chinese scientists had the closest-known ancestor of SARS-CoV-2 with them and had worked on coronaviruses right up to the outbreak in 2019. We are also aware of the DEFUSE proposal under which Wuhan-based scientists and their US collaborators sought to insert furin-cleavage sites into coronaviruses. Do you believe the DEFUSE proposal is the smoking gun evidence that we are looking for regarding the origin of Covid-19? In 2017-2018, with National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) constructed genetically modified SARS coronaviruses that combined the spike gene from one bat SARS-related coronavirus with the rest of the genetic information from another bat SARS-related coronavirus, obtaining new viruses that efficiently infected and replicated in human cells, and obtaining at least one new virus that exhibited 10,000 times enhanced viral growth in lungs, 1,000,000 times enhanced viral growth in brains, and three times enhanced lethality in humanized mice. Advertisement In 2018, just one year before the pandemic, in an NIH grant proposal, the Wuhan Institute of Virology and its collaborators proposed to construct additional genetically modified SARS-coronaviruses, proposing to construct viruses with spikes having higher binding affinities for human SARS receptors, hypothesising that such viruses would have enhanced pandemic potential. Moreover, in 2018, just one year before the pandemic, in a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) grant proposal, the Wuhan Institute of Virology and its collaborators proposed to construct genetically modified SARS coronaviruses having a furin cleavage site a feature associated with increased viral growth and increased transmissibility inserted at the spike S1-S2 border and to construct these viruses by synthesising six nucleic-acid building blocks and assembling the six nucleic-acid building blocks using the reagent BsmBI. Advertisement In 2019, a novel SARS-related coronavirus having a spike with extremely high binding affinity for human SARS receptors, a furin cleavage site at the spike S1-S2 border, and a genome sequence with features enabling assembly from six synthetic nucleic-acid building blocks using BsmBI as a reagent for assembly a virus having the exact features proposed in the 2018 NIH and DARPA proposalsemerged on the doorstep of the Wuhan Institute of Virology. [READ MORE: Made in Wuhan, shipped by Beijing: A story of how Communist Party of China gave world Covid-19 pandemic] SARS-CoV-2 is the only one of more than 800 known SARS-related coronaviruses that possesses a furin cleavage site. Mathematically, this fact by itself implies that the probability of encountering a natural SARS-related coronavirus possessing a furin cleavage site is less than 1 in 800. Advertisement The furin cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2 has codon usage the pattern of preferences among synonymous three nucleotide sequences encoding amino acids in the genetic code that is highly unusual for a natural SARS-related coronavirus, but that is as expected for a sequence engineered to function in humans. Taken together, the presence of a spike having an extremely high affinity for human SARS receptors, the presence of a furin cleavage site at the spike S1-S2 border, the unusual codon usage of the furin cleavage site, the sequence features enabling assembly from six synthetic nucleic-acid building blocks with BsmBI as reagent for assembly, and the one-for-one match between these features and the features proposed in the 2018 NIH and DARPA proposals, make an extremely strong case a smoking gun for a research related origin. Advertisement The gain of function (GoF) research has been central to the lab-origin discourse of Covid-19. How do you look at the insistence of some scientists that GoF research should continue and is essential? Do you believe a middle ground is needed on GoF research or whether it needs to be shut down or reduced greatly as risks far outweigh potential benefits? The gain-of-function research of concern involves the creation of new health threats health threats that did not exist previously and that might not come to exist by natural means for tens, hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of years. The gain-of-function research of concern poses high existentialrisks. The gain-of-function research of concern poses both material risks and information risks. The gain-of-function research of concern poses material risks by creating new or enhanced potential pandemic pathogens. If a resulting new potential pandemic pathogen is released into humans, either by accident or deliberately, this can cause a pandemic. The gain-of-function research of concern poses information risks by providing information on the construction and properties of new potential pandemic pathogens. The publication of research provides instructions step-by-step recipes that can be used by a rogue nation, organisation, or individual to construct a new potential pandemic pathogen and release it to cause a pandemic. The gain-of-function research likely caused the Covid-19 pandemic and surely could cause the next pandemic. Security personnel keep watch outside the Wuhan Institute of Virology during the visit by the World Health Organization (WHO) team tasked with investigating the origins of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Source: REUTERS | FILE. The gain-of-function research of concern provides limited benefits. The Gain-of-function research of concern has no civilian practical applications. In particular, the gain of-function research of concern is not needed for, and does not contribute to, the development of vaccines and drugs companies develop vaccines and drugs against pathogens that exist and circulate in humans and not against pathogens that do not yet exist and do not yet circulate in humans. The gain-of-function research of concern is a small part of biomedical research less than 0.1 per cent of all biomedical research and less than 1 per cent of virology. As the gain-of-function research of concern poses high potentially existential risks and provides limited benefits, the risk-benefit ratio for the research almost always is extremely unfavourable. The gain-of-function research of concern should be banned or, at absolute minimum, should be subject to independent and transparent national- or international-level oversight that ensures that, before research is started, risk-benefit assessment is performed, risk-benefit profiles are acceptable, and mitigable risks are mitigated. How do you look at biodefence programmes so far, such as PREDICT? Do you believe such programmes, along with activities like GoF research, started with the idea of identifying and preparing for pandemic-causing pathogens have worked well so far or the idea itself is misplaced? The PREDICT and its successor programmes have been absolute failures. They generated no zero information useful for preventing pandemics or responding to pandemics. They caused the Covid-19 pandemic killing 20+ million and costing $25+ trillion. They are poised to cause future pandemics. One scientist, Steven Quay, calculated that the chance of SARS-CoV-2 developing furin cleavage sites at the exact spot that it did in nature is one in 1.2 billion. Do you agree with the assessment that an ancestor virus evolving into SARS-CoV-2 naturally with furin cleave sites in the spike protein is so narrow that its next to impossible as Mr Quay noted? The SARS-CoV-2 is the only one of more than 800 known SARS-related coronaviruses sarbecoviruses that possesses a furin cleavage site (FCS). Mathematically, this finding by itself implies that the probability of encountering a natural SARS-related coronavirus possessing an FCS is less than 1 in 800 (P < 0.005). The FCS of SARS-CoV-2 has codon usage the pattern of preferences among synonymous three nucleotide sequences encoding amino acids in the genetic code that is highly unusual for a bat SARS-related coronavirus. The FCS of SARS-CoV-2 contains two consecutive CGG codons where CGG is one of six synonymous codons for the amino acid arginine, and is used rarely as less than 1 in 30 codons for arginine in bat SARS-related coronaviruses, but is used frequently in humans (58). Mathematically, the probability of encountering a natural SARS-related coronavirus having two consecutive CGG codons is less than 1 in 30 P < 0.05; assuming non-independent codon selection for the two codon positions to less than 1 in 9,000 P < 0.005; assuming independent codon selection for the two codon positions. Mathematically, the combined probabilities of encountering a natural SARS-related coronavirus possessing an FCS and having two consecutive CGG codons is less than 1 in 24,000 to less than 1 in 720,000. Shi Zhengli inside a laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in 2017. (Photo: AP) This leads me to another question which I have thought of numerous times while reading about this virus. For my benefit and that of our readers, most of whom are not scientists, please tell us your assessment that if this virus did not have furin cleavage sites, do you think the virus would still have the potential to cause a worldwide pandemic? Unlikely. What is the importance of knowing conclusively about the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic? Is it just the question of accountability here or the search for answers or is there something bigger at stake? In the wake of any disaster a train derailment, a plane crash, a rocket explosion, a reactor meltdown, a terror attack or a war the causes of the disaster are investigated and the findings are used to inform policy changes to reduce the risks and the impacts of future disasters. The same needs to be done in the wake of the Covid-19 disaster. As a scientist, what pushed you to look into the possibility of the laboratory-origin of SARS-CoV-2? Considering that most of the scientists trusted their fellow scientists advocating the natural-origin view, such as those who published the infamous Proximal Origin paper, how did you start pursuing a different trail? Did you start as a skeptic or did you suspect lab-leak from the onset? All informed persons without exception knew by early 2020 that a laboratory origin of Covid-19 was more likely than not, but most chose to lie for five years. Had Chinese researchers and their US collaborators been completely transparent regarding the coronavirus outbreak, such as sharing relevant information from databases and making the genome public at once, do you believe the world could have responded to Covid-19 pandemic much better? Yes. Especially if, as appears likely, they knew before January 2020 that lab release had occurred. Do you believe the trust in science and scientists has fallen considerably since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic? Yes. Absolutely. In the past five years, we have seen how not just Chinese scientists but Western scientists misled the public about the reality of the outbreak. Even as they privately suspected lab-accident or lab-engineering, they publicly pushed for the natural-origin narrative. Moreover, the public guidance issued by scientists and the way the World Health Organization (WHO) shared the Chinese narrative made people question if the experts know any better than the average person on the street. Do you believe scientists and institutions like the WHO have lost the stature they once had? Yes. Absolutely. As for the Covid-origin, we have had numerous investigations, such as the Biden administrations intelligence review and Congressional investigations. However, several experts, such as Robert Moffit of the Heritage Foundation in a previous interview with me, have said that there needs to be a 9/11 Commission-type bipartisan inquiry into Covid-origin. Do you agree? Yes. However, attention must be paid to the composition of such a commission. It cannot include those who defrauded the public on the subject. Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic, do you believe the world is better prepared to deal with another pandemic-potential outbreak in the future? No, no one has been held accountable for the Covid-19 pandemic and no actions none have been taken to reduce the risks of the next lab-generated pandemic. I am the mother of Yousef. I lost him, the infants mother said. He died because of the very cold weather. He slept next to me and in the morning I found him frozen and dead. I dont know what to say, she added read more Yet another newborn has died of hypothermia in Gaza amid Israel's relentless attacks that have reportedly killed thousands of civilians. Image used for representational purpose/AP An eighth baby has died of hypothermia in Gaza as temperatures plummet and Israels military offensive continues in the Palestinian territory, local health officials said. I am the mother of Yousef. I lost him, the infants mother told Al Jazeera. They didnt give a single moment to feel happy with my baby [] He died because of the very cold weather. He slept next to me and in the morning I found him frozen and dead. I dont know what to say. Advertisement No one can feel my misery, she added. No one in the world can understand our catastrophic situation. Yousef was fine. He was born healthy [] I lost Yousef forever. Infants more susceptible to hypothermia Nighttime temperatures in Gaza have dropped below 8 celsius this week, according to Gazas Civil Defense agency. Heavy rains have compounded the crisis, flooding more than 1,500 tents housing displaced families. Infants are particularly vulnerable to hypothermia as their bodies lose heat faster than adults due to their higher surface area-to-mass ratio. The risks grow significantly without adequate shelter, warm clothing, or sufficient food all in short supply in Gaza due to Israels relentless attacks there. Doctors Without Borders, known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), warned Friday (January 3) of an increasing number of hypothermia cases among infants. Dr Mohammad Abu Tayyem, a pediatrician at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, said in a voice recording shared by MSF on X (formerly Twitter) that doctors are treating more children with respiratory infections, including acute bronchiolitis and pneumonia, NBC News reported. Due to the increased number of premature babies and the low-birth-weight babies in this period in the ICU, were expecting more babies to come to our ER complaining from hypothermia, Abu Tayyem said, attributing their suffering to the freezing temperatures and the dire conditions children are being forced to endure amid Israels offensive. Advertisement In Gaza, families struggle to survive in freezing temperatures and overcrowded shelters, with aid organisations warning of worsening health outcomes for the territorys most vulnerable residents. Farage responded to Musk saying: Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles. read more Elon Musk on Sunday appeared to do a U-turn on his support for Nigel Farage, leader of Britains anti-immigration Reform UK party, after the former Brexit figurehead publicly disagreed with the US tech billionaire. The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes, Musk said on his social media platform X. The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesnt have what it takes. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 5, 2025 Advertisement Farage said recently he was in talks with Musk over a potential big donation for his party, which helped Labour into power in Julys general election by splitting the right-wing vote. Musk had seemingly backed Brexit campaigner Farage and posed for a photograph with him as recently as last month. Media had speculated that Musk a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump might make a big cash donation to Reform to help it challenge Britains dominant Labour and Conservative parties. But on Saturday, Farage distanced himself from comments made by Musk in support of British anti-Muslim activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, who is serving a prison sentence. Farage responded to Musks post on Sunday saying: Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles. Last month, Musk endorsed the Alternative for Germany, an anti-immigration, anti-Islamic party labelled as right-wing-extremist by German security services ahead of national elections in February. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. Exiled Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who fled the country following a disputed election and a violent crackdown by authorities, is set to meet with US President Joe Biden. read more Venezuelan opposition politician Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who fled the country after a tumultuous election and subsequent police crackdown, said Saturday he has plans to speak with US President Joe Biden. Appearing in Argentina, where he met with President Javier Milei, Gonzalez Urrutia added that he was traveling to the United States on Sunday, though it was unclear when the conversation with Biden would take place. We are planning a conversation with President Biden and we are waiting for details regarding the new authorities, Gonzalez Urrutia said in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, referring to incoming US president Donald Trump, set to take over on January 20. Advertisement Gonzalez Urrutias meeting with Milei came at the start of a regional tour aimed at building international support for the man Venezuelas opposition considers the rightful president-elect. The 75-year-old appeared alongside Milei on a balcony of the Casa Rosada, the Argentine presidents official workplace, as hundreds of Venezuelans gathered below on the Plaza de Mayo chanted Venezuela, you are not alone! Argentina will not be complicit in silence in the face of the injustices and abuses of the Maduro regime, Milei said in a statement Saturday. The appearance came just days before Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro whose government led a crackdown on the opposition following the election is set to be sworn in for a third presidential term in Caracas. The United States, the European Union and dozens of other countries say Venezuelan election officials manipulated the results of the July 28 elections, which they have yet to publish in detail. Some countries have recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as the clear winner, with Maduro recognized by a handful of others, including Russia. Living in exile Gonzalez Urrutia arrived in Buenos Aires quietly from Madrid, where he has lived in exile since fleeing Venezuela in September. Authorities in Caracas have offered a reward of $100,000 for information leading to his capture. Street protests erupted after the election and degenerated into clashes with police, with 28 people dead, 200 wounded and more than 2,400 arrested. Advertisement He will travel to Panama on Wednesday and the Dominican Republic the day after. The opposition figures say he will be in Caracas on January 10 to be sworn in as president. It remains unclear how the Maduro government will respond. Gonzalez Urrutias visit to Argentina came amid heightened bilateral tensions following the arrest in Venezuela of an Argentine policeman on what Buenos Aires says are trumped up charges of terrorism. The relationship was already strained following an exchange of insults and, ultimately, Argentinas refusal to recognize Maduros victory claim. The Argentine embassy in Caracas has also been sheltering six opposition figures accused of terrorism a matter Gonzalez Urrutia had said he would take up with Milei. Advertisement After his visit to Argentina, Gonzalez Urrutia arrived in Montevideo on Saturday afternoon to meet with Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou and Foreign Minister Omar Paganini. During their meeting, Gonzalez Urrutia shared with Lacalle a copy of the electoral records that the Venezuelan opposition says proves their victory. French farmers remain unhappy about regulation which they say is hitting their profits. Farming trade union officials are due to meet French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Jan. 13 to express their concerns. read more Farmers set out in convoys to block roads around Paris Sunday, protesting what they view as unfair competition from foreign markets and excessive regulations. France, the EUs largest agricultural producer saw European-wide demonstrations earlier in 2024, though the protests lost momentum as the year progressed. However, a recent agreement in principle between the EU and South American nations in the Mercosur bloc regarding a free trade deal has reignited opposition among French farmers. Advertisement In addition, French farmers continue to express frustration over regulations they believe are negatively impacting their profits. Farming union representatives are scheduled to meet with French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on January 13 to discuss their concerns. They dont understand the level of misery and distress that farmers are going through at the moment, Amelie Rebiere, vice-president of the Co-ordination Rurale farming trade union, told BFM TV. Those who back the EUs Mercosur deal, such as Germany, say it offers a way to reduce reliance on trade with China, and insulates EU nations from the impact of trade tariffs being threatened by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Nevertheless, many European farmers often led by those from France have repeatedly protested against the EU-Mercosur deal, arguing it would lead to cheap imports of South American commodities, notably beef, that do not meet EU safety standards. With inputs from agencies. Several of the strikes targeted sites from which Palestinian militants had been firing projectiles into Israel in recent days, the military said read more The Israeli military said Sunday that it had struck more than 100 terror targets in the Gaza Strip over the past two days, while rescuers in the Palestinian territory reported dozens of people killed in Israeli strikes. Several of the strikes targeted sites from which Palestinian militants had been firing projectiles into Israel in recent days, the military said. The IAF (air force) struck over 100 terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip, and eliminated dozens of Hamas terrorists in the past two days, a military statement said. Advertisement Gazas civil defence agency reported that on Saturday more than 30 people were killed in Israeli strikes. Last week, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned of intensified Israeli strikes if the incoming rocket fire continued. The renewed fire from Gaza has triggered air raid sirens in Israeli communities that were largely destroyed during Hamass October 2023 attack. Though less frequent than in the early days of the nearly 15-month-long war, there has been a recent spate of launches by militants in the devastated Palestinian territory. The latest violence in Gaza comes as indirect negotiations for a hostage release deal and ceasefire had resumed in Qatar. Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been engaged for months in efforts to strike a deal to end the war and secure the release of dozens of hostages still held in Gaza. The move would present a great risk for the Latin American nation since it depends heavily on the US as its largest trading partner and a source of humanitarian aid read more Hondurass President Xiomara Castro warned that the country would push the US military out of its base if American President-elect Donald Trump carried out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants from the United States. The remarks from the Honduras leader came in a televised address on Wednesday. The statement from Castro is being seen as the first concrete pushback to Trumps plan in the region. The threat also came as foreign ministers of Latin American nations are set to meet later this month to address the deportation issue. Faced with a hostile attitude of mass expulsion of our brothers, we would have to consider a change in our policies of cooperation with the United States, especially in the military arena, Castro said in her address. Advertisement Without paying a cent for decades, she added, they maintain military bases in our territory, which in this case would lose all reason to exist in Honduras. Following her remarks, Hondurass Foreign Minister Enrique Reina reiterated that the country had the power to suspend American military presence without any sort of approval, The New York Times reported. Trumps team reacts A spokesman for the Trump transition team, Brian Hughes, shared a statement responding to Castros warning. The Trump administration looks forward to engaging our Latin American partners to ensure our southern border is secure and illegal immigrants can be returned to their country of origin," he said. Under the agreement between the United States and Honduras, Washington was allowed to build the Soto Cano air base and operate Americas largest military task force in Central America from there. Hence, the move would present a great risk for the Latin American nation since it depends heavily on the US as its largest trading partner and a source of humanitarian aid. Trump has promised to launch a deportation program for undocumented immigrants when he assumes office. However, his transition team has not shared any concrete plans, leaving Latin American governments guessing even as they try to prepare. As of now most nations including Mexico have been working to stay on good footing with Trump, but they also emphasised the contribution their citizens have made to the American economy over the years. We will continue to demonstrate how the Mexican people in the U.S. contribute in a very important way to the US economy. And if Mexican people were not in the US, there would be no food on American tables," Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said. Meanwhile, the governments have also sought to reassure their citizens in the United States that they are preparing for the influx. Honduras has said it will establish mobile consulates, and Mexico created an online application for its citizens to alert consulate authorities if they are at imminent risk of being detained. The American base in Honduras Since 1980, an American task force has operated out of Soto Cano, which is an air base owned by the Honduran government in Comayagua. It was built by the United States in the 1980s to help contain what it said was the Communist threat in the region. The base currently hosts more than a thousand American military and civilian personnel. Advertisement We are guests of the Honduran government on a Honduran base, said the Spokeswoman of the Joint Task Force Bravo, Capt. Hillary Gibson. The US Embassy in Honduras is yet to respond to the matter. With inputs from agencies. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran is fully prepared for any further Israeli attacks, and warned that such actions could spark a broader regional conflict, leading to a large-scale war amid escalating tensions between the two nations read more Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran is fully prepared for any future Israeli attacks and warned that such actions could trigger a broader conflict in the region, leading to a large-scale war. These comments were made by the Iranian Foreign Minister during an interview with Chinese state-run media, which was aired on Saturday. We are fully prepared for the possibility of further Israeli attacks, Araghchi told Chinas CCTV, as translated by the broadcaster. I hope Israel will avoid such reckless actions, as they could escalate into a large-scale war, he added further. Advertisement His remarks came amid increasing concerns that Tehran may be moving closer to developing nuclear weapons, amid escalating global pressures. Not only this but the upcoming inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump is causing a concern as well since he has previously adopted a tough stance toward Iran. Furthermore, there is growing speculation that Israel may strike Iran in response to the ongoing missile attacks launched by Yemens Houthi rebels, who receive backing from Tehran. Israel has already launched two direct attacks on Iran over the past year in response to Tehrans extensive missile and drone strikes, including an October 1 barrage of 200 ballistic missiles, most of which were intercepted. Israeli warplanes also carried out a counterattack on October 26, targeting military facilities and air defence sites. Earlier in April, Israel struck an air defence battery near a nuclear site in retaliation for a series of drone and missile attacks launched by Iran. Despite the rhetoric often used by Tehran to threaten Israel, Araghchi emphasized that Iran seeks a diplomatic approach and would consult with its allies, including China. We believe that reason will ultimately prevail and prevent actions with severe consequences, he said. Araghchis interview took place on December 28 during his two-day state visit to Beijing, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. The interview was aired a week later. Following a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Araghchi mentioned that 2025 would be a pivotal year regarding Irans nuclear issue. Advertisement Israel says Hezbollah has violated the ceasefire hundreds of times and has also complained to the Security Council. It accused Hezbollah militants of moving ammunition, attempting to attack Israeli soldiers, and preparing and launching rockets towards northern Israel, among other things. read more Women mourn their relatives who were killed by Israeli bombardment outside the Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on January 5, 2025 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. Image- AFP Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Lebanese Hezbollah on Sunday of not meeting the terms of a ceasefire, warning that if the militants continued to breach the deal, Israel would be forced to act. Katz said Hezbollah had still not withdrawn beyond the Litani river in southern Lebanon. He added that, if this condition is not met, there will be no agreement and Israel will be forced to act on its own to ensure the safe return of residents of the north to their homes. Advertisement A fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held up for over a month, even as its terms seem unlikely to be met by the agreed-upon deadline. The deal struck on Nov. 27 to halt the war required Hezbollah to immediately lay down its arms in southern Lebanon and gave Israel 60 days to withdraw its forces there and hand over control to the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers. So far, Israel has withdrawn from just two of the dozens of towns it holds in southern Lebanon. And it has continued striking what it says are bases belonging to Hezbollah, which it accuses of attempting to launch rockets and move weapons before they can be confiscated and destroyed. Hezbollah, which was severely diminished during nearly 14 months of war, has threatened to resume fighting if Israel does not fully withdraw its forces by the 60-day deadline. Yet despite accusations from both sides about hundreds of ceasefire violations, the truce is likely to hold, analysts say. That is good news for thousands of Israeli and Lebanese families displaced by the war still waiting to return home. What does the ceasefire agreement say? The agreement says that both Hezbollah and Israel will halt offensive military actions, but that they can act in self-defense, although it is not entirely clear how that term may be interpreted. The Lebanese army is tasked with preventing Hezbollah and other militant groups from launching attacks into Israel. It is also required to dismantle Hezbollah facilities and weapons in southern Lebanon activities that might eventually be expanded to the rest of Lebanon, although it is not explicit in the ceasefire agreement. Advertisement The United States, France, Israel, Lebanon and the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, are responsible for overseeing implementation of the agreement. With inputs from agencies. On Friday, Israels military said it shot down a missile and a drone launched from Yemen, where Iran-backed rebels have stepped up their attacks since a November ceasefire between Israel and another Iran-backed group, Hezbollah, in Lebanon read more Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system operates for interceptions as rockets are launched from Lebanon towards Israel, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from near Ein Ya'akov, northern Israel October 23, 2024. Reuters/Representational image The Israeli military said Sunday it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, the latest in a series of recent attacks. Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in Talmei Elazar, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted prior to crossing into Israeli territory, the military said in a statement posted to Telegram. On Friday, Israels military said it shot down a missile and a drone launched from Yemen, where Iran-backed rebels have stepped up their attacks since a November ceasefire between Israel and another Iran-backed group, Hezbollah, in Lebanon. Advertisement Like Hezbollah which began trading cross-border fire with Israel after Hamass October 7 attack last year the Huthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians, and have vowed to continue until there is a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. While most of the missiles and drones launched from Yemen have been intercepted, one missile wounded 16 people in Tel Aviv in December, according to Israels military and emergency services. In response, the Israeli air force has struck Huthi targets in Yemen, including Sanaas international airport. The Huthi rebels have also been firing at ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden destabilising a vital shipping lane and prompting reprisal strikes by the United States and sometimes Britain against Huthi targets. The groups Saba news agency and Al-Masirah TV reported three raids on Sunday east of the city of Saada, attributing the operations to the United States and Britain. The Israeli military said Sunday it had struck more than 100 terror targets in Gaza over the past two days, marking an apparent escalation in its assault. read more A picture taken from the southern city of Sterod shows smoke rising above destroyed buildings in the northern Gaza Strip during an Israeli army bombardment on January 5, 2025, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants. Image- AFP Israel pounded the Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing at least 23 people according to rescuers, nearly 15 months into the war with Hamas Palestinian militants. The latest deaths come after Israel late on Saturday said indirect negotiations had resumed in Qatar for a truce and hostage release deal. An air strike on a house in northern Gazas Sheikh Radwan area killed at least 11 people early Sunday, according to Civil Defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal. He said the victims included women and children. Advertisement Rescuers are still searching for five people trapped under the rubble of the house, he said, adding his crew members were using bare hands in the effort. Health officials said an Israeli airstrike killed five people in a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, while another airstrike killed four others in Jabalia in the northern edge of the enclave, where Israeli forces have been operating for three months. Earlier on Sunday, the health ministry of Hamas-run Gaza said Israeli strikes across the territory had killed at least 88 Palestinians and wounded more than 200 others in the past 24 hours. In Gaza Citys Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, relatives and neighbours rushed to the Zuhd familys house, which was struck by an Israeli airstrike late on Saturday, killing seven people, medics said. The search continued on Sunday morning for four others believed to be trapped under the rubble. A hand belonging to one of the dead could be seen amongst the ruins, with the rest of his body buried under collapsed masonry. Three men removed dirt with their bare hands to retrieve bodies and search for possible survivors. Three young men, the sons wife, and three children are still here. We retrieved this cousin of mine. Another cousin has been martyred and is now in the hospital. Approximately 11 people have been martyred here, Ammar Zuhd, a relative, told Reuters. Advertisement ISRAEL SAYS DOZENS OF HAMAS MILITANTS KILLED The Israeli military said in a statement on Sunday that its forces had attacked more than 100 targets across Gaza over the weekend, killing dozens of Hamas militants. It said it had also destroyed rocket launching sites that had been used to wage rocket attacks on Israel in recent days. A renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, and return Israeli hostages who were taken to Gaza, before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Israeli negotiators were dispatched on Friday to resume talks in Doha brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, while U.S. President Joe Bidens administration, which is helping to mediate, urged Hamas to agree to a deal. Advertisement Hamas said it was committed to reaching an agreement as soon as possible, but it was unclear how close the two sides were. Israel launched its assault on Gaza in response to an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants on communities in southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israels military campaign, with the stated goal of eradicating Hamas, has leveled swathes of the enclave, driving most people from their homes, and has killed 45,805 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. With inputs from agencies. According to US media, the two dined and watched the film The Eastman Dilemma: Lawfare or Justice, a documentary about a lawyer who was charged for trying to overturn the 2020 election results in favor of Trump. read more This handout picture released by the Palazzo Chigi press office on January 5, 2025 shows Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (2ndR) and US President-elect Donald Trump (2ndL) posing with Senator Marco Rubio (R) and US incoming national security advisor Mike Waltz (L) at Trump's Mar-A-Lago Club on January 4, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. Image- AFP Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid an unofficial visit to Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence on Saturday, the latest foreign leader hosted by the US president-elect as he prepares to take office. Nice evening with Donald Trump, whom I thank for the welcome. Ready to work together, wrote the far-right prime minister on social media, with a photograph of the two standing side-by-side at the entrance to his Florida home. Photos of the meeting between the two conservative leaders were on the front pages of all Italys newspapers Sunday. Advertisement According to US journalists present Saturday night, Trump called Meloni a fantastic woman. Shes really taken Europe by storm, and everyone else, and were just having dinner tonight, Trump said. Meloni is one of several foreign leaders, including Canadas Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who have paid visits to Trump before he takes office. Trumps promises of introducing heavy import tariffs have led to a scramble among traditional economic allies, including in Europe, to plan for possible negative effects on trade. Meanwhile, one of Trumps top advisors, billionaire Elon Musk, has taken to social and traditional media to lambast the ruling governments in Germany and the United Kingdom. His comments have already ruffled feathers in Europe. The same day that Meloni was visiting Trump, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz denounced Musks erratic comments and his open support for the extreme-right AfD party. The visit by Meloni, who heads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, comes ahead of a four-day visit to Rome by US President Joe Biden, where he is expected to meet with Meloni and, separately, Pope Francis. Advertisement Also in attendance during Melonis Mar-a-Lago visit were Trumps incoming national security advisor Mike Waltz and Senator Marco Rubio, tapped for secretary of state, according to photos from the event. Both Trumps and Melonis offices did not respond to requests for comment about the visit. With inputs from agencies. The meeting, if confirmed, will come at a time when Meloni is facing a foreign policy test following the arrest of Italian reporter Cecilia Sala in Iran on Dec. 19 while working under a regular journalistic visa read more Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is flying to Florida where she will meet President-elect Donald Trump, Italian media reported on Saturday. The meeting, if confirmed, will come at a time when Meloni is facing a foreign policy test following the arrest of Italian reporter Cecilia Sala in Iran on Dec. 19 while working under a regular journalistic visa. Sala was detained three days after Mohammad Abedini, an Iranian businessman, was arrested at Milans Malpensa airport on a U.S. warrant for allegedly supplying drone parts that Washington says were used in a 2023 attack that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan. Iran has denied involvement in the attack. Advertisement We dont discuss meetings that may or may not have happened, but its no surprise world leaders have reached out to President Trump after his historic win to develop better relations with the United States, said Trumps spokesperson, Steven Cheung. Melonis office did not immediately comment on the media reports, citing unspecified sources, that she plans to meet Trump. On Friday, Irans foreign ministry summoned Italys ambassador over Abedinis detention, Iranian state media reported. State media reported that an Iranian foreign ministry official had urged Italy to reject Americas hostage policy - which is contrary to international law, particularly human rights - and provide for Mr. Abedinis release as soon as possible and prevent damage to bilateral ties. Abedini is being held in prison and a court is due to decide later this month whether to grant him house arrest while judges consider the U.S. extradition request. Italian media have reported that Sala is in solitary confinement in a freezing cold cell with a neon light left on night and day, that her glasses have been confiscated and that she has had hardly any contact with the outside world. The Tutsi-led M23 groups recent battlefield successes are reminiscent of the offensive carried out by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other Syrian rebels who toppled Bashar al-Assads regime read more The March 23 Movement (M23) rebels, active in the Democratic Republic of Congo, seized a strategic town called Masisi, local politicians said on Sunday (January 5). Masisi lies near the provincial capital Goma, the capital and largest city of the North Kivu, the province where the rebels are based. The Tutsi-led M23 groups recent battlefield successes are somewhat reminiscent of the lightning offensive carried out by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other Syrian rebels in the overthrow of Bashar al-Assads regime. Advertisement Could the M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, enact a repetition of the startling power-grab that happened in West Asia? To answer this, we take a look at who the M23 rebels are and whats common between their situation in Congo and the Syrian rebels circumstances. What is M23? M23 is a rebel military group primarily made up of ethnic Tutsis that broke away from the Congolese army a little over ten years ago due to a combination of grievances and longstanding ethnic tensions. The rebels went on to stage a large offensive in 2012. They took over the provincial capital of Goma the same city they are threatening now close to the border with Rwanda. Rwanda has been accused by Congo, and experts from UN of giving military aid to M23. M23 rebels have claimed that they are fighting a threat from a Congolese rebel group linked to the Congo army and partly made up of ethnic Hutus who were perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide against Tutsis. For some, the group was an expression of popular anger towards a dysfunctional Congolese government, along with issues of corruption and abuses particularly abuses historically experienced by Congolese of Rwandan origin. Similarities with HTS-led Syrian rebels Backing by foreign powers: Congos M23 group have a lot in common with the HTS-led Syrian rebels, especially their circumstances before the toppling of Assad. Like opposition forces in conflict-hit regions around the world, both Syrian rebels and M23 are known to have the backing of external powers. In the case of HTS in Syria, Turkey was one of the prominent backers. Of the other rebel groups, many have had the support of Western countries at different points. Advertisement The M23 group, as previously mentioned, allegedly enjoys the backing on Rwanda. Reports in the past have also accused Uganda, which shares a border with Congo, of supporting these rebels. Resilience: Another commonality is how both HTS and allied rebels in Syria, and M23 in Congo, have resurged after being almost decisively defeated. In Syria, the HTS and its allies had been confined to their small Idlib province stronghold by 2018. This followed a series of military defeatsincluding after the chemical weapon attacks in 2013 and 2017 at the hands of the Iran and Russia-backed Assad regime. The rebels resilience was apparent to the world when they mounted their lightning offensive in November 2024. Advertisement For M23, the supposed defeat had come in 2013. They had even signed a treaty with the Congo government in Nairobi, Kenya. That deal confirmed the dissolution of M23 as an armed group. Its fighters and leaders had surrendered. However, the group resurged in 2021, accusing the Congo government of failing to hold up their end of the deal signed in nearly a decade ago. Since then, the M23 has rapidly seized vast territories in the south-east of North Kivu province. Intention to govern: HTS-led rebels in Syria, in the run-up to their November offensive, had been making efforts to govern the territories under their control, not just terrorise them. This was part of projecting themself as a viable governing body. Advertisement M23 in North Kivu has followed a similar route. In Congo, customary chiefs play a vital role in local land governance. They mediate conflicts, unify communities through rituals, and embody the symbolic connection between a community and its land. According to a 2024 research report by the International Peace Information Service (IPIS), M23 has actively worked to replace customary chiefs with individuals appointed by M23, at times resorting to assassinations of local leaders. Many Congolese believe that the groups primary goal is to gain control over local power structures by undermining existing authorities. In North Kivu, M23 has established mechanisms to control and extract profits from the local economy, particularly through mineral supply chains. The group operates checkpoints along major routes, imposing taxes on minerals smuggled into Rwanda and on other trade activities. This control allows M23 to consolidate power and fund its operations in the region. Advertisement Control over relatively small chunk of territory: The Idlib governorate, which remained the HTS stronghold despite major setbacks, occupies around three per cent of the total area of Syria. Territories held by Tahrir al-Sham (white) and the Assad regime (red) before the opposition offensives in late 2024. Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons For the HTS, Idlib provided enough of a base to launch an offensive to take over the entire country. North Kivu province, which houses the bastion of the M23 rebels, occupies around 2.5 per cent of the total area of Congo. It follows that M23 at the moment, and HTS before it took over Damascus, exerted control over a comparatively tiny territory in their respective countries. Area under control of M23 rebels in Congo as of 15 May, 2024. Courtesy: IPIS The key differences The similarities only paint half the picture. Whether the success of HTS and allied rebels may be reproduced by M23 is actually likely to be determined by the key differences. Intention: The most crucial point here is that M23s ambitions do not mirror those that the Syrian rebels had. Their goals are more localised and cater to a rather specific population Congolese of Rwandan origin. It is also important to note that in Syria, the support the rebels received was widespread, especially due to resentment towards Assads regime. The M23 group is unlikely to garner that kind of support or legitimacy in Congo. Geopolitical context: Idlib played a critical role in Syrias civil war, while M23s territory does not carry equivalent strategic importance in Congo. Moreover, the dynamics among the players in West Asia, and those involved in Syria, are starkly different from those of actors around Congo in Africa. Despite its backing of M23, Rwanda does not appear intent on changing the power balance for the entirety of Congo. Reaping economic benefits and maintaining control over a crucial border region are more apparent objectives. The missing element of surprise: The HTS-led Syrian rebels success can in part be attributed to the element of surprise in their offensive. With Russia focused on its war in Ukraine, and Iran occupied with the conflict between Israel and the Axis of Resistance, Assads forces had become vulnerable. There was no time to plan and no reinforcements were coming a huge benefit for the opponents. That element of surprise is missing in M23s advances. The gains the group has made can be attributed to internal problems key among them that the Congolese army appears to be in disarray. In July 2024, Jason Stearns, a former UN investigator who now runs the Congo Research Group at New York University had said that many units have less than half the number of soldiers they are supposed to have due to desertions and casualties[]there is a lack of accountability and morale. New military leadership has been appointed, and efforts have been made to weed out officers suspected of disloyalty or corruption. Congos military budget has been pumped up, too. There are still major issues. The root of the issue hasnt been tackled yet, and the frequent change in commanders has created confusion. Still, the situation is quite different from Syrian government forces under Assad, as Congo is actively taking steps to fend off the rebels and has reinforcements and funds to pour in. In a nutshell While it is probable that M23 rebels make some more gains in the mineral-rich North Kivu, a surprise offensive from them that results in the group taking over much larger chunk of Congos territory appears unlikely. With inputs from agencies The furor over whether to welcome skilled foreign workers has exposed deep fault lines between the hardcore immigration hawks who have been with Trump from the start and the tech bros who spent a fortune getting the Republican re-elected read more With Donald Trumps allies in open warfare ahead of his inauguration, analysts see the latest hostilities between his billionaire backers and working-class base as a preview of tensions that threaten to shatter his fragile coalition. The furor over whether to welcome skilled foreign workers has exposed deep fault lines between the hardcore immigration hawks who have been with Trump from the start and the tech bros who spent a fortune getting the Republican re-elected. Advertisement Threatening to grow into an irreparable schism, the row has prompted leading lights in Trumps Make America Great Again (MAGA) crusade to highlight what they see as the absurdity of a supposedly populist movement where the mega-rich call the shots. I think this most recent war of words between traditional MAGA and big-tech MAGA was an opening salvo in a long-running battle over the future of the MAGA movement, political analyst Flavio Hickel told AFP. Leading the Silicon Valley faction is Elon Musk, the South African-born SpaceX and Tesla boss, who shelled out at least $250 million to bankroll the Trump campaign, even as the candidate pushed scare stories about a migrant-led crime wave that never was. Musks money was a boon, but the worlds richest man found himself a target of MAGA after supporting visas for skilled foreigners, apparently unaware that his new allies anti-immigrant animus extends to his own employment practices. Oligarchs vs. nativists Hickel characterized Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and several other tech tycoons Trump has tapped in advisory roles as ideologically libertarian and favoring traditional conservative priorities like balanced budgets and expansive legal immigration. Traditional MAGA seems to care little about the budget and found Trumps nativism to be the most appealing feature of his candidacies, the politics professor, who teaches at Maryland liberal arts school Washington College, told AFP. Advertisement In MAGAs first internal conflagration since Novembers election dubbed Oligarchs vs. Nativists by the US media Musk called his critics among the Trumpist base contemptible fools who should be rooted out. Steve Bannon, an ex-White House strategist and MAGA media star, retaliated with a threat on his War Room podcast to rip (Musks) face off on New Years Eve, warning the tycoon not to go to the pulpit in your first week here and start lecturing people. Echoing concerns that Trumps billionaire supporters have never really understood his appeal to blue-collar voters, Bannon told Musk and other recent converts to sit back and study MAGAs stance on keeping US jobs for Americans. Advertisement Bannon and others have demanded reparations from Silicon Valley for cutting Americans out of jobs. The MAGA rabble-rouser said the visa issue is central to the way they gutted the middle class in this country. Bad politics Trump whose own personal wealth was recently estimated at $5.5 billion took Silicon Valleys side, astonishing many of his own supporters and even drawing criticism from moderates like his former UN ambassador, Nikki Haley. Yet Donald Nieman, a political analyst and professor at Binghamton University in New York state, gives Trump credit for assembling a broader coalition than in the past, even if that makes conflict more likely. Advertisement He knows he has to deliver on the economy the issue that brought him to the White House so kicking the tech sector in the teeth is bad politics, Nieman told AFP. Some analysts predict that the contretemps will end badly for Musk, with Trump keenly aware that his real power has always resided in his working-class support. Others think the lure of Silicon Valley lucre may have changed MAGA permanently, and that Trump ever the pragmatist will lead his base to the center rather than allowing his base to drag him to the right. Jeff Le, a deputy cabinet secretary for former California governor Jerry Brown, worked closely with the tech sector on visa reform and coordinated negotiations between his state and the first Trump administration. Advertisement The tension between Mr. Musk, Mr. Ramaswamy (and) Mr. Bannon and the MAGA wing represents significant philosophical differences, he said. However, if Mr. Trump continues to emphasize other tools for immigration reform such as expanded judicial powers, more aggressive ICE operations and border security, his base will likely stick with Mr. Trump. Wagner fighters have been operating in Mali since the military seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, expelling French and UN troops read more This undated photograph released in April 2022 by Frances military shows Russian mercenaries boarding a helicopter in northern Mali. AP Nine civilians, including women and children, were killed in an attack on a vehicle in Malis Segou region last week, according to a civil society group and a coalition of Tuareg rebels. Both groups accused Malian forces and Russian mercenaries of causing the tragedy. The vehicle was travelling from the town of Niono to a refugee camp in Mauritania on Thursday (January 2) when it came under fire, Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Tuareg rebel coalition seeking an independent homeland in northern Mali, said Saturday (January 5). Advertisement Ramadane and the local civil society association Kal Akal alleged that Malian armed forces and fighters from Russias Wagner Group, a private military contractor, carried out the attack. In a separate statement, the leader of Kel Ansar, one of the largest Tuareg groups, called for an investigation into the killings but denied Malian troops were involved. Wagner Group, Malian armys human rights record Wagner fighters have been operating in Mali since the military seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, expelling French and UN troops. The group has been supporting Malian forces in their fight against Islamist insurgents and Tuareg separatists. In December, Human Rights Watch accused Malis armed forces, with support from Wagner, and Islamist armed groups, of committing serious abuses against civilians, violating international laws of war. Since May 2024, Malian armed forces and the Wagner Group have deliberately killed at least 32 civilians, including 7 in a drone strike, forcibly disappeared 4 others, and burned at least 100 homes in military operations in towns and villages in central and northern Mali, HRW said in a recent report. The organisation also claimed that two Islamist armed groups, the Al-Qaeda-linked Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen (JNIM) and of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), have executed at least 47 civilians and displaced thousands of people since June 2024. The JNIM has also allegedly burned over 1,000 homes and looted thousands of livestock. Advertisement With inputs from agencies ISIS has been notorious for circulating online videos on different social media platforms, to influence people around the world and recruit the vulnerable read more A black flag with white lettering lies on the ground rolled up behind a pickup truck that a man drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing and injuring a number of people, early Wednesday morning. AP While the Islamic State is struggling to survive in West Asia, the devastating New Years Day attack in New Orleans indicates that its horror remains prevalent in the West. A 42-year-old man named Shamsud-Din Bahar rammed his vehicle into a crowd on Bourbon Street killing 14 people. The authorities later revealed that an ISIS flag was in his car, reflecting the US veterans active connection to the radical terrorist group. The group has been notorious for circulating online videos on different social media platforms, to influence people around the world and recruit the vulnerable. Terrorism is essentially communications, said Hans-Jakob Schindler, a former United Nations diplomat who is the senior director of the Counter Extremism Project, a think tank with offices in New York and Berlin. Advertisement It is not warfare, because obviously, ISIS cannot militarily defeat the West, right? They tried and it didnt exactly end well," he added during his conversation with The New York Times. How the Islamic State is influencing people in the modern world It is pertinent to note that the radical group has chapters in Afghanistan, Somalia, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Caucuses and Turkey, among other places. This global franchise is united by ISISs sophisticated media operations. The terror group is known for putting out an online weekly newsletter called Al Naba, or The News, which contains details of the groups latest exploits and encourages followers to commit violence. The Al Naba newsletter comes out like clockwork every Thursday, which is one of the more impressive things that the group is able to do, Cole Bunzel, a scholar of militant Islam in the Middle East at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University told The New York Times. They have an editorial; they cover the different provinces, as theyre called; they cover attacks from that week. They tally up the number of attacks and casualties that they claim. And thats the main way that they stay connected with their global support base, he added. It is important to note that the most recent edition of the newsletter was published on January 2 and it did not mention the New Orleans attack. The Islamic State is yet to claim responsibility for the deadly attacks. According to several experts, Al Naba was initially published through platforms like Telegram, but the terror group always looks for other channels if one door closes. Meanwhile, the supporters of the group often use social media platforms like X, formerly known as Twitter and Facebook to decimate information. Hence, experts believe that the Islamic States mastery of media and message is a key to its success. The radicalisation of the supporters In January 2024, ISIS revived a campaign encouraging its supporters to kill them wherever you find them, a reference to a verse in the Quran. According to The New York Times, the idea first surfaced in 2015 and was pushed to encourage followers to commit violent crimes in their homes rather than travelling to the Middle East. The rise of social networking platforms makes it easier for the group to spread such radical messaging. Advertisement Terror groups dont have to make a ton of effort to radicalize people anymore; the algorithm does it for them, Schindler told NYT. The point of the algorithm is to keep the user on the platform, to give them what they like, and if this happens to be Islamic extremism or if you are in the radicalization process, your worldview shifts, he added. The campaign is one of the major reasons why we see the supporters of the groups orchestrating attacks around the world. The complex network of ISIS also makes it difficult for law enforcement officials to track down the main culprit. Advertisement While ISIS infiltrates the West it is struggling to survive in West Asia While the group maintained prominence around the world it struggled to find relevance in West Asia. In Syria, the Islamic State took advantage of a long civil war to seize a large swath of territory. The terror group eventually lost the conquered land to US-backed fighters. However, many now fear that ISIS could take advantage of the power vacuum created following the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Many fear that the Islamic State could regain ground amid the chaos. While ISIS had spoken dismissively of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (the rebel group that led the Syrian takeover) as jihadists turned politicians, it has not called for attacks on them. Meanwhile, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other rebel groups pledged to distance themselves from ISIS and take over the role of guarding Islamic State prisoners in eastern Syria. The job was initially done by the Kurdish-led Syrian Defense Force, which was backed by the United States, for nearly five years. Many are now questioning whether HTS will be able to curb the rise of ISIS in Syria, a group to which it had links in the past. Advertisement Amid the chaos, ISIS recently renewed its Breaking the Walls media campaign, which encourages the imprisoned fighters to break out of the jails in eastern Syria and free their families. If they succeed in doing so, it would be disastrous, not only for Syria but for the world. Since Friday evening, clashes in several villages around the city of Manbij have left 101 dead, including 85 members of pro-Turkish groups and 16 from the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said read more Fighters and security forces loyal to the interim Syrian government stand at a checkpoint in the Zahra district of Syria's west-central city of Homs. AFP More than 100 combatants were killed over the last two days in northern Syria in fighting between Turkish-backed groups and Syrian Kurdish forces, a war monitor said on Sunday. Since Friday evening, clashes in several villages around the city of Manbij have left 101 dead, including 85 members of pro-Turkish groups and 16 from the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. In a statement, the SDF said it had repelled all the attacks from Turkeys mercenaries supported by Turkish drones and aviation. Advertisement Turkish-backed factions in northern Syria resumed their fight with the SDF at the same time Islamist-led rebels were launching an offensive on November 27 that overthrew Syrian president Bashar al-Assad just 11 days later. They succeeded in capturing the cities of Manbij and Tal Rifaat in northern Aleppo province from the SDF. The fighting has continued since, with heavy casualties. According to Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Observatory, the Turkish-backed groups aim to take the cities of Kobane and Tabqa, before moving on to Raqqa. The SDF controls vast areas of Syrias northeast and parts of Deir Ezzor province in the east where the Kurds created an autonomous administration following the withdrawal of government forces during the civil war that began in 2011. The group, which receives US backing, took control of much of its current territory, including Raqqa, after capturing it from the jihadists of the Islamic State group. Ankara considers the SDF an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey and is banned as a terrorist organisation by the government. Advertisement The Turkish military regularly launches strikes against Kurdish fighters in Syria and neighbouring Iraq, accusing them of being PKK-linked. Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syrias new leader and the head of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has previously said the SDF would be integrated into the countrys future army. HTS led the coalition of rebel groups that overthrew Assad last month. On Friday, Biden said he was stopping the Nippon takeover after federal regulators deadlocked on whether to approve it because a strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority. Without domestic steel production and domestic steel workers, our nation is less strong and less secure read more By blocking a Japanese companys takeover of U.S. Steel, President Joe Biden said he was protecting good jobs in the American heartland. He may be putting them at risk instead. In making its nearly $15 billion bid for the storied Pittsburgh-based steelmaker, Nippon Steel had promised to invest $2.7 billion in U.S. Steels aging blast furnace operations in Gary, Indiana, and Pennsylvanias Mon Valley. It also vowed not to reduce production capacity in the United States over the next decade without first getting U.S. government approval. Advertisement They were going to invest in the Valley, said Jason Zugai, an operating technician and vice president of the United Steelworkers union local at a U.S. Steel plant in the Mon Valley. They committed to 10 years of no layoffs. We wont have those commitments from anybody.'' Zugai and some other Mon Valley steelworkers supported the Nippon deal in defiance of the unions national leadership, which pressured the Biden administration to kill it. Losing the Nippon-U.S. Steel deal will be a disaster for Pennsylvania, said Gordon Johnson, who follows U.S. Steel stock on Wall Street as founder of GLJ Research. I really dont understand. This is not in the interest of the workers. Its not in the interest of the shareholders of U.S. Steel.'' On Friday, Biden said he was stopping the Nippon takeover after federal regulators deadlocked on whether to approve it because a strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority. Without domestic steel production and domestic steel workers, our nation is less strong and less secure.'' U.S. Steel stock dropped 6.5% on the news Friday. The decision, announced less than three weeks before the president leaves the White House, reflects a growing bipartisan shift away from free trade and open investment. President-elect Donald Trump had already come out against the Nippon takeover. As President, he wrote last month on his Truth Social platform, I will block this deal from happening. Buyer Beware!!! Advertisement In a joint statement, Nippon and U.S. Steel called Bidens decision a clear violation of due process and the law and suggested they would sue to salvage their deal: We are left with no choice but to take all appropriate action to protect our legal rights.'' U.S. Steel was founded in 1901 in a merger that involved American business titans J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie and instantly created the largest company in the world. As the U.S. grew to world dominance in the 20th century, U.S. Steel grew with it. In 1943, at the height of the World War II manufacturing boom, U.S. Steel employed 340,000 people. Advertisement But foreign competition from Japan in the 1970s and 80s and later from China gradually eroded U.S. Steels position and forced it to close plants and lay off workers. The company now employs fewer than 22,000 in an industry dominated by the Chinese. The U.S. government has sought over the years to protect U.S. Steel and other American steelmakers by imposing taxes on imported steel. During his first term, Trump slapped 25% tariffs on foreign steel, and Biden kept them or converted them into import quotas. Either way, the trade barriers kept the price of American steel artificially high, giving U.S. Steel and others a financial boost. Advertisement U.S. Steel is profitable and is sitting on $1.8 billion in cash, though that is down from $2.9 billion at the end of 2023. United Steelworkers President David McCall declared Friday that U.S. Steel had the financial resources to go it alone. It can easily remain a strong and resilient company, he told reporters. But U.S. Steel has said it needs the cash from Nippon Steel to keep investing in blast furnaces like the ones in Pennsylvania and Indiana. Without the Nippon Steel transaction, U. S. Steel will largely pivot away from its blast furnace facilities, putting thousands of good-paying union jobs at risk, negatively impacting numerous communities across the locations where its facilities exist, U.S. Steel warned in September. The company also threatened to move its headquarters out of Pittsburgh. Advertisement On its own, U.S. Steel seems poised to focus on newer electric arc furnaces, such as its Big River plant in Arkansas, which can make high-quality steel products more efficiently and at lower prices compared to blast furnaces, said Josh Spoores, the Pennsylvania-based head of steel Americas analysis for commodity researcher CRU. I dont know if they dont have the will, but they seem to have seen that its a much better investment, a much better rate of return if they look to invest in an electric arc furnace rather than a blast furnace, Spoores said. He noted that no steelmaker has built a blast furnace in North America for decades. One possibility is that another company will step in and make a bid for U.S. Steel. In 2023, arch-rival Cleveland-Cliffs offered to buy U.S. Steel for $7 billion. U.S. Steel turned the offer down and ended up accepting the nearly $15 billion all-cash offer from Nippon Steel, which is the deal that Biden nixed Friday. Perhaps, analysts say, Cleveland-Cliffs will try again. In a statement, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro warned U.S. Steel management against threatening the jobs and livelihoods of the Pennsylvanians who work at the Mon Valley Works and at U.S. Steel HQ and their families.'' Shapiro also said companies that put in bids to buy U.S. Steel in the future must make the same commitments to capital investment and protecting and growing Pennsylvania jobs that Nippon Steel placed on the table.'' Unlike other Arab countries, Qatar never restored diplomatic ties with Syria under Assad, who was toppled by an 11-day rebel advance that swept through major cities and then the capital Damascus in December read more Ministers from Syrias transitional government arrived in Qatar on Sunday for their first visit to the Gulf state since the toppling of president Bashar al-Assad last month, officials and news agency SANA said. The interim foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, was accompanied by defence minister Morhaf Abu Kasra and the new head of intelligence, Anas Khattab, SANA reported. It said the delegation would discuss with Qatari officials prospects for cooperation and coordination between the two countries. Advertisement A Syrian diplomat and a Qatari official told AFP Shaibani had arrived on Sunday morning for meetings. Unlike other Arab countries, Qatar never restored diplomatic ties with Syria under Assad, who was toppled by an 11-day rebel advance that swept through major cities and then the capital Damascus in December. War in Syria erupted in 2011 after Assad cracked down on peaceful democracy protests. The conflict morphed into a multi-pronged war, and Doha was for years a key backer of the armed rebellion. In a statement on X, Shaibani on Friday said he would visit Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan over the coming days. We look forward to these visits contributing to supporting stability, security, economic recovery, and building distinguished partnerships, the foreign minister wrote. Qatar was the second country, after Turkey, to reopen its embassy in the Syrian capital following the overthrow of the Assad clan. Ukrainian troops first crossed the Russian border and moved into Kursk in a surprise incursion on August 6, 2024. They have since maintained their positions read more There has reportedly been yet another escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian forces have reportedly launched a significant new assault in Russias western Kursk region. Its not Kyiv thats making these claims, its Russians. Russian military bloggers reported Sunday (January 5) that fighting in Kursk involved artillery and small-arms exchanges, with Ukraine deploying Western-armored vehicles to transport large numbers of infantry. Despite strong pressure from the enemy, our units are heroically holding the line, the pro-Russian Operativnye Svodki (Operational Reports) channel posted. Advertisement The fighting was reportedly concentrated near Bolshoye Soldatskoye, but Yuri Podolyak, a prominent pro-Russian blogger, suggested the attack might be a distraction ahead of a potential strike on Glushkovo, further west. Podolyak urged civilians in Glushkovo and nearby Korenevo to evacuate. Ukrainian troops first crossed the Russian border and moved into Kursk in a surprise incursion on August 6, 2024. They have since maintained their positions despite Russian attempts to dislodge them. The latest assault reportedly placed Russian forces on the defensive. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not mention Kursk in its latest battlefield update on Sunday. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an annual Q&A session last month, vowed to expel Ukrainian forces from the region but refrained from giving a timeline. Possible bargaining chip Ukraines ability to capture and hold territory in Russia could provide leverage in any future peace negotiations, as both sides aim to strengthen their positions ahead of potential talks this year. The prospect of negotiations has gained attention with US President-elect Donald Trump set to take office on January 20. Trump has promised a quick resolution to the war but has not elaborated on his plans. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military reported intense fighting near Pokrovsk, a strategic road and rail hub Russia has targeted for months. On Sunday, Ukraines air force said it intercepted 61 of 103 drones launched by Russia overnight. Russia claimed it had destroyed five Ukrainian drones over its territory. With inputs from agencies Sudans army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has welcomed Turkeys offer to mediate in the ongoing 20-month conflict between his forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to Sudans foreign minister read more People walk past a destroyed vehicle, following shelling by the Rapid Support Forces, in Omdurman, Sudan, December 10, 2024. Source: Khartoum State Government/Handout via Reuters. Sudans army chief has welcomed a Turkish offer to resolve the brutal 20-month conflict between his forces and their paramilitary rivals, the Sudanese foreign minister said. In early December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a phone call with Sudans Abdel Fattah al-Burhan that Ankara could help establish peace and stability in the war-torn African state. At a meeting in Port Sudan on Saturday, Burhan asked Turkeys deputy foreign minister Burhanettin Duran to deliver the Sudanese leaderships welcoming of the initiative to Erdogan, Sudanese foreign minister Ali Youssef said in a briefing after the meeting. Sudan needs brothers and friends like Turkey, Youssef said, adding that the initiative can lead to realising peace in Sudan. Advertisement Erdogan said in his December call with Burhan that Turkey could step in to resolve disputes between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, and prevent Sudan from becoming an area of external interventions, according to a statement from the Turkish presidency. Sudans army-backed government has repeatedly accused the UAE of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claims echoed by outside analysts, which the UAE has consistently denied. Last month, the Sudanese government accused the RSF of launching UAE-assembled drones from neighbouring Chad. US lawmakers long critical of the Gulf powers role quoted the White House as saying late last month that the UAE had told the United States it would not arm paramilitaries in Sudans war. Following his meeting with Burhan on Saturday, Turkeys Duran said that the peace process entails concerted efforts, and that his country was ready to play a role in mobilising other regional actors to help overcoming the difficulties in ending this conflict. In a statement last week, the UAE welcomed diplomatic efforts by Turkey to resolve the ongoing crisis in Sudan. The UAE is fully prepared to cooperate and coordinate with the Turkish efforts and all diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict in Sudan and find a comprehensive solution to the crisis, its foreign ministry said. The war in Sudan, which has pitted Burhan against his former deputy and RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted 12 million more. It has also pushed the country to the brink of famine, with analysts warning involvement from other countries will only prolong the suffering. Advertisement While no details of their meeting have been disclosed, Meloni had planned to talk with Trump about Russias war in Ukraine, trade issues, the Middle East and the plight of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran, according to Italian media reports read more An airplane transporting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni lands at West Palm Beach International airport as Italian media reported that Meloni will meet U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at his residence of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.. Reuters Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni flew to Florida to meet with President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday, as the key European leader sought to buttress ties with Trump before his inauguration on Jan. 20. Members of Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort welcomed Meloni with applause after an introduction by the president-elect, according to videos shared on social media by reporters and others. Her trip comes days before she is to meet U.S. President Joe Biden during a visit to Rome from Thursday to Jan. 12. Trump defeated Biden in the November election and preparing his return to the White House. Advertisement While no details of their meeting have been disclosed, Meloni had planned to talk with Trump about Russias war in Ukraine, trade issues, the Middle East and the plight of an Italian journalist detained in Tehran, according to Italian media reports. Melonis office declined to comment on the reports. She is seen as a potentially strong partner for Trump given her conservative credentials and the stability of the right-wing coalition she heads in Italy. She has also forged a close relationship with billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk, a close Trump ally who spent more than a quarter-billion dollars to help him win the election. This is very exciting. Im here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy, Trump told the Mar-a-Lago crowd, according to a media pool report. Shes really taken Europe by storm. Trump and Meloni then sat down for a screening of a documentary questioning the criminal investigations and legal scrutiny faced by John Eastman, a former Trump lawyer who was central to Trumps unsuccessful efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. One of the biggest challenges facing Meloni is the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in Iran on Dec. 19. Advertisement Sala was detained three days after Mohammad Abedini, an Iranian businessman, was arrested at Milans Malpensa airport on a U.S. warrant for allegedly supplying drone parts that Washington says were used in a 2023 attack that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan. Iran has denied involvement in the attack. On Friday, Irans foreign ministry summoned Italys ambassador over Abedinis detention, Iranian state media reported. Meloni became the latest in the handful of foreign leaders who have visited Trump in Florida since the Nov. 5 election. He has met with Argentinian President Javier Milei, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Advertisement The prospect of mass pardons has sparked debate in Congress, particularly as lawmakers gather Monday to certify a presidential election for the first time since the attack temporarily halted the 2021 certification of Joe Bidens victory read more As the fourth anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol approaches, lawmakers are bracing for the possibility that President-elect Donald Trump could pardon many of the more than 1,500 people charged for their roles in the violent insurrection. Trump, who begins his second term on January 20, has repeatedly vowed to issue pardons to those convicted in connection with the riot. Most likely, Ill do it very quickly, he said recently on NBCs Meet the Press. While pledging to act, he also suggested he would evaluate cases individually, saying, those people have suffered long and hard. And there may be some exceptions to it. I have to look. But, you know, if somebody was radical, crazy. Advertisement The prospect of mass pardons has sparked debate in Congress, particularly as lawmakers gather Monday to certify a presidential election for the first time since the attack temporarily halted the 2021 certification of Joe Bidens victory. Republicans divided on pardons Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch Trump ally, has urged him to pardon all January 6 participants, arguing they have been treated unfairly. Some of these people have been given prison sentences: 10 years, 18 years and more. I think its an injustice. Its a two-tiered justice system, and its time to end it, Greene said. However, many Republicans, including some close to Trump, advocate a more measured approach. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said he supports pardons for nonviolent offenders but distinguished them from those who attacked law enforcement. For people who didnt commit any violence, I think everyone supports that. I think that makes sense, Jordan said. Other Republicans, such as Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., and Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., echoed the call for case-by-case consideration, emphasizing that violent offenders who attacked police or caused extensive damage should face accountability. Democratic lawmakers and police officers oppose pardons Democrats and law enforcement officials have strongly criticised Trumps pardon pledge, warning of its implications for the rule of law and national security. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., who chaired the House January 6 investigation, condemned the idea, particularly for those convicted of attacking police officers. Advertisement I think anyone who loves peace and security would be offended that you would pardon people who attacked those individuals for doing their jobs, Thompson said. The attack left about 140 officers injured in what Matthew Graves, the outgoing US attorney for Washington, DC, described as likely the largest single day mass assault of law enforcement. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who retired due to injuries sustained during the attack, also voiced his dismay. You cannot be pro-police officer and rule of law if you are pardoning people who betrayed that trust, injured police officers and ransacked the Capitol, Gonell said. Legal and political ramifications Advertisement House Democrats who led Trumps second impeachment trial and investigated the attack warned of the long-term consequences of pardoning convicted rioters, including members of extremist groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said pardons should require contrition and a demonstration that the individuals no longer pose a threat to public safety. Anything that happens by these people, in a political context or some other context, will essentially be laid at the doorstep soon-to-be President Donald Trump, Raskin said. For many lawmakers, the memories of January 6 remain raw. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., who was trapped in the House gallery as rioters stormed the Capitol, said the prospect of pardons would be extraordinarily difficult to accept. Advertisement More than 1,250 individuals have pleaded guilty or been convicted in connection with the attack, with over 650 receiving prison sentences ranging from a few days to 22 years. The debate over potential pardons is likely to remain a contentious issue as Trump prepares to re-enter the White House. With inputs from agencies Gonzalez, who has been in exile in Spain since September, has vowed to return to Venezuela to be sworn in for the presidential term, which by law begins on January 10 read more Venezuelas government intensified its threats against opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez on Sunday (January 5), with the ruling-party-controlled National Assembly vowing to order his arrest if he returns to the country. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez did not name Gonzalez directly but said the retired diplomat, who claims he defeated President Nicolas Maduro in last years election, would face immediate detention if he sets foot on Venezuelan soil. The declaration follows the governments recent offer of a $100,000 reward for information on Gonzalezs whereabouts. Advertisement That unworthy being has been saying that he is going to return to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Rodriguez said after being re-elected as the National Assemblys president. Each and every deputy who defends peace will request, if he touches a bit of land of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, his immediate arrest. Gonzalez, who has been in exile in Spain since September, has vowed to return to Venezuela to be sworn in for the presidential term, which by law begins on January 10. However, he has not detailed how he plans to return or challenge Maduro, who retains control over all branches of government and the military. Maduro, meanwhile, has received an invitation from the National Assembly to be sworn in for a third term on Friday. The invitation comes more than five months after the National Electoral Council, dominated by ruling-party loyalists, declared him the winner of the July 28 election. Unlike previous presidential contests, electoral authorities did not release detailed vote counts. However, the opposition claimed tally sheets from over 80 per cent of electronic voting machines showed Gonzalez winning by a significant margin. These claims prompted international criticism, with the U.S. and most European governments rejecting the official results and recognising Gonzalez as the legitimate winner. Advertisement Maduro responded by asking Venezuelas high court, also controlled by ruling-party allies, to audit the results. The court reaffirmed his victory. Gonzalez began a tour of the Americas over the weekend, visiting Argentina and Uruguay before announcing plans to travel to the United States to seek a meeting with President Joe Biden. He also intends to visit Panama and the Dominican Republic in the coming days. Ukrainian and Western assessments say that some 11,000 North Korean troops are deployed in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces occupy swathes of territory after staging a mass cross-border incursion in August read more Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russian and North Korean forces suffered heavy losses in fighting in Russias southern Kursk region. Ukrainian and Western assessments say that some 11,000 North Korean troops are deployed in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces occupy swathes of territory after staging a mass cross-border incursion in August. In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy quoted a report from top Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi as saying that the battles had taken place near the village of Makhnovka, not far from the Ukrainian border. Advertisement In battles yesterday and today near just one village, Makhnovka, in Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops, Zelenskyy said. This is significant. The president provided no specific details. A battalion can vary in size but is generally made up of several hundred troops. Reuters could not independently verify the presidents account. Zelenskyy last week reported heavy North Korean losses in Kursk region, saying their forces were not being protected by the Russian forces they are fighting alongside. He said North Koreans were taking extreme measures to avoid being taken prisoner and in some instances were being executed by their own forces. In his latest remarks, Zelenskyy also said fierce battles had raged along the entire 1,000-km (620-mile) front line, with the most difficult situation near the city of Pokrovsk. Russian forces, he said, continue to expend vast numbers of their own personnel in assaults. A Ukrainian military spokesperson earlier said Pokrovsk remained the hottest frontline sector, with Russian troops launching fresh attacks near the town in an effort to bypass it from the south and cut off supply routes to Ukraines troops. Advertisement The city, home to a mine that is the sole supplier of coking coal to Ukraines once-giant steel industry, had a pre-war population of some 60,000 people. Ukraine estimates that around 11,000 of them remain in the city. Quote: Painted Horse Originally Posted by I'm curious. My 2011 truck would regen when the DPF was full. Didn't matter the miles, When I hit 90% it would regen. My 23 does a regen every 497 miles regardless of the filter percentage. It might be 20% or it might be 60% but it does a regen at 497 miles. So I don't see any additive increasing the distance between regens on the newer trucks. The plus side, is my Active Regen are much shorter, usually 8-10 miles at most vs the 25-30 miles it took on my older 2011,2015, 2017 trucks What is your average distance between regens ? You'll probably need a 3rd party monitor ( Edge CTS or Banks) to read that pid and see what your average is. I have the ability to turn off auto regen that Arod changed for me via Forscan. If I don't turn off auto regen then mine will regen like yours does at 497 miles no matter what the trucks DIC DPF % is. I do have the Banks I-Dash and the DPF soot % goes up faster than the gauge in the trucks DIC most of the time. If I'm driving mostly shorter trips then the two gauges will be close to each other. Before I started using Archoil my truck would not go more than about 550-600 miles towing with the auto regen unchecked. After using Archoil I have seen several 700+ miles between most regens towing my 5th wheel here in Nevada and around the west. Empty driving with auto regen unchecked I will see a regen usually around the 500-550 mark. My average regen distance before Archoil was in the mid 300's and now it is around 540. I live south of Elko and recently made a trip to Twin Falls and back, about 400+ miles round trip. When I left for Twin, the trucks DIC showed 10% and the Banks was around 30 (the Banks gauge never goes to zero after a regen). The truck had a regen about 100 miles before I left for Twin. I figured it would regen somewhere on the way back, and it would have had I not unchecked the auto regen. On the way back, about 20 miles from Elko the trucks DIC was at 80% and the Banks gauge had been at 100% since Wells. I didn't want to get home and have the truck need to do a regen the next time I drove it so I checked the auto regen and the truck started a regen which finished about 10 miles from home.I was skeptical about Archoil increasing my between regen miles also and had to see it for myself. I talked to Arod about Archoil and he recommended it so I thought I'd try it. It does work and I was using Optilube XPD before the Archoil so I have tried both. When I started using the Optilube fuel additive I was mostly doing it for the Lubricity for the CP4 which was my main concern, and again Optilube has proven to be the best for Lubricity and I would go back to it without hesitation. After saying all this, I have a friend that has a 2017 6.7 PSD that he uses to transport RV's. A few months ago I helped him replace his Turbo as it was giving codes every so often. Since we had the top of the engine exposed he decided to replace the original CP4 (380k on the truck) with the DCR pump. He never used fuel additives for the life of the truck, and probably 90% truck stop fuel. He knew nothing about when the truck was doing a regen or how often it happened. He just drove it (with regular maintenance) and let it do its thing. With these CP4's it seems to be just the luck of the draw. 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. Polish Farmers Protest EU Policies As Warsaw Assumes Bloc's Rotating Presidency By RFE/RL's Hungarian Service January 03, 2025 Polish farmers marched in central Warsaw on January 3 to voice their opposition to European Union policies toward imports from Ukraine ahead of a gala to mark Poland taking the rotating EU presidency for the next six months. Farmers carrying Polish flags and blowing horns took part in the demonstration to protest the import of Ukrainian agricultural products, which they say has driven down prices for their goods. "We protested last year and we will continue to protest because nothing has been fixed," said one of the farmers in an address to the protesters. Imports of Ukrainian grain to the European Union touched off anger last year as farmers blocked border crossings demanding the re-imposition of customs duties on agricultural imports from Ukraine, which were waived following Russian's full-scale invasion in 2022. The farmers say imports from Ukraine are flooding Europe with cheap grains, making it impossible for them to compete. A participant in the Warsaw march on January 3 told RFE/RL that Poland's independence is more important than its membership in the European Union. "The EU is welcome here, but it is a union of countries, not one country," the protester said. The march coincided with a gala to mark Poland taking the rotating EU presidency, which featured its own controversy. The the entire diplomatic corps was invited to attend the gala, held at the National Theater in Warsaw, but the Hungarian ambassador was barred because of Budapest's decision to grant political asylum to a former Polish deputy minister accused of corruption. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski sent a note to Ambassador Istvan Ijgyarto that he was "not welcome" at the event, said Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Poland's deputy minister for European Affairs. Sobkowiak-Czarnecka told public broadcaster TVP Info that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was also not invited to the evening event. Sobkowiak-Czarnecka said this was a consequence of Hungary granting political asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a former deputy justice minister in the former government led by the Law and Justice party. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told the Hungarian news outlet HVG that the decision was a "pathetic and childish." Poland last month summoned Hungary's ambassador over Budapest's decision, calling the move a "hostile act" that runs counter to the principle of loyal cooperation among members of the European Union. Polish prosecutors have charged Romanowski with 11 offenses, including participation in an organized crime group and attempted embezzlement of funds totaling almost 40 million euros ($41 million) from a fund for crime victims that he supervised. Romanowski denies the charges and had has argued that he is the victim of political retribution by Tusk's government. When the Hungarian prime minister's office announced that it had granted asylum to Romanowski, it accused the Polish government of persecuting its political opponents. The gala featured speeches by Tusk and new European Council President Antonio Costa. Tusk stressed the importance of "security, competitiveness, innovation, imagination, courage [and] good leadership" as "sources of strength." "If Europe is weak, it will not survive," Tusk warned. Costa said the European Union must continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia's full-scale invasion. "We must continue to stand with Ukraine as much as necessary for as long as it takes to win a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace," he said. Costa praised Poland for being "at the forefront of Europe's defense capabilities that we need to develop to protect our countries, our societies, our values." With reporting by AFP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-poland-farmers- protest-european-union-hungary-gala/33262682.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address On-the-Record Press Gaggle by White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby January 03, 2025 Via Teleconference 11:40 A.M. EST MODERATOR: Hey, everyone. Thanks so much for joining the News of the Day Gaggle with John Kirby. I'm going to turn it over to him for a few thoughts at the top, and then we'll take your questions. Kirby, over to you. MR. KIRBY: Thanks, Eduardo. Hey, just a short one on a programming note for you all, but I wanted to be able to announce for you that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will be traveling to New Delhi, India, on January 5th and 6th for a capstone meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. That will span a range of issues across the breadth of our partnership with India, from space, defense, strategic technology cooperation, all the way also to shared security priorities in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. During the visit, Mr. Sullivan will meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other Indian leaders. He will also visit the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he will be able to meet with young Indian entrepreneurs and give a speech outlining the significant steps that the United States and India have taken together to strengthen our innovation alliance under the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology, otherwise known as iCET. This will be Mr. Sullivan's final trip to the Indo-Pacific region as National Security Advisor. He's very excited and looking forward to these conversations at this critical time. And with that, we can take some questions. MODERATOR: Thanks. First up, we'll go to the line of Andrea Shalal. Q Oh, terrific. Hey, John. Thanks so much for doing this. I have two questions for you. One on the Nippon Steel deal, which was just announced, or the decision to block that acquisition. There are a lot of people out there who are concerned that this decision casts doubt on the reliability of the U.S. as a partner when its, arguably, closest ally in the Pacific region is denied an opportunity to buy a U.S. firm that needs help. There are, you know, concerns about that being sort of a politicized decision. And I just wonder if there's anything that you're doing or that Jake will be doing, particularly with some of those countries that have straddled the fence, you know, in this sort of U.S.-China competition and rivalry. So that's question number one. And I'll wait, and then I'll ask the second. MR. KIRBY: Yeah, look, Andrea, this isn't about Japan. This is about U.S. steelmaking and keeping one of the largest steel producers in the United States an American-owned company. It is not about the extraordinary, close relationship and alliance that we have with Japan. And the President has said so and made that clear to leaders in Japan on several occasions. I don't think you can take a look and I would just push back a little on the premise of the question that somehow that this or any other thing we've done has conveyed to people that America is an unreliable partner. And this particular administration, over the last four years, we have proven time and time again, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, that we are a reliable partner, that we do take our treaty alliances and our commitments seriously, and that we are looking for ways to innovate and advance those. I mean, the AUKUS arrangement is a great example of that. Take a look at the Camp David summit that the President hosted with the then-leader of South Korea, but also Prime Minister Kishida, where he talked about advancing not only bilateral cooperation between Japan and South Korea, and getting past some historical animosities there to a fare-thee-well, but also to improving trilateral cooperation between our three countries. I mean, I could go on and on. I'm not going to do that in the gaggle. We can certainly send you a factsheet with all the things that we've done to shore up alliances and partnerships around the world. I would add this: that where alliances and partnerships either weren't doing the job or couldn't do the job or weren't designed for the job, President Biden invented new ones. Fifty- plus nations 50-plus coalition of nations that are supporting Ukraine, continue to support Ukraine. And I think you're going to see another iteration of the Ramstein Group here in coming days, as well as the 20-plus nations that the President put together as a coalition in the Red Sea to beat back Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. So I just, frankly, don't think that this decision, or any other decision, points to anything other than solid, steady, consistent American leadership here and around the world. But this decision, as the President said yesterday, was based, in his view, on keeping one of the most valuable, one of the largest, one of the most important steel-producing capabilities as an American-owned company. Q Okay. Thanks, John. And also, I just wanted to ask about the attacks that we've seen, or, rather, the attack in New Orleans and then this explosion in Las Vegas. To what extent and can you just maybe outline for us who's being briefed in the Trump transition team on this? And can you say a few words about the heightened threat through vehicular attacks? I mean, that's a pattern that was seen, obviously, many, many years ago. And, you know, there are MR. KIRBY: Yeah. Q security provisions in effect already. But, you know, to what extent can you do anything to ensure, for instance, that there are no attacks during the inauguration or any other events that are coming up? And is that, you know, a big topic of discussion with the Trump people? And have enough people in the Trump transition team been vetted and have received security clearances? MR. KIRBY: Okay, that last part is a little bit off-topic here, and I'm not going to talk about the security clearances of the incoming Trump team. You're going to have to talk to them about their planning in terms of, you know, their readiness and the clearances that they have and that they need to take over on the 20th. I'm not going to get into that. I will tell you that we absolutely have kept the incoming national security advisor apprised and up to speed, that those conversations continue with him and his team. I'll leave it at that level. On your other question about the threat of vehicle-borne attacks, you might have seen the FBI put out a notice today encouraging all state and local officials to be mindful that there could be could be copycat perpetrators that might want to conduct similar-like attacks than what happened in New Orleans and Las Vegas. I think it's safe to say that federal law enforcement, federal investigative authorities, and our intelligence community are watching this very, very closely and will continue to do so. And I think it's also safe to say, without getting into specific force protection measures around the inauguration, but that the security of the inauguration and of people attending it remain a high priority for all of us in the executive branch, and we're working assiduously every single day to ensure the safety and security of the inauguration from any kind of attack, certainly any kind of attack that could result in physical harm. So we're working on this very, very hard. And, yes, we are keeping, as we would, as you would expect we would across the interagency, keeping the incoming Trump team informed. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Alex Ward. Q Yeah, thanks, John. Very quickly. There were there have been reports that, you know, Biden or that there were top Biden officials wanted this deal to go through, you know, including folks like Jake at the White House or some others. And so, I'm wondering, you know, why were their arguments why was Biden not convinced by their arguments? What was it that, you know, made him sort of go against that advice? And also, quickly: In the statement at the end, you know, the President says, you know, he wouldn't hesitate "to protect the security of this nation and its infrastructure as well as [the] resilience of [its] supply chains." But he postponed this decision until after the election. He held off on making a final call here for many months. And so, you know, did election results play a part in waiting until now? And, you know, why, if he felt so confident about this before I mean, obviously we've seen Karine and others say, you know, this was always going to be a U.S.-run company, that he wouldn't let it fall in other hands. So why wait until now to make the final call? Thanks. MR. KIRBY: Alex, on your first question, I'm not going to get into internal interagency deliberations about this one way or another. As the President said yesterday, the committee of national security and economic experts assessed that there was a national security risk at play here, and the President is acting against that risk. And as the President said in his statement yesterday, that is the sole reason he made this decision that he believed it was and remains important for a company like U.S. Steel, which is so critical to our own supply chains here at home and one of the things that he's done since coming into office in the wake of the pandemic was to shore up American supply chains and make them more resilient and, as he has said many times, having more and more of our supply chains beginning at home. And that really drove his decision-making. It was, as he said himself, a decision based on his view as Commander-in-Chief and as President of the United States that it was important to keep this most critical company, with the capabilities it possesses, in American hands and American-owned. And he made this decision after receiving the analysis by the committee of national security and economic experts that CFIUS represents. And after taking due deliberation to consider that, plus the views, of course, of his team his economic team, his national security team, his domestic security team all that weighed into what he finally ended up deciding to do. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to the line of Aurelia. Q Hi, and thanks so much for doing this and for taking my question. I have a question about Elon Musk, who is now calling for new elections in the UK, after also weighing in on the upcoming elections in Germany, having comments about Romania, et cetera. What's your take on his various comments? And is this in line with the national interests of the United States? MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to speak to what Mr. Musk is saying publicly about foreign elections. He can speak for his comments, and those questions are better addressed to him as a private citizen. I'll tell you where we have been, and there's no change. Obviously, these are allies. These are partners. These are democracies. We respect the democratic process in all of those countries. And as we've said, I don't know, time and time again: Who the people who the German people, who the British people decide to elect to represent them is their decision to make, and we're going to do everything we can to work with whatever new governments are put in office, because there's just too much on the plate, too many national security agenda items that we've got to continue to work out with these allies and partners, and that's what we're focused on. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to the line of Jihan. Q Hi, John. Thanks. I just wanted to ask: For months, we've been hearing that Hamas's capabilities have been degraded and that their allies have been essentially defeated. Why haven't we seen a corresponding decrease in Israeli strikes and casualties in Gaza? Israel says it's only targeting Hamas, but just in the past 24 hours, 77 Palestinians have been killed, 145 people have been injured. If anything, we're seeing more strikes on civilians, including in safe zones. How can we square this? MR. KIRBY: That is a question better put to the IDF and not to the U.S. National Security Council. I mean, I'm not going to as I've said over and over again, I'm not going to speak to specific Israeli strikes or Israeli operations. You got to talk to the IDF about the missions they're conducting. No question that they have visited significant damage to Hamas's military capabilities, their ability to resource, to operate, and to continue to conduct lethal attacks. But Hamas still exists as a viable threat. There are still Hamas fighters. There is still some Hamas infrastructure. Hamas still has some abilities. And I'll let the Israelis speak to the actions they're taking to mitigate the threat that Hamas poses. What I would prefer to talk about today is the opportunity that Hamas has right now to sign on to a new hostage deal. Let's get those people home with the families where they belong. Let's get a ceasefire in place so that there isn't the possibility of civilian casualties, each one being a tragedy, and that we can surge humanitarian assistance in to the people of Gaza who so desperately need it. Hamas started this war. Hamas put them in this position. And Hamas can easily end that suffering by signing on to this new hostage deal, which we are still trying to work to conclude. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to the line of Alex Marquardt. Q Thanks, John. Perfect segue. That's what I wanted to ask about. Could you bring us up to speed on the latest moves from the U.S. side in terms of trying to get to a ceasefire deal? We saw the PMO say yesterday that they're sending a working-level team to Doha. That doesn't necessarily indicate that we're that much closer. Has there been any progress in the past few weeks? Is there any travel that you can read out or meetings that you can read out? MR. KIRBY: I don't have any travel or meetings to read out, Alex, but we do note that the Israelis are sending another team to Doha. We think that's a good step. And certainly it doesn't diminish at all our hope that a deal can be had. We think that a new deal is both urgent and possible. And again, we welcome the Israelis' decision to send another team to Doha. I can assure you, without speaking I don't have any travel to speak to today, but I can assure you that the President has made clear his national security team will be a participant all the way to the very end, and we're going to be doing everything we can to see if we can broker a new ceasefire deal, again, that will get the hostages home. So I don't have any breakthroughs to speak to today or announcements to make about participation physically, but I can tell you that we're definitely going to stay focused on this. And again, we welcome Israel's decision to send another team to Doha, and we think that that's an encouraging step. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Patsy. Q Thanks, Eduardo. Hey, John. I have a quick logistical question on Ukraine before I go to Nippon Steel, if I may. You mentioned that the Ramstein Group here will be happening in the coming days. Can you speak more about the logistics of this? Will it be leader level, and would the President attend? MR. KIRBY: I don't have any more detail to offer. I would refer you to the Pentagon to speak to that. But I do think that there will be another iteration of the Ramstein Group here, certainly before the end of our administration. And as you saw last week, we announced yet more security assistance to Ukraine, the final USAI package and another presidential drawdown authority. I think you can also expect additional security assistance announcements coming with respect to Ukraine, you know, in coming days. So I'd leave it at that, and the Pentagon may be able to give you more information. Q Okay. And on the Nippon Steel, can you just elaborate a little bit more what was the CFIUS recommendation? There seems to be conflicting information on that. I mean, we can't see the final report, but as I understand, some members of the committee seem to be supporting letting the deal go through with certain mitigation measures in place. And then, just on that note, if you say that this is to secure supply chain, well, companies like U.S. Steel needs investment (inaudible). So how would they get that investment without this deal? Thanks. MR. KIRBY: Again, I'm not going to go into the CFIUS process. That wouldn't be appropriate at all. As the President said yesterday, the committee of national security and economic experts assessed that there was a security risk. As Commander-in-Chief, he made a decision, as he said, based on his concurrence with that assessment and the risk that he saw, and that this is very much about keeping a critical company in American hands. And I just I cannot get into any more detail than that. Q And on the investment part? MR. KIRBY: Again, that is you know, the decision the President made yesterday, as he said, was based on concerns about our national security and keeping supply chains in the United States resilient. And I'll let other economic analysts speak to the business implications here. I'm not qualified to do that; that is not in my lane here, in the National Security Council. I would just go back to what the President said yesterday about why he made this decision. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Missy Ryan. Q Hi, can you hear me? MR. KIRBY: Yeah, I gotcha, Missy. Q Okay. Just two questions, John. So, first of all, there are some reports out there that the United States offered to reduce attacks on Yemen in exchange for the Houthis reducing their attacks on Israel. I'm wondering if you could speak to whether there's any truth to that. And then secondly, I wanted to ask you about Guantanamo. There was a ruling a little while ago that was rejecting the Defense Department's most recent request to delay the plea deal hearings for the 9/11 cases, and so it seems like they may go ahead next week as planned, more likely for that to happen. I'm wondering if you can tell me will the administration appeal that, and just sort of any comments on the difficulty that the United States that the Biden administration is having in halting this deal that was made. MR. KIRBY: On your second question, I certainly won't get ahead of where things are in the legal process, Missy. I think your questions are better put to DOD. You have seen, or at least I hope you've seen, even in recent weeks, some additional transfers of Guantanamo detainees. The President has pledged to continue those, and so, you know, we've acted on that commitment. But on the legal process, I'm not really at liberty to discuss that in any great detail. And again, I'd refer you to DOD. On your first question, all I'll say on that line of reporting is you have seen, certainly in recent days, attacks U.S. strikes on Yemeni capabilities. As long as Yemen continues to threaten commercial shipping in the Red Sea and certainly our partners in Israel, we are going to continue to take actions to degrade their capabilities. It's really that simple. And I think I'll leave it at that. MODERATOR: Thanks. We have time for a couple more questions. Next up, we'll go to the line of Janne Pak. Q Hi, can you hear me? MR. KIRBY: I gotcha, Janne. Q Hi, Kirby. Happy New Year. I have a couple of questions. In South Korea, an unprecedented attempt by the judicial authority to arrest the president, the current commander-in-chief, has occurred. The opposition party has also impeached the president and suspended most of military's high-ranking officers from their duties. This has raised the serious concern about security vacuum. I have a question now. How does President Biden react to this and the current chaotic situation in South Korea? And secondly, will the foreign policy and the security commitment made under the Biden administration continue to be maintained? Thank you. MR. KIRBY: So, there's a lot there. I'll just offer you some topline thoughts here. Number one, we look to the ROK government, the National Assembly, and, of course, the Korean people to work together toward a stable path forward. Number two, we're committed to working closely with the ROK government, including the acting president, to advance mutual interest in our shared values. And we would note, in appreciation, the focus that Acting President Choi has placed on maintaining national stability. We also expect the ROK government to proceed in adherence with the processes set forth in their constitution. Fourth, we're going to maintain open lines of communication at all levels with the ROK government, as you would expect we would as treaty allies. And finally, that commitment to the alliance remains ironclad. I know that's a word we say a lot, but when it comes to South Korea, we mean it. It's ironclad. We're going to continue to stand with the ROK and the Korean people. We're going to continue to remain committed to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. And we're going to stay committed to making sure that our defense posture, mutual defense posture, remains strong and ready to respond to any external provocations or threats. MODERATOR: Last question will go to line of Hiba Nasr. Hiba, you should be able to unmute. Q Hi, how are you? Can you hear me? MR. KIRBY: I gotcha. Q Hi, Kirby. Happy New Year. I have a question on Lebanon. We are nearing now the end of the 60-day ceasefire period in Lebanon. The Lebanese are saying that Israel is violating the agreement on a daily basis. And there's a genuine fear of a return to fighting, as well as the possibility of Israel remaining in Lebanon. What are you doing to prevent this? And also on Lebanon, my second question is: Next week, there's a session to elect a president in Lebanon. It's not clear if they will succeed in doing that, but is there any message for them? MR. KIRBY: Look, on your first question, I think it's safe to say, without getting into too much detail here, that we continue to want to see this ceasefire maintained. And through intensive and active diplomacy, we're working to that end. And you'll continue to see energy out of this administration to that exact outcome, to the ceasefire being maintained. We believe that it has literally helped save lives, so we're committed to it. I don't have any comment today about the electoral situation in Lebanon, Hiba. It's important for the Lebanese people to have a voice and a vote in their futures so that their aspirations for peace and stability can be best achieved. And we'll leave it at that. But, obviously, we'll watch it very, very closely, of course. MODERATOR: Thanks, everyone. That's all the time we have for today. Feel free to reach out to the NSC press team with any follow-up questions. Thanks again. Have a good rest of your day. 12:08 P.M. EST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli regime may not withdraw from south Lebanon, reports show IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 4, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Israeli media reports suggest the Tel Aviv regime may not withdraw from Lebanese territory under a 60-day ceasefire period, raising concerns about escalating tensions in the region. Israel's state television announced on Saturday that Tel Aviv is expected to inform the US of its intent to remain in southern Lebanon after the ceasefire deadline. Earlier, the Zionist regime's Channel 13 also reported that Tel Aviv had already notified Washington of its plan to maintain its presence in certain areas until a final agreement is reached and the Lebanese Army is deployed in the region. According to Lebanon's Al-Akhbar newspaper, American General Jasper Jeffers, who heads the mechanism for supervising the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, has signaled that the Israeli regime might extend the 60-day period to 90 days or even into April. The ceasefire took effect on December 7. Under its terms, Israel agreed to withdraw from Lebanese territory within 60 days. However, Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, with reports documenting over 333 breaches, resulting in 32 Lebanese deaths and 38 injuries. Meanwhile, Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah-aligned Lebanese MP, warned that Israel cannot overcome its battlefield failures through such measures. Similarly, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem emphasized the group's preparedness to counter any Israeli advances. Observers believe the occupying regime's reluctance to withdraw could heighten tensions, as Hezbollah has already prepared for post-ceasefire scenarios, reinforcing its stance against further Israeli encroachments. 4354**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNSC members express concern over Israeli attacks on Gaza hospitals IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 4, 2025 New York, IRNA -- Members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) have expressed concern about Israeli attacks on health centers and hospitals in the Gaza Strip, as they held their first meeting of 2025. The UNSC session was convened on Friday on the ongoing developments in the Middle East, including the situation in Palestine. It was held a week after Israel attacked and burned Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza's northern city of Beit Lahia and arrested its director Hussam Abu Safiya. Asim Iftikhar, Alternate Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, addressed the meeting, saying that the situation in Gaza is a catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude. Nowhere in the world has seen international law being trampled with such brazen impunity as in occupied Palestine by Israel, he added. "Between October 2023 and June 2024, at least 136 strikes were carried out on 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities. Over 500 healthcare workers lost their lives." By June, 22 of Gaza's 38 hospitals were rendered non-functional, leaving the healthcare system on the verge of collapse, the Pakistani envoy noted. This is not a war, but a campaign of dispossession, ethnic cleansing, and annihilation, Iftikhar said. "The indiscriminate bombing of civilians and the systematic destruction of critical infrastructure are not isolated incidents. They are calculated acts aimed at erasing an entire people from their homeland." Meanwhile, Amar Bendjama, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the UN and the Security Council's president for the month of January said that Israel's continued aggression against the Palestinians has a clear and worrying goal of ethnic cleansing, especially in northern Gaza. The objective of the Israeli occupation is to destroy the resistance of the Palestinian people, he said, noting that "we must act together to end this disaster." The diplomat also called on the Security Council to call for an urgent, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The Israeli regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after a retaliatory operation by Palestinian resistance fighters. The war has so far killed more than 45,600 people and injured over 108,500 others. 7129**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli army bombards southern Lebanon, breaks truce once more IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 4, 2025 New York, IRNA -- The Israeli army has bombarded the cities of Bani Haiyyan and Markaba in southern Lebanon, the National News Agency (NNA) of the Arab country says. The Israeli fighter jets targeted the Lebanese cities, once again breaching the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon reached over a month ago, the NNA reported early on Saturday. Meanwhile, some Lebanese media say a man was injured in a shooting in Bint Jbeil village in southern Lebanon. Those media reported that the occupying regime prevented the arrival of an ambulance at the scene. Elsewhere, the official Lebanese sources have rejected the injury of that man. In a related development, Turkiye's Anadolu Agency announced that the Israeli army violated the truce agreement with Lebanon 11 times on Friday. Also, 364 cases of breach of the agreement were reported during the past 38 days since the truce deal was implemented. On November 27, 2024, a shaky ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Lebanon to end the reciprocal fires exchanged between the Zionist regime and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah. 1483**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Al-Qassam Brigades destroys four Israeli Merkava tanks IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 4, 2025 New York, IRNA -- The Ezzoddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas Resistance Movement, says it has destroyed four Israeli Merkava tanks in its latest operations against the regime in Gaza. Al-Qassam Brigades announced early on Saturday that it had destroyed the tanks during operations in the eastern part of the city of Jabalia, using strong explosives. The group said it had targeted another Israeli Merkava armoured vehicle with an anti-tank missile in the west of the Jabalia Refugee Camp. The city of Jabalia and its refugee camp are located in the north of the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Al-Qassam Brigades said in another statement that its fighters had targeted the city of Netivot in the southern Israeli-occupied territories with Q18 missiles. Al-Qassam fighters also targeted an Israeli Apache helicopter with a SAM missile in the east of Al-Bureij refugee camp, the central Gaza Strip. They said the operation was conducted with the cooperation of the al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees. Palestinian resistance groups have been fighting the Israeli regime to defend the Gaza Strip in the face of relentless attacks that have left the enclave in ruin and mostly killed women and children. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 45,658 Palestinians have lost their lives in the 15-month-old war. 6125**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Another key hospital taken out of service by Israel in north Gaza Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2025 7:25 PM Gaza health officials say one more key hospital on the northern edge of Gaza has been taken out of service by Israeli forces. The Gaza Health Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that the Indonesian Hospital "no longer provides any services to patients or the wounded." On Friday, the regime's forces surrounded the health facility, which is home to many displaced Palestinians in the northern town of Beit Lahiya and ordered the immediate evacuation of staff and patients. According to the ministry, the North Gaza governorate has three public hospitals Kamal Adwan, Beit Hanoon and the Indonesian Hospital, all of which are now out of service. Beit Hanoon also received an evacuation order on Saturday. Israel's military has also issued a separate evacuation order to al-Awda Hospital, in Jabalia. The military ordered the staff and patients to immediately leave, or it would bomb the facility, with all the people inside. There are reported 65 staff and 36 patients inside the hospital. Healthcare in the besieged enclave has been pushed to the brink of collapse under relentless attacks by Israeli forces, including last week's barbaric destruction of the Kamal Adwan Hospital. The regime's forces raided the hospital, forcibly removed patients and staff, and set the building on fire on Friday. Both the Indonesian and al-Awda Hospitals have been damaged due to relentless Israeli attacks since October 2023. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA urges reversal of Israel's 'unprecedented' aid ban to millions of Palestinians Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2025 5:06 PM The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has warned of an impending Israeli ban on the delivery of essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and al-Quds. UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma issued an urgent warning in an interview with Ireland's RTE on Friday as the ban is expected to take effect by the end of January following a decision by the Israeli Parliament last October. "The clock is ticking for a possible ban on UNRWA to deliver essential services for millions of Palestine refugees," Touma said. She added that the United Nations has no plans to replace the agency in the occupied territories. She emphasized that such a move would be "unprecedented" in UN history, urging the Israeli parliament to immediately retract the decision. "It has never happened in the history of the United Nations that a member state decides to ban a UN agency, in the middle of a war, from doing its work," the UNRWA spokeswoman pointed out. Late in October, Israel's Knesset enacted legislation prohibiting UNRWA from operating in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, mandating a complete withdrawal within 90 days. If enforced, the ban would lead to the closure of UNRWA offices and the freezing of its financial accounts in Israel, effectively halting its operations. Israeli lawmakers also voted to designate UNRWA as a terror group, nullifying the 1967 agreement that permitted UNRWA to assist Palestinian refugees in the Israeli-occupied territories. Israel's move to ban the key UN agency that aids Palestinian refugees marks another significant blow against the United Nations system, as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently labeled UNRWA workers as "terrorists." Since October 2023, Israel's genocide in Gaza has resulted in at least 45,717 deaths, most of them women and children, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued warrants of arrest for Netanyahu and his former minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant "for crimes against humanity and war crimes" committed from at least October 8, 2023, until at least May 20, 2024, the day the prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest. It is the first instance in the court's 22-year history it has issued arrest warrants for Western-allied senior officials. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its ongoing genocidal war in Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chile's president makes historic voyage to South Pole amid Antarctica sovereignty claim Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2025 11:28 AM President Gabriel Boric has become the first Chilean president to make a trip to the South Pole in order to reaffirm his country's "claim to sovereignty" over parts of Antarctica, as the international race over the region's ownership intensifies. Boric is the first Latin American leader to visit the South Pole, with the aim of laying claim over a section of Antarctica and advancing scientific endeavors in the region. "This is a milestone for us," Boric stated during his visit, which was broadcast by the Chilean national television. "It is the first time a Chilean president has come to the South Pole and talked about Chile's Antarctic mission," he added. Accompanied by his defense and environment ministers, Boric stayed at the US-operated Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. He also visited Chile's research base on Union Glacier in Antarctica, underscoring the nation's scientific commitment to the region. Boric's visit serves as a reaffirmation of Chile's sovereignty claim over parts of Antarctica, where the country has maintained a presence since the mid-20th century. "This trip is a confirmation of our claim to sovereignty," Boric said, indicating his country's intent to deepen its geopolitical and scientific role in the region. Chile has historically concentrated its geopolitical efforts on the northern parts of Antarctica. Boric's government intends to expand his country's activities to the Bellingshausen and Weddell Seas, in the southern parts of the continent. In a statement, the Chilean government asserted that the country's armed forces, diplomats, research centers, and universities, have united to ensure that Chile becomes the world's gateway to the Antarctic. Boric's visit follows similar journeys by other world leaders, including New Zealand's Helen Clark in 2007 and Norway's Jens Stoltenberg in 2011. Antarctica is governed by the 1961 'Antarctic Treaty.' The treaty protects the region from geopolitical rivalries and promotes peaceful scientific research. According to the treaty, Antarctica is not a country and has no government or indigenous population. However, in recent years, seven countries, including Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK, have put territorial claims over it, asserting their ownership of parts of the continent. Other countries, especially the US have not recognized these claims. On numerous occasions, the US, which is the most influential country in Antarctica, has shown its unwillingness to cooperate with other countries in regard to either geopolitical sovereignty or scientific research. Antarctica is extremely rich in natural resources and Major US mining and oil companies have shown their willingness to take over the region for their own economic and financial purposes. As such, accepting the sovereignty of other countries over parts of the continent may put the interests of US companies in jeopardy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli lawmakers call on military to destroy food, water and power sources in Gaza Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2025 9:45 AM Eight members of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) have called upon the regime's minister of military affairs Israel Katz to instruct the occupation army to destroy all water, food and energy sources in the Gaza Strip "to achieve the war goals." The letter to Katz asserted "the Israeli military's operations were failing to achieve the political objectives set for the war", the Israeli Haaretz daily newspaper reported. Despite Israel's complete siege on the Gaza Strip and the reduction in aid being allowed into the coastal territory, the legislators said the current plans to displace north Gaza residents to the south are not being implemented "properly". The Knesset members urged Katz to re-examine war strategies, asserting that after besieging northern Gaza and displacing its residents, the Israeli military should destroy all energy, food and water sources in the area. They also called for the killing of anyone who moved within northern Gaza without surrendering by waving a white flag. The measures should not be limited to northern Gaza, they said, but extended to other regions. They made no mention of the Israeli captives being held in Gaza, Haaretz noted. Backed by the United States and its Western allies, Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the Israeli regime in response to its decades-long campaign of oppression against Palestinians. The regime's bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 45,658 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 108,583 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Qassam Brigades targets five Israeli battle tanks in northern Gaza Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2025 7:21 AM The military wing of the Hamas resistance movement says it targeted five Israeli battle tanks in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, as dozens of more people were killed in Israeli bombardments in the besieged territory. In a brief statement, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said its fighters targeted a Merkava tank with an explosive device in the al-Saftawi area, west of Jabalia refugee camp. In a second statement, the group said its fighters targeted four more tanks with explosive devices in eastern Jabalia town. The al-Qassam Brigades later said in a separate statement that its fighters targeted an Israeli Apache helicopter with a SAM rocket in the east of al-Bureij refugee camp, the central Gaza Strip. The Israeli army has yet to comment on the Hamas statements. In recent days, Israeli media reports have cast doubt over the number of resistance fighters in the Gaza Strip, pointing to their "substantial comeback" 15 months into the bloody war on the Palestinian territory. Israeli media outlets, including The Jerusalem Post, have estimated that there are between 20,000 and 23,000 resistance fighters across Gaza, including those of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, along with local fighters. "Hamas is making a substantial comeback by recruiting new forces," The Post reported on Thursday. The newly reported figures challenge the Israeli claims of nearing total victory over Hamas. The Israeli military reported three rockets fired from the Gaza Strip on Friday. The rockets were the latest in a spate of launches by resistance fighters in the devastated Palestinian territory. After more than 14 months of Israel's brutal war on Gaza, such launches still continue. They have intensified since late December as Israel continues a three-month major land and air onslaught in the territory's north. Earlier Friday, Israel said another rocket fired from Gaza had triggered sirens near Beeri, opposite central Gaza. Meanwhile, Gaza's civil defense agency said around 30 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Friday. "Friday was a harsh day for the residents of Gaza, particularly in Gaza City, due to the continual Israeli bombardment," civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP news agency. He said several children were among the dead. Seven people were killed in an Israeli strike in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City, Bassal said. "They've destroyed everything that moves on this earth, even the trees, so what about people? This is a war of extermination," Gaza resident Mohammed Abu Labda, whose brother was among those killed, said. Bassal stated that the Israeli military is "preventing food and drinking water from reaching dozens of medical staff, patients and wounded" at the Indonesian Hospital in the northern town of Beit Lahia. He said the hospital had been sending out distress calls since Thursday, adding that it was now "just a pile of rubble and walls. There's no hospital." A United Nations team visited the Indonesian Hospital on Sunday. "Around me, there's nothing but rubble and destruction," UN aid official Jonathan Whittall said in a video released after the visit. Meanwhile, Hamas said indirect negotiations for a truce in the Gaza Strip were set to resume in Qatar later. Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been engaged in months of back-and-forth talks between representatives from the Tel Aviv regime and Hamas that have failed to end nearly 15 months of the Israeli war. A key obstacle to a deal has been Israel's reluctance to agree to a lasting ceasefire. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jan. 3: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2025 6:05 AM By Press TV Website Staff Amid the West-backed Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed over 45,600 Palestinians so far, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers. The major operations by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Friday, Jan. 3, are as follows: Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on Jan. 3: Targeted and destroyed four Merkava tanks with a number of highly explosive devices in the axis of progress east of Jabalia al-Balad, northern Gaza Strip Targeted the settlement of "Netivot" with a barrage of "Q18" rockets. Targeted yet another Merkava tank with a 'Shuath' explosive device west of Jabalia camp, northern Gaza Strip. In a joint operation with the Al-Nasser Brigades, launched a 'SAM' missile towards an Israeli 'Apache' helicopter east of the Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip. Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Jan. 3: Targeted a convoy of Israeli military vehicles surrounding Balata Camp in Nablus, occupied West Bank, with heavy volleys of bullets. Martyr Omar Al-Qassem Forces' operations on Jan. 3: Shelled the gatherings of Israeli soldiers at the Civil Administration site east of Jabalia camp, northern Gaza Strip, with mortar shells. Yemeni military's operations on Jan. 3: Targeted an Israeli power station east of the Yaffa region (Tel Aviv) using a Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile. Targeted an important Israeli military site in Yaffa (Tel Aviv) with a drone. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Lulu Garcia-Navarro of NYT's "The Interview" Podcast US Department of State Interview Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State January 4, 2025 QUESTION: Secretary Blinken, four years ago you inherited the world from President Trump, and now you're about to hand it back to him. Your tenure has been an unprecedented interregnum, if you will. Have you thought about what a strange position that is to be in? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, I think a lot about the two sides of this coin that you just alluded to: what we inherited and what we're handing off. In terms of what we inherited, it's so easy to lose sight because people are focused, understandably, on the present and on the future, not on the past. But if you just look back four years, when we took office, we inherited arguably the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We inherited the worst public health crisis in at least 100 years. We had a country that was divided, and we had fraught relationships with allies and partners around the world - and a perception from our adversaries, whether it was Russia, whether it was China, other countries, that the United States was in inexorable decline. Today, as I sit with you and as we look at the - all of the terrain we've traveled these last four years, I think we hand over an America in a much, much stronger position, having come through the economic crisis, having come through the health crisis, and having changed much for the better our position around the world because we've made those investments in alliances and partnerships. QUESTION: And thinking back to when you first came into office, President Biden painted a portrait of a world that was seeing a sort of battle between democracy and autocracy, a phrase that was repeatedly used. Yet at home, voters have been skeptical of that fight. Many voters bought into President-elect Trump's vision of an America that should be less involved in the world. Why don't you think that the Biden administration and you in particular were able to convince voters of the benefit of what you have been endeavoring to do these past few years? SECRETARY BLINKEN: I'm not sure that I agree with the premise of the question, which is - from what I see, from what I read, from the analysis that I see, most Americans want us to be engaged in the world. They want to make sure that we stay out of wars, that we avoid conflict, which is exactly what we've done. But they want to see the United States engaged. And I think they understand that if we're not engaged, if we're not leading, then one of two things is likely: someone else will do it in our place and probably not in the way that reflects our interests and our values - maybe it's China; maybe it's some other country - or maybe just as bad, no one does it, and then you're likely to have a vacuum that's filled by bad things before it's filled with good things, and inevitably that comes back to bite us. And from what I see, most Americans understand that, believe that, and want to see us leading and engaged. QUESTION: So you don't believe that the election was a repudiation of the vision of President Biden and your vision in particular? Because obviously President-elect Trump has a very different idea of how to engage in the world. SECRETARY BLINKEN: First, one of the things in this job that I've appreciated about it is I don't do politics; I do policy. QUESTION: Sure. SECRETARY BLINKEN: So the real question is: What are the policies that can make a difference in the lives of Americans, can make them a little bit safer, a little bit more full of opportunity, a little bit healthier? That's what we're really focused on. How do these policies that we're pursuing around the world translate into real benefits for the American people? In terms of analysis of the election, really not my place to do it, and there are lots of different views on why the election QUESTION: But you're at the - I'm not asking you to do politics. I'm just asking for a little reflection on - this is something you've given your life to. Obviously, the results were a disappointment. And so I wonder if that doesn't seek you to pause and reflect that perhaps that animating vision that you have had might not have been what Americans wanted. I mean, do you think there's just a changing sense in this country of our place in the world and what we owe our allies? SECRETARY BLINKEN: So again, I'm not at all sure that the election turned on any one or even collection of foreign policy issues. Most elections don't. But leaving that aside, Americans don't want us in conflict; they don't want us in war. We went through 20 years where we had hundreds of thousands of Americans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. People were tired of that, understandably. Well, when President Biden was vice president, he presided over the end of our engagement in Iraq in terms of the war there and ending that part of the conflict. As President, he ended the longest war in our history: Afghanistan. The investments that we've made in our NATO Alliance - maybe we haven't done a good enough job explaining it, and that's - if that's the case, that's on me. But one of the things that we've tried to explain to Americans who, given that this is a generation, of course, that's far removed from World War II, never mind World War I - the reason so many of the institutions, including NATO, came into being in the first place was to try to make sure that we never had another global conflagration after World War II. And the strength of an Alliance like NATO is in the basic bargain that countries make in joining it, and that is: an attack on one is an attack on all. And that is the single most powerful way to prevent conflict in the first place, to deter aggression. I think when we can put it in those terms and Americans can see that we're making investments in something like the NATO Alliance precisely because we want to avoid conflict, we want to prevent war, we want to deter aggression, that's something that they sign onto, that they buy into. QUESTION: I want to pick up on something that you said there, which is discussing Afghanistan, because this takes us back, I think, to the beginning of your tenure. I think it is reasonable to argue that Americans' skepticism of the Biden administration's handling on foreign policy really began with the catastrophic way we got out of Afghanistan. There was consensus that we should absolutely end that war, but the manner in which it was done was very detrimental. When President Biden first took office, there was this promise that you and everyone else that was being brought on board were the adults in the room, that we're going to be ending the chaos of the Trump administration. How did that early failure in Afghanistan really change the sense, do you think, that President Biden really had this under control, that you had it under control? Did it damage America's credibility? SECRETARY BLINKEN: First, I make no apologies for ending America's longest war. This, I think, is a signal achievement of the President's. The fact that we will not have another generation of Americans fighting and dying in Afghanistan - I think that's an important achievement in and of itself. It's also actually strengthened our position around the world, and I see that every single day. Our adversaries would have liked nothing more than for us to have remained bogged down in Afghanistan, and for another decade would have been good by them. QUESTION: But you have left a country that is in control of the Taliban, where the stated dream of spreading democracy has been completely abandoned. Women have borne the brunt of that. There's restrictions on their movements, restrictions on even their voices, what jobs they can take. I mean, in every possible way, the manner in which this was done and the state in which Afghanistan has been left could not have been what the United States desired. SECRETARY BLINKEN: There was never going to be an easy way to extricate ourselves from 20 years of war. And I think the question was what were we going to do moving forward from the withdrawal. We also had to learn lessons from Afghanistan itself. Here at the State Department, one of the things that I ordered almost immediately was an after-action review to try to make sure that we understood what had we gotten right and also what had we gotten wrong in the withdrawal itself. I brought back senior diplomats to do that. We produced a lengthy report with about 40 recommendations. We followed through on most of them to make sure that we're in a better position to deal with a crisis, to deal with an evacuation like Afghanistan. And we are. And in fact, we've actually put into practice many of those recommendations in subsequent crises that we've had to face, whether it was in Lebanon, whether it was in Israel, whether it was in Sudan. All of that we brought to bear based on lessons that we've learned from Afghanistan. QUESTION: Six months after Afghanistan, Russia invaded Ukraine. That was February of 2022. I mean, I remember that moment of being - as being terrifying. How close were we to direct conflict? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, there have been different moments where we had real concerns about actions that Russia might take, including even potentially the use of nuclear weapons, that very much focused the mind. But again, I think throughout, we've been able to navigate this in a way that has kept us away from direct conflict with Russia. Now, Russia is engaged in all sorts of nefarious activities - so-called hybrid attacks of one kind or another, whether it's in cyberspace, whether it's acts of sabotage, assassination. Those things are happening. They're happening in Europe, and this is something that we're working very closely on with many of our partners. But in terms of direct conflict, I don't think we've been - I don't think we've been close, but it's something that we've had to be very, very mindful of. QUESTION: You made two early strategic decisions on Ukraine. The first - because of that fear of direct conflict - was to restrict Ukraine's use of American weapons within Russia. The second was to support Ukraine's military offensive without a parallel diplomatic track to try and end the conflict. How do you look back on those decisions now? SECRETARY BLINKEN: So first, if you look at the trajectory of the conflict, because we saw it coming, we were able to make sure that not only were we prepared, and allies and partners were prepared, but that Ukraine was prepared. We made sure that well before the Russian aggression happened, starting in September - the Russian aggression happened in February. Starting in September and then again in December, we quietly got a lot of weapons to Ukraine to make sure that they had in hand what they needed to defended themselves - things like Stingers, Javelins that they could use that were instrumental in preventing Russia from taking Kyiv, from rolling over the country, erasing it from the map, and indeed pushing the Russians back. But I think what's so important to understand is at different points in time, people get focused on one weapons system or another - is it an Abrams tank, is it an F-16, is it an ATACM, a missile? What we've had to look at each and every time is not only should we give this particular system to the Ukrainians, but do they know to use it, do they have the requisite training, can they maintain it, is it part of a coherent plan? All of those things have factored into the decisions we made on what to give them and when to give it, but in each and every time, it was to make sure that they had what they needed to defend themselves. In terms of diplomacy, look, we've exerted extraordinary diplomacy in bringing and keeping together more than 50 countries - not only in Europe but well beyond - in support of Ukraine and in defense of these principles that Russia also attacked back in February of that year. Look, I worked very hard in the lead-up to the war - including meetings with my Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Geneva a couple of months before the war - trying to find a way to see if we could prevent it, trying to test the proposition whether this was really about Russia's concerns for its security, concerns somehow about Ukraine and the threat that it posed or NATO and the threat that it posed, or whether this is - was about what it in fact is about, which is Putin's imperial ambitions and the desire to recreate a greater Russia, to subsume Ukraine back into Russia. But we had to test that proposition, and we were intensely engaged diplomatically with Russia. Since then - since then, had there been any opportunity to engage diplomatically in a way that could end the war on just and durable terms, we would have been the first to seize them. Unfortunately, at least till this moment, we haven't seen any signs that Russia has been genuinely prepared to engage. I hope that that changes. QUESTION: However, Ukraine has been left in this position now where a new administration is coming in, they have a very different view of the conflict. And one could argue that Ukraine is not in a terribly strong position to be able to navigate what comes next. We know that President-elect Trump has members of people that surround him that would - that are very willing to see Ukraine cede territory to Russia. There has been no parallel diplomatic track. And the weapons are probably going to be drying up. So I mean, do you feel like you've left Ukraine in the strongest position that you could have, or what are the things that you could have done differently? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, first, what we've left is Ukraine, which was not self-evident, because Putin's ambition was to erase it from the map. We stopped that. Putin has failed. His strategic objective in regaining Ukraine has failed and will not succeed. Ukraine is standing. And I believe it also has extraordinary potential not only to survive, but actually to thrive going forward, and that does depend on decisions that future administrations and many other countries will make. Right now, where - as I'm looking at this, I think the real measure of success is whether, going forward, Ukraine will continue to stand strong as an independent country, increasingly integrated with Western institutions, and able to stand on its own feet militarily, economically, democratically. And in each of those areas, we've put Ukraine on a trajectory to do that - extraordinary support QUESTION: Do you think it's time to end the war, though? SECRETARY BLINKEN: These are decisions for Ukrainians to make. They have to decide where their future is and how they want to get there. Where the line is drawn on the map, at this point, I don't think is fundamentally going to change very much. The real question is: Can we make sure that Ukraine is a position to move forward strongly? QUESTION: You mean use - that the areas that Russia controls you feel SECRETARY BLINKEN: In QUESTION: will have to be ceded? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Ceded is not the question. The question is - the line as a practical matter in the foreseeable future is unlikely to move very much. Ukraine's claim on that territory will always be there. And the question is: Will they find ways - with the support of others - to regain territory that's been lost? I think the critical thing now going forward is this. If there is going to be a resolution, or at least a near-term resolution - because it's unlikely that Putin will give up on his ambitions. If there's a ceasefire, then in Putin's mind the ceasefire is likely to give him time to rest, to refit, to reattack at some point in the future. So what's going to be critical to make sure that any ceasefire that comes about is actually enduring is to make sure that Ukraine has the capacity going forward to deter further aggression, and that can come in many forms. It could come through NATO, and we've put Ukraine on a path to NATO membership. It could come through security assurances, commitments, guarantees by different countries to make sure that Russia knows that if it re-attacks, it's going to have a big problem. That, I think, is going to be critical to making sure that any deal that's negotiated actually endures, and then allows Ukraine the space, the time to grow strong as a country. QUESTION: It's interesting - what I'm hearing you say is that Ukraine's fate will no longer rest in its major supporter, the United States. You see it as resting elsewhere - Europe, et cetera. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, I hope very much - and I don't want to say expect, but I certainly hope very much - that the United States will remain the vital supporter that it's been for Ukraine. Because again, this is not just about Ukraine - it's never just been about Ukraine. QUESTION: Well, let me pick up on something that you said and the idea of this interregnum that you have had of picking up from Trump and handing back to Trump, because this is one of the conflicts that will be handed back to Trump. And his approach to foreign policy writ large seems to be to avoid engaging militarily while wanting the world to be scared of us. He doesn't seem terribly interested in the work of diplomacy. I'm curious both how you would define that foreign policy philosophy and what you think of that approach. SECRETARY BLINKEN: To me, as I said before, in the absence of American diplomacy, you're going to have diplomacy by lots of other countries that are going to shape the world in ways that may not be so friendly to our own interests and our own values. So that's a choice. We can disengage, we can not be present, we can stand back, but we know others will step in, and we have to decide whether that's in our interest. QUESTION: I mean, it's not that he wants to stand back; it's that he uses other methods to make countries bend to America's will. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, let's QUESTION: You're seeing some of these actions SECRETARY BLINKEN: Let's take an example - let's take a concrete example. Let's talk about China for a minute. I think President Trump was right during his first administration in identifying some of the challenges posed by China. No country has the capacity that China does to reshape, to its own will and designs, the international system that we and many others put in place after the Second World War. It has the military power, the economic power, the diplomatic power to do that in ways that no other country does. And we also know that many of the practices it's engaged in have been grossly unfair to our workers, to our companies - undercutting them, driving them out of business. So I think he was right in identifying that problem. Where I would disagree with the approach he took - and where I would commend to him the approach that we pursued - is we're so much more effective in dealing with the challenges posed by China when we're working closely with other countries. So if you're trying to take on the China problem, but at the same time you're taking actions that in one way or another alienate allies and partners, you're likely to be less effective in dealing with China. When we took office, the European Union was on the verge of signing a major trade agreement with China. They were hedging. They weren't sure if they could count on the United States. We'd had real challenges in the relationships in the preceding four years, and they were hedging toward China. So were many other countries. We were really on the decline when it came - dealing with China diplomatically and economically. We've reversed that. And - so I think the difference is the way we've approached it is we've sought to bring other countries in to dealing with this challenge. When we're dealing with China's economic practices that we don't like and we're doing it alone, we're 20 percent of world GDP. When we aligned Europeans, key allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific, we're suddenly 40, 50, 60 percent of world GDP - something that China can't ignore. And again and again, what I've seen over these last four years is a convergence in the approach taken to China with Europe and with Asia that we've not seen before. And I know it's succeeding, because every time I meet with my Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, the foreign minister, he inevitably spends 30, 40 minutes, 60 minutes complaining about everything we've done to align other countries, to build this convergence in dealing with things that we don't like that China's pursuing. So to me, that is the proof point that we're much better off through diplomacy. QUESTION: So do you think, then, that President-elect Trump's plan to place heavy tariffs on Chinese goods - up to possibly 60 percent blanket tariffs - also to place tariffs on our allies - Canada and other countries - is that misguided? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, tariffs have their place, and I think QUESTION: Yes, the Biden administration had their own. SECRETARY BLINKEN: And I think when they're strategically focused, then they can be a very effective and important tool. Look, the jury's out on exactly what the incoming administration does; we'll see. All I'm saying is I think there's a - there is a strategic utility, but they should be not - in my judgment, at least, when you do them across the board, then the people who usually pay the price are consumers, because it's a tax that gets passed along to them, because the producers of whatever the product is have to raise their prices because it's suddenly a lot more expensive to do business. QUESTION: Just one last question on China. One of the things that I have been curious about is how the world sees the whiplash of our foreign policy just changing from one administration to the other so dramatically. How do you think China, for example, sees our increasingly inconsistent foreign policy during the last decade that has seemed to just go from one extreme to the other? Are they exploiting it, or are they concerned about it? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, I think if you're sitting in Beijing - I've sat across the table from President Xi Jinping on several occasions in Beijing, as close as we are now. And I think what he sees is something that he didn't see four years ago. Four years ago, when he looked at the United States, he saw a country that he thought was in an inexorable decline and China in an inexorable ascendency. I think that picture looks very, very different today. And I also think that what he's seeing is a United States that recognizes - Republicans, Democrats, everything in between - that China poses a profound challenge to us and it's going to be an enduring challenge. We're in a competition to shape what the future looks like, and that competition doesn't have a clear finish line. It's not like ending a war. It's going to be there for a long time. And the question is: Have we set ourselves up in the best possible way to approach that competition from a position of strength? And I believe that's exactly what we've done. QUESTION: I do want to turn to what has become the defining crisis of this era, which is the conflict in Gaza. You came in thinking you could broker a historic agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel. And then Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, with the horrific results which we saw. And Israel's response has been extreme. The latest UN figures put the Palestinian death toll at 45,000; over 90 percent of Gaza's population is now displaced; the population is starving; all hospitals have been destroyed. In November, a UN committee released a report that found Israel's warfare practices, quote, "consistent with the characteristics of genocide." I know you don't agree with that estimation, but do you believe that Israel's actions have been consistent with the rules of war? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Let's step back for a second and think about where we were on October 6th and then where we were on October 7th and where we've been since then. You're right, on October 6th, we were very much pursuing normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. And in fact, I was scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia and Israel on October 10th, a trip obviously that didn't happen because of the events of October 7th. But the purpose of that trip was to work on the Palestinian component of any normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, because we believed - and the Saudis also said it was hugely important - to make sure that if there was going to be normalization there was also a pathway toward a Palestinian state. And that's exactly what I was going to the region to work on. Well, as I said, that trip didn't happen. Since October 7th, we've had some core goals in mind. I was there - I was in Israel and then in the region five days later. I saw horrors beyond anyone's imagination inflicted on men, women, and children. And we were determined to do everything we could to help ensure that October 7th would never happen again. We also wanted to make sure that the war wouldn't spread, that conflict wouldn't spread to other fronts, to other countries, because that would mean more death and destruction. It would also mean that the actions Israel was taking in Gaza were likely to endure even longer. And I can come to that in a minute. Third, we wanted to make sure, to the best of our ability, that the children, the women, the men in Gaza who were caught in a crossfire of Hamas's initiation - that they did nothing to start and were basically powerless to stop - were as protected as possible and got the assistance they needed to survive this horrific conflict. And we've been working on each of those fronts every day since. When it comes to making sure that October 7th can't happen again, I think we're in a good place. Israel has destroyed Hamas's military capabilities. It's eliminated the leadership that was responsible for October 7th; and that, in and of itself, should be reason to find an offramp in Gaza. QUESTION: While destroying SECRETARY BLINKEN: But while QUESTION: While destroying the territory. I mean, there's huge suffering. I don't need to tell you that. SECRETARY BLINKEN: And while - no, you - no one needs to remind me of the suffering because it's something that drives me every single day. It's exactly why we've done everything in our power to find a way to get an end to the conflict through getting the hostages back and getting a ceasefire. I've been to the region a dozen times with that in mind. QUESTION: So I guess it - I mean, even Israel's former Israeli defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, referred to what's happening in Gaza as war crimes and ethnic cleansing. I mean, this is internal criticism. This is not external. So I guess I would repeat the question and ask you: Has Israel respected the rules of war in Gaza? SECRETARY BLINKEN: We, as you know, have looked and continue to look at that in depth, and we've put out our own reports on this with our own assessments. And when it comes to the actions that Israel has taken in its defense, in its just defense in trying to make sure that October 7th never happens again, we've said from day one that how Israel does that matters. And throughout, starting on day one, we've tried to ensure that people had what they needed to get by. The very first trip that I made to Israel five days after October 7th, I spent - with my team - nine hours in the Kirya, the IDF's headquarters in Tel Aviv, six stories underground with the Israeli Government, including the prime minister, including arguing for hours on end about the basic proposition that the humanitarian assistance needed to get to Palestinians in Gaza. And that was an argument that took place because you had in Israel, in the days after October 7th, a totally traumatized society. And public opinion - this wasn't just the prime minister or a given leader in Israel. This was an entire society that didn't want any assistance getting to a single Palestinian in Gaza. I argued that for nine hours. President Biden was planning to come to Israel a few days later. And in the course of that argument, when I was getting resistance to the proposition of humanitarian assistance getting in, I told the prime minister: I'm going to call the President and tell him not to come if you don't allow this assistance to start flowing. And I called the President and - to make sure that he agreed with that, and he fully did. Anyway, we got the agreement to begin assistance through Rafah, which we expanded to Kerem Shalom, to many other places. I say this by way of saying that we've tried all along to look out for the needs of so many people who've been caught in this horrific crossfire. And we have a traumatized Palestinian population for obvious reasons. I've met with Palestinian Americans who've lost loved ones in Gaza. I have with me still a little brochure that one fellow American made that has pictures of his family in Gaza - on one side, the left side, those who were killed, including children, and on the right side those who are still alive. And that motivates me as well every single day to try to find a better way forward. Now, Israel is operating in a unique environment, which doesn't absolve it of its responsibilities, but we QUESTION: Have they met those responsibilities? SECRETARY BLINKEN: And when it comes, for example, to the provision of humanitarian assistance, we've found periods of time where, no, we didn't think they were doing enough. And this is exactly why, most recently with Secretary Austin, we pressed them very hard to take actions that would ensure that more assistance got to people, and ever since, they have. QUESTION: Because, as you know, withholding food aid is considered a war crime. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look QUESTION: And so what you're saying to me is that actually they didn't want to even provide food. SECRETARY BLINKEN: No, there's a difference between - there's a big difference between intent and result, whether it's under the law or under any one standard. The results that we were seeing were grossly insufficient - that is, the results of getting people the assistance they needed, just as making sure that people are protected, I think, has been insufficient. There's a very different question about what was the intent. QUESTION: What we've seen in Gaza is fairly indiscriminate. We have seen reporting of absolute devastation, entire areas flattened. And at the crux of this, of course, is the fact that the United States provides so many of these weapons to Israel. The 2,000-pound bombs that have killed Palestinian civilians, they get vetted through the State Department. And I know that you're - the administration's been struggling with this the whole way through - but where we are now is that the war is still being prosecuted. Hamas is no longer deemed a threat in the way that it was, and the population has been completely decimated. So I'm curious: Why still provide these weapons to Israel? SECRETARY BLINKEN: As I said from - from day one, first of all, we have been and we remain fundamentally committed to Israel's defense, and unfortunately it faces adversaries and enemies from all directions. And that means that the support that the United States provides over many administrations - Republican and Democrat - over many years, that support is absolutely vital to making sure that Israel is able to defend itself, that it can deter aggression coming from many other quarters - whether it's Hizballah, whether it's Iran, whether it's the many Iranian-backed proxies, whether it's the Houthis, you name it. That support is vital to making sure Israel has a deterrent, has an adequate defense, and in turn that means that we're not going to have an even broader, wider conflict that results in more death and more destruction. And so it's been vital to maintain that. Second, we believed and continue to believe that the quickest way, the most effective way to have an enduring end to Gaza is through an agreement on a ceasefire that brings the hostages home. The two biggest impediments to getting that over the finish line - and we've been so close on several occasions; and as we speak today, we're also very close - there have been two major impediments, and they both go to what drives Hamas. One has been whenever there has been public daylight between the United States and Israel and the perception that pressure was growing on Israel - we've seen it - Hamas has pulled back from agreeing to a ceasefire and the release of hostages. And so there are times when what we say in private to Israel, where we have a disagreement, is one thing and what we're doing or saying in public may be another. But that's in no small measure because with this daylight, the prospects of getting a hostage-and-ceasefire deal over the finish line become more distant. QUESTION: Well, there are moments when it seemed you were trying to draw red lines in public - telling Israel not to go into Rafah, for example - and then they did. Israel's prime minister SECRETARY BLINKEN: They went into Rafah in a very different way than they were planning to do. QUESTION: Benjamin Netanyahu never seemed to listen to you, though. SECRETARY BLINKEN: No, I disagree with that. And again, I mentioned how we've gone at humanitarian assistance from day one, and that's been a perennial and ongoing effort throughout these - throughout this time. When it comes to Rafah, we had deep concerns about a direct attack and the use of the 2,000-pound munitions in densely populated areas. What Israel wound up doing in Rafah was very different from what they were planning to do before we engaged with them. So in QUESTION: So you feel like you've been effective in shaping the conduct of SECRETARY BLINKEN: I think the question that QUESTION: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's SECRETARY BLINKEN: I think the question we had was: How can we most effectively both shape the conflict but also bring - bring an end to the conflict? And the focus on getting a ceasefire/hostage agreement was what was in our estimation the quickest and most durable way to get an end. And as I said, Hamas - one - when they saw Israel under pressure publicly, they pulled back. The other thing that got Hamas to pull back was their belief, their hope that there'd be a wider conflict - that Hizballah would attack Israel, that Iran would attack Israel, that other actors would attack Israel, and that Israel would have its hands full and Hamas could continue what it was doing. So we've worked very hard to make sure that that didn't happen. Part of that was making sure that Israel had what it needed to defend itself, to deter broader aggression. The second part of that was when we had - when we were on the precipice on multiple occasions of having the wider war that Hamas wanted, we found ways through diplomacy and through defense and deterrence to avert it. QUESTION: Did you have a partner in Benjamin Netanyahu? Because it was reported that he blocked a ceasefire deal in July that would have led to the hostages being released. Is that true? SECRETARY BLINKEN: No, that's not - that's not accurate. What we've seen time and again is Hamas not concluding a deal that it should have concluded. There have been times when actions that Israel has taken have, yes, made it more difficult, but there has been a rationale for those actions even if they've sometimes made getting to a conclusion more difficult. For example, the killing of Sinwar - in the absence of Sinwar, where you had basically a single decider, that happened just at the point where we thought we might be able to bring this agreement over the finish line. All of a sudden there's not a single decider and it's a lot harder to get a decision out of Hamas. So all of these actions have second- and third-order effects that you have to calculate. But fundamentally, look, one of the things that I've found a little astounding throughout is that for all of the understandable criticism of the way Israel has conducted itself in Gaza, you hear virtually nothing from anyone since October 7th about Hamas. Why there hasn't been a unanimous chorus around the world for Hamas to put down its weapons, to give up the hostages, to surrender - I don't know what the answer is to that. Israel on various occasions has offered safe passage to Hamas's leadership and fighters out of Gaza. Where is the world - where is the world in saying, yeah, do that, end this, stop the suffering of people that you've brought on? Now, again, that - it doesn't absolve Israel of the way of its actions in conducting the war. But I do have to question how it is we haven't seen a greater sustained condemnation and pressure on Hamas to stop what it started and to end the suffering of people that it initiated. QUESTION: I do want to ask you about your own standing in the department that you lead, because you've had a series of very public defections over conduct at the State Department over Gaza. The latest to speak out is Mike Casey, who was the State Department's deputy political counselor on Gaza and resigned in July. He recently talked to the Guardian about his tenure, and he claimed that the State Department frequently rolled over for Israel, that no one would read his reports on civilian casualties. He said that he and his colleagues would joke that they could staple cash to the reports and still they would fall on deaf ears. That's very dark. How do you respond to that? SECRETARY BLINKEN: I have inordinate respect for the people in this department who've not only had different views of the policies that we've pursued, but have expressed those views, including in what's been a time-honored tradition in the department, which is something called the dissent channel cable. This is the ability of any officer in the department to send what we - a message, a memo, a cable to me reflecting their differences. And every single one of those winds up on my desk. Every single one of those I read. Every single one of those I respond to, including 20 or so on Gaza. So - and some, of course, have brought forward some of the - some of these facts. I didn't need dissent channel cables to have the facts in front of me. I get them every single day. I read everything; I comment on everything; I look for answers on everything. Does that mean we get to the right answers every time? No. But does it mean we're intensely focused on it? Yes. And again, my goal has been to end this conflict in Gaza in a way to makes sure that October 7th doesn't happen again, that ends the suffering of people and does it in an enduring way that brings the hostages home. QUESTION: Do you think there are still hostages alive? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yes. QUESTION: Do you, Secretary Blinken, worry that perhaps you have been presiding over what the world will see as a genocide? SECRETARY BLINKEN: No. It's not, first of all. Second, as to how the world sees it - I can't fully answer to that, but they - everyone has to look at the facts and draw their own conclusions from those facts. And my conclusions are clear. I think, as well, there is - in the wake of this horrific suffering, the traumatization of an Israeli population, the Palestinian population, and many others, there's also a light that one can see that offers the prospect of a much different and much better future. It doesn't bring back the lives of those who've been lost. It doesn't bring back the parents of the children in Gaza who have lost their parents or the children for parents in Israel on October 7th who lost theirs, but it does offer a different way forward. And we've done an extraordinary amount of work to build the foundation for that. First, you've got to end the conflict in Gaza. We've had - and I believe it will end and it will probably end more or less on the terms that we've established in the hostage/ceasefire agreement that President Biden put forward that we got the whole world behind. It will land there. Second, you have to make sure it's enduring. We've spent months working on a post-conflict plan with many countries in the region, Arab partners in particular. And that plan is if we don't have the opportunity to start to try to implement it through a hostage/ceasefire agreement in the next couple of weeks, we will hand it off to the incoming Trump administration, and they can decide whether to move forward with it. Third, we have the prospect of a totally different region with normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and many other countries, Israel integrated into the security architecture of the region, and, because it will be a requirement of any such normalization agreement, a real pathway to a Palestinian state. We've done all of the work to put that - put those plans in place. Normalization with Saudi Arabia - that can happen tomorrow, based on the work that we've done, the investments we've made, once there is an end to the conflict in Gaza and an agreement on a credible pathway forward for the Palestinians. All of that work is there. That's what we'll be handing over. But it requires leaders to make really hard decisions, and it requires somehow moving beyond the trauma of two societies, Israeli and Palestinian, that we see and that have taken root. That's going to be the really - the really hard part. QUESTION: Your tenure, as we've said, has been filled with many complicated conflicts. At the same time, there's been a lot of reporting on President Biden's declining abilities over the course of his term. You are one of the closest people to him. You have worked with him for decades. By some accounts he considers you a surrogate son. This is a delicate question to ask, but I do feel that many Americans want to understand if you saw changes from the man that you knew so well. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, here's what I can tell you. Look at everything we've done, everything I believe that we've achieved in this administration at home and around the world. And whether you agree or not, I think there's a very strong record of achievement, historic in many ways. Every single one of those achievements has been the product of a decision that was made by the President of the United States, by President Biden - not by me, not by others in the administration, by the President. His judgement, his decision, his action has been reflected in what we've done, what we've achieved. That's the - the basis upon which to judge whether he's been an effective president, and I believe the answer is resoundingly yes. QUESTION: Last summer my colleague Robert Draper reported that people in the diplomatic corps worried that the President's memory, for example, was showing signs of slipping while he was meeting with foreign leaders. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, we all - we all change; we all age. My - I have a - I have a four, soon to be five-year-old daughter. I was sitting with her the other day, and now four years in, and she was saying, oh, daddy is wearing a white shirt, he's got on a blue suit, he has black shoes, and he has gray hair. And I said, no, no, no, my hair is brown. And she said, no, it's gray. We all get older; we all change as we get older. But again, what I've seen when it comes to judgment, when it comes to decisions that do right by the country - he's shown that judgment; he's made those decisions. QUESTION: On a personal note, your own story is very much defined by this fight against autocracy. Your stepfather was a Holocaust survivor who was saved from the death camps by American soldiers. It's an incredible story. You've said that you learned lessons from him about what our country is and what it represents and what it means when the United States is engaged and leading. And I'm wondering, as you look at the end of your tenure, as you've been leading over the last four years and you're handing off, as we've discussed, many of these conflicts that are still unresolved, and you have come under a lot of criticism - do his lessons strike you differently now than they did before that you've been through the fires, if you will, of really being the person at the forefront of making these very, very difficult choices? SECRETARY BLINKEN: My friend Tom Friedman wrote a few months ago a column that basically said: Parents, don't let your sons and daughters grow up to be secretary of state. It's a different world than it was when some of my predecessors were doing this. And I think at the heart of that is something I've seen over the 32 years that I've been engaged in foreign policy, starting at the very beginning of the Clinton administration and now concluding with the Biden administration, which is that now and in recent years there's been a greater multiplicity, a greater complexity, a greater interconnectedness of problems than ever before, and they're happening at a speed that we've never experienced before. And as a result, it's a very different challenge. But some basic fundamentals haven't changed, at least for me. And yes, it does go to the lessons that I learned from my stepfather, from my father, and other relatives, almost all of whom came to this country as immigrants, as refugees, fleeing oppression, fleeing the - in the case of my stepfather - the war that, and the Holocaust that eliminated his entire family; and each in one way or another finding themselves on our shores, and having seen the United States as the last, best hope, having come here, rebuilt their lives, and flourished because this is the country that we are. That hasn't changed for me. My stepfather came to the United States after surviving the Holocaust, eventually made his way here, and even served in the Kennedy administration. And back then you could become an American by a special act of Congress, which he was. So Congress passes an act and he became an American citizen, and I have - my family has that act. And he used to say: Never forget, I'm an American by choice; you're an American by accident of birth. And I take that very seriously because what it means to me is there is an extraordinary responsibility that comes with being an American, a responsibility that comes from being part of the greatest country on earth - and if you're in public service, as I've had the incredibly privilege of being for 32 years, a responsibility to try to use that in the best way that you can to do better by your fellow citizens but also people around the world. And every - every place I've been around the world, everything I've heard, even with criticism - intense criticism of our policies - is people want the United States involved, they want us engaged. They want us leading. They know that we're more likely to get to a solution when we're at the table than without us. QUESTION: Secretary, thank you so much for your time. I appreciate it. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Great to be with you today. Thanks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Cameroon says Nigerian militant attack killed government troops By Moki Edwin Kindzeka January 04, 2025 Villagers in southern Cameroon say armed men crossed the border from Nigeria and killed at least seven government troops and displaced civilians from about 15 villages. Civilians say they believe the attackers are members of a militant group. Villagers in the Akwaya district on Cameroon's border with Nigeria's Taraba state say several hundred armed men crossed the Moon River two times this week and launched deadly attacks on their villages. The Moon River lies to the south on Cameroon's border with Nigeria. Villagers say the water level has dropped significantly this dry season, making it easy to cross by foot. The villagers say the first attack was on Thursday, when armed men suspected to be ethnic Fulani from Nigeria entered their villages and started shooting indiscriminately in the air, torching houses and threatening to kill civilians. Cameroon's military says that it fought back and that the attackers retreated after several fighters were killed. Agwa Linus Tarnonge, traditional ruler of Bakinjaw village in Akwaya district, said villagers were surprised that the men returned on Friday, more heavily armed than they were on Thursday. "In the cause of gun fire exchanges, some of those armed Fulani suffered casualties, and then the remaining ones retreated and came back with an overwhelming population [number of fighters], and with more sophisticated rifles," Tarnonge told VOA by phone from Akwaya. "They attacked our [Cameroon] military contingent that is lodged at the chief's palace in Bakinjaw, and killed five military and two gendarmes." The Cameroon military said it lost five troops during the confrontation. Villagers say two government troops sustained injuries and died while being rushed to a hospital for treatment. Many civilians were injured, and it is too early to determine if some villagers died because of the difficult access to Akwaya, the Cameroon military says. Aka Martin Tyoga, a lawmaker and member of Cameroon's National Assembly from Akwaya, said this week's attacks are the latest in a series of what he called attempts by Nigerian militant groups to seize that area of Cameroon. "We have asked the people to move away from the border area to the center, where we have the military that has been there since," Tyoga said. "We are pleading that the government should send more forces [military] because these people [armed men] come en masse; they came in 300. Their mode of operating is like Boko Haram. They enter the community and just start killing people, burning down houses." No group has claimed responsibility, but Cameroonian government officials and Akwaya residents believe a Nigerian militant group wants to occupy the area. Cameroonian officials said troops have been deployed to the border with Nigeria around Akwaya for a search-and-rescue operation, but they have not said how many have been deployed. The Cameroonian government says it is working in collaboration with Nigerian authorities to stop the border attacks but gave no details. VOA could not independently verify if Cameroon has contacted Nigerian authorities to either investigate the origin of the armed group or collaborate with forces of the neighboring state to fight the suspected militants. Nigeria has been attempting to stop the proliferation of militant groups in its territory since 2009, when fighting between Nigerian government troops and Boko Haram militants degenerated into an armed conflict and spread to Cameroon, Niger and Chad. Several bombings and deadly attacks have taken place in Nigeria's Taraba state since 2022 that were claimed by Islamic State West Africa Province or ISWAP. In 2021, Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad and Niger said ISWAP was emerging as the terrorist group taking over from Boko Haram, which was weakened by the death of its leader, Aboubakar Shekau, in May of that year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran plans to launch two new satellites by late spring IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 4, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Iran plans to launch two new satellites into orbit following postponements caused by delays in their foreign launch vehicle. The Head of the Iranian Space Agency, Hassan Salariyeh, said on Saturday that the Tolou 3 and Zafar 2 satellites are expected to be launched sometime at the end of spring, according to Tasnim news agency. Salariyeh provided an update on the current status of Iranian satellites in orbit and those under construction and the overall progress of the country's space program. He confirmed that the Pars 3 satellite is currently in the construction phase and has an imaging accuracy of approximately two meters. The Iranian Space Research Center is spearheading the project, which is now in the design phase, he added. 4353**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Biden's top aide to make China-focused visit to India By Patsy Widakuswara January 03, 2025 President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, will make his final visit to India next week to emphasize Washington's partnership with New Delhi, the White House announced Friday. The visit will cap the Biden administration's efforts to maximize ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, in its strategic focus to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific. Strengthening ties with India has been a "real foreign policy priority and area of legacy achievement for the Biden administration," a senior administration official said on condition of anonymity in a briefing to reporters Friday. Sullivan will visit New Delhi January 5-6 to discuss a range of issues, including civil nuclear partnership, China's overcapacity on semiconductor and biopharma supply chains, strategic technology cooperation and other shared security priorities, a second administration official said. Sullivan's visit comes as tension is brewing between India and China over Beijing's plan to build what it calls the "world's largest" hydro dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau, which could affect millions downstream in India and Bangladesh. Sullivan is expected to discuss the dam along with other regional issues of concern, said the first administration official in response to VOA's question. "What matters to us is that when it comes to water resources that have to be managed across countries, that those are being handled fairly and in an equitable way," the official said. Technology initiative A key focus of the visit is the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) - an effort that Biden and Modi announced in May 2022 to bolster their strategic technology partnership and defense-industrial cooperation between their governments, businesses and academic institutions across various domains, from AI to quantum computing, and from semiconductors to space. Sullivan's visit will take place just two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office January 20. Many expect iCET to continue under his administration. "There is broad bipartisan support for some of the goals of iCET," said the second administration official in response to VOA's question. They include "strengthening the resilience of technology supply chains, working with allies and partners to position ourselves to offset PRC [People Republic of China's] advancements in certain technologies, and efforts to dominate some of the supply chains." The U.S. strategic partnership with New Delhi is "based upon a bet that India's economic, technological and military rise is critical to pushing back and containing China's dominance in these fields," said Aparna Pande, director of the Initiative on the Future of India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute. Irritants have not derailed bilateral ties. Those include India's democratic backsliding, and the case of a former Indian government employee charged in New York last year with murder-for-hire over his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist and Modi critic. Most of Biden's policies on India will likely continue, Pande told VOA, as Trump's desire to "push back or contain China's rise - economic, technological and military - will help ensure that India is seen as a partner in this endeavor." During his first administration, Trump had a warm relationship with Modi. Trump attended a 2019 "Howdy Modi" rally in Texas, and Modi reciprocated by hosting a "Namaste Trump" rally in Ahmedabad in 2020. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranians react to Carter's death with much criticism, little praise By By Michael Lipin, Arian Risbaf, Rozita Irandoost January 03, 2025 Iranians opposed to their nation's Islamist rulers who seized power during the U.S. presidency of Jimmy Carter have reacted to his death at age 100 with a wave of criticism about his enduring impact on Iran and some supportive views of his post-presidential activities. On the Monday edition of VOA Persian's "On the Line" live audience call-in show, all 12 audience members whose phone calls, video and voice messages were featured in the program criticized Carter, accusing him of enabling the Islamic Republic's first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, to seize power in 1979. Eleven of the 12 audience members who commented for the Persian-language show were calling from Iran, while the other audience member was in the U.S. Khomeini and his radical Shiite followers toppled the monarchy of Iran's U.S.-backed shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, on Feb. 11, 1979. Pahlavi had fled into exile the previous month and arrived in the United States on Oct. 22, 1979, for cancer treatment that Carter approved. Islamist militants angry with the U.S. for harboring the deposed shah stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on Nov. 4, 1979, taking 66 Americans hostage. Thirteen were released weeks later but the remaining 53 Americans were held through the rest of Carter's presidency. Iran freed them after 444 days, upon the Jan. 20, 1981, inauguration of Carter's successor, Ronald Reagan. Betrayal The Iranian callers to the VOA Persian show unanimously expressed the view that Carter betrayed the shah by abandoning him as he faced a growing Islamist rebellion and not doing enough to stop Iran from being plunged into a dark era with its people enduring hardship under 45 years of authoritarian Islamist rule. After leaving office, Carter said he tried to balance strategic and humanitarian considerations in his relationship with and treatment of the shah. Prominent U.S.-based Iranian supporters of Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed shah, also used the X platform to post sharply critical views of Carter's legacy. Journalist Behnam Amini wrote in Persian: "The man responsible for the misery of the Iranian nation has died. Soon, the downfall of the regime that he nurtured will come as well." Also writing in Persian, monarchist Saman Sarraf described Carter as the "founder of the Islamic Republic" and said: "With Carter's death, the Islamic regime is on the brink of collapse." Reza Pahlavi and his mother, exiled queen Farah Pahlavi, have been silent on Carter's death. The exiled crown prince's office did not immediately respond to a VOA request for comment sent Friday. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC), a U.S. nonprofit critical of the Pahlavi dynasty, with a mission to "advance peace and diplomacy, secure equitable immigration policies and protect the civil rights of all Americans," sent VOA a different view of Carter's role in Iran's Islamic Revolution. In a Friday statement, NIAC President Jamal Abdi said, "It is important to understand that the 1979 [Islamic] Revolution was made and led by Iranians, not by the United States. In fact, U.S. support for the shah, despite his brutality toward protesters and torture of political opponents, was one of the triggers for popular protest." Abdi also wrote that members of the Iranian American community admire Carter's efforts after his presidency to advance Middle East peace and to warn about the direction of the Arab-Israeli conflict. "President Carter's legacy is multi-layered and complex, and not one that neatly fits the worldviews of his most animated detractors," Abdi wrote. Exiled Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji, also a critic of the Pahlavi dynasty, offered praise for Carter in a Persian-language post on X, calling him a "lifelong advocate for human rights around the world" in his post-presidency activities. This article was produced in collaboration with VOA's Persian Service. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC stages military drill in western Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 4, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The Ground Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has started the main stage of the military exercise named "Payambar-e Azam (The Great Prophet) 19" in the western province of Kermanshah. "Payambar-e Azam (The Great Prophet) 19" military drill began on Saturday in western Iran, involving specialized units from the IRGC Ground Forces, focusing on rapid reaction operations. A key component of the war game is the rapid transfer of forces and equipment to the exercise area. The IRGC Ground Forces have deployed various units, including the "Mirza Kuchak Khan" special forces brigade, to the drill zone. The Commander of Najaf Ashraf West Headquarters, Mohammad Nazar Azimi, stated that the first phase of the war game series has commenced in the Oramanat region of Kermanshah. He added that the purpose of the exercise is to enhance defense capabilities and increase the authority. He further noted that new weapons and equipment would be used in the drill, adding that the capabilities of the local population and the Basij (volunteer) forces would also be utilized. Emphasizing the importance of conducting this exercise in the border areas, the IRGC commander stated that Kermanshah region has seen many acts of bravery during the period of the Holy Defense and in confronting opposing groups and today this drill is being held to strengthen the capabilities of the armed forces and enhance the security of the region. Also, IRGC recently announced in a statement that the combined and joint military exercise, known as the Eqtedar (Authority) drill, will take place in the coming days. As part of the Armed Forces' annual program, this year's exercise is designed to be conducted in a combined and joint format, addressing new threats posed by the enemy, it added. The statement emphasized that one of the key objectives of this exercise is to enhance coordination and synergy in both the defensive and offensive capabilities of the armed forces. Additionally, it aims to facilitate the practical use of new military equipment to effectively counter enemy threats. 3266**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran private sector operates 1st oil dock in South Pars IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 4, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The first oil dock built by the Iranian private sector has become operational in Kangan located in the southern province of Bushehr. The oil dock, weighing 100,000 tons, become operational after a Bangladeshi ship successfully refueled in Kangan, IRNA reported on Saturday. The specialized dock was constructed by Parsa Fidar Paydar Company two years ago. It is the first dock developed by the Iranian private sector that became operational in South Pars Gas Field. With the opening of the dock, the amount of export of warm liquefied gas will increase by up to 50% per year. 1483**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's cenbank refutes claims of reduced reserves, import issues IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 4, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has dismissed claims about a reduction in foreign currency reserves and the inability to support imports until the end of the Iranian calendar year on March 20. In a statement issued on Saturday, the CBI emphasized its commitment to maintaining stability in the country's foreign currency reserves and facilitating the importation of necessary goods. It assured that foreign currency and gold reserves, both abroad and domestically, remain reliable and accessible, with no issues in providing foreign currency for imports. The statement highlighted that the total amount of foreign currency allocated by the CBI for importing essential goods since the beginning of the year has reached $53.288 billion. Of this amount, $11.102 billion was designated for essential goods and medicine. 4354**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's defense ministry commits to building 2.8 MW of solar, wind plants IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 4, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Deputy Defense Minister for Industrial Research Affairs Afshin Naderi Sharif has announced that the ministry will cooperate with the Energy Ministry of Energy to build power plants to produce 2.8 MW of solar and wind energy across the country. Naderi Sharif made the announcement on Friday as he spoke with reports on the sidelines of the 14th Iran International Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Exhibition in Tehran. He said that the ministers of energy and defense reached consensus to task SATBA and Tavan groups to construct solar and wind power plants that will respectively produce 2,300 and 500 MW of energy in various locations across Iran. Naderi Sharif said that the project will take four years for completion, and will be financed through foreign investment and by the private sector. On construction of small-scale power plants, he said, government buildings, parking lots, schools, and hospitals will be used based on a proposal by the defense minister. 14th Iran International Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Exhibition kicked off on January 2 with the motto "Renewable Energies, Investment Development, Efficient Energy Consumption" at the Tehran International Fairground. The expo will wrap up on January 5. 4208**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi territory won't be launch pad for aggression on neighbors, says President Rashid Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2025 3:37 PM Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid says Baghdad is committed to preventing the Arab nation's territory from being used as a launch pad for strikes and acts of military aggression against neighboring countries. Rashid made the remarks on Saturday as he was delivering a speech at a ceremony marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim and the "Iraqi Martyr's Day". He described Hakim's loss as a great tragedy but stated that solace lies in uplifting the values that he and other martyrs of freedom sacrificed their lives for i.e. justice, equality, and peace. The Iraqi president noted that such values point to the abundance of challenges and difficulties Iraq is facing, namely the fight against terrorism and extremism, and the consolidation of social harmony. Rashid went on to underscore the importance of unity to ensure security and commitment to amicable relations with neighboring countries and peoples. "We have made dramatic progress; but significant work still remains, especially given the regional circumstances threatening regional countries. We are keen to mitigate their effects through dialogue, understanding, a commitment to counterterrorism, and putting in efforts to ensure security, peace, development, and progress," the Iraqi president stressed. Rashid also reiterated Iraq's support for the Syrian nation amid their ongoing challenges, stressing that Baghdad backs the reconstruction of an independent Syria where the rights of all strata of the society are protected. He then affirmed Iraq's support for the Lebanese people, saying, "We continue to assist in alleviating the hardships faced by the Lebanese, and emphasize the importance of uniting various sections of the Lebanese society, and rebuilding cities, villages, and institutions damaged by the Israeli acts of aggression." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Outgoing US administration plans $8 billion arms sale to Israel Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2025 8:38 AM The outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden reportedly plans to propose to the Israeli regime an $8 billion arms deal as part of Washington's unflinching support to the occupying entity's genocidal war in the besieged Gaza Strip. The American news website Axios cited two unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the matter as saying on Friday that the US State Department had notified Congress "informally" of an $8 billion proposed arms deal with Israel. The package includes munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters as well as artillery shells, small-diameter bombs and warheads, it said. The Virginia-based news website cited one of the sources as saying that the arms sale, which needs approval from the House and Senate foreign relations committees, is aimed at "supporting Israel's long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defense capabilities." Underscoring the Biden administration's support for Israel against what was claimed to be "aggression from Iran and its proxy organizations," the source said, "We will continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israel's defense." The deal, which is likely to be the last weapons sale Biden approves for Israel, comes a few months after his administration okayed the sale of $20 billion in fighter jets and other military equipment to the regime despite worldwide demand for an arms embargo against Tel Aviv amid the 15-month-old war on Gaza. Biden is due to leave the White House on January 20, with Republican President-elect Donald Trump succeeding him to advance Washington's pro-Israel policies and fuel the regime's war machine. Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the Israeli regime in response to its decades-long campaign of oppression against Palestinians. The regime's bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 45,658 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 108,583 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble. Washington, Israel's biggest ally and weapons supplier, has repeatedly vetoed UN Security Council resolutions on a ceasefire in Gaza In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its atrocities in Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign freighter being investigated for suspected damaging of undersea cable ROC Central News Agency 01/04/2025 09:55 PM Taipei, Jan. 4 (CNA) A Cameroon-registered freighter is being investigated for possibly damaging an undersea cable in waters off the northeastern coast of Taiwan, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said Saturday. The Second Maritime Patrol Flotilla (Tamsui) received a report from Chunghwa Telecom at 12:40 p.m. Friday that its four-core undersea cable near Yehliu in New Taipei was damaged, the CGA said in a news release. The telecom operator suspected that the issue was likely caused by the Cameroon-registered "Shunxin39" freighter, which was operating in that area at the time, the CGA said. A Keelung Coast Guard patrol boat was dispatched to the scene at 4:40 p.m. the same day and found the cargo vessel seven nautical miles (12.964 kilometers) north of Yehliu, it said. According to the administration, the Shunxin39 was ordered to return to waters off the coast of Keelung port to be investigated, and that relevant findings of its alleged involvement would be handed over to prosecutors for further investigation. Citing Chunghwa Telecom, the CGA said domestic communications were not affected as the damaged underground cable was backed up by other equipment. Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan's largest integrated telecom service provider, told CNA that when the issue occurred, communication services were rerouted to other international undersea cable stations, and all customer services were fully restored to normal within a short period of time. (By Chiang Min-yen and Ko Lin) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2025/01/04 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date 6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) ) Friday to Saturday, Jan. 3-4 2. PLA activities 5 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities. 1140104_Diagram of PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address "We will free our country from the scourge of terror as soon as possible" Presidency of The Republic of Turkey 04.01.2025 Speaking at AK Party's 8th Ordinary Provincial Congress in Samsun, President Erdogan said: "We will free our country from the scourge of terror, inflicted upon our nation by imperialists, as soon as possible. We are determined on this issue, and have locked on to our target." President and Justice and Development (AK) Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a speech at the party's 8th ordinary provincial congress in Samsun. President Erdogan said: "We will free our country from the scourge of terror, inflicted upon our nation by imperialists, as soon as possible. We are determined on this issue, and have locked on to our target. I want it to be known that the circle is increasingly tightening for the terrorist organization and terrorists." Stating that no one, be them Turk, Kurd, or Arab, has any more tolerance left for terrorists that are pawn of imperialists regional plans, President Erdogan noted: "Separatist murderers will either bury their weapons as soon as possible or will get buried in the ground with their weapons. There is no third option other than these two. All should acknowledge the fact that the era of arms, violence, or terror is over. The separatist terrorist organization has already expired. No artificial respiration will manage to revive the separatist organization. I would like to stress once again that there is no place for terror in the future of our country, or region." "We have lived in this geography, and have been the host of these lands for a thousand years. We have been watering these lands with our blood and sweat for a thousand years. And with Allah's permission, we will be and live freely here for many more centuries," President Erdogan added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Eight US-supplied ATACMS missiles to Ukraine downed: Russia Iran Press TV Saturday, 04 January 2025 11:36 AM Russia says its air defense forces have shot down several US-made ATACMS missiles fired from Ukraine. The country's defense ministry said on Saturday that eight US-made ATACMS missiles had been downed. Russian troops also seized the village of Nadiya in eastern Luhansk, it said. Russia's defense ministry said its air defense systems had shot down 10 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory on Saturday morning, including three over the northern Leningrad region. Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the Leningrad region, which includes St Petersburg, said Russian forces had shot down two drones near Luga Bay in the Gulf of Finland. Political experts and others following world developments are waiting to see how Donald Trump's return to power later this month will impact the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last month that Russia was open to talks on Ukraine after Trump called for "an immediate ceasefire and negotiations." Peskov said the peace negotiations had to be based on agreements reached during the Istanbul talks in 2022 and on the current battlefield realities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zelenskiy Claims North Koreans Suffer Major Losses In New Kursk Fighting By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 04, 2025 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said North Korean soldiers, fighting alongside Kremlin forces in Russia's Kursk region, had suffered heavy casualties over the past two days amid mounting reports of losses for the Asian nation's forces fighting some 6,700 kilometers from home. "In battles yesterday and today [January 4] near just one village, Makhnovka, in Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "And that is significant," he added, citing information relayed from Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskiy. The report could not independently be verified. The size of a battalion can vary in different military alignments, often ranging from 300 to 1,000 troops. North Korean military support is coming at a critical time in the war. Russia is seeking to overpower an undermanned and under-resourced Ukrainian infantry and gain territory before its own manpower and resources become constrained. Russia has lost more than 600,000 soldiers in the nearly three-year war, the Pentagon said in early October. It has burned through so much war material that it is struggling to replace its artillery and missile needs amid sweeping Western sanctions. Zelenskiy on December 23 said more than 3,000 troops, or about a quarter of the North Korean special forces sent to Russia, had been killed or injured, though he acknowledged it was difficult to determine exact numbers. Western and Ukrainian intelligence and military sources estimate that Pyongyang has deployed about 11,000 troops to Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces still occupy territory after launching a mass cross-border incursion in August. In his address, Zelenskiy also said "fierce battles" were raging along the 1,000-kilometer front line, with the "hottest spot" near the important logistical hub of Pokrovsk, a city in the Donetsk region with a prewar population of 64,000. Zelenskiy also said a rescue operation was under way near Chernihiv in north-central Ukraine, where a Russian missile assault had damaged some 40 buildings. Local officials on January 3 said one person was killed and five were injured when three missiles hit a residential site in the area. A picture posted on social media by Chernihiv regional Governor Vyacheslav Chaus showed the shattered facade of a private home. The person killed was an associate professor at the Institute of Postgraduate Education, according to Suspilne Chernihiv. Local media said the 72-year-old's house was burned down after it was hit by Russian shelling in March 2022. Since then, he had been living in a barn. Five people were injured in an earlier drone attack in the Kyiv region, and four were hurt when the town of Slovyansk near the front line in the Donetsk region was shelled, officials said. All four were hospitalized. Among the injured is a 2-year-old boy, whose mother was injured in the attack and was in serious condition, said Mayor Vadym Lyakh. Russian forces used a guided aerial bomb, which struck a private sector of Slovyansk at about 3 p.m. local time, a police representative at the scene told RFE/RL. Zelenskiy said on X that in the first three days of 2025, Russia had launched 300 attack drones and nearly 20 missiles on Ukrainian targets. Most, he said, had been downed or intercepted, but he said the attacks had killed and injured people, prompting him to renew his plea for his Western allies to send additional air-defense systems "We are already preparing for the upcoming meeting in Ramstein," he said, referring to the next session of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on January 9 in Germany. He said Kyiv will be working with partners there to spur additional arms to help fight off Russian drones, guided bombs, and aircraft that have been attacking crucial infrastructure as the winter cold deepens. On January 3, a White House spokesman said Ukraine can expect more announcements in coming days about additional U.S. security assistance as President Joe Biden's term in office winds down on January 20. The announcements would follow a $5.9 billion package of additional military and budget assistance for Ukraine announced by the Biden administration last week amid concerns that the new administration under President-elect Donald Trump will significantly reduce or halt arms supplies to Ukraine in order to push Kyiv to negotiate a peace settlement with Russia. Meanwhile, Russian newspaper Izvestia said a freelance journalist working for the media outlet was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike near the city of Donetsk on January 4. Izvestia and a group of journalists traveling with Aleksandr Martemyanov said the man was killed when a drone hit their civilian automobile "for from the line of contact." With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia- war-attack-air-defense-kyiv/33263004.html Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lives Need Protection Here and Now in Ukraine, and Air Defense Systems Must Be Operational for This Purpose - Address by the President President of Ukraine 4 January 2025 - 20:14 Dear Ukrainians! Rescue operations are underway in Svesa, a town in the Sumy region, following Russian bomb strikes. A residential building was hit. An entire section was destroyed - apartments from the first to the fifth floors. Neighboring buildings were also damaged. Yet another Russian attack on the lives of ordinary Ukrainian families. Seven people were injured, including a child, a two-year-old girl. She's currently in the hospital. All the victims are receiving the necessary assistance. Today, there were also strikes with guided aerial bombs on other villages in our Sumy region - Myropillia and Vilna Sloboda - as well as on the Kharkiv region. Meanwhile, the rescue operation in Chernihiv has been completed following a missile strike there. More than forty buildings were destroyed or damaged. Sadly, there was one fatality in Chernihiv. My condolences. The task remains unchanged - strengthening our air defense. We're already preparing for the upcoming meeting in Ramstein, scheduled for this week. Dozens of partner countries will participate, including those capable of boosting our defense not only against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aircraft. We'll be discussing this with them and working to persuade them. Lives need protection here and now in Ukraine, and air defense systems must be operational for this purpose. I want to thank all our partners who understand this and help us develop an air shield. Today, Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi gave me a detailed briefing on our actions at the front. Fierce battles continue along the entire front line, with the hottest spot being near Pokrovsk. The occupier continues to waste an insane number of its people in assaults. And I thank each and every one of our units, all our brigades defending Ukrainian positions and eliminating the occupier. The Commander-in-Chief also reported on the situation in the Kursk region. Specifically, in battles today and yesterday near just one village - Makhnovka in the Kursk region - the Russian army lost up to a battalion of infantry, including North Korean soldiers and Russian paratroopers. And that's tangible. I especially want to commend the professionalism and effectiveness of our Special Operations Forces and the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade. We must all remember - hostilities continue every single day. Russia carries out terrorist strikes every single day. Every day we have to support our army, all of our Defense and Security Forces, be active in our relations with partners - maintain relationships, build new connections, as well as ramp up our own defense production and secure the necessary defense assistance. We need new results every week. Without a doubt, this year will involve a lot of diplomacy - and no one wants peace more than Ukraine. Real diplomacy - the kind we need - can only be built on our strong positions. Without a doubt, the strength of our army, our entire nation, and our state. Thank you to everyone who is strengthening Ukraine! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK, Jan. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF) between August 16, 2023 and November 6, 2024, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important January 17, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Wolfspeed securities 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 Wolfspeed class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=30954 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 17, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: The alleged representations in this action concern Wolfspeeds Mohawk Valley, New York fabrication facility. The complaint alleges that defendants provided the public with revenue projections that depended on the Mohawk Valley fabrication facility ramping its production to meet and/or exceed demand for its 200mm wafer product. According to the lawsuit, defendants provided these overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while simultaneously misrepresenting and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Wolfspeeds growth potential and, in particular, the operational status and profitability of the Mohawk Valley fabrication facility. First, to meet its publicly stated projections, Wolfspeed would have to cancel or otherwise indefinitely suspend planned future projects such as the facility in Saarland, Germany. Second, Wolfspeed would have to terminate a significant portion of its workforce and shutter its Durham, North Carolina fabrication facility. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Wolfspeed class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=30954 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com Featured Ebi Bright and Baba Sadiq lose parliamentarybids after collation was completed Gifty Owusu-Amoah Showbiz News Jan - 05 - 2025 , 15:31 2 minutes read The National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidates Ebi Bright and Baba Sadiq have lost their bids after the Electoral Commission announced the results of the outstanding polling stations in the Tema Central and Okaikwei Central constituencies. Following a High Court order on January 4, 2025, the commission completed the collation of the results, declaring Charles Forson of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) the winner of the Tema Central election with 18,870 votes, narrowly beating Ebi Bright's 18,815 votes. Similarly, Patrick Yaw Boamah of the NPP emerged as the Member of Parliament-elect for the Okaikwei Central constituency. He secured 21,099 votes to win the seat, while his opponent, Abdulai Abu Baba Sadiq, popularly known as Baba Sadiq had 19,368 votes. Advertisement The latest announcement by Electoral Commission means that Ebi Bright and Baba Sadiq's parliamentary ambitions have been dealt a significant blow. (Related article: Ebi Bright and Baba Sadiq out ) Story so far In a significant development, the High Court in Accra ruled in favour of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), ordering the Electoral Commission (EC) to complete the collation of results in four disputed constituencies. The court's decision has led to the declaration of NPP candidates as winners in the Tema Central and Okaikwei Central constituencies. Justice Forson Agyapong, who presided over the case, stated that the EC had failed to collate results from 31 outstanding polling stations in the Okaikwei Central constituency, breaching its obligations. The court ordered the EC to collate the results from the remaining polling stations and incorporate them into the already collated figures. The EC subsequently completed the collation, declaring Patrick Yaw Boamah of the NPP as the winner in the Okaikwei Central constituency and Charles Forson as the winner in the Tema Central constituency. The NPP also secured favorable rulings in the Ablekuma North and Techiman South constituencies. With the court's decision, the NPP has gained a significant advantage in the disputed constituencies, just two days before the swearing-in of newly elected MPs. Meanwhile, The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced that it will not accept the collation and declaration of results for the four outstanding constituencies, labeling the process as "illegal and unlawful." (Reasl also: NDC is rejecting collated results for all 4 outstanding constituencies, it is 'illegal and unlawful' - Rashid Tanko) According to Rashid Tanko Computer, the NDC Deputy Director of Elections and IT, the party has filed an appeal and stay of execution against the Accra High Court ruling that ordered the Electoral Commission (EC) to complete the collation of the results. Next article: China's overqualified youth taking jobs as drivers, labourers and film extras Previous article: Brazil ex-official returns toilet she had removed from office Featured Zambias High Commissioner to South Africa sacked Zambia Observer International News Jan - 05 - 2025 , 10:30 2 minutes read The President of Zambia has sacked the country's High Commissioner to South Africa for misconduct. President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia took the decision after the High Commissioner, Ms. Mazuba Monze reportedly asked a male staff to shave her. The diplomat, who was serving at the Zambian Mission in Pretoria had reportedly made an uncommon request, and an undiplomatic directive. Apparently, the High Commissioner requested a Zambian staff to shave her private parts. Advertisement The staff refused, stating that it was not part of his duties to shave Ambassadors, especially their private parts. The High Commissioner reportedly termed this act as disobedience and an act of insubordination and proceeded to fire the staff. The matter went quiet for a while until he appealed against the decision and brought the matter to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. When the allegation about the strange request by Ms Monze was verified, President Hakainde Hichilema promptly fired the High Commissioner. Meanwhile, other reports suggest that the allegation against Ms Monze was exaggerated. The Maravi Post reports that a concerned Zambian living in South Africa has come forward, claiming that the allegations against Ms. Monze may have been exaggerated or fabricated by her detractors. The individual alleges that a campaign was launched against Ms. Monze, involving false reports and fabrications, which ultimately led to her dismissal. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen what further actions will be taken and what consequences Ms. Monze will face. One thing is certain, however: the incident has left a stain on Zambias diplomatic reputation and raised questions about the conduct of its representatives abroad. source: Zambia Observer Featured Sewua Hospital is incomplete, commissioning by President Akufo-Addo is 'illegal' and 'breaches contract' - Euroget Enoch Darfah Frimpong Jan - 05 - 2025 , 17:54 6 minutes read The government was yet to meet its full financial obligations to Euroget De-Invest, the Egyptian investment company awarded the contract to build nine hospitals across the country, including the Ashanti Regional Hospital situated at Sewua in the Bosomtwe District of Ashanti, which was commissioned on Saturday by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The President at a ceremony commissioned the 250-Bed Ashanti Regional Hospital and a 50-Bed Infectious Disease Centre in Sewua in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti. But the contractor, Euroget De-Invest has rejected the commissioning in a statement, arguing that the project was not complete for it to be commissioned. Said Deraz - Group Chairman of Euroget De-Invest In a statement issued by Eurojet in Accra on Sunday, January 5, 2025 and signed by Said Deraz, the Group Chairman, Euroget De-Invest said the hospital project was not yet fully completed, and had not yet been handed over to the government, while government was still yet to meet its full financial obligations to the contractors. Advertisement It said the commissioning of the hospital by President Akufo-Addo was "conducted in direct violation of the terms of our contract." The company went ahead and provided five photos [attached below] to support its argument that the project was not complete and has not been handed over to the government. Euroget De-Invest was awarded the contract for nine hospitals across the country, including the Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua. In the statement, the company said "while we acknowledge the importance of healthcare infrastructure in the Ashanti Region", the ceremony "raises serious concerns regarding legal and contractual obligations". "It is important to stress that Euroget De-Invest S.A. has not yet received full payment for the construction of the hospital. Furthermore, the project remains incomplete and has not yet been officially handed over to the government." "As the contractor, we retain possession of the site until the project is handed over correctly and legally. We categorically did not grant permission to any party to enter the site for commissioning purposes," the statement said. Euroget did not give anyone permission to enter the site. Possession is still ours until we hand over in the correct and legal manner, the statement added. This is a breach of the contract. We havent handed over, and every step should be taken to claim damages against all previous commissioning because, by this action, the President is implying that he could have commissioned those hospitals without incurring any costs on our part. It added that "the fact that the government proceeded with the commissioning without consulting Euroget raises questions about the adherence to legal protocols and sanctity of contracts. The company, which secured the funding for the hospitals construction, was not consulted regarding this purported commissioning. Additionally, there was no representative from Euroget present at the event, which accentuates our exclusion from a critical milestone in the project". The chairman of the company said they believed that the governments actions "constitute a serious breach of security concerning the hospital. Entering the premises without our permission to undertake the commissioning, while the hospital remains incomplete and without the contractor being fully compensated, reflects a disregard for the law and contractual agreements. "This situation represents a level of lawlessness that cannot be overlooked. Please find attached to this release photos of the current state of the hospital which reinforces this statement," it added. The statement said "as we approach the transition of power in Ghana, we are left questioning the motives behind such an action. Why would an outgoing President engage in such illegality just three days before handing over office? We must stress that the timing of this commissioning raises concerns about the legitimacy of the actions taken and whether they serve any political agenda rather than the interests of the citizens who rely on these healthcare facilities. "It is fundamental for all stakeholders, including the public, to understand the implications of these actions. The commissioning of the Ashanti Regional 250 bed Hospital should be a moment of pride and achievement for all involved; however, it has instead become a source of contention and uncertainty. We urge the government to respect the rule of law and adhere to the contractual obligations it has entered into," the statement further stated. It called upon relevant authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly. "The actions taken by the government not only undermine the integrity of the project but also set a worrying precedent for future government contracts and projects. The people of the Ashanti Region deserve better than to have their healthcare infrastructure embroiled in legal disputes and contractual violations," the statement said. It stated, however, that Euroget De-Invest S.A. remained committed to completing the 250-bed hospital "to the highest standards and fulfilling our contractual obligations". "We hope that this situation can be resolved amicably and that the government will recognise the importance of following due process in all its dealings. We are prepared to take all necessary steps to protect our rights and seek damages for any breaches of contract that have occurred," it added. Attached below is a copy of the statement from Euroget What happened? President Akufo-Addo was at Sewua on Saturday, January 4, 2025, where he commissioned the 250-Bed Ashanti Regional Hospital and a 50-Bed Infectious Disease Centre in Sewua. Together with the 50-Bed Infectious Disease Centre one of 12 facilities built with Covid-19 funding across the country to manage infectious diseases, the facility, which now stands as the biggest regional hospital across the country, serves as a vital lifeline for the region, bridging gaps in healthcare delivery and ensuring that people of the region have unimpeded access to universal health coverage and improved health outcomes. The health facility has an administration block, out-patients department, physiotherapy, gynaecology wards, sterilization, intensive care unit, maternity and delivery suites, laboratory, pharmacy, theatre complex, laundry and a medical gas plant for the production of medical gases. The project is part of the nine Euroget hospital projects initiated by President John Agyekum Kufuor in 2008. In all, seven out these nine hospitals, which were hitherto left abandoned following the expiration of the Kufuor government in 2009, have been tackled by President Akufo-Addo. The nine Euroget Hospitals are the 500-bed Military Hospital at Afari, in Kumasi, the 160-bed Wa Regional Hospital, the 250-bed Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua, and the 100-bed Ga East Municipal Hospital at Kwabenya. In addition to these five 60-bed Hospitals at Tepa, Konongo, Twifo Praso and Madina are also part of the project. President Akufo-Addo charged the workers and the Chiefs and people of the area to ensure that strict maintenance practices of the facility and equipment are properly adhered to and undertaken. Aside the Infectious Disease Centre which was also commissioned on Saturday at Sewua, President Akufo-Addo also commissioned another Infectious Disease Centre at the Kumasi South Hospital in Chiraptre. The Chief of Sewua, Nana Kwaku Amankwaa Sarkodie, was grateful to President Akufo-Addo for ensuring that the project which was begun by their son, President Kufuor, has now been fully completed and also expresssed gratitude to government for the appointment of Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister for Education and Simon Osei Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, who are all indigenes of the area. For feedback, email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh Previous article: NDC is rejecting collated results for all 4 outstanding constituencies, it is 'illegal and unlawful' - Rashid Tanko Featured Alban Bagbin re-nominated for consideration as Speaker in 9th Parliament Enoch Darfah Frimpong Politics Jan - 05 - 2025 , 13:18 2 minutes read The current Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin has been re-nominated for consideration as Speaker in the 9th Parliament. The life of 9th Parliament will start on January 7, 2025, and end on January 6, 2029. The President-elect, John Dramani Mahama in consultation with the national executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and their Parliamentary leadership has mandated the caucus to nominate Mr Bagbin for consideration as Speaker in the next Parliament. The 9th Parliament will hold its first sitting on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 12:05 a.m. It will focus on the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers. The administration of oaths to the Speaker and Members of Parliament will also take place during this inaugural sitting. Advertisement After that, the House will take a short break, and move the sitting to the Black Star Square (Independence Avenue) where the Vice President-elect and the President-elect will also take their oaths. Mahama mandates NDC MPs to nominate Bagbin for Speaker position In a statement confirming the decision, Mr Bagbin was described as someone who has distinguished himself in the service of Parliament, "rising from Member of Parliament for Nadowli to Minority Leader and Majority Leader respectively, and subsequently as Speaker of the 8th Parliament." "He brings a wealth experience to the position, which will prove vital in steering the affairs of Parliament at this critical period in Ghana's democratic and legislative development. The statement issued Sunday by spokesperson for the NDC side of the Transition Team and an aide to Mr Mahama explained that the President-elect was convinced that under the stewardship of Mr Bagbin, Parliament will be further strengthened to deliver effectively on its oversight responsibility. As Parliament prepares for this pivotal event, many had routed that Mr Bagbin should be retained as the Speaker in the next Parliament. The Majority Leader of the 8th Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin for instance had argued for the next Speaker to be an elected Member of Parliament (MP), highlighting the importance of parliamentary expertise. Speaking on the matter, he stated: Mr Speaker, if they sack you, Mr Speaker, of all that you have done for them, they are going to sack you. If they decide to retain you, the happiness of this House will gather further momentum." However, if the new government decides to bring a new Speaker, that Speaker should come from within. We dont want an outsider. We want somebody from within who would understand us. This first sitting is expected to set the stage for the legislative direction of the 9th Parliament, as Ghanas political leadership embarks on a new chapter under the Mahama administration. Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh Follow @enochfrimpong Follow @Graphicgh Previous article: EC suspends collation of results in Ablekuma North for 24 hours due to issues with 20 polling station results Featured NDC is rejecting collated results for all 4 outstanding constituencies, it is 'illegal and unlawful' - Rashid Tanko Samuel Duodu Politics Jan - 05 - 2025 , 14:13 1 minute read The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced that it will not accept the collation and declaration of results for the four outstanding constituencies, labeling the process as "illegal and unlawful." According to Rashid Tanko Computer, the NDC Deputy Director of Elections and IT, the party has filed an appeal and stay of execution against the Accra High Court ruling that ordered the Electoral Commission (EC) to complete the collation of the results. Rashid Tanko Computer speaking to the media on Sunday afternoon (Jan 5) stated that the NDC instructed its parliamentary candidates not to participate in the collation exercise, as the party is following due process. He also claimed that the EC has been served with court processes, and therefore, the commission should not have proceeded with the exercise. Advertisement The four constituencies that had been outstanding three of which the EC on Sunday completed collation and declared in favour of the NPP are Tema Central, Okaikwei Central and Techiman South. That of Ablekuma North has not been completed. The High Court in Accra had given the EC until Monday, January 6, 2025, to complete the collation and declare the winners. Previous article: Bagbin thanks Mahama for Speaker re-nomination for 9th Parliament Featured Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to attend President-elect Mahamas inauguration Kweku Zurek Politics Jan - 05 - 2025 , 19:06 1 minute read Nigerias President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will travel to Accra on Monday, 6 January, to attend the inauguration of Ghanas President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, on Tuesday, 7 January. The event marks Mahamas return to leadership, having previously served as Ghanas 12th President from 2012 to 2017. Following his re-election in December 2024, Mr. Mahama will succeed outgoing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, whose tenure spanned from 2017 to 2025. According to a statement from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu, the visit underscores the longstanding personal relationship between Mahama and Tinubu, as well as the strong bilateral ties between Nigeria and Ghana. Advertisement President Tinubus attendance follows an invitation extended by the President-elect during a visit to Nigeria in December. In addition to witnessing the swearing-in, Tinubu will represent the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, joining other African leaders at the ceremony. The Nigerian delegation accompanying President Tinubu will include the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, along with other senior government officials. Mr. Mahamas inauguration is expected to emphasise Ghanas democratic legacy, as the country continues to be a beacon of stability and effective governance within the West African subregion. Delegations from the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union are also expected to be in attendance at the ceremony. Next article: EC suspends collation of results in Ablekuma North for 24 hours due to issues with 20 polling station results Featured NPP 88 seats; NDC 183 seats; 4 Independent MPs in 9th Parliament, Ablekuma North outstanding Enoch Darfah Frimpong Politics Jan - 05 - 2025 , 14:59 2 minutes read With the disputes on outstanding parliamentary election results almost cleared by the Electoral Commission (EC) with the completion of the collation for those constituencies, and the results declared, with the exception of the Ablekuma North seat which is still outstanding, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) now has the overwhelming majority in Parliament with 183 seats. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has 88 seats. There are four independent members of Parliament-elect. The independent MPs-elect are Ohene Kwame Frimpong for Asante Akim North, Nandaya Yaw Stanley for Wulensi, Kwame Asare Obeng, commonly known as Kwame A Plus for Gomoa Central and Worlasi Kpeli for Afram Plains North, an NDC person who contested as an independent, Per this permutation and following the subsequent gazetting of the results, this is how the numbers will look in the 9th Parliament which begins its life on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, unless a court decision changes the status quo. Advertisement Already, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has filed an appeal, challenging the order by the High Court in Accra, which on Saturday asked the EC to complete and collate results for four outstanding constituencies - Tema Central, Okaikwei Central, Techiman South and Ablekuma North. The NDC is rejecting the results collated and declared by the EC on Sunday. The party, which is one seat away from securing a two-thirds majority of 184 seats in the 9th Parliament has said it will not accept the collation and declaration of results for the four outstanding constituencies, labeling the process as "illegal and unlawful." According to Rashid Tanko Computer, the NDC Deputy Director of Elections and IT, the party has filed an appeal and stay of execution against the Accra High Court ruling that ordered the EC)to complete the collation of the results. Rashid Tanko Computer speaking to the media on Sunday afternoon (Jan 5) stated that the NDC instructed its parliamentary candidates not to participate in the collation exercise, as the party is following due process. Related: Alban Bagbin re-nominated for consideration as Speaker in 9th Parliament Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh Follow @enochfrimpong Follow @Graphicgh Next article: EC set to complete collation of results in 4 outstanding constituencies today Previous article: Charles Forson of NPP declared winner of Tema Central after adding two polling stations Featured Police tighten security at EC office for collation of 4 remaining parliamentary results Samuel Duodu Politics Jan - 05 - 2025 , 09:28 2 minutes read The police have tightened security at the Greater Accra Regional office of the Electoral Commission as the EC was scheduled to complete the collation in four disputed constituencies and declare the winners of the parliamentary elections today, Sunday, January 5, 2025. There is a significant security presence around the office on Sunday, with heavy deployment of personnel from the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Immigration Service. This heightened security measure is in place to ensure a smooth and peaceful collation exercise. The Ghana Police Service is taking the lead in maintaining law and order, with the military providing standby support. Advertisement The military has not been stationed at the collation centre but ready to respond upon a request by the police. The exercise is to complete the collation process which was halted after the December 7, 2024 parliamentary elections in those constituencies. Police tighten security at EC office for collation of 4 remaining parliamentary results https://t.co/wgZQvgmlTU pic.twitter.com/egyeWfWfSU DailyGraphic GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) January 5, 2025 The EC is expected to declare the winners of the four disputed constituencies today, following the completion of the collation process. The constituencies are Tema Central, Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North all in the Greater Accra Region and Techiman South in the Bono East Region. Tema Central constituency has two polling stations left out of a total of 148 to be collated. Okaikwei Central has 31 polling stations out of 110 to be completed. Ablekuma North has 62 polling stations remaining out of a total of 281 while that of Techiman South has 147 to be collated out of the total of 285 polling stations. Next article: Collation of 4 constituency results: This matter is not yet over, we will appeal - Edudzi Tameklo Featured Redirect energies towards governance and urge your supporters to stop violent attacks - NPP MPs to NDC Daniel Kenu Politics Jan - 05 - 2025 , 03:36 2 minutes read The New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus in parliament has called on Ghanaians to be vigilant and report any suspicious or violent activity to the police and other relevant security agencies after the swearing-in of President-elect, John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday. According to the NPP Members of Parliament (MPs), they have received information suggesting plans to intensify violent acts, such as the one which characterised the aftermath of the December 7 polls, which they claim were being orchestrated by alleged National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters. They say their information is that the supporters will intensify their attacks immediately after the swearing-in ceremony. At a press conference in Accra on Saturday [Jan 4, 2025], the Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, alleged that the perceived NDC "thugs" were being sponsored by the leadership of the party. Advertisement "In addition to these troubling developments, we have received reliable intelligence indicating that these acts of violence and thuggery are being orchestrated by certain key elements of the NDC leadership. She mentioned the names of some key leaders of the NDC as the ones behind the NDC supporters and inspiring them to unleash violence on innocent Ghanaians. The caucus said it's flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, graciously conceded defeat within 14 hours after the polls and even before the official declaration from the Electoral Commission. "This singular act of true leadership and statesmanship is the reason we continue to enjoy the peace we have as a country today," the caucus said. The Deputy Majority Leader said unfortunately, the NDC took this as an opportunity to engage in acts of violence and lawlessness, undermining the very stability we all seek to protect. The Majority caucus called on the NDC to redirect its energies towards governance and "leave NPP alone." "We wish to remind the President-elect that his electoral mandate was given for him to formulate policies for the development of this country and not as an endorsement of chaos and lawlessness." "We urge him to direct his focus toward the policies he intends to implement in the interest of national progress and how he plans to address the most pressing issues facing our nation," she said. The Asokwa MP called on he Ghana Police Service and all other security agencies to remain on full alert, act with professionalism, and ensure that no one is considered above the law. The Office of the Attorney General asked the Judiciary of Guam to revise its overall court docket so that a single matter proceeds at a time. Assistant Attorney General J. David Griffin of the General Crimes Division filed a motion Dec. 27, 2024, asking the court to revise its schedule in a manner consistent not only with the expeditious, but also the effective ascertainment of truth. The governments eight-page motion was filed in a felony case from 2021 against Brandon James Flaherty. Griffin asks that the court not impanel multiple juries at the same time, and instead, only begin impaneling a jury if judgment has been entered in any previous criminal matter pending in that same court. The government of Guam has spent considerable resources and significant effort on the cases currently scheduled for trial, all of which is threatened by the Courts method of managing its calendar, said Griffin in the motion. The Superior Court has handled as many as four simultaneous trials, most recently in late 2024. Sarah G. Elmore-Hernandez, director of Policy, Planning, and Community Relations for the Judiciary of Guam, said that the court does not comment on pending matters, and that she would share any decision made by the judge. In his motion, Griffin said that the current schedule strains resources unnecessarily, and that it threatens the ability to effectively reach the truth of the matters involved because of the additional burdens placed on the People of Guam. Griffin spoke about the AGs multiple trial teams that are on standby to resume the courts regular calendar should defendants scheduled for trial take plea deals instead. When the court departs from previously issued criminal trial schedule orders, the Court places an extraordinary burden on the Office of the Attorney General ... criminal trials use significant resources, and the OAG prepares meticulously for each one in reliance on schedules issued by the Court, Griffin wrote. In addition to strained resources at the office, multiple juries empaneled at once threaten the rights of defendants who have asserted their statutory right to a speedy trial, said Griffin in the release. Griffin spoke about difficulty spreading resources, coordinating appearances with witnesses, and the difficulties presented with short-notice subpoenas. The People understand that trial courts have discretion to manage their calendars, but the interests of justice are being seriously harmed by the current schedule, said Griffin in the release. Guam Department of Education schools continue to face staffing shortages, forcing many schools to rely on substitutes for extended periods, education officials said. I look at the positions that the schools are still lacking, and what bothers me is some schools are loaded, some schools are not, Guam Education Board member Maria Gutierrez said during a Dec. 30 meeting. In a CHamoru class, I see a school covered by a substitute. Is the substitute certified in CHamoru? There are schools that have eight teachers. Wheres the fairness? Theres a mandate. The reliance on substitutes has raised concerns about educational equity, as some schools have more qualified staff than others, officials said. Gutierrez questioned the boards priority and accountability for hiring qualified teachers, citing examples of on-call substitute teachers, OCS. There are some schools where I continue to see thistheres a school with three OCS for three years, and I know because I go to that school all the time, she said. Wheres the priority for our kids? She also criticized the slow pace of hiring and called for improved processes to ensure critical positions such as social workers and psychologists are filled without delay. And yet, you have applicants out there waiting? Every day, theres a social worker. She got a masters in English, another one just a license. Still waiting, she said, frustrated. They keep calling, they keep following upour kids in the classroom. Public schools are not just there to supervise the kids. You know, its really disgusting. Concerns over hiring practices Concerns about nepotism and favoritism in hiring practices also surfaced. Gutierrez emphasized the need for clear, transparent protocols to prioritize merit and qualifications. The U.S. letter of 233-34 recommended that GDOE hire qualified people, not because theyre cousins, their nieces, or their aunties. Out of all those evaluations of applications, how did they qualify? she said. And yet, you have applicants out there, still waiting. She stressed the urgency of filling these positions, not only to support students academic growth but also to address their mental health and well-being. Next thing, all the administrative staff in that division is not going to be hired. They stop announcing, Gutierrez said. Social workers are critical positions. I like professionals, psychologists, and nurses. They need to understand whats critical those are positions that are critical. Student advocacy for change During a recent legislative oversight hearing on GDOE, Faith Freeman and Mitekshi Ghosh, seniors from George Washington High School, spoke to senators about the staffing shortage and the lack of teachers and school aides at their school. They said GWHS High is waiting for human resources to process the necessary paperwork to address the staffing shortages, an ongoing issue. They asked Education Superintendent Erik Swanson how they, as students, can help prepare for and address situations where staffing shortages disrupt their education. Swanson emphasized that filling critical personnel positions is a major challenge for GDOE, citing budgetary constraints, a competitive job market, and competition from other employers like the Department of Defense Education Activity, DoDEA. He said he would follow up directly with GWHS Principal Dexter Fullo, to identify the root causes of the staffing issues and work toward finding solutions. Leadership changes are taking place at John F. Kennedy High School, Astumbo Elementary School, Tamuning Elementary School and Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School, according to separate announcements from the Guam Department of Education. Asherdee Rosete, the principal of J.P. Torres Success Academy since November 2019, will serve as the acting principal of JFK High School effective Jan. 13, GDOE said. Jonathan Pilarca, whos been serving as acting principal at JFK High, will become the new principal of Astumbo Elementary School. Carla Aguon, meanwhile, will become the principal of Tamuning Elementary School and Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School effective Feb. 3. Rosete to lead JFK High Asherdee Rosete will transition to acting principal at JFK High School effective Jan. 13. She began her career in education at C.L. Taitano Elementary School in August 1998. Rosete served as principal at Merizo Martyrs Memorial School from August 2015 to July 2019. Following this, she took on the role of principal at Captain H.B. Price Elementary School from July 2019 to November 2019. Since November 2019, Rosete has been the principal at J.P. Torres Success Academy. We look forward to Dr. Rosetes contributions and are excited about the future of JFKHS under her capable leadership. Her proven track record of success and her passion for education make her the ideal candidate to lead JFKHS into the future, Education Superintendent Erik Swanson said in a statement. Pilarca to lead Astumbo Elementary Jonathan B. Pilarca, the current acting principal of JFK High School, will become the principal of Astumbo Elementary School effective Feb. 3. Pilarca taught mathematics at JFH High from 1998 to 2010, served as a counselor from 2010 to 2018, and was assistant principal from 2018 to 2024, and acting principal from March 2024 to Jan. 10. We are excited to welcome Jonathan B. Pilarca as the new principal of Astumbo Elementary School and appreciate his willingness to step in as acting principal at John F. Kennedy High School during this transition period, Swanson said. His expertise and passion for education will be invaluable as we continue to strive for academic excellence and support the growth and development of our students. Parel-Fontbuenas retirement Pilarca will also serve as the acting principal at Astumbo Elementary from Jan. 6 to Jan. 31, following the retirement of Principal Josephine Parel-Fontbuena. Parel-Fontbuenas last day as principal will be Jan. 31. Swanson lauded Parel-Fontbuena for her dedication to education. Her retirement marks the end of a remarkable career, and her contributions to the school and the community have been invaluable. Throughout her tenure, she has been a strong advocate for educational excellence, ensuring that all students receive the support and resources they need to succeed, Swanson said. Her efforts have significantly impacted the academic achievements of her students and contributed to the overall growth and development of the school community. She will be greatly missed by students, staff, and the entire school community. Aguon to head Tamuning, LBJ schools Carla Aguon will be the principal of Tamuning Elementary School and Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School effective Feb. 3. Her extensive career began as a 3rd and 5th grade teacher. She then became reading coordinator under the Direct Instruction Program, a curriculum coordinator at Adacao Elementary School, and a school program consultant with the Division of Curriculum and Instruction. In 2019, she Aguon transitioned to a leadership position as assistant principal. As of January 2025, Aguon will celebrate 27 years of distinguished service in the education sector, with a proven track record of inspiring both students and colleagues alike, GDOE said. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as Principal of Tamuning and LBJ Elementary School, Aguon said in a statement. I am excited and eager to work with the faculty, staff, students and their families as well as our community partners to continue to provide a safe environment that fosters the love of learning, promotes academic excellence, and celebrates student success. Quejados retirement Aguons appointment comes as the current principal of Tamuning Elementary and LBJ Elementary, Geraldine Quejado, prepares for her retirement after a distinguished career in education. Quejado, who has served at both LBJ and Tamuning Elementary, will retire effective Jan. 31. Principal Quejado has been a dedicated and inspiring leader, and we are deeply grateful for her years of service to the school community, Swanson said. Her contributions have made a significant impact on the academic and personal growth of countless students. As she prepares for her well-deserved retirement, we wish her all the best in her future endeavors. Attorney General of Guam Douglas Moylan took exception to a recent letter from the Guam Homeless Coalition, which denounces programs that the AGs office continues, as well as one launched on Jan. 3. The letter, dated Jan. 2 and written on the Homeless Coalition letterhead, starts off criticizing Moylans ongoing billboard campaign, stating that it leverages fear, anger and humiliation to address the complex issues of modern society. The letter then goes on to criticize Moylans Panbusters Phase I program, which Moylan launched on Friday. The program seeks to get panhandlers off the streets by enforcing Guams current law that states panhandling is illegal. The launch of the program signifies new action from the AGs office. Moylan said that after two years of ineffective attempts to curb panhandling, enforcement will now seek out and ticket illegal panhandling activity at Guams intersections. Phase II of the program is the activation of a live stream broadcast of law enforcement officials actively seeking out panhandlers. Residents are invited to sign up to receive notice that a panhandling citation is in progress. Citations will be like traffic tickets requiring panhandlers to appear at court to pay a fine ... otherwise they risk arrest for not paying their fines or appearing in court for their trial, said Moylan. The coalition letter says that ticketing, fines and incarceration furthers despair and the downward spiral. It risks overburdening our prison system, flooding court dockets, and imposing penalties on individuals who lack the means to pay. Moylan said the coalition is complaining to the wrong party. If the GHC believes that our anti-panhandling law passed by the Guam Legislature is bad for Guam, they need to petition their boss, who is the governor of Guam to introduce a bill, and to persuade the senators to change the law, said Moylan. The Aggressive Panhandling Act of 2013 makes it illegal to ask for money from vehicles in traffic or while on traffic medians. Panhandling by adults is allowed on some sidewalks and public easements, the law states, but only if the panhandler gives the police chief at least 24 hours written notice and safety measures are in place, including warning signs and reflective vests. The coalition writes that publicizing a cringeworthy spectacle of humiliation of our most vulnerable residents will result in social media memes and public shaming. Trauma cannot be healed by inflicting more trauma, wrote the coalition, and compassion, not condemnation, sustains the potential for positive change. Moylan, maintaining his position as he has in the past for issues such as treatment and therapy for criminal suspects, said he is all about enforcement, and keeping bad people away from potential future victims of crime. If the GHC believes that help is needed for panhandlers or for the poor, then they need to drive their taxpayer-paid passenger vans and pick those needy persons up to transport them to the governor of Guam so that she can personally help these needy persons be processed through the Department of Public Health and Social Services for welfare benefits, as well as hopefully to the Department of Labor to get a job, instead of breaking our law by panhandling, wrote Moylan. (The) governor of Guam is in a position to use taxpayer money to solve the homeless problem, and help the needy, not the AG. My primary responsibility is to enforce our laws applicable to everyone. After spending a year and a half in jail waiting for his two first-degree felony charges to make their way through the court system, Jordan Michael Babauta is unfettered and free. Babauta was indicted on charges of armed carjacking and second-degree robbery on Oct. 24, 2023, for incidents that allegedly happened in January 2023. Also that summer, Babauta was charged along with four others for the murder of Jason Susuico. Private attorney Vanessa Williams accepted a court appointment to represent Babauta in the murder case, and his prior case was also now Williams responsibility. On the eve of the murder trial in July 2024, Superior Court of Guam Judge Arthur R. Barcinas dismissed the cases against all defendants, at the requests of each suspects respective legal counsels, as well as from the prosecutors. Babauta was already confined during his arraignment for the carjacking charge, and he asserted his right to a speedy trial. He also pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness, diseases or defect, and the court ordered a forensic evaluation. Williams was Babautas fourth court-appointed lawyer and took over his cases in January 2024, in time for Babauta to be found competent to stand trial. In May 2024, Williams filed a second formal request for evidence that the government expected to present. In August, she also filed a motion to dismiss the indictment for the governments failure to commence trial within 45 days after arraignment. That motion was denied because Babautas insanity plea cut the ticking clock, and the court determined that he did not properly assert his right to a speedy trial until July. With trial imminent, Williams said she had still not received the governments witness list until the day after Christmas, with trial scheduled to start in four days. Williams filed another motion to dismiss Babautas case, and with no opposition by the government, the judge orally granted the motion and dismissed the case without prejudice He also signed an order to release Babauta from the Department of Corrections, in time for Babauta to welcome 2025 as a free man. He was released on Dec. 30, 2024. With this case and the previously dismissed homicide case, my clients been sitting in jail a year and a half on charges the People were not prepared to bring to trial, said Williams. She said that Barcinas would issue a written decision memorializing his actions at a later time. A legislative oversight hearing on education at the close of 2024 raised questions and generated answers about the exclusion of Southern High School and other public schools in a $125 million refurbishment plan. Education Superintendent Erik Swanson said during the hearing that all 41 Guam Department of Education schools were considered at the same time. Only 12 out of the 41 public schools were included in the plan. In early December, GDOE announced that it awarded a more than $125 million contract to Core Tech International, using federal funds, to refurbish 12 schools. Swanson said during the first round of the process, GDOE was only able to fund six campuses, all because we had the whole package of all of the bids for all of the schools already prepared. They went through the whole legal review process. So, as we got closer to the deadline and the potential expiration of funds, I worked with the AGs office, and they asked, What other schools can you put in? Well, we have them. Theyre already packaged. Finegayan is one of them that I wanted to put in that package. So, thats how we got it up to 12, Swanson said. Sen. Chris Barnett, chair of the committee overseeing education during the 37th Legislature, raised concerns about the exclusion of Southern High School and Inarajan Elementary School, particularly after the superintendent previously stated that bids for both schools had been submitted. You had said on the record that those schools were submitted, and I think at that time, everyone was just operating under the assumption that they were, Barnett said. So, when you came out with the list of schools included in the refurbishment project, and we didnt see Southern High and Inalahan Middle School, I think thats where the surprise and shock set in. Barnett acknowledged that while the superintendent has confirmed the need for crucial work at Southern High, funding remains an issue. It seems like the latest information from the superintendent is that, yes, crucial work needs to be done at Southern High, but we need to find the funding, Barnett added. Yes, thats correct, Swanson said, acknowledging the need for additional funding to help fix the high school. Southern High School received a D grade and failed its health inspection in September. The 30-page inspection report outlined several issues on the campus, including rubbish, overgrown vegetation, poor ventilation, moisture, and unsanitary conditions in classrooms and restrooms. Despite these concerns, Southern High was not included in the refurbishment plan. In October, students and staff returned to campus and resumed in-person learning after the school passed a sanitation inspection with a C grade. During the recent legislative oversight hearing, Southern High School senior Iziah Trecepona also questioned why only 12 out of the 41 public schools were included in the plan. He also noted that Chief Brodie Memorial Elementary School in Tamuning and Inarajan Elementary School were excluded, along with Southern High School in Santa Rita-Sumai. Trecepona highlighted several infrastructure issues at Southern High, such as a condemned library, auditorium, and gymnasium, and a large number of classrooms that remain closed. Despite all these issues, yet we are not on the refurbishment plan. And we are just three of the schools that arent there, which would leave 25 public schools off that plan, Trecepona said. Why were there only 12 schools chosen? What criteria were used to prioritize these 12 schools included in the refurbishment plan? What qualifies a school to be included in this plan, and how is that $125 million allocated across these selected schools? LETTER: The time has come for territorial representation in Congress Haiti - FLASH : A second group of 75 Guatemalan soldiers has arrived Saturday, January 4th, 2025, after the arrival the day before of a first group of 75 Guatemalan soldiers https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43986-haiti-flash-first-reinforcements-from-guatemala-and-el-salvador-have-arrived-video.html a second group of 75 soldiers arrived aboard an American military plane at Toussaint Louverture International Airport, bringing to 150 the total number of the Guatemalan contingent that came to fight the armed gangs. All the reinforcements come from the Guatemalan military police unit, the Guatemalan government said in a statement. The new soldiers paraded on the tarmac carrying their country's flag. They then shouted their rallying slogan together before being welcomed by Godfrey Otunge, the Kenyan Commander of the Multinational Mission in Support of the Haitian National Police and the Deputy Commander Colonel Kevron Henry of the Jamaican Defense Force. Godfrey Otunge welcomed the arrival of this new group which will increase the missions capacity to combat criminal groups. Commander Otunge said that the reign of armed gangs in Haiti will end in 2025. "We are ready and we will continue to be ready. The gangs will soon experience our full determination." The MMSS workforce has increased by 36.5% in 48 hours and now has 590 police/military personnel (400 Kenyans, 150 Guatemalans, 8 Salvadorans, 6 Bahamians, 24 Jamaicans and 2 Belizeans) while waiting for Kenyan reinforcements of 600 men... See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43986-haiti-flash-first-reinforcements-from-guatemala-and-el-salvador-have-arrived-video.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : Impact of American aid on Haiti over the last 10 years According to the State Department, over the past 10 years, U.S. assistance has helped 105,000 farmers increase their crop yields through improved techniques and seeds, generating nearly $30 million in sales and $15 million in private sector investment in agriculture. - U.S. assistance for water security and sanitation over the past five years has increased sustainable access to safe drinking water services for more than 350,000 Haitians and helped increase access to sanitation services for more than 78,000 others. - Thanks to U.S. assistance, more Haitians have access to police services following the construction of several police stations. The United States helped the Haitian National Police (PNH) establish a community policing unit aimed at building public trust. In addition, the role of women in the police has been amplified. This is reflected in recruitment efforts to target more women in order to make the HNP more gender inclusive. - The United States also supports the PNHs anti-gang intervention unit, known as SWAT, through logistics and control contracts, which provide facilities support, equipment, training materials, and recruit vetting. From 2022 to 2024, the United States supported the recruitment and training of 137 new officers and is providing ongoing training for the entire 130-person unit, which continues to conduct complex anti-gang operations. - The United States provided technical assistance to the Superior Council of the Judicial Magistracy (CSPJ), which is responsible for the management, supervision, and evaluation of members of the judicial system. The CSPJ has since vetted 44 judges and prosecutors to ensure they have the moral and professional integrity to serve in the justice system. Through this system, a total of 25 judges and prosecutors have been approved, helping to renew the accountability of members of the justice system. - The United States supports comprehensive primary health care through a network of 170 primary health care facilities, many in rural and remote locations, with : rapid availability of family planning methods; antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care services; routine immunization to protect people from preventable diseases, including vaccines for childhood diseases, cholera, and COVID-19; treatment of malnourished children; case management, post-exposure prophylaxis, psychological support, and a hotline for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV); they also support HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment services with antiretroviral therapy and provide pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV transmission among people at high risk. Our assistance has improved access to and quality of basic health care at these clinics, reaching more than four million of the most vulnerable. - In early 2024, the United States announced an additional $58 million in humanitarian assistance for Haiti. This brings USAIDs total emergency assistance in Haiti to nearly $171 million, reaching more than 1.5 million people with life-saving assistance since October 2022. With the additional funding, USAID will support the United Nations and partner nongovernmental organizations in providing in-kind food assistance, infant and young child nutrition support, essential health services, and SGBV prevention and response activities. The funding will also strengthen assistance to internally displaced persons through resettlement support, psychosocial support services and the distribution of safe drinking water. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Port-au-Prince : 41% of health facilities with beds are closed 63% is the proportion of health facilities with beds that are non-functional or partially functional, according to a report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "Insecurity has a significant impact on the health sector, particularly on facilities, and limits access to vital care. In the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince, 41% of health facilities with beds are closed and 22% are only partially functional" More than $1.2 billion in US aid According to State Department data, since 2021, the US Government has provided nearly $813 million in development, economic, health, and security assistance to Haiti, as well as more than $430 million in humanitarian assistance. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43995-haiti-politic-impact-of-american-aid-on-haiti-over-the-last-10-years.html The President of Colombia soon in Haiti The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro is expected to visit Haiti on January 22, 2025. On this occasion, he will participate in a binational Council of Ministers in Jacmel similar to the one held on December 21, 2024 in Colombia https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43897-haiti-flash-an-important-page-of-diplomatic-history-has-been-written-between-haiti-and-colombia.html GTC : Submission of the final report on the Constitution Friday, January 3rd 2025, the Constitution Working Group (GTC) submitted its final report to the Technical Secretariat of the Steering Committee of the National Conference. The GTC, coordinated by former MP Jerry Tardieu, is pleased to have been able, despite the obstacles, to consult many organized sectors of the country... Did you know ? On December 5, 1492, the first slave colony was established on the island of Haiti. From a population of more than 100,000 indigenous inhabitants before the arrival of the Spanish invaders, they were only 10,000, ten years later. It was a true genocide... The United States welcomes Guatemalan troops The United States welcomes additional troops from Guatemala and El Salvador who have joined the Multinational Mission in Support of the Haitian National Police (PNH) in Haiti to fight armed gangs. "The United States remains with the Haitian people and we are determined to do our part to meet the countrys pressing needs and invest in Haitis long-term success." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43993-haiti-flash-a-second-group-of-75-guatemalan-soldiers-has-arrived.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43986-haiti-flash-first-reinforcements-from-guatemala-and-el-salvador-have-arrived-video.html HL/ HaitiLibre Anzeige SK Hynix is focusing the acquired Intel SSD division entirely on servers and data centers. Solidigm already discontinued all 660p, 670p, P41 Plus and P44 Pro end customer models in fall 2024. This initially went unnoticed in this country because retailers continued to sell off the remaining stock. The Chinese website ITHome noticed that Solidigm drew attention to the discontinuation on its own product pages: "This will be discontinued" is translated there. The product pages can now only be found via search. The manufacturer has completely removed the tab for consumer SSDs. In an overview of discontinued SSDs, Solidigm does not list any successors. The US website Tom's Hardware has issued a statement: "Last year Solidigm notified our consumer SSD customers that the Solidigm P41 Plus and P44 Pro SSDs would be our final products and for future consumer products they should move to the SK hynix client roadmap with our parent company." Unusual NAND flash chips Intel's SSD technology is an oddity among storage media: formerly Intel and now Solidigm adheres to so-called floating gate technology, in which the charges for the storage state are stored in electrically isolated polysilicon gates. SK Hynix and other memory giants, on the other hand, rely on charge trap technology, in which films of silicon nitride hold the electrons. The Solidigm P41 Plus (test) was the last consumer SSD with Intel memory chips virtually an Intel SSD 670p without the DRAM cache. The Solidigm P44 Pro was a relabeled SK Hynix Platinum P41 with SK Hynix memory. Anzeige Particularly curious: In the fall of 2023, Solidigm sent out test samples of a P42 Plus, but then canceled the presentation without further ado (see lead story). At the time, a spokesperson blamed the weak SSD market and spoke of a postponement. The P42 Plus was originally intended to replace the P41 Plus with a PCIe 4.0 upgrade. Memory modules with Solidigm labeling were soldered. Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen. Preisvergleiche immer laden Preisvergleich jetzt laden (mma) MORE than 50 people attended an open evening at Henley fire station, writes Emma Dodd. Queues formed in West Street ahead of the event on December 21, which raised 620 for the Fire Fighters Charity. The station had been decorated with lights and tinsel while inside there was a chance to meet Father Christmas and his elves. There was also an information stand, toy stall and a raffle. Residents had the chance to explore one of the stations fire trucks as well as watch the crew demonstrate how to use specialist equipment. Stickers and chocolates were handed out to visitors and a mobile coffee pod provided hot drinks. Crew manager Andy Gosby, 37, handed out carbon monoxide and heat alarms as well as leaflets with fire safety tips and recruitment information. Mr Gosby, who has been at the station for 19 years, said: We havent done a charity event at this station for quite a while so a couple of months ago we thought to have a look at doing a Christmas event. The community has been really great with donating Christmas decorations, lights and all sorts of things like that and the businesses in Henley have donated prizes for our amazing raffle. Mr Gosby added the station was also providing information on the safe and well checks the station offers, which is a free home visit in which members of the crew assess a building for fire risk. Following the assessment, a free smoke detector alarm is fitted, if required, and crew members will discuss home escape plans and provide educational advice to lower the risk of fire. Former Henley Crew member Ralph Burrows, from Wargrave, was helping to run the raffle. Mr Burrows, 21, who runs his own website design business, was pleased to come back to help out. He said: All the money from the raffle goes to the Fire Fighters Charity, which helps support injured firefighters, firefighters families and mental healthcare as well. So, its really important for us. The station currently has eight on-call firefighters on its books but is looking for 10 more recruits to help keep the community safe. Mr Burrows said that being a firefighter was a job like no other. The life skills you learn, he said, you cant get them anywhere else. Its a really good station because its on-call, so everyone does other things as well. Everyones in education or doing other work and then they come in and help whenever the pager goes off. In the role we do anything fires, road traffic collisions, answer alarms and community engagement, such as going into schools and teaching children about fire safety. Its a bit of everything. The fact that you could be doing an office job one minute and then two minutes later youre in the back of a fire truck going towards anything, its crazy. Theres no other job like it. Mr Burrows was helped on the stall by Mr Gosbys wife Rosie Gosby-Dolby and crew member Katy Snoodyk. Ms Snoodyk, of Vicarage Road, said that she had always wanted to be a firefighter but was unsure if it would be possible with her day job. However, as the station allows its crew to live or work five minutes away or work remotely from the station she was able to take on the role alongside her job as a project manager for Greenwich City Council. I always wanted to do it but I wasnt really sure that you could, she said. Then, on a whim, I decided why not, what can go wrong? And I love it. Its an amazing crew and its wonderful that we get to do this for our community and be part of it and it really is the best job in the world. When little kids are amazed by fire trucks you can say Im a grown-up and I get to play fire trucks. Crew manager Michael Clarke said that the open day had been really successful. He said: Its gone really well. We started at 4.30pm but there were queues of kids and parents at about quarter past asking to come in, so we couldnt let them down. There has been a steady, slow stream of people in and out. Lots of people dont realise where we are because were just tucked away behind the town hall. We thought, if we open up, more people will know where we are and we can speak to the parents about fire safety as well as recruitment. Mr Clarke said that the station had run similar events in the past but that it could sometimes be difficult with crew members being on call. He said he would like to thank crew members from Goring fire station who helped with the event as well as providing cover for the Goring and Henley station. Mr Clarke said: We did one a couple of years back and we did it during the day, so this time we thought wed do it at night-time so it would have a bit more of an effect with all the Christmas lights. Hopefully well do it every year because this year has been a great success. Harriet Sutton, from Highmoor, brought along her daughter Daisy, six. She said: I knew the fire station was here, but Id never heard of it having kind of an open event like this. I think its really well done and obviously being able to go in the fire engine is exciting for the kids. With Father Christmas and his elves here as well, I was surprised by how good it was. Bronnie Vienna, said that her twin boys Byron and Beau, both five, had been looking forward to the open evening all week. She said: We are really grateful that the station opens up and encourages people to have a look. A dozen bags of rubbish were left at Coongul Creek on K'Gari over the weekend. Source: Facebook/Chezy Kassanne Tourists have been blatantly told "do not ever come back" to a popular 4WD beach after a dozen bags of rubbish were found scattered along the sand and in grassy areas. Chezy Kassanne told Yahoo News she regularly visits Coongul Creek on K'Gari, formerly Fraser Island, with her family, and her kids made the discovery over the weekend. "I was very shocked at the quantity of the rubbish. The bags had been torn open by dingoes and birds, and plastic was blowing around everywhere," Chezy said. "We couldn't understand why someone would just leave it there with no regard for the environment, wildlife and other people who go to experience this beautiful place." In the rubbish bags were beer bottles, soft drink bottles, paper plates, disposable drinking cups and a whole raft of other discarded waste. It appeared the "grubs" responsible had tidied their rubbish into bin bags but simply dumped them when they left the area. The beach and grassy area were littered with discarded waste left by tourists. Source: Facebook/Chezy Kassanne Family forced to tidy after campers 'deliberately leave rubbish' Chezy and her family were forced to tidy up the mess, rebagging the litter and dragging the twelve bags of rubbish back to the mainland. ADVERTISEMENT "Do not ever come back, you don't deserve to appreciate what a beautiful place this is, or how lucky you were to enjoy it... People who deliberately leave their rubbish anywhere in my opinion dont deserve to visit beautiful pristine environments," she said. The family were forced to take time out of their holiday to tidy up for others. Source: Facebook/Chezy Kassanne Visitors face $322 for illegal act on popular Aussie beach Littering is becoming an "increasingly common issue" as more Aussies take up camping, authorities told Yahoo News. The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) is warning campers that leaving your waste behind is illegal and "on-the-spot fines start at $322". ADVERTISEMENT "Pack to minimise rubbish and take all rubbish with you when you leave," a DETSI spokesperson said ahead of the Christmas rush. "Camping over the holidays should be fun and enjoyable for everyone. In a shared space, it is important to be mindful of those around you this includes cleaning up after yourself." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. At first, some thought the land animal might have been in trouble. But there's more than meets the eye as far as kangaroos are concerned. Incredible footage captured by a local woman has shocked residents who were left stunned after seeing a kangaroo swimming in the lake at a popular park. The unusual scene was witnessed at Lakeside Park in Pakenham, Victoria, which is popular among locals and tourists alike. A tiny head with pointy ears can be seen floating above water near a flock of ducks. "Kanagroo in the lake. Gotta beat the heat somehow," the woman captioned the video shared on Facebook on Sunday with temperatures of mid to high 30s sweeping the state. But while some looked on in wonderment, with one saying it was "amazing" to see, concern swept over others. Some questioned how or why the land-dwelling animal ended up in the water to begin with. ADVERTISEMENT The poster revealed the marsupial managed to get out safely after a quick swim. "He jumped out of the lake, crossed the road safely and hopped away," she said. Another noted, "Kangaroos actually can swim if they need to". While it's not a common sight, it's true kangaroos are no strangers to water, as reported by Yahoo news previously. Kangaroos are capable swimmers, despite being land animals Last year, an Aussie camper captured a mob of roos bouncing into a lake at a campground in Noosa, Queensland. Animal rescuer Craig Thomson, who works for international organisation Kangaroos Alive, told Yahoo he had never seen anything like it. He said they "tend to head to the water to escape a threat" but it's not always the case. Also last year, a kangaroo was chased into the ocean by two dogs at Torquay Beach in Victoria. It appeared distressed in video footage shared online. The kangaroos appeared to hop into the middle of a lake in Noosa. Source: TikTok/@sazzletoc Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast founder Claire Smith agreed that while kangaroos "are not designed to swim," they are more than capable and could actually swim quite well. ADVERTISEMENT "They will cross bodies of water that aren't too wide if they're motivated enough to get from one grazing area to another," Smith told the ABC previously. "Or they will get in the water to get out of the way of danger. Danger usually is something like dogs, or it could be people." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories.